Welcome to the First Baptist Church of Detroit
 
Praise God for His faithfulness.  We were able to worship in the new Agou church building on July 31 and last Sunday.  It is such a blessing!!  So nice to sit on pews and with the pews filled!!  Several people from the neighborhood came so we are very thankful to see new people coming and have a place to sit.  So thank you so much to all of you who have given and all of you who have prayed.  

Yesterday we had a great day we had a great day at the beach celebrating my birthday and the birthday of Richard. Richard and his two brothers and sisters lost their mom a few years ago.  The oldest brother lived across the street from friend Beky.  Since the loss of their mom , Beky has kind of adopted them as the father does not take good care of them.  So it was fun to share the day with them splashing in the water, making sand castles, and playing Frisbee and soccer.  Thanks to all of you who sent birthday greetings.  That was a big encouragement to me.  I am blessed in many ways!!!  


I also thank God for his protection.  We were visiting some people Sun. afternoon when we noticed that my car was leaking water.  I found out yesterday that the head gasket is blown and needs to be replaced.  I am thankful that it did not happen while driving to Lome which I was planning to do yesterday and that it happened while I am in the south and there are mechanics that can fix it.

 
Thanks for your prayers for me while at the Tsiko hospital.  It has been very busy as we have an orthopedic team here including two surgeons.  We praise God that they were able to redo the hip of Mr. Nogbedzi who has suffered for several years with a hip replacement that has been loose.  These doctors have been very busy as there are not good orthopedic doctors here in Togo.  So please praise God for these doctors who have helped lots of people.  

We also praise God for sparing the life of a little girl of one of church leaders, she accidently inhaled a kernel of corn and was not doing well.  She was not breathing well at all. The doctors decided to go in as they did not have the right equipment to be able to take it out, they were able to cut the kernel into pieces and remove most of the kernel. It is really a miracle that she is alive.   

What is most exciting is to see people coming to Christ everyday.  We are thankful for the staff have been sharing  who share the gospel with many patients.  Dr. Crowe shared with us that a muslim woman made of profession of faith while she was being examined.  He said that is the second muslim woman that he has see come to Christ in the month that he has been here.  So we praise God for God continues to use this hospital to draw people to himself.  Please pray for the hospital as we since the enemy’s attacks.   

Please continue to pray for us this next week as we make selections for 20 new employees who also want to be considered eventually for the next nurses training program.  We received 240 applications, so it was a bit overwhelming to see all of these applications, but the first thing we did was to pray over all of the applications that God would direct us in these decisions.  We see each one as an individual who wants an opportunity to work and to minister for God.   Pray for us as we make selections of who we will interview.  

Rejoicing in Him and thankful for you,
Cindy
Picture
 
 
I am thankful for what God is teaching me about making disciples in Mango.   It has always been a dream as a missionary to live among the people where you are working.  This week I have seen God giving me opportunities to minister to people as you live day to day with them. 

 

Behind my house there is compound that has several different rooms with different families living in them.  One of the families the father is a military officer who is currently getting training in Lomé.  His wife is very pregnant with their 3 child.  She is almost at her due date and the govt. hospital here in town said that she needed to go to Dapong, which is an hour away, to have her baby.  The baby is too big and she might need a c-section done which that cannot do at the govt. hospital as there is no surgeon.  So last week I took her to Dapong as to ride a taxi is often overcrowded and not the most comfortable.  I was thankful to have a way to show her that I wanted to help.  She seemed to really appreciate the ride.  As of today she has not yet had the baby.

 

Her son, Marius, came over the next day, last Sat. and had nothing to do.  I thought it would be fun if we could do a little corn field in my back yard.  So he and I started digging rows to plant the seed.  In a bit the other kids, whose picture I have sent before, came to help put the corn in the ground.  We have been doing a chronological study of the bible, starting with creation, so I took the opportunity to ask questions about who created this corn that we were planting.  It really was fun to do with them, and our corn is already sprouting!! 

