Africaz_Melodie's Xanga

My Unexpected Journey with Illness

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 21:13:04 GMT

Recently the Lord has taken me on a very unexpected journey. The past 6 and half weeks I have gone through something I would never have chosen or expected. Yet God is good and I know he has allowed me to go through this for his greater purposes in my life.

On Thursday, August 20th, 2009 I woke up feeling tired, but fine. After eating breakfast I came down with a nasty bout of diarrhea and severe stomach discomfort. I had a lot of things to do that day, including an appointment that could not be rescheduled, so I pushed myself and went out with the car anyway (crying). I made it through the next few hours (using the bathroom at every stop) and finally came home where I was able to rest. I felt better (and the diarrhea subsided) by evening and I was able to eat a normal meal. The next day I was weak, but otherwise normal. That night I couldn't sleep because of heart palpitations that lasted most of the night. Finally I fell asleep at about 4 in the morning.

Saturday was up there with the worst day of my life, although over the past 6 weeks, there have been several close runners up. Diarrhea began, vomiting, and then HIVES! Horrible, head to toe, none-stop-itching hives! The 30 minutes before the Benadryl kicked on were literally the worst 30 minutes of my life. We naturally called the doctor at this point where he prescribed a strong antibiotic.

The following days were a bizarre repeat of these past two days. Felt better Sunday, couldn't sleep Sunday night due to a pounding heart, and woke up Monday where the exact same thing happened as Saturday (diarrhea, vomiting, hives). Felt better again Tuesday, couldn't sleep Tuesday night because of heart palpitations…. and then was admitted to ELWA hospital Wednesday morning when the "horrible day" part of the cycle repeated. (I did take Benadryl early in the morning, which at least prevented me from getting hives again). I had a fever of 103 when I went into the emergency room.

The tests in the hospital did not reveal anything too conclusive. There was no malaria, typhoid, hepatitis, etc. I was started on a very strong and thorough antibiotic and I started to improve. The doctor (Dr. Sacra, an American missionary) thought, based on the information we did have, that none-typhoid salmonella was what I might have.

I do have a history of mitral valve prolapse, which was not yet confirmed by an echocardiogram, but several doctors had noticed slight abnormalities with my heart. Because of this the possibility of endocarditis (an infection on my heart valve) was mentioned.

I went home after four days with the IV cannula still in my hand. My dad, "Doctor Daddy", would continue to give me the IV antibiotics from home. I improved daily and started doing ministry related things (around the house) that I really needed to have done by a certain date (in retrospect I may have pushed too hard). The antibiotics were stopped after a total of 11 days.

Two and a half days later the cycle started again, just the way it had before. Oral antibiotics did nothing. Friday I went back to the hospital where a cannula was again placed in my hand and I received some fluids. I went back home later in the day. Sunday was an awful day of burning fever and horrible, pounding heart palpitations.

During all of this we had been returning to the hospital about every 2 days to get the cannula replaced. The antibiotics are very strong and my veins were swelling painfully or the cannula would get clogged, sometimes even after one day. No one likes needles, but I have always tried to be brave when it came to being poked. Towards the end I ran out of usable veins and I would sometimes just cry as the nurse would poke and poke or blow my now fragile veins. I didn't know how long I would need to be on the antibiotic but I new I was running out of places to put the cannula..

Monday I went to Harbel Medical Center (Firestone's hospital, perhaps the best in the country), where I had a lot of lab work done. We were also given the same antibiotic, only produced in Europe, not India or China. Four days later we found out that I did indeed have salmonella.

Thursday afternoon heart palpitations began again, and pretty much did not stop for the next 4 or more days.

On Friday I returned to ELWA for more blood work and an echocardiogram. (The echocardiogram could only be done by a visiting Liberian doctor - the only one in the whole country trained to do these). The visiting doctor confirmed the mitral valve prolapse, as did Dr. Sacra. On the top of the valve a questionable spot was noticed. The spot could have meant endocarditis. Because of this, Dr. Sacra advised us to seek medical care in the US.

The blood tests indicated my body was still working hard to fight something serious, and also revealed malaria, something I had never had before. That evening I took a one-time malaria treatment.

Saturday I felt very sick again. I was nauseated all day and very weak. My dad booked tickets on a commercial flight for my mom and me for Wednesday, and we all hoped I would be well enough to make it to the US.

Sunday was another very difficult day. I had more heart palpitations, fever, and severe nausea. I laid in bed all day and vomited the only food I was able to eat. By evening we knew I could not make a commercial flight. By God's grace the short term medical insurance I bought covered medical evacuation to Europe, so my dad began making plans to fly me and my mom out as soon as possible. We would go to Europe to get me stabilized, then eventually make it the rest of the way to the states. I would stay in the US as long as I needed to treat whatever problems I had. Dr. Sacra agreed with this decision and also advised me to return to the hospital that evening.

My best friend Kevin, whom I had been dating for 10 months, spent the whole day (September 20th) with me Sunday (after returning from church). We had been talking about getting married but I was not expecting a proposal, certainly not then. But Kevin was prepared with a ring (and permission from my dad), to ask me to marry him, since we did not know how long I would be away and he wanted to make it official before I left. Of course I said yes! In my time of suffering Kevin's proposal was the greatest gift he could have given me. Though I was sick and being readmitted to the hospital, I couldn't wipe the ridiculous grin off my face.

