Dear Family and Friends,
Greetings from Togo! We arrived here (again) more than six months ago now—and are finally able to “catch you up” on what’s happening with us! (Thanks for your patience with our communication!)
It is easy to say why we love being missionaries. There is something extraordinary in connecting with and participating in the lives of others during times of need, showing love and compassion in Christ’s name.
The other day a patient in the women’s ward called out “Dr. Fred?”.
I replied, “Yes,” and asked “Do you know me?”
“I hear your name being said, and I see you walk by every day, but you never look at me to say hi”, she said.
I responded, “Do you know why?”
“No” she said.
I then told her of a time in November 2013 (that I blogged about) . . . when I was 
walking through the women’s ward and got caught off guard by a 60-plus-year-old grandma, recovering from a stroke, who was in her “birthday suit” while receiving a bed bath by family. She, the 60-year-old, tried to cover up but couldn’t. I tried to hide the fact that I noticed her. I was not quick enough. When our eyes met, she knew the “white guy” was caught off guard, at a loss for words, and embarrassed. The current patient was laughing when I left her, and now continues to laugh every time I must walk through the ward to go to the maternity area.
Recently Pastor J told us of seeing one of the PET carts (hand-cranked wheelchairs) we had delivered three years ago peddling along the side of the road, while Pastor J was on his way to deliver another PET Cart. He stopped to say hi and was surprised by whom he met. It was the boy of a set of handicap siblings who had received a PET cart in 2014. At the time, we didn’t know if it was a good fit and were worried the PET cart would not be used. Wow, were we ever wrong!
The boy had been transformed by the CART. Before he was reserved and restricted, for the most part, to his home secondary to his disability. Now he is mobile, attending church, looking for work, and is overall in a better state secondary to the increase independence he has gained from the PET Cart.
What can we say? It is these moments . . . personal and emotional . . . that light up our heart, calling us to Togo. God teaches us that giving is more rewarding than receiving. Often this is hard to understand in a society where we have everything and a gift is merely something given, at a moment, to celebrate an occasion and not to fill a need.
We are taking a break
We arrived last October to find the hospital with services reduced and a hospital working through discussion on its future. We thank God for how He has allowed us to be a part of these discussions since the middle of January and can truly say a clearer understanding is developing of not only the challenges ahead but the paths that can be taken.
In the midst of this, we are taking a break from the missionary field as of July 2018. In doing this, we would like to say a few things.
OPENED DOORS
- We feel God has opened a door for us, unexpectedly and six months early, in the way of a 1-year Emergency Medicine Fellowship (for Fred) in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The timing of this is will allow us to process our current family and work situation. How this will impact our long-term mission’s goals is unclear; however, we sense this ER training (including trauma) will be very beneficial whether the Lord leads us to return to Togo or to serve Him elsewhere.
- Please know that this process has not been easy and is something with which we have wrestled. We have been asked some tough questions through discussion with other missionaries, our sending church, and the hospital. At this time, we feel it is the direction God is leading us and our family.
THE FUTURE
- We are not sure where the future will lead us, but our hearts are in Togo.
- We are open to and planning to complete the steps required by ABWE to become full-time missionaries. If we return to the “mission” field, our goal is to return as full-time missionaries. (We are currently short-term missionaries.)
- We are waiting God’s confirmation of our call. Very specifically we are looking for the following:
- A mission field ministry that embraces discipleship (Christian, Business, Medical) and defines limits based on resources, not needs;
- Nathanael’s speech, as a three-year old, to improve. As we have reported in the past, but have not given full details, Nathanael continues to struggle with his speech. Physically he is a very capable individual, who understands everything we say to him; but he babbles a lot and struggles with “clarity” of speech. During this time in Fort Wayne, we will be seeking speech therapy for him.
- A clear direction by spring 2019 such that we can transition into a career position wherever God’s direction calls us.
THANK YOU
- Thank you to ABWE and to HBB for allowing us to be a part of their ministry in Togo!
- Thank you to you our financial and prayer supporters over these last 66 months! We can say without a doubt that your support has changed lives here in Togo!
PRAYER/GRACE
- To our prayer supporters, we ask for continued prayers not only for our transition to Fort Wayne for one year, but for our future as we continue to seek God and for the decision and direction of the Togo Hospital (HBB)
- To our financial supporters, we ask for patience and permission. As of July 9th 2018, we will be gainfully employed for a one-year period and will not require any support. We understand and accept that your support may end come July 1st, 2018 as we are returning to the USA for a one- year employment contract and because our future is unclear. What we will do, however, after July 1st 2019 is still “up in the air”. In this we ask permission to approach you in the near future for your support once again, if and when, we make the decision to return.
OUR ACCOUNT
Our account with ABWE will continue to exist. The money donated will remain in the account for “future” use by us. Please know, it can only be used for “mission” related ministry activities and not for our time working in the USA.
Our Story so far
Can you believe it! We will have been missionaries for 5½ years by the time we leave Togo in June 2018.
