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BBC PASTOR FRED HAVING MAJOR LEG SURGERY BBC Pastor Fred is the victim of a motorcycle accident which occurred while he was on the road to play BAWANA GAMES with the children in a remote village. A motorcycle came around a blind curve at a high speed in the wrong lane, hitting our motorcycle broadside. BBC LEADER and bike driver Carlitos Jorge swerved to avoid collision, but there was not enough space or time. Sadly, Pastor Fred’s leg took the full blow of the front wheel from the other motorcycle. Carlitos and the other driver escaped with only minor injuries. After 10 weeks with 3 casts and 5 hospital visits, Doctors have decided that Fred’s leg will not heal without surgery. With limited resources in our area, his 2 doctors recommended we transfer him to a private hospital in Nampula. This hospital has the needed equipment and a good orthopedic surgeon, but it means private pay. Fred’s leg bones are in at least 3 pieces that I can see from the X‑rays, meaning it needs plates and screws to repair it. Not an easy job. Hospital expenses plus 2 doctors and an 8 day follow up care is estimated to cost about $3,000. Surgery is scheduled for 8 a.m. Sunday, March 11th (12 a.m. Central time in USA). $1,667 had to be paid yesterday in order to get him on the surgery list. The balance is due in 8 days which is the estimated post op dismissal date. Pastor Fred still smiling as he faces major surgery Finding that kind of money on such short notice meant I had to take it from our Children’s Emergency Medical Fund. That fund is now a bit anemic, but no surgery meant a talented Children’s Pastor would be crippled for life. Much prayer is needed for his complete and speedy recovery. Office Manager Capena drove Pastor Fred to Nampula and made all the arrangements for his surgery. Capena and I are a powerful team. Together we keep this mission moving forward for JESUS. SCHOOL EXAMS IN PROGRESS Our 86 students are doing well in school, and the proof will be in next week’s test results. For those new to our program, we have 98 children living in our Balama foster homes with 4 living in our Meluco District Foster home. We stand by the rule that if you live here, you go to school. (School is optional here.) Our 3 to 5 year olds get a head start on school by attending our Little Disciples Activity Program 3 mornings a week. The 3 leaders teach them Portuguese through songs, playing games, and art activities. I am truly touched when these precious little ones greet me in English. It gives me great joy when I have time to teach a few words of English to them. I call them my “little sponges”, for what they hear and see, THEY DO! Our teenagers learning the importance of a weed-free field. Farming is an essential life skill in Mozambique. BBC TEAMS RAINED OUT 2 DAYS THIS WEEK March usually brings only light rains, so having 4+ INCHES (100+mm) this week caught all of us by surprise. With 6 inches (15 cm) of mud covering all the soccer fields, BAWANA GAMES had to be postponed twice this week. It just now stopped raining as I write this and the sun is peeking through the clouds. The BBC motorbike teams should be able to hit the trails TOMORROW! Blessings and thanks so much for your fervent prayers for Pastor Fred and our faithful Youth Pastors raising up God’s children in His Word! Bush Bunny Brenda Lange And the Balama Staff |
