Faith Greater than Mine

       I was sitting on a trotro(large public 16 passenger vans) on my way to Accra when a man in the back asked the driver in His native tongue to turn down the radio.  I wasn’t sure why until he started preaching God’s word, and he preached it well.  He asked people to read certain bible verses and while glancing around, many people got out their bibles on their phones and took turn reading the verses.  I really couldn’t believe this situation but at the same time was so ecstatic that God would use this man to share the word.  I mean honestly when he started, I was freezing from spending two hours in the rain on the moto and didn’t want to hear another sermon about the prosperity gospel but instead he preached the truth that salvation is only through a personal relationship with Christ.  Preach it brother!   At the end of his talk he said that he wasn’t a preacher or an evangelist but just a follower of Christ who felt led to share the gospel with others.  After that he put away his bible, the driver turned up the volume, and the rest of the trip went on as normal.  Wow, this young man showed an incredible amount of faith to be willing to speak the truth of His Savior in a van full of strangers.  Would I be willing to do that?   I mean I always thought  I showed a good amount of faith with being willing to leave my family and move 6000 miles away to a foreign country with foreign languages and strangers.  But,  I had never asked God to give me the strength to preach in front of peers like this.  Why wasn’t I willing to do the same?  God is coming back someday soon and it is our responsibility as Christians to share His redemptive love with the lost world. So, I need to show enough courage and enough faith to allow God to use me in every type of settings.

      Which brings to another example of an enormous amount of faith.  One day I was checking my email when out of the blue I received a message from a man in my church.  He expressed His interest in helping provide transportation in order to visit schools and I immediately freaked out.  All I could think of was all the needs we had for the schools so there was no way that I could be asking for something personally when I was trying to provide for their needs.  So I did the most sensible and logical thing possible by writing to thank him but declining his offer.  I guess I should also explain that he wanted to purchase a moto and that just scared me to death knowing my track record with bikes.  Even my parents tried to explain to him the dangers of me having a two wheeled vehicle but this didn’t seem to deter him.  So in my attempt of doing the responsible thing,  I was limiting the work of God.  Of course God’s ways and thoughts are higher than mine and over the next few weeks He started to change my mind.

   I started seeing a lot of these new type of motos that look a little like scooters but have more power for longer trips.  In fact, one day I saw three pass in a row.  I eventually got the courage to ask a friend to help me test drive one and within hours of attempting to drive it on the road without injuring anyone, I was already writing email to this man with incredible faith to tell him that I had changed my mind.  Imagine his joy when my no turned into a definite yes.  Even before I even thought about this idea or would consent to it, God was working in the lives of others to give them the faith that I lacked.  A man who I hardly knew helped me see that God’s plans are not the same as my own and He will move mountains in our way for His glory. 

   Just the other day, I was visiting with two teachers in a town a half hour away.  They are married and have a baby girl but they teach at two separate schools which both have some difficulties.  They have been feeling pretty discouraged so it was really important to spend a few hours with them at their house.  Out of the blue they told me that they would pray to God to send me a moto.  I started to laugh and told them that God already heard their prayers as funds are being raised.  They were delighted of course but I asked them if it would look bad if I had this new moto but not the funds for other needs at the schools.  They told me that a moto was important so I could spend more time at each school and not have to spend as much money on taxi motos which would allow me to do other things.  Yes, another confirmation that this is the will of God.

    The lesson I continue to learn is to seek God and His plan will be accomplished.  Don’t be afraid to ask for the impossible because our God is the God who does the impossible.  He cares if we have means of transportation and He cares that we are sharing the gospel.  All things can be done for His glory if we are faithful enough to ask and to act upon the stirrings in our heart that God has given us.  I still don’t have the funds for other huge needs and I am not quite sure what will happen this year, but I have faith that God will act in whatever manner will give Him all the praise that He deserves. 

 

 

My Hair is Falling Out, Literally!

Some people receive ulcers and others form bad habits all from a five letter word called stress.  Stress is abundant in our lives from our fast paced schedules and desires to achieve.  Our stress is shown through our emotions and our actions.  However, were you aware that stress can be determined by your hair falling out?  In August, I started noticing an increase in the amount of hair found on my brush, in my hands while washing my head, and just around everywhere.  Luckily I have thick hair because for over a month now, it has continued to fall out in more abundance than normal.  In consulting a doctor, he told me it was a result of stress from maybe months ago that was finally working its way out. Although he assured me I wouldn’t go bald, it worried me that something had made me so stressed that my hair felt the need to abandon my head.  Hmmmm, what kind of stress have I experienced in the past few months?  Well, I packed up my life that I had lived for 9  months and went back to my beloved Togo where I went immediately to work teaching and preparing curriculum.  With this job, I experience a lot of unknowns and see a lot of needs which makes me rely heavily on the Lord’s help but I wouldn’t say that it ruins my life with stress.  The only major stressful week was when I received 2 serious marriage proposals from people I knew and our 10 year old neighbor died.  All this happened while I was trying to run a summer school program and a soccer camp. That might have done it. 

  As a Christian, I know to give my worries to the Lord; cast all my cares upon Him and He will give me comfort.  But yet we seem to get this mindset that is a right of passage to be stressed to the max.  We fill our lives with strenuous activities and choose to find them stressful and energy draining.  Why in the world do we do that? Why do I get worried and stressed out when I have 15 kids in my house and still need to finish writing curriculum?  Instead of allowing the stressful situation to bury me in a pile of worry and woes, I need to give it to the Lord and be thankful for the opportunity to work for Him and allow Him to work through the situation. 

Living a life stress free; wow, is that even possible?  Yes, definitely it is possible but only by focusing our eyes on Him, relinquishing the worries to Him, and offering thanksgiving to everything He brings our way.  So will my hair eventually stop falling out?  I sure hope it does but in the meanwhile,  I will just enjoy the ups and downs of life that God brings.

