March 1, 2007

We are finally in Tabligbo, Togo. This is a dream come true for Bill and me as we have wanted to come since Patty and Edwin Slack lived here and now here we are and they are back home in Vancouver, WA . holding down the fort while we are away. Thank you so much, Edwin. What a blessing it is to see Amy's life here as she and Emily teach these 6 very special, goofy, bright, huggable boys. We are so proud of the girls. They have been very hospitable by fixing up their guest room and preparing meals ahead of time to just pull out of the freezer. Getting to celebrate Amy's 22nd birthday with a "Princess" party ( With just boys around here, they don't get to do girly party's very much) last night at the Crowson's was great. Amy is a precious daughter and a joy to our hearts. We are even more grateful for the past three days here because it was such an ordeal to get out of Accra, Ghana. We spent an extra day there waiting for the airlines to decide if they wanted to leave early, causing us to miss our connection Sun. night, or leave late Mon. night ( and be the last people out of the Lome airport as they locked up), causing Amy and Murphy to wonder where in the world we were. In these 3 days we have been to market, the batik maker, sandal maker, the post office, the Crowson's and Koonce's who graciously serve from joy-filled hearts and homes, wandered north to a small village, enjoyed cool tile floors,fast moving fans in every room, cold showers 2-3 times a day, the 3 o'clock breeze, and the rain today that cooled things off a bit. We are anxious to meet our African brothers and sisters next week after the Pendjari trip. We have heard their names and stories and prayed for them for years and now to be able to see them and share face to face will be wonderful. Thank you to everyone who makes it possible for Amy to teach here. We love you all.

We have had a challenging week. There have been lots of meetings concerning various troubles. Car repairs have taken Marty to Lome on two different days. On a positive note, Louise enjoyed sharing her birthday with Amy. Our celebration was larger than usual, with the addition of Amy's parents and Lauren Anthony (one of our Peace Corps friends). Friday, we will all journey to Kara and then on to Benin for our "almost-annual" team safari. Please pray for our safe passage.

We spent a busy couple of days in Lome picking up my parents. It was a lesson in patience as we waited an extra day for their flight, but in the end they made it and I'm very glad. I don't think I'll forget calling the airport every half hour during the evening to ask if their flight had arrived or the look on Mom's face when we finally saw them in the airport. It was quite the "Welcome to Africa" experience.

Standardized testing with the boys started this week. They have been so excited. I know that testing is usually a dreaded experience, but the boys can't wait for their turn to take another section. We started Trevor a day before everyone else so that he could have his tests spaced apart. That's turning out to be a bad idea because now he only has one section left and all of the other boys have three or four. Today he didn't get to do any testing and I told him it was because he wasn't being good. He now thinks that in order to be "able" to do his last section he is going to have to be on his best behavior next week. :)

We praise God for the three baptisms from the new church in Agodeke. In addition, God answered our prayers from a couple weeks ago for Bernard and he has chosen to go against culture and trust in God. Plus, the chronic dysentery in the Didokpo region has all but stopped. My car is running well so far and our family is healthy! Praise God!

Today I picked up Mark Berryman at the Ghana/Togo border. Mark was very instrumental in my decision to serve God in Africa and it's a pleasure to have him in my home. I praise God for men like him who have given so much to the cause of Christ in Africa.

Tomorrow we're headed north to Kara to be with the Kabiye team on a trip to Pendjari game park. Everyone is excited to be together and enjoy God's beautiful creation. Please pray that the Lord would keep us safe as we travel and encourage our hearts through the wonderful fellowship!

Our week got off to a crazy start when Amy's parents plane came in a day late, but we had a very productive time in Lome running errands. It was fun to stay at the Baptist Guest house for 2 nights. I am so thankful that Amy's parents arrived safely. I am giving the IOWA Test of Basic Skills standardized test to all of the boys this week and next which is keeping me very busy. We did a quick introduction to market for Amy's parents yesterday. Then last night we had a big joint party for Amy and Louise which was lots of fun. I can't believe our Pendjari trip is already here! We leave tomorrow!