Freetown Again!

Freetown again!  Our team of Jon and Heleen Yoder and Pam McKee arrived Tuesday night March 21, at the Lungi airport.  Heleen and I were still relatively fresh, as we had only a 7 hour flight from Amsterdam, via Paris. Pam had traveled all night from the USA, so there was a bit of jet lag.  As usual, there was a mad scramble for bags, since between us we had 10 checked bags and several carry-ons.  We finally corralled them all and got on the van to take us down to the water taxi.  This has become the primary way travelers get from the peninsula where the airport is located across the 6 miles of bay to Freetown proper.  The water taxi personnel said ticket numbers 1-25 could go first on the taxi, and although we had bought the tickets from the same person, Jon’s ticket number was 20 and Heleen and Pam had in the 40s.  So it was decided that Jon would go first and work on the baggage.  It was a very windy night, with high waves in the bay.  So Jon went on down to the boat, and settled in.  Well, they kept just adding more and more people, until well over 60 were on the boat, and towards the last, Pam and Heleen got on board too.  Thankfully the trip across was quite uneventful, even though it took the captain two times around before he could dock properly, due to the amount of wind.  We were met on land by daughter Kristin and son-in-law Karlin, who are missionaries based in Freetown here, and also a driver sent by Dr. Dennis Mark, who works with the Ministry of Health. With two vehicles we had plenty of room to take everything to the house of our friend Janet, where we would be staying while she is on leave in the States.  So good to be back in Sierra Leone, with the heat and dust and smoke of sub-saharan Africa once more in our faces…

So good to see Kristin & Karlin again!

We have spent most of the last week-and-a-half doing things to get us ready to journey on to Mattru Jong, our destination here in Sierra Leone. Apart from the house, we have also been blessed with the use of Janet’s vehicle, a Toyota RAV 4 which has seen better days, but quite useful in putting your nose out into traffic and letting the nicer and BIGGER vehicles decide to let us in.  Freetown traffic has been interesting, to say the least.  After driving here for a week, Jon asked for some wages from his two passengers, but so far, they are reluctant to ante up. 

You can’t be very happy as a Type A personality here, as waiting and slowness prevail.  We have goals of getting maybe half done of that we plan for the day, and that has turned out to be quite accurate.

We came across this sobering monument when Jon was applying for his medical license...
It is in memory of the 11 doctors who died during the Ebola outbreak.

We did have an amazing answer to prayer in regards to a vehicle.  We felt that it would be good to have a vehicle in Mattru Jong, and because of the roads there, you need a 4 wheel drive.  So we initially looked at a Toyota Land Cruiser, but it wasn’t quite what we had in mind, but then Heleen’s friend Sengbeh, a mechanic, called us with quite a deal.  He has a Lebanese friend that had a Toyota 4-Runner, and just told the man that he wanted that car.  Well, the man didn’t even own it, but it was his brother in law’s...When he asked how much it was, the original price was $11,000. Sengbeh told him that $7,000 was the most we would pay (which is what we had told him) and then negotiated up to a price of $7,500 for us.  We went for a test drive and liked what we saw!  When we sat down with the owner and told him that we were going to work in the hospital in Mattru Jong, he said, “That hospital saved my life.”  Back in the 70s or so, he was very sick as a young child and diagnosed with malaria in a neighboring hospital.  It turned out to be typhoid fever, something that was not discovered until he got admitted at the hospital in Mattru.  So it seems that God was preparing the way for us!

On Sunday we were back in Heleen's church where we were blessed with a prayer for our marriage...

It is not all waiting in hot sweaty lines here in Sierra Leone.  We have had a few times of recreation.  We went to the beach on Sunday afternoon.  There we met Cami & Alan and Liz and her two adopted children, friends of us previously.  We also invited Phil, the missionary living next door to us to come along.  We missed the turn-off to our beach, but after multiple reassurances that we could get there on the next road, we kept going.  The road got rougher and rockier, and eventually we almost got there. Almost, because there was a rickety wooden bridge with missing slats and hand rails necessary to cross over to the beach.  Fortunately for some of our team, the river that it crossed was also able to be forded on foot by taking off your shoes, hiking up your clothes, and wading through.  Pam and Heleen chose that option, while Jon braved the bridge, even though at one point, he had to go on his hands and knees as he did not quite trust it, much to the amusement of the bystanders.  We stayed about three hours on the beach, had a delicious meal of barracuda in the shade of a mango tree, having a great time,  but when we went to leave, the tide had come in!  What was a gentle stream was now a raging river, much too deep to wade anymore.  So the only way out was to cross the bridge.  And older Sierra Leonean gentleman volunteered to take Pam – who has a fear of heights – across. It wasn’t easy, for anyone, but she made it, along with everyone else.  Those kind of experiences make you bond as a team!

Meeting old friends!