The light in the darkness

      During a typical day in the summer, I start my day with french lessons by 6 :30 and then just see where the day takes me which normally involves visits from kids to color and design their own creations to stopping at people’s home to greet them and normally watch them cook.  Last Wednesday happened exactly like that until the power went off. Yes, l live in Africa and the power willl go off from time to time, but it still causes some inconvenience.  At the time it went off, I had some students over and they were playing english games on my computer.  Even with the door open, the falling evening meant the darkness was creeping in.  They left so I could get ready for church before total darkness and then I found time to work on my computer.  This is when I realized that I was all alone in my house with only my computer lit.  Seeing the darkness didn’t seem that bad when I was busy and there were other people around but now I felt the darkness around me and I was cognizant of my situation.  This reminded me of sin.  If we just keep going and surround ourselves with pleasures, we really don’t realize that we are in the darkness until we are all alone and have time to reflect on it.  Yes, the darkness is real and it can engulf you if you aren’t running towad the light. 

   I could have stayed there in the dark but I decided to go to church, not sure of what I would find.  The church  I attend on Wednesday’s night is made from bamboo sticks with large open windows(no glass), a cement floor, a tin roof, and no permanent doors.  When I came upon the church, it looked like noone was inside due to the lack of light, but inside the place was packes and one large lantern lit the front and permeated through the benches.  All of a sudden, I felt better because even though we still didn’t have any electricity, the light was brighter which of course was caused by the lantern, but also the body of Christ.  Being surrounded by other believers made me realize that with him, we can combat the darkness but we can’t do it alone.  Going to churh encouraged me to search for the light and draw closer to Christ than to stay alone in the darkness.  We can combat the darkness but we must be willing to run to the light and work with other believers. I love that about Togo because it is such a community.  Everyone helps one another and we accomplish the goal together.  The Christian school ministry would not be possible without all of our Togolese teaches and directors who give their expertise, encourage their co-workers, and love sharing Christ with their students. 

   I have already written  about one of my students who accepted Christ because of our soccer camps.  He is afraid to go to church due to his father but he is willing to be mentored by a Togolese man.  Friday was suppose to be the day that he started meeting with his mentor at the school.  Hwever, in calling the guy, I learned that the boy hadn’t come yet.  Luckily, I was going right by the boy’s house on a moto so I stopped, told the kid to get on, even though he wanted to shower first, and away we went.  I realized that  I could never just pick up a kid on a moto and keep on going without talking to his parents in America but it works here.  I again just dropped him off and kept going because I was late with my time with the girls.  Oh, the life in Togo is never boring. 

   I talked to the man afterwards and he said that it went well with the boy.   This student told him that he is fearful of his father and he must still attend the Islamic school every Saturday. I know that this has to be so difficult to be learning the truth but then to heart the lies but for the moment he is still obligedto go.  He still needs to be careful and we are praying that over time, his father will understand why he is different and will accept Christ as well.  It is such a huge praise that this student has accepted Christ as his Savior and we continue to pray for his growth despite the fears.

    On Friday night,  I packed up my laptop and projector to head for a student’s house who wanted to watch the « Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe with her family.  I didn’t charge my computer entirely since she told me that they had electricity but I soon figured out that « having electricity » doesn’t mean it is constant electricity.  It kept blinking off and on which meant the projector didn’t work and my weak battery computer didn’t make it through the movie.  So there we were sitting in a litte cement room with people filing in while I explained how the film related to the gospel message.  It really brought the sacrifice of Christ to life and it became a good witnessing tool to all that was there.  Do you think that Disney ever thought this movie woud be watched repeatedly in Togo and used to talk about Christ ? 

 

    Let us keep looking for ways to push back the darkness and bask in God’s light.

 

What do you do?

    I enjoy that people are curious about what I do here in Togo.  They frequently ask, « What does your daily schedule look like ?  During the school year this question is a little easier to answer but I still find myself saying, well normally this happens unless it is this day or that day, or well it just depends from day to day.  Now that we are on break, my schedule is even more confusing.  I am really not sure what each day will bring but in many aspects I love this.  I love it because it gives me the opportunity to just be available for people and to meet their needs.

  A perfect example of this happened last week.  Every Tuesday I visit Pastor’s house to teach English to his wife.  She makes these gorgeous bags and sells them to the missionaries but without English skills, communication becomes a problem.   In arriving at her house, I could tell right away that she was sick and it wouldn’t be possible to teach English.  She clearly had malaria but hadn’t taken any medicine so plans to teach English became a mission to find medicine.  I had to run back to my house to get ibuprofen, run to her house to give it to her, run back to the house for my wallet,  and finally ran around town to find every thing.  It was so worth it to know she had the proper medication and was feeling better.  Yes, this is a typical afternoon.

    One Saturday morning while visiting a student’s house, the mother was busy preparing lunch so she thought I should pass the time watchig a movie.  They couldn’t find the locally made Christian film so their second choice was Anaconda.  I am not sure why we ended up watching that but thankfully they found the christian film which had  lot of familiar faces in it.  We had good discussions about the film and even enjoyed great cooking.  Fellowship and food, the best combination to have. 

 

   Sometimes ministry is formal like when I have 2 single teachers over on Monday night and we study how to become virtuous women.  Other times it is so informal like unexpectanctly meeting someone on the road and encouraging one anoher with sicknesses or through busyness.  Ministry is about being flexible and loving on people whatever their needs may be. 

While school is out, I have enjoyed spending time with different groups of people and in different settings.  We have had an amazing 4 weeks of socce and I have really enjoyed this special time with the girls.  They have improved so much since there are only a few of them and they love learning new skills.  I really think we might hav a chance to be the first Togolese women’s team in the world cup in 2019 !  Through this time we have seen many children come to know Christ, including one of my students.  Our love for soccer and ministry can be combined to bring God glory ! 

  I have also had more time to crochet with the girls which they are getting pretty impressive.  They shared with me that they are able to sell the things and give the money to their parents so they can help out with expenses.  This is exactly why we started this program and I am praying that they will learn the blessings of knowing how to provide for themselves and trusting God to provide instead of looking for guys to help. 

   One thing on my schedule that is fixed happens to be my french lessons.  Every morning starting at 6 :30, a teacher and I sit down and translate a bible study from english to french.  This teacher loves to talk, so we always end up off topic but talking how heavy things like spiritual gifts or forgiveness.  Accomplishing tasks is important but be available andbeing an encouragement to them tops it all.

