Participants: C.A. Murray (Host), David & Sarah Macomber
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY015048A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:30 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:07 Hello and welcome to 3ABN today. 01:10 My name is C.A. Murray 01:11 and allow me once again to thank you 01:13 for sharing just a little of your day with us. 01:16 To thank you also for your love, your prayers, 01:18 your support of this ministry 01:20 because we are convinced and convicted that 01:22 we could not do what we are called to do 01:24 without your partnership, 01:26 so we thank you from the bottom of our heart. 01:27 Got a great story for you today, 01:28 two good looking young people, 01:30 there is a third little baby that's part of this mix 01:33 but he's not here. 01:35 He's being taken care of off-set. 01:36 But David and Sarah Macomber. 01:40 Macomber. Macomber. 01:41 Macomber. Macomber. 01:42 Praise the Lord. 01:44 Macomber like month of May and cucumber. 01:45 That's right. Macomber. 01:47 Praise the lord. 01:48 That's what he told, I didn't meant that. 01:51 Great story. 01:52 He is to give you the punch-line upfront, 01:54 a mission pilot and she is a nutritionist. 01:57 Pretty good combination 01:59 when you think about mission work in its totality. 02:03 So we're gonna unpack their story 02:04 because we've got a lot to say. 02:05 Nice looking couple, 25, so still young 02:10 and serving the Lord very passionately 02:12 in the country of Chad 02:14 and that's really Central Africa 02:17 because it's landlocked. 02:18 I don't think you have-- That's right. 02:19 Yeah, it's kind of in the middle. 02:22 I know most of West Africa's is kind of French speaking, 02:25 East Africa is kind of English speaking 02:26 and you're kind of tucked in the middle. 02:28 Yeah, we're in the middle 02:29 and in Chad we got French and Arabic. 02:32 Yeah. 02:34 Now how's your Arabic? 02:35 Not so good. No, no very so. 02:38 But your French is? 02:39 It is. Yeah. 02:41 Now where did you pick up your French, 02:42 just out of curiosity? 02:44 I was French and Aviation Maintenance 02:45 at Andrew's University. 02:46 Okay. 02:48 So I spent a year at Collonges 02:49 studying at Adventist school in France. 02:53 And then I finished of some classes 02:55 so I can get a Major out of it. 02:56 Yeah, praise the Lord. 02:57 Now, when you think of studying French and aviation, 03:00 obviously you had something in mind 03:02 and the Lord said, all is not right now. 03:07 So He redirected your course 03:09 and we're gonna talk about that in just a little bit. 03:11 Sarah, you are from? 03:13 I am from New York originally and I also went to Andrews. 03:16 New York State of mind. 03:18 Of course that's where they got together 03:19 we're gonna talk about that also. 03:20 Davis is from? 03:22 Denver, Colorado. Denver, Colorado. 03:23 So how does Denver meet Bath in New York? 03:26 Andrew's University. 03:28 We Praise the Lord for that. 03:31 A lot of things to talk about, 03:32 I think we'll go through a music just now 03:34 and then come back and sort of 03:35 walk our way through your stories 03:37 because the ministry is Africa Aviation Health. 03:40 Now is that the ministry you started 03:42 or the ministry that you are employed by 03:44 or you're working for? 03:45 That's our specific ministry under the overall umbrella. 03:49 All right, okay. 03:50 Now I need-- I need to do tell you 03:51 ladies and gentlemen, that what they do, 03:53 they're volunteering right now 03:55 and I'm gonna take it upon myself 03:57 to do a little pitch for them a little bit later on 04:00 because they didn't come here for that, 04:01 they came here to tell you their story. 04:02 But you've got two young people, 25 04:04 with a son whose name is? 04:07 Joel. 04:08 Joel, Joel. 04:10 And that's not-- 04:14 that's something to consider 04:15 and to keep, you know, exhort in your back your mind 04:17 as we talk about their story. 04:19 But just now our music is coming from 04:21 our friend our Pastor John Lomacang. 04:23 He's gonna be singing, "There is A Savior." 04:37 There is a Savior 04:45 What joys express 04:52 His eyes are mercy 04:58 His word is rest 05:04 For each tomorrow 05:12 For yesterday 05:18 There is a Savior 05:26 Who lights our way 05:34 Are there burdens in your hearts 05:39 Is your past a memory that binds you? 05:47 Is there a pain inside 05:50 that you've carried far too long? 05:59 Well, strengthen your heart 06:05 with His good news 06:10 There is a Savior 06:17 and He's forgiven you 06:24 There is a Savior 06:32 What joys express 06:38 His eyes are mercy 06:44 His word is rest 06:50 For each tomorrow 06:58 And for yesterday 07:04 There is a Savior 07:11 Who lights our way 07:18 There is a Savior 07:26 What joys express 07:32 In His eyes are mercy 07:38 And His word is fine rest 07:44 For each tomorrow 07:52 For yesterday 07:59 There is a Savior 08:06 Who lights our way 08:13 There is a Savior 08:21 Who lights our way 08:46 And thank you, Pastor John Lomacang, 08:48 "There is A Savior" well done. 08:49 My guests are David and Sarah Macomber, 08:54 currently of Chad 08:57 and I guess Chad Central Africa, 09:00 North Central Africa. 09:02 I want to get back and get some history on you guys. 09:04 I think I will start with you, David. 09:06 We'll start from Colorado. 09:09 Adventist family growing up? 09:10 Yeah, my parents are both Elders 09:12 in the Adventist church. 09:13 Brothers and sisters? 09:16 Two bothers, one sister. 09:18 Sister is the oldest 09:19 and I'm the middle of the brothers. 