When you are exhausted...God saves a life.

Mark's job is hard.  There is no other way to spin it.  Standing on your feet all day facing dental decay, just isn't easy.  Several times in the last few weeks Mark has come home spent, completely poured out.  These are times when Satin attacks, "Maybe I'm not the right person for this job."  "I am not enough."  "Someone else could do this better."  These thoughts plague us when we are exhausted.  They are lies straight from the pit of Hell and in these moments God reminds us...

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

"For, I am your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear.  I will help you."  Isaiah 41:13

"But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."  Isaiah 40:31

These scriptures are written on the wall in our cabin.  They remind us of the truth...that we are exactly where God wants us to be serving him and that he has our backs.

These last few weeks in the dental clinic have brought some interesting and challenging cases.  Cases that Mark could not do on his own.  Two weeks ago on a Thursday afternoon a man named Chris came into the dental clinic.  Chris was suffering from a very advanced dental infection.  He was struggling to breath because the infection had grown to a grapefruit sized puss filled swelling that raised his tongue three inches and was cutting off his airway.  The dental team rallied together, Dr. Annette (form Norway) and Mark, two Congolese translators, two dental assistance (Collen from the States and Britta from Germany) began to work.  The rest of the team continued their important work keeping the clinic operating and as one team member said, "We prayed." 

A team that had been working all day, a tired team of people working in Africa because God told them to, began to work to alleviate the swelling and remove the infected teeth.  By inserting an intra-oral drain they were able to drain much of the pus and Chris was able to begin breathing normally, Annette removed some infected teeth and Chris was sent home with antibiotic and instructions to return the following morning.

I know first hand how little Mark slept Thursday night and how often he prayed for Chris.  He was worried and he turned to God.  My sixth grade Bible class prayed for Chris and the  dental team and they were all excited to hear how well Chris was doing the next day.  The swelling staid down and the dental team was able to remove more teeth.  A week later, this past Friday Mark said he almost didn't recognize Chris when he came back to have his drains removed.  He looked like a different man. Completely healed, PRAISE GOD!

Since this case two more of these patients have come to the clinic...another story for another day...through it all God is faithful.  He provides strength when we think we have nothing left to give, He tells us how much he loves us when we think we are not enough, He is faithful.