Sunday I did not sleep well and Monday was another horrible day of nausea and vomiting. Since Friday I had been praying and praying that I would not feel so sick the day I had to leave. Just rolling over was nauseating and I couldn't keep any food down.

Tuesday morning I woke up feeling a little better and was able to take a bucket bath (all they offer at the hospital) before leaving bright and early for my emergency medical flight to London. Greg/Buster drove us in the Acres of Hope ambulance and also took care of our paperwork at the airport (such a blessing!). I never could have imaged 2 months earlier, as I waved good-bye to Alvin on his emergency medical flight, that I would be leaving the country the same way.

The flight went really well and the doctor and nurse took great care of me. We stopped in Morocco to refuel then made it the rest of the way to London. We landed in the Royal Air Force Academy where I was transferred straight into an ambulance. Just 30 minutes later I was admitted to St. Mary's Hospital in Paddington.

I have never seen so many tests done so fast! The night I arrived I had numerous samples taken, tons of blood, an EKG, two ex-rays, and an echocardiogram. The efficiency still astounds me, after coming from Africa!

At the hospital everyone was just wonderful. They were all so kind and considerate. Nurses from all over the world took care of me including a wonderful lady named Venus from Zambia.

The first tests showed pretty severe anemia (7.8 HB for you medical people) but nothing else too astounding. The head cardiologist looked at the pictures from the echocardiogram and said the amazing words "I don't think we are dealing with a heart problem."

The next day of testing malaria showed up - falciparum malaria (the worst and most deadly kind). Treatment was started the next day with quinine, after all the tests were confirmed and the medicine was rustled up from pharmacy.

The infectious disease doctor explained that for some reason it has been found that salmonella and falciparum malaria seem to go hand in hand. This would explain why I got malaria after never having it before in my life. Malaria could also have accounted for the severe anemia. The doctor also explained quinine would probably make me feel sick because when it kills the parasites the dead parasites will give you the symptoms of malaria again.

So the first day on the medicine I was miserable with malaria symptoms. Some magical "anti-sickness" tablets they gave me really helped with the nausea so I could still eat. Since the lab had not seen anything relating to the salmonella, they began to only give me a third of the antibiotic they were giving me before. (It seems the final antibiotics in Liberia, or soon after, finally killed the salmonella). Little by little I began to regain my strength. My anemia improved considerably every day. The doctor said malaria can hide the hemoglobin(?) in other parts of the body (capillaries?) and as the malaria is killed, those are released back into the blood where they belong. (Something like that - don't quote me word for word here). By the time I left my hemoglobin was up to about 12, which is considered normal (although normal for me has been closer to 15, since I have been very healthy in the past).

I was given a second echocardiogram one of those days, where two specialist's looked at my heart. Both said I had a very healthy heart and no mitral valve prolapse. It was thus confirmed that I have no heart problems.

By Monday evening I began to feel normal again. Wednesday (the 30th of September) I was able to leave the hospital after a stay of seven days. (My mom had been staying in an inexpensive hotel nearby.) We are now staying with a wonderful British couple who are retired SIM missionaries. They used to be in Nigeria but are now back at home here and their main ministry is hospitality for people like us - missionaries and others who need a place to stay for awhile. They have been a huge blessing to us. My mom and I both have our own rooms and they have a beautiful "garden" in the back. Plus, he is also a doctor! So I am in good hands.

Everything still feels pretty surreal to me. I was so sick for so many days I couldn't think about anything but making it through the next moment. But I have been so amazed and blessed by the many (more than a thousand, at least) people who have been praying for me, and those who donated so generously to my medical expenses.

I must say I am so privileged to have been trained in the Word of God as I have been. Through this whole ordeal I have never worried that God had forgotten about me, been angry that he was allowing this to happen, or doubted his goodness in my life. Some people think theology and a good knowledge of the Bible don't really have anything to do with daily life. But they are so wrong. It has changed who I am and gives me the strength to make it through the most difficult times. The Nouthetic counseling training I received last year has also been invaluable during this time as it also greatly influenced the way I think and significantly increased my trust in God and the way he is working in my life.

In all my life I have been very strong. Growing up in Africa I never got malaria. I have never been hospitalized or been in a car accident. I have cracked my collarbone (twice, as a kid) but that was localized pain that healed fast. I open the jars for my mom, run the house when she is away, can look after 2 two-year-olds alone and make dinner and clean the kitchen at the same time. But when I was sick my mom was feeding me, a nurse bathed me and I couldn't even use the toilet on my own. Those things are humiliating, yet I didn't feel that way when I was going through them. I was just thankful. Thankful God had provided me with such loving people to care for me in my time of need.

One thing I know is that if you have never experienced something, you can't truly empathize with a person. I consider myself a very empathetic person, but I have never had a serious problem with my health. Constant nausea and vomiting are what chemo patients deal with. Someone with Crohn's disease struggles daily with intestinal discomfort and diarrhea. My illness seemed to never end - many people have chronic illnesses. Additionally, I have been so weak I now know what it is like to not be able to bathe yourself or to even use the bathroom without help. I have shed countless tears during times I was so sick all I could do was cry. My heart has pounded so much my chest hurt, I have ached with fever over and over again, been poked and prodded countless times, and I have endured many scary sleepless nights. Though I never ever want to go through any of that again, I am already thankful for how the Lord is going to use these experiences in my life.

