Update from Zambia

God is good – All the time. All the time- God is good. This is a prayer we have been saying to others as well as to ourselves. We could write a book on all the events that have taken place and especially how evident that God has been right in the middle.

We have been Blessed by so many around us.

Trying to bring you up to date on each day would take forever so I am sending you some information of our day to day activities about the team members. Itt may seem long and yet so much is going on and the days seem to fly by. Be sure and talk to the members to get a real understanding of what we have been doing. The team THANKS all our Prayer Pals for continued Prayers -- for we know and feel them. As I start to write this, we (all the team) have just had morning Devotion with the staff of the Hospital. Each morning at 8 o’clock we hear some of the finest messages you can imagine.

I have come to bid farewell to Dr. Diane Long as she heads back to Memphis. She has been here for over a week doing OB/Gyn.She has seen patients and done several surgeries. A wonderful team member. You will have to get her to tell you about “the swing line” and her ‘seamstress”. Marilyn (Crosby) and Tammy (McGarvey) are both nurses and first time team members for a mission . They have been on the wards and out in the bush doing their work. They are both are so dedicated in their efforts and compassion for the patient. A real inspiration for the Zimba nurses to see as well as us team members. Both have such sweet spirits and proving to be excellent ‘shoppers’. We did Dental work the first week of the trip. Dr. Billy (Hall) pulled teeth and roots all week. When Billy is around we always have smiles and laughs…and he is a fine example of a Christian. His ‘helper’ for the week was Sandy (Morgan). This was her first time for a mission and because she has plans to start Dental School we felt they made a good Dental team. She has many stories to tell about the many patients they had…both were great team members. When Billy and Sandy left for Memphis , Drs. Nav and Laura Rangi arrived to be with us for the second week. Nav is an anesthesiologist and very much needed in order to do Surgery. What a blessing that he could be here. He has a life story that brings admiration and inspiration. Dr. Laura,who does general practice as well as sports medicine, arrived ready to change the world. She got us on the ball. You will want to hear her story when she returns.. After I finish this she is going to get all “the girls” together and organize the operating room (called the theatre) storage closets…Janet (Sisco) is the resident missionary here (from Memphis) being helped by our Church…You must get to know her and her work. You can find her story on our Church Blog. She has her own home right out back from the hospital. Since many of her things have not arrived from the U.S. . Bill (Crosby) our wonderful ‘spiritual leader’ has been able to paint and sand and advise on getting her house ready to settle in. I, Maggie Hollabaugh) have helped him when I am not counting pills in the Pharmacy or creating a “name” book. Remind me to tell you about the baboon that wanted my lipstick ! Dr. Bob (Hollabaugh) as he is called, has gotten together a fine “Medical Team” together for this mission in Zimba, Zambia. We have all bonded . Although , he had quite a challendge to deal with during the first week, he is one who is calm and steady and was able to do the right thing . He has seen to it that we have things to do and really wants to be able to do things for this Hospital.

I will sign off for now…but be rest assured there is much more…..for such a time as this!