 

On Tues. afternoon one the neighbor girls came to get me to say that an older man that lives behind me was sick and needed to go to the hospital.  I got my car and went over to pick him up.  He was not able to walk and seemed as if he was having a stroke.  We took him to the govt. hospital.  It was an interesting experience watching the process.  It was quite sometime before they got an IV in him and since they have no doctors the nurse started doing the treatment.  A few hours later he died.  I learned the next morning that they took his body to Kara, which is 2 hours away as they do not have morgues here in Mango.  I went to give my condolescenes to the family.    It reminds me of people here that are dying with no hope, who are lost.  That is why we are here!   So please pray for this family and that I might have an opportunity to talk with his daughter about eternal things. 

 

A few days ago I was talking to some women who were outside sitting and talking.   They were asking me about what I had prepared to eat that day.  I said it was something American.  They commented about wanting to come and eat.  So I invited them to come today, Friday and try some.  This morning I went and again invited them to eat at noon.  Later I saw one of the ladies again and said that I had prepared the food and were they coming?  She said yes.   All afternoon they never came.  I went out later to go visit a woman and her son who live right behind my house.  The little boy has cerebral palsy and does not walk or talk,  but has a beautiful smile which lights up when you talk to him.  Again it was a great encouragement to go visit him and his grandmother was so thankful that I had come to see them. 

 

So finally at 8pm last night my lunch guests showed up to eat!!  I am learning alot of being flexible and just loving people.  It is all about loving people without thinking of my own agenda.  We had a nice visit and I told them that I was very happy that they came (even though they were 8 hours late!).  So I praise God for the relationships He is building here.  I pray that I might continue to be a light of Christ to these people. 

 

Medina continues to come for our chronological study.  I praise God that He is really working in her life and is giving her a desire to understand His word.  I gave her a copy of the New Testament in French and Arabic.  She said that her husband is also reading it in Arabic.  Please pray that God’s word will open their eyes to truth and they would understand what Christ has done for them.

 

I also wanted to update you on the hospital construction.   They were able to figure out a way to lift up the tresses without a crane, it is quite a process, but praise God it worked.  Also, regarding the well, there is more water coming out now so it is enough for to provide for our present needs.  So praise God for that, and pray that God might continue to bring more water.   The exoneration we have now heard has not been accepted so we will have to pay duty on anything brought in.  Pray that God might provide the means to pay for this cost. 

 

Finally I would ask for prayer as I travel on Sunday to the south.  I will be filling in for the director of our Tsiko hospital while she is in the states.  There are some difficult issues going on so pray for great wisdom and humility as I serve in this role.  Pray for the hospital as an employee has sent a threatening letter to several missionaries there and to another Togolese working in Administration.  Pray for protection of Germain and his family as well as the work at the hospital.     Pray that this person might be made known and would have a spirit of repentance. 

 

I am so thankful that I serve the creator of the universe, the King of Kings, who reigning and ruling over all!!  Pray that I might be most satisfied with Him and that my greatest desire is that others would see Him in me!

 

Thanks so much for your faithful prayers,

 

Cindy

 
 
July 07/06/2010
 
I have
enjoyed having lots of guests in my house this month.  With my friend
Solim here for the month, she has been able to cook lots of African
meals.  I am thankful that Medina
and her son and daughter were able to come for pate one day.  In the
picture below you will Solim and Medina
and her children.  What I am really excited about is that Medina and I have started
a chronological bible study.  She is very interested in learning what the
Bible says.  So please pray for Medina
and I as we meet on Sat. morning to study God’s word, pray that she might
understand the message of God’s word.


One of the
ministries in Mango is a sewing apprenticeship for orphans from surrounding
villages.  It has been started by a Togolese man named, Nogbedzi.  He
and his family moved here to start this ministry.  He currently has 17
apprentices.  We hope that many will be saved and will go back to their
villages to be a light that might penetrate their villages.  This past
Friday eve. We, the Neufelds and myself, had all the apprentices at my house
for a social.  We played games (see photo below) and then some
songs.  Tim Neufeld our team leader shared a devotional from God’s
word.   We really had a good time, and I truly enjoy spending time
with them.   Two of the apprentices have already been saved in this
last year, so we praise God for that.  Please pray that God would
continue to work in their hearts of the apprentices.

