Technical Issues Resolved!

Let's Play “Disconnected”

We had recently been without internet service for about 3 weeks. Let's play a fun game: Don't receive or send any emails for days. Don't check your favourite team's site for a couple of weeks. Don't watch a YouTube video for 19 days. Don't stream any music online for days (wait... we can't do that here at the best of times. Never mind.). Don't look at SnapBook or FaceChat or Instagram for two weeks. And don't visit Amazon or Ebay or try any online shopping, either. (Did you know Amazon Prime doesn't deliver to Togo!! Ridiculous.)  WhatsApp and Facebook messaging don't work, so don't bother with those. Being 'off the grid' is fine for a while - even healthy, but then it gets old.

Now, we're used to the frequent interruption in internet service but it makes it hard for a doctor to request a second opinion on an xray or a treatment option with no connection. It's hard to send an email asking for help repairing a piece of equipment when emails and pictures can't get through. It's hard to chat with family back home when you can't get a connection. Transferring money from a Canadian or US bank account to a Togolese account is impossible. Everything is just harder. Don't feel sorry for us, we just invite you to play along for days and days! It's fun!

Oh, and one excuse given for the interruption in service – 'technical issues'... That's fairly broad. So we can rule out the internet being low on oil, or needing it's blades sharpened, or being grounded for violating it's curfew. Mechanical - or family issues - were not the cause!

Three blue lights - we're connected again!

(Christine told me to apologize for the 'spinning wheel of death' above.  We just got to see it so often I thought it would be nice to share.  I aologize... but not really)

Farewells

We have been blessed to meet many really great people who pass through the hospital and compound at HBB. Visiting doctors, nurses, IT technicians and just regular visitors – whether they are here for two weeks or two years, or something in between - all have an influence on life here in our little bubble. We are saddened when it's time for goodbyes, as many of these people become friends and not just co-workers.

We're have said goodbyes to some awesome people in the past month or so. Not only did we lose excellent doctors and workers, we lost friends we have come to appreciate. Not only will the hospital and guest house have holes left to fill in their absences but we'll be missing smiling faces and conversation, as well. Such is the life here. We can't replace them, but we're prayerful that we can have equally awesome people come in to fill their roles at the hospital.

Farewell to Dr. Chuck & Donna, Dr. 'Stove Killer', Dr. Ed and to Dr. K!

Christy, Christine and Dr. Stove Killer - the red coat gang

Birthday Boys

Both Hudson and Logan had birthdays in April, so we were able to celebrate them over the past weeks. Unable to just run out to a restaurant or mall to have a special dinner or buy a birthday card or present, special events take on a different twist here.

Logan wanted some kind of electronic device, but he also wanted a more practical gift. He wanted something he could work on, reap the benefit of caring for, and take some time to fill up his day. So, for his birthday he got chickens! A rooster and six hens; to go along with our monkey.  Now we have 11 chicks running around to go along with the adult birds...

Hudson was a little more traditional in his birthday wishes. Although, a chocolate pudding pie was his preferred birthday 'cake'. A pool party at night, complete with glow sticks and LED-lighted balloons made it fun for all of the kids.

Gathering up the glowing balloons after the party

The two older boys have expressed interest in seeing what goes on in the operating rooms.  They were invited to attend a couple of surgeries with Dr. K and other surgeons.  It's fun to hear about what they saw and what they think of it all.  Perhaps we'll have a couple of medical professionals in the family in the future?  They could be working on you!!

Keenan and Logan attending surgery.

Keenan posing with the finished product after a C-section.

Logan getting ready to go into
the OR

And checking out some xrays
with Dr. Rod.

Pig Roast

Before she left, Dr. Tebo organized a party and chose a Hawaiian potluck theme with a pig to be roasted as the centre of the feast. A pig was brought in early in the morning (via moto-taxi, of course), was killed in the yard at one of the doctor's houses, mounted on a bamboo rack, seasoned and slow roasted over a charcoal fire for about eight hours. It was a delicious event!

Photo credit: Dr. Kristi Tebo

Slow-roasting over the fire!

