On Mission Field in KC

Following is an excerpt from Maria Little's recent ministry letter. Maria is on an extended stateside leave from her Ivory Coast mission. Feel free to contact her if you are interested in supporting her ministry or would just like more information.

The beautiful tree lined streets and cold and snow of Brookside are my home at the moment, yet my heart continues to long for Africa. I don't tolerate the cold as well as I used to, and find myself missing the heat. But, as I have told you before, this is where I am to be right now. And the Lord has made that abundantly clear. And He is aligning all things to His glory and His purposes. But I wanted to check in, and bring you up to date on happenings and share a bit.

As I believe I told you before, I started work in October in the Infectious Disease Clinic at Truman Medical Center, here in KC. This is the indigent care hospital for the Kansas City area. This clinic is primarily for treatment of HIV and AIDS. And it has definitely been a divine placement. My patients are as diverse as your imagination, and they keep me entertained and on my toes. My colleagues and superiors know that I am a ' short termer' and will be returning to Africa, and they are teaching me all that I need to know about HIV/AIDS while they've got me. They even sent me to Chicago for an intensive training time. I have met pharmaceutical rep's willing to give me medications for Africa. It is a time of networking and aligning things for teaching and providing care to the HIV population in Africa. I even have multiple patients from Africa - and a few from Abidjan. You should have see the shocked look on their faces when I start speaking French with them. It gives us an instant connection, and I think makes both of us long for Africa.

Learning about adults is a stretch for me, but I am enjoying it. This clinic is definitely a mission field, and I am growing quite attached to some of my patients. This is a horrid disease, and no one deserves it.

I'm also working at Swope Parkway Health Center as a PNP ( Pediatric Nurse Practitioner). You know I couldn't forget the children, and this keeps my foot in the door with the kids, and keeps my pediatric skills up. I'm working with my friend, Warren Johnson, who unfortunately will be moving from Swope in the next couple months. They ( and me ) will sorely miss him.

I am meeting with people and groups, sharing vision and my heart for Africa. Support raising has always been hard for me, but necessary. I will need to get my support to a higher level before I return, and will start focusing on it more intently in the next couple months.

-Maria Little