Thank you for
praying for Solim and her stay with me.  We have had some good
conversations about what God is doing in her life.  She will be leaving
tomorrow to go to Dapong to spend two weeks with her sister and family.  I
will be taking her, pray for us as we share the gospel with her sister’s
family.  Pray also for Solim that she will continue to serve and love
God will all of her life.

 Thank you as
well for praying for Joseph who works in literacy with me.  We really
thought that he was seriously ill but God has strengthened him and is doing
much better and able to be home with his family.  So praise God for his
healing.

This past
week letters have been sent out seeking new employees for our hospital in
Tsiko.  We hope to be hiring 15-20 new employees that could later be
considered as candidates for the next nursing training program.  We are
hoping to get candidates from the north of Togo
that would be able to serve as nurses at our Hospital of Hope
in Mango.  Please pray that God would bring the people that He would
want to be considered as possible nurses,  people that want to see this
work as a ministry and not just a job opportunity.


In a few
weeks, I will be going down to Tsiko for about a month.  Annette Williams
the directrice is going to the states for a few months and asked if I would
help fill in for her in her absence.I would ask that you pray for the hospital at Tsiko for a problem with some employees.  Satan
is really attacking in this situation, I would ask that you would pray much for
this ministry.  Also pray for baby Sarah.  She is the orphan baby that was 3 months premature. The hospital is seeking custody with the courts,
pray that would grant this soon so she can be placed in a Christian home. 
(see picture of her below)

 I am thankful for the progress with the Anufo language.  I am actually starting to say phrases
and understand more.  Please pray for continued discipline to study as I need to.  I thank God as well for the opportunity to share the story
of Adam and Eve with my language partner, Roukiya, this past week.  That
was very exciting.  Pray that God would give more opportunities to share from God’s word.

 And finally
pray for the ongoing construction of the Hospital of Hope.  We were unable to find a crane, it is a long story.  But they have figured out another
way to get the tresses up on the buildings .  So pray that God would
protect our workers as they try to do this in the next week or so.
Picture
Medina and her children: Togo, Africa
 
June 06/16/2010
 
Since my last letter, God
has reminded me of the brevity of life, as I see many people who are nearing
the end of their lives.  It reminds me of the wonderful grace that God has
given to me in Christ, and the hope that I have in Him !!  May I be
diligent to share that hope with people here in Togo.    Last week heading back
to Mango, we stopped in the village to see Akouwa’s family.  Akouwa lives
with Beky in Kpalime and is a good friend of mine.  Her father is dieing and we
wanted to stop to see him and her family.  We had the opportunity to share the
hope of the gospel with her mother.  Pray that she truly understands and puts
her faith in Christ.  Pray also for Akouwa’s father and for her family.

I have been working with
two pastors the last five years in literacy program.  One of them is Joseph who
lives in kara,  in the north.  He was hospitalized this past week and looks
like he is dying as well.  Pray for him and his wife and 3 children.  Two of
his children are handicapped.  It is very sad situation but we are trusting
that God is working in it for his glory.  Praise God for what you see
above, the Agou church building !!!!!   I was able to stop and take this
picture on my way back up to Mango.  We are so thankful for it and for all of
you who have given gifts to make it happen.  Please pray that John Teusink will be able to get it done before he leaves for his furlough in July.

We are thankful for the progress of the construction of the Wendell Kempton Memorial Hospital , Hospital of Hope.  Below you see a picture of about 20 guys moving a tresse for a roof.  We hope to start putting tresses on the buildings this next week if we
can rent a crane for a decent price.  Please pray that we will  find one.  We
are thankful for several teams from the states that have come out to help and
we need lots more.  If you have an interest to come, let me know.  The
temperatures are getting much cooler now, 90 J  as it is
starting to rain.  And it will soon be down in the 80s.  Yes, I know some of
you still think that is hot, but it is much nicer than 120.   One of my jobs is filling in for Randy Young who went to the states to be with his dad who had cancer surgery.  I am helping do payroll and pay for other expenditures for the project.

