by Rev. Dr. & Mrs. Dennis Shelly | Hello from Kagoro, where we’re beginning to see some rains falling again. Thanks for your prayers and support.
One big challenge we’ve faced this past week is with my (Dennis’) health. I’m having atrial fibrillation, with a very irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, and a low pulse. This began mid-last week, but caused my chest to be very tight during Sunday’s morning church service. Coletta then called our SIM mate here at Kagoro Seminary, Dr. Alexis Stokes. She came and conferred what Coletta had found. Monday morning we cancelled our classes and had our Seminary driver take us in our Rav4 to Abuja (about 4 hours away on some very bad roads) for testing at the Nizamiye (Turkish) Hospital to see one Turkish interventional cardiologist. I had blood work, an X-ray, one ECG and one Ecocardiogram done. He confirmed what Dr. Alexis and Coletta had seen. I’m now taking one anti-coagulant.
Our home mission, Fellowship International Mission (FIM), along with SIM in Jos and our home church, Calvary Church, Lancaster, PA, all fully support our plan to go home promptly to get more medical assistance. Here at the Seminary we still have one week of classes this week, and then a week of finals from May 9-16, before the semester ends on May 16. “Our” original plan was to stay at Kagoro for one month to oversee our final exams and correct them and our papers before coming to the US on June 11 for a one-month medical home assignment. Now “God’s” plan is leading us to go to the US over one month earlier.
So we’ve booked flights on Air France to fly from Abuja this coming Monday night, May 7 (at 11 pm Nigerian time, 5 pm EST), to Paris, then on to Atlanta, Georgia, before we end in Philadelphia, PA, on Tuesday evening, May 8 (at 6:44 pm EST, 11:44 pm Nigerian time). We’ll stay overnight with Coletta’s sister and brother-in-law, Dee and Mike Lindsey, in Philadelphia on Tuesday, before Dee will drive us to Lancaster on Wednesday, May 9. We already have an appointment for me to see a heart specialist next Friday, May 11.
Special Prayer Request
1. For us to be confident in God’s direction and comfort during these next days of travel to the US, changed schedules, and going through the process of seeing US doctors, etc., to get Dennis’ medical problems solved without any crises.
2. For good final days of classes this week and during final exams May 9-16.
3. God’s provision of more school fees for many students before final exams begin next week. Students can’t take exams unless their school fees are fully paid for.
4. For God’s continued protection over ETSK and various areas of Nigeria from clashes between Fulani cattle herdsmen and local villagers, as well as continued suicide bombings in northeastern Nigeria.
5. For God’s choice of another Ph.D. holder in Intercultural Studies (Missions) to join me as ETSK as we began a new M.A. in Missions program this past semester.
6. For God to enable Dwight and Amy to round up their ministries at Hillcrest School well and return to the US on June 8th. They still need a job for Dwight, housing, etc.
7. For Stephanie to be in good health and a good witness as she works at two Urgent Care Centers in Rohrerstown and Ephrata, PA.
Thanks for your part in the ministries here at ETSK, especially as you pray for us and our medical situation now. “God’s” plans and timing are definitely much different than “ours,” but “His” are “best.” We’ll have new lessons to learn as we move ahead and trust the Lord the next few weeks. We’ll keep in touch.
Rev. Dr. & Mrs. Dennis and Coletta Shelly serve as faculty at EWCA Theological Seminary in Ka-goro, Nigeria. Connect via dennisshelly@uuplus.net
