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Dear family and friends,
We are writing you from Franklin, Tennessee, today where we are enjoying time with our family! We departed from Cameroon at the end of August for a four-month furlough to report to our supporting churches and to be present for the birth of Mia Grace, our fifth grandchild, born to Jeanna and Ryan (their first child). Mia came to us on Sept 12. 
Nonnie and Poppie have been truly blessed to be present for this event and we are loving the time we are having with Mia, Jeanna, and Ryan; and with Jess, Faryn, and their sons, Caleb, Josiah, Daniel, and David.
We have just returned from a month on the road, travelling through 8 states to report to supporting churches in Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa. We were also able to attend the Global Missions Health Conference in Louisville, KY. We arrived back in Franklin in time to celebrate Thanksgiving with our family.
There has been some coverage for Rick in Mbingo by volunteer pathologists, for which we are very thankful. During uncovered times, Rick has been able to help some by receiving images via email from one of our lab staff that he trained to take pictures with his microscope. Most of the cases, however, require having the slides. Thanks to volunteers going and coming to Mbingo to help with the CIMS or PAACS residency programs, it has been possible to get slides back to the US where a few other willing pathologists have been generous enough to read the slides and send reports to Mbingo by email. Through this network of dedicated people, patients in Mbingo have continued to receive service during Rick’s absence. The month of December is mostly covered by 2 volunteer pathologists going successively to Mbingo.
After celebrating Christmas and New Year with our family in Franklin, we plan to return to Cameroon on Jan 3, arriving in Bamenda on the 5th for the last two days of the annual CMF (Cameroon Missionary Fellowship) conference. We should be back on seat in Mbingo on the 7th, by God’s grace.
We are very happy to announce that, after at least two years of prayer and multiple attempts to find a position in a qualified program in Africa, Dr. Mbanga has been accepted into a pathology residency at the University of Nairobi in Kenya! He is there now with his wife and three children. He will be in training for three years with plans to return to Mbingo and assume duties as a pathologist at our hospital. He receives no salary while in training, so we are promoting a fund established by the NAB to support him and the family during this time. We are trying to raise $30,000/year for the next three years. If you can play a role in this effort, please see the information below.
Wishing you all a wonderful celebration of our Savior’s birth and a New Year blessed by His presence!
Debbie and Rick
How to support the Mbanga family
Go to https://nabconference.org/give/special-projects/
Scroll to Cameroon- Pathology Training
Click on the appropriate button (US dollars or Canadian dollars) and follow prompts.
How to give by mail:
Send a check to North American Baptists, Inc. Indicate Cameroon Pathology Training Fund in the memo line.
In the US:
1219 Pleasant Grove Blvd.
Roseville, CA 95678
In Canada:
PO Box 57235 Station A
Toronto, ON M5W 5M5