I have been so pleasantly surprised by the many, many caring comments people have left on my facebook page. Additionally, my dad received over 600 email responses to the update he sent out to our prayers supporters, as I was about to leave Liberia. People have shared my need in small groups, churches, and even over the radio. And those prayers were answered. The speed and smoothness in which the emergency medical flight was arranged was astounding. The care at the hospital was phenomenal. No one was ever grumpy or short with me. They took my illness, symptoms and concerns all very seriously. My favorite nurse Venus (from Zamia) was so touched by our ministry in Africa and she made me feel comfortable even in the most awkward situations. The food was amazing and tasted like a restaurant (I kid you not).

And the mitral valve prolapse and possible endocarditis? Well, I have a strong, healthy heart with not a trace of mitral valve prolapse. Was it a miracle? I could very well be. I can't explain it and I saw a prolapsing mitral valve on the screen in Liberia, and I saw a strong, normal valve on the screen in London. The discomfort I was feeling with my heart could be explained by my anemia, low potassium and low electrolytes. No matter what, I am so thankful for a healthy heart and to have been in a first-world hospital during the weakest part of my illness and so the doctors could do all their tests to see if there was anything else wrong with me.

We are planning to return to Liberia on the 11th of October. Since all my problems were addressed here we don't feel there is a need to go all the way to the states. I am very anxious to return to Liberia where my fiancé lives and to my family, friends, and ministry.

I am still so very, very weak, and tire pathetically fast, so this time in England is just what I need to regain my strength. I lost more than 15 pounds of muscle and fat, and I was actually pretty much at my ideal weight when I got sick! So I am not happy about the weight loss, but I AM happy about putting it back on! Gaining back the muscle will take time. Yesterday was a hard day for me and I was reminded that fully recovering after being so sick is not going to happen overnight.

I know I am only beginning to learn all the things God will teach me through this experience. I truly do desire to be made more like Christ, and it is times like this I realize two things 1. Becoming like Christ is very hard. And 2. God has taken me seriously! He is allowing me to experience the things he knows I need to go through in order to look more like his Son.

I also learned that God wants me (all of us, really) to trust him with the unknown. As I had a relapse of the salmonella, and then the malaria, no emotional wall was going to protect me from feeling sick, and it wasn't going to make things any easier to tolerate. At times I have wanted to sort of brace myself for the things God was going to bring my way. Yet this time around I really had to just let go and just put one foot in front of the other and hold on to the grace God gave me, one moment at a time. After 6 weeks I can already notice a change in my thinking. Again, God will use what he needs to teach us what we need to know…

I am so thankful to God for bringing me through this and so thankful for all that I will continue to learn from this in the coming months and years. I am so thankful I got insurance even though I didn't think I would ever need it. (Let this be a bit of advice for all you short termers traveling overseas!) I am so thankful for my wonderful mother who has so patiently cared for me and for the rest of my family who was there for me when I was still in Liberia and are taking care of things while we are away (including the 2 two-year-olds I mentioned). I am thankful for Dr. Sacra who looked after me so well in Liberia. I am thankful for the Jacksons who have opened their lovely home to my mom and me while we are in London. I am also thankful to all you who have supported me in prayer through this difficult time. Because of you I always felt protected. I wish I could thank each one of you individually…

Please continue to pray for me as I try to regain my strength. Just going about normal living activities wears me out.

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9

In Christ alone,
Melodie

New Post

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:27:50 GMT

I posted on my blogger account a few weeks ago, right before I got really sick (more on that soon). I do not have the energy to repost the whole thing here, but for those who still visit my xanga primarily, here is the link to my recent post on the Susie Guenter orphanage and the Baptist Children's Home..

-Melodie

Alvin's Miracle

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:11:41 GMT

Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted,
"Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"
The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder,
"Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"
Jesus stopped and called them.
"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.
"Lord," they answered, "we want our sight."
Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes.
Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
(Matthew 20:30-34)

When Jesus came to earth as God made man, his purpose was to die on the cross for sinners - every human being that has ever lived. The sacrifice of a perfect person was the only acceptable offering for a righteous God. Because of Christ's suffering everyone who confesses their sin and accepts Jesus as their personal Savior can be saved from eternal damnation and look forward to an eternity with God in Heaven.

In Jesus' first recorded sermon he said

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
(Luke 4:18-19)

Christ accomplished so much during his time on earth (before he died on the cross, then was raised back to life, and soon after ascended back to Heaven). Miracles were a major part of his ministry.

The purposes of Christ's miracles were twofold. "First, they revealed the sovereignty, power, and glory of God and of His Son. Second, they revealed mankind's desperate need. His healings expose the devastation caused by sin, as well as God's power and will to repair such sin-wrought desolation and wretchedness." Another way to look at the first purpose is that "miracles are the testimony of God as to the nature and person of Jesus Christ." Miracles confirmed that Jesus was who he said he was. (Quotes taken from here, and here, respectively).

While Jesus is not walking the earth in visible, human form today, he is every bit as much present and involved in our lives as he was with the individuals he healed in the Bible.

When a 13-year-old boy from Liberia, West Africa, lay dying in a tuberculosis sanitarium, it seemed this child had been forgotten. When his bed sores had eaten away his flesh to the point that he bones and internal organs were visible, he could no longer walk, use the bathroom, roll over, or simply lay in a comfortable position, Alvin's future seemed hopeless, and death just around the corner.

