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Hands of Hope

Fenton and Pat
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Help Has Arrived

October 3, 2015

So far Pat has had 3 people die on her watch. The last was a lady who was a friend of the local Imam (Muslim leader). One nite around bed-time the phone rang and one of the surgery residents wanted Pat down at the hospital ASAP;- there was panic in his voice. So I walked Pat down to the hospital from up here on the “hill” where the housing is ...

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Life is in the Blood

September 30, 2015

Bongolo Hospital is the ONLY hospital that can do a blood transfusion in a 3 county area, (there are 8 or 9 counties in the whole country).  

They had a sick baby that needed a blood transfusion and Pat was a match for the blood type ....

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Spiritual Showers

September 30, 2015

Early this AM we were in Libreville, Gabon at the guest house. Unfortunately, the water pressure which was bad last night was nonexistent this morning. When it is hot like this, a shower, a couple of times a day, really feels good ...

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Bag of Bones

September 30, 2015

I stand in the ER at the bedside of a patient with my chief resident. I am watching the small ant run circles on the sheet overlying her frail, emaciated body. She is really not much than the “bag of bones” that my resident described her as ....

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Happy Anniversary

September 30, 2015

Celebrating our 26th Wedding Anniversary. Who would have thought all those years ago that we would be in Africa (Gabon) together ....

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Latest Posts

Featured
A New Chapter: Serving at a Mission Hospital in Angola
August 5, 2026
A New Chapter: Serving at a Mission Hospital in Angola
August 5, 2026

Sometimes the most meaningful opportunities arrive with very little notice.

A few weeks ago, Pat received a call through Samaritan's Purse asking if she would consider serving as a volunteer surgeon at a Christian mission hospital in Angola. The hospital needed temporary medical support while some of its regular physicians were away, and because Pat had previously helped train one of the surgeons there, it seemed like a natural fit.

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August 5, 2026
Update from Liberia: ELWA in the Rear-View Mirror
January 30, 2026
Update from Liberia: ELWA in the Rear-View Mirror
January 30, 2026

After returning home from Liberia, we’re reflecting with gratitude on the compassionate care, resilience, and faith we witnessed at ELWA Hospital. From patient healing to critical infrastructure improvements, your partnership is making a lasting difference.

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January 30, 2026
Bongolo in the Rear Vision Mirror--from Portugal
May 14, 2024
Bongolo in the Rear Vision Mirror--from Portugal
May 14, 2024

Hi there, family and friends,

We completed what we went to do. Pat survived substituting for three surgeons for two weeks, and I completed enough of what I went to do. I facilitated the repair of two voltage regulators and reviewed the electrical system for any problems and deficiencies.

We are now in Portugal, having joined a small team from BCA (our home church) to check out a possible opportunity to come alongside, in a more meaningful way, one of the missionaries that BCA partly supports. We return home on May 17.

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May 14, 2024
Update from Gabon: Two Weeks In, Two Weeks to Go
April 28, 2024
Update from Gabon: Two Weeks In, Two Weeks to Go
April 28, 2024

Hi there, family and friends,

So how are we doing? Overall, it is quite OK. Making ourselves useful and not too over-worked.

What about the food? More than adequate, but a bit boring.

- Breakfast: Oatmeal (from Scotland), French-style bread/baguettes, eggs (for Pat), and tea.

- Lunch: Bread & jam, apples (maybe France ?), and nuts.

- Dinner: Potatoes, rice, or pasta; vegetables (canned, China); chicken (canned, US) or dehydrated fish.

- Dessert: Apples/oranges, "fake” ice cream (mushed bananas & Nutella mixed and then frozen);- Quite good.

And, of course, there is always Coke (you already knew THAT), other soft drinks, and juices.

And no restaurants in the nearby village that we would consider safe.

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April 28, 2024
Safe Arrival at Bongolo Hospital
April 16, 2024
Safe Arrival at Bongolo Hospital
April 16, 2024

We safely arrived at Bongolo Hospital without much hassle, including our six checked suitcases. The bags just arrived tonight, as they had to go by road due to the Cessna's limited cargo capacity. Their arrival is much appreciated as they have many of our clothes and most of my tools.

The almost 2-hour flight from Libreville to Bongolo (actually the nearby town of Lebamba) was more interesting than usual because we could see the ground most of the way instead of being above the clouds.

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April 16, 2024
Heading to Bongolo Hospital In Gabon
March 28, 2024
Heading to Bongolo Hospital In Gabon
March 28, 2024

Join us on a meaningful journey to Gabon, West Africa, as we prepare to serve at Bongolo Hospital starting April 10. Our upcoming month-long volunteer mission marks our fifth engagement with this incredible mission hospital, the last of which was in 2019. While familiar with the hospital's environment, we anticipate reconnecting with some familiar faces and meeting new ones.

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March 28, 2024
Blog Update
August 27, 2023
Blog Update
August 27, 2023

Fenton and Pat are alive and well and traveling non-stop still. Here’s just a snapshot of what they’ve been up to since 2017:

In recent years, the dynamic duo of Fenton and Pat has embarked on life-changing expeditions across different corners of the globe. With their combined skill sets, they have transformed communities and, more importantly, helped to save lives. Let's delve into the remarkable journey of these two professionals and the impact they've made.

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August 27, 2023
Remembering Iraq 2017
August 27, 2023
Remembering Iraq 2017
August 27, 2023

"On Friday, March 17, 2017, the Samaritan’s Purse Emergency Field Hospital received its 1,000th patient on the Plains of Nineveh, Iraq. Due to its proximity to the frontlines of the Mosul conflict, the hospital is saving lives that would likely have been lost in transport to the nearest permanent medical facilities, up to two hours away." [

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August 27, 2023
November 1, 2022
Sumba, Indonesia
November 1, 2022
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November 1, 2022
September 1, 2022
Galmi, Niger
September 1, 2022
Read more →
September 1, 2022

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