Welcome to my Blog! Blog-writing is a new thing for me but I suppose it is time to enter the 21st century, huh? I would appreciate your feed back on what I write and also on what you would like to hear about.
This past week has been unbelievably busy and interesting. On Monday, Mark returned from his trip to the States, safely, on time, and with all of his baggage, and with all his news from home. I was really not feeling well because of a fever and serious pain and swelling in my joints. On Tuesday morning, Mark and Connie took me to see a doctor in Ouaga and he immediately hospitalized me. Yikes! We still don’t have a clear diagnosis but he is treating me with antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory. He released me on Thursday. I still have just a little swelling but the pain is gone and I can walk again! Thank you, Jesus!

Then, on Friday, our container arrived! Oh what joy! We have been waiting and waiting in anticipation of this event not really knowing what to expect or how we would feel. It was a wonderfully overwhelming experience to see this huge container moving through the air by a massive crane and coming to rest on the concrete pad that we had prepared as its resting place. And then the container was opened and love literally tumbled out! We’ve only gone through a small portion of the container but we have already found treasures that you lovingly packaged and sent to us that came from the very heart of our Father. Thank you so much for all of the work involved in gathering and organizing, packing and shipping these goods to us. The Holy Spirit was leading and guiding your hands in the selection and placement of each precious item.
Just the week before last, we had four babies in the hospital. This was a really hard time for us. Besides the stress of having a critically ill child and the expense of medical care, we also have to send a full-time worker with each child in order to care for the child. This stretched our resources and our personnel to the max! But, three of these four babies are home now and everyone is doing really well. We have a few slight colds and lots of teething going on but nothing more serious than that and for this we are thankful.

We received a new little newborn that we named Grace. She was born about 4 weeks pre-mature and she weighed less than 3 pounds at birth. Her mother is not well physically and mentally and was abused by someone in her family courtyard. Connie and I tried to take care of Grace ourselves in our room but Grace needed special neo-natal care. Thankfully, we were able to find a place for her in one of the two neo-natal units in all of Burkina. Grace has been at a hospital called ‘Five Friends’ for 3 weeks now and she is thriving and gaining weight. Thank you, Jesus!
So this is Sunday morning and I am looking forward to going to church. We have been given so much and I long to be in the House of the Lord and to join with our local body of believers to thank and praise the Lord.
Thank you for the myriads of ways that you partner with us in the work. Thank you most of all for your prayers. Our God is a faithful God and He hears and answers.
Laboring together, in Him,
Ruth Cox