On one of Patty's first visits to Alvin she thought he would die within a few days. Alvin asked Patty to sleep near him in the sanitarium (on the floor beside the bed) so that if Jesus came, when he saw a white person, He would be inclined to stop and see Alvin. Patty explained to Alvin that Jesus showed no preference for black or white skin, and then led Alvin through the plan of salvation, so that if Alvin were to pass away in the night, Jesus would indeed bring him home with Him to Heaven. Alvin accepted Jesus as his Savior that night and Patty slept on the hard cement floor beside him.

Alvin and his birth mom had been praying a long time for some way that Alvin's life could be spared. Some way for him to live the future he dreamed of and recover from his constant suffering. Through the ministry of Patty Anglin with Acres of Hope, Water of Life, various missionaries on the ground in Liberia, and a loving Christian family in America, the present day hands of Christ reached out to Alvin to save his precious life and bring him to a place where he can receive the most physical recovery possible on earth. Through this, along with financial donations, and the prayers of thousands of people, God has worked a modern day miracle in the life of a little child who thought he had been forgotten. Who thought Jesus only came to white people. Who thought his dreams to see life and a future in America would never come true.

Christ is still alive and well today, working in the lives of the great and the very, very small. I hope Alvin's story has convinced you that Jesus Christ is who he says he is, and he has great, great love and compassion for the physically suffering and spiritually lost.

As I stood watching Alvin's plane taxi toward the runway last night I realized that I had just experienced one of those "once in a lifetime" days that you never, ever forget. Sometimes I just can't believe I am so blessed to be a part of what God is doing in the hearts and lives of people here in Africa.

Please visit my original post on Alvin's Miracle at the AOH blog to see all the pictures of his departure. The internet is too slow to repost all of those here.

-Melodie

August Prayer Letter

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:03:35 GMT

Dear friends,

I am finally sitting down for a long overdue prayer letter! After getting back to Liberia after my brother John-Mark's wedding, I hit the ground running with a number of situations that I will share with you.

I flew back to the states in May for John-Mark's wedding and returned the end of June. The wedding was simply perfect and it was such an honor to be a bridesmaid. I am so happy for my big brother and thrilled to call Sara my sister.

While in the states I was also able to spend some much needed quality time with my friend Kevin. Kevin and I began dating about a month before I flew out to Liberia in December. Kevin is also a missionary kid from Liberia and he is also committed to full-time missions in Africa. And now, after much waiting and lots of prayer, Kevin has joined me in Liberia after being hired by an American construction company. Please keep this relationship in your prayers as Kevin and I seek the Lord's will for our future.

Back in Liberia I began counseling again right away. Both A and M seemed to do okay while I was gone. Sadly, when I was back for just 2 weeks, A's 10-year-old daughter Tasha was raped. The little girl was taken to a hospital and then transferred to a safe home where she has been for the past month. It just breaks my heart that this has happened, yet I know God loves A and her little family more than I ever could, and so I simply have to trust that somehow he is going to use this tragic circumstance for their good. In addition to this, A's ex boyfriend has been trying to weasel his way back into her life. So I am now in the process of helping A take legal action on behalf of her daughter and the ex boyfriend. After the rapist is rearrested (the police let him out), we will be bringing Tasha back home where I will begin counseling her (alongside her mother) half of the time. I am also hoping to enroll Tasha in a good, safe Christian school right near where they live so she can begin an education and have a safe place to be while her mother is working. Concerning the ex boyfriend, A and I will be meeting with her family and the young man to formally (and in a culturally appropriate way) inform him that he is no longer welcome in A's life (and to stay away from her house!). There is a man who is very high in government security who is also a good Christian (and attends one of our Baptist churches) who will be joining me for the meeting to properly threaten the young man since he (Tasha and A's son on our last visit) has already disobeyed the police's orders to stay out of A's life.

(Tasha and A's son at a recent visit).

In addition to all this, A is dealing with another issue that I am not sure I am ready to share (or will share at all). It grieves me so much that she is going through all this, yet so much she has brought on herself through her sinful lifestyle. I know helping A change her life and establish a firm foundation in Christ is going to take time…and I have already seen it is very difficult. But God is with her and she really does seem to desire to be right with God, so I feel privileged to be here for her at this time. I wrote up an article (of sorts) about my ministry with A that I posted on my blog (and was also published on another Christian organization's website). I would appreciate it if you would take the time to read her story (by clicking here) and what I am learning through my ministry with her.

As if that were not exciting enough, I am working diligently with Acres of Hope to help get a critically ill child adopted to the states. God has also given me the chance to do some counseling with Alvin. Alvin is 13 years old and very intelligent, and he is also a born again Believer. While we are doing our best to get Alvin the life saving medical care he needs, Alvin still needs to be prepared for the chance that Jesus could take him home soon. But it does look like God is going to heal Alvin physically as we are just days away from getting him home to his adoptive family in the US. I had just begun blogging for Acres of Hope when God used the blog to find Alvin his adoptive parents. To learn more about Alvin's story please read what I have written on the blog clicking here.

