The Pfennigers – Fred and Lydia

To all who prayed for us almost 2 weeks ago -THANK YOU!!!
(and sorry it took us this long to let you know what happened!)

It started off a little bit rough -as we found out the night before we were to leave, that our 6 year old had a possible exposure to COVID. So after conversations and prayers, we decided not to bring our kids, and Lydia’s mom so graciously dropped everything and drove the 4 hours so that she could watch the kids while we went to Indy. Though at first this was hard, we actually felt like this was a blessing, allowing for us to completely be able to focus on the conversations and discussions versus needing to split our attention.

In the conference, itself, there were some very good presentations that then allowed for some good conversations to occur that we felt are going to be key in helping us make a final decision.

So, NO, we have not made a decision as of yet, but feel like things are starting to come together to allow us to make that decision. We plan on spending the next few weeks praying, and talking with each other and some people from our church here in Ft. Wayne, with the idea of making a decision by the fall. At that time we will be sure to let you know what we are doing!

Again -thank you so much for your prayers for the past weekend!
We would appreciate your continued prayers as we pray and work through the conversations, the encouragements, and fears and work on trusting God for what this next step will be.

God bless,
Fred and Lydia
Noah, Nathanael, Noe’mi, and Noll

Dear Friends and Family,

I don’t know if it has seemed like a long silence since you last heard from the Pfenniger Family and what we are doing.
Honestly, it has seemed like a long period of silence to us as we have sought for God’s clear direction in what He would have us to do -returning to Togo long-term or staying in the US.  The silence for us over the past 2 years has not been easy, as at different times, we thought we would make a decision and then things unexpected happened – COVID, Lydia’s dad being diagnosed with cancer, Noll having a heart valve defect that will require surgery.
In this quietness we have wondered, why the silence and why we weren’t hearing a clear direction. I (Lydia) struggled with the ideas of “are we doing something wrong?” “are we not doing enough of ______?”
In all of this we have been very grateful for a Bible study through the book of Genesis that reminded us that God is faithful and even though He may be quiet for long periods of time, He is still working and will not leave us nor forsake us! (Abraham and Sarah waited 20 YEARS for the birth of Isaac and this is just one such example! Jacob working for Rachel, Joseph being sold and then being in prison -wrongly accused, etc.) In all of this as we look back over the past 2 years, we can see how God has worked and answered prayers -though at the time we did not always see it.

So all of this to say -we have started to feel that God may be starting to answer those prayers and maybe starting to make a path clear.
There is a Togo missions meeting June 12th in Indianapolis, IN to which we will be going and praying to have some good conversations with some of the long-term missionaries there again at HBB.  And family concerns seem to becoming more clear (Lydia’s dad passed in January, and her mom seems to be finding her “path” and Noll will not be requiring surgery at this time but yearly surveillance until surgery is deemed necessary).

Do we know what we are doing yet? NO, but we feel that the answers we were needing have come become more clear and allowing us to be able to have “clearer and better” discussions.  We do NOT know what exactly we are looking for when we go to this meeting on June 12th -but we are asking God that He would have both of us walking away from this meeting with a clear vision, passion, and direction that we can talk through with each other and with couples from the missions committee at our church.  We’re asking God for very clear direction, guidance and wisdom in helping us to make this decision -so that we will know by this fall what we are doing and can start taking steps forward.

And so for this reason I’m writing you –in the past you all have wonderfully supported us in prayers. And so we are asking you again if you would lift us and our family up in prayer for:
1. Protection over the travel and being involved in the conference on June 12th
2. God’s hand and blessing in conversations that occur on and around June 12th
3. Clear thoughts and conversations for Fred and Lydia with God’s guidance and wisdom in the conversations and thus ultimately the decision that needs to be made of whether we will be returning to Togo or staying in the US. (praying for the kids as well as they will start to also be apart of these conversations)

Thank you so much for your prayers! Thank you so much for the way that you have followed us over the past few years!
Please feel free to write with whatever questions and/or any prayers that you would have for us. And we will plan on updating you as we come to the end of this long-period of silence and the beginning to the next steps in our life.

Love in Christ and God bless,
Fred, Lydia,
Noah, Nathanael, Noe’mi, and Noll
Pfennigers

So a very very late Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We pray that you all had a wonderful holidays and that as you head into this new year that God will be in and a part of all that you are doing.  We are praying for God’s very clear direction as we head into this year and as we try and determine what our next steps should be.  We would much appreciate your prayers as we seek God’s guidance and direction.  Please read our newsletter and find out how things are going here in Ft. Wayne and what we are working through for this coming year.

You can go to our website under “Newsletter” tab and click on “2019-January” or click here.

Please also see our updated prayer requests and pictures.