09:20 Oh, you are the middle kid? 09:22 Yeah. 09:23 There is much literature on the middle child. 09:29 The middle child can go any kind of way 09:31 because I'm the middle child. 09:32 And interest-- just interesting studies 09:36 being done on the middle children. 09:38 They can be the one to really excel also 09:42 and to go off on their own and in their own thing. 09:46 Growing up were you a good kid, 09:49 rebellious kid, kind of obedient kid, 09:52 give us some little flavor of your childhood. 09:55 I was one of those kids who tried to be good. 10:00 Like I was-- I got very involved 10:02 and everything that I had in front of me, 10:04 so I did music, I did sports, I did all of these things. 10:07 My sister actually calls me Captain American 10:09 because I did it all. 10:12 But you know, like every kid you have issues. 10:17 But over, overall I kind of got a feel for life 10:23 and once I got a feel for it I was good. 10:26 So you had some little wilderness time? 10:28 Yeah. Yeah. 10:30 I think most of us do. 10:32 Yeah, as-- little we do 10:33 but never stratified. 10:35 When did the idea of one on one relationship with the Lord, 10:38 when did that sort of occurred to you? 10:40 When did you sort of move into that arena? 10:42 Well, when it first happened 10:43 I had just graduated from high school 10:45 and worked at a summer camp 10:47 up in the mountains of Colorado. 10:49 And I went into-- so I was working as a counselor 10:52 and ran into some very difficult, 10:56 weak situations with campus 10:58 and I burned out 11:01 and I just called myself to take a break and say 11:05 okay Lord, what's going on. 11:07 And through being in the mountains 11:10 and talking with God, 11:11 He-- He talked to me 11:13 and we were able to get 11:14 a little bit of a connection there. 11:17 And from that point that really started 11:21 and it grew into a wonderful relationship. 11:25 Was there a dramatic change in your actions in life 11:29 or kind of just a stabilizing and settling down 11:32 into what God wanted you to do? 11:33 Stabilizing, settling down and it took quite a process. 11:38 Yeah, praise the Lord. 11:39 It occurs when-- 11:41 and just trying to connect to that. 11:43 You didn't go out too far, I mean, you weren't like drugs, 11:46 hippie, wild kind of, party kind of, that was not you? 11:49 No. Right. 11:50 So you stayed pretty close to home? 11:51 Pretty well, and most of it was attitude issues 11:55 rather than-- 11:56 Then acting out. Then acting out. 11:58 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 12:00 Sarah, from Bath, New York. 12:02 Adventist home I suspect. 12:04 It was about 14, 12:07 I was 14 when I really even kind of heard about God 12:12 and my parents they came to the church at the same time, 12:16 so we got to go together spiritually-- 12:20 Praise the Lord. 12:21 How was the initial introduction? 12:23 Through some church members, 12:25 they gave us Doug Batchelor series 12:27 and we watched them in our home and we found this to be true 12:31 and we started looking into our Bible 12:33 and everything lined up really well 12:36 and we gave our heart to God and got baptized. 12:40 Now you're the only child? 12:42 I have an older sister. Okay. 12:44 If she's sort of come onboard at same time? 12:45 Yes. Yes. 12:47 So everybody in the pool at the same time. 12:48 Praise the Lord. Yes. 12:50 Were your parents seeking, were they going church at all 12:53 or just kind of a radical shift in your family? 12:57 My parents were having a hard time 12:59 just with their relationship 13:00 and so my mom decided to go back to church 13:02 and she decided. 13:03 My dad was raised Adventist but he didn't go to church. 13:07 And so she decided to go to his church 13:10 and so it was a Saturday 13:12 and she was kind of upset with him 13:15 and then I went to church 13:16 and my dad didn't like that and then 13:20 but the Lord worked on him 13:22 and then again somebody at the church 13:24 gave us those DVD's, so-- it's really cool. 13:28 Praise the Lord. Praise God. 13:29 So everybody came back in the church? 13:32 Now switching back to you, 13:34 when did the idea of this pilot thing happened 13:37 and what were you planning and doing? 13:39 Because I think it's kind of cool 13:40 that you had this agenda 13:42 that the Lord kind of put a halt to. 13:44 Sure. Yeah. 13:46 Yeah, I grew up always wanting to be a pilot, 13:49 like from-- before I even remember 13:51 my parents told me that 13:53 I was still wanting to fly even before then. 13:56 So I always wanted to be a pilot. 13:59 And as I was working on it, 14:02 I knew that's exactly where I'm going with it 14:04 so God opened the doors. 14:07 I wanted to go and be corporate pilot 14:10 and flying over to Europe. 14:14 So that's what kind of led me 14:15 to learn French as second language 14:19 but then, you know, God surprised me 14:22 and called me into the mission field. 14:24 Yeah. 14:25 So the going to Andrews 14:27 was wanting to facilitate your desire, 14:30 your dream corporate pilot 14:33 popping back and fourth to Europe, 14:34 speaking lot of French, you know. 14:36 Very cushy, very nice, well paid, nice plan 14:41 nothing wrong with that. 14:42 We'll stop there. 14:43 Sarah, your degree is in nutrition. 14:49 Dietetics. Dietetics, okay. 14:51 Is that something you always wanted to do? 14:53 I was interested in it around high school so yeah. 14:58 Nutrition is always been something 14:59 that's been fascinating to me. 15:02 Now Bath is not your south of Rochester 15:05 heading down towards Elmira. 