Saturday,
September 10, 2005
Some recipients did not receive yesterday's Times, so we are re-sending it to the entire distribution list. Please accept apologies if you have already received this.
Anthony and Maureen Parker
What a week! It began in Benin when we left our motel at 6:15 a.m. and finally made it home that evening about 8:00 p.m. That day was filled with joyous celebration as we witnessed the starting of a new church, and 17 people immersed into a relationship with God through Jesus. This was followed by worship, a meal of rice (no spoons!), and then by the five hour trip home and worship with the team, as we welcomed the Koonces back from their furlough. Monday was Labor Day and, more importantly, Jeff's birthday, so the team got together again that night to celebrate.
The Koonces return to Tabligbo has allowed our team to return to normalcy as we are all finally back together for the first time since February. Normalcy means school starting, which all of the kids are excited about. Pre-school doesn't start until next week, so Jonathan has felt pretty left out. Perhaps the highlight of Jeremy's week, however, was running over a chicken with his bicycle on the way to school. The Koonces also brought back new Taekwando equipment and "master" Marty led the boys in a review of what they learned last year along with some sparing.
Maureen is also "back-to-school" as she started her language lessons after taking a break for most of the school vacation. Anthony had a good study with the Tabligbo elders on prayer. He was struck how God seems to hunger and thirst for a relationship with us, as we should for him. He also made good progress on editing the leadership training materials.
Click on these links for more details on the new church and the dead chicken.
Jeff and Brenda Holland
This week was a week of reunion. The Koonces made it back from furlough on Sunday night. This is the first time the team has been together since February. With everyone back, school started on Tuesday. Josiah had been looking forward to the start of the school year, but Ellianna has cried every day wanting to be with her big brother. Ellianna has had malaria for the past few days. She seems to be getting better. Keep her in your prayers. Rebecca is pretty content about pretty much everything at this point. It is hard to believe that she will be four months soon. Jeff had a birthday on September 5th.
As part of the missionary phase-out, the printing equipment and all of the printed materials were turned over to the nationals this week. This included moving all of those items to the local church house where they will be stored and used. Murphy and Anthony will be setting up a committee to oversee the materials production and distribution. Brenda’s literacy work has been turned over to one of the nationals. He is following up on all of those who were trained to teach. Brenda hopes that as the program gets going, the churches will pay for future follow up visits. Leadership training is going well. Continue to pray for the 3 church plantings being done by the Nyinoume and Dagbati clusters
Stacey Sexton
Five days into school and can I just say, "what an experiance!" I have never taught in a classroom and to be honest the first day was not the best day of my life. I was everywhere along with my students. To the glory of God and the help of the students the last four days of this week were absolutely wonderful. I got my class straightened out and my students are such a joy to be around. It is such a blessing to be teaching these students. I know I am the teacher, but I do feel as though a lot of the times the children are teaching me. They have such a love for God, life, and people. They are so open to what they believe in, what they feel, what they love, and what they want to do in life. They are all very different and have many talents. I can see many future leaders in this group of boys. It truly an honor and blessing to be teaching them for the few months that I have.
Jenna and I are having a wonderful time together and are enjoying every moment that we have with the families and our new friends from Africa. It has also been really nice to meet the Koonces. So it looks like the whole team is together and ready for an new year of adventures. As every new day comes I feel even more at home. Africa is not only a place that I am living at but is as place that is now becoming a part of me. I know that God has many more things that he is wanting to show me here and I pray that my heart and mind is opened for all that Africa has to offer. Again thank you for your prayers and the states and your work there is always in my thoughts and prayers. May God bless you all. Love in Christ, Stacey
Jenna Stephens
School finally started this week, and it has been wonderful so far! All of the kids are really enjoying it, and glad--I think--to be getting back in the school routine. I also am enjoying being back in the classroom, and so grateful for the opportunity to get to know the kids here on a deeper level; seeing them every day allows me greater insight into their personalites and makes it possible to truly know the unique people God has created in them.
Stacey and I have ventured out on our own more this week, which has been nice. We are both feeling more comfortable around town, and HOPE to start driving soon so that we aren't so dependent on rides! Honestly, I'm just afraid of running over the many animals in the streets . . . so we walk for now :)
God's grace and mercy continue to be over everything and to bless me beyond what I deserve. Our group of women have started the book study "Believing God," by Beth Moore, and I have benefited so greatly from it, and it's only the first week! It is my prayer that my belief in God grows exponentially over the course of the study and my stay here, and that He is able to do more through me because of that. Thank you for your prayers, all of you!
Murphy and Christine Crowson
This has been a good week. Praise God that our car has worked well and Murphy has not missed any meetings. The boys have also had a great first week of school. They have come home very enthusiastic about school. Thank God for our new teachers and the wonderful job they are doing with our children. Please continue to pray for Adzo, the little girl from Sedome who is in the hospital. She has improved some. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for her. Thank you so much for you prayers for us and the Watchi.
For more details on Adzo and to see Murphy's new blog, click here.
Marty and Louise
Koonce
We have had a great week of being back in Togo. The boys have all loved being home and getting to spend time with their friends again. They have missed getting to be with their Togolese friends because of starting school on Tuesday after only arriving on Sunday. They love their new teachers and are really looking forward to this school year as being a great one. Louise is continuing to settle in and finally got to shop for food on Friday. Blessedly our team had provided all that was needed to get us through much of the first week of being back. Marty has been figuring out his schedule and receiving visitors as well as getting some logistical things taken care of like overdue vehicle inspections, etc... He did get to sit in on the organization committee meeting on Wednesday (a nice reaquaintance with six hours on wooden benches) which was very enlightening as to the future for this work among the Watchi. He was also encouraged by running into one of the members he is training from the less than fired-up church of Ahepe who informed him of several new people about to be baptized. We rejoice in this because Ahepe has been on the verge of the grave for several years and is now showing signs of life again. Pray for us as we get back into it heavily this next week. Also, please pray for Nic Wheeler, one of Marty's best friends who is undergoing back surgery this week.
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