Many of you have asked about the water and tax exoneration.  We are still
waiting on both issues.  Keep praying !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for praying for my language studies.  It is kind of amazing to me that I am learning Anufo in  French.  So I am reminded that just as God helped me learn French , He will also help me learn Anufo.  It is coming along ,  but please continue to pray
for this as it is a tiring process, but so needed.  People get excited to see
that we are learning their language.  They say that it is one of the most
effective ways to reach people, in their own mother tongue.

Speaking of reaching people, I ask continued prayer for the people that God has put into my life here in Mango.  Pray that God work in the hearts of Medina, Roukiya, Sukala, and Adam, and these kids that you see below.  The kids live in the compound
behind me and come over once a week.  Pray for Fidose, Maurice, Monique and
Adanane.  May they see Jesus in my life.  And for Solim who is staying with me
a few weeks.  She is a young lady that I have discipled over the years.  That I
might encourage her in her walk with the Lord.
 
May Update 05/26/2010
 
“Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him....” 

I have been reminded several times this last year, that we can always rest in

Him and wait on his timing and plan.   Thank you for praying for the well

digging for the Hospital

of Hope in Mango.  They

came again yesterday, Monday, to drill another 60 meters to 300 meters...to

find no water.  It is hard to imagine going that deep and not finding water but

it shows how dry this area of Togo

is.  We are discussing our options, possibly connecting to the the city of Mango water lines.  Their

water is pumped from a nearby river. So please continue to pray for wisdom to

know what is the best option for the hospital. 

 

Many of you have also asked about the tax exoneration.  I

will attach the update from Randy Young, who is our missionary that is working

on this issue for us. “ The minister of finance is

throwing his weight around and is trying to remove construction materials and

equipment from the presidential decree.  When I saw the minister of health

yesterday he was really upset with the minister of finance saying he cannot do

what he is trying to do because the decree has already been approved by the

cabinet.  I asked if I should make a plea to the president to intervene

and he said no because he was taking care of it.  He is talking to the

prime minister and wants this resolved.  It was interesting to me that

both the minister of health and minister Kantchati (I saw him also yesterday)

 were both very adamant that the finance minister needs to sign the paper

and stop messing around!    We are working on the decree.  They

gave me their email addresses so we can stay in touch while we are in the US. 

So we wait some more and trust God.  I do believe though that we are

nearing the end of this process!”  So please keep praying for this. 

 

WE have had lots of visitors up here this month, many of

them are praying about God’s call to serving here in Mango.  I praise God

that He is moving in hearts to provide the personnel needed for the hospital. 

One of them, Melissa Friesen, is a nurse practice.  Josh and Beth Paullick , he

is a surgical resident and she is a pediatric nurse.  So we are thankful for

how God continues to raise up the team needed for the hospital.  Please

continue to pray that God would raise up more doctors for Mango and HBB in the

south. 

 

Speaking of HBB, Baptist Bible

Hospital in Tsiko is

celebrating their 25th anniversary!!!  We are praising God for the

many people who have heard the good news of Jesus Christ through the ministry

there and the over 40 churches that have been planted in that area.   I will be

driving down south to attend the big celebration.  Pray that the name of Jesus

would be glorified and proclaimed through this event as many government

officials and local dignitaries have been invited. 

 

We praise God that the Agou church building is progressing,

the roof will soon be up!!!! And can now be seen from the major road that

passes next to it.   Pray that God would provide the necessary funds to finish

the rest of building. 

 

This past Sunday I attended the Tamberma church.  After

church we walked about 4 kilometers to visit a woman that had come to visit

that morning.  It was a great encouragement to talk to her about the assurance

of salvation that we have in Jesus Christ.  Please pray for Jane that she would

understand the truth of God’s word and would have a desire to come back. 

