5 Cent Mission: Our Final Weeks In Togo

Look at this face. Really look at it. I can't help but smile back!

Note: This blog post has been ready for a couple of weeks but our internet has been so bad lately that I could never get anything loaded. We've had a large number of thunderstorms, and the lightning and large amount of rain (one rain storm dropped 4" on us in one evening) play havoc with the tempermental wires and connections. Most of the content happened in the last week or two of August and early September. Sorry for the delay. I do have a new appreciation for North America's reliability!

Birthday Wishes

Christine had a milestone birthday last week. She's still youthful and beautiful, however!

Someone left a birthday chicken at our side door.

We (the three boys and me) managed to keep a surprise from her for almost a month while Rachel and Kristi schemed and planned without her knowing. We surprised her with a birthday party at the guest house with everyone from the compound. We enjoyed pizza and birthday cake and snacks, then were treated to a talent show. We had Irish step dancing, high speed Rubik's Cube solving, poetry and karaoke, as well as a couple of great skits.

August Birthday celebrations with the girls

Lome, Part II

To continue the birthday celebration theme, we then spent a couple of days with the Millers and Drakes down in Lome. It was great to get away and play with friends! We were able to go to a Togolese (petting) zoo, play at possibly the only waterpark in the country, drive go-karts and also attend a massive flea market which basically sells the cast-offs from stores like Goodwill or Value Village. The locals call it the 'Dead Yovo Market', because to them no one would sell perfectly good clothes, so someone must have died.

Anyone care to caption this sign from the waterpark??

Leaving the 'Dead Yovo Market'

One of the courier carts at the market.

The zoo was interesting. They mostly sell snakes and lizards overseas, but display many of them as well as a bunch of birds and other critters, too. I was allowed into a cage with a serval cat, under the suggestion of the keeper, “so you can get a better picture” he said. I'm sure the cat was pleased with my presence! Later he mentioned that they tried breeding the cat, but it killed all the other ones they put in with it. Nice. Safety first in Togo.

A serval cat. A happy, cuddly cat.

Dr. Eric showing the kids houw the toroise won
the race.

We were allowed – no – encouraged to hold scorpions, lizards, baby cayman, snakes, and get pick-pocketed by monkeys and have any bugs picked off us by a female babboon.

Coming out of the serval cage unscathed.

We went back to the go-kart track from a previous trip to have another go around on the course. This time they allowed Hudson to drive his own kart! He's seven years old, doesn't reach the pedals without a booster seat, and has no concept of steering input! These karts are fastIn spite of those shortcomings, he made it around the track most times without crashing... He only went through the tire wall twice... well, three times - if you count the hole he made in the tire wall further down upon re-entry onto the track! It was great fun competing with lots of friends on the track.

Christine was most pleased to see Hudson come back in one piece without maiming himself or anyone else in the process!

The Rainy Mountain Hike

Eighteen of us took off last Saturday and hiked up to the church at the top of the mountains just behind the hospital compound. This hike takes about 2 hours to reach the summit. Were ranged in age (carried in backpack type carriers) from one year old to forty-somethings (who wished to be carried). It started off as a regular hot and humid hike, but at the top that all changed. A steady, steady tropical rain settled in over the range. We couldn't see the other peaks for the cloud and fog and rain. We found shelter for a few minutes under a porch of an abandoned compound. However, the prospect of things easing up for us to walk back down did not appear promising.

The other two dads were carrying their kids, so I hoisted one of mine!

Waiting out the storm with a Togolese family

Payton: "What is this sky wetness??"

So we trudged down the trail, which in spots had become a swift moving brook or series of small cascades, slippery rocks or just big mud puddles. Over two hours later we emerged from the rain forest looking like a straggly bunch of drenched cats! Shoes were squishing out water, sandals were slippery and squeaky underfoot. Every, I mean EVERY bit off clothing was soaked. It was the most memorable hike we've taken so far. Almost five hours of fun, adventure and water. The kids loved it, as did some of the adults! After some warm showers and some scrubbing we all ended up clean and fresh. And we slept well that night! Not many pictures after the rain started, but maybe these few will give you an idea of what it was like.

The hiking troop, happy to be back inside the compound walls.

Parting Thoughts

We are into our final days of time here in Togo. It's hard to believe that we have skipped through 5½ months already! Man, where did the summer go??? We have started the process of saying goodbye to many of the new acquaintances and friends we have made over these last months. People who we have come to truly enjoy and appreciate.

We have had many, many of them inquire about our return to Togo in the (near or distant) future. Hard to think too far ahead, but I don't think we will close the door on any possibilities. God knows what the plan is. We'll just try to follow His leading.

We are so thankful for the opportunity to serve here at Hopital Baptiste Biblique. This facility and the people have made an indelible impression on all five of us – and probably wormed their collective way into our heart, to be honest. We have been warmly accepted into the bigger HBB family. We have made some wonderful connections with people all over North America, (as well as a really cool Australian couple!). We have made some great friendships with those we've worked beside.

We're so grateful for our many supporters back at home. The two churches that support us, and all of the individuals who have given to get us here and work with the medical missionaries, career missionaries and the Togolese around the hospital and grounds. We are so thankful for being kept in your prayers. They are needed and appreciated. Don't stop praying for us quite yet. We'll need those prayers for another 30 – 40 years...

Now for the next chapter in our family adventure, wherever that leads us.

(And the next blog post will probably be from another country on the east side of Africa!)

From The Cutting room Floor

As usual, a few pictures to share from typical, or not-so-typical, life in Togo.

well, we know where all the kids are...

Front axle swap on the main road of Kpalime.

Hmmm, what is this?

The busy streets of Lome

Every once in a while the guys from the shop cook some food for everyone to enjoy. Togbe' cooked yams and made a hot pepper and onion dip on a rock, with a rock. Despite the rather 'caveman' tools he used, it turned out pretty good.