God bless,

Fred, Lydia, Noah, Nathanael, and Noémi

We are in the midst of packing.  We leave Togo June 3rd.  We will head to Madison, Indiana for 3 weeks after which we will leave for Fort Wayne, Indiana to start an ER fellowship for one year.  Please know we are both excited at the opportunity and a bit stressed as we start to pray about our future after the year.

What we do after the year is really dependent on a few things such as Nathanael’s speech, how our family is doing, and the direction HBB will take.  As missionaries we have become champions of intentional discipleship not only in the

PAs and Nurses Fred has been teaching

Christian faith but also in education and business.  Over the last 4 months (since the middle of Jan 2018) we have been able to participate in some very open and frank discussions about HBB concerning the paths that are available in going forward.  The

fruits of the discussion have seen the primary responsibility of the medical clinic and hospital being transitioned from the doctors to the medical assistants, with the doctors playing more of a consultant/educator

Fred with the OB nurses

role.  Not only that, the maternity ward/OB clinic responsibility has been transitioned from a high-risk service run by a doctor, to a low risk service run by nurses.  The goal of the service is not to limit itself, but to build a strong foundation prior to becoming once again a high-risk service.

As we leave HBB, we leave in a better place than we did in July 2015.  Back then we were burned out and confused, not knowing how to process our time in Togo.  Today, we leave, healed and at peace with our time here and with no doubts, that we were where God wanted us for the last 5½ years.  If we are confused it is in our next steps.

Topping this all off, HBB has asked us to come back as full-time missionaries.  We can ask for no greater compliment then that.  Thank you.  And we are fervently praying about if God would have us to return to Togo at HBB.

Please know that we plan to continue our blog and newsletter over the next year as we consider our future.  And that we are available, upon requests, to make a presentation and to participate in mission conferences.  We are strong believers in the “missions movement” and would love to share our experience wherever and whenever.

To our prayer supporters:

• we ask if you can continue to hold us up in prayer as we consider our future if it is to be at HBB or elsewhere;
• we ask for your prayers for Nathanael, that he will continue to grow and that he will respond to speech therapy;
• we ask for your prayers for the rest of the family as we transition to a new town, a new job and new schools;
• And we ask for prayers for HBB as it continues to reflect on its future, and for the decisions that have to be made.

To our financial supporters:

• Please know that we have job for a year and we are uncertain about what we will be doing after the year.
• Please know that we do not need financial support while we are in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Thus it is OK to stop your support as of July 1^st, 2018.
• If and when we decide to go back, we will approach you once again, with no expectations that you will give.
• Please know that we are very grateful for your support over the last 5½ years . . . thank you.
• Please know that our account at ABWE will continue to be open as we pray about our future. And that money given to the account can only be used for “mission trips” and “mission related work”.

God Bless

Fred, Lydia, Noah, Nathanael and Noémi

PS:  Our schedule

• June 3, 2018 –> flying home to Madison, IN
• June 6, 2018 –> Dentist appointment for Nathanael
• June 11 to June 22, 2018 –> Swim lessons / VBS school for Noah and Nathanael
• June 14, 2018 –> trip to Fort Wayne to sign lease
• June 18-20, 2018 –> Trip to Samaritans Purse in Boone, NC (HBB business)
• June 22, 2018 –> move up to Fort Wayne Indiana
• June 28, 29, 30 –> Childress family reunion in MI
• July 9, 2018 to June 28, 2019 –> ER Fellowship
• August to June 2019 –> New and Old Testament Bible courses

Nathanael and Noemi

New friend Samuel

The two “Whities”

Going to Market with Akofa

Fred working at the hospital

Getting out to eat at a local restaurant

Discussions with the OB nurses

It’s finally here! Our spring newsletter 🙂

Thank you so much for your patience with us!

There’s a lot of important information, updates and news on what has been and is occurring here at the hospital, what God has been doing and where He is leading.

Go to our website under “Newsletter” tab and click on “2018-Spring” or click here. Also see the additional “2018 -Spring Mobility Carts Insert” or click here to learn what God has been doing through the PET carts/Mobility carts.

Please also see our updated prayer requests, pictures and financial pages.

God bless

Fred, Lydia, Noah, Nathanael and Noémi

It’s hard to believe that this time last year we were getting ready to finish up our last semester in France and Noémi was yet to arrive!  And now we’ve been in Togo for a little over 3 months -wow, a lot has happened over this year and we feel very blessed for what God has done in our lives and how He has been working in us.  Part of that is taking the time to look back and remember what God has done and how He has worked in our lives.  It helps to remind us of the challenges that He’s brought us through and remind us that He will continue to be with us as He was in the past even though we may not always see it in the moment.

