NEW NAMES WRITTEN IN HEAVEN

Yesterday was an awesome day at the Psychiatric Hospital. In fact it was so good I forgot to take the pictures I wanted to for you - - sorry about that. We were in an all-men’s acute ward where they actually bring in all cases for assessment and then from there will send them to different wards. I love to watch God weave the tapestry of opportunity together and that’s exactly what happened. I saw where he used some little Camouflage Military Gideon bibles into an opportunity to not only present the gospel in a clear way but to bring about 13 salvations. When the USS Elrod was docked along side us one of the men that was really impressed with our work brought over a box of those precious military new testaments. He didn’t know at that time how important they would become.

In the back of the bible it had highlighted several versus; John 3:16; Romans 5:8 and Revelations 3:20. I hadn’t really noticed them before we got to the hospital and was sitting listening to the pastor giving his opening sermon. The Lord led me not only to open the back and put these versus together to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that God loved every one of these “whosoevers”. I used one of my crew members, Nicholas and on the spur of the moment told him to stand and be Jesus on the cross. He was so accommodating and it went so well. As I explained to these men that I have a son approximately Nicholas’ age and I have often wondered if it would be possible for me to sacrifice his life for people I did not know or for people I knew would turn their backs on him, think him a fool, spit on him and mock him. I asked them if any of them could do that and there was a resounding “NO”. I told them I didn’t think I was capable of it as well and that proved to me the depth of God’s love. Then I explained to them that God demonstrated even more of his love by dying for us while we were yet still sinners. That we don’t have to be all cleaned up, religious or perfect in our own minds to come to Christ. The last verse was demonstrated by going to a nearby pole and knocking. Telling them that Jesus was standing there today knocking on the door. That he has already purchased the gift of salvation and wrapped it as a birthday gift and was standing on the other side of the door. Their decision would come in opening the door and accepting the present or let him remain standing on the other side of a closed door. I chose a Muslim man sitting nearby and walked up to him pretending to shove the present into his chest and told him that Jesus would not do that - - he does not force his gift on anyone because he wants us to chose him because he first loved us. The man’s eyes were huge as he started to understand. Before we broke into 4 groups; 3 bible study groups and a prayer group I told them that if during our time there they knew the Lord was calling them to spend eternity in heaven with Him they could find any of us and we would be glad to pray the sinner’s prayer with them. Three men came out immediately, one fell at the feet of my friend Rollie and two others came to me. I was so proud of my Crew Services team as they ministered under such an anointing through bible study and question/answer periods. When it was time to go the Pastor started to pray and say goodbye - - I walked up behind him and told him to give an alter call. I don’t know what he was saying because it was in Twi but he went over to the same pole and started knocking - - so I understood. Ten more men came forward immediately and our team was able to do one on one counseling and prayer. PTL there are 13 new names in the Lamb's Book of Life today. It was sooooo good. It was one of those days that I came home and immediately went to sleep for 3 hours out of shear exhaustion and joy.

There were many requests for bibles this day. The remaining 15 Marine bibles will make their way back to the hospital in 2 weeks. I asked a Christian nurse in charge of Ward 3 if she would mind distributing these bibles for us to people that come through before being permanently placed and she has agreed. I find it extraordinary that God has provided another “crossroads” in the psychiatric hospital just as He did with Jerusalem when he wanted His word spread.

If anyone would like to be part of providing new New/Old Testament bibles in the local Twi language to the patients of Pantang please write to me and I’ll give you the instructions how to make that possible. I have found a local supplier that charges approximately $5.00 per bible. One of the men that has asked for a bible is a Muslim – pray for him, his name is Gideon Quarsh.

GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME; AND ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD.

Blessings and Love,
Robert & Susan Blanchard
Serving West Africa
M/V Anastasis currently in Ghana

SUSAN WUZ HERE

Jambo Rifikis (hello friends)

Do you know how hard it is to put a positive spin on Robert in the Poo tank AGAIN! He just has such a nasty job. It's not romantic, it's rarely appreciated and it just plain STINKS! No pun intended. In fact, he was called at 6:30 this morning because the hospital ward toilets were backing up and now he's crawling around in the big tank at the bottom of the ship. He just came into the cabin to pick up something, smelling to high heaven. Even the air freshener doesn't mask the smell and the porthole won't open. Talk about bringing your work home with you....

Last Saturday we went out to Pantang Psychiatric Hospital again. We go every other Saturday. It takes us 1 hour 15 minutes to get there each way through some extremely heavy traffic. We have now visited every one of the 14 wards and what a blessing it has been to us and the patients. We look back over the past 6 months and can see the change in the people there. When we first started there was a lot of screaming, rolling on the floor, and they wanted more of the "fun" things we brought to them like the balloons, games, food and only a hand-ful really wanted prayer. Now the switch has been made to the things of God. We now only offer corporate prayer, individual prayer, individual counseling and bible studies and they are more at peace. They come in more orderly, they love to pray and they ask really great questions during bible study. The hospital attendants also join us and love when we come. You talk about forgotten people. In a nation where it is difficult to make your own way and your value is determined by how much you can contribute to the family income - - these people are truly the forgotten. Please pray for their spiritual healing as well as their physical healing.

