~ Frank Bunner ~ |
Click pictures for larger view!
2006 Watchi Team
Lots of Kids!
Bunner and Koonce kids
We really do have the silliest teachers:)
Greek Night!
Balloon Game @ Matthew's 6th Birthday Party
Ouch!
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| We have only been here a week, but have been able to see many people that we love and care about. We have been very encouraged by our visits with churches and leaders. I thought that our first visit back would be odd after a two year stretch in America, but as we crossed the Togolese border, something within my heart was totally at peace. Everything was so familiar, so normal. What is odd about that is that life in Togo is anything but normal. However as we saw all the familiar sights and experienced the Togolese culture once again, I felt at home. I knew my role, I knew how I was supposed to respond. Eventhough in many people's eyes we have been home during these past two years, understanding our role and how to respond to U.S. culture and it's challenges has been very difficult. I have been delighting in God and his allowing us to once again be on African soil. Thanks to all of you for your prayers and for your faithful support of this work. |
~ Jenna Bunner ~ |
Thanks to those of you who are praying for our family as we spend 2 weeks here in Tabligbo. It has been all we hoped for and more: an uneventful flight over, joyful reunions with teammates and Togolese Christians, and an unexpected sense of comfort in these surroundings.
Sunday morning found us at a cluster worship in the village of Didokpo, with the Bagoukope, Kpeve, Didokpo and Kpotonou churches. Frank preached and everyone was surprised at his easy recollection of Ewe. We enjoyed a meal together afterward and the boys enjoyed running around with the Togolese kids. Monday was fun with the team in Lome, Tuesday was spent walking around Tabligbo greeting people, and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were spent in villages greeting people and delivering presents we brought from the States.
As we spend time with the Crowsons and Koonces, we find ourselves missing team fellowship and the blessings of the lifestyle of a mission family. We are continually bringing ourselves back to the fact that God's purposes and ways are good and trustworthy. We look forward to being back in Tennessee soon, but for now we're savoring this chance to be here. God bless you all. |
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It has been great having the Bunners in our house. It is as if they have just been on a long furlough. We have been excited by the advances being made in the training for Tabligbo and Atitogon. Tabligbo is helping with the Topeglo church and it looks as though they may be on their way to maturity. Pray for Felicien to be able to mentor some other men there who will take on leadership responsibilities. Afakomi continues to be a source of frustration for us. Pray for them to really choose to follow Jesus. Ahepe is very excited about having Frank and Jenna with them this coming Sunday. They have been working hard evangelizing. Pray for God to bless their work. Please pray for Vogan in preparation for the 15th of October. On that Sunday the elders from Tabligbo and the leaders from the organizational committee are going to encourage that church to put aside their differences and work together. Pray for Hammer and Dela as they continue to weather this very exhausting storm. Thank you for your prayers and your love.