Pray for me as I start working with some young ladies who want to learn French

and help teach Sunday school.  Pray for Afi and Delphine that they would grow

to understand French and then be able to understand God’s word. 

 

I am also excited about starting a bible study with some

former students of the Blind school who live in Mango.  It was so fun to see

them here again since it has been at least 7 years since they attended our

school in Kpalime.  Pray for Fati, Lukiya and Kossi who have a desire to study

God’s word. 

 

I would also ask for prayer for my language studies in

Anufo.  It is coming along, and actually much easier than French.  Pray that I

take the time necessary to study and memorize vocabulary etc.  There always

seems to be something else to do, but even though the studying is not fun it is

necessary.  Pray that I will be disciplined to do it.

 

I also would ask for prayer for a young lady that I have

discipled for several years, Solim.  She is coming back with me after my trip

to the south and  will live with me for a month or two.   Pray that I can

really encourage her spiritually during her time here in Mango that she will be

strengthened in her faith and her walk with God. 

 

Your prayers are so appreciated, so thank you taking the

time to read this, for participating in this great work of God in Togo, 

for praying!!! 

 

May He be lifted up!!

 

Cindy
 
May Update 05/07/2010
 
I am back down in the South for some meetings and also able

to do some visiting of people and ministries.  It is exciting to see what God

continues to do in south. 

 

God is good !!!!!!!!!  The Agou church building has almost

all the walls finished.  It is exciting to see it go up.  We are thankful for 4

guys who came out and got it started and have done alot of hard work to get it

to this point.  A missionary and his Togolese workers will now finish in the

next few months.  So thank you for praying.  They had alot of challenges along

the way.  One of them was the death of Pastor Bonifaces’s niece, 16 years

old, and one of the member’s son in the same week.  That was really a

difficult week for Pastor Boniface, trying to keep the construction going and

then dealing with these deaths.  It was reminder to all of us the brevity of

life.  We went to the wake of the member’s son, and showed some

evangelistic films.  Here in Togo

the families and friends of the deceased stay up all night so we thought it

would be a good opportunity to show these films.   We praise God that

inspite people drinking and some disruptions the gospel was preached and 4

young men prayed to receive Christ as Savior that night. 

 

I was also able to go visit the church of Wonougba

and Pastor Koffi and his wife.  They are so inspiring in that inspite of lots

of hard hearts in this village they continue to persevere.  And it was so

exciting to hear that morning two women were saved!!!!  So please continue

to pray for the Wonougba church  and Pastor Koffi and his wife Mansa.  Pray for

these two women that they would have a desire to grow in their faith. 

 

 

Last week we had Tom Lothamer who has many experiences with

boards come and meet with the hospital board.  That was very helpful to meet

with him and to learn how to function as a board and the whole administrative

organization.  This week our whole missionary team is gathered for two days of

meetings.  Pray for us as we discuss important items and desire to know the

mind of God in all that we do. 

 

While here in Tsiko I was able to meet with a woman who is

from Mango.  I was able to practice my Anufo with her and that was

encouraging.  Pray for her as she was muslim and  has professed Christ as

Savior.  She was saying to us that her family is not helping her and rejecting

her due to her faith.  I was able to talk with her brother and ask him

directly.  He did say that if she continued to go to church that they would no

longer help her.  Pray for us as we work with a local church in how to help

her.  What is also difficult is that she has AIDs and is not in good health. 

Pray that she would see God provide for her needs and that she would remain

strong in her faith. 

 

Finally, I would ask that pray much for a great need at our Mango hospital.  Last week a well drilling team tried

to drill for water, they went down 240 meters and did not find water.  We are

praying for God’s help to know what to do next.  We need water for our

hospital and we believe that God will provide!!!  Somehow!!!  So pray for this

need. 

 

God is doing great things.  Thank you for your partnership

in prayer, it is greatly needed!!!