 

So maybe from this you have learned what I do or maybe you are more confused than ever.  What I hope yo take away from this is that if I spend an hour holding a baby that only has vision in one eye or if I invite a pastor’s wife over to eat omelette’s, I am not doing it in vain but I am doing it to show love to those who God has put on my front step.  There are days when I would rather stay in the house and get work done, but interuptions are gong to happen and the more we welcome then and see God working through them, the more we can benefit others.

What are you waiting for?

A typical conversation I conversation find mysef in is why I am not married.  While in this conversation  with a Ghanian official at the border, he flat out asked, « What are you waiting for ? » You just have to laugh and nicely proclaim that God is in control and I am not worried about what will happen.

  While pondering on this subject, I tried to think of it in a different context.  For example, we are in the midde of the holiday of Ramadan where the muslims fast during the day and party at night.  People every day are worshipping the wrong God and what are we doing about it ?  What are we waiting for before we start to boldly proclaim the name of Jesus ? 

 

     At the end of June, a nurse from the hospital came to give his testimony to our students.  He grew up as  muslim unti hecame bold enough to enter the church.  At church, he realized that Allah had always been this distant uncertain god but the one and only God wanted a persoal relatioship with Him.  After accepting Christ, his sister kicked him out of her home and was left to defend for his own.  Being the

youngest, he was always  spoiled by his mother but after his conversion, his mother would not even speak to him.  He  said that his whole family abandoned him but he knew God would never abadon him.  Through his suffering, he has grown closer to Christ.  All eyes were fixed on this man as his commitment to Christ was a testimony to us all.  Our muslim students were very intrigued and we are praying they will decide to make Christ their personal Savior despite fear from their parents.

 

In fact, our prayers for one of our students came true !  For the past 4 weeks we have had soccer camp for the community kids and our middle school kids.  At the end of each session, bible stories were presented starting with creation and continuing to with the gospel. At the end of the second week, a Togolese soccer player asked the kids if they were ready to accept Christ.  Many came forward but it was hard to tell if they were sincere or were hoping to get a piece of candy.  We split the kids into three groups and took the time to thoroughly explain the gospel.  I was excited that one of our students sat down in my group as I have been prayinng for him during the past two years.  He comes from a muslim family although he understands the truth .  He has been afraid to personally accept Christ due to the fear of his father.  That all changed on that Friday when he said he wanted to accept Christ and explained that Christ died on the cross for his sins and He is the only way to Heaven.  I wanted to jump up and down with joy in hearing this news and knew tbere was rejoicing in Heaven.  I then prayed for the children and spoke personally with my one student.  He is still afraid to go to church but will start being discipled by  a togolese christian.  With muslims, students are afraid to accept Christ so some think they can wait until they become of age but the problem with this thinking is that not everyone makes it to their 18th birthday or Christ might come before that.  Again, it is the time to ask, « what are you waiting for ? »  Yes, converting from an Islamic background is scary but  we it can’t be put off and we must continue to encourage people in this situation and we must continue to share the truth. The Togolese young mn who shared Christ with these kids cotinued his work the next week.  By Thursday, he went around to each player and asked them if they had a relationship with Christ.  If they weren’t able to resond, they were sent to talk to another young man who was explaining the gospel and would pray with the students.  This is a serious matter and we can’t wait to share this.

   Recently,  I am realizing how urgent it is to share the gospel and how open I can be.  One night I was taking a tax[CS1] i and we started on a conversation about what I do.  He told me that he went to church but when I presented the gospel, it seemed like he had never heard it before.  He was very open to what I had to say and said he understood the gospel in a new way.  I couldn’t believe that in 10 minutes,  had conversation with my moto driver who was very interested in the Good News.  I am so thankful to the Lord who uses us even when we aren’t expecting to share the truth.  God keeps telling us also, « What are you waiting for ? Don’t be afraid, just continue to share. » 

Now sometimes sharing the Gospel and being His light is not always straight forward.  For example, for the fourth of July, Anne and I had the girls over to make cookies and eat watermelon while finishing the third Narnia movies.  Sometimes it means helping buy dinner for a student whose parents are in Lome with their sick newborn.  On other days, it means visiting students and watching the horrible movie Anaconda while they find a Togolese Christian film to watch.   Yes, random but such is life. 

As I am learning, I can’t wait for anything to tell people that they are loved by Christ and that he died on the cross for their sins.  The time is now.

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Testimonies

There are days where we are just worn down and it seems like we are pedaling but the bike is stationary.  There are days when we are sick with such things as malaria or we are tired of sitting in the dark due to lack of electricity from a rain storm.  We can choose to allow circumstances to get us down or we can focus on what God is doing in our lives or in the lives around us.

The past few weeks, I have been so amazed by the testimonie of the Togolese.  The Monday two weeks ago, began with a bang as the two single Togolese teachers came to my house to start  Bible study on becoming a virtuous woman.  These ladies are very knowledgeable and they are teaching me the importance of really studying the scriptures and understanding the meaning.  They put up with my cooking as last time I didn’t put in a bag full of salt like they would have liked but we are getting to know one another.  It is so important to have others who can challenge you to be a virtuous man or woman of God. 

     On Tuesday, one of our wonerful teachers came over to discuss middle school bible study for the boys although I knew our conversation would be so much more than that.  He told me about the middle school students who seem to be sleeping during class but then all of a sudden ask a profounding question.  One Muslim girl in 7th grade, acted like she wasn’t interested in the bible until one day she asked the teacher for prayer.  She said that she had been having terrible dreams and wanted them to go away.  The teacher prayed and a few days later the girl came back to thank him for praying.  She realized that it was through the power of prayer that helped her.  The teacher asked if she was ready to accept Christ but she said not yet.  It is a scary thing for the  Muslims to turn away from that religion because as the teacher said, they might kill you while you sleep for choosing to follow Chris.  We have another student who really understands the gospel and even wrote a story about someone accepting Christ but he is not ready to make that step because of the consequences from his father.  Please pray for these students as they learn how to be brave and pray for us that we know how to encourage them.

