Dear Family and Friends,
So, we finally made it! From -2 to 87 °F (-19 to 30°C) in just a matter of 23 days! Take a moment to read our newsletter (click HERE) and learn of what has happened in the last few weeks and how you can be praying for us going forward.
Thank you so much for the way you have and continue to pray for us!
God bless,
Fred, Lydia, Noah, Nathanael, Noémi, and Noll
A belated Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Thank You
We would like to take this time to say a belated Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Thank You! We pray that you are doing well, and that the new year will see your growth in Christ continue. As we take the time to reflect, we realize that we can only be doing what we are doing because of you, through your prayers and support (both financial & otherwise). Please know we appreciate your comments, questions, concerns and prayer requests, and we pray that our responses have been adequate. Our goal with our ministry updates and newsletters is not only to keep you informed of what we are going through, but an attempt to further develop a relationship with you. We are interested in what you are doing and how we can be praying for you! So once again, a belated Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and thank You!
Sherbrooke
Language School: We finished language school on Dec 19th, and although we have not received our final grade, we understand that we have passed B2! In all this, we had two opportunities to make a presentation in French, about our ministry in Togo. The first one was a 10-minute presentation on Dec 7th at l’Église Baptiste Évangélique de Lennoxville from which we received a few comments that it was well done. The second one was a35-minute presentation to the Parole de Vie Bible College students that included a question-and-answer period where we must have answered15 plus questions about everything from the kids’ education to who is ministering to the missionaries. It was an interesting experience to speak in front of a crowd of people in a second language. In this I (Fred) was sure of what I was trying to say, but I was unsure of what was being heard. If the question-and-answer period was any indication, the students heard what we were trying to say.
Togo, HBB (Hôpital Baptiste Biblique) – “More Than Just a Hospital”
Updates:(from other missionary newsletters)
HBB’s PAACS surgical residency program: a new surgical resident is starting in Jan. (PAACS is a missionary medical program designed to train African doctors who are committed to staying in Africa as surgeons.)
Evangelistic Mobile Medical Clinic in Fanyidewoe: 400 people crowded into the church waiting to be seen; due to time and limited providers, only 150 patients were seen but several pastors were there visiting with people and sharing the Gospel.
OB department: received a gift of new handheld dopplers (used to detect and measure baby heart rates of expected mothers); and 4 maternity OB labor delivery beds (mechanical).
Medical Team: treating 2 kids for Burkitt’s lymphoma, who were abandoned by their mothers (a 4-year-old & 7-year-old). They have completed their third and first treatments respectively and are responding. And most importantly, the Gospel is being shared with their extended family.
Surgical/Medical team: aided a woman with a 15 cm mass on her right arm; she required emergency amputation secondary to bleeding and was found to have cancer with “cannonball metastases” (lung metastasis). The cancer is not curable. The gospel was shared with her.
A day in the life of a CCAA-RRT (Certified Clinical Anesthesiologist Assistant) at HBB: “So, on this day, I started with an upper endoscopy on a child who had severe esophageal scarring from swallowing lye a few years earlier . . . Due to complications, (the used guide wire broke and caused a perforation and a pneumothorax) this was followed by an exploratory open laparotomy on the same child and insertion of a feeding tube directly into his stomach through his abdominal wall and a chest tube insertion. This child is 13 years old and weighs just 35 lb’s. For perspective, I used a blood pressure cuff on his arm that I would normally use on a two-year old. So that was my morning. In the OR next door, my colleague Franck, was providing anesthesia for a 2-year-old to have a mass removed from his face; then he had 2 patients in for hernia repairs, followed by removal of infectious or dead tissue and bone on a lady’s foot. Next we had a mastectomy, and I sedated a 3 year old for a lymph node biopsy to send for testing for Tuberculosis. And to end the day, I sedated a 3 year old so I could do a lumbar puncture on him to send his CSF for testing.”
For such busy days and complex cases, we are grateful for the roles that God allows HBB to play in the lives of those in Togo!
“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:18
Preparing to go to Togo: We continue to move forward in our preparation to leave for Togo. Everything is almost done. Tickets are bought. (We leave Jan 16th.) All we are waiting for is Lydia’s Togo visa. (Fred and the kids have received their visas, but Lydia has not.) Fred will be making a “U-Haul” run to South Carolina to drop off our bikes and totes for a container that will be shipped sometime in 2026 when it is full. We have had a conversation with HBB and understand that we will start work on Feb 4th (Yes, we are nervous and have started to mentally prepare for this task. We have also reached out to a visiting OB-GYN, Dr. A who will be at HBB when we start, to give her a “heads-up” that it has been a bit since we last delivered a baby). Lydia and Fred will be working as one full-time physician and plan to divide the shifts assigned between ourselves, while the other stays home working through schooling and other responsibilities for the kids.
