I just got this letter from Jeremy and Martha Smith (see the list of missionaries on the side for more info on their family) and wanted to share a portion of it with you:
We would really appreciate your prayers for our family and our team. First of all, we headed out for a team retreat this last Tuesday. On the way there Aaron and Mika Roland had car trouble and had to be towed. While being towed the cable came loose and hit the windshield, breaking it. Aaron and Mika had a few cuts, but nothing major. After the retreat we and the Westerholms were to stay in Pemba for a weekend seminar at the church there. Amy Westerholm decided that she would go on home with baby Maggie. During the seminar we got a call from a Mozambican saying that Amy had gotten into an accident on the way back to Montepuez. That man brought Amy and Maggie back to Pemba. Maggie was completely unhurt, even though the car had rolled and the top and sides had been smashed in. Amy, however, suffered several head wounds down to the skull and some other wounds on her right arm. A South African doctor friend of ours looked her over and recommended we have her medically evacuated to South Africa since health care in Pemba is so limited. We worked out all the details and that night a small jet came and picked her, Chad, and Maggie up. She was admitted to a hospital there where they redid the stitches in her head. She spent a couple of days in ICU but is now being transferred to the normal ward. Praise God that she’s okay! No other cars were involved in the accident, she stayed conscious the whole time, Maggie never even cried, and one of the first people to help her was a Mozambican doctor.
Another big item of news happened to some of our other teammates in our organization who live in Nampula. Their baby, Caleb, had major health problems just last week. His windpipe constricted so much that he couldn’t breathe due to an infection. The doctors in Nampula saved his life by inserting a tube and hand pumping air into his lungs for several hours until the medi-vac airplane from South Africa could arrive. The doctors on the plane were pretty concerned when they saw his condition. Many people were praying for him since hour by hour his condition seemed to worsen. He is still in ICU in S.A. and will be for another week or two. He is still on a ventilator and trying to fight the swelling in his windpipe and lungs. Please keep Caleb and his family (Shawn and Sarah Gardner) in your prayers. It was a very scary experience for them and for all the rest of us, as well. (Before they could arrange for the airplane to come and get him they had to come up with $23,000. The Westerholms, however, had insurance that covered medi-vac so they didn’t have that complication)
The day before yesterday Andrew came down with a fever so we took him to the local hospital to get tested for malaria. His test came back positive so he’s been taking the appropriate meds. and is starting to feel better. Our little teammate Josiah Roland also has malaria.
So many things have been happening at once. We don’t fear, but we do solicit your prayers. Satan tries to attack in many ways since he doesn’t want us here doing the Lord’s work. Please pray especially for the Gardner and Westerholm families as they recover from these traumas both physically and emotionally.
I believe in the work these wonderful families are doing in His name. I know that satan tries to attack those people who are living and working for Christ. Fortunately we have a "weapon" more powerful, PRAYER. Please take the time to remember these families this week! Thank you!
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