New Jersey

(Alicia typing...)
It has been forever since we have posted last and we thought we should give you an update on what we are up to now...

On Friday, we took the excruciating-ly long and boring drive to NJ (and did I mention expensive?)  I mean, the roads are really nice in Pennsylvania, but does it really need to cost $60 + dollars in tolls just to get to Philadelphia?   Anyways, we made it safely to our friend's house in NJ.  We met Eric last March in Gabon.  It's funny how God opens doors before you even realize.  He offered a place to stay back then, and we decided to take him up on the offer.

Eric has 4 kids ranging from the age of 6 to the age of 12.  He also has a wonderful wife that has helped to make us feel like we are at home!  Speaking of which...they totally hooked us up!  We have our own room, bathroom, and attic area to hang-out.  Did I also mention that we have a whole wing of the house to ourselves?  This area includes a living area and a pool table!  Not sure if we are ever going to move to Philly :).

The stairs leading up to the attic

The attic

Our bedroom...just ignore the messiness

Living room/pool room

I mean...how can you leave this little girl behind for too long?  

Dan has had lots of interest and many interviews this week.  We are hoping to move to Philly by late March/ early April mainly because we want our puppy back.  Because Eric and his family are allergic to dogs, we had to leave Benie at home with the Lewans.  So far, we hear that she is adjusting well and loves hanging out with the Lewan family dog, Kate.

For those of you that don't know, we are moving to Philly because I am starting PA school at Philadelphia University in July.  (Go Rams!)  It has been a long time coming, and I can't wait for school to start.  Moving to Jersey is just one step closer to moving to Philly and finally creating a place we can call home!  Let me tell you, it has definitely been exciting so far!  

Alicia & Dan

p.s:  We played basketball outside today in the 60 degree weather!  :)

Going Home...

We are really excited to say that our mission here has been accomplished. We have been able to do what was needed in the amount of time that we have been here and... (wait for it...) 

It is now time for us to come home!!!

Firstly, we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all of your support, prayer and giving.  As you know...we have been the Envision Site Coordinators at Bongolo Hospital for a while now.  We have been hosting teams and medical visitors as well as serving in a variety of other capacities. The last few months have been a blur of hosting teams, work projects, hospital tours, nightly de-briefs, days working in the Operating Room and on maintenance. We have also been involved in sending out cost estimates, airport runs, missionary work-out classes, meetings, meals, making new friends, and hosting events. 

It has been really cool to look back on all the past blog updates to take a peek at what we have been up to in the last year.  

However, the Envision “season” has come to an end and the rush of teams is over. Our major responsibilities will be wrapping up in mid-November and we plan on arriving back in Michigan on Thanksgiving Day.

We are getting really excited as we begin to look to the future.  We will be transitioning to the States where we will live in Michigan for a few months.  Alicia is officially going to Physician Assistant school at Philadelphia University, so Dan will be making trips back and forth to Philly to find a job.  We are hoping to move out there sooner than later to really establish a community of friends where our new home will be for the next couple of years.  

We have thoroughly enjoyed becoming part of the Gabon Missionary family, and we have a lot of tough good-byes ahead. We will be leaving with the confidence that God has used us to work toward His Kingdom.  We have definitely been encouraged by the love and support both here, and at home.

We have a few prayer requests:

• For a healthy transition back to the U.S. and then to Philadelphia
• That Dan is able to quickly find a job in spite of the tough economy 
• That we find great support in friendships as we arrive to our new location and next chapter in our lives
• For the field as we are leaving that they will be able to continue the work and fill the gaps that we will be leaving
• For the journey and financial portion of our return home
• That we finish strong

Thank you again for all the encouragement along the way. We are praying that we can continue God's work both now, and in the future as we start the next chapter of our lives together.

Can't wait to see most of you in November and December!

Dan & Alicia

The President is Coming to Town

Last Wednesday, the President of Gabon, Ali Bongo, paid the village of Lebamba a visit.  

I am representing Bongolo Hospital with my
Hospital polo-shirt!

