We are at the half way mark, month 15 of 30. What a trip it has been so far. So many stories and experiences. We would like to give you an update of where we are and where we are going.
ABWE / HBB / The Hospital of Hope
ABWE, the organization that runs HBB in Tsiko Togo, and where we are currently located, is on track to open a new hospital in the Northern Part of Togo called Hospital of Hope. Opening date is January 2015. We are hoping to make a trip there sometime in February/March of 2015 to visit the hospital and site.
Prayer Support
We are not sure of the exact numbers of people who are praying for us, but we know there are a number of you who do and we are very thankful for your prayers. We do feel “watched over and cared for” – especially on those really busy nights when things feel “out of control” and one can lean on the arms of our Heavenly Father and know that there are people who are at that moment lifting you and your family up to Him. We could not be here without your prayers. We also very much appreciate your words and thoughts of encouragement that you share with us through responses to our blogs and emails.
The Blog
The blog continues to be a joy/therapeutic to write. We have 132 subscribers to our site and an average daily viewership of 25. Our blogs are a reflection of our experiences/feeling as they happen. Our goal is to relate our experiences as best as we can to you, so that you may share in the ups and downs of missionary life and know how to pray for both the Togolese and us.
If you have any questions, suggestions about a blog or would like to know about something specific please, feel free to write us.
Financial Supporters
We presently have two sources of income, Samaritans Purse and you, and with our current monthly commitments we are at 100 plus percent of support to the end of our term.
Outside of that we have roughly 70 financial supporters, 18 monthly donors and 52 one time and or intermittent donors, who have given anywhere from 25 dollars to 6,000 dollars. Our goal, which we have met, was to raise 1,200 US dollars a month.
Looking over our expense records, we spent about 6,000 US dollars a month while in Switzerland for the seven months and are presently spending about 3,200 US dollars a month while in Togo. Our major expenses in Togo, not including rent are as such:
- Student loan: 866/month
- Groceries: 650/month
- US taxes: 306/month
- US medical License/organization fees: 250/month
- Health Insurance: 240/month
- Electricity: 200/month
- House Help: 162/month
- Internet: 70/month
- Other (gifts, household consumables, printer paper/cartridges, transportation, etc): 456/month
Noah
Noah continues to grow and explore in all sorts of ways. Most recently he was branded as the “escape artist.” This was because one day as we were working in the hospital, we heard a “Mama, Dada, Mama, Dada,” and turned around to find our son walking in the hospital door with Fred’s shirt and no one accompanying him! He’d managed to get out of a locked door at our house without our househelp knowing and walk all the way into the hospital, about 400meters, all by himself! He’d had a good number of people out looking for him that day! The next day thankfully one of the missionary wives saw him headed toward the hospital again and was able to stop him and get him back home. Since then we’ve had a lock put on the door high up and out-of-reach of young fingers!
Future
As we look to the future and where God would have us to be, we are uncertain.
In staying in the field long term, there are many challenges including Noah’s education, establishing a monthly salary, planning for retirement, and establishing a home as well as ministry. We would go from part time missionaries financially supported by Samaritans Purse and you to full time missionaries supported only by you. Our monthly expenses would likely double including new costs such as rent, hospital fees, retirement and ministry funds (supporting the hospital and local churches).
These have not been easy months for us –as many of you may know from reading our blogs, but God has been our continual support and He is working in our lives and the lives of our patients –though not always as fast and direct as we would wish for. But we are whole heartedly asking God for clarity on whether He would have us to stay on the mission field long term.
As we pray for God’s direction in our lives we would ask you to pray as well. Pray with us that God would give us clear direction on where He would have us to be and then the faith to follow that wherever it may be. And pray also for what role you, our supporter, would play going beyond June 2015 –as a continued and/or new prayer/financial supporter.
God Bless
After this jpurney maybe you all should come back to the states and help the people here and guide them and prepare for Noah’s education and future here/………….
GREETINGS TO YOU THREE.. THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE.. YES, IM SAYING PRAYERS ALSO… HOPE YOU HAVE GOOD BLESSINGS FOR THE REST OF YOUR STAY….BEST WISHES, MARGARET B..
Fred and Lydia, it is always so good to read your letters. Your card is on our refrigerator and we think of you often. We will be very interested in your future plans. I don’t know if Dave and Ann have related to you how our winter has been in Indiana, but it’s been quite a winter and is still being that way, even on March 12. There’s snow in the air today again. So we’re waiting until winter has settled down before contacting Dave and Ann. What Frank and I would like to do is drive to Southern Indiana and take them to lunch and visit with them regarding your situation, future, etc. I don’t know for sure how well Dave is at this time, so this might not work out for them. But before long, I’ll send Ann an email to see if we could work out seeing them.
Prayers and blessings on all three of you! Obviously, God is also watching over Noah.
Pat Hart
You are constantly in our thoughts and prayers! So thankful that Noah ‘s escapes had no serious consequences! We will be praying, specifically for your future plans. We love and miss all of you <3
We are praying for you and this major decision in your lives. God is using you in amazing ways. Thank you for using your medical skills to minister to those who need physical healing but even more importantly sharing Jesus, The Great Physician with your patients, fellow staff and community.