I have been helping my parents a lot with our two Liberian foster babies. These children are waiting for adoption to reopen in the country so they can go home to their respective families. The boys are both almost two, and one has been struggling with some issues that make him very demanding (even more demanding than your average two year old!).

Please remember to keep the following things in your prayers:
1. That God would give Kevin and me wisdom concerning our future.
2. That the rapist would be arrested very soon so we can bring the little girl home.
3. That I would have wisdom as I counsel Tasha.
4. That the ex boyfriend would be properly convinced to stay out of A's life.
5. That A would be strong to establish a firm foundation in Christ
6. That Alvin would make it home soon and be able to heal from his multiple physical problems.
7. That the foster baby will grow through his struggles, that I would have a lot of patience to meet his needs, and that adoptions would reopen so both babies can go to the parents that have been waiting so long for them.

Thanks so much for keeping me in your prayers. I need them so much as I realize I can't do any of this in my own strength.

In Christ,
Melodie

(I posted this prayer letter a little late so some info, like Alvin's situation, has changed. Praise God Alvin has now made it to the states. Please read the story I wrote about his home going by clicking here.)

Pray for Avin!!!

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:27:55 GMT

I am now blogging for Acres of Hope and I also wanted to share this critical need here on my blog.

This is a little boy named Alvin who is in critical condition. Alvin is 13 years old and previously had Tuberculosis of the spine. Alvin was successfully treated at the TB Annex in Congo Town but due to complications of his illness, has remained there much longer than his treatment required. While Alvin was so sick, lying in bed for so long, he developed bedsores. These bedsores grew and grew until the flesh was eaten away and now bone is visible! Alvin has bedsores on both hips, his lower back and between his knees. His bed sore on his right hip is so bad that all the muscle has wasted away, his hip has been dislocated, and his femur bone actually slips out of his body about once a day and has to be pushed back in by a doctor! I don't know how Alvin is even still alive.

Alvin is available for adoption and is in need of an adoptive home. He needs help ASAP, which means the family needs to be homestudy ready and have a hospital and insurance lined up for his care. Patty has been working very hard to save this little boy's life and has put together a plea for him here in Liberia. Thankfully, the government is ready to push his case through if we can find an adoptive home.

If Alvin can't leave Liberia soon, an American surgeon feels he should remove Alvin's right leg at the hip, since the ball and joint are no longer together. He also said he would use the skin from the leg he removes to cover some of the other bad areas that need skin grafting.

Alvin is a very sweet boy. He is smart, can read, and loves school and learning. He is described as a peacemaker and knows the Lord as his personal Savior. Based on what we know of Alvin it is clear he is a very special boy and would be a huge blessing to an adoptive family. Right now he is grieving because he was told that his leg would probably have to come off. Please pray for this young man that God would give him the strength necessary to face the challenges of loosing his leg, if it comes to that. Also pray that if it is God's will, He would provide another way to save Alvin's life, and that he would one day have complete healing. If you can help Alvin or know anyone who might be able to help, please send an email to aoh.savinglives@gmail.com as quickly as possible. A fund has been send up to support Alvin's medical needs. Click here to donate towards that through paypal, or email the address above for more details or another form of payment.

The watermark I put on the blog pictures says "Acres of Hope...where new life begins..." Please pray with me that Alvin would have a chance for new life...

Africasmel

(Those interested can see more pictures of Alvin at the AOH blog.)

A Liberian Woman

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:54:44 GMT

God has given me a special desire. My life's call is to reach Africa with the gospel. In that call is a heavy burden for women. Most of you know I am involved in orphan ministries. I care very deeply for underprivileged children. But I am equally passionate about ministering to hurting and needy women. But stepping into someone's life in such a way to really make a difference is not easy. You need to be prepared. You have to make sure you know the culture, and you also know your Bible. Thankfully God has blessed me with a great, Biblical college education, an upbringing here in Africa, and Biblical counseling training. I am at a place where I can start truly making a difference, but I still have so much more I need to learn. Sometimes I feel so inadequate. This kind of ministry is difficult. Not only do I need to be the hands and feet - the voice - of Christ as I minister to these women, but I also represent a small piece of the heart of God as he fills my heart with love and compassion for these women. The more I work with them, the closer I get to them, and the more their suffering hurts me too. I am a counselor and a Bible study leader, but I am also a friend. I show people hope and healing as found in the word of God. I also guide them with practical suggestions of how to live as a Godly woman in Liberia. Sometimes I help them out with clothes, money to take their child to the hospital, or something else material. But I am not the one to meet their everyday needs. One day I will no longer be working with them and they need to see how God is able to provide, without the help of a white person, and how they can bring in an income and support themselves. Part of showing Christ's love is meeting physical needs, but their needs to be a balance.

One of the reasons I am burdened for African women is their very difficult lives combined with very few Biblical resources. While everyone has faced some kind of hurt or suffering in their lives, the level your average African woman faces would simply astound most of you who are reading this. But I have hope. I have the Bible, which means I have the truth. I have answers. And God has given me training and desire to work with these women, and the ability to learn and understand the difficult Liberian English (all my counseling is done in this form of English, and to be most effective I have to use my heaviest accent and all the odd words that come with the dialect).