I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.      Psalm 77:11

As you enter this new year, we pray that you have the chance to reflect on what God has done for you, how He’s been there for you over the past year and/or years.

This is a video clip of an interview that MAG church youth asked us to do for them a few days before we left for Togo, it was a blessing to us to be able to recount how God has worked in our lives. Hope you enjoy it as well.

Please see our prayer page for continued updates as for us and the hospital there remain some critical decisions to be made.

See our picture page for recent photos.

My reflection over the last couple weeks has been focusing on the greatness of God and how I pale in comparison.  This is not an easy line of thought for me as focusing on the greatness of someone (even God) seems to be prideful and selfish.  But just as I am awed by a sunrise that splashes its color beautifully over the mountains or just as I am enthralled by the beauty and intricacy of a tiny snowflake or . . . so too I should be awed and humbled even more so by an amazing awesome and holy creator God who was willing to step down into his creation to become part creation himself, in order to suffer and die so as to save that creation.  This is a pure love with no strings attached.  Do we truly recognize how great and awesome is our God and his love for us?  I’m not sure I do.  I pray that I can.   

As we take time this Christmas season to reflect on God and the gift that He has given us in the form of a little baby born in the stable, we have felt very blessed to be here in Togo and to be able to give a “small” gift of a mobility cart to those here who have need.  Below is a brief summary of seven people that have each been given a mobility cart.  I pray that their stories are a blessing to you but also that we will pray for them and their families that in this season of their lives that Christ and his gift of salvation will become very real to them.  Thank you for all you do to help us in being here and in praying for us and the Togolese.  

1.      Esther -4-year-old girl

-The repercussions of an infection in the brain (meningitis or cerebral malaria) left her with a cerebral palsy type picture with minimal to no use of both her arms and legs.

-The pull cart will allow for greater mobility.

-Religion: animism.

Prayer -that the family will come to know and follow Jesus Christ.

2.      Kossiwa -63-year-old woman

-As a result of a childhood illness, she was left with a debilitating weakness in her legs that greatly restricts her mobility requiring the assistance of her husband and 4 children in being able to get around.

-The mobility cart will give her an independence in moving.

-Religion: Catholic

–Prayer: That she will become involved in a Bible study and deepen her faith.

3.      Blessing -4-year-old girl

-She was born with severe club feet that failed treatment.

-The mobility cart will allow her to be able to go to school and other places.

-Religion: none

–Prayer: that her and her family will experience and know God’s love and gift of salvation

4.      Chantal -17-year-old girl

-As a result of malaria at 2 years of age she was left with a debilitating weakness in her legs.

-The mobility cart will give her an independence in being able to go to school and church.

-Religion: Christian

–Prayer: that the leaders of her community who heard the gospel message in this process would come to know Christ and that her and her family’s faith would deepen. 

Sorry, no picture available.

5.       Pastor Pito – 52-year-old man

-Paralyzed from the waist down as a result from a fall from a tree in 2015. 

-The mobility cart gives him independence in movement.

-Religion: Christian

–Prayer: He is currently struggling with a lot of pain and as such is not getting out much.  Prayer for an opportunity of ministry and wisdom on how he can cope with the pain.

6.        Komi- 35-year-old

-Paralyzed since birth.  (one brother with also the same problem)

-He was very honored to get a cart and will use it to go to church and to help with his work (shoe repair) –as he also has one child.

-Religion: Christian (he attends a Pentecostal church but did not understand well the plan of salvation, after it was explained to him, he prayed with the pastor for the forgiveness of his sins)

-Prayer:  That his faith (and that of his family and community) would grow and deepen.  He desires to be married.

7.       Koffi – 30-year-old man

-Paralyzed since birth (brother to Komi)

-He was very happy to get a cart as it will greatly help him in independence and moving (not having to crawl now).

-Religion: Christian (He understands the plan of salvation and was reassured of his salvation).

-Prayer: That his faith would grow and deepen and that he would be able to find a job/work.

Thank you again for all that you do in supporting us and blessing the people here in Togo! Thank you for your prayers!

For more pictures visit our picture page.

For our most recent prayer needs visit our prayer page.

For information regarding our projects, financial support click on the support tab on the top of the page.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Fred, Lydia, Noah, Nathanael and Noemi

The seasons are changing as we get ready to return to Togo.  We pray that you had a blessed summer!

We wanted to share how things finished for us in France, our trip home to the US, and what we are praying for as we look to starting our work and ministry again in the hospital, HBB, in Togo.

Go to our website under “Newsletter” tab and click on “2017-Fall” or click here.

Please also see our updated prayer requests, pictures and financial pages.

God bless

Fred, Lydia, Noah, Nathanael and Noémi