Malawi the heart of Africa

Ladies had to wear their dresses 4 inches below their knee and there are no exceptions.  Many lady tourists were turned away at the border because of the length of their dresses. Bill and our sons went fishing. Jacob was casting and his hook caught the scalp of our fishing guide.  We took him to the local clinic. The medic took a regular pair of pliers and pulled it out along with some of his hair and flesh. We met a nice Baptist missionary family and Bill was able to repair his car. Fortunately he had the parts but he did not have any idea how to install them.

God brings just the right people into our lives just at the right time when we need His help. I’ll always have a special place in my heart for the Malawi people.  It is not a surprise that once you have been to Malawi you understand why it is known as the “the heart of Africa”. 

Mission trip to Ghana • Joan Hust

Ghana is a country in West Africa.  I was so excited to go there.  I have been twice.  Once with a team from our church and the second time by myself.  I was overjoyed both times as I love the country and the folks in the churches. 

I was given the privilege of sharing my personal testimony in the villages with the team. What I remember most is that they are the largest cocoa producers in the world, and I love a cup of hot cocoa. They also told me that Lake Volta is the largest artificial lake in the world and I was able to walk along the shore in my bare feet that felt as good as the water was cool and comfortable compared to the 90 degrees plus temperature.  

I felt right at home with these loving folks.  I did not know them and they did not know me, but we were one in the Lord. 

Praise HIM for the joy of sharing His Son, Jesus, everywhere I go !

Ethiopia with Rhonda

I was the guest of Rhonda Fleming from TMI in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. It was a tremendous trip. We were in Addis Ababa and Rhonda had arranged for us to have David as a driver that met us at the airport and took us everywhere.

I was very impressed with the work of Compassion and World Vision in the country. I met Mark Seward there and he and his wife, Sidney who live in my neighborhood in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

We were able to visit a mission where they take in young boys off the street and provide them a place to live, and give them the opportunity of getting an education along with the teachings of the Bible.  We passed out oranges and bananas to all of them.  Rhonda took individual photos of the boys, was able to have them developed and gave each boy their photo.

We visited educational facilities, churches in homes, observed consecrated elderly men that made their own ink and pens and were copying pages of the Bible every day of their entire life.

We were taken by boat across the lake with no oars, and a 20 yr. old Honda 15cc motor to view parchments, scrolls, sacred writings, and a monastery that is reached by walking up a very steep and winding path. It was over a hundred years old that had remains of several Emperors, their robes, jewels, and sacred writings. They had to turn on lights, and open locked doors with guards.

Our last visit was to the Soddo Christian Hospital which is south of Addis Ababa in a beautiful mountainous region.  There we met up with Dr. Duane Anderson from Coeur d’Alene who worked at the Kootenai Medical Center where I was the medical librarian.  He is the owner, director and field director of the Soddo Christian Hospital and the Pan Academy of Christian Surgeons Training program Director.

It is amazing how HE brings all these opportunities to share His love with believers all over the world.  . 

A Drive Through Botswana, Joan Hust

I drove through Botswana with girlfriends to go shopping for food and clothes in Johannesburg when I lived with my family in Zambia.  We had a lot of fun.  The border inspections coming and going took hours, and it cost five hundred dollars deposit to enter the country. When we returned to the border the officials gave us back our deposit. The people were very friendly and spoke English.  We saw a lot of wildlife especially we all enjoyed seeing so many elephants, giraffes, zebras, wart hogs, one huge tortoise only once, more impalas than you can count, monkeys chattering mostly as the sun goes down, and a herd of wildebeest. We stayed at a very nice Christian guesthouse, and met several missionary families.  We joined them for Sunday morning and evening services.  One of the church families invited us for high tea which was a new experience for me.  I did not know what to expect. 

Pray for the Botswana people to be encouraged by the fellowship of their local church.  It was a blessing to worship with them. 

Florida Southern College Memory

It was a typical warm, hot, sticky day in class at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida.  I had a seven am class every morning Spring and Winter semesters. I was approved to take twenty one credits so I could graduate early as I had been offered my first teaching position sight unseen in an elementary school in South Florida.  My classes were over at eleven forty five am, and I ran all the way to work as I was a car hop at a local drive- in restaurant. I arrived on time for the noon to six pm shift. I changed clothes in their restroom, and one of my class mates picked me up after work with her dad’s yellow Nash, and off we went to help provide the music for a tent revival.  A young man from Georgia in his second year of Bible College was in my class was holding a tent revival.  He was such a quiet, reserve person, but when he preached he had a lot of enthusiasm. I played the saxophone, Tillie played the accordion, David played the trombone, and Tommy played the guitar.  The Lord really blessed us as we played our instruments, sang, gave our personal testimonies, and took turns delivering the sermon. When the altar call was given folks would come forward and accept Jesus as their personal Savior. 

Thank You heavenly Father for using me to reach others and tell them of how You gave Your only Son to die on the cross so that they might live.