Dear Family and Friends,
As many of you know, the last year and a half have found me
in the whirlwind that is Physician Assistant School at the Medical University
of South Carolina. I am now well into my clinical year, and it has been a
privilege to begin serving others through medicine. Last Spring, the Lord
placed a desire on my heart to serve on a short-term medical mission trip in
2014, and I began to pray through several opportunities. I never had a sense of
calling until early this Fall, when I heard of a medical team going to West
Africa. After many weeks of prayer, the burden to be a part of this ministry exponentially
increased.
I am thrilled to tell you that I will be traveling to Togo, West Africa from February 26, 2014 to March 9, 2014! The
team is made up of twenty medical professionals, sent by Seacoast Church in Mt.
Pleasant, SC. We will partner with Pioneers-Africa to bring medical care to
eight remote villages of Togo that are largely unreached by the Gospel. The
Togolese people face diseases such as HIV/AIDs, high blood pressure, malaria,
parasites, and anemia, as well as complex orthopedic injuries, disfiguring
burns, and untreated tumors and malignancies. Services provided will include a
medical clinic, dental clinic, pharmacy, medication counseling, glasses station,
HIV education, and counseling on the management of illnesses such as
dehydration, fever, and headache.
Many physical needs will be met, but the people of Togo have
even greater spiritual needs. They need
the good news of great joy that is the Gospel; it is the only thing that can
free them from the bondages of idolatry and voodoo that ensnare their souls. The
Togolese people need to hear 1 Peter 2:24 that says, “He [Christ] himself bore
our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to
righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” May the Holy Spirit work in
the hearts of these people to show them the eternal life that is offered to
them by the Father through the blood of our perfect Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ, shed for us on the cross.
As part of my commitment to the mission team, I must raise
financial and prayer support for this trip. I humbly ask you to consider
financially supporting me as I go to Togo. The total cost per individual is
$3,400; this money will cover visas, flights, surgeries, medications, supplies,
and cost of living in Togo. Donations can be made by check payable to “Seacoast
Church” (see enclosed form) or online at http://www.seacoast.org/longpoint/missions/view/43/
(click “Support” on the right toolbar > “Pay as guest” > choose
“Catharine Wingate” from the drop down menu of team members).
Finally, I covet your prayers above all else. This list of
requests is by no means exhaustive, but please pray for the following:
- That the Lord would open ears to hear the Gospel and prepare hearts to receive it (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).
- That the light of Christ would go before us and shine brightly amidst the darkness of idolatry and voodoo (John 8:12), and that His victory over the sin that declares all guilty and condemns all to death would be proclaimed boldly (Isaiah 52:13-15, 2 Corinthians 4:5-6).
- That the Lord would be setting apart those patients that have the greatest needs (Proverbs 16:9), and that we would rest in His sovereignty over the physical and spiritual needs of those whom we will be unable to treat (Psalm 19:1-2, Psalm 22:27-28).
- That the Lord would provide physical health for the team, safe transport of all necessary supplies, and unity and grace among team members in the midst of physical and spiritual challenge (Ephesians 4:11-16, 1 Corinthians 2:3-5).
Thank you for partnering with me as I go to Togo. I look
forward to writing you again in March and telling you all that the Lord has
done!
In Christ
alone,
Catharine
Wingate
No comments:
Post a Comment