We were reading from Philippians the other morning from the NIV: ”do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life”...2:14-16a.  It is easy for us to complain in whatever difficult circumstances that we find ourselves, but our responsibility involves so much more--it is to hold out the word of Life to all that God will show us.  So we are not downhearted, even as we spend hours sweating in traffic, lack water, reliable electricity, and have trouble accessing internet (it took us about five days to post this blog!). We rejoice in the accomplishments so far: residence permits for all, medical registration for Jon, applications for driver’s licenses submitted, a courtesy visit made to the Chief Medical Officer, a car bought (not yet received – we are praying for speedy paper work!) and also the purchase of basic supplies to survive the first few months in Mattru! We appreciate your prayers as we round up in Freetown and set out for Mattru.

Our abode for the first few weeks - our bed is surrounded by suitcases and supplies!

Getting used again to limited water supply!

Ready to go!

 
Blogging has taken second fiddle to writing newsletters, and working on fund-raising in the past couple of months.  Neither Heleen or I are very good fundraisers, and so we have been amazed at the way support has poured in from various unlikely sources, as well as so many of our loving relatives and friends…And so tonight, we can give you the good news that we are the grateful recipients of a phone call from a stranger, who assured us that he would take care of whatever unmet needs we have in our fundraising when we go into service.  For that reason, we are rejoicing in each one of you, and for those whose contribution is prayer.  We are supremely grateful. March 13 we will be leaving for the Netherlands, and on March 21 we will be travelling on to Sierra Leone!

We have spent time in saying goodbyes, at different times and locations over the past 2 ½ months. This past weekend, son Stephen and his wife Amy came over from Mississippi, and so we spent some quality time together with them, and Robert and Michelle, and David and Amber, as well as the 3 charming grandsons.

It is hard to leave family especially, at a time where so many changes are taking place, but it is downright difficult to leave grandsons who tear your hearts into little pieces with their idolizing of “Papa and Omie”.  Heleen put together a very nice book for the grandchildren, which we gave them on Sunday.  In it, she has included some pictures from the past couple of years of their interactions with us, and also a bit of reminders of their grandparents, and a simple explanation of what we will be doing in Sierra Leone.

   We introduce in there the ‘Gecko’, a stuffed green creation of Heleen, who will accompany us to Africa, and will be used in story telling for the grandchildren.  And he may try to sneak into some of the pictures that we send back, we don’t know for sure, but they will have to search the pictures really hard just to make sure that he is not in them…We wanted to give him a name, but so far he is just ‘Gecko’.  Perhaps he will get an African name.

Cute, isn't he?
  
So this week, is packing, packing, and  more packing.  We are packing suitcases, three apiece, and then packing up things in the house that will be out of sight or so when we have renters here for two years.  

Our church had a commissioning in the morning worship service, so able put together by Pastor Carl Martin.  We were asked to come forward and he read the first part as we stood in front of the congregation.   He read these words, which were so meaningful to us:

We read in the book of Acts that the Holy Spirit set apart Saul and Barnabas for the work of mission, and the church at Antioch, after fasting and praying,

   laid hands on them and sent them out.

The early church gladly sent members to other people groups, to assist those who were already of the household of faith, and those who did not yet believe in Christ.

Today we relive this practice of the early church as we join together, in sending Jon and Heleen to serve the needs of Sierra Leone. 

The prayers we offer are an expression of the ties that bind us together in common purpose even as miles may separate us in the days ahead.

Then we knelt and Carl prayed this prayer…

As our Lord Jesus Christ stretched out His arms of love on the wooden cross,

   So that everyone might come within the reach of His saving embrace.

We charge you both, that with His Holy Spirit,

Your hands, reaching out in mercy, may bring healing and comfort to those hurting and abandoned.

And your lives, reaching out in love, may bring life to those who do not know our Lord and Savior,

This is our commission and prayer for you, Jon and Heleen, to the honor and glory of our Heavenly Father.  Amen

Then each elder prayed and blessed us with their heartfelt words, and then the concluding prayer

We bless you, O God, and we give you all the praise and glory.

     We ask you to bless these your faithful witnesses.

           Fill their lives with the power of the Holy Spirit.

 We send them forth as you messengers of salvation and peace,

        Marked with hearts of servants, and anchored in your mercy and love.

This is our prayer, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.     

Our eyes seemed to be having a lot of drainage for some reason during this most meaningful time.  But our hearts were invigorated for the work, and the blessing of church support is so important.  We are vessels to be used in whatever way He desires. And we trust Him.

For those who have not received our March newsletter, you can download it here: Yoder Chronicles March 2017. If you want to receive our newsletter directly to your e-mail Inbox, please send a note to our Missionary Support team: yoders.mst@gmail.com.                       

Download our Newsletter or Brochure!

We have added a few documents for you to download:
A brochure about our work in Sierra Leone: Brochure Jon & Heleen Sierra Leone
Our latest newsletter - in case you have not received this by mail or e-mail: Newsletter February 2017
Enjoy reading! We'll soon be posting more!
Jon & Heleen

Global Health Missions Conference

This week we traveled north to Louisville, Kentucky, to attend the Global Health Missions Conference. We decided to use this opportunity to see a bit more of Alabama and enjoy the change of leaves which we have to miss in the south! On Wednesday we visited the Natural Bridge and hiked in the Sipsey Wilderness.

