Jesus Loves the Little Children….

Guest Blogger: Sheila Leech

Today we said good-bye top half of our team who headed South to Ghana for a couple of days to work with our radio partner in Bolgatanga. They will take care of children at the school associated with the radio station there.

The rest of us headed out to a rural area again, about 30 minutes drive from Ouagadougou. For the next few days, we will work at a very nice clinic that serves some very poor areas around the city.

When we arrived at the clinic, we noticed that there were many children around and when we asked why this was so. We learned that they were sick….and so they were. Some of the children were so ill that they could not stand up and were lying on the dusty floor. For a short while, I felt a bit overwhelmed and at a loss to know what to do; the sickest children were the small ones and they had no parents with them.

What could we do? We could not hand over medicines to such small children and expect them to know how to take them.

So, again, as so often happens on trips like this one, we improvised… with the help of the clinic staff we found some mattresses and laid them on the floor and put the smallest, sickest children in a darkened room to sleep.

We made frequent trips in there to monitor them, to give medicines and to ensure they were sipping on the oral rehydration fluids that we had prepared for them. It was truly rewarding to see one of them recover sufficiently to get up, even smile and have a photo taken with us…and all this by noon.

I was shocked to see how severely undernourished some of the children were. One little girl is 8 years old and is 13 kilos underweight…that’s about 28 pounds! Her tiny little face had the worried, pinched kind of appearance that malnutrition gives. Later we saw her in line for the lunch which the school provides, and saw that she has an identical twin sister…also alarmingly underweight!!! They have no mother and are being raised by their father, but it would seem that resources are pitifully scarce in that family.

One of our Ecuadorian doctors noticed how sad the children’s faces were as they came through the clinic. Not so at the school and orphanage where we saw bright happy lines of children waiting for their lunch...plastic pails in hand ready to receive large piles of rice which they then scooped into their mouths with their hands. I feel like I shook a thousand hands and said a thousand “Bonjours” to those sweet children.

Seeing the children of Africa in these past few days has really made me reflect on how important children are to Jesus and how precious they are. We learn a lot from these little ones….they trust; they do not presume; they accept; they do not judge; they wait; they do not hurry.

It is truly a privilege to reach out and extend a hand to these children and to offer albeit a cup of cold water (with rehydration salts)…in Jesus´ name.

Beautiful Patterns

Ellel Medical Center in Saonre´ (half hour outside of Ouagadougou)

We have seen a lot of women and babies here at the ACTS Burkina medical center named Ellel. Nearby is a church under construction and an active school.

The beauty of the colors and patterns the Burkinabe women wear is striking and captivating. Sheila pointed out that if white women tried to wear the same things they would look schizophrenic or ragged. But these women manage to look elegant and dignified.

As I write I see a blue and orange flower pattern, yellow wheels on a blue background, pink and green prints, a purple green and blue print, orange, lime green and purple with a blue background. Simply amazing colors and patterns.

Many of the women today have been wearing covering over their heads indicating their Muslim beliefs. Our interpreter, Rachel, said that when her mother became a Christian she needed to leave home and live with her pastor’s family.

She was told by her mother that she wouldn't be able to have children. However, praise God, she ended up with 11 kids, one of whom interpreted for us here for the last few days.

Doctors Sanchez and Leon examined 67 patients at the clinic this morning. The word from the team in Ghana is that all is going well there also.

We plan to reunite tomorrow (11-27).

Moving On

Tansega: Tuesday(11-23), the final day here also marked our final day with the whole team. The plan was to stop work a bit early and go to see patients at our HCJB Global Voice radio partner, RED.

On Wednesday (11-24), the group will split up. Lee Sonius will head back home to Accra, Ghana. One part of the team, including Steve and Dorothy Nelson, Jessica McMillan, Emily Martin and Rebecca Weber, will hop in a van travelling three hours south to the border of Ghana and cross over to assist another radio partner, Peter Awane in Bolgatanga. They will be met at the border by missionary Joseph Kebbie, HCJB Global radio trainer who also lives in Accra.

They will see patients and children with Dr. Steve, Emily and Jessica working up the medical side. Dorothy and Rebecca will have a whole new crew of children to minister to. They return to Burkina Faso on Saturday (11-27) to rejoin the team, minus Emily who flies to Accra to plan and strategize for her full-time return.

