Angela Flying Solo...with her Dad

 I (Angela) just got back from my first trip to Mbingo without Chuck or the kids. However, I was not alone as I had the benefit of my dad (Mike Kimbrell) being able to travel to Cameroon with me.

My dad has volunteered at Mbingo several times in the past, but it had been awhile since he had the opportunity to visit. It was fun to show him the new buildings, introduce him to the new residents, as well as have him reconnect with people he had met on previous trips. In addition, it was such a blessing just to get to spend so much one on one time with my father. I cannot remember the last time, if ever, we have had that much time to be together. This is us on one of the hikes we did during our trip.

Mbingo continues to grow and provide better and better care to the people of Cameroon. Each visit, I love spending time with and teaching the residents. It is such a joy to see them grow in their knowledge of medicine, grow in their walks with the Lord, and to see them sharing God's love with their patients. The hospital structure is always growing, and with that is the improved ability to provide laboratory testing and imaging. We mentioned in our last blog that the hospital was installing a CT scanner. This was my first visit with the CT scanner functioning. In the US we take for granted that almost every hospital has a CT scanner and we can easily get needed scans for our patients. The CT scanner at Mbingo is one of only a few scanners available in the country. I wanted to share one quick story of how the CT scanner is already changing lives. A little girl came in with a neck mass that had been growing for 2 years and who had started to have respiratory symptoms. It was unclear on exam what was the origin of the mass, what kind of mass it might be, or what would be the best surgical approach. She was able to get a CT scan, which showed the mass coming off of her thymus and invading into her lungs. This allowed the surgeons to coordinate so that the head and neck surgeons and the chest surgeon where both present for her operation and were not surprised in the OR. She did great and went home with a smile on her face. This is a CT scan image for you medical folks out there. 

I also wanted to update you on a child from several years ago. About 5 years ago we raised funds for a heart surgery (VSD closure) for a little boy named Denis, who is the only child of a single mom. He did very well, but we knew he likely would need a second operation. A few weeks ago he underwent his second heart surgery (aortic valve replacement) at Shisong Cardiac Center in Cameroon. We were again able to help his mom raise the money for this surgery. Denis is a tough kid and did great with the surgery. This picture shows him after the surgery with his mom. One of the joys of going back to Mbingo every year is the continuity that we can have with people and projects there.

This picture shows my welcoming party in the Charlotte airport as we got home.  As with all of our trips to Mbingo, I am always filled with conflicting emotions. I love my time there. I love the staff, I love our missionary families, I love the patients and their families, but it is also hard. It is hard to be in a different culture. It is hard to face the poverty and the severity of medical illness. It is hard to leave and it is hard to stay. I often feel that my heart is split between two places, my home at Mbingo and my home in Charlotte. I think that tugging helps to remind me that earth is not our true home. No place should ever feel completely comfortable, because we are living in a broken world. So we continue to pray that God will use us for His glory whether it be in our trips to Mbingo or here in Charlotte. We continue to pray daily that He would make it clear how we can best serve Him. Thanks for reading!