  In fact the teacher doing the bible classes, was a  Muslim.  When he was younger and living up north, his aunt came to visit who was a Christan.  One time she went into the bush for several days and didn ‘t take any supplies with her.  The family decided that she had died but she returned and with all her help.  The aunt came another time and was allowed to take the boys to church.  After she left, the father permitted the boys to go and while attending , they accepted Christ.  The boys urged their father to go but he would’t. The aunt returned againg and told the father he should just go once.  He agreed and that night when they presented the gospel, the father went forward to receive Christ.  The whole family was then saved and because of this aunt, we now have  a teacher who is dedicted to the Lord and who can explain the gospel to his people in a way I cannot.

The

I had the great privilege to travel to our school in the north  on Thursday.  Getting there is a jaunt as first a friend took  me by  moto to a town 2 hours away.  Keep in mind that the so called paved road has more holes than actual pavement so I’m not sure if it actually qualifies as a paved road anymore. To pass the time,  I focus on the gorgeous mountains that God has created and I pray that we don’t fall off.  After arriving in Atakpame and praising God for allowing us to get there safely, I take the post bus another 4 hours for Kara.  The post office runs this bus so it stops in every town to deliver the mail but also pick up or drop off passengers. It seems like a win win situation for everyone.

At Kara, I was met by the director of the school and he took me directly to the school where I saw the doors being constructed.  For 8 years, this school has been without doors which means every night the teachers had to bring in the materals and every morning they had to put them back up.  The sun would beat down in their classrooms and parents felt that the schools wasn’t as safe even though there is a wall around the school and church.  Small groups in the states helped purchase the doors and it was such a joy to see them up for the first time.  The next day at school, I was able to meet with the committee and they expressed their gratitude and how these doors would help the school increase its enrollment and help encourage the teachers.  Again, it is such a huge testimony of God’s goodness.  Here is a school that has struggled for so long with a simple thing such as doors and now God has provided a way to answer that prayer !  God is in every detail of our lives !!! 

Thursday night,  I ate fufu at the director’s house and  I can actually admit that it was the best that I had tasted.  Despite huge flying insects landing on me, it was an enjoyable evening with his family.  Underneath the stars, we shared praises and difficulties but especially testimony’s of God ‘s work.  God is working in the lives of our students and even those who come from Muslim backgrounds.  They know the truth and now we are praying that they find the strength to follow Christ full-heartedly.  I ate dinner with a family who has little but is willing to share their food and willing to still sing praises because they have the greatest treasure or all : Jesus Christ.

 

The last testimony I want to share with you happened Saturday.  For 3 years, the mission hospital trains a new set of nurses.  This time, they started with 20, and all 20 of them graduated.  As a new mission hospital will be opening soon in the north, most of these nurses will be going up there and only a few will stay down in the south.  For these 20 students to complete a somewhat American education is a feat in itself and it was so neat to see the way that the Lord has been working in all their lives to prepare them for this day. One of the graduates comes from the north and he was a Muslim when he first started the program.  While in the program, he saw a little bit treasure here in our town and realized that it was the Lord working.  He accepted Christ and on graduation day, he proudly proclaimed the name of Jesus for all to hear.  The place was filled with « amens »  As the man preached to the mountaintops that Christ is His Savior.   He will be coming to speak to our students in a few weeks and we pray that this will be an encouragement to our Muslim students who have not fully committed to following Christ.   My neighbour was one of the nurses that graduated, so after the ceremony he had a huge celebration bash at the restaurant across from us.  Of course there was loud music playing, lots of rice to be eaten, and a lot of speeches that I didn’t understand. They even brought in a fake patient who was treated by my neighbour in grand fashion.  Indeed, it was a day of celebration and recognizing the goodness of the Lord to deliver these students through 3 strenuous years of work.

 

Testimonies of God’s work ; they are all around us if we are willing to stop and reflect on what God is actually doing.  Then we need to share the testimonies with others as witness of God’s righteous being lived out amongst us.

 

Community

   While attending the university, the buzz word  at Taylor was community.  Taylor wasn’t just about getting a degree but about learning how to live in community together to grow in Christ.  As I quickly discovered as a freshman, it is possible to live in community without reaping the benefits of such a thing a helping others grow.  Due to the soccer schedule, I was living next to people and passing them in the hallway but not taking the time to eat meals with them or get to know them on a deeper level.  Thus, community isn’t enough ; it must be intentional community.  I must be willing to give of myself to encourage others and they in return can give to me as we are all striving to be the hands and feet of the church.  This lesson in college helped lay the foundation for my work inTogo.

Although I left America 4 weeks ago, I have only been in Togo 3 weeks but it seems a lot longer as I have already had amazing coversations with teachers and friends I meet along the way.  I was very slow a buildig relationships last year but now that we all realize I will be staying for awhile(until Jesus returns) I think we all feel comfortable being real with one anther.  The week started with a visit from nursing students who came to speak about health at the school and then I convinced them to do a craft with the kindergarten.  For some reason, I thought glitter would be fun idea even though I absolutely loathe it ! Needless to say, they were doing much of the work with the glitter.  After that, we made a mad dash to Kpalime, a half hour away, to greet the 4 schools there which I haven’t had a chance to see yet.  It was a joyful reunion and they are all excited to get back to work thinking of ideas to help their schools.  At our third stop, we started talking to the director and which resulted in  long conversation about keeping you salvation and other interesting things.  The teacher who came with me was whispering,  « um, we won’t have time to visit the last school but spending time in our current location was more important than sticking to our schedule.  This director really understands the importance of our curriculum and said that if a teacher doesn’t use our curriculum, that person is an enemy of his.  Ha, seems drastic but glad he is on board with us.  He also said that there tests scores are a lot higher than all of the other schools and new families are from school are starting to come to church.  It is so important that we build that relatioship between school and church so we can also help the parents grow in Christ.