And so I want you to meet Patience* today. I want you to learn what your average Liberian woman is like.
*(Name changed for privacy)
("Patience")

In the fall of 2006 as I worked for Acres of Hope, I met many people looking for help from this humanitarian and adoption agency. Many single parents, with no alternatives, brought their needy and sometimes dying children as their last resort. One of these mothers stood out to me in a special way. Patience was a 21-year-old single mother of two. Her second daughter was born with a medical condition that could not be corrected in Liberia but with many surgeries could be fixed in the states. Since her daughter was born Patience had searched all over the country for a doctor who could correct her daughters problem. After 18 months of searching, with no assistance from the child's father or his parents, and completely on her own as her own parents had passed away, Patience finally heard of Acres of Hope. I established a friendship with Patience when she would come to the AoH office for funds to help with the care of her daughter or when I would visit them where Patience sold snacks. (While her daughter was accepted into the adoption program almost immediately, she remained in her mother's care since no foster homes were available at the time and her mother was already doing such a great job with her care.)

Well, due to complications with the child's extended family, this little girl was not adopted while I was working for AoH. I returned to the states in the fall of 2007 hoping that things would change and the baby girl would finally be able to get the life saving care she needed. I prayed frequently for this little family, for Patience's spiritual condition, for their daily needs, and that the baby would one day be adopted, before it was too late. Right before I left Patience gave birth to a little boy, by the same father as her second daughter.

In 2008, as I made plans to return to Liberia, God laid Patience on my heart. I had just received training in Biblical (Nouthetic) counseling and was excited to invest in the life of this single mom. I had made a difference in the lives of many children, but now I had the chance to make a difference in a mother's life, to show her how to make wise choices so she would be able to make it as a single mom, and most importantly, to have the hope and joy that only Jesus Christ can bring.

I was shocked to learn, just one month before heading to Liberia, that Patience's little daughter had passed away due to complications of her condition. We all knew it could happen…I was just believing God would spare this little girl. That someday it would work out for her to be adopted, that my involvement in their lives would maybe guarantee eventually she would find the help she needed. But that was not how God chose to work in this situation. For some reason he knew he would get more glory through the girl's death than through her life. I do not understand why God allowed this to happen, but it was very clear that God was leading me to be involved in Patience's life upon my return to Liberia.

And so when I began meeting with Patience, after returning to Liberia, it was for grief counseling. I was not able to start counseling right away, but again, when I was able to begin the sessions, it was very clear the Lord had me in Patience's life for a reason. The day I went to meet with her to arrange what our schedule would be like (we meet twice a week for about an hour) her ex-boyfriend had just beaten her up. Then, as we were talking, he stomped back to Patience's house, pulled out a bunch of her clothes, dumped them in a wheelbarrow, poured kerosene on top, and lit them on fire! I grabbed Patience and her kids and took them to the nearby police station to file a report on this abusive and dangerous man. Thankfully they were able to arrest him later, threaten him severely, and things have been better. Unfortunately the ex is not completely out of her life, but he seems to have decided he is going to be good.

In addition to the grief counseling, I have been helping Patience work through various areas of her life she needs to change to make right with God. Obviously Patience has had a very rough life. She is only my same age and has gone through more grief than many people will see in a lifetime. From the beginning Patience was ready to experience hope and healing, no matter the cost. When we began meeting she thought she already knew Jesus as her Savior. I knew she didn't, based on the lack of fruit in her life (Matthew 7:16). As those first sessions wore on, Patience started expressing interest in accepting Jesus as her Savior. I was thrilled she was so interested, yet I know one big problem with evangelism in Liberia (it could happen anywhere, really) is the push for a prayer or going forward, or some outwards declaration of following Jesus, when the person has no idea what they are really doing and is not truly ready to follow Jesus with their life. Most Liberians have no clue what it really means to be a Christian, or the high cost of following Jesus (the prosperity Gospel is very popular here). So after three more weeks of meeting, of explaining what it truly means to be a Believer, of taking her through the Bible and explaining how wonderful, but how hard, it is going to be to follow Christ, Patience accepted Jesus as her personal Savior!

Counseling and discipleship have been going very well. Patience is practically a dream counselee as she is so receptive to the truth and anxious to apply it to her life. But just because Patience is now following Jesus does not mean her life will be easy. I wish it did…

Just the other day Patience's 10-year-old daughter was raped. Patience had gone to the market and had left the girl at the house, as usual. There are many other women around and it really isn't a bad idea to leave a 10-year-old at home without mom around. Well, sadly a man who had been staying in one of the rooms at their house took advantage of this opportunity. The girl was admitted to the hospital right afterwards and then was transferred to a rehab center for counseling and encouragement (she will be there for about 3 weeks).
(Patience' 10 year old daughter).
When I first learned of the rape I thought "why her? Why Patience, after all she has already been through?" Then I realize something; she is no different than your average Liberian woman. Only in her case I am here…Most of them just have to buck up and get on with life. It tears me up to think of that. To think that so many women live like Patience has lived, but with no hope. Yet God has given me the indescribable privilege of being here for this family. Of offering them the hope of Jesus Christ. Patience has become like a sister to me. I never knew I would grow to care for her some much.

I wish more people would join me. There is such a need. As Jesus said in Matthew 9:37 "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few."

When Patience's daughter comes home I will begin counseling her alongside her mother, half of the time. I don't know where to begin. I'm not ready for this. But God has placed me here for such a time as this (Esther 4:14) and how could I shy away from opportunity? After all, it's why I'm here. (Patience' 2 year old son).