In the meantime, Doctor Xavier Sanchez, Dr. Dora Leon, Sheila Leech and I will stay in Ouagadougou and work in a medical clinic on the outskirts of the city where a lady named Joanna has a community health clinic associated with a school, orphan care and microenterprise as well.

Silly Human Tricks

The team's medical focus is directly linked to the central purpose of proclaiming Christ and making our Burkina Faso partners look good.

But also on our list of purposes has to be the spreading of joy. Dorothy and Rebecca make more smiles in the first hour than can be imagined.

Lee and I do our best when we can. Hardly an hour goes by that Lee isn’t discussing football (that's soccer to some of us) while promoting his favorite team. All of Africa - at least those who have met Lee- knows it is Manchester United.


He will quickly coin a nickname for anyone and uses it until they smile. He can also flick bottle caps to the kids, quickly drawing a crowd. If called on, he is very talented at walking on his hands. But this trip I found out I can juggle better.

Emily says that every time she saw Lee today, he had a new ornament of some kind. He grabs stickers when Rebecca hands them out and sticks them on his shirt; he gets his face painted along with the kids and wears his proudly all day; he stocks up his wrist with stretchy bracelets and gives them away one by one to whomever catches his eye as needing one.

I even began pulling off the white stickers left on the page after we used all the adhesive medicine labels and stuck one on everyone. But Lee is a force, pouring his boundless energy into everyone around him.

The Silly Human Tricks are a big part of lightening the mood and spreading joy to those around us.

Angels Singing

Second day at Tangsega. An earlier start and the previous setup from Saturday allowed us to see about 143 patients throughout the day.

Once things were up and running the pace of seeing patients was steady and constant in the clinic. Dr. Xavier Sanchez noted seeing a 6 year old girl who had been burned at a young age. She had lost two fingers and had burn scars on her hand and arm as well as on a large part of her scalp.
The mother asked Dr. Sanchez if he could do anything to get the hair to grow back on her head. Sadly, there is little he could do.

Dr. Steve Nelson mentioned the case of an otherwise healthy 55 year old woman with high enough blood pressure. He wants her to begin seeing a doctor on a regular basis to control this with medicines. Despite his best efforts via the interpreter, Moses, to convince her, he doubts that the woman will begin regular checkups.

It was her first visit to a doctor in her whole life.

Rebecca and Dorothy jumped into the masses of children, teaching some songs and proper hand washing to the kids. Exhausted at the end of the day, Dorothy remained very excited that the children spent almost two hours just drawing with pencil and paper. And Rebecca had special news indeed.

Guest Blogger: Rebecca Weber

Today I experienced the most exciting moment of my life. I was sitting in a hot stuffy room in the small village of Tangsega, Burkina Faso, crowded with over 75 kids.

I got up to speak about the characteristics of God and before I knew it the Holy Spirit was guiding my words into the salvation topic. Shortly after, more than 50 children were accepting Christ into their hearts. I don’t think I have ever seen something so beautiful in my life.

God is DEFINITELY at work here. It’s plain as day. My spirit has been rejuvenated and my soul is singing.

The Richness of Africa

At one point today, amidst the seemingly endless line of patients to examine, Dr. Dora Leon said to Sheila Leech, “The richness of Africa is in its people.”

It was the first day in a new village called Tangsega. Our partners have told us it is not far from Toeghin but we took a very different route that brought us past rice fields and slightly more greenery. We also spent more time on a main road so our commute was slightly quicker.

As far as first days go, our setup was quick and fairly efficient and the doctors were seeing patients before I even realized it. At the end of the day we saw 106 people and were able to pull out at a decent hour.

Guest Blogger: Emily Martin

After having been in Burkina for the past week, I was beginning to wonder when the beating of drums and beautiful dance of the people would be seen.

Today was my answer. While filling a prescription in our school room pharmacy, I heard off in the distance the sound of a djembe drum. A group of young girls was under the shade of a large tree at midday, dancing and drumming while the younger kids watched.

Being able to take time away from the work and watch these beautiful people celebrate their lives reminded me of why Africa is seeded so deeply in my heart. Their intricate moves and rhythm all have meaning, telling a story from the history of their people.

Nowhere else in the world would I rather be than in the bush.

Living Stones

A flat tire.

A traffic ticket violation by our taxi driver as we went to breakfast.