15:07 Not a big, big town, not a tiny, tiny town 15:09 but its up in the mountains a little bit 15:12 and very, very nice not much to get into. 15:17 Well, I guess if you want to get into 15:18 you can get it in and tiny town, 15:20 but coming to the Lord at age 14, 15:22 I guess your, your formative as you all say 15:26 14 to 18, 14 to 20 pretty solid in the Lord? 15:31 Well, before that I was really younger 15:35 and we got introduced to the Sabbath through a church, 15:37 so before I got baptized we're going to church a little bit 15:40 and I was really active in sports 15:42 and choir and different things like that. 15:45 And so we got a lot of conflict with the Sabbath 15:49 and so at that point I had to decide 15:54 and are we're going to follow the commandment 15:57 or am I going to play soccer or anything like that or track. 16:02 And I decided to follow God's commandment 16:07 and I mean that choice 16:08 and after that I didn't play on the Sabbath at all or anything. 16:12 That's pretty heavy decision for a young person to make. 16:15 Yeah, it was-- 16:16 You felt good about it that once you settled on that? 16:18 Yeah. 16:20 And you have support of your family? 16:21 Yes, very much so. 16:22 Okay. 16:24 Were you considering any other school, 16:25 was Andrew's always a kind of destination? 16:27 I went to Southern for a year before I went to Andrews 16:30 or two years before I went to Andrews. 16:32 Okay, okay. 16:33 So you tell me you guys met in your junior? 16:36 Right. 16:38 You're junior, you are junior also? 16:39 Yes. Okay. 16:41 Who spotted who first? 16:45 I think it was a mutual thing. 16:49 We were about the lifeguards at the pool. 16:51 So we went into a group interview 16:55 and I saw her and my heart skipped a beat. 16:58 Really? 16:59 And she told me right there that when she saw me 17:05 and she looked to me and said, 17:06 oh no this is the man that I'm gonna marry. 17:09 You know that's always amazing that people say that. 17:11 That didn't happen to me. 17:14 Mine was a little bit different. 17:16 But-- but you said that from day one 17:18 oh, yeah, he is it. 17:19 So you knew? 17:21 Yeah. Yeah. 17:22 Had you met him at all? 17:23 No. Okay. 17:25 What if you turned out to be a jerk? 17:26 That I want to marry him. 17:28 It's okay Lord, let's move to. 17:30 But you saw each other at the interview, 17:33 who made the first move? 17:35 Oh, I peruse her all out. Okay. 17:38 Praise the Lord. 17:39 Yeah. Yeah. 17:41 Since you had that thought in your mind, 17:44 were you receptive to his maneuverings? 17:48 Was that okay? 17:49 Well, I was dating at that time, 17:51 so I wasn't quite-- 17:53 So we had, we had little stuff that eye and out. 17:55 Yeah. 17:57 Yes, I thought oh, he is the man I'm gonna marry. 17:59 I was like oh, no, that he looks like my boyfriend 18:01 now that's probably why. 18:03 But yeah, so it took a lot-- 18:07 we worked together a lot 18:09 and he just became my best friend essentially. 18:12 All right, which is the Lord to do it, 18:13 yeah, to become good friends. 18:15 Yeah, it's kind of sticky icky when you're dating somebody 18:18 and the guy you're gonna marry is like standing over there, 18:20 you know, kind of thing. 18:23 So you finished school before you got married? 18:24 Right. Yes. 18:25 Okay, okay. 18:27 Now here's the thing. 18:28 You have this corporate mindset what you're gonna do, 18:32 you have a mindset of what you're gonna do, 18:35 in whose mind did the whole mission thing first appear 18:39 and then how did you work your way through it? 18:40 Because that's a radical change 18:42 from what you were wanting to do 18:44 and I don't know what's your long-term goals were. 18:46 Had you thought about mission work before, Sarah? 18:49 I had thought about it before 18:50 but I was definitely wanting to get clinical work 18:54 and a background and experience before. 18:57 Okay, okay. 18:59 Walk me through that those times 19:01 because somebody's idea had to change. 19:03 We know the Lord was doing. In fact, let's do it this way. 19:06 How did the Lord change your mindset 19:09 because you got your thing kind of planned out? 19:12 Corporate pilot, back and forth to Europe, got this French, 19:15 God says no, you are gonna do something else. 19:17 How did that occur to you? 19:19 Well, at Andrews University 19:21 I had started my flight training 19:23 and as I was just getting into my flight training 19:26 just about to solo for my first time 19:29 my instructor upon decided that he was gonna go 19:32 as a student missionary to Bolivia. 19:35 So he disappeared 19:36 and went to be a mission pilot in Bolivia. 19:38 Wow. 19:39 And so moved on to the next instructor 19:41 and a little bit over a year later 19:45 he decided that he was gonna up and be a missionary in Bolivia. 19:49 So he went there also. 19:52 Right about that time my first instructor came back 19:54 and his fiance who was my boss at the pool, 20:00 she kept on teasing me 20:01 oh, do you want to go into the mission field? 20:03 Oh, no, no, no. 20:04 Like I don't feel called into the mission field 20:07 that's a high call 20:08 and I don't want to put myself 20:10 somewhere where God hasn't put me. 20:12 And she just kept teasing me, he would tease me 20:16 and that was always my response. 20:18 But then senior year God came along 20:21 and made His calling very clear. 20:23 Yeah, yeah, you got to tell me that. 20:25 So-- yeah, we had mission pilot 20:28 from Bolivia, South America all over the place 20:32 since South America come up to Andrews 20:34 and do something creative up there. 