Dear Friends,
Thank you for your faithful support of our work.

During a recent visit to the Mulolo hospital, the staff’s demonstration of gratitude and Thanksgiving inspired me. The challenges of keeping a hospital in rural Congo functioning are interminable – acquiring supplies long distances over rutted and muddy roads, manipulating surgical instruments deserving of retirement years ago, maintaining infrastructure, paying salaries, and stocking the pharmacy, while serving a population who subsist on agriculture and earn less than $1/day. What joy when, on this recent visit, the team at Mulolo unpacked a few boxes of supplies we brought, unveiling a generous tray of very expensive urology surgical instruments.

The Mulolo hospital team showing off spiffy scrubs we brought them

For reasons yet unidentified, in that region, children, especially boys, develop bladder stones. Dr. Arnold’s renown for mastering the delicate surgery to remove these stones has spread throughout the region. During our visit, three families arrived with great hope that the Mulolo team could end their boys’ suffering. Having spent all their money vainly seeking care, the families had nothing to pay. Often in visits like this, hospital staff and patients expect me to be a generous benefactor and cover the cost from gifts generously donated by people like you. This time, brand new urology instruments filled the hospital staff with eager gratitude to show their appreciation.

Dr. Arnold examining a patient with his solar powered ultrasound

These expensive instruments were gifted by Samaritan’s Purse, at the request of our dear friend, fistula surgeon, and former missionary to Congo, Dr. Shannon Potter. During her recent visit, she took interest in Dr. Arnold’s particular needs and shared them with Samaritan’s Purse, with whom she partners. They generously donated the urology instruments Mulolo could never afford! Now in the hands of a skilled physician, they would increase the success of these delicate surgeries.

As the staff admired the instrument tray, Dr. Arnold pronounced his moto of leadership, “We are from the courts of the Great. Our hospital freely received a gift to save lives. We will contribute our part for the healing of these patients, for the glory of our Great God.”

Fist-size stone removed from a boy’s bladder

A few days later, we loaded up to return Kinshasa. Relieved parents came to say goodbye, their boys resting comfortably at the hospital, their suffering having ended at the skilled hands of the OR team. The Mulolo staff inspired me by their obedience to the apostle Paul’s admonition in 2 Corinthians 9:11 “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

We are grateful, as God works across miles to move generous hearts to support faithful servants like Dr. Arnold and his team, who save lives, bring light, healing, and share good news from the “courts of the Great”. God bless Dr. Shannon, Samaritan’s Purse, and you our generous supporters. Have a blessed Thanksgiving.