Harvest School

Quick entry to say thanks to the many people the guys and I met here in Pemba during the last two weeks of Harvest School 13. What an encouragement to hang with folks of all countries of all ages in all professions who want nothing but Jesus and bringing Heaven to earth now.

100 of the 140 students are now out on extended outreach in several remote areas including  Mozambique,Sudan and Nepal.

While here,the idea of the New Testament Church hit me loud and clear.All those who want a deeper relationship with Him look into it at http://www.irismin.org/

Bush Bush

Bush Bush

Below are some shots of last weeks outreach the guys and I went on. Every week two groups with Harvest school students,visitors, and local pastors go out from the base in Pemba. The plan is to tie in with a local Iris church if there is one. Northern Mozambique is made up of synchronistic Muslims, mixing Islam with tribal animism. Interesting side note,we did a Christmas skit here the other day and had to borrow the word "Christmas" from Portuguese as the local Makua language has no such word.

The format on the outreach trips is that we set a a screen for showing the Jesus film then had prayers for healing after a short message. About two hours of singing and dancing as well. Day two is visiting homes then another presentation the second night. Again lots of singing and dancing.

 

Mozambique

Life in Pemba

We have been in Pemba for ten days now starting chapter four of four of our adventure in Africa. The center here is multi-faceted involving 160 children living here full time, a mission school of 140 people lasting three months twice a year, a clinic, feeding programs, widows program and lots and lots of village people being fed both physically and spiritually. In short this is an African missions “factory”. It is also a “faith factory”. No funds are solicited, no debt. The stories of provision are incredible. For readers of George Mueller, I refer to the Bakers as “George Mueller on steroids”.

 

Anyone who feels called to investigate Africa, this is a great place to get exposed to multiple areas. Housing costs are by donation. In addition when you staying at the visitors center, you get exposed to the most interesting people from all around the globe. Our current dorm mates are from Venezuela and South Africa. During a recent pastors conference here we also had the chance to get to know many pastors who are in charge of their provinces. Current estimates are 7000 plus Iris churches in Mozambique. Iris is in 19 different countries.

During the missions school outreaches to the bush go on every week. More on that later. Bye for now.

South Africa

We just completed two weeks in South Africa. It was a mix of relaxation and seeing what Iris Ministries is doing over the globe and more specifically in White River, South Africa. We had a chance to visit the day center and orphanage there. We also attended a true African Revival meeting with a pastor named Surpressa (Surprise) who was the kind of person who after meeting, one will never be the same. Janet and Austin joined us which was great. She is already thinking of getting a group of women to join us back here.

They are now back in Maryland and we are in Pemba,Mozambique at the Iris base (much more on that later).

Scott

We had two days to be in Kruger Park.Rhinos, Eelephants, Giraffes,etc

Nov 2, 2010

 

Hello from the Republic of Congo.

Here in Impfondo at Pioneer Hospital broadband internet used to be available before the system broke in August. Since then the missionaries here have been forced to use a very slow, often unreliable wireless system. Today we went to local Unicef office and they let me up load photos to my face book page and place this entry. If you want to see the photos, head to facebook.

Conner, Luke and I are now in our third week here and are loving it.The hospital is run well, operations happen every day and lives are being saved in the name of Jesus. We leave a bit early next Tuesday because of flight schedules back to the capital, Brassaville. After that we will meet Janet and Austin for two weeks helping at Iris orphanages in South Africa (more about that next week).

Luke first assisting with hysterectomy 

We have gotten in a routine here with 1-3 operations in the morning followed by seeing patients in the afternoon. The language barrier is significant with French the official language and Lingala being the local language. The sonographer here named Alpha has taught himself enough English so that as a team we are working out well. For all you people who took French in school but have no chance to practice, come to Congo.You will have a blast. 

This is a great location to feel like you are making a difference. The people are very friendly and appreciative of any help you can offer. Contact World medical Missions if you are medical or if you aren’t but want to help out go to www.congoharveys.blogspot.com.