We were able to find on-line music and French teachers and an on-line “self-paced” math course for the kids. As such, the schedule is almost set for the kids. The three younger kids will be doing MK school from 8am to noon Monday through Thursday, where they will do Bible, English, science and history. During this time Noah will also have MK school but it will go from 8:30 to 10:30am and only cover English and history. Bible and science will be covered at home by Mom and Dad. This will be followed with on-line private French lessons for Noah, Nathanael, and Noemi on Monday afternoons, physical education for all the kids Wednesday afternoons and Friday mornings, and music for the three older kids with on-line private lessons Thursday afternoons. Math will be done a bit every weekday afternoon. Our only uncertainty in this schedule is Noll. For Noll to attend the MK school, he has to be reading at a predetermined level. We are not sure if he is there yet, but we are hoping he is. Once Noll starts MK school, we will start to consider music lessons and French lessons for him also.
Family Update
Fred and Lydia: It has been a busy couple of months for us. Our time has been divided between French studies (ended Dec 19th), planning for our transition from Sherbrooke, Quebec (leaving Dec 26th) to Grandville MI to Togo, West Africa (flight Jan 16th, 2026) and helping the kids in their transition from Quebec. It has been a bit much at times, to tell you the truth. We are hoping as we transition to Togo our lives will “slow down” a bit.
Noah / Nathanael / Noémi / Noll: The kids got their report cards on Nov 20th and we were able to meet with some of their teachers. In general, they received “good” feedback regarding behavior and participation in class. We are proud of them! On Dec 19th they finished school and were able to say some “good” goodbyes. Noah ran a personal best in cross-country (3 km, 10:46), started and stopped swimming, finished 2nd in a school chess tournament, and was recognized for maintaining an average above 85%. All 3 younger kids finished gymnastics. In addition, Nathanael had fun playing soccer at school and was noted to be exceeding the expectations for his grade. Noémi was also noted to be exceeding the expectations for her grade, which is amazing given the fact that she was moved up a grade. Noll had one of his “works of art” chosen to be displayed in the school calendar and was noted to be a quiet kid in class (which is amazing because at home he is anything but quiet)! Noll did have a follow up cardio echo which shows a normal functioning heart (routine follow-up after his open-heart surgery at 3½ years old).
Prayers and Praises for:
Kids
Fred and Lydia
Togo, Hôpital Baptiste Biblique
People of Sherbrooke (& Quebec)
Other
Dear Family and Friends,
As the seasons are changing, we are also getting ready for change! At times, this change can feel very hard, but change can also produce something good. Much appreciate your continued prayers! Please click here to read our Fall Newsletter to catch-up on all of the news!
God bless,
Fred, Lydia, Noah, Nathanael, Noémi and Noll
Your Story is Important
I like stories. I like to hear personal stories. I like to ask questions about the thoughts and the mindset of the people as they tell their stories. From this I learn a lot.
This is what the Bible is for me. It is God’s and our story as told by God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. It is not a promise of an easy, uncomplicated life without challenges in this broken world. It shows us, instead, the effects of our decision to live separate from God and the joys and struggles of those who follow after Him while connecting us to something beyond ourselves. Through it I learn how to live in a more meaningful way.
I wish we could-would share our personal stories mores. I think we could learn a lot from each other’s stories. I know I do. But I think it is hard for us to tell our story for a couple of reasons. First, often we do not feel we have a story to tell and/or we feel it will make us “less” than what we should be. Second, we do not know how to take time to learn other people’s stories. Our culture has taught us how to work, network, and keep occupied, but it does not teach us how to truly spend time with each other. In this something is lost; there is no connection made beyond ourselves.
I believe that God gave us each other and as such I think we should take time to not only tell our personal story more but learn the stories of others.
Sherbrooke
French Studies: We passed our conversational course! Thus, we started level B2 French on August 27th. (Interesting fact: for Canadian residency status in Quebec, you have to pass the B2 level in French.)
Mazda: Our Mazda 6 has been revived! (From previous newsletter, you may recall that we were told that it was non-salvageable.) While looking into towing the Mazda across the border to a salvage yard, we were told to try a “mom and pop” shop three minutes from where we lived. We did, and five hours later they called to say the car was fixed! Not only that, but they changed out the “new Mazda part” with the “old Mazda part” because it did not work. Thus, I was able to return the “new Mazda part” for a refund. Now I am working on getting the rear end of the Mazda repaired that was “rear ended” in Indiana in November 2024. Oh what fun!