   That afternoon, we expeienced major storms, such is the life in rainy season, and was without electricity.  I was starting a bible study with 2 teachers but only one came due to the rain so we sat outside and used our phones as lights as we ate omelettes and discussed being a woman of virtue and how to receive guests in your home.  It was during that time with her that I realized the important of intentional community and if I was going to advance any more in this culture, I needed to start with strong relatonships.  

 

  If we want clean drinking water, we have to fill it up at the hospital pumps where the water is filtered.  We carry it in large yellow contaners that kind of look like gas containers.  Obviously  I cannot carry this 40 minutes walking back to my house so  I asked a teacher to pick me up on his moto.  While I was filling my container, I started talking to the kids around me and they busted out singing, « I have the joy » in French which is quite popular at school.  So they we are, in the dark with only the stars, and we are singing « I have the joy down in my heart. »  I am sure there were coversations about the weird yovo but that didn’t bother me as being in community and doing random things with these precious people is more important.  After the teacher brought me home, we ended up talking a long time about community or how to all work together for God’s glory.  It is such a joy to live alongside these people and strengthen one another to walk closer to the Lord.  

  This week i was able to show the Jesus film with the neighborhood kids along with popcorn of course !!! It was in there mother tongue which really helped the younger ones understand.  We watched it on my projector thanks to my parents awesome birthday present and then discussed it afterwards.  Them being able to watch and hear the words, made the gospel come to life for them.  By the end of that, it was time for kids’ club.  I talked about being the light of the world by using the verses : « Jésus leur parla de nouveau, et dit: Je suis la lumière du monde; celui qui me suit ne marchera pas dans les ténèbres, mais il aura la lumière de la vie. »     Jean 8 :12

  Teaching this concept helped me realize how much  I need to be that light, I need to live my life differently than the rest of the world in order for God to be glorified.

 

My week of community continued on Saturday when we had a meeting with pastors about the schools.  We are heading in an exciting direction and are praying that the pastors of the schools understand our vision.  I was able to encourage them since I happen to know a pastor pretty well.   I also shared with them that our schools are the future for Togo and we have an awesome opportunity to bring Togo to Christ through a Christian worldview.

 

In returning home,   I went to a pastor’s house to ask him a question but no one was home.   I found his wife at church teaching the children so  I randomly gave an impromptu follow-up on the lesson and of course shared the joy!!! The kids didn’t want to leave so they followed me through the village as I greeted different families.  The pastor’s wife was filling up her fifty thousand buckets at the water pump so I happily pitched in and man it is hard work!!! Who need weights when you can just keep pumping water all day!! I had to laugh while doing this as it brings the saying, “meeting around the water cooler” to a whole new level.  When everyone has to get their water at the same place, it definitely creates community.  When we finally reached their house, she realized that she didn’t have the key so we were kind of locked out.  She decided instead to have me visit their new house that was farther away into the bush.  Growing up around construction sites,  I loved this opportunity to spend more time with the family and learn more about the culture.  So hours later then my original plan,  I finally met with the pastor under the stars watching his wife prepare food on the open fire. 

 Yes, life is different and there is never a dull moment but we can never forget that we are striving for intentional community.  We are striving for a community that functions only with the word of God.  We want a community that has the same vision so we can bring others into that community in order to encourage them and share the God’s truth.

 

  I pray that this week, you may find ways to make community intentional. 

 

Stories of the Week

When people ask why I love Togo I normally say it is because of the people.  They are very welcoming, friendly, and conversations about God can be easily started.  I just feel that God has given me a passion for the people and I am delighted that He has given me the opportunity to work among the people.  However, I also love Togo, or West Africa in general because you just never know what will happen and it makes you praise God a lot more for how He provide for us each day. 


   I have a few examples I would love to share with you from last week. 
On Tuesday during English class, it started to rain and not just a little but enough to think a hurricane was coming if we were only close enough to the ocean.  Well, in a classroom with partially complete bamboo walls and a tin roof, this is a big deal.  Just imagine with me the rain plummeting down into the classroom while 40 students rush to push their desks as close together as possible into the middle of the room.  Of course the rain is still blowing sideways into the room and then there are leaks randomly causing puddles on students desks.  Then if that isn't enough, there is the deafening sound of the rain hitting the tin roof to the point that talking is impossible.  As exams are approaching, it is still important to go on with the lessons so I wrote the directions on the blackboard and used the dry erase boards to show different words for the students to write sentences about or to use a picture to represent the meaning.  So there we were, with the hurricane outside, and us writing down things on white boards and showing each other the response to verify our answers without saying a word.  I actually had a hard time controlling myself and had to laugh at our hilarious communication but it worked and I was so thankful that they were willing to work through this difficult situation.  The students are hungry to learn no matter what it takes to understand.


On Wednesday, I needed to visit a teacher who was sick at a school more than a half hour away.  I couldn't leave until 4:30 as the middle school students were taking their mid-terms before this.  When I was about to leave with my driver, he had me pray for the voyage, that the rain wouldn't fall, and we would be a blessing to the teacher.  Away we went on the dusty and bumpy road, trying not to get run over from large trucks and avoiding large holes.  We arrived at the school where I was able to greet the teachers and away we went again with one of the teachers in tow(yes three of us on the moto) to visit the sick teacher's village another half hour away. 


   When we finally arrived at the village, it was quite apparent that I would become a spectacle as all the children followed my every move.  We waited underneath a tree until all the benches were set and the water was passed around.  When we all took a sip, we greeted one another (the cultural practice) and the teacher gave me the bible to read 1 Peter chapter 2.  This chapter talks about taste to see that the Lord is good.  Here I was, sitting on a wooden bench, with half dressed children all around and a sick teacher and yet we are saying that the Lord is good.  How is that even possible!! it is because it is the truth, the only thing that keeps us going through the hard things.  I see difficult sights each day but the Lord has overcome this broken world and only through His saving grace can we proclaim that the Lord is good. 


