An Unexpected Bat Problem

May 29, 2024

Dear friends and family,

Today, we bring you two versions of the story about the bat. We will provide the short version here, and then we will link to the longer version for those of you who are interested in all the interesting details.

This story happened as Jonathan was returning from setting up the print shop in Gabon. Melody and the kids and Beni drove our Land Cruiser to meet Jonathan at the bus station in Kelo. It was wonderful for the family to be together again! The last leg of the journey was at night on a dirt road between Kelo and Bere. The windows were down to help us tolerate the extreme heat. Eliora (age 4) lay down on one of the bench seats in the back with her head on Melody’s lap.

Jonathan felt something brush the back of his neck. Then somebody spotted it: a small bat flapping this way and that in the vehicle. Before we could stop the vehicle, the bat landed on Eliora, who was sleeping. Rabies is a deadly disease common in Chad, and it is transmitted by dogs and bats, among other animals. Eliora was the only one in our family who was not yet vaccinated for rabies, although Jonathan had just picked up her vaccines on his way through the capital that same morning! We stopped the vehicle and the bat figured out how to fly out a window.

Melody started communicating with doctor friends of hers, and it was decided to administer the first dose of the vaccine immediately and then consider what to do about immunoglobulin. After further prayer and discussion, it was decided that Melody and Eliora would get the next available flight to America and try to give Eliora immunoglobulin, since none could be found available anywhere in the country of Chad. After a flurry of packing, buying tickets, and making other travel arrangements, our family drove back to Kelo and Melody and Eliora left on the morning bus to N’djamena!

Without sharing all the details, God showed His care to Melody and Eliora multiple times on the trip and they safely arrived in America. We are so thankful to our doctor friends who arranged where to go to promptly get the immunoglobulin, and for Jonathan’s sister who picked them up from the airport and drove them wherever they needed to go.

In summary, we are back together as a family after being separated for about a month between the Gabon trip and the America trip. Eliora is doing fine. We are happy to be back together and to return our focus to the work at hand. Stay tuned for more stories and updates!

If you would like to help cover the expenses of this emergency trip, the round-trip tickets plus other medical expense not covered by insurance cost around $3500. You can mark the donation “medical.”

Melody has written a detailed and fascinating account of how God showed His love and watch care through this difficult experience. You can read it by clicking on this link:

Newsletter Long Version: Ponder Anew, What the Almighty Can Do! (by Melody Dietrich)

---

In His service,
Jonathan, Melody, Gideon, Liliana, and Eliora Dietrich