Finding Hope in Gabon

From one of our team mates, Lisa...

"The people of Gabon come to Bongolo Hospital looking for hope. When they receive treatment they are prayed for and exposed to the Gospel. As a result over 1000 people have prayed to receive Christ in 2010. They sense light here. Often they come expecting light, even searching for it. I don't know why God chooses Bongolo as a place that pushes back the darkness, but he does in undeniable ways. There were many little moments in 2010 where God used me to touch hearts for his kingdom, despite myself. My greatest desire in 2011 is to see him continue to do this to an ever-increasing degree. My desire is that I would not let the many distractions of living in community with my fellow international workers and life's many entanglements, especially what I allow my mind to dwell on, take me from those opportunities that can easily be lost in the busyness.

Here's one of those opportunities that was not lost: I remember Fleurette ("little flower"), a woman in her mid 20's, a mother of two little boys that came to our hospital and was admitted with AIDS and TB. I saw her walking into her room one morning, her clothes barely hanging onto her emaciated body. I knocked on Little Flower's bedroom door, not because I am particularly godly or even wanted to, but as so often happens to me, because of the Holy Spirit prompting me to. I asked her about her life and I remember imagining how beautiful she used to be as she beamed talking about her two boys. A local witchdoctor had lied to Fleurette about the cause of her illness and thus she'd wasted precious months in the witch doctor's "care" before coming to Bongolo.

At Bongolo Hospital, Little Flower received the truth that she was actually suffering from AIDS and was in need of anti-retrovirals. I explained who I was and a bit of my testimony of how I came to work at Bongolo. I asked her what she knew about Jesus. She said, "I cannot lie. I've walked into churches before but I don't understand what they are saying." I explained God's plan of salvation for mankind to save us through Jesus. It was apparent that God had prepared her heart. This time, she understood. I asked her if she wanted to accept God's forgiveness and become his child. She said "yes" with great confidence and prayed to receive Christ.

A day or two later I saw her parents carrying her near lifeless body into a bush taxi to bring her home to die. An infection had invaded her skin and lungs, and as is common in rural Gabonese culture, the family had decided that it was the moment to take her home. When I realized what was happening, I ran to her, leaned into the taxi, and looked into her eyes. She was still hanging on to consciousness. I assured her that Jesus was waiting to welcome her. Fleurette did not at all appear afraid . She acknowledged me with as much of a nod as she could muster.

I remember being somewhat taken aback by the peace I found in her face, even though I've seen it over and over watching believers in Christ in their final moments of life. Only thirty minutes later, she arrived in her village. I imagine Fleurette thought to herself, "Why keep Jesus waiting any longer?." Her family later told me that she was dead upon arrival."