We have been dreaming for what the Shammah Health Center would become for years. We worked over a year to get it open. We are still continuing to discover what this place is, both to us and to the community we’re a part of.

A place of healing. A place of rest. A place of miracles.

We delivered our first baby last week, a precious little girl! The mama came in, gave birth within the hour, and 30 minutes later, was up, walking, and ready to go home. This is the typical Burundian woman: Strong, humble, and beautiful. 

This is the Shammah Health Center: A place of new life. 

This past week we had the privilege of working with our new friend Dr. Tom, visiting from Texas. Helping him with translation was our good friend and a local medical student, Igor. Tom was a great help, bringing invaluable medical supplies, drugs, his expertise, his humility, and his care and compassion for others. He shared with us that many of the patients they saw this past week said: ‘God gave us Shammah Health Center. It is a gift to this community.’

This place is making an impact, and the Lord is definitely present. You can feel the spirit of God dwelling here. 

We were encouraged by a couple of pastors from the UK who led devotions for our clinic staff yesterday and prayed over us and our staff. It was incredible. They spoke truths that they hadn’t been privy to, praying over our requests as if we had shared about them beforehand. They even prayed for one of our staff, specifically for his left eye, not knowing that he had been experiencing pain and poor vision in that very eye! They prayed for rest & restoration. They encouraged us to be like Mary, spending time sitting with Jesus, as Josh especially has felt more like Martha, as he has been running around focused on tasks and accomplishing the work that needs doing here. We prayed that the Lord would give us oil in our lamps, to keep burning bright!

The pastor shared with us that there is spiritual warfare present in the clinic and we need to continue to pray over the clinic daily and spend time in worship. We definitely feel that as Josh has been struggling with his health and working more than full time at the same time, running on almost empty. At times we really feel the weight of it all on our shoulders, but are reminded and encouraged that it’s in God’s hands and He has taken it on His shoulders. As the pastors were praying over the clinic entrance, they saw a vision of two massive angel guardians on each side of the gate, protecting the clinic, and the brick walls themselves were made of more angels, standing side-by-side, their arms locked together, letting nothing pass by them.

We have angel armies protecting Shammah Health Center. Amen!

I want to share with you some lyrics from a song that has been on my heart lately:

“I know who goes before me

I know who stands behind

The God of angel armies

Is always by my side

Nothing formed against me shall stand

You hold the whole world in your hands

I’m holding on to your promises

You are faithful”

Please continue to pray with us as we move ahead in our plans for the clinic, as we continue to see patients, and for health for our staff (and us) in the coming months. Josh is still trying to get in shape for the Tour du Burundi, we’re praying that he recovers in time to get his strength and endurance up! 

Blessings,

Nadine