We started this process as a married couple, interviewing with Samaritan Purse for the post-residency program in August 2011. In January 2013, we headed to Switzerland with Noah in hand for six months to learn French, before we headed to Hôpital Baptiste Biblique in Togo, West Africa where we worked for 2 years aiding people in need, sharing Christ and becoming changed people. In July 2015, with a second son in hand, we returned to the states struggling with the idea of going back. But God opened the door, and in August 2016 we headed back to France for more required French-language training. Our goal was simply 8 months of language, but God blessed us with a third child, extending our stay by 4 months. In Oct 2017, we returned to Togo to provide care, in God’s name, for a country and people we have come to love.
Family
Noah, 6 years old this month, continues to thrive. His schooling is divided between home (math and reading), the MK school on the compound where he attends Bible and science
class, and a half day a week at the local Togolese school. He is on track to finish the kindergarten curriculum by the end of May. Noah loves to work outside. From time to time, he is found working with the Togolese and missionaries on the compound fixing roads and driving the tractor with D.
Nathanael, with his 3rd birthday this month, is our “livewire”. We are predicting he will be the first to break a bone! He enjoys, however, sitting next to and trying to keep up with his brother in the mornings with school work and/or whatever his brother is doing. It has been a joy to see he and Noah really starting to have fun laughing and playing together. He is growing slowly and his speech is progressing, but we will very much appreciate these areas of concern being re-evaluated when we are stateside.
Noémi is “growing like a weed” at 8 months old and doing very
well! She is 95% in height, weight and head circumference. She is now eating banana, pineapple, papaya, and she loves mango! She is not only sitting up on her own but has mastered scooting herself on her belly across a room at a good speed and is working on climbing up onto both of her brother’s beds. Needless to say, because of this type of activity, almost all of her clothes now are very worn and have a brown spot on the front. Both of her brothers really enjoy her and it is so fun to see the two boys laughing and having fun playing with her.
Fred and Lydia have overall been doing well. The work schedule in October and November was light, but increased in the months of December, January, and February. We are very grateful for the meetings that Fred has had an opportunity to be a part of and the doors of conversation that have opened. Lydia has found a balance over the 6 months among weekly hospital time, home schooling, participating in children’s church and managing the house. We as a family will be going to Greece for 2 weeks at the end of March for some necessary CME (Continuing Medical Education classes for both of us). And then we are praying for a strong finish to our time here in Togo for April and May.
Projects
MOBILITY CARTS/PET Carts (hand-cranked wheel chairs). Since 2014, when we received and delivered our first PET Carts, we have now received and delivered 26 carts in Togo. Can you believe it?! Not only that, but we have an active needs list of over 20 additional persons. Our goal is to get another 40 mobility carts to the hospital to be delivered by Pastor J. We are unsure of how this will unfold but are praying for doors to open and hearts to be touched. (See Mobility Cart Insert and see Mobility Cart Stories)
SHOES THAT GROW. In the middle of Feb 2018, we received 50 
pairs of “shoes that grow”. We have already distributed 25 pairs to people in need, with a goal to distribute the rest by the end of May. Our goal from there will be to follow up in 6 months to find out how practical the shoes are for this environment. If they are, our goal is to send another batch to be distributed.
WATER FOR TOGO. In January we became aware of a need for water in Togo. Most villages have a central source of clean water. However, those that do not live near the center, have to walk/ride 30 minutes plus to access water. To lighten this burden, most families will dig a well. The challenge in this is that some wells become dry and others become filled with dirty water. We have sponsored a well with a local family and have been successful in finding water; however, the well water is dirty. As such, we are currently looking for a filtering solution to clean the water. Our goal is to find a practical solution that can be used for not only this well in Togo, but other wells that are currently “dirty”.
MIDWIFE TRAINING PROGRAM. This is where our heart is . . . medical discipleship. In August of 2016, a proposal, based on the Midwife for Haiti program, was made. HBB is currently considering the framework in which such a program can be carried out.
PROJECT LIV-E. In 2017 and through contacts made by past ABWE missionaries in Albertville, France, we were able to connect Christians there, who have a heart for Togo, and Christian Schools in Togo who are in need of French-language books. Today, these Christians are working on getting books for Christians Schools in Togo.
CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING. Cancer kills. There are many types of cancer, of which only 4 can be screened for and thus prevented and or treated early, changing outcome. One of these is cervical cancer. In Togo we see 4 to 8 cases of advanced cervical cancer a year in young moms. It breaks our hearts as these lives are not only lost early, but children lose their mothers. The impact, to say the least, is huge and lasts for years if not generations. We have found a cervical cancer system that tests for cancer-causing viruses. This project continues to be in the proposal phase.
EXERCISE EQUIPMENT. Exercise is important, even for missionaries. Life is stressful and requires a balance to live successfully. Often missionaries succeed well in working and spreading the message of Christ. However, we fail miserably with our physical health. It is not uncommon for missionaries to gain weight and or to struggle with stress during their “terms” on the field. We feel strongly that missionaries must be given the opportunity to take care of their physical health appropriately. We have a source for exercise equipment and are actively looking for a place to create a gym on the compound. This project continues to be in the proposal phase.
God Bless,
Fred, Lydia, Noah, Nathanael and Noémi
email: mail@fredandlydia.com
See our updated Prayer requests and Pictures