20:37 And as he was presenting at our school 20:41 I just felt God's impression. 20:42 Hey, go and talk to this man. 20:45 So afterwards I approached him 20:49 and I said hey, I know you're doing 20:51 a lot of work in South America. 20:53 I'm a French speaker, 20:55 there's not a whole lot of places in South America 20:59 that speak French. 21:00 But do you guys have anything in other parts of the world? 21:03 And so he gave me the contact information 21:06 for Gary Roberts who was the leading a project in Chad. 21:11 And he told me 21:14 try multiple times to get a hold of him 21:16 and tired to get him and I just keep trying 21:19 and I said God, if you want us to go, 21:21 You have to have him reply on my first email. 21:24 So I sent the email 21:26 and 24 hours later he had already replied. 21:27 Okay, Lord is speaking. Yes. 21:29 Now, are you married at this point? 21:32 No. No. 21:33 You are unmarried, okay. 21:35 But you're thinking about getting married. 21:36 You're committed to each other? Right. 21:38 Okay, so God is rearranging your agenda. 21:40 You sharing this with Sarah? 21:42 Yeah, as soon as I done talking with the mission pilot, 21:46 I went and talked to Sarah and just told her 21:47 I think God is calling me to the mission field. 21:50 And your response was? 21:52 I was excited, which and then-- 21:55 but I really wanted to place for me to be able to work 21:58 and then we prayed about that 22:02 and with the email that came in 22:05 it said we have a nutrition center as well 22:07 and it worked out perfectly. 22:09 Yeah, couldn't be much better. 22:11 But you're not ready to just take off 22:12 'cause you got to get some time under you belt, 22:13 some clinical stuff. 22:15 So you're working your way through all of that. 22:18 Were you going to go as an official entity 22:24 or it was a volunteer thing on a table at that point 22:28 or how was that working its way, 22:29 working itself out? 22:31 It was mostly I volunteer situation. 22:35 The organization that mission pilot 22:38 that they get work through 22:40 it's all based on a volunteer basis 22:43 so from get go God called us 22:45 through that organization so we went. 22:47 Was that scarcity -- 22:48 because you're not picking up down denominational credit, 22:51 you're not drawing a salary you're two young people 22:54 then without baby I assume. 22:56 Yes. 22:57 You know, I'm doing a finger thing, you know, 23:00 without baby but you're going off 23:01 you're not going to Chicago, you're not going to Los Angeles 23:04 you're going to Chad, you know. 23:06 This is different, 23:08 this is not what you been accustomed to, 23:10 did that scare you at all, was that daunting? 23:13 A ton. 23:14 Yeah. 23:16 And especially with student loans 23:18 and everything else that's all piled up 23:21 it was very concerning but when you-- 23:25 God had called us and so because He had called us 23:29 we knew that He was gonna take care of us. 23:32 You obviously both shared with your parents, 23:37 what was their response? 23:39 They're really supportive 23:41 and they knew if God is calling us there 23:44 then He will protect us and take care of us. 23:48 And my mom grew up as a student-- 23:51 as a missionary kid in Nigeria. 23:54 So it kind of runs in the family I would say. 23:58 It's kind of in the genes. 24:00 Okay, the big question. 24:03 Everybody has in their minds 24:05 an idea of what's going to happen 24:07 and what it's going to be like. 24:09 Then you get there less more the same 24:14 were you prepared for what you found? 24:16 Give us some flavor 24:17 of what hit you when you hit Chad? 24:21 Oh, mercy. 24:24 It was a very-- 24:26 You hit Chad and Chad hit back. 24:31 Well, it was good and bad. 24:34 We weren't expect to have toilet, we had a toilet. 24:36 Well, praise the Lord. 24:37 Bucket flush but, praise the Lord. 24:40 No hole on the ground but overall it kind of hit us. 24:46 We had this idea of okay, we're gonna go out 24:49 and where essentially gonna be campaign, 24:51 no electricity, no running water. 24:54 But the idea never substantiates to exactly 24:57 how you figure it to be 24:59 until you get there and you realize. 25:01 We are living without running water. 25:03 We are living with very little electricity. 25:07 And then you know, we don't have a refrigerator, 25:10 so we have to cook meals. 25:12 Every single meal on the fly 25:15 and all of that stuff adding together 25:17 the heat 105, 110 degrees at times 25:21 with no air conditioning, no way to escape. 25:25 And all of it kind of added up. 25:29 Even without worrying about the programs 25:32 that we were supposed to be 25:33 a part of everything else was adding up. 25:36 Did you find that discouraging because both of you have 25:39 this missionary energy and urgency? 25:42 You want to do this but your faith with-- 25:46 I mean, there are countries you can go to be missionary 25:49 and live in a hotel. 25:50 You know, you go you can teach English in Korea 25:52 and you know there's all, but you are in Chad 25:54 and this is the roughest of the rough. 25:57 Certainly, were there times of discouragement? 26:00 Oh yeah, definitely. 26:02 It was really hard, just adjusting to everything 26:07 because on top of all the changes 26:09 from America to Chad, 26:11 then you have the culture on top of that 26:13 and I didn't know any French. 26:14 So I was just relying on him and then he had to go work 26:18 and so I would be at home and trying to buy vegetables 26:21 and fruits and have no idea 26:24 and it's all different currency. 