Dear Friends,
We are rejoicing this holiday season. This year God has helped us to see how much we have to be thankful for; and how we do rejoice in Him!
Our daughter Esther was experiencing what seemed to be an average case of chicken pox but what we did not know was that the chicken pox virus had infected her brain. Then she lost her ability to speak, walk and even respond to us. She crawled from room to room and could not even sit up we11 enough to eat and had to eat laying down on the floor. She had lost her energy and just laid around. Our little Esther was gone. This happened over the weekend and by Monday we were scared and asked the doctor to fly in at our expense to check her out. He diagnosed her as having varicella encephalitis, a rare and very serious condition. We left the tribe immediately and started Esther on the only medication known to be affective against this virus. We also moved in with the doctor’s family where she was surrounded by stimulation. Seven kids and four adults in one small house is well described as stimulation! With each new day we saw our Esther improving and becoming more like herself. Now she is near normal. Her response is slower than it used to be and she still suffers a little imbalance. We are her parents so we notice the difference but if you were to see her now you probably would notice no problems. Early this month we will be taking her back out to town to be evaluated by some therapists to check the extent of permanent damage and determine if there is anything else that could be done to help her.
- We thank God for giving our daughter back to Us. We might have lost her or a part of her to this disease but God protected her.
- We thank God for a doctor who was willing to let God lead him to this far away land and went the extra mile in opening up his home and family to Us during a hard time.
- We thank God for our newest addition to the family: Rachel Joleen, which makes a total of three blessings.
- We thank God for those who write notes of encouragement, those who pray, and those who make financial sacrifices to support God’s work here among the Chimbari.
- We thank God for so loving the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. JN 3:16
Christmastime is different in Simbariland. No stores. No lights. No traditions. No parties. Nothing really special about the time at all…except that it marks the time when God came to earth as a man! Yes, some Simbaris really do know, “The reason for season”.