Helping build a home

Rounds with Dr. Steve Wagner. One of three physicians

Local pastors family with Sara Spear, here for 30 plus yaers

I’ll make another entry when we are in South Africa. For those praying for us, Thank You

Plans set

Hello all,

We have been home now for three weeks and finally have our next two months in place. We will be hitting three countries in 9 weeks starting Oct 14.

Oct 14 through Nov 13 Impfongo, Republic of Congo. The name of the hospital is called Pioneer Christian. The founder physician we will be working with is named Dr Joe Harvey.

Nov 14 through Nov 26 in multiple locations around South Africa. The really fun part about this

time is that Janet and Austin will come to join us. We hope to be visiting several Iris ministries locations there as well as seeing some big animals.

Nov 26-Dec 20 in Pemba Mozambique. For those who read my entry about books I had read, this is the home base for Iris ministries.The ministry started by Heidi and Rolland Baker. After reading "Always Enough" I had to take my boys there and live it for possible future involvement.

For those praying for us,thank you and please pray more. Pray for our ears to be opened more and for our eyes to see with His eyes. Truly amazing things are happening around the world and in us.

Scott

Ready for chapter two

This will probably be the last entry for our Nigerian experience. Six weeks has gone by quickly. The first four weeks went by especially fast as we were seeing new things daily.

These last two weeks we have been staying at the hospital and following Dr. Ardill (Photo to left) and the residents who are on their surgery rotation. The residency program at Evangel is a family practice residency although that is defined very differently here than it would be in the U.S.

Family docs in Africa are hopefully competent in performing many of the operations that a US general surgeon and an OB would perform. They will likely be in locations where if they are not good at bowel surgery, C sections, hysterectomies, head trauma (burr holes), and orthopedics then people will die.

Below is photo of Dr Truxton (maternal health). She and her husband have been in Africa for 37 years!

I have also gotten a lot of reading in (it is amazing how much one can accomplish with no TV ). Two books I would recommend is, “There is Always Enough” by Rolland and Heidi Baker, and “Left to Tell” by Immaculee Ilibagiza. The first tells of amazing experiences of missionaries to Mozambique the second of the story of a survivor of the ’94 genocide in Rwanda.

From here we head back to Maryland for a few weeks and get the guys a bit more organized with the home schooling thing (new to all of us). After that I am hoping that we go to Kenya. There is a teaching hospital there called Kjabe about an hour outside of Nairobi. The word is that they are very busy in the OB/GYN area and are in need of help. Since it is a hospital and residency (again family medicine) run by the missionaries it will be interesting to see the similarities and differences with what I have seen here (Evangel hospital and residency program is run by Nigerians).

Please pray for us when the Lord brings us to mind. Pray that these experiences will continue to be life changing for all of us.

Scott, Conner, and Luke

                                                                         

Giving back lives

The above photo shows the entrance to the VVF (Vesico vaginal fistula) center at Evangel hospital.

VVF's are a very big issue in Africa. Almost all VVF's are caused by prolonged obstructed labor resulting in a dead infant. After the dead child starts to break down it will deliver.The tissue around the area where the head had been stuck starts to die and break down due to the lack of blood supply while the infant was still inside the mother. Once the fistula develops and the women starts leaking she is often divorced by the husband and has to live on her own.

Currently Evangel operates on 15-30 women per month.They have a hostel where the women live and recover from their operation. Every Tuesday they have a time when they celebrate the women being discharged from the hospital.This morning two women were leaving.One had been there three weeks,the other five weeks.

Aisha below offered her story as an example.Her third child was full term.After three days in labor she had a C-section. A fistula developed and her husband divorced her. After needing several operations at Evangel she has now been dry for ten months.

Fulani

On Saturday we were taken to an area about 80 miles outside of Jos to visit a Fulani family. Because it is Ramadan it was recommended that we make it a day trip rather than spending the night there as is the usual practice. Tim Malloy heads up the Fulani ministry with SIM here. It is estimated that there are over 12 million Fulani in Nigeria alone, over 120 million in Africa. The Fulani are a nomadic people who raise and migrate with their Zebo cattle. Most Fulani are Muslim.

We had a great day first finding the correct home (no GPS-no roads for that matter) and then visiting with Bello and his friend. 