What an honor to see the President so close and so willing to get out of the big city of Libreville, to visit his people in the village.

Here are his guards standing at attention waiting for him to pass by
on the red carpet.

I love the Gabonese patriotism!

On Thursday, the First Lady, came to visit the hospital.  She specifically wanted a tour of the Dental Clinic, Maternity Ward, Eye Clinic, and Pediatrics.  Everyone was in a buzz, getting the hospital in top-notch shape.  It was really fun to be a part of it!

  

PAACS Graduation

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; but teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

Last week, we got to experience our first PAACS graduation.  It was an awesome experience, and we thought we would share a little bit about the PAACS program with you.

PAACS is the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons.  In 1996, this program was created by David Thompson along with Loma Linda University as a way of ensuring that there are surgeons from Africa being trained to work in Africa.  (The whole teach a man to fish concept!)  The program is a way of discipling Christian doctors and training them to be amazing surgeons who will one day return to their country to serve God's people there.  

Jean-Claude Bataneni is the most recent graduate from the PAACS program (the 8th from Bongolo Hospital).  He just returned this past weekend to his home-country of the Democratic Republic of Congo to build the surgical program at the Nebobongo Evangelical Hospital near his home-town.

  Christine (his wife) is also a medical doctor that will be working there (what a great team!)

This is Dr. Loua Ruffin from Guinea.  He is the Senior Resident now that Jean-Claude has graduated. 

This is Dr. Philadelphie Dembele from Mali.  

This is Simplice Tchoba.  He is from Gabon...this is very exciting for the PAACS program here.  He will be staying to work at Bongolo Hospital for at least a few years after he is done with his residency. 

This is Jacque Ebhele from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This is Anatole Nzanzu also from the Democratic Republic of Congo.  He is very excited in this picture because he is no longer the rookie.  

Here is the newest addition to the PAACS program at Bongolo Hospital.   This is Fabruce Ramaherimamonjy from Madagascar (the newest rookie).  

It has definitely been an honor to work with these guys down in the O.R.  They are very kind to the patients and staff that they work with, and they are always willing to answer my questions (which can be quite a few sometimes).  They are fun to hang out with, and their families are great as well!  


We are asking for prayers for Jean-Claude and his family.  They are going through a huge transition in their life with a 2-year old and a baby that is almost a month old!  They have their hands full...that is for sure.  Please pray that God would be their strength when they grow tired, and that God's hand would be in the building of the surgical program at their new home.  


Alicia

Joyeux anniversaire, Dan!!!

Hey there....Alicia again!

Well, birthdays in another country can be very interesting.  I tried to make Dan's birthday as fun as possible.  I think everyone started to catch the vibe...including Benie.  She was so hyper!  You see, every year on Dan's birthday I get him a cherry pie.  Key word...."get".  Since there are no Grand Traverse Pie Companies around the corner here in Gabon...my first mission was to make him a cherry pie (which would be my first pie that I have ever made).  

Luckily!  We had the Mertzes here for a short-term mission trip.  

John Mertz is an orthopedic surgeon, and his wife, Andrea, used to be a nurse.  I was able to steal Andrea away from the hospital on Monday afternoon for "Operation:  Dan's Birthday".  Let's just say, it took us 4 ovens to finally get the pie, apple crisp, and oatmeal cookies done for Dan's birthday.  (We were feeling a bit ambitious!)

Here's the final outcome....(A huge "thanks" to Andrea)

Dan's day started with breakfast in bed.  And yes, that is an oatmeal cookie with a side of hot chocolate.  Who says you have to be healthy on your birthday?

Dan's primary gift was a Puppy!  She has been so much fun.  Isn't she getting huge?

Dan received a Lego set from Aaron Dorn.  If you look closely, you can actually see a twinkle in Dan's eye!

This was the card/book that I made for Dan.  The picture on the cover is the first picture you saw on this blog post.  

SHOES!  Dan got new shoes from his mom and dad.  He's had them for about a month now, but I re-wrapped them for his birthday.  

