Hello from the Jungle!
June has brought the dry season, and with it, a pleasant reprieve from the heat and humidity.
The lower temps seem to lift everyone’s spirits
(and the numbers below have seemed sufficiently chill to prompt our littles to ask for fleece hoodies, blankets and extra snuggling 😂)
We have wrapped up the final trimester of the year for the Nursing Students.
They have gained their IV skills this trimester and are starting to synthesize the patient assessment, oral medications, and overseeing care of a unit as a whole.
They have one year remaining in their program – it is exciting to see them begin to think critically and act skillfully at the bedside.
Christopher’s side job using his self-taught biomedical repair skills continues to be in demand.
His recent jobs have included several repairs to an aging, once-$40K operating microscope in the eye clinic OR. It was a little intimidating at first, but after some negotiation Christopher and the microscope were able to come to an understanding and the microscope has agreed to maintain full functionality for the time being.
Other projects are more basic, like installing new A/V cabling to update the hospital conference room that hosts surgical lectures and important meetings, or recording the newly-minted “Bongolo Song!”
Matthias wrapped up his first year of Gabonese preschool with a school-wide assembly.
Various students from the school were called up to perform local dances, model tribal fabric and to demonstrate a skill they had learned during the year – Matthias was called up as one who had newly learned to speak French, and was asked to recite the days of the week in French in front of the assembly.
(And now we know why he has been repeating the days of the week nonstop around the house for the past month 😂)
Cora Lisette continues in her love of the dirt and love of caring for babies.
A young mama thought Cora was plenty old enough to hold her 2 month old baby at church 😳
Cora took it very seriously and had several turns holding this sweet, chill, little baby.
Thank you for continuing to pray for strong connections.
We have been visiting various local church gatherings, to connect with each body of believers.
The Father is answering your prayers for deepening connectedness at the hospital.
Recently the Surgical Ward staff invited our family to one of their homes for a dinner party that the staff on the ward hosted to thank us for being intentional about investing and connecting with them in their lives.
We were so very blessed by their generosity and hospitality, and we continue to see God building those connections and relationships!
Thank you for praying alongside us!
One of the ways God has been speaking to our family about deeper connectedness with those around us has been to prayerfully consider the request from the Bongolo Team for Amanda to step into the Team Leader role for our Team for the next 2 years.
After several months of bringing this before the Lord, we have felt led by Him to say yes to this.
Amanda’s official start date is Sept. 1, with some transition of duties already beginning.
We are grateful for your prayers alongside our little family as we adjust to this added role. Specifically, that we might hear God’s heart for Bongolo in this coming this season.
You have an essential role in our ministry here.
We would love to connect with you!
We have just flown back to the US for our summer home assignment, and we would love to hear how God has been connecting with you this past year and what that journey has looked like.
We will be in Iowa during the month of July and in Ohio during the month of August.
Feel free to reach out at the email address below- we’d love to connect!
As you’ve been journeying with God this past year, perhaps he’s been pushing you or someone you’ve been walking alongside to step out into something new.
We are in need of a physician and a nurse to help carry the work God is doing here at Bongolo. Christopher was asked to make a video specifically to share about these needs.
Click or pass along the video link below to learn more.
https://vimeo.com/718263386/00fa39ac9c
We look forward to connecting with you soon!
With Love,
~The Edmans
Christopher, Amanda, Matthias, & Cora Lisette
Oh, what an exciting ministry God has called you to serve Him. Thanks for the update. I wish I could visit you with the Becknells this summer. God bless you all!!
Thank you for the newsletter and pictures! We are so excited to see you at “MOE” in July!!!!