These two incidents delayed our arrival at Toeghin. When we finally arrived at the clinic, we observed a short line of stones and a plastic bottle. This, we were told, marked somebody's place among the many people standing in line or, in queue.

This temporal substitution of stones for a flesh and blood being immediately brought to mind 1 Peter 2:4-5:

“As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. “(ESV)

Our living stones (patients) were wisely waiting in the shade.

The day had begun with our minds preoccupied with details, and patients and organization. Later though, I was struck by the “Living Stones” that built our spiritual day into an acceptable sacrifice.

Our interpreter, Karim, echoed the theme as he shared with us his story. When he was young his mother became very sick with a problem with her ears. His Muslim family encountered a Christian who prayed for her and she was miraculously healed. Karim’s father, while remaining a Muslim himself, insisted that his wife and children become Christians in order to assure their health and safety. The fruit of this is Karim himself, who has selflessly served our doctors and nurses tirelessly throughout the day. And the light in his eyes testifies of Jesus.

At times I think our African brothers know more worship songs in English than I do. Rarely does a half hour pass without some songs, hymns or spiritual songs echoing across the clinic, many times by our interpreters who learned the songs during their English studies.

Doctor Dora Leon is walking out her own living sacrifice today. Feeling ill and dizzy, possibly from her malaria prevention medicine, she pressed on throughout the day. She, Dr. Steve Nelson and Dr. Xavier Sanchez treated 115 patients, despite our late start.

The colorful parachute flapped with the joy of the children’s smiles. As we walked through the area, we found our partners praying and chatting with local Muslims about Jesus. It only takes a small imagination, great partners and the Power of the Kingdom to see a line of stones flowing out the gate of the clinic at Toeghin and across the Sahel of Burkina Faso into eternity.

As one of the songs echoing today said:

Let it be, Lord Jesus, let it be.

Kindness and Gentleness in Toeghin

Today was our second day in the village of Toeghin. However, the first day we saw very few patients because of an important political rally in the area. On Day One, Jessica McMillan treated 179 school kids for parasitic worms. We were able to take our time and see the village chief and organize everything for the next day.

The gentleness of the Burkina people has been very apparent. While working in the pharmacy, we noticed one woman patiently waiting for more than an hour. We realized that her prescription was setting unnoticed on a box of medicine, overlooked for a long time. Even when Jessica spoke to her through a translator and apologized profusely the women responded only with a gentle smile as she walked away.

Eight-four patients that came through our small clinic. No pushing or shoving. No aggressive demands. I was amazed at the lack of chaos (I have had different experience in other medical clinics I´ve helped with. We needed to put up rope barriers and exercise crowd control.)

But here in Burkina, one of the poorest countries in Africa, the gracious people simply wait patiently and quietly.


Now kids -- they're are the same everywhere. When the face paints were retrieved from the suitcase, a circle of young black faces quickly tightened around Becka and Dorothy. There was some shuffling as each tried to be next for a flower,a butterfly or a fish painted on their cheek.

The children are also very excited to color pictures and play games with our ladies. But a keen eye can still spot the signs of poverty and malnutrition amongst the smiling faces. Sheila commented that she saw more children without shoes in this village than anywhere else she has been in Africa.

Indeed the desolation of the village resembles a war zone more than a place to scratch out a subsistence farm. And yet they tell us that most of the patients from today have no source of income and spend their days raising maize and millet to eat.

Organized for Clinics at Komsilga Region

Tomorrow is our first day of seeing patients so today was a time for organization and planning. The team dug into the boxes of medicines purchased by our partners in Burkina Faso as well as the supplies transported from Ecuador.

Dorothy and Becka smiled with glee as they unpacked the colorful supplies for the kids’ ministry gathered so generously from HCJB Global offices in Colorado Springs.

We took stock of what we have and what we need. The doctors conferred about which medicines to use for various illnesses based on our inventory and the local knowledge from new friend David Zampou, who oversees many of the health workers in the region of Komsilga.

We are going south of Ouagadougou. Apparently, about 32 villages populate the region known as Komsilga and there is also a town by that name. Seven small government clinics serve some 52,000 inhabitants. (These are not all verified numbers and statistics, but it gives us a better picture of what we are getting into.)