 

For His glory in Mango,

 

Cindy.
 
 


"All things are possible for those who believe." God is teaching me much about believing, and praying in faith. I have many answers of prayer that I want to share with you, but first want to ask you pray on Monday, March 29 for our tax exoneration for materials coming for the construction of the hospital. God is moving in the hearts of the gov.t as they have agreed to exoneration but we still need one more signature to make an official. It is a bit complicated, and I won’t go into details but Randy Young, missionary who is working diligently on this issue is going to the customs office tomorrow and staying there until they sign the document. We have a container waiting in port over two weeks and cannot take it out without paying if we do not have the document. A team is arriving in two weeks that need the materials on this container to do the next phase of work. Please pray on Monday that God would bring us this signature for the tax exoneration so the container can leave port!!!

I also want to share I have found a language partner!!! Her name is Rakiya. She is a muslim woman who has 4 children. She came to visit with Alain and Katherine Niles as she is a friend of theirs. I really think she is the right lady to help me. So I will be meeting with her each day starting Wed. Pray for me as I start full time in language study. So praise God for bringing Rakiya and pray that I might show her the love of Christ as we meet. Pray as for me that God would give me the intelligence to understand and hear the language correctly.

I was excited to have several neighborhood kids come over last week. We colored and read a story and kicked a beach ball around. They seemed to really enjoy coming over. Several of the kids live in the house behind me. The father of the kids is a soldier who works here in Mango, so it is nice to know that he lives right behind me. Please pray for these kids, Maurice, Monique, and Foside and Fousina, that I might love them like Christ as well. I have had some conversations with their moms as well. I am really enjoying living in a neighborhood and being able to go walk around and talk to people. This has been a dream I have had for a long time, and praise God for this opportunity he has given me.

I have a guard that is here each night. It is not that people are violent here, but just to let people know that there is someone at the house at night. His name is Soukala. This past week his youngest brother was killed while riding his bicycle. Soukala had to go to Ghana to bury him there as that is where he lived. When he came back I had the chance to talk with him about eternal life and that we all need to think about the life after here, as we never know what will happen each day. Today was the funeral here in Mango. They came to pray for the family and his brother. I stopped by this afternoon as I was traveling back from Tamberma this morning. I just wanted to show him that I cared and give my sympathies. Pray that this might make Soukala think about his life and what God has given us in Christ Jesus.

This past Friday I went to Kara to meet with several people, one of was a lady named Veronique. She is praying about moving into my spare room in the back of the house. In Africa, many houses have living quarters separate from the house for people to live who need a place to live. So pray that God would make it clear to both Veronique and myself if God would want her to come to Mango.

One of the other reasons I traveled to Kara was to attend a Women’s conference for the women of our churches in that area. It was encouraging to have 7 ladies from Tamberma, which is over an hour to Kara, able to come to the conference. There were over 100 ladies and it was a great day to see all of them together. The teaching was great, about how to be victorious over problems in the home, using God’s word and putting it into practice. Pray that these ladies would practice what they learned at the conference.

God showed me again how he is a God who is sovereign and is in control of all the details of our lives. One of the ladies from Tamberma showed me her son, 9 months old, who had strange bumps on his skin. It was apparent that it was spreading over his body and was uncomfortable. I thought we could go to a local pharmacy and see what they thought they could give him, as it was about 6pm. We arrived at the pharmacy there was a man at the counter getting medicine. He stood there for a minute when I explained the problem with the child. The pharmacist asked us why we had not gone to the hospital as he was not sure. I explained that

they are from Tamberma and we just arrived. The man that was waiting at the counter heard what we said and told us to bring the child over the car as there was another man in the car who was a doctor. He looked briefly at the child and told us what to ask the pharmacist for. I was just so amazed at how God led us there at that time when this doctor was there and was able to get what was needed. God is good!!!

