It all started in Pemba, Mozambique in 2012. I had submitted to be a doctor/missionary for 2 years at the Iris ministries base in Pemba. I guess you can say that for the first month, being there was a struggle for me. Coming from Norway to Africa was not as easy as I had pictured in my mind, but I knew that it was the will of God and I was ready. For 7 years I had waited for this to happen. That’s how long it takes to become a doctor, and the only reason for me to have a medical degree was because I had a dream, and that dream was to go to Africa, and as a medical doctor I could help someone in Africa.
My name is Linda Taanevik, I am from Norway and as you already read, I am a medical doctor. I came to a point in my life after years of struggling with not knowing what to do, and I was not happy, I did not have peace, and I was searching all around for something that would fill that empty space in me. I grew up with a Christian mom, so I knew that there was a God and that Jesus died on the cross. But I never had a relationship with Him, I did not know God as a good Father and Jesus as my savior until I made a decision to follow him at an age of 30 years old, and that was the year I decided to become a doctor and move to Africa. Looking back, I think God had a plan for me, and that He put the desire in my heart without me knowing it was Him.
My first outreach in Pemba, Mozambique, with the medical team, was a challenge. We came to the village late Thursday afternoon; our tents were put up and then we were off to show the Jesus movie and pray for people. A lot of people came, and people were healed, saved and set free, an amazing experience. The next day, we as a medical team had to get permission from the chief in the village to set up a medical tent where we could treat people. The word was spread in the village that we had doctors and nurses and that we would see people for treatment. So not long after we had put our medical tent up, we had lines of people that wanted to see us. It was overwhelming, over hundred of kids, men and woman were waiting in line to see one of us.
God spoke to my heart and I remember thinking, while they are all waiting, we could
teach these people about diseases, how to prevent and treat some of the diseases that they are facing in their villages. And that was the beginning of what today has developed into the “LifeGate project”.
