Yes, we admit that some time has passed since we released our last newsletter. We've had some "encouragement" from some of you, informing us that you are anxiously awaiting more news from this side of the world, and we are thankful for your interest and partnership in what God is doing here. The truth is, we've actually been pondering about what we should write in our next release ever since we released our end of the year news. Yet, here it is, already May and we are still pondering. What seems like a simple task can be quite daunting at times to us as our days are filled with normal tasks, and one day just seems to turn into the next. Sometimes, it seems that there is nothing interesting to report. Neither of us are super poetic, we aren't gifted writers who can creatively spin our everyday happenings into deep truths or thought-provoking insight. So acknowledging that about ourselves, we constantly dialogue back and forth about what to say and how best to share our lives here in a way that is respectful to those we do life with, but still keep you informed of how God is at work. In this lies the struggle. So being honest, it’s a difficult task because, in just "doing life" it’s hard to come up with things to share that we think you all will find interesting and encouraging. God truly is at work here, but in the day to day, through all the struggle and heartache we see all around us, through all the business that is life and work here, it is often difficult to see. Which is where the Joy of writing our newsletters comes in. While we ponder and stew about what to share next, when we actually sit down to write, we are forced to reflect on how even amidst the business, day to day tasks of just living "our normal," God is deeply at work in our own lives as well as in the lives of the Togolese, in big ways and small. The small subtle ways that He is at work are often more challenging to identify but they are what keep us going when things get tough. In doing life here, we continue to provide quality health care to hundreds of patients, share the gospel, and build relationships. Sometimes we get to see fruit but often we just trust that God is continually at work. So, thank you for your patience with us as we struggle through processing and sharing what is going on here.
It's crazy to think that the first 4 months of 2019 have passed. For us, these have been rather busy but productive months. The kids have been working hard at school, and the end of school is approaching quickly. They are preparing for the annual living museum. Elli will be Queen Elizabeth I, Andrew- Albert Einstein, and Sofia- Corrie ten Boom (pictures to follow soon). Because there are no stores here and ordering costumes from amazon that can be shipped to Togo isn't really feasible, we often have things made here by very talented seamstresses and tailors. We love our friends who are talented in this way as we think we might lose our minds if we actually had to make these costumes ourselves (especially for 3 kids at the same time). In needing people to help us with some of the more challenging tasks here, we are getting to know them quite well. In fact, I'm quite sure that one friend/tailor must laugh each time I call to tell him I have a project for him because they are usually complicated projects that must, at times, seem like strange requests. We are so thankful for opportunities like this to need others and build/deepen relationships.
Since the departure of our full time Ob/Gyn, Natasha has taken on the task of Gynecology clinic in addition to where she had been working, with the maternity patients for their outpatient obstetrical visits. The demand and need for women's health screening and care here is huge. Many of the patients who present in the gyn clinic come seeking diagnosis/treatment for infertility or recurrent pregnancy loss. Some have struggled for years and have never been pregnant, others have been pregnant 10+ times and may only have one or no children. Discussions and counseling with these patients can often be very difficult as we only have a limited number of things we can try medically. Often, we have to deliver news that there is simply nothing more that we can do, and from our human perspective, pregnancy will not be possible. These cases are frequent and heartbreaking. But regardless of the situation, we have many opportunities to share the hope we have in the one true God, one who created us, knows us intimately, and who has a plan for our lives far better than we can comprehend. It is always such an incredible joy and gift from the Lord when we see our patients, who have presented to our gyn clinic with infertility or recurrent loss, walk into our OB clinic pregnant and an even greater joy to see them deliver. We give all praise and glory to the Giver of Life!
Bryce continues to have a steady stream of surgical patients. The first three months of the year were some of the busiest surgical months since our arrival. We continue to see the effects of advertisement by the word of mouth of our patients. One example of this is the large number of people waiting to be seen at the gate of the hospital. Some of them will wait a week or more. We have been told that they do not have a problem with this because they are confident that they will receive high quality care here- and they just keep coming! We are thankful for this testimony of our hospital.
Bryce recently had a unique experience transporting a patient and his mother, with our family, the 8-hour drive to our sister hospital in southern Togo. Bryce and a visiting pediatric surgeon were able to perform his surgery the next day. Two days later we all made the trip back to Mango. He is doing very well and just had the final step for his treatment which was a colostomy closure. He has a problem called Hirschprung's disease which effects the last portion of the colon. He initially had problems passing stool as a baby, and later he had a colostomy. For this reason, his parents haven't sent him to school with his colostomy and the social problems that brings. At this point he is 7 years old, and his mother is very excited for him to now be ready to start school in the next school year.
We recently enjoyed a little break to attend our mission's regional conference. All of us working in West Africa traveled to Capetown, South Africa for the week long conference. We are thankful for short term surgeons and other doctors who came to serve while we were away. The conference was a definite time of encouragement. We were blessed to get to know our mission's new president, Dr. Paul Davis, as he and his wife spent the week with us and shared from God's word. After the conference, we were able to enjoy a week of vacation. Capetown reminded us a little of California, and had many of the things we appreciate/miss in the western world like restaurants, interstates and dependable roads without vehicle eating potholes, shopping malls, grocery stores, and much cooler temperatures. Bryce had the opportunity to enjoy a deep sea fishing trip with some of our colleagues off the southern tip of Africa in the area where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. He finally caught a yellow fin tuna, something that has been on his bucket list for a long time. We greatly enjoyed
some wonderful meals from the meat!
We had fun hiking through Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, exploring the World of Birds and a big cat sanctuary, sailing out to seal island, riding a cable car to the top of Table Mountain, admiring a colony of penguins in their natural habitat, and visiting the beautiful Cape of Good Hope.
All this to say, our time away was much needed and the timing (brief escape from hot season) was perfect. We came back encouraged and refreshed, ready to jump back into the work God has for us here.
Prayer Requests:
Our family - We left America 3 1/2 years ago, so we would normally be headed back for stateside ministry in December. However, we are awaiting the arrival of two surgeons here early next year, so we have decided to delay leaving Togo until the summer of 2020. This will also allow our kids to finish one more school year here in Togo. Please pray for us to be strengthened in the Lord for this remaining year of ministry. We are excited for a visit from Bryce's parents and our niece next month. Please pray for them as they travel.
Our team - There are two surgeons and their families committed to coming here who are currently in language school in France. Please pray for them as this is a challenging time trying to learn a second language as a family. Pray especially for the Chmil family whose son Hudson was recently badly burned in an accident. He was treated in the burn center in France two hours away from the language school. Please pray for God's healing for Hudson, and for their entire family as they navigate this in France.
