Update from Dr. Ann - hard to be sick in Chad!!!!

Had a long (well,13mins.) call from Cari and Andy yesterday. They continue to
do well. Cari is enjoying the teaching still and getting to know the
children. Apparently Drew is going along with her to help so that is good.
Andy is very grateful for Adolphe who is translating for him and doing so
very well, apparently. Life continues very busy for him with many sick
children. He said that recently they had a quiet day on paediatric ward with
only about 20 patients but on "intensive care"- our higher dependency unit -
there were two children in several of the 13 beds. So I am very glad that he
is there.
I am not yet back there. My car was only ready Thursday but I had
a relapse on Thursday and was only ready for bed. Today have been out to the
shops nearby for the first time. John, our leader, wants me to look at some
finance things with Pam on Monday so I hope to go down Tuesday. So it was
really brilliant that Andy and Cari are there. Otherwise many more children
would have died. (Sadly many die despite our best endeavours because they
come too late). Elisabeth the other doctor has responsibilities at the
nursing school with exams so can't possibly cover everything. I am only
sorry that I cannot be there to help. But God knows all about that.
Yesterday I was reading Ps 27. 14 Wait on the Lord, be strong and let your
heart take courage; wait on the Lord. No doubt Andy and Cari are sometimes
frustrated that I cannot be there earlier with all their emails if nothing
else! (not that they have ever expressed it but it would only be natural)
and I am certainly impatient to get back but recognising that God knows
better (and I am not really strong enough for the trip and getting back into
work immediately after), I am trying to learn to be patient! Pray for us all
in that.
Pray for the nursing school. The theory exams were last week but last time I
heard (Thursday), the government evaluators for the practical exams were not
organised to come despite Elisabeth speaking to the necessary authorities
ages ago. She had been promised they would come this week but then the
promise was retracted. As these are final exams for the 3rd year students,
they are very important. A nurse who trained in another private school
finally did his exams 8 months after the end of his course but that was a
school with many, many more students than ours. It is very discouraging for
Elisabeth and even for us all when such things happen. On 20th August, there
should be entrance exams for private nursing schools including ours. these
are now organised by government for the first time and there is a degree of
uncertainty about how they will run and even if they will take place the
date given. It is important that they do happen so that there will be
students to start the first year in October. Last year the exam never
happened and so there is no first year this year with consequent effects on
the school finances and hospital staffing (which will last for 3 years, of
course).
Lots of news there. Thanks for your prayers and for encouraging Andy and
Cari and boys to come.
Love in Christ,
Ann