   After we visited, I took him to a small clinic in town which was at someone's house.  All the tools like shots and stuff were lying in tin pans and I sat there while I guess a nurse took his temperature and gave him a shot.  I just kept praying that they knew what they were doing and wouldn't make his condition worse.  We finally left as night was approaching and we could see a storm coming from the east.  I still found time to play a few minutes with kids and then we were off again back to my town.  The other teacher with us told us we were going to be stuck in the storm but I told him we had prayed to God to withhold the rains until we got back.  The amazing thing was we made it back home just before it started raining and it was only through God who provided His provisions!!!! Right there in the middle of the 4 way stop, the driver and I prayed to God and thanked Him for His goodness.  What an amazing testimony of God's goodness.  I am learning to be thankful for the little things. They are little but they show God working in a huge way.  Keep praising the name of God for everything that happens!!!

Changing Cultural Gears

America, the land of fast paced life, a melting pot of all people groups, and a mentality that anything is ok.  Compare that to Togo, a slow placed lifestyle based upon relationship building and tradition.  Two comletely different worlds that I have now jumped in between and in order to successfully minister to the Togolese people, I must embrace the culture in which I am submerged.  I would like to take this blog to reflect on all the differences between culture in order for us all to better understand the land I now call home.

      The first thing  I had to do while stepping into Togo was to make sure I was wearing a skirt that went pass my knees.  The Christian population still believe that all women must wear long skirtsand after talking with my friends, I don’t see this changing anytime soon.  If you are wearing pants the people will automatically think you are a prostitute and  I definitely don’t want that rumor to be going around.  Although I miss pants and wearing shorts to play soccer, it is more important to be culturally appropriate. 

Greeting :  Who greets any more in America ?  There is not time for silly things like that since it is more important to get down to business.  Well, that is the contrary to here as greetings are very important.  I spend my first 15 minutes of every school day greeting everyone and asking about their parents, wife, kids, how they slept, what their dog is doing, and etc.   To the people here, there is no reason to even talk if you aren’t going to take the time the greet.

  This one goes alongside proper greetings and I am still trying to remember to use this.  If you go to someone’s home, you will be given some water and a place to sit.  After everyone has had a sip(usually from the same cup) you then greet everyone sitting there.  I was at a teacher’s house the other day and it was at least 10 minutes until I could actually meet him and talk to him since we were waiting for places to sit and the cup of water to be passed around.  Word of advice, just sit their happily until someone starts talking to you.

Those who know me well would say that I love being touched.  Actually they would tell you the opposite but God has definitely been working on me and has given me close friends who have tauught me that hugging is ok.  I am greatful for them because holding hands is a big deal here.  It is very common to see guys holding hands with another guy without it meaning  more than just friendship.  My colleague will hold my hand and he is  happily married man.  The symbol of holding hands is only a sign of friendshp for someone who means a lot to them.

 

Some other differences that take some time to get use to can be the odor of certain things or remembering not to flush the toilet paper down the toilet  I also have grown accustom to taking bucket showers where I get to manually throw the water on myself and you always try to plug in your electronics when you can because you  never know when the lights will go out.  Pretty much you don’t plan ahead for anything here and just deal with what happens.  I don’t mind this as it helps you thank God for every little thing that happens. 

 

And my pour skin which hasn’t seen the sun in months has had the shock of a lifetime to have the strong rays of living on the equator hitting down on it.  Speaking of the sun, it causes you to sweat quite a bit when exposed to it especially in places where you have no air conditioning.  Yes, no air flow whatsoever during a humid day. 

 

Oh there are so many things that change like learning how to teach during a rain storm with a tin roof(it’s loud) or riding motos into the bush and being stared at by children who have never seen white person.  Yes, they are adjustments but the one thing that never changes is our relationship with God.  No matter where we are or what we are doing, God is forever sovereign and constant in our lives.  He is willing to mold us and use our human bodies for His ultimate glory. 

Standing on His promises

    Riding motorcycles, playing soccer in the sand, and sharing about Christ in French are now a part of my normal routine.  I spend my days greeting everyone I meet, helping teachers in a classroom of 50 students, hearing an average of three different languages a day.  and being able to speak publicly about having a personal relationship with Christ?  How on earth did I get to this point in my life where this abnormal culture to an American has become normal?


    I would have to back up and take a trip back to middle school when I felt a desire to teach overseas.  At the time, my desire to leave the states was more of a selfish one but God uses our passions for His glory even when we don't realize it.  As years passed, that little small spark began to ignite and I came anxious to see God's plan in how I could be used by Him.  God's word is filled with His promises, and He continues to work through us with His promises.  He has promised never to leave us and to always lead us through this world.  For a time that seemed to endure forever, God put a passion in my heart and kept reminding me He wouldn't forget about me and needed to wait for His perfect time.  I unfortunately wasn't very patient at waiting but God of course still kept His promise as He has brought me to serve in Togo.  I have unspeakable joy to describe the feeling of knowing that I will be able to work with the Togolese until God calls me Home. Yes, it is waiting for His promises and His promises will always be kept.  If God is willing to keep His promise of bringing me to the mission field, He is certainly capable of keeping His promise to save us from our sins and preparing for us our Heavenly Home.  How amazing that we serve who cares about our lives here on earth so we can ultimately make an impact for His glory.   As I have been greeting people this week, they quickly ask me how long I will be staying.  I love responding that I will be here indefinitely and this is now my home.  It is now my promise to work diligently for the Lord and not to miss an opportunity to win another soul for Christ. 


     After spending a few days in Accra, my wonderful friends took me to the border of Togo in Lome the capital.  Of course there was adventures along the way as Meghann had to weave in and out of large trucks in order to actually reach the border. Luckily a man ran ahead of us and cleared the path of unexpected drivers coming the other direction.  At the border, I was surprised to see Roger, my colleague, as I told him not to come due to his wife having their third child two days before.  I was happy to see him and after dealing with men that wanted more money for carrying bags, we were finally on our way in a trotro.  Of course the trotro stopped on numerous occasions and I finally arrived in Adeta 10 hours after I left Accra. 
    Sunday was a joyous day as I was reunited with so many friends and children at church.  It took forever for me to actually leave as there was so many to greet.  After church, I was able to visit with many families and surprised some students who almost came to tears.  The only downside of this was the boiling burnt arms I received after walking from house to house.  My poor arms had not been exposed to the sun in a long time and they paid dearly for that.  It has been a little difficult to adjust to the heat and it is getting easier especially since I don't have a fan at night. 


