Beginning on June 14, I spent a month in the States attending Michigan Camp Meeting, the General Conference session in Atlanta and a special wedding in Columbus, Ohio. The wedding was the primary reason for my trip. Hannah Weick, the daughter of my mentor and spiritual father, Pastor Elie D. Weick, was getting married to Edem Komedia, a childhood friend.

Pastor Weick became my advisor in 1991 when I was completing high school, just one year after I joined the Adventist Church in Ivory Coast, my home country. Since then, Pastor Weick has had a great influence on my educational choices, my pastoral orientation and experience and my present mission work with AFM. My son Elie-Dana is named partly in his honor. So I was thrilled to be able to attend his daughter’s wedding.

Unfortunately, it was impractical for Elmire and our children to go with me, so they stayed in Kandi. Elmire’s mother stayed with them to help with the children so Elmire could keep providing service to the community at the computer center.

During those four weeks, in addition to long hours at the computer center, Elmire had to coordinate the field work of one of my teams, take care of our vehicle’s breakdowns and address urgent issues with her computer center and our project. When her assistant at the computer center resigned because of health issues, she had to put in 14-hour days there while trying to find a replacement.

Hearing of her troubles, I wished I could be there to help. I missed my family during different presentations at camp meeting, mid-week prayer meeting and especially at the AFM booth at the GC session. I met many readers of Adventist Frontiers who read our articles and pray for us. It was a wonderful experience. How I wished Elmire could have been with me to share the joy of meeting our previously unknown prayer warriors. All AFM missionaries who have experienced this know how satisfying and comforting it is.

I arrived back home in Kandi yesterday. God is so good. Now I can relate more directly to all of you, our prayer warriors far and near, who lift us up regularly in your prayers. You are wonderful! Thank you for your prayers and support.

• Twitter