It’s me. Stop being afraid!

Thank you so much for your prayers for us here! The final months of 2025 and the first few months of 2026 have been eventful for the missionary community in Chad and for the Hospital as well.

As the missionary community in Chad, we said goodbye to our American brothers and sisters in Christ, who had to make difficult decisions about leaving Chad, without much clarity as to whether they were leaving permanently or temporarily. Meanwhile, those of us who remained had to reorganise, taking on tasks to facilitate our fellowship meetings and saying goodbye without knowing when we would see them again. As a hospital, the number of residents in our compound has also been reduced with the departure of two American families. There are many adjustments to make, with more questions than answers at the moment.

However, as always, transitions are not just about challenges; they also bring good news. And in the case of our hospital, it was the realisation that despite this upheaval in the missionary community, we continue to achieve excellent results in terms of statistics, finances and our relationships with the local community and the Chadian government.

The hospital's maternity ward broke further records in 2025, with an average of over 300 births per month in the final quarter of the year. Throughout the year, the team of midwives went above and beyond, improving the chances of survival for more than approximately 3,000 newborns and their mothers. As a result, mortality rates during childbirth and in the six hours following delivery are falling at our hospital in 2025. Please remember that your prayers and investments in the ongoing training of our staff are an essential part of these results. And we are eternally grateful!

Good news also comes from the hospital's finance department. Thank God, for the second consecutive year, the hospital has managed to cover its running costs, pay off previous debts, and invest in systems that have led to better resource management. In addition to all this, we will also be able to invest in new and more accurate equipment for X-ray and ultrasound examinations.

Please pray for our new Finance team members, Daniel and Emmanuel. During 2026, my focus will be on facilitating the development of their managerial skills and knowledge of international financial standards. And pray that God-inspired wisdom will abound throughout this process.

As for me personally, the start of the year has been a bit of a challenge. I would appreciate your prayers for my life, for the changes we are going through as the hospital's senior management team, and for my family.

After two years without returning to Brazil, I had the opportunity to spend the whole of April with my parents, my siblings and their families. It was a wonderful time of reflection, of making decisions regarding the new family dynamics required by my father's illness, and of many hugs and cuddles from my nephews and nieces. I feel revitalised!

My connection with the people of Chad has been growing ever deeper. I've been making friends, sharing in their lives and bringing them into mine. Please pray for these relationships, that they may bear fruit in our lives.

Earlier this month, I returned to the UK for another period of fellowship with you all and to visit the churches that partner with us through BMS (Time flies, doesn't it? It's already been a year since my last home assignment). I'd love to catch up with you all and share more details of what God has been doing in Chad through the Guinebor 2 Hospital over a cuppa.

If you could prayerfully consider if you are able to support my work by becoming a 24:7 Partner, you can find more information here: https://www.bmsworldmission.org/people/lucia-bastos/