    Sunday was wonderful, but Monday was the icing on top of the cake as I was able to begin school life.  I spent most of the day helping put out small fires and observing the teachers.  I have seem some wonderful teaching as they are trying to praise their students more than punish them.  Anne, who has been teaching English while I was gone, has been doing an excellent job and it warmed my heart to hear them speaking so well. 


     Hmmm, no more runs to Krogers when I don't have someone anymore.  I am back to market shopping and that is exactly what I had to do Monday with the help of some students.  I miss the variety of vegetables but at least I have mangoes and pineapples!! 
       On Wednesday I travelled down to Lome in the middle front seat of a shared taxi where that middle seat really doesn't exist.  I was greeted by my colleague who takes care of the schools in Lome and away we went to visit schools.  The teachers were very surprised to see me and I was pleasantly pleased to see such excellent teaching.  I was able to talk with some and I asked the how they saw God working in their schools.  They replied that they are thankful for a great team of teachers who all work together and to students who are excited about learning.  They said that they have many students who come to church as well, even those who are Muslims.  It is such a blessing to see the teachers recognizing God's goodness in the schools and to remember that our work is a mission and not just a job. 
   Wednesday afternoon, I took a much needed run, and wound up playing a game of street soccer in the street of course.  We had to stop from time to time to allow the cars and motos to pass but other than that I enjoyed being a part of the neighborhood and being accepted even though I'm a Yovo(white person)


      I attended one of our churches Wednesday night and went to the young women's prayer time.  It was all in Ewe and after several attempts of trying to give prayer requests in French, I finally told them it was ok to just use Ewe.  You were all well prayed for that evening since I couldn't understand the Ewe.


      After visiting the rest of the schools on Thursday, I received my one year visa and attempted to find a way home.  We found a taxi without any passengers and I was worried I would be stuck at the station forever.  Fortunately, we left and looked for people on the way and fortunately again, we found no one.  That mean that I sat in the back of the taxi by myself!  This was a huge praise as taxis normally put 4 grown adults in the back so I tried to make the most of this time by stretching out and resting comfortably.  You find that in a third world country, you must hold on to the little things and praise God for how miraculous they can make life!!!
   On Saturday, I was able to do one of my favorite past times; playing soccer with the kids.  Covered in sand by the end of the time, I am thankful for the time spent with these students and to share my passion for soccer with those who also love it.  There was also a funeral today which consists of sitting underneath a tent made out of palm branches and following the casket on foot to the burial sight while the church band plays.  In the afternoon, I spent my time playing with the neighborhood kids who came over to read, play cards, and hide dominoes.  I then went over to their compound and had our first kid's club since I have returned.  I had 21 children and they intently listened as I shared how God kept His promise to Abraham to make a nation from his children just like God promised to send his son to the earth to save us. 


      Please pray for discernment as we wok on curriculum and programs for next year.  Pray that I will use each moment wisely and that we will be dedicated God's word.  Thank God this week for the promises He has kept and will continue to keep for eternity. 

Faithfulness

Galatians 2:20
   " I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."




In the past 9 months while being home, I have understood better the characteristics of God, especially His faithfulness.  What does faithfulness look like?  I can you what it does not look like: selfishness, complaining, laziness, impatience, and wining. Alas, all things I am guilty of portraying.  God's faithfulness is written on every page of the Bible as He cared for the Israelites throughout the Old Testament and kept His promise to bring the redeemer to save us all from our sins: Jesus Christ. 
   "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.…"  Romans 5:8-9  
   I don't know a better example of faithfulness than God promising to give us everlasting life even if it meant sending His own son to death on the cross.  That promise is never going to change.  His faithfulness doesn't change because He is faithful to care for our small day to day needs as well.  This is where it becomes more difficult for me.  I say "He is faithful" but I have to show that I mean it.  When I first came home, I was happy to see everyone and be in the conveniences of America.  However, as time went on, I didn't know how I would ever receive enough funds to return and thus began the wining and the complaints.  Forward to 8 months later at the end of March where I found myself at 85% knowing quite well that the only way I got there was through God's faithfulness.  I knew that when the rest came, I would have to give God all the glory because there was no way I could manage the rest on my own. 
      So, there I was, one day at 85%, and the next day reading an email that I was at 100%.  I was shocked and then embarrassed because God was faithful even when I was not.  He was working and I was complaining.  The road to this point would have been so much easier if I would have just enjoyed the ride. 
    In the book, "His utmost for His Highest"  Oswald Chambers says, "It is only a faithful person who truly believes that God sovereignly controls his circumstances."  Of course I believe that God is sovereign but if I am not allowing God to control every circumstance, than I am not truly believing in His sovereignty.  I want every being of my body to tell the world that I know that God is sovereign and that only happens by giving God control.  Ouch, control!  We love control but as I have been learning, having control isn't worth the sacrifice we make to lost trust in the Lord.  As Chambers goes on to say, "To be faithful in every circumstance means that we have only one loyalty, or object of our faith--the Lord Jesus Christ....If we will just learn to worship God even during the difficult circumstances, He will change them for the better very quickly if he so chooses."


    Bottom line...God is faithful, it is His character and that will never change.  We have the opportunity to learn through our mountaintop experiences and valleys by fixing our eyes on God and following Him through the path of life.


   I am returning to Togo in a week and I am so thrilled to share love with God's people who need saving.  I am also thankful for the last 9 months in which I had the opportunity to learn how to be faithful to the Lord just as He is faithful, always faithful. 