April Prayer Letter

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:36:07 GMT

Dear friends,

Hello from Liberia! I am doing well and eager to share the ways the Lord has been using me these past two months.

Praise God Acres of Hope has come through the crisis I mentioned in my previous letter. The little one I was caring for is healthy again and is back at the Acres of Hope Orphanage. My family still cares for two other babies who are waiting to be adopted.

As I mentioned in my last prayer letter adoptions are currently suspended in Liberia. One of the reasons international adoption is suspended is because new adoption laws are being written to improve the adoption process. While I support the new laws and think they will be beneficial to the country, we who work with adoptions are concerned about the length of time it is taking to come to a decision about these laws as there are many needy children waiting for adoption, including those with urgent medical needs. Since I believe adoption and the care of the orphaned and needy is a biblical concept, I have felt called to advocate for adoption in Liberia. Because I am an independent missionary, and not employed with an adoption agency (but have adoption experience from my previous work with Acres of Hope) I have had the chance to speak out where someone officially with one of these organization may not have been able to (as I have nothing to gain from international adoption). I have had several opportunities to have an influence on the adoption situation in Liberia. I have helped to write letters to various officials, spoken on the radio, met with government officials, and participated in a press conference, which was written about in the newspapers and aired on TV. Additionally, a government official requested my input on adoption and how it relates to Liberia. In response I wrote a 22 page (single spaced!) research paper that was given to this man as well as many other officials involved in writing the new adoption laws. I have been given more influence in this area than I could have asked for and pray that God blesses my efforts - not for me, but for the sake of the many, many needy children in the country who would benefit from adoption.

Counseling has begun and I have been reminded again of how much I love working one-on-one with women! What a priceless privilege to be able to share hope and the keys to living a godly life with African women in their own cultural context, speaking the Liberian English they speak. I am currently counseling two young ladies. M is 17 and has some trauma in her past, but I believe is a born again Christian, and A is a 24 year old single mom with 2 kids who recently lost her 3 year old daughter to a medical condition that would have been correctible in many other countries. The Lord has blessed me with the opportunity to bring hope to these women in the midst of some very trying life circumstances. I am so pleased to share that A just accepted Jesus as her personal Savior last week! Although only my same age, A has already seen so much heartache, but by God's grace she has taken hold of the only hope anyone has in life - the hope of Jesus Christ. I meet with M once a week and A twice a week, according to what works for their schedules.

I have hosted several gatherings for the older missionary kids in the area, including a big birthday celebration and sleepover for my brother Jared's 13th birthday. I can tell the kids really enjoy the get-togethers and it has been a joy hosting these occasions.

In March I went to for a long weekend to Yila where one of our Baptist Mid Mission's stations is located. I went with my sister Heidi, Martha (a graduate from our Bible school in Yila), and Eveline (who grew up in Yila and is one of our Pastor's daughters. I also discipled her a few years ago). We had the chance to visit the station and relive some memories of when we were all there years ago, as well as hold a class for the young ladies on the mission encouraging them towards purity and godliness (most of the teen girls already had babies out of wedlock). We thank God for a safe trip in the chartered taxi. On our way to Yila we witnessed a motorcycle accident and were the first ones on the scene to help the injured.

My older brother will be getting married in June so I will be traveling to the states for the occasion. I knew when I came to Liberia last December I would be returning at some point during the summer for the wedding. My family will also be going back to the states but I will be leaving a little earlier to attend another wedding. We will be returning to Liberia together at the end of June.

Please join me in prayer for the following requests:
1. That international adoption would reopen in the country and the new laws would be accommodating to those already in the adoption process.
2. That the ladies I am counseling would be bold to live lives of godliness amidst many negative influences.
3. That I (along with the rest of my family) will have safety as we travel thousands of miles this summer.

Thank you again for your continued prayers and financial support. It is such a blessing to be here now being used by God.

In Christ,
Melodie

Update...Finally!

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 20:55:13 GMT

Thank you all for you prayers. The crisis AoH was facing is over and the kids are doing great. I returned my little charge to the orphanage (after he gained nearly 5 pounds) and he is doing fine.

(The AoH girls washing their hands before lunch.)

Tim Faust, AoH USA employee and Clinical Therapist come out to the country to help do some therapy and training with me and the other orphanage staff members. We are grateful for his visit and I am excited about the new sensory integration therapy I learned and will be able to do with the children.

(Tim Faust, Patty Anglin - AoH founder and director, baby, nanny.)

Adoptions are still suspended in the country. Me, my parents, Acres of Hope, and the other adoption agencies in the country are advocating for the children and encouraging the government to finalize the new adoption laws and lift the suspension. There are many children matched for adoption in the country who need to go home, especially those with medical needs. There are many more needy children in Liberia who could be helped or even saved through adoption. Please continue to pray that the new laws will be set in place, that the laws will truly be in the best interest of the children, and that the suspension will be lifted very soon.

I have been so busy with all this adoption related stuff but I feel it is best to not give too many details in such a public format.

But I can share that I was on Liberian Radio this week!!!

Go to this link to hear me, a Liberian adoption worker, and an American adoptive dad (from ACFI) on Liberian radio answering calls on adoption. We thought it was funny that I was introduced as an "Adoption Expert" but oh well…I guess I could be compared with your average Liberian who might not even know what adoption is!

