Dear Friends and Family,
We hope and pray that you are doing well! Thank you so much for all your prayers and support! We would love to hear from you, how you are doing, and how we can pray for you!
- 7 weeks ago, we left Fort Wayne IN;
- 6 weeks ago, we arrived in Sherbrooke, QC and we lost a financial supporter;
- 5 weeks ago, we bought snow tires for our vehicles and it started to snow (we currently have ~20 inches of snow and still falling!);
- 3.5 weeks ago, the van broke down, we started language school and we found out a friend’s cancer did not respond as hoped to the chemotherapy;
- 3 weeks ago, the kids started school;
- 2 weeks ago, Noah started swimming, we gained a financial supporter and we wrote our first set of language tests;
- 1 week ago, Nathanael started gymnastics, Noll and Nomi started soccer, the car broke down and we wrote our second set of language tests.
- This week, Nathanael cut his head open (we glued it) and we heard some tough news about a school friend of Noll’s in Fort Wayne IN.
This is only the “tip of the iceberg” in our life. As a missionary, I would like to tell you that life is different in so many ways, but in reality, it’s not. Yes, we are in a different location but we still have struggles; successes and failures (“learning experiences” as my son likes to call them); and we still receive encouraging and discouraging news. In this all I am left to ponder how other people’s lives stack up to ours and vice versa, how do our lives stack up to others? I’d like to think our lives are similar at times and also different at times. The similarities would be that of the successes, failures, and encouraging and discouraging news. The difference would be that of the gravity of a situation and the point of view. The poor result on a test is tough, but not as tough as the illness of a loved one. In all this, I can understand how our emotions can fluctuate not only on a weekly basis, but also on a daily, and even hourly basis. I do not believe that these “fluctuation” of emotions, like a yo-yo, are good for us and/or our health. With the extremes of emotions, we run the risk of losing ourselves to our situations, thus, closing the door to an opportunity and, thus, life itself. So how do we live (or suffer, if you will) well? How do we face our challenges –success, failures, and discouraging and encouraging news –from hour to hour, day to day, week to week, successfully without the highs and lows of a yo-yo? How do you minimize, not the desires of an outcome, but the reaction to a result? I do not think it is easy, but I do think the answer here on earth, is to live for something more than ourselves, to live for God and in this to learn to embrace not the outcome, but the journey that is placed before us –in living for something greater than ourselves. From Joseph, who is thrown into a well, sold to slave traders, then thrown into jail without cause, to eventually becoming only second in command to Pharoah; to David’s path in having to leave his family and being unjustly chased with the intention of having him killed, to eventually becoming king of Israel. In these cases, if success and failure were embraced with each event alone, I believe these stories would have ended much differently. It is only in believing in and in embracing something greater than the events themselves, were they, Joseph and David, able to overcome the tragedies of the moment, and able to change the world through faith and through the promises of God.
But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:19-20
HBB (Hôpital Baptiste Biblique) – “More than Just a Hospital”
A meeting –> we met with Dr L, via zoom, during the first week of January, to discuss OB care at HBB (Dr L is a FP/OB IMB full-time missionary at HBB). We are encouraged by her stories and the care being provided at HBB. She has started to meet on a regular basis with the OB nurses to discuss care and is hoping to implement routine newborn cardiac screening (via pulse ox). Also, HBB, secondary to improved staffing levels, is planning to accept more OB cases.
Some statistics –> we were encouraged by the recent HBB year-end report. (Remember everyone who comes to HBB hears the message of Christ.) HBB numbers for 2024 are:
- Patients seen in clinic: 13,936
- Patient hospital admits: 3,693
- Surgeries performed: 1,277
- Babies delivered: 204
- Bible tracks given: 9,000
- Professions of faith in Christ: 2,289
- Mobile Clinic events: 10
- Patients seen: 1,561;
- Professions of faith in Christ: >50
- Immediate population around HBB: 75,000.
- Surrounding population: 500,000 (estimate)
- HBB is serviced by: full-time missionary medical providers: 4 surgeons, 3 family doctors (one with extra OB training), 2 NP’s; and a large group of Togolese nationals.
Pre-field tasks and Move
Pre-field tasks –> all of our pre-field tasks have been completed except for one book that Lydia has to read called Cross-Cultures Connections.
Move –> the majority of “our stuff” was moved to a warehouse in Lansing MI, where it is currently waiting to be shipped to Togo West Africa. The “left-over” stuff (about 40 totes, 6 bikes, and 2 vehicles) was taken to Sherbrooke, QC. In all this, we realized two things. First, our kids are learning! A personal box of Nathanael’s was marked wrong (thanks Dad) and got shipped to Lasing MI instead of Sherbrooke; however, after realizing the mistake, we were able to locate the box and hold it in MI to be picked up sometime this spring and/or summer. In this process, Nathanael’s response after a few tears, was “It is OK dad, I will see my stuff in Togo!” We cannot tell you how much we appreciated this. The second thing we realized was we are ok and doing fine without the majority of our stuff! While packing, we had difficulty at times determining what was important and what was not. Now being in Sherbrooke, in a furnished 950 square foot apartment, with our 40 totes, I can tell you that we are doing just fine.
About Sherbrook
Sherbrooke is a hilly town with lots of snow and built around two rivers. There are a couple of universities here, one in English and one in French. The traffic lights are placed horizontally (not vertically) and when crossing the street at the lights, all the lights go red and the people cross not only from one corner to another, but diagonally (we understand that this is unique to Sherbrooke and not a standard in Quebec). Through Parole de Vie (PDV -our French language school) we understand that Quebec has a very low Christian population which is equivalent to that of an unreached people group.