26:25 So it was very discouraging at times, definitely. 26:30 From the time you got married to the time 26:31 you landed in Chad was how long? 26:34 About 16 months. 26:35 Okay so, you're still adjusting to each other? 26:38 Oh, yeah. 26:39 Yeah, and that's been a interrupted 26:41 by this picky you up 26:42 and plopping you down on the whole floor 26:44 and so you got this other layer powdered on top of the fact 26:47 that you have-- 26:49 Your first two years of discovering. 26:51 So within that first two years you're also discovering that 26:54 you're in a foreign country, doing a lot of foreign stuff. 26:57 And you're making stuff up as you go along. 27:00 I mean its not, theirs is no road map, 27:01 there is no manual. 27:03 This is like here you are, do it. 27:05 You know, now you got to do it. 27:07 What was your assignment 27:10 as far as your day to day operations and activities, 27:12 what were you called to do, asked to do? 27:16 Well, for me I came in expecting that we fly 27:19 and doing mission work or doing mission flying 27:23 and shortly after I arrived the airplane broke down 27:28 and we had an issue 27:29 where it was down for four months. 27:31 So because weren't do anything with the airplane 27:34 and we turned to construction doing construction, 27:37 building a house for the workers there 27:43 and also dealing with Bible school 27:47 with helping out our-- we've an Adventist hospital 27:52 just a mile up the road. 27:54 So helping them out with maintenance issues 27:57 and kind of running around and doing everything we could. 28:00 Okay, now that was stuff you just took on in lieu 28:03 of what you are supposed to be doing 28:05 because that was not available. 28:06 And I had no maintenance experience at that time. 28:10 But you got some now. I do know. 28:14 Sarah, so what are you doing now? 28:16 There's a hospital there, are you working with them 28:18 or how are you managing? 28:19 We are about a couple miles down the road 28:21 and there's a clinic for malnourish babies. 28:23 Okay. 28:25 So, that was where I was supposed to be doing 28:27 and there wasn't enough staff to run it. 28:30 So we were still doing it but it wasn't out 28:33 for running capacity that I thought. 28:35 But even so it was good 28:37 because it was like going from America 28:41 and dietetics in America is obesity, 28:43 you know, you are trying to fight all the way 28:45 and everything but then you are in Africa 28:47 and you are trying to put it on 28:48 so it was totally different mindset for me. 28:51 So the nutritional aspect is much more emphasized. 28:54 Yeah. 28:55 Yeah, yeah, yeah. Praise the Lord. 28:57 Okay, we're in Chad 28:59 you're not sponsored officially by any agency 29:01 so there's no guaranteed check coming in, 29:03 you're hustling to do that. 29:07 How is that working out for you at that point and time? 29:10 It was amazing. 29:12 Initially, when we first showed up 29:14 we didn't have a whole lot of financial responsibilities. 29:18 You know we were just supposed to take care of 29:21 our food needs or water needs. 29:24 We have to add a little bit with the project when we could. 29:28 But the majority of financial responsibility 29:30 was on the project that was already have been running. 29:33 Okay, now I want to stop here 29:35 and sort of just put a pin there 29:36 because what you're saying is you-- 29:38 you signed on with the idea 29:40 we're gonna take care and support ourselves. 29:44 No one is gonna be looking out for us, 29:45 there is not gonna be any check coming from the States, 29:48 we're going over there and do what we have to do 29:50 for the cause of Christ and take care of us. 29:54 That was what you-- you signed on for. 29:56 Did you realize the weight of that decision 29:58 when you made it or did you become 30:00 really, really apparent once you hit the ground 30:02 and ground hit you back? 30:04 Some above. 30:05 Yeah. I would think so. 30:06 Yeah, I mean, we would be living off 30:08 of a flight instructor salary the year before 30:10 during the internship which is very much minimal. 30:15 So we had already learned 30:17 that God is going to take care of our needs. 30:19 Okay. Okay. 30:20 So you are kind of split down 30:21 with this fancy lifestyle anyway? 30:23 Yeah, wouldn't in Chad though? 30:24 No. But it wasn't. 30:27 So you are doing what you have to do, 30:31 soon or later that plan does come online. 30:34 How does that change things? 30:35 Well, we started flying. 30:37 Yeah. 30:39 Like almost as continuously after the plane wasn't off 30:43 its stopped and ready to go. 30:47 Gary Roberts our pilot, our chief pilot and I 30:49 and one of our doctors from the hospital there 30:53 we took a trip to Cameron to try to help support 30:58 some of the Adventist hospitals that are out there. 31:00 They currently have no western doctor 31:02 because of political and war situations. 31:06 So we spent a week there and came back 31:08 and the same day that we returned back 31:10 from Cameron we left 31:13 and brought our Bible school director to a Bible training 31:18 that was going on in another city. 31:20 We were there for a week, flew him back 31:22 and things started to really-- 31:25 Pick up a little. Start picking up. 31:26 Praise the Lord. 31:27 So now that's how you support yourself 31:29 flying, flying missions for the hospital 31:32 or for doctors or for that-- 31:33 Right. So you charge for that? 31:35 Actually it's all volunteer. 