To Kpalime we go

On Saturday, after Andy's rounds, we piled in the van and took the 45 minute drive to Kpalime (pronounced pal-e-may). It is the biggest "city" nearby where market is held. A sister mission compound is set up here. It is a blind center for children who are visually impaired. They have an artisan shop on the compound. This was our first stop.

The guy on the right tried his best to teach me how to use the rhythm "shakers" they had for sale, but I didn't quite get the hang of it.

Lizards are everywhere in Togo (even in our rooms) I watched this chase go on for a while. 

We stopped by a woodworking and pottery shop next. These guys were carving wood into beautiful animals and shapes. Below is the oldest Nattier daughter, Elli. She hung out with Andy and me much of the afternoon.

After lunch in a nice local spot, we went to market. It was chaotic to say the least. Fabric (sold in panya which is equivalent to about two yards of material) is by far the most popular item. This young girl, Ahmi, helped me pick my first purchase.

 All around market the women were working on new pieces while trying to sell the old ones. Market is a family affair, and children were never to far from their parents.

Our last stop in Kpalime was to the house of one of the church members. Patience has had a strong tie to the work in Togo for many years. She is a talented seamstress and a God-fearing woman. A bible club for kids meets weekly in her yard on Saturdays, so we had the joy of listening to young kids reciting scripture for fun. It was convicting to consider this is a club they join in their free time. I loved observing these kids as they tried to stumble through I Timothy and Philippians.
 

Patience

Sophie and Patience's son, Blessing becoming friends

Getting out and interacting with the nationals was an incredible opportunity. Seeing how hard these women work and for so little was an eye-opening discovery. Watching these young kids master verses I don't know by heart was humbling. Andy and I both were so inspired by simple, easy ministries like this kid's club.

A Night on the Town

The town of Adeta

On Friday night, Dr. Woo and Bob Cropsey treated us to a dinner in Adeta. Noah is the cook at the guesthouse, but he also has a lovely restaurant in Adeta, a few miles away. The Nattiers, the Derksens, and James all piled into the red van and headed into town. We had a delicious meal of baked spaghetti and potato & veggie stew. We enjoyed a great time of fellowship. Dr. Cropsey is an incredible missionary and a humble man. He was the first full-time surgeon at the hospital in Togo, and he still returns to the field regularly to help relieve other surgeons. His stories...captivating. Coupled with his adventurous tales of redemption of the lost, fear of the undiscovered, and grace towards the Togolese, though, is a constant reminder of God's hand in the overall story. Many men in his position could be tempted to say, "Look at what I've done" or "I'm the best at what I do" but in truth, Bob's stories are interwoven with the scriptures that helped him overcome doubt and God's mercies that he recognized in his experiences.  

Noah and Christy

"Jazz" and Dr. Cropsey

 At the end of the meal, Dr. Cropsey asked each of us to share our favorite scripture and tell why it has impacted our life. It was a really incredible time to hear how all 9 of the others had been led by God and His word through the years.

The Derksens (Peter and Jacynthe aka Jazz) are from Canada. They've been married for 10 months, and they will be in Togo for three months. She is a physical therapist, and he does construction and repairs. We really started to spend more time getting to know these two after this night.

The night ended as many did in Togo after dark... with a game of Settlers.



Graduation Day

As mentioned before, Bea Ward has helped train dozens of teachers over the last six years. She's not an expert in elementary education. Her speciality is in drama and literature. She never thought she'd help equip teachers to better serve the future of Togo. She saw a need; she responded. Fourteen men completed training to become 6th grade teachers, and to celebrate their success, a graduation ceremony was held at the Tsiko church. I helped serve the food at the conclusion of the ceremony, and bonded with a few kids in the process.

 During the ceremony, the teachers were reminded that they are the light in an otherwise dark system. The children in government-run schools are beaten for wrong answers. They are not taught problem-solving, only memorization. It is a system that is failing the needs of its own people and perpetuating the cycle of poverty. Many of the Togolese citizens cannot read. These men were given better teaching strategies and materials that can be easily replicated in years to come. They sang with candle in hand and proudly declared their commitment to the youth.

Food was prepared for a few hundred people, and I learned more about the customs in Togo. Eating is not a social time. The Togolese eat mainly in silence, and they eat large portions. Lunch is their "dinner" in the sense that it is the most elaborate meal of the day. As I served to school officials, I found that I was often the only voice to be heard in the room.

I'm more convinced than ever before that you can make friends anywhere if you have icees to hand out! These sweet siblings were fast friends after I served them flavored ice treats.
I was excited to see how the missionaries in Togo are serving the educational needs of the people. As I reflected on the impact this relatively small circuit of schools could have on the nation of Togo, I kept thinking about the words of Frederick Douglass, "it is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." My prayer is that these young minds will rise to greatness one day.