In the evening we visited with a family friend and the next morning we traveled further north on the Natchez Trace, where the trees were beautiful and Heleen was stopped by a state trooper who thought she was having trouble driving (the truth was that she was slowing down to let the vehicle staying so close behind her - which happened to be the trooper - pass). Thankfully he was very nice and told us he was soon going to be married into an (unrelated) Yoder-clan!
Thursday around 4 pm we checked in at the conference and immediately started a busy schedule in which we each attended seven workshops and four plenary meetings. Jon was able to attend a number of clinical sessions which were helpful for our future assignments, for example on the treatment of malaria, HIV, postpartum hemorrhage in the tropics, etc. He also attended a meeting on practicing medicine in a Muslim context. Heleen attended a range of classes, varying from Child Development to "Fostering a Culture of Peace" and Empowering Women. In the plenary sessions we heard about medical work among refugees and very much appreciated a Christian perspective on sexuality by Dr. Juli Slattery. Before we left on Saturday morning we were challenged by a sermon on the rich young ruler. He was given the opportunity of a lifetime. Jesus invited him to come and change the world, to live a life that mattered. When he said no, this young man gave us an unforgettable formula on how to waste our lives. Stan Key, the preacher, encouraged us to think about areas in our lives wherein we hold back and don't give Jesus 100%.

The Conference was held in a gigantic church, with an auditorium for about 9,000 people and several other worship halls, and an endless number of classrooms on five floors connected with escalators. In the downstairs hall was a big cafeteria and book store. It felt as if we were in a huge shopping mall.

The conference was visited by about 5,000 people, mostly students and professionals in the medical field, with either interest or experience in missions. We were happily surprised to meet Dr. Ron Baker and Dr. Richard Toupin with his wife Kathy, who all at some time worked at the hospital in Mattru! We loved hearing their stories which gave us a better picture of the place & people, and brought the hospital closer to our heart. Dr. Baker showed us the map he uses to show people the need for doctors in Africa. This map shows the size of the country/continent by the numbers of doctors per 100,000 people:

source: www.worldmapper.org

Quite convincing, isn't it? We are excited to continue the journey!

Jon & Heleen

Welcome!

Welcome to our blog! We are glad  you stopped by to follow us on our joined journey into missions! Most of you will probably know us, but here is a little bit more about us:

Jon was born and raised in Delaware, USA, did his medical training at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB) and moved with his family to Atmore, AL in 1989.  Jon and his first wife Dawn raised four children: Robert, Kristin, Amber and Stephen. They always had a heart for missions and took their first short-term mission trip in 2002 to Costa Rica. Life took a different turn when Dawn was struck by lightning and passed away in 2009. Jon continued working as a Family Physician, but in 2012 he sold his practice and started doing longer term missions. Between 2012 and 2014 he did medical mission work in Central and South America and West-Africa.

Heleen was born and raised in the Netherlands. After university she worked for about five years in Child Mental Health Care before getting a diploma in Biblical and Cultural Studies at All Nations Christian College in the UK. In 2003 she moved to Sierra Leone in West Africa. She thoroughly enjoyed life and work, and dreamed a lot about better mental health care for the country (sadly, the reality was a little harsher than her dreams, but there are glimmers of hope!).


In March 2014, Jon visited his daughter Kristin, also working as a missionary in Sierra Leone. The rest of the story still seems a fairy tale, but we know that God had a lot to do with it! In May 2015 we said "Yes" to each other, and together we said "Yes" to God's leading of our joined journey.

After our wedding we moved to Atmore, AL, where Heleen got introduced to Jon's 1000+ family members and friends J, quite a challenge for a person who thinks five people is a big group! But it was a very happy adjustment and Heleen has often felt overwhelmed by the warm welcome she was given.

To cut a long story short, in May 2016 we were accepted to work as missionaries under Eastern Mennonite Missions. In June we attended a week-long training, after which we started putting together a Missionary Support Team. We are very grateful for Jim & Ruth Weber, Steve & Treva Classen, Sarah Martin and Briana Halteman, who will be supporting our assignment by raising spiritual, relational and spiritual support. They are joined in the Netherlands by Mieke Stigter and Marion Verkuil (sadly no picture of them here!).

In the meantime we corresponded with various organizations and people about ministry possibilities in Sierra Leone (West-Africa), the country we both would love to return to. The following image explains our vision and ministries:

We have been invited to serve for an initial period of two years at a hospital in Mattru Jong. This hospital was established by missionaries of the  United Brethren in Christ (UBC) nearly seventy years ago. It was slowly being handed over to local administrators and physicians when the civil war broke out and the buildings were taken over by rebel forces. When it reopened 11 years later, it was but a pale reflection of the regional health center it had once been and has struggled since that time to gain momentum.  Global Ministries (the international arm of the UBC in North America) has committed to supporting the hospital towards increased sustainability over the next years. We are excited about the opportunity to help revive this important ministry in a severely under-served area of Sierra Leone.

Thank you for your interest! We hope to continue to share our/His story on this site. Please stop by again!

If you want to receive our newsletter and/or support EMM's ministry in Matrru-Jong, don't hesitate to contact our Missionary Support Team at yoders.mst@gmail.com.