   " The goal of faithfulness is not that we wil do work for od, but that He will be free to do His work through us.... He expects no complaining on our part and offers no explanation on His part.  God wants to use us as he used His won Son." Oswald Chambers

Perspective

While living in Africa, I was hardly in air conditioning and only used a fan at night.  By the end of the year, anything less than 60 degrees was considered freezing to me!   The worst part about being in the states for the summer was the fact that I would be in air conditioning!  Yes, I constantly had to wear a coat and looked ridiculous when everyone else was actually dressed for summer.  Then came the realization that I would be staying longer than the summer.  As the months passed, the temperature continued to creep down.  By the end of October, I was permanently wearing sweatshirts and hats even while carving pumpkins.  A fear came over me that I would never survive the winter if I was already struggling with the 40's.  Then the winter actually came and it was worse than anyone had imagined.  How on earth was I suppose to survive hypothermia?  But alas, I did survive through each day of winter and just learned to put on as many layers as possible.  I thought I would never be able to stay warm through the winter but of course I am still here.  I made the situation appear worse than it really was.   By February, I would find myself outside wearing shorts in 30 degree weather and thinking it felt warm.  Yes, it felt warm compared to the negatives. The light bulb brightened and it hit me that it was all about  my perspective on the issue.  Temperatures in the high 30's was no longer cold when comparing it to the days that stayed in the negatives.  If I survived the coldest days, I could survive in less harsh conditions. 


     The thought of "perspective" enabled me to apply it to other areas of my life.  For example, I also said when I came home that I would only last in the states until January.  January was flipped over on the calendar and I still found myself in the states.  The impossible all of a sudden became possible because I had a better outlook on the issue.  Frankly, I had two decisions.  I could either be miserable for all my months living in the states or I could accept the fact that God had me in the states for a reason and make the most of the situation.  I sound enlightened writing this, but it did take many months for this point to come clear to me.  Finding God's blessings right where I am planted instead of worrying about where I am not, it is a lot more satisfying.   For nine months, I have been able to help with the youth group, share crazy memories with my family, and grow closer to the Lord. 
      Our perspective should be focused on following the will of God and being filled with His truth.  No matter where we are or what we are doing, we can make the best of it because we have the Lord.  He is faithful and we were made in order to give Him the praises.  I struggled being home but being home was exactly where the Lord wanted me for these months.  Instead of fighting our God on matters we don't understand, let's thank God for how He can use us for his kingdom, let us gain a Christ focused perspective.

Do we know?

  My morning routine consists of spending time in the Word with my Heavenly Father and praying for those whom I know personally.  I also pray for Togo in general and then specifically for all the teachers and students as they grow closer to the Lord.  However, rarely do I spend a significant amount of time praying for my fellow believers from around the world.  However, this morning I felt a need to pray for the body of Christ throughout the world who deal with persecution and turmoil.  Minutes later, I received an email from a pastor in Togo for prayer concerning the Central African Republic.  I feel ashamed to say that I didn't even know there was a problem.

    In the Central African Republic, a group called the seleks are seeking revenge against the anti balaka group and vice versa.  It has become a fight between religions, ethnic groups, and political affiliation.  The infrastructure of the country has crumbled leaving the place empty of schools and hospitals.  To the north, is the country of south Sudan who has seen a displacement 200,000 people as there is also political unrest and innocent people being murdered due to their ethnicity and religion.  If that isn't enough already, Christians in the northeast and southeast of Nigeria are being persecuted by anti-Christian groups.  Where is the end of all of this suffering?   And I have only touched on three countries amidst others going through the same thing. 

       Not to cause a damper to your day, but I guess I think it is important to be aware of the persecution being done to the church body.  As I sit here in a house surrounded by an outside temperature below zero, there is not much I can do other than pray.  Maybe praying seems like a cliché to some but it is the only answer because God is the only answer through suffering.  We must pray for changes in hearts, and that we spend every moment being a testimony of God. 

  Although today seems bleak, Christ is returning someday soon for His kingdom.  The suffering will be finished and He will conquer all.

  
   At the  moment, there is no great persecution being done in Togo like in other African countries.  After hearing about all these problems, it gives me an urgency to be back in Togo.  The Togolese and all people groups need to know the peace that only rests in Christ.  The Christian Schools have the awesome opportunity to share Christ with 3000 students who can then share with their parents and neighbors.  Through a solid Christian education in Togo, the students can be equipped with the tools to evangelize and stand up for their faith through love.  As much as I yearn to save all those who don't believe, we must do our part to be a light in the dark world wherever God has asked us to serve. 

Broken

  Cars break.  Electronics break.  Even relationships break.  Our lives are filled with broken things that just cause clutter and leave us wanting the next big thing.  Like the iphone commercial, we sometimes have the desire to break things on purpose in order to receive something more suitable.  Although the start of this blog sounds dismissal, I am getting to a hope driven point. 


    Being home these past six months has been difficult.  I felt that I don't have a purpose, not sure of a ministry, and missing out on ministry in Togo.  However, instead of feeling empty and wishing for materialistic things to fill the hole, I have been thankful for my brokenness.  Through this emptiness, I have found that the only thing missing is my trust in Christ.  When I am weak, He is strong.  When I feel like I am  nothing, I am allowing God to be everything in my life.  Do I want to be missing out in the opportunity to serve in Togo?  Of course not!  However, I honestly can say that through this time at home, I have learned new ways to serve those around me and most importantly to be still before the Lord.  When all the mission field, it is easy to get busy and in the midst of doing "ministry for the Lord" and actually not take time be in the presence of the Lord personally.  At the present moment, I have had time to think, reflect, and be in awe of the Sovereignty of our Savior.  Without a hesitation, I am thankful to be broken and so I can allow Christ to fill in the missing pieces.  I am not looking for more of me, or to keep the clutter around, as Christ has taken it all and I want to leave more room for Him. 


   We all go through moments of brokenness, loss, and despair.  How we fill that brokenness is what matters.  We can't find hope in things of the world and nothing else can bring Joy and fulfillment than in knowing Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. 


    As I continue to wait on God's perfect timing to return to Togo, I will continue to rest in God's strength.  Nothing, absolutely nothing else, can be more satisfying than being in the arms of Christ and allowing Him to control my life instead of trying to unsuccessfully control my own. 




I am now at about 75%.  At times when I thought I would never reach 50%, God continued to be faithful and I will not give up now that God's work will be done through His body in Togo and throughout the world.  How awesome that we serve the only true God who cares about all of his people throughout His universe.