Daily Bread

When we decided to return to Togo to do mission work we knew that we were making a decision that is somewhat unique among missionary families.  We were taking our children to a place that is fairly isolated from other American children with the intention of staying through their high school years and without the intention of sending our children to boarding school.  The team we came to had several children their ages, but since that time they have all left.  Now Maddie and Michal are on their own.  

Each of our girls has struggled with this on their own, Mark and I have struggled as parents, and we have struggled with it as a family.  We have prayed, hoped, talked to other missionary families, reached out to families with children, and reassured our children that we will do whatever it takes to take care of all of their needs.  God has been great to answer our prayers in various ways.  For Michal, we anxiously await the arrival of her best friend as a permanent part of our team.  For Maddie, she has found a kindred spirit in Karissa, a missionary kid in Northern Ghana.  They are the same age, have the same interests, similar gifts, and they share the experience of growing up on the mission field.  

Maddie, Michal and I are currently in Tamalé, Ghana participating in MK Camp.  We are staying in a guesthouse with two other families, and during the day three more families join us so that we can worship, work, and play together.  The kids are working on a musical which they will perform next Wednesday.  We work together to use our limited resources to put meals together, and Maddie, Karissa, Michal, Colt, and often some of the younger kids talk and laugh and play their days away until they collapse in their beds at night.  

Next year Karissa’s family moves back to the U.S., and Maddie will be on her own again.  It makes me think of the Lord’s Prayer, that we ask God to “Give us this day our daily bread.”  THIS DAY, DAILY BREAD.  That means that we have to live in faith that he will give our daily bread again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next year…   Looking back on life, I know that God has never abandoned us, or left us in need with no help.  God has given us these two weeks with playing and laughter and companionship for my daughter, and I know that I can trust that next year he will again provide.  

construction the African way

A couple of weeks ago we, along with the Miller family, went to the village of Kpangkulum.  There is a small group of believers there who came to know Christ when some people from the Sanda Te church shared their faith.  Now, these young Christians are studying with others in their community, and it is clear that the Spirit of God is moving in that place!

This small faith community has been meeting in the local school, but now has decided to build their own building.  They started on Sunday, and we got to watch and "help" them out.  There was no building committee, no mortgage, no contribution pledges, just a group of people laughing and working together, with tree branches, dried grass, machetes, and tree bark rope.

They use machetes to loosen the dirt and their hands to scoop it out to make holes for the posts.

Rope is made by stripping the bark from a tree, and then splitting it into long strands.

a young girl carry a bundle of dried grass for the roof

After getting the posts into place, they use the strips of tree bark to secure the rafters.

tying on a rafter

I love being out in the village among the Kabiye people.  I love seeing my girls play with kids there and finding simple ways of amusing themselves.  I love the sweet spirit of community that African villagers share.  I love the rolling hills, endless sky, and amazing boabab trees of the Togo landscape.  And I love witnessing people's lives being changed by the peace and joy that comes with knowing Christ!  Thank you, God, for bringing me here to participate in your work among the Kabiye!

I also took some great video, but I'm not quite patient enough to spend the time uploading it!