We had a fun day yesterday. Was one of the rare opportunities Robert has been able to get off the ship. We took a Land Rover and 6 other people and went to Shai Hills. Shai Hills is a game reserve about an hour north of here. The government removed the Shai peoples from this region in 1890’s because they were practicing human sacrifices. Unfortunately, it is not the BIG 5 type of game reserve but it was fun nonetheless. It has bat caves, springbucks, monkeys and baboons. We took on a guide as we drove through the park which was well worth the $1.00 for 3 hours. There would have been no way we would have found our way out of this park. There are no roads in this park, just at times tracks where sometime in the past year maybe 1 or 2 vehicles had gone because you could see faint markings of tires but for a lot of the way you really felt like you were driving through the Savannah that had not been touched before. Then the absolute neatest thing happened. An African Savannah thunderstorm! Lightening, thunder and lots of rain very quickly. It brought such cool sweet smelling air we thought God had turned on the air conditioner. Do you know what happens to the grass and mud in one of those flash downpours? It becomes slippery as all get out and the car only spins around and slids side to side even in 4-wheel drive! We were kickin up mud everywhere and laughed so hard when we saw the 6" of mud caked up on the steps when it was all said and done. Yahoo, did I ever have fun. It was a little embarrassing as we were driving back into town to watch the people staring at us because the car was so dirty. When we got home we decided the nice thing to do was to wash the car so that on Sunday no one had to go to church in it like it was. Thanks to Robert and Gordi.

I almost forgot to tell you that I’m now officially a published writer! It doesn’t matter to me if it’s only for Mercy Ships use or not but it was exciting to see the wonderful job our communications department (Mike Osborne) did on the story to make it so attractive. I hope you enjoy the story.

Well, till later please keep us in prayer for the following things:

· Healing for Susan’s Siatica (back pain – radiating down both legs)
· Forward STP system (poo tank)
· Our son Brandon as he looks for work in Dallas
· Susan’s Uncle James – in ICU with respiratory difficulties
· Impending birth of my first great-nephew; due Nov 11 – Susan’s youngest sister’s only daughter.

Thanks for taking this ride of a life-time with us over these past two years. We have been so blessed to have friends and family that really support us in prayers and emails. Please write when you get a moment, we do love hearing from you.

Blessings and Prayers,
Robert & Susan Blanchard
Missionaries to West Africa – Ghana
Mercy Ships
P.O. 2020
Garden Valley TX 75771

NECK DEEP IN POO

Ahoy Maties! From the bow of the Anastasis ported in Tema Ghana. Phew - - is it hot!

Literally this week Robert was up to his neck in poo - - sewage system went out and now Robert is the welding/plumbing/machinist Manager until Marcel returns end of November. What does manager mean? Means you get to work till midnight in POO and then come home smelling like Poo! Oh, that's not what you thought manager meant? Me either! If it is I'm giving back my manager title right now...I guess the worse thing it would mean to me is that I'd have to do an emergency toilet cleaning job. Our plumbers and welders do an awesome and most often thankless job aboard the ship. Probably because no one wants to get close enough to one of them to thank them :) (Sorry Robert)

There was another serious medical emergency on board this week - - this time it was of our patients who came for surgery. My friend Patti Cook said it so well in her newsletter that I'm plagerizing her story for your benefit. I am so grateful that we live on a medical ship when the chips are down everyone pulls together instantly and the prayers start within SECONDS of the beginning of a situation.

Over these last months we have seen many medical procedures performed as
well as several medical miracles. One such miracle took place just last week. A
woman named Eunice had a huge goiter that needed to be removed because it was beginning to wrap itself around vital nerves and blood vessels in her neck. It
was a very complicated surgery that lasted for hours. Kevin was on the transport
team and he helped to carry her into the OR in the morning and out around dinner
time. A few hours later, he was summoned back to the Ward to once again move her into surgery for emergency repair of a major blood vessel that had ruptured. He said it was very scary...there was blood everywhere & a multitude of doctors
& nurses applying life support measures as he & our friend Glen
struggled to carry her back into the OR. A call went out throughout the ship for
A+ blood. We are what is called a "living blood bank". We do not have the
facilities to store blood so many of the crew, us included, register to give
blood when ever it is needed. People with A+ blood came running from all over
the ship. Kevin was one of them as he is A+. Fortunately, over 2 dozen people
were on board at the time and responded. They ended up taking 13 units and using 11 on Eunice. They say she lost her blood volume nearly 2 times.

As the doctors and nurses worked on her other crew members began to pray. Some gathered in groups and some even called home to their families and friends to lift Eunice up in prayer. Finally around 2:30am, Kevin was called back to the OR to move her to the intensive care unit. Today, she is doing well and hopefully will go home next week. Without the surgery, she was doomed to die a slow and painful death. Without the blood offered up by the crew she would have hemoraged to death. And God in His mercy answered our prayers for a miracle and she is now a living testimony to His power and mercy as well as His love expressed through the care and sacrifice of the Anastasis crew. She is but one of hundreds that walk off this ship praising Him for what He has done in their lives.

By Patti Cook

PRAYER POINTS

• Delivery of Africa Mercy from the shipyard in England
• Crew perserverence through the last delay
• Wisdom for all leaders and Board of Directors for direction of Ministry
• Robert and I to be able to correctly speak into the lives of other crew members through speech and action
• Our youngest son Brandon just moved to Dallas Texas and needs a good paying job with benefits

Thank you for your prayers, friendship and support. We love to hear from you.

Blessings,

Robert & Susan Blanchard