Family Update
Lydia and Fred, are happy to be settling into a routine. Our day consists of getting the kids off to school, going to language school for 4 hours, doing household tasks for 3 hours (studying, shopping, vehicle care, doctor appointments, meeting, exercise, etc.) and then managing the kids for 4 hours (homework, dinner, play time, and extracurricular activities). And if energy permits, we go back to doing some homework (Fred usually goes to bed). Language school is challenging and enjoyable (with our first tests being very challenging). We are 2 students in a class of 2 (Yes! We are the only ones and getting a lot of attention.) This can be good but also challenging in different ways. We can honestly say we are learning! Fred continues to participate in weekly Bible studies with the group of men he studied with in Fort Wayne. Lydia currently does not participate in a weekly Bible study. Fred was able to take the two older kids skiing at the beginning of February, and as a family, we are hoping to do some skiing during the 1st week of March when the kids will be on a break.
Noah is half way through grade 7. His transition to the school system here, outside of a two-week delay, has gone well and he looks forward to school. We are thankful for this as the environment there is very “dark” at times. He continues to maintain contact with friends in Fort Wayne. The school bus picks him up right outside of our apartment. His subjects include French, science, math, English, PE, music, geography and history-culture-citizenship. He is doing well in his subjects except for French. The French class he is in is more advanced than a beginner’s class and we have reached out to the school for help. He has joined the chess club, the swim team, and is doing band. In the spring he is hoping to do rugby. We’re also thankful for a local English-speaking church youth group that he’s gotten involved with on Thursday evenings.
Nathanael is half way through grade 3. Like Noah, his transition has overall gone well. He looks forward to school for the most part (though, there have been some tough days), is picked up right outside of our apartment, and is maintaining contact with friends in Fort Wayne. Nathanael is learning French through daily French classes. He plays basketball at school, and has joined a local gymnastics club two times a week. In addition to this, he has set his mind on learning how to skate. During the first week of February, he went on an overnight school trip with his class for a winter sports time. We are thankful for a local English-speaking church kids club program every Tuesday evening. He’s starting to make some friends at school and is already talking to one kid about who Christ is and wanting to give him a Bible.
Noémi is half way through grade 1. Based on some school testing, her teacher is recommending that she be moved up a year (We met with her teacher this week and the decision was made to move her up to 2nd grade –she starts on 2/24.). Noémi’s transition to the school system, has been a little bit more “emotional”. She is being challenged by the behavior of the other kids in class, as well as really missing her friends. We are praying with her and working through different ways to help her. Like her brothers, she is picked up by the school bus right outside of our apartment. And we are very thankful for the friends she has been in contact with in Fort Wayne. Noémi is also learning French through daily French lessons and is currently doing soccer one time a week. We are very thankful for a local missionary family who has a daughter about Noémi’s age. The two girls really enjoy hanging out with each other (wish they were at the same school!). She is also involved in the English-speaking church kids club program on Tuesday evenings.
Noll was placed in kindergarten based on his age. His transition has been more like Noémi’s, a little bit more challenging than his brothers. However, he is being helped as he rides the same school bus and goes to the same school as Nathanael and Noémi. For this we are grateful! Noll is also maintaining contact with some friends in Fort Wayne. Noll’s school includes instruction in French one week and then in English the following week. He may turn out, in the long run, to be the best in French out of all of us. Noll is also doing soccer one time a week and is involved in the local English-speaking church kids club program -which he really enjoys!
Praises -Thanking the Lord for:
- Two strangers who helped Fred out of a bind in Canada. (He got stuck with the U-Haul and the car dolly in a parking lot.)
- Safe travels from Fort Wayne IN to Sherbrooke QC.
- Continued contacts our kids are having with their friends in Fort Wayne through a multitude of internet communication platforms.
- The 950-square-foot apartment that we have in Sherbrooke and for how we, as a family, are adjusting to it.
- That the kids were accepted and able to eventually start in the English-speaking public schools in Sherbrooke. (We were unsure for 3 weeks of what was going to happen.)
- A French church that we are attending on Sundays & an English youth program that the kids are attending during the week.
Prayers for:
- That Fred and Lydia will be able learn French well.
- That Lydia will find a Bible study group to join (as we strongly feel studying the Word is better done with someone than alone).
- The kids, their continued adjustments to their new schools, their learning, and their being able to make friends. (It is a very different and sometimes hard environment from that of a Christian school.)
- For Noah and help in French learning.
- For Noémi as she is moved to a 2nd grade class and adjusts to a new teacher & class (again) -for friends and a good environment.
- For our friends, colleagues and acquaintances who are suffering.
- Togo, Hôpital Baptiste Biblique –the team, the vision project that will expand the hospital from 50 to 75+ beds, the new FP/OB and the growing of the OB service.
- The people of Sherbrooke (& Quebec) -the ministry of PDV and the local churches in sharing the message of Christ and any role that God might open up for us here in that.
- The safety and wisdom of our colleagues at ABWE’s northern hospital in Togo as there are increasing safety concerns which is/will be straining manpower.
- Prayer and Praise that our financial needs are being met. Prayer for wisdom and responses as we hope to reach out to some churches in Northern Vermont once the snow disappears.