31:38 We do have some patients 31:40 so if I fly someone to the capital 31:43 they will help out with fuel cost 31:47 but overall that's our ministry for those who are ministering 31:51 even more on the front lines 31:53 as we help to subsidize that cost 31:56 so that they can do more with their money. 31:58 Yeah, yeah. Yeah. 32:00 You see me I tend to keep coming back to this that 32:03 they are doing volunteer work. 32:05 There is no guaranteed settled income. 32:09 If he does it a trip its out of the goodness 32:12 of their heart if they pick up their tab 32:14 or say well, praise the Lord 32:16 well, we are praying for you kind of thing. 32:19 So Sarah, you began working 32:21 with the hospital or with the clinic? 32:23 With the clinic. With the clinic, okay. 32:25 Is there any remuneration 32:27 that comes from working with the clinic? 32:29 No. Okay. 32:30 It's all 100 percent free for the mothers 32:32 and children that come in. 32:34 So it's-- so they will come in 32:37 and so they will get educated. 32:38 We don't want that to be a barrier for them 32:40 so its 100 percent free. 32:42 Bless your heart. 32:44 See this is this-- I'm impressed that 32:45 this is as frontline as mission where it gets. 32:49 This is, this is really, really out there. 32:52 Give me some sense and our audience some sense 32:55 of how the Adventist church is doing in that country? 32:57 In fact, let's go it this way. 32:59 What is the predominant religion in Chad? 33:02 Chad is about 50 percent Muslim. 33:05 It's a very, very middle of the road. 33:10 No, extremism on either side 33:13 but very middle of the road Muslim. 33:16 There is maybe 30 percent who are Christian 33:20 and then 20 percent who are some where else 33:24 either all traditional beliefs 33:26 that are still being held or no beliefs at all. 33:29 Yeah, so from your vantage point give me some sense now 33:32 of how the Adventist church is doing in Chad? 33:35 Well, we have last figure I saw it was actually was 2,442 33:42 members in the Adventist church 33:44 out of a population of about 13 million. 33:47 Okay. Okay. 33:49 So just really towing the water kind of thing. 33:50 It's not very well. 33:52 Well, the hospitals and the doctors 33:54 that are working the Adventist hospital 33:58 is it a good size hospital, small hospital. 34:00 How is it and how is it fairing at this point? 34:04 It's a pretty good sized hospital 34:06 for where we are at. 34:07 We have about 100 beds. 34:09 Okay, that's decent size. 34:10 So decent size and its, 34:14 its got a great reputation throughout the country. 34:16 So we have people from two or three days travel away 34:20 and coming in to the hospital 34:21 just to get the best care that they can. 34:24 Yeah, yeah. Yeah. 34:25 We had Dr. Appel here some months ago 34:27 when the Ebola outbreak 34:28 and that's another kind of scary thing 34:30 because there was one of the centers of Ebola. 34:32 How is the country doing with that at this point do you know? 34:35 Chad was removed from the Ebola. 34:37 Ebola was more in West Africa, Liberia and Sierra Leone 34:41 and thankfully there is not much traveling 34:44 back and forth between the two 34:45 so Chad was relatively untouched. 34:48 Great. 34:50 So most of the work you are doing 34:52 then is with the hospital, for the hospital 34:54 or with doctors or with pastors? 34:56 Walk me kind of through that. 34:59 It's in corporation with the hospital. 35:02 The easiest way I found to put it is 35:04 I'm there to support the Adventist work in there. 35:08 So we've got the hospital, the Bible school, 35:10 the mission itself, the church organization 35:15 and just I'm there to help in the Ebola 35:18 and get them around 35:20 to the various parts of the country. 35:22 Okay, understood. Understood. 35:23 Sarah, give me some sense of your day to day activities. 35:26 What does a average day like for you in your work? 35:31 Well, it takes a lot to make breakfast 35:33 and it takes a lot make lunch. 35:36 So a lot goes to home work, work at the homes 35:42 but when I'm able to get out 35:44 then we at the center we run two days a week 35:48 and if we are not at the center 35:51 then we are preparing for the babies to come. 35:53 So what happens mother comes in with her baby 35:57 and we weigh and measure them 35:59 and based on the WHO regulations 36:04 that on malnutrition then we decide 36:07 if we are gonna accept them into the program or not 36:09 and usually we accept babies 36:13 who are does the normal growth chart of 5th centile 36:18 and that's really well for I mean okay, 36:21 and then its three standard deviations below 36:23 that 5th centile that we accept those babies. 36:26 So they are extreme malnourished 36:29 and once we accept them we educate them 36:31 and we talk about the different foods 36:35 that they have that are cheap 36:36 and easy to use and prepare. 36:38 And that add nutrients to the baby's diet. 36:41 And then we keep up with them week by week 36:44 and we give them a formula 36:46 that is 100 percent local ingredients. 36:50 So like powder milk, sugar and oil 36:52 and then we mix it according to what their weight 36:55 and height is, their needs are. 36:59 Yeah, is it an inpatient clinic or just a baby's days 37:03 and the parents go or how does that work out? 37:05 Depending on how bad the baby is 37:07 we do inpatient but usually its outpatient. 37:11 So they will come, we will provide the formula 37:13 and teach them how to use it 37:15 and things like that and send then out 37:16 and then they will come back a week later. 