LUBAGHA MISSION
NEWSLETTER
September 2008
A long overdue newsletter to be sure. Most of you know that we had to return
to the USA early this year.
It all began before we ever left for Malawi with Flo visiting her doctor for a constant
cough which she
attributed to back drainage from an allergy. After the first few weeks of hectic supply buying for
the
school she asked me to look at her throat. It appeared to be swollen tonsils. Yes, I couldn't believe she still
had her tonsils either. After trying anti-biotics with a Malawi doctor without result we were referred to the
Central
hospital in Mzuzu. A hurried call to our friends in Mzuzu put us in touch with an Egyptian doctor
who is in charge
of the intensive care unit at Central hospital. After another round of antibiotic injections
he took us to his specialist
friend in Lilongwe. He put us on prednisone and suggested we go to South
Africa or America because he would not be
able to handle the situation. Looking back we suspect he knew
what he was looking at. To make a long story short,
we returned to the USA, made a trip to the ear, nose
and throat doctor where a biopsy was done. It came back the big
C and he sent us to the oncologist who
had Flo CT and PeT scanned. She has stage III large and aggressive lymphoma.
We are now half way
through the chemotherapy and after the 2nd treatment her tumor in the groin had shrunk 50 percent.
They
forgot to scan her throat so we had to have that scanned again. (Don't they know we are missionaries? The
bills are piling up!). So far nothing but good newsthe tumor in her throat is down to 1 centimeter.
Along with this I have been checking on Malawi right along and things were going very well at the
mission. Until
yesterday. Austin Chavinda e-mailed me that our Bible Study Center representative who
conducts our outreach programs
has tendered his resignation because he cannot afford to pay his
children's school fees. He is the one who demonstrates
the missions public school morals course which
replaces the schools life skills course. He also hands out enrollment
forms to the students for our
correspondence course designed to encourage them to convert to Christianity. It is a very
effective
program that utilizes the one on one, face to face relationship with our BSC representative. They establish
a rapport with one another and they become more comfortable with him when it comes time to make the
decision to become
a Christian. I have asked Chavinda to ascertain what amount of money it would take
to make him change his mind and
continue working at the mission. I would like to make a suggestion that
each family in the U.S. make a five dollar
contribution each month to fund this great outreach effort. It
could be given as a once a month donation or a yearly
amount in one check. This would allow me to raise
his salary to where he can afford to stay on the mission. Please
pray about and consider this for us! Thank
you.
All else continues very well according
to Austin. He has submitted the students final grades to me
via snail mail as typing e-mails is not his forte.
The elders have asked me to explain everything we do on the mission in detail, just in case one day
we might not be
able to return to Malawi. I don't know if they are worried about Flo, (I'm not), or that we
are getting up in
years, (I'm not). I have always relied on God to let us know when it is time to leave
Malawi and retire again.
I have tried to tell Him that I am not ready for the rocking chair yet, but I do
enjoy sitting on the porch in the morning
with a cup of coffee. Well I can do that in Malawi too!!!
This coming year of 2009 is an election
year in Malawi, so that will give us an extra amount of
time for Flo to heal since we do not try to go back before they
have their presidential elections. African
elections tend to be quite rowdy to say the least. She should be through
with her chemotherapy by
thanksgiving so I will try to give an update on her condition then.
God bless our supporters,
Bob & Flo
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
January 23, 2007
Just to let you know:
Your missionary has been chosen as the International Association
of Bible Institutes Regional
Administrator for Africa Region two which
includes Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar and Zambia.
Lubagha Bible Institute is an accredited Bible Institute of this
association since 2002. I am looking forward to serving in this new
position
as well as continuing as the Director of the Lubagha Bible
Institute. Many great things are happening in Africa,
especially in
Malawi, and I am very grateful for your participation with us.
Yours for Him,
Bob Calderwood