We will be spending most of our time in two specific villages, but will likely see patients from many of the nearby communities. David told us we are likely to see a lot of coughs (resulting from the recent change from rainy season to dry), skin lesions, diarrheal illnesses and lots and lots of malaria. In fact, he told us that recent studies indicated that 70% of their patients who have fevers have malaria.

Interestingly, the rate of HIV/AIDS in Burkina Faso is very low for Africa and we will likely not see many cases with those complications.

Surprise visitors to our dinner table were HCJB Global´s Andy and Linda Braio, who led the team that first introduced me to Burkina Faso about three years ago. They are in Burkina Faso helping with ACTS Burkina and their long-time friend Joanna Illboudou, who started that ministry for widows and orphans. The Braios helped plant a large garden to help grow vegetables for the children in the orphanage.

High Heels and Motorcycles

Throughout Ouagadougou, the capital city of Burkina Faso, women in beautiful dresses and shiny high heeled shoes ride motorcycles for transportation. Many times they ride double with a friend or family member and additional cargo or children.

Dresses and high heels may not be the ideal clothing for motorcycling, but it works. Three-inch heels locked over the pegs on a motorbike don’t tend to slip, and somehow the women gracefully straddle the bikes without hiking up their skirts.

This, I think, may be a great metaphor for ministry in Africa. My cultural eyes look and see an unlikely mix of dress clothes and motorcycles. But Africans, in this case the Burkinabe (the name for the people of Burkina Faso), make it work with grace and ease.

This is just like ministry partnership at its finest. Our HCJB Global Hands team wanders in jet- lagged and in a cultural daze, yet with hearts to help and serve. Surely, we stick out like high heels on a motorcycle. Yet our African partner steers us in the right direction, connects us with the right helpers and surrounds us with great people and puts us in great places. All of this is done with the same grace and ease and surprising agility that allows the women here to climb on a motorcycle with a dress on.

And away we go…

Burkina Bound

As some of you know, I was asked to join a medical team working in the West African country of Burkina Faso, which is an inland nation just north of Ghana and just a bit larger than Colorado. Burkina Faso is a former French colony that is one of the poorest countries in Africa. The majority of the people are subsistence farmers and the country has few natural resources to build the economy. You can learn more at this link: Burkina Faso

I join several missionaries I've traveled with previously: Doctor Steve Nelson and his wife Dorothy (long-time missionaries in Ecuador and around the world. Steve is an amazing village doctor and the ever-young Dorothy is gifted at connecting with children of any culture), Sheila Leech (HCJB Global Hands missionary nurse and the VP of Healthcare within HCJB Global), Jessica McMillan (HCJB Global Missionary nurse with vast experience in Malawi and Ghana that belies her youth), Emily Martin ( HCJB Global missionary appointee who recently joined the mission following a medical trip in Ghana last year), Rebecca Weber ( a missionary kid from Ecuador who has always dreamed of going to Africa and shares Dorothy's heart for the kids), Doctor Dora Leon and Dr. Xavier Sanchez (two Ecuadorian doctors nearly finished with their residencies at Hospital Voz Andes in Quito, Ecuador). We are soon to be joined by HCJB Global regional director of Sub-Saharan Africa Lee Sonius and Liberian missionary Joseph Kebbie who are travelling up from Ghana tomorrow. We all come alongside HCJB Global's radio partner in the country, Radio Evangel Development (RED) who is already doing community development and has local Christians involved in these communities ahead and behind us. We hope to make them look good.

We have been joking that I am along to do the heavy lifting and "all back,no brains" is fine by me. I may help men in the community that are constructing a new latrine. I also remind the very busy doctors and nurses to drink and eat and take breaks. I count and bag pills in the pharmacy as needed. I simply pray God uses me however is needed to help the team do what they came to do. If God shows me something or someone to come alongside then I'm game. Pray with us that His will be done and that we can be reflections of His Kingdom come to earth.

From Our October Newsletter

Riding Roller Coasters (by Nate)

The Dell Roller Coaster Express ride is ongoing. Following an exciting and encouraging two months in Ecuador on a special assignment with HCJB Global’s summer missionary program (read more about this below and in older blog posts), our financial support has now dropped to the lowest level it has ever been. Rachelle and I both felt the summer’s seeming success signaled a new season on our exciting missionary ride. Instead I’ve been left wondering if the ride may have to shut down for maintenance.