Keep praying as well for our Kabiye NT Bible translation project. The consultant is coming this week for the last check and I will be meeting with him on April 7 to discuss the last details of the project. We praise God that we needed $10,000 for the printing and God has provided over $11,000. Pray for Pastor Lomdoh, the translator that he might finish these last few steps in the next month or so. We have been working on this project for over 12 years and it is exciting to see it coming to the final stages.

Also, a huge praise is that the Agou church building is going to start construction this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is a huge praise. Pray for a team that is coming the day after Easter for a month, these men include the brother of Beky and some friends of his. Pray for all those who will be working for protection in the heat and that might get much done. We hope that it might be done in a month. We are so excited and thankful for how God is bringing this to pass. Thank you all for praying so faithfully for the Agou church building!!!!

I know I am giving you lots of things for you to pray for. I have much to pray for!!!!! Please pray as we try to make some important decisions about hiring at the Hospital of Hope in Mango. We are discussing alot of important issues and we really need to know the mind of Christ in these decisions.

Finally I want to wish you all a joyous Easter!!!! It is a wonderful time of rejoicing for us who believe in Christ. He is alive and because of Him I am redeemed and my name is written in heaven. Let us rejoice greatly in his sacrifice and grace that has given us new life!!! We will also rise with Him one day!!!

For His glory in Mango,

Cindy

 
 


Greetings from Mango!! Thank you so much for your prayers for the move. God has really given much grace in the move and the adjustment of leaving the south. things in the house are progressing. It was so nice to have Beky and Akouwa come with me and help me get settled. They did a ton, even though it was a challenge not having any where to put things as there is not any storage built in the house, no cupboards or closets etc. It is hard to imagine, but houses here are not usually built with cupboards and closets. So you learn to be creative. Hopefully kitchen cabinets will be installed this week.

I am thankful for the house. You can see the attached photo. I praise God for the gifts that made it possible to get the roof on which will help alot to keep off the hot sun and also for installing windows. I had my first party last week, inviting all the missionaries that are here in Mango to thank them for their help to get me moved. They cleaned my house and had everything moved in before I even arrived. They have been a great help. I would like to introduce you to the group of missionaries: Tim and Esther Neufeld are the team leader and have been in Togo for awhile. Peter and Janice Maybury are finishing the first term and are church planters , they have two children Ben and Victoria. Alain and Katherine Niles are here in the first term and are church planters as well, and are first time parents just giving birth to Camille a few weeks ago. It is fun to have a baby around. Randy and Lisa Young, and their two teenagers Mallorie and Jonathan. Randy

is helping with the construction project and are here until 2011. Ted and Diane Weinberg are here overseeing all the construction of the hospital. Also Becky Courliss is a single and Anna Chubb a short term Mk teacher. Please pray for this team that God has brought to Mango.

The people of Mango are so nice and welcoming. I had a woman come and welcome me a few days ago, her name is Pierrette. It is so nice to live in a neighborhood with people around. My house is across the street from a water pump. People come to buy a bucket or bowl of water. I have met the lady who stays there all day to run it, Please pray for Madina and her two children. Each day I go to greet her and have met several other people coming and going. The other day a teenage girl stuck her head inside my gate to check things out. She introduced herself as well, her name is Zofala. So I am very excited about being able to meet people and starting developing relationships.

The big adjustment is the heat. Right now it is starting to get warm so if you want some warmth come to Mango. Yesterday it was 96 at 9pm at night!!! So I will leave it to your imagination to know what it was during the day!! You learn to take a short rest in the afternoon and praise God for swamp coolers. They blow cool air in one place so it helps alot at night.

We have our first team coming to help with the construction. Two buildings are already going up and they will be helping put on trusses. Pray that they will tolerate the heat and God would protect them.

I am also thankful that I have been able to go to the Tamberma church the last two Sundays. It is fun to be able to be there more often. And it is encouraging to see many people there, kids and adults. Please pray for me was a start doing a ladies study once a month and also encouraging the teen girls.

Please continue to pray for a language helper as I would like to start studying soon. And also for a Togolese woman to live with me. That God would make it clear who these woman should be.

