Shasta Unfiltered Launches New Video Podcast Series: Stories of Faith, Courage, and Legacy in Action
- Rex Ballard
- Jun 7
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 7
The Video Podcast can be found here: https://youtu.be/D4puSsX8LqE
In a world hungry for inspiration amid chaos, Shasta Unfiltered is thrilled to announce the launch of our new video podcast series. This platform will bring powerful, unfiltered stories of real people making a difference—right here in Shasta County and around the globe—straight to your screen: no corporate spin, no sanitized narratives, just raw faith, grit, and impact.
Our opening episode features a couple whose lives read like an epic action thriller set in the steamy rainforests of sub-Saharan Africa: Dr. David Thompson and his wife, Rebecca (Becki) Thompson. After 40+ years as medical missionaries in Gabon, their journey of sacrifice, innovation, and unwavering obedience to God’s call is nothing short of miraculous.
From Ramshackle Dispensary to Lifesaving Legacy
Imagine arriving in the remote jungles of Gabon in 1977 with little more than faith and determination. Dr. Thompson, a skilled surgeon, and Becki, a trained nurse, faced overwhelming odds from day one. They inherited a basic dispensary at Bongolo Hospital. They transformed it into a full-fledged hospital and surgical center capable of handling complex cases in one of the most challenging environments on Earth.
Patients flooded in—not just from local villages, but from neighboring Congo and beyond—desperate for care. The Thompsons were soon buried under the need. Dr. Thompson pushed himself to the brink, often working up to 120 hours a week. Becki stood faithfully by his side, balancing nursing duties with the task of raising their three children in the wilds of Africa. The emotional and physical toll was immense, yet their commitment never wavered.
As exhaustion set in, Becki took the bold initiative to develop a curriculum to train local villagers not only to be nurses but also to be disciples of Christ. This was just the beginning. Dr. Thompson, recognizing the unsustainable model of relying solely on foreign missionaries, and after receiving divine guidance, teamed up with other mission hospitals. In 1996, he founded the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS) at Bongolo Hospital. The vision? Train African doctors to become world-class surgeons who are Christians first and surgeons second.
What started as a single program has exploded into a continent-wide movement. PAACS has trained dozens of surgeons across multiple countries, producing some of Africa’s finest medical professionals. These graduates return to their communities equipped not only with surgical excellence but with a deep faith that sustains their work. It’s a legacy of multiplied impact—thousands upon thousands of lives saved, families restored, and communities transformed.
Dr. Thompson’s story, filled with danger, cultural challenges, logistical nightmares, personal loss, and divine interventions, is powerfully captured in his book, The Curse of Bongolo Falls. Available now through trinityalpsmedia.com, it reads like a page-turning missionary thriller—equal parts harrowing and hope-filled.
A New Chapter in Redding: Still Serving
After decades in the mission field, the Thompsons retired to Redding, California, to be near two of their children and several grandchildren. But retirement for the Thompsons doesn’t mean slowing down—it means redirecting their energy closer to home.
They pour their hearts and souls into Westside Church of Redding, where their son, Pastor Josh Thompson, serves as Senior Pastor. Their support strengthens the local body of believers and ripples outward through the church’s ministries.
Dr. Thompson also dedicates significant time to Team Nehemiah's The Road Home project, a vital Redding organization helping homeless and drug-afflicted men reclaim productive, purpose-driven lives. Combining medical expertise with gospel-centered compassion, he meets men in the trenches—offering healing for body and soul.
Why This Story for Our Launch?
The Thompsons embody everything Shasta Unfiltered stands for: unapologetic faith, relentless service, and a refusal to accept the status quo when lives are on the line. Their story reminds us that ordinary people, surrendered to God, can achieve extraordinary things—even turning a jungle dispensary into a training ground for Africa’s future surgeons.
Tune in to our first video podcast episode to hear Dr. and Becki Thompson share their journey in their own words. Expect laughter, tears, adventure, and profound spiritual insight. This is more than a podcast—it’s an invitation to be inspired, challenged, and equipped to live with greater purpose.
Watch the premiere soon on ShastaUnfiltered.com and our YouTube channel. Subscribe, share, and join the conversation. In a country and a world that desperately needs hope, stories like this light the way.
Support local truth-telling. Share this article. Pick up Dr. Thompson’s book. And consider how your own story of faithfulness might unfold.
Photos courtesy of relevant ministries and public sources. All rights respected.