37:17 Are you having success with that? 37:19 Yeah, it's done really amazing and its totally God 37:22 because like I said I was educated and obesity 37:25 and things like that and then I went there 37:27 and all right 100 percent of God 37:29 because its all very new to me so. 37:31 Yeah. Yeah. 37:33 American are trying to keep them slim 37:34 and these ones you are tying to put weight. 37:35 Yes. 37:37 Here you have miracles that confirm 37:38 that God is in the work. 37:39 Walk me through some of that stuff. 37:41 Give me some good news about that. 37:43 Well, the first story I'm gonna pass on to you. 37:49 There is this little boy that came in, his name is Eric 37:52 and when he came in we actually have a picture of him 37:56 and he was very malnourished. 37:59 He was again below the 5th centile 38:03 and his mom came in. 38:04 He was very dry and he had fever 38:07 and she actually thought the center was the hospital 38:10 and so I said, no. 38:12 But come back please 38:13 when you get care at the hospital. 38:15 And she said, I can't. 38:16 I don't have any means to pay for the hospital though. 38:19 And again like we love to support our people 38:25 but it's hard because 100 percent 38:27 of the center is free so we say, 38:30 you know what, God is big 38:31 and He can provide for your need 38:33 so I pray with them and I tell them, 38:38 you know what, God can actually take care of you. 38:41 And so it really gets that experience for them 38:44 and see how God can take care of their means 38:46 for paying for the hospital. 38:48 So she went to the hospital and I was worried about 38:50 if she would come back 38:52 and I was praying throughout the week 38:53 because for some reason He really impressed me by-- 38:57 Eric was just really tiny so I just kept praying 39:01 and that week came by 39:03 and she didn't show up or anything. 39:06 So I was wondering if he even made it 39:10 or what happened to him. 39:13 And then we-- 39:16 the next, the following week came by 39:18 and he showed up and I was-- he still look the same 39:21 but we weighed him and measured him 39:24 and got him on the program. 39:26 Four weeks later he had gained three pounds 39:28 but it was lot for him 39:30 and we have a picture of that after 39:32 and you can see he is totally different. 39:36 His face is still not so much but three pounds. 39:38 Yeah. 39:40 He is actually able to grow some hair too. 39:41 So it was really cool. Well, praise the Lord. 39:44 All right, we are looking at the before. 39:47 You can see a mark difference, 39:50 three pounds is I guess on a little frame like that 39:52 three pounds is quite a lot. 39:54 Yeah. 39:55 Now let's go to the second picture. 39:57 Oh, yeah. Yeah. 39:58 Oh, yeah. Very, very mark difference. 40:01 Now, I got to ask you a question. 40:02 I got to choose my words here. Does that happen enough? 40:09 Are there enough successes, 40:10 are you making a difference with that? 40:12 That's remarkable. 40:14 Is that happening in most cases? 40:16 It is happening enough? Yes, it is. 40:18 It's really impressive 40:20 because when the mother's come back 40:23 because it's an optional program 40:24 but when the mother's come back it happens. 40:27 And you know, at first I was like, 40:29 you know, are these stories really true? 40:31 You know, you see these malnourish clinics 40:34 but it is in-- 40:35 I think it because God is there and taking care of the babies. 40:38 Praise the Lord. 40:40 So if they, if they will stay with the regiment 40:42 that you put them on they are gonna have success. 40:44 They can reverse this thing. 40:46 Yes. Praise the Lord. 40:47 That must make you feel pretty good, Sarah? 40:48 Yeah. It's really, really cool. 40:51 Yeah, let me at this point wash over you just a little bit. 40:57 I'm very impressed of what you guys are going. 41:00 I really am. 41:02 You go unsung, unsalaried to a place 41:08 and you just give of your service. 41:11 Are getting enough affirmation that what you are doing 41:16 is will of God for your lives at this time? 41:18 Are you convinced to that? 41:20 Absolutely. Yeah. 41:21 Yeah. 41:23 Yeah. 41:24 You know the path isn't always easy. 41:25 Yes. 41:27 But God always leaves some points that remind us 41:30 I'm here, I've got you here for a reason 41:34 and keep on keeping on as I really like to say. 41:41 And just through that affirmation 41:44 and it's so rewarding. 41:46 We know without a doubt that 41:47 that's where God has put us and that's the most exciting, 41:51 accelerating thing to be in part of God's work. 41:54 I just and I've done a fair amount 41:55 of interviews in my time here 41:57 I don't know if I have done anything 41:59 that parallels this. 42:00 This is quite a sacrifice. 42:03 And God is gonna bless you because that's what God does 42:07 and no sparrow falls to the ground 42:09 without His notice but you are out there 42:11 giving of yourselves 42:13 and God is rewarding you with success 42:15 and we praise the Lord for that. 42:17 But it's really for two American kids, 42:21 New York, Colorado doing this for the Lord 42:25 in a place like Chad, you know, God bless you both. 42:29 God bless you both. Praise the Lord. 42:32 Are there any other stories, you got one more 42:34 because I want to make this pitch 42:36 but I want to stick in the story here 42:37 before or before they gonna turn on the camera 42:40 and kind of try to do those something for you here? 42:44 One other story, as we were working 42:47 on the aviation program 42:50 and Gray Roberts got called away. 42:52 He had a death in his family 42:54 and tried to take care of some other things. 