Family Visit

We had brother-in-law Grant and nephew Gavin come for eight or nine days in mid-May. They visited us for a couple of days and then went up to Mango to spend time with the Westons.  A quick trip, but they got to see the whole country as well as were we live and work – and maybe helped out a little bit, too. They were privileged to meet some of the people we get to live around. They brought some snacks from home, as well as other requested supplies! It was great to have family visit, bring news from home and also give them a glimpse at life here in Togo.

Coming out of the airport in Lome

And with the whole gang together

If anyone else wants to come and do some work, we're more than willing to find work for you to do. If you are a doctor, nurse, respiratory therapist, teacher, accountant, IT tech, worship leader, pastor, carpenter, mason, painter or cook – we have a spot for you. If you want to get in touch with us we can direct you to the right people.

Email us at: penny.mission@gmail.com (if the internet is up and running, technical issues aside, we'll reply!)

From The Cutting Room Floor

Another batch of pictures portraying some of the scenes and scenery from life in our little corner of Togo.

A storm rolling in...

Time to sprint to the house for shelter!

Lightning in the clouds after the storm passed.

A young boy bringing some firewood home.  Even
the kids are involved in the work.

Kong and Napoleon, the two monkeys, are quite entertaining
for the kids on the compound.

Before.

After.

Derek and Kerewa never have any fun together.

An interesting grasshopper

A local blacksmith at his shop.
The ladies in the back are
laughing at him getting his
picture taken.

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Or - come visit and work with us here: HBB

March Madness

Happy Easter!

We have bid farewell to the dry, dusty harmattan and have entered into a brief rainy season here in southern Togo. While the air is clearer, the heat and the humidity has increased and sweat is inescapable. You walk to the hospital and begin to sweat.  If you exert any force or effort whatsoever, you sweat. If you stand still, you sweat. And if I describe that bead of sweat that begins at the upper portion of the small of your back, and slowly trickles down to your waistband... well, that's life in Tsiko these days! Everybody experiences that.

Things have turned green again, too. It's like we had a miniature winter seasson (that got hotter) and now we're entering spring. Dry grasses have been replaced by lush green. The sounds of lawnmowers around the compound can be heard after a couple of months of inactivity. Trees that lost their leaves in December and January are now covered again. Quite the speedy transformation, really.

This change of seasons also brings out more bugs. Flying insects – we've got them. Strange looking crawly ones – got them, too. The ones that are attracted to light and bounce off our window screens – yep, got them.  If I knew the names of them I would tell you, but I'm not very good with bugs.

They call this a water scorpion, but not sure if
that's the correct name.  We find these guys
 in the pool sometimes.

I call this one 'big'.

It's hard to focus on the speaker when this
guy lands on your Bible.

Just a very cool looking moth.

An elegant praying mantis

We also get to reap the harvest of this new season - fruits and vegetables are ripening.  We have bananas and pineapples, mangoes, avocado, star fruit, carrots, lettuce, peppers, coconuts and oranges coming to our local market from this area.  Not really a bad trade off, after all.

Cracking open a fresh coconut that was seconds before
still on the tree.  I'm not a fan of coconut, but this...
this was delicious.

Work Reports

Christine has just finished her time teaching at the Togolese nursing school here in the south.  She repeated the same course she taught in the north school for the students here.  She covered many topics, all related to the respiratory system or respiratory care of patients.  I don't think she's willing to become a professor any time soon, but it was a great experience.  You just can't beat working directly with the patients, she says.

Students practicing on a mannequin

On top of the teaching, Christine has been involved in patient care at the hospital, working alongside the doctors and nurses.  There have been opportunities for instruction just like in the classroom, as well.  Seeing the nurses grasp a new method of care is exciting. 

Homeschooling the boys for a couple of courses in tandem with their work at the schoolhouse takes more time out of the day.  Neither of us feel particularly gifted as teachers, but the boys seem to be succeeding in spite of this.  Thankfully we have a very capable teacher to bring them up to speed on their work.

Christine also organizes the 'coming and going' of all of the volunteers that come here.  If you need to be picked up at the airport, or taken back after your time here is completed - she's the one who plans it.  If you want to get to the market or see some of the sights - she's arranging vehicles and drivers.  If you want to put her to work, contact us and tell us when you'd like to come out and serve at our hospital.  She'd be glad to fit you in.