Some of the testimonies we heard were amazing. For those interested I would direct you to a DVD called "More than Dreams" (Netflix has it). One of the stories on that DVD is about a Fulani in Nigeria who Tim knows. Tim's partner, Babangida  has a story very similar to Mohammads.

Real security

Today we spent the afternoon at Gidan Bege or "House of Hope". It is a small orphanage and clinic in Jos.We spent the afternoon seeing Muslim women in a health clinic and gave vaccinations to the 17 boys who live there full time. The stories that explain why the boys are there will break your heart. Many were accused of being the reason their parents died and were thrown out of their village. Some barley got out alive.

Instead of living on the streets and being influenced in negative ways they are loved and educated in the name of Jesus. They have a school there and after their normal school education start learning trades at age 13. By the time they are 18 they are educated and have training for full time jobs.

The only thing that limits the ministry is finances. It is amazing how far a dollar can go there.

What a great investment for eternal returns

See ya,Scott

Africa so far

Hello all,
I am Luke, the youngest of the Hankinsons. Today in the O.R. I saw a stump revision on a women whose leg had been amputated as a result of her diabetes. I also saw a nine year old who had a problem called club foot. I also saw a baby who had this condition today. This is the third time I have been to the O.R. and each time I am surprised!
Over the trip I have realized that us Americans have so many extra things that we don't need. Over this one week that I have not had the common American things such as T.V. and such. Without these things I have been spending more time with others and I have also been less distracted and I have been more focused on GOD. Yes I have computer but I can only spend about ten minutes on a day and when I am on I am either skyping my Mom or on facebook. Any how when I have taken the media out of my life i have been impacted positively.
Tomorrow I am going to spend the entire day at a city ministry who takes care of homeless boys. We will be helping at a clinic at the shelter. I am very excited and will try to tell you all about it.
Luke

Evangel hospital

This morning Austin and I sat in on morning rounds. After that we rounded on patients who were in the hospital. The above pic shows Austin in the male surgical ward which has 16 beds. The diversity of patients is amazing. A little pitch for Evangel: anyone reading this who has ever thought about going to Africa, let me know. I'll put you in contact with the right people.Everyone here is very gracious and make you feel very welcome.More later.
Scott

Hello All,

Today was our first time at the hospital. We were able to meet with a missionary orthopedic surgeon who let us  watch several operations. We saw two c-sections, a bowel surgery as well as a surgery on a broken leg. The man had been hit by a car and his leg broke  in multiple places. We watched the surgeon drill brackets into the bone so that the bone could heal properly. One interesting thing I noticed was that before the patient was given the spinal anesthesia, the doctors prayed over the man. I must admit some parts were pretty gruesome and I felt a little queasy as they were the first big surgeries I had witnessed. That being said, I am still excited to see more surgeries in the hospital. I thank God for the opportunity to be here and see how the church is growing through health care in Nigeria.

Austin

We made it

Hello all,
We are now in Jos and getting settled in.
After 21 hrs of traveling on Monday we were happy to spend Tuesday night in Abuja.Yesterday morning we drove up to Jos and had a great time seeing the country. Yesterday and this morning we had a chance to meet some of the other families, more tonight.They have all been very warm and have made us feel very welcome.The meals have been wonderful (so much for my idea of dropping some weight).
The guys are making friends by the hour with kids from the other missionary families.
One thing has made me feel especially secure. As some of you may know, Jos has seen some recent violence. As a father I was hoping that we would have an extra layer of security for my children.
In addition to gates and guards around the compound, every missionary family has great guard dogs, one family has a rotweiler, many have german shephards.

See below and meet Ginger and Nutmeg (not sure which one is Nutmeg)

I do believe  that our guard dogs are by far the best in Nigeria. I will sleep well while here knowing they are on the job.
See you tomorrow, Scott

Welcome

Hello all,
Welcome to our blog.
As we start our experience in blogging we hope to keep you updated as we travel. We start off by heading to Nigeria on Aug 2. We will be at Evangel hospital in Jos working with a general surgeon named Bill Ardill. His family website is http://www.ardillfamily.com/
Please check back in August. We will cherish your prayers.
Scott