Elijah (whose name means “My God is Jehovah”) is one of the grandest and most romantic characters Israel ever produced. He was one of the most eminent and honored of the Hebrew prophets. He was bold, faithful, stern, self-denying and zealous for the honor of God. His whole character and life are marked by a peculiar moral grandeur. We pray that his namesake, our new son, Elie-Dana, will resemble him in character.

We certainly experienced God’s power and grace throughout Elmire’s pregnancy. Elie-Dana was born on June 10, 2008, at 8:05 p.m. in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. He weighed 7 lbs. 11 oz. and measured 21 inches long, and he is very healthy. He is a miracle child. During Elmire’s pregnancy, there was a risk of premature delivery, a risk of birth defects (Elmire’s Toxoplasmosis test at four months was positive) and many more risks because the medical workers in Benin were on strike. Twice we had to travel 650 kilometers for medical exams.

We are thrilled to attest that Jehovah is our God. Elie-Dana’s birth is another testimony for us of His mighty power and His love and protection for His children. The enemy planned to afflict us and discourage and disorganize us in our work, but he did not succeed. Here are four major instances of God’s power and grace out of many we can tell.

1. Since Benin’s medical workers were on strike, Elmire and Eliora left Kandi for Abidjan on March 10. It was a hard 1,800-kilometer journey on public transportation, but by God’s grace they arrived safely on March 13. After weighing the risks of making that long trip multiple times, we decided that Elmire would remain in Ivory Coast near her parents for the rest of the pregnancy. I was left alone in Kandi with the task of completing our cultural data book before joining Elmire and Eliora close to the delivery date in June. God had provided a way of escape from the unstable medical services in Benin.
2. About two weeks after her arrival in Ivory Coast, Elmire began having some bleeding. As she moved to Divo, the small town where her parents live, some complications developed. Her cervix had opened, and the doctor put her on bed rest. A few days later, the bleeding got much worse, and she went to the hospital. The midwives on duty mistakenly took her into the labor room thinking she had come for delivery. Elmire was eight months pregnant at the time, and she had to resist them as they prepared to make her deliver. The midwives got angry, thinking that she was just being difficult. Even after discovering their error, they were still belligerent, writing in Elmire’s medical record that she did not let them do their work and left without their consent. Once again, the enemy did not succeed in causing harm.
3. After that encounter, Elmire’s condition deteriorated. Her father, an ordained Adventist minister, anointed her, and her mother took her to a hospital in Abidjan. Hearing of Elmire’s condition, I set my work aside and hurried to Abidjan. Abidjan is an expensive place, and the funds for our stay were not budgeted. But God once more showed His grace. With proper care, Elmire’s condition stabilized. She was even taken off of bed rest. God once again had the last word.
4. It wasn’t long before news arrived of challenges on our project site back in Kandi. Our language helper was arrested while doing an assignment for us. He was held for hours. He was threatened and urged to swear not to work with us anymore. As we talked with friends in Kandi by phone, they reported that the tension in town was high. The discouraging news really affected us, Elmire particularly. Would we be able to return home after the delivery? Some of the materials we had left with our language helper were taken by fanatics. We prayed much about it. As of the writing of this article, the tension has come down, and we have been told that we can go back without any problem. God is in control.

We thank God for His faithfulness. Fervent prayers and fasting saw us through till Elie-Dana’s safe, timely delivery on June 10. As we look forward to leaving Abidjan for Kandi tomorrow, we have only one word on our hearts—ebenezer! We relish thinking back on every blessing of the Lord over the past few months. Elmire has recovered, and our son is healthy. He was dedicated on July 5. We will keep you posted on the development of the situation in Kandi.

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support throughout this time. May God continue to bless us all as we work together to hasten His coming by reaching out to the Dendi of Benin.

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