Actually, we are very shorthanded at the moment and looking forward into the summer.  If you are a doctor, surgeon, anesthetist or other medical professional, we need you.

But really, we need anyone.  (We recently had two awesome girls who were beauticians.  Seriously, I think they were the favourite guests so far.  Ladies got pedicures and / or manicures, many people received haircuts, me included!)  If you are an accountant, tradesman, retired salesman, teacher, cook or farmer; come on out.  Send us an email and we'll get you in touch with the right people.

My work has been quite varied.  Between me and the Togolese guys around the shop we've had a chance to dive into all different kinds of things:

- a small reno in the Guest House kitchen

- several vehicles needed service

- dug a new septic hole

- painted the walls around the pool

- dug and cleared the drainage ditches around the compound

- plumbing a new water line into a doctor's house

- built new shelving in the pharmacy warehouse

... and many other fun and not-so-fun projects.

Digging a new septic hole and installing the pipe.
"Doctor" Kerewa is smiling even though it was not
a fun job.

Even the surgeon, Dr. K., pitched in to help unload a container
full of medical supplies!

Emefa, one of the Guest House staff, helping
out during the kitchen renovation. 
Yes, that's a microwave on her head.
Don't try this at home.

Preparing for my debut on HopeRadio
as the Mango 'trafific-and-weather'
announcer.

The President and First Lady

We had the opportunity of hosting the president, his wife, and their two sons for a few days.  Okay, he's the Canadian President of our mission agency, ABWE, but still this is big-time stuff for us.  We had guests!  And they came to see all of the different facets of work that the Canadian contingent are involved in.  We arranged to meet them at the airport and take them on the long drive up to Mango to visit Erin & Nate Weston and family for a couple of days.  We returned to host them at our hospital after that, then hand them off to another family in Kpalime before their whirlwind trip of Togo was over. 

Minne and Michele visiting the
hospital clinic with some toys

Michele playing with a kid in the maternity ward

Bouma, Weston and Penny families together in Mango

A few people we met at the Hospital Of Hope

John Patrick had an amazing story
to share with us.

It was great to have the Bouma family here.  They brought chocolate bars, which was AWESOME!!  They brought news from home.  They brought encouragement and thanks for the work being done by everyone here on the team.  We're blessed to have people who care for us in positions of leadership.  They want to see us succeed in what we came here to do.  Thanks to Minne, Michele and the boys for taking the time to visit.  It meant a lot.  (And it was fun.)

From The Cutting Room Floor

Here is a collection of pictures that didn't warrant a whole lot of text.  What they do provide is a glimpse into life here in West Africa.  Enjoy the scenery - without the heat, smells and sounds!

Rush hour on the road between Tsiko and Agame

Another clear night.  Not much light pollution in our area!

Hudson built a Togolese cooking oven out of mud.
A weenie roast soon followed.

A Blue-bellied Roller in flight.

Ever fill an Operation Christmas Child shoe box for
Samaritan's Purse?  If so, it might have been headed to Togo!

A couple of smiling faces in the Hospital Of Hope cuisine.

The view across the mountains to the valley beyond.

Our miniature 'Uluru', on the road to Notse.

Mount Agou, the highest point in Togo.  We've been up there.

Hornbill; its my favourite bird.  Enough said.

Flowers.  Pink.

The small waterfall near the village
of Tokpli

The upper section of the falls near Wli.
It's pronounced 'Vlee' or 'Blee' by the locals.
They can't even get it right, it seems.
(I wonder why they just didn't spell it
with those letters...)

The entire Wli Falls.  It's 80m / 260ft from the
top to the bottom.  Makes the strenuous
hike worth it!

A llittle boy received a balloon at
the HBB cuisine

 These next couple of pictures are faces of a couple of the young ladies we met in the maternity ward at the Hospital Of Hope.  The scarring on their faces is tribal marking.  They didn't want to smile, and were quite shy.  Away from a camera they would laugh and gladly show off their newborn babies or let people hold them.  Just a cultural thing, I guess.

Thanks for reading and checking out what we've been up to over the last few weeks.  Like always, if you would like to contact us feel free to drop us an email.  We try to respond but sometimes we're a bit slow.  You can reach us at penny.missions@gmail.com.

You can also follow us on Instagram, just look up 5cent_mission.