42:56 And so it fell on me to take care of the program. 43:00 And just because of the transition 43:02 we didn't have a good exchange of contacts 43:05 and all the stuff so I didn't have 43:07 a whole lot of fun when I was on my own. 43:09 And I was just praying Lord, 43:11 what am I supposed to do with this? 43:13 You brought the airplane here for a reason, 43:16 what am I supposed to do with it? 43:19 And then Christmas we just got back 43:23 from a Christmas party at the hospital 43:25 and we see a car pulled up right next to our compound 43:31 and I'm just thinking oh, here are some junks 43:32 there messing around this Christmas. 43:34 See everything is going crazy. 43:37 But they keep, they honk and they honk and wait there. 43:41 They go leave and then come back 43:43 and honk so my mechanic and I go out 43:47 to see what's up and we find out it's a man 43:52 who is kind of the American equivalent 43:56 to a county commissioner from a village about 44:00 two and half, three hours away. 44:02 And he-- his son had been sick, 44:05 got healed at the hospital 44:06 and he heard about the Adventist 44:09 that were in the area so he wanted to come down 44:12 and see who we were, what we were all about. 44:15 We invited him back the next day Christmas morning. 44:18 He came by and he was looking at the airplane 44:21 and then said, wow, like what do you with the airplane? 44:24 Do you do medical flights like Medevac? 44:28 Well, we do some when we have opportunity okay. 44:31 And he said, oh, wow, like we would really need that. 44:35 And just talking with him more we learned 44:39 that he is a Christian man 44:41 who is wanting to bring Christianity 44:44 into a very animist traditional religion area. 44:48 And so he asked us like we need health, 44:52 we need Christ and we need education 44:55 of any sort can you help us with this? 44:58 So the call has gone out 45:00 and you know, we are perfectly equipped 45:02 to meet all of those needs. 45:04 With the hospital we have our nutrition center 45:07 and we also have a community health program 45:10 based at the hospital too. 45:11 Incredible. 45:13 So all of those sync together 45:14 and then we have the airplane to enable 45:16 and make the trip much shorter 45:19 so we can maximize that. 45:21 You sort of back segued into my last question 45:23 and that is that how has the name 45:26 of the standing of the Adventist church 45:28 did increase or how is it now given the fact that 45:31 you are doing these kinds of things in a local community? 45:34 Well, it's very high. 45:37 The Adventist church has a larger reputation 45:40 especially the Adventist hospital 45:42 because its been running for about 15 years. 45:47 Like you go through the capital 45:48 and the customs guy stops 45:51 and what to work through your bags 45:52 and you just say oh, I'm with the Bere hospital 45:54 and they say, oh, okay, all right. 45:56 Oh, very good. And they just relax. 45:58 Like people come from like 46:00 I said the east of the country two or three days 46:04 on bus for our transportation and they will come down 46:07 just to get the didn't care at the hospital. 46:09 Yeah. Yeah. 46:10 So there is some positive social fall out 46:12 for one of the better term because of what you are doing. 46:14 There are some, there are some social equity 46:16 that you are building up with the people there? 46:19 Has it resulted in any essence to the faith 46:22 not that you are tying to do that. 46:23 I mean, good people do good 46:25 because good is what good people do 46:27 and if you get some baptism you get it for that's gravy. 46:29 But you are doing good 46:30 because you are called to do good. 46:33 Are we getting any buddy coming to the church 46:36 because of this at all? 46:37 We do. 46:38 One of our-- one of the mother's 46:40 who came to the nutrition center 46:42 she passed liaison to her village 46:47 and somehow we got one of our 46:50 Bible workers out to that village 46:51 just start talking with them and for the sake of time 46:56 I won't go into all of it but our church 46:59 is blossomed in ground and we have two Bible workers 47:02 working fulltime there now. 47:03 And the church has grown 47:05 into a very large community of believers. 47:10 Praise the Lord. Praise God. 47:12 Praise God. 47:14 I want at this point to go right to our address roll. 47:17 These are two lovely young people 47:19 and their son who are in Chad, Central Africa, 47:25 French speaking country predominately Muslim country 47:28 lifting up the name of Jesus, volunteering and working hard. 47:33 If there ever was a ministry that 47:36 deserves now I use that term your support 47:38 what you can do for them this is one. 47:41 There are 25, they could be out 47:43 trying to trying to climb the corporate ladder working 47:46 in the Adventist health systems. 47:48 He could be flying back and forth 47:50 to Europe speaking French that whole thing but they are not. 47:54 They are in Chad doing the work of the Lord as volunteers. 48:00 Here is the contact information that you will need. 48:02 Should you want to 48:03 and I pray that you do support their work. 48:08 If you would like to contact David or Sarah 48:10 or would like to support their ministry 48:12 then you can write to Africa Aviation Health, 48:15 PO Box 506, Collegedale, TN 37315. 48:21 That's Africa Aviation Health, 48:23 PO Box 506, Collegedale, TN 37315. 48:28 You can call 303-995-0980, 48:33 that's 303-995-0980 48:37 or email them at davidmacomber27@gmail.com 48:44 that's davidmacomber27@gmail.com |
Revised 2015-08-13