Please continue to pray that I would love the people of Mango and that they would see Christ in me. I am excited to see what God will do in the days ahead.

For His glory in Mango,

Cindy

 
 


Happy New Year to you!!! Thank you for praying for our Tamberma trip. We truly sensed your prayers, God was good in many ways. I want to share some highlights with you.

We were encouraged as there were 70 adults at the church on Sunday and several nights the church was overflowing for the evangelistic films that were shown.

I attached a picture of some kids, we spent each morning doing a kids club; praying, learning a verse; singing; playing and of course teaching God’s word. Most days there were about 80 kids that came. The last day there were close to 100. Keep praying that God would work in the lives of these kids. A lot of the kids are not in good health. We are praying about how we can improve their health. Please pray that God would give great wisdom and pray that we can get their well fixed that we tried to put in last year.

The other picture I enclosed is ladies, I had the privilege to teach one day and Gladys did two other days. We are definitely seeing signs of growth, asking more questions, remembering what has been taught in the past. Antoinette, the lady in the front, is married to the chief and she does translating for me. I have asked for prayer for her in the past that she would stop drinking and she has shared that she stopped drinking. So I praise God for how He is

working in their lives. Another woman, Tempe, the 3rd woman from the left in the first row, was baptized last August. In October, he youngest girl died. It was very difficult for her but she shared that she trusts God in it and has left it in his hands. She comes faithful to church and can see that she is growing in her faith. The first day that we taught I noticed two women that I did not know, Martine and Antoinette. I talked to them after the meeting if they knew Christ as their Savior, they said no. They said that they wanted to receive Christ as Savior, so it was a joy to show them God’s word that explained what salvation is. Please continue to pray for these ladies as well. And pray for the young people that they will keep their lives pure for God.

I also praise God that He kept all of us in good health and helped our cars a lot!!!

On our return to the south we drove two hours from Tamberma to Bafilo where we were going to spend the night at Pastor Mantaguay’s house. About 10 minutes from his house my car started making a weird noise. I was able to drive to his house. A mechanic from Kara came the next day to look at it and said it was the water pump. He drove it back to Kara but had lots of trouble getting it there as it was a half hour away. So that delayed our return on Sunday, so the rest of the team left and I said with Gladys. I was struggling a bit staying an extra night as it was now 9 days that we had been gone and was looking forward to

sleeping in a bed. God reminded me that he was in control and I just needed to accept this and thank Him for his mercy for allowing me to be somewhere it could get fixed. So I asked God to show me what He wanted me to be doing while I was waiting for the car to be fixed. The place that we were staying is the house of a Muslim couple. I was able to talk to the wife about Jesus being the only way and the only one that could satisfy our hearts. So please pray for Foussina that she would read God’s word and understand who Jesus is. The mechanic brought it back Sunday eve. About 8pm and we were able to leave early Monday morning. I praise God for how He took care of my car!!

I also took a short trip to Mango to see how the house was coming. The roof is done and is keeping the house much cooler. I praise God that He has more than supplied the need for the repairs, please praise Him for this provision and his faithfulness!!!! We also praise God that the first buildings are going up at the Hope Hospital in Mango. It is exciting to see!!

We also praise God for what He is doing here at the hospital in Tsiko. We have had spiritual revival meetings Wed., Thurs, and Friday. Pastor Sossa who is on the hospital board has been doing the preaching on the One Another’s. I praise God for this pastor who is very powerful and has a great manner to communicate God’s word. God is

working. Please pray that God would bring true revival in all of us in the hospital ministry.

I am finishing my last three weeks here in Tsiko and planning to move on Feb. 3 to Mango. Please pray that I would finish well these last few weeks and continue to learn all that I need to learn.

I am so thankful for you and your faithful prayers…..I praise God for you who give so faithfully …..God is so good…..I look forward to seeing all that He is going to do in 2010!!!

Cindy

 
FBC-Detroit 2010