Sonja Heffner

Sonja Heffner is an active member of the Dublin Grace Brethrens Missions International and has twice traveled to Chad, Africa to provide free medical service and other humanitarian type relief and to spread the word of God and Christianity to the poor and suffering people of Chad.

On her last trip, Sonja, two doctors, two ministers and German missionaries spent 11 days in the bush, traveled 500 kilometers (traveling just 300 miles short of the Sudan border) and medically treated 1500 people. Chad is the third poorest country in Africa. There is no electricity, no water and the spread of disease is rampant. It was Sonja’s responsible to keep the missionary group healthy. She cooked food brought from the states over open fire. She also helped the doctors conduct test screenings, dispense medication and bandage wounds. The missionaries also ministered to the people in the bush. Prior to traveling to Chad, Sonja and her colleagues collected 600 pairs of eyeglasses to take with her.

In the above photo, Sonja is holding Elie, the youngest child of the tailor. Elie’s sister Sonia had malaria and wasn’t feeling well. On this day, Sonia and her family waited all day in line to see the American doctor. In 2003, Sonia lost her battle and died at age five from complications of this disease.

On her involvement with Missions International, Sonja quotes, “Acts 1:8 ....and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria and even to the remotest part of the earth. He has given me an opportunity to go to reach this third world country for Him. I go to spread the love of God. He loves all of us the same.”

Sonja plans to return to Chad in 2006.