As the school year and Natalia’s volleyball season settled into routine I was planning on one trip to Ghana in February of 2011. In just the last week that has expanded to possible journeys to Burkina Faso, Haiti and Spain all before tax time next year. Pray for me as decisions and plans are made to serve these regions with teams of willing workers. If any of you are interested in being one of those willing workers please drop me an email. It would be fun to have you strap in next to me.

As always we feel blessed to be on this ride, whatever loops and twists it takes. We join with all creation in eager anticipation of what comes next. (Romans 8:19)

Gifts in Ecuador (By Rachelle)

I was able to do so much with my family this summer! More than any of the previous 10 summers in the U.S. We really bonded and had a lot of fun together in Ecuador. I especially treasured all the time I spent with Natalia. She enjoyed the adventures of getting out to see the city, shopping, trying new foods or swimming in the river.

As we drove down out of the Andes and into the edge of the jungle there was a rainbow. It seemed that the Lord was saying that He has some new things for us and that He wanted to redeem some things for us as a family that we thought were lost forever.

For the longest time I thought this was our goodbye trip and I could see how impossible it would be for me to function physically amongst the rigors of Ecuador. My heart ached knowing I’d have to say goodbye again. My ability to tolerate this trip was pure grace. As Nate said, “The pace was unsustainable.” But slowly over time, after we left the last village (Tali cried hard that time) and while travelling from Shell back to Quito the Lord started speaking to my heart. By the time we were at the airport waiting for our flight back to the U.S. I knew that the Lord will take us back there again. I do not know when, how, how long etc., but I believe Him. It was still sad and hard to leave, but what a gift after all this time.

The time we spent with our Waorani friends was a very special gift. It meant so much to me to see the friends who’ve lost spouses, children, health etc. They have my respect and admiration for their courage and faithfulness. Initially I felt so unable to do much ministry, but I was reminded once again that simply being with people, listening, crying, rejoicing is all the Lord is asking for. The rest will fall into place.

It was like watching the Lord fertilize and plant some seeds in Tali’s heart. It still makes me cry to remember the summer. She absolutely loved Ecuador...even the city (which is amazing because she says, “I don’t really like the city”). She soaked everything in and accepted uncertainties and new experiences with a lot of grace. Every time we talk about the summer she gets teary eyed. At the end of the trip we visited an orphanage. Watching Tali play with a little girl for an hour made me feel like I was watching something being birthed in Natalia. We will see…

An even greater gift: I am responding positively to a medication used to treat a genetic movement disorder called familial paroxysmal kinesigenic choreoathetosis. I’m seeing a decrease of pain and an improvement in energy. We don’t know if this will control the disorder forever, but I’m just loving the good days. As I research I’m discovering answers to things that started in my childhood when I was a toddler and older. We don’t have all the answers. The doctor feels that there is also something else, but I’m glad for the relief I’m experiencing! It is possible that Tali’s headaches and muscle spasms are related to this disorder so she will be undergoing lots of tests in October. It would be wonderful to know this early on how to help her.

The Lord knew before I was born what each and every one of my days would be like. He often has refining fires for each of us, but it looks different for every individual. I am at peace with His hand in my life in this regard. That much has been cemented in my heart these past few months. The Lord knows the future. Has this been a rude interruption into our lives? Or has it has been a divine intervention? This “rabbit trail” is part of our journey with the Lord. I don't understand it and I don't feel the need to understand it anymore. I don't know where God is going with this and, it feels strange to admit, I'm ok with that. He is good and I have seen His goodness so much more through these fires. I’d love it if He would reverse my disorder, but no matter what, we will be ok.

We Need Your Help

In order to continue our missionary work, we are in serious need of new monthly support. If you already give to us, would you prayerfully consider increasing your support? If you haven’t been able to partner financially with us in the past, would you prayerfully consider partnering with us now? Another way you could help us would be to consider inviting a group into your home and allow us to share what God is doing in our ministry and how they might be able to be involved with us. Others have felt comfortable asking their local church to consider inviting a new missionary to come and share the Lord’s work there. We would greatly appreciate whatever help you could give us to help us to continue to be the Voice and Hands of Jesus around the world. To give via the web please go to http://www.hcjb.org/donate-give-to-missionaries and type in "Nate and Rachelle Dell" so the money is credited to our ministry account. All donations are tax deductible and much appreciated.

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