From: Charles & Bev TruxtonDate: Sat, 10 Nov 2001 21:47:48 +0100 Subject: shermeen's weekly message Nov 10 "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is FULL of His glory." Isaiah 6:3 Hi everyone, pardon a less-than-vibrant email this week for I am feeling a tad weak today...will explain later. Wanted to ask to please keep praying for Chimapa, the girl I wrote about last week. We found out that her uncle who she lives with has been mistreating her. It was really difficult to see her discharged and see her go on Mon eventhough we had 'cured' her physical ailments but not her social/well-being ones. Also please continue to pray for Ibrahim, the 10 yr old burn victim whose second skin graft is failing. I visit him and his mother almost everyday and the toll of being in the hospital for more than 3 months is taking effect. Thank you for praying! On Thurs we went to Miango, which is about 45 mins away from Jos to visit a 'bone setter' and a 'traditional healer'. VERY INTERESTING. Gosh, you think it hurts when doctors 'put back/reset' a dislocated shoulder?? Try having an open fracture reset slowly by a bone setter! It was very eye-opening to visit the traditional healers and hear of how they use certain plants and methods to heal. One thing that struck me was that they would open with a word of prayer (a very Christian one) but then also talk about using certain practices we would classify as 'black magic?' in combating the curses placed on certain patients who come for help. This mixture of 'medicine' is quite common here and many patients that come to Evangel sometimes take their traditional medicine along with the medication we prescribe here which complicates our treatment. At the moment, I am 'healing' from my most recent bout of sickness, my self-diganoses being one of either: 'infected food gastroenteritis', 'staphylococcal gastroenteritis', [probably from eating this 'mystery meat' at Hillcrest...although Helena ate it too and didn't fall sick...] or 'amoebic dysentery'. On Friday I awoke to abd discomfort, chills, fever, headache, nausea, and the favourite: 'D-train' (!) I was 'out-of-commission' all-day Friday, but feel alot better today (PRAISE GOD!) You can continue praying that I gain strength and recover quick and that none of us will come down with anything for the remaining weeks. THANKS!! I'll leave you with a song of praise written over the past 2 weeks. How precious to dwell and soak in Your presence How awesome to be changed by Your gentle hand To see and feel and to touch and hold, the Suffering called Your Own Your mercies, renewed every morning How will I, how can I, Sing praises worth Your Name Bring glory to my King? No words, no thoughts, no song Will ever convey this heart of praise love, shermeen