The card on the Left is from my parents and the one on the Right is from his parents.  We thought the difference was really funny.  Dan got a new belt and a dress shirt from my parents that are back in the States waiting for Dan's future job interviews.  

An unexpected gift from another Missionary couple: The Hofmans.  It's funny that a pop from Michigan should end up in Africa :D  This picture is supposed to be a flash-back from when it was cool to rock your boom-box on your shoulder.

We made Bacon Cheeseburgers and Fries for Dinner.  It was really good!

Finally!  I close-up on the cherry pie.  Dan has been rationing it ever since his birthday.  

Yes, you read right.  It does say, "Birthday Girl".  Birthday candles aren't too common out here.  

So surprised.  He thought he was getting an apple pie.  (Which is why we had to make an apple crisp to throw him off.)  Hehe.  

Overall....I think the birthday went well :)

One last thought...we were trying to figure out what we were doing for Dan's birthday last year.  It turns out we had a wedding shower his birthday weekend a year ago.   Isn't it crazy to think back where you were a year ago.  Now, Dan is 24, has a wife, is living in Africa, with a puppy.  Crazy!

Love from the Jungle,

Alicia & Dan

Life is Changing...

(Alicia Typing...)

Wow!  It has been a busy summer, that is for sure!  Over the next few weeks we have full intentions of giving you all the details, but for now....

We have had a lot of changes in the past 9 months.  Below is a summary (mostly in pictures) of all that has unfolded.  Smaller, detailed posts of the summer to follow (eventually)... :)

In December 2010:

We graduated from Central Michigan University

We got married!

In January 2011:

We moved to Libreville, Gabon, West Africa
to study French and develop programming for EnVision

In April 2011: 

We moved down to Lebamba, Gabon to work at Bongolo Hospital with visiting Doctors, Nurses, etc.

In May 2011:

Our first team came in from CMU

We traveled home to Michigan for my lovely sister's wedding

In June 2011:

We welcomed a team made up of 4 families + 2 interns (Tohnya and Faith) 

+ our beautiful co-worker Hannah

Faith stayed with us for a few weeks to work 

at the hospital and absorb the culture here

In July 2011:

We hosted all of the interns down in Bongolo (11 total)

5 interns stayed for a while to work at the hospital and help us
prepare for the next rush of teams coming in:
Melody, Scarlett...

...Vicki...

...and Nathalie and Adam

We received the Faith Alliance team from Ohio along with 3 other team members from a group up in Libreville

and 2 other interns:  David and Alyssa

We attended a Field Forum (a retreat for all the missionaries in Gabon) in Lamberene

Yes...we are a fun group!

In August 2011:

The Trinity Alliance Team from Pennsylvania + 4 interns [(Cara, Jake, Isaac, and Roberta (from Alberta)]
stayed with us for just over a week

We got a puppy named Benie

Yes....this is a model shot of her! ;)

We got another puppy that we are now 

trying to find a home for...

Phil and Amy Lewan came to visit!  (so great to have family here!)

Aaron Dorn came to visit too!  (so great to have a friend here!)

And for Now....

We have our house to ourselves....it's definitely a weird feeling.

We are transitioning into different roles.  Last week, I shadowed a nurse named Rafael at the hospital, because for the month of September, I will officially be filling in his role as a circulating nurse in the O.R. while he is on vacation.  I am very excited to help out in this new way and to learn lots of new thing!

Dan was busy jungle-tromping, cave-exploring, and doing odds and ends jobs with Aaron.  Now that Aaron has left, Dan has plans to help Paul (the maintenance director).

Of course, we are still helping out with all the visitors that will be coming out in the next few months.  Should be fun!

Please pray for us as we transition into new roles at Bongolo Hospital.  It is going to be a great time of learning.  Also, we are in need of prayer for finding our replacements as Site Directors for EnVision in Bongolo.  Dan and I will not be here forever (as I start Physician Assistant school in June 2012).  We want our time here to be useful, so we want to be able to train our replacements for at least a few weeks before we leave.  (We plan to leave here in March at the latest.)

Stay tuned for more posts soon :)

Alicia & Dan