The CSPS: The clinic where I (Shannon) work, 
called the CSPS, has been busy over 
this last month. It started with a team of 
surgeons who came to restore sight to 
the near blind. Performed under local 
anesthesia only, I was astonished at 
how quickly the surgeries made a difference.  A day later and many of them 
could already see again! 
   After the surgeries, the coming of 
“winter” brought with it the cool, dusty 
winds of the Harmatan (a seasonal wind 
blown in from the desert) causing many 
to become sick with bronchitis. Cooler 
weather also means more fires which 
has resulted in many badly burned children coming to the clinic. Every week I 
spend a lot of time doing dressings with 
meager supplies.  Many wounds are 
terribly infected and often complex such 
as one young boy, Antoine, who has a 
wound of unknown origin from hip to 
foot and a man with gangrene on his 
face. Pray for wisdom! 


The CSPS services 26,000 people a 
year with few supplies and even fewer 
staff.  The director of the clinic works 7 
days a week and since there are no 
doctors, the nurses must diagnose and 
treat.  The closest hospital is 60 km 
away (on bad roads) and there are few 
ways to transport patients. 
However, despite discouraging 
odds, the staff have great camaraderie 
and meet three times a week for prayer 
and Bible study.  As well, the clinic pas
tor shares the Word of God with those 
who stay overnight in the clinic and he 
has seen many conversions!  Many 
people travel far to come to this CSPS 
because of how they are treated. Also, 
unlike other clinics, if they cannot afford 
the treatment, they are not turned away 
here. Pray that this CSPS continues 
to be salt and light to the world 
around it!

 

Noel in Mahadaga –


How Christmas was NOT like home: 


-Africans don’t decorate (we put snow- 
flakes on our door with pictures of snow 
in Canada and the children were per- 
plexed and mesmerized!) 


-Everyone goes to Church on Christmas 
day, for the WHOLE day (including us) 
-Everyone lights firecrackers 


-People have rice and sauce with meat 
for a change– (eaten without cutlery) 


-Instead of Turkey dinner at the mission 
station, we had curry (on Christmas Eve) 


-Literally, NO advertising whatsoever 
-No boxing day shopping (bummer eh!?) 


 

How Christmas was kinda like at home: 


-We sang Christmas carols! (although– 
while riding on top of a truck during a 
safari and looking for elephants!) 


-It was “freezing” on Christmas (at 30 
degrees everyone wears jackets and 
tuques and has the sniffles!)

 

Prayer Requests:

Pray for Antoine’s healing! Pray also 

for more clinic staff to help the very 

overworked director, Mambagari. 

Pray against famine– they are  afraid 

another one is coming this year.  We 

are trying to decide as a mission what 

we should do in advance. 

Pray for our SIM Burkina missionary 

conference coming up in mid-January. 

Pray also (of course) for Jason as he 

continues his work on the database.  

He is making good progress, but pray 

he completes it in time! 

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