THE SPARKS FLY!

Steve and Suzanne Sparks
Maddie, Corey, Annie, Joey
Mbingo Baptist Hospital
Cameroon, Africa

October 2009

We just finished a lovely family devotional time, sitting on our veranda and thoroughly enjoying the incredible beauty of our little valley. We read through Ephesians Chpt. 1, and particularly discussed the part about God "opening the eyes of our hearts" so that we can understand Him and the "riches of his glorious inheritance". Speaking for myself (and maybe you, too), I know that I tend to get way too caught up the little details of day-to-day living, and often lose sight of "the hope to which we've been called". Bummer! Someday I am going see the God of the universe face-to-face, but I'm spending my time worrying about my malfunctioning refrigerator! The Bible is great when it comes to re-focusing my perspective.

So now, with that re-focused perspective, I'll tell you about a few of the things we've been praying about, in the hope that you'll join us in our prayers. In about eight months (June 2010), Maddie will be graduating from high school and we'll be coming home for our furlough, after almost five years in Cameroon. Yippee! There are so many things we're looking forward to: living in our old house, shopping in beautiful American grocery stores (that's me), Dairy Queen Blizzards, etc. - but at the top of the list is being reconnected with all of you! There are, however, lots and lots of logistical details that could stress us out, if we let them. For instance, there is a fine surgeon from Australia who would like to come here as Steve's temporary replacement, but the surgery practice he belongs to is in flux at the moment, and he's not sure if he'll be able to leave. If he isn't able to come, then there will be no surgeon to direct the PAACS surgery training program while we're gone. That would be bad! We're also praying about a number of other issues, including the college that Maddie should attend, what high school Annie and Cory should attend, how we're going to furnish our San Diego house (we got rid of most of our furniture), how we're going to find vehicles to drive (got rid of those, too), etc., etc. We also need the Lord's guidance in establishing a schedule for visiting our supporting churches and individuals, as well as being able to raise a bit more financial support (as we tend to run a little behind most months).

From a human perspective, I don't like it when I don't know what's going to happen, and how things in my life are going to work out. It's not comfortable! But I'm really hard-pressed to find a scripture in the Bible that promises that I'll always be comfortable (have you noticed that?). On the other hand, I find plenty of scriptures that do promise that God will always see to my needs, and that He's got all the days of my life planned out ahead of me. So what am I worried about?! I know that God cares about the details in our lives, and that He'll take care of them in His way, and in His time. However, we're still told to present our requests to God, so that's what we're doing. And we'd appreciate it if you'd do the same!

A little update on our ministry at Mbingo Baptist Hospital. Paul said to go and do what the teacher does. "Follow me as I follow Christ." The surgery residents teach each other as they are taught and they try to learn from everyone. This is so counter-cultural here in Africa, but I believe that Africans are going to change Africa. As Christians everywhere, we need to teach what we know to others so that it spreads to a dying continent and world, making disciples of all who God brings to us. We are all called.

After the introduction of Chinese motorcycles four years ago in Cameroon, the number of traffic fatalities have risen every year . We now have eight surgery residents in the program and they are all growing in their knowledge of Christ, as well as how to remove a ruptured spleen out of someone's body in under ten minute from skin incision. It is hard to imagine a country with only two surgeons (Liberia) or one with eighteen (Serra Leon), but that is what it is like in Africa. One of the graduates from the PAACS (Pan-African Academy Christian Surgeons) surgery residency program at Banso Baptist Hospital is now the only surgeon at that 250-bed hospital. The surgery residency program here at Mbingo is training residents from six African counties with the hope and prayer that they will return to their homes and make disciples of all men in surgery and Christ.

God is changing Mbingo Baptist Hospital into an educational center for the whole country right now. I believe He will make it into an educational center that will help change Africa. We are already the main referral hospital in the country with surgery, internal medicine, and nurse anesthetists residencies. We have an internist, a anesthesiologist (she will be retiring soon), a surgeon, a family practice doctor, two ophthalmologists, an orthopedic surgeon and, by God's grace, we will get a pathologist soon.

One of our fellow BGC missionaries is a contractor from Boston (soon to be starting his third term here at Mbingo) who has taught construction techniques and attention to detail that has made our new construction the envy (a good thing) of others here in Cameroon. We have a physical therapist who has helped make a PT department that is second to none in our area. God has brought all of these people together to move this little "bush hospital" into a teaching hospital that can testify about His grace to us, the ability to pass on whatever He has allowed us learn, and "make disciples of all men".

In His Grace,

Steve, Suzanne, Maddie, Annie, Cory and Joey Sparks

p.s. We’d love to hear from you – our direct email address is missionsparks@aol.com.