Appreciating Life on the Compound

On Wednesday I started by hanging out with the kids. Along with the Nattiers, the Padgetts have 4 kids. They have been living in Togo for a year, and have another year here before they will determine if they will become career missionaries. We learned a ton from Steve and Katrina about service, grace, and board games!

 Addy is on the left. At two, she is more fearless that any adult I know. To the right is Jadon (the oldest Padgett boy) and little Spohie. The kids would come and hang out on my "stoop" and color, play games, etc.

Wednesday they serve a traditional Togolese meal at lunchtime. Togo is known for mangos, and fufu...

We had the pleasure of "pounding the fufu" alongside the experts. Elizabeth pretty much runs the kitchen at the guesthouse, and she taught both Andy and I how to prepare this starchy item.

As you can see to the right, there's a rhythm to it. We didn't quite make the mark, but they had a good laugh at our attempts.

The final product is shown below, and I have to be honest...although I have a heart for Togo, I do not have a love for fufu.

The traditonal Togolese meal usually involves rice, chicken or goat, fufu, greens, and a bread.

Wednesdays are popular at the guesthouse, so we had a full house for our mealtime.

In the afternoon, Andy took the camera to the OR. For all those with weak stomachs, I will spare you the bloody shots. I will set up a link for those who are brave. Andy, or Dr. Andy, as the staff called him, wanted to show some of the differences.

 One big thing is that surgeries are performed under spinals. He was blown away by the amount of pain many of these women were enduring, and yet their gratitude during his post-op checks. If you look to the right, you will see the reused mustard container for betadine.

Here is Andy with Dr. Peterson in the OR.

After surgery, the evening ended with a game of basketball and a game of my new favorite game, Settlers!

Natasha and I had a good time talking during their game about God's provision in our lives. The following day, I kept Sophie so she could go on the mobile clinic to offer care to villagers who lack access to basic health needs.

Our first few days in Africa

Sunday we attended the Tsiko Church, about a mile down the road. The choir sounded beautiful. Oh, how we wished we were fluent in French! We had church on the compound that evening. This was the day the Nattiers arrived. Bryce just finished his surgery residency, and his wife, Natasha (mother of 3) is a nurse practicioner. They brought their oldest and youngest daughters along, and I immediately felt very blessed to have someone I could identify with on many levels.

On Monday morning, July 4th, we prepared for the big cookout on the compound. I helped set up decorations. I also met Bea Ward, a full-time missionary who has helped train dozens of teachers K-6 in an effort to empower and improve the lives of the youth in Togo. She gave me 14 sets of multiplication flash cards to create, and I started right away.

The compound really is a beautiful place that reflects the land of Togo. It's set just at the base of a mountainous area. 

The July 4th celebration had many of the expected elements: pasta salad, potato salad, baked beans, etc. Missionaries who lived within an hour's drive came to fellowship and roast marshmellows for smores.

We even had a special guest, one of the government representatives in Togo, who attended, along with his crew of bodyguards. (He is wearing green.)

Tuesday morning was Andy's first full day in the hospital, and it was my first full day of helping out. My first assignment was to effectively master use of the baby backpack as I will call it. I wanted to give Natasha a chance to get into the hospital, so I took her 10 month old, Spohie. My hats off to all you mothers out there; I have newfound respect for each of you. Sophie was so well-behaved, but it's a ton of work!

 My next big job took place at the Tuesink's house. They just returned from forlough, and so their container (packed full of donations, 3 year food supply, cleaning supplies, tools, etc.) arrived just before we did. This means that hundreds of boxes were littered throughout her house.

We took about 4 hours to unpack all of her pantry items. I've never seen so much tupperware in my life. It also helped open my eyes to how much preparation and planning goes into being a missionary in the field full time.

The views from her backyard were gorgeous...

I think Andy and I both were blown away by how much time we were getting to spend together. In order to meet the needs of the nationals who must prepare all meals over an open fire and do not have electricity for the most part, the days are set up as follows:

Breakfast 6:45 (with a devotional from 7-7:30 on M/F)

Clinic/surgery 7:00-12:15

Lunch 12:15-2:15 (built in siesta time)

Clinic/surgery 2:15-5:30ish

Dinner 6:00

It is dark by 6:15ish, and dark is an understatement. This schedule meant that unless Andy was in an emergency surgery, we ate 3 meals together every day. We spent every evening from 6:00 on with friends on the compound or with a stack of Skip-Bo cards. We got to do a study together every night and pray without distraction. In this way, it was an awesome time of growth in our marriage as we learned what serving together looked like. From the first few days, it was clear that God intended to really work on our hearts while in Togo.