(A fun picture I took in a market.)

-Melodie

February Prayer Letter

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:38:14 GMT

Dear friends,

Hello from Liberia! I can hardly believe I have already been here two months! It is so wonderful to be back in Africa and an added blessing to be with my family. A lot has happened these past weeks, but not necessarily what I had planned.

First I would like to give glory to God for provided above and beyond my financial needs for this short-term missions trip. The money was trickling in VERY slowly, but in the very last days of being in the states it all came! I am thankful for God's provision for me and believe this is a real confirmation that I am where he wants me to be.

My family and I arrived in Liberia December 3rd. Since my family had been on furlough we immediately began getting settled back into our house. A few days later I spoke with the director of Acres of Hope (the adoption agency I had previously worked for) about how I could be a help to them. I was able to take pictures of the children and gather information for updates to be sent to the adoptive parents of the kids. I have also been spending my mornings playing games and telling stories. It is a joy and pleasure to touch the lives of these little ones and to be an encouragement to the families who are working so hard to bring them home.

I celebrated the birth of our Lord at several Christmas gatherings. It was so wonderful to be here in Liberia for Christmas since, in light of my upbringing, Christmas doesn’t' feel like Christmas unless I am Africa!

Every year God shows me something new about Christmas. This year I was overwhelmed with the hope that Jesus brought to a hurting world when he came to earth as a tiny baby. Through his death for our sins, and resurrection, every lost and hurting person is given the chance at hope and a new life of freedom and peace.

“ The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the
gospel to the poor, He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed;” Luke 4:18

(Please visit this address at my blog to read my Christmas post on Jesus, our hope.)

A few days after Christmas my family and I headed up country for the Baptist Mid Missions New Years conference of the Mono and Gio tribes. I had the opportunity to teach the young ladies and girls. My theme was "The Blessings of Following God". I was encouraged to see that the girls were so attentive, but it was sad that many of the young lades already had children out of wedlock. I pray that God uses the words I spoke to help these ladies get on the road to freedom and hope in Jesus.

(My sister Heidi with the girls, waiting for class to start.)

January I had anticipated beginning to prepare for my counseling certification. I still have to complete the exams before I can begin the mentored counseling. Those plans are temporarily on hold as I have felt lead to assist Acres of Hope in a crisis, which includes the fostering of some of their needy children. My family now has three foster babies and I am completely responsible for a little boy who is severely handicapped. While I am anxious to begin the counseling, I can see God has me here for "such a time as this" since this little guy may not have made it had I not been available to help with his care.

At this time adoptions have been suspended in Liberia. They are supposed to reopen after new adoption laws are set in place. We are praying this happens soon as there are many children in the orphanage who are waiting to be united with their adoptive families (all overseas adoptions, mostly to the US).

On the first Friday night in January I was able to host a dinner and overnight for 10 missionary kids. Everyone had a blast, especially my sister Heidi(14) and my brother Jared (12). Again another Friday two missionary kids and two of my friends (a young lady I have discipled in the past, and a young lady I am planning to disciple) came over for another overnight. At this time I am hoping to use several Friday nights a month as a time for fellowship and encouragement of the missionary kids and some of my Liberian friends.

In the mean time I would like to start at least one Bible study with a teenage girl I have known for several years now. I am eager to be involved in the lives of the women of Liberia and excited to teach my friend about being a Godly young woman.

Please join me in prayer for the following things:

1. That the children I am caring for would improve daily in their health.
2. That the Acres of Hope crisis would be resolved
3. That adoptions would soon reopen in the country
4. That I would have the chance to begin the preparations for my counseling certification.
5. That I would be able to begin at least one Bible study
6. That God would use me to be a blessing to the missionary kids

Thank you all for your financial support and your prayers. I wouldn't be here without them. I am blessed to be called to serve God in Africa and blessed by your prayers and financial gifts that make it possible.

In Christ,
Melodie Sheppard

Psalm 64

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 10:40:49 GMT

Well I am pretty sure I won't be able to make my goal of posting twice a week. So I will now try to post at least once a week! I really enjoy having the blogs and like sharing what the Lord is doing in my life and ministry, but I get so busy, and with unreliable internet, sometimes it's really hard to get an update in.

So we did go to the conference up country and I had a wonderful time. I still plan on posting about that and sharing some of the over 500 pictures I took!

For now, please keep me and my ministry in your prayers. Something bad has happened that I really need people to remember in their prayers. Unfortunately I don't feel I can share what it is, but I will let you know when it is resolved. For now, this is the passage the Lord has laid on my heart concerning this situation.

Psalm 64

Hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint;
protect my life from the threat of the
enemy.

Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
from that noisy crowd of evildoers.

They sharpen their tongues like swords
and aim their words like deadly arrows.

They shoot from ambush at the innocent man;
they shoot at him suddenly, without fear.

They encourage each other in evil plans,
they talk about hiding their snares;
they say, "Who will see them?"

They plot injustice and say,
"We have devised a perfect plan!"
Surely the mind and heart of man are cunning.

But God will shoot them with arrows;
suddenly they will be struck down.

He will turn their own tongues against them
and bring them to ruin;
all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.

All mankind will fear;
they will proclaim the works of God
and ponder what he has done.

Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD
and take refuge in him;
let all the upright in heart praise him!

-Melodie