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What an exciting week we have had! It has been a great blessing to have the Bunner family back with us. Amy and Emily came and stayed with the boys so I could go with Marty to Accra to pick them up. We had an easy trip over and back and really enjoyed the time in the car to "catch up". Since this is our fall break from school, the boys have been playing non-stop with Aaron, Josh and Corrie. On Monday, the whole team went to Lome for some Bunner favorites: lunch at China Town snd swimming at the Sarakawa pool. Two years have passed since they left Togo, but it is like we just picked up where we left off. We were also blessed with visits from the Ries and Reeves families, who each came through Tabligbo to see the Bunners. |
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Last week in French class Daniel used the word, "Voila." He was trying to explain to Tucker and Taylor what it meant. After he told them it meant "You found it" or "there is" he said, "Sister Amy has taken Greek so she probably knows that it is similar to the Greek word oo-ri'-ka." I was thinking "oo-ri'-ka? What in the world is that? I've never even heard of it." But I nodded and smiled and tried to act like my Greek lessons weren't failing me miserably. Daniel leaned forward and wrote the word on the board, in Greek. I quickly sounded out the word. "Oh Eureka! Yes, yes very similar to Voila." Daniel nodded and smiled, "Yes, oo-ri'-ka you know this." Whew, that was a close one. :)
This week has been a great fall break. Emily and I didn't have any plans leading up to the week and we were starting to get a little concerned that there wouldn't be anything to do. Ha, how could we ever doubt that plenty of opportunities would come up to keep us busy? Monday we spent the day in Lome having a swim day. We hadn't been swimming yet so it was lots of fun. Tuesday the Bunners dropped in during the afternoon and we got to visit with them while Aaron and Josh caught a lizard in the back yard. Wednesday was another Lome trip with the Crowsons. They needed to get shots so we all trooped into the doctor's office. I'm pretty sure that all of the Africans thought Emily and I were their nannies. :) We also bought our plane tickets for Christmas at the Air France office. Thursday was another relaxing day at home. It was probably the first day since we've been here that we didn't talk to anyone with the last name of Koonce or Crowson...usually they get antsy and call if they don't get to see us. ;) Our phone did ring in the evening, but it turned out to be the local Peace Corp volunteers calling to see if we wanted to play Monopoly. :) Today we spent most of the day out in the school getting everything set in order for the next few weeks of school. The Bunners brought Taylor's missing science and history curriculum so I finally have more for him to do besides math. It's great for me, but I doubt he's going to appreciate it very much. :)
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We continue to be blessed with visitors this week as the Ries', Reeves, and Bunners have all been guests in our home. Stephen and Matthew are having a great time playing with so many of their friends and we are really enjoying all of the fellowship!
Please continue to pray for the Batoe Christians, that the Lord would comfort their hearts after the death of Antoinette. This past Tuesday I did my very best to encourage them, but her family members are still in shock, especially her two sisters. Pray that God will bless them with divine comfort and strong faith. |
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This has been a fun week of entertaining our friends from the north, the Ries and Reeves families. It was such a blessing to have them in our home for a little while. We had a great time catching-up and hearing about their time in the US. Stephen and Matthew had a fun time playingwith their friends from Kara. We are also enjoying our time with the Bunners. It hardly seems like they have been gone and feels so natural to have them in Tabligbo. Praise God that they were able to come and encourage the Watchi christians as well as us and the Koonces. Thank you so much for your prayers for Togo.
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Three weeks ago we had a two party week! Greek Night was a lot of fun and a huge success. Amy and I cooked up a whole kitchen full of Greek food and all of the families joined us for a dinner/openhouse. Each of the boys said the first eleven verses of Phillipians chapter 2 and sang in Greek. I am so proud of them! Tuesday the fun began as soon as school was over. The boys went directly from school to the Crowson's for Matthew's rocket themed birthday party. My favorite game was the one where the boys had to stay in a ropped off area while the adults threw water balloons (meteors) at them. We finished off the evening with pizza and cake. Sunday we went to Attitogone cluster worship where we got to witness the harvest contribution of the christians. It is so special to watch the people bring what they have whether it be corn or oranges however little and give it to the Lord. Watching the togolese give out of their poverty reminds me of how much more God requires of me to be a good steward of what he has blessed me with.
Last week we began our new memory verse, new song, and new unit study at school. We are really excited about studying journalism and creating a newspaper. Our new memory verse is I Cor. 13. The first day we practiced the first verse we were going along when Trevor blurted out "crazy thimble" instead of "clanging cymbal" and now it is stuck everyones head. It is funny to watch all of the boys stop and think right before they get there trying to think up the right word which usually comes out as "th-cymbal".
Last Sunday we worship in Sendome which is always enjoyable. I am able to recognize several of the songs now.
This week is our fall break from school in honor of the Bunner's visit. We have had a great time getting to know them and their kids. The whole Ries family and teacher came down on Sunday. Just watching all 12 children play together on Monday was so much fun. Amy and I also met the three Tabligbo peace corp workers this week.
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