4,200 Miles: We had to leave Canada on June 30th because of Lydia’s visa expiring. We returned to Sherbrooke on August 4th. During this time, we traveled by van, covered about 4,200 miles and visited the following states/provinces: New York, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, and Ontario. Highlights: friends and supporters; a day at Seabreeze amusement-waterslide park; 4 days in a cabin on Lake Michigan with Family N; 4 days with Grandma who changed out our old van with a newer van (thank you Grandma); Headwaters VBS; presentation of ABWE’s Togo mission field to the sewing ladies at Headwaters who have put together multiple totes of infant hats, blankets, etc.; ABWE missions conference in TN; Noah’s Ark in KY; Niagara Falls (Canadian side); visited with family in Windsor ON and Christian Lake ON; and go-cart racing. Challenges: Noemi developed a rash and Bell’s palsy as a result of Lyme’s disease. As such we had to visit an ER in Ontario. She has since recovered. (Thank you, Lord!)
Kids going back to school: The kids still really miss their school in Fort Wayne, but they are okay to be starting school again here. Their first day of school was August 28th and it went all right. The kids are hoping to be involved in some school sports here in the fall (cross-country and soccer). (Interesting fact: the government of Quebec has banned all cell phones in school starting this year.)
HBB – “more than just a Hospital”
Updates: From the newsletters of multiple missionaries: OB (Obstetrics) –> The OB volume is picking up; they did suffer a maternal death and a baby death (which is tough!); and there have been some manpower issues which has place a bit more strain on the staff at HBB. On the upside: they were able to participate in the care of a set of twins, who were born outside the hospital, and all went well; and the monthly Bible study with the OB nurses is progressing. Building relationships –> a state side church which is considering a long-term relationship with HBB and has some medical ties, is planning a vision trip to HBB in the near future; during the month of July HBB’s Evangelistic Mobile Medical Clinic spent time in a Togolese prison and a Togolese village building relationships through medicine. Baptisms –> an ABWE Togolese church plant has recently baptized 7 new members! Lansing MI –> HBB & HOH (the 2 Togolese mission hospitals) have lost the use of a shipping warehouse to pack and send containers secondary to the business being sold.
Ultrasound –> Ultrasound machines are game changers in resource limited settings where CT scans and MRIs do not exist and/or are out of reach financially or because of travel for the average person. As such the ultrasound plays a huge role as an imagine diagnosing tool. At HBB, along with an x-ray machine, the two ultrasound machines play an important role in OB and newborn care and in the diagnosing of heart, lung, abdominal and extremity pathology. One of HBB’s two ultrasound machines (both of which date back to 2015) has become unrepairable. A new one has been sourced, and its price has been reduced from $45,000 to $9,150 through a global grant program. If you feel lead to contribute to this new Ultrasound Machine you can donate through: https://give.abwe.org/projects/karolyn-kempton-memorial-hospital-hbb (PLEASE note “Ultrasound” in the comments).
Beautiful Feet: While in TN we were able to reconnect with Beautiful Feet, an ABWE ministry whose focus is to empower national churches to lead pregnancy care ministries. Currently they exist in 26 countries, including Togo. More specifically, in Togo they have 14 locations. We had a great discussion centered on how we as a hospital-centered OB service could support them in providing safe home-based pre-natal services and deliveries.
Preparing to go to Togo: In preparing to go to Togo, we have four more necessary steps: vaccinations, 8 weeks of B2 language, airline tickets, and Togo visas. Currently we are proceeding through the vaccinations stage that includes rabies, typhoid, cholera, malaria, yellow fever and meningitis. We can honestly say the vaccination stage is not our most favorite, but we are progressing through it with the help of ice cream!
School Kits for Togo: As some of you may remember, we had the opportunity to participate in a VBS (Vacation Bible School) fund-raising program for school kits for Togo in July. The result: $2,275. And thanks to the project leaders in Togo (K & C) and some saving as a result of bulk buying, the final tally was not 91 school kits, BUT 140 school kits (for K through middle school). Thank you to everyone who gave!
A quick revision from our last newsletter: We have just received a second bill for Noll’s pediatric cardiology visit on April 1st. The total cost for the visit is now 1,000 USD compared to 3,500 USD in the USA. Oh, the hassle of delayed billing (lol).
Prayers and Praise for:
Kids
Fred and Lydia
Togo, Hôpital Baptiste Biblique
People of Sherbrooke (& Quebec)
Other
Dear Friends and Family,
Understanding how to be in the world but not of the world can be very challenging. We are grateful for the challenge and yet at the same time wish it were easier! Thank you for your prayers! To read our latest news with regards to language school and future plans, click HERE to read our summer 2025 newsletter.
God bless,
Fred, Lydia, Noah, Nathanael, Noémi and Noll
We cannot fix it!
As a young person I saw my dad, a cheesemaker by trade, do everything from book-keeping to electrical work to carpentry work and more. If he didn’t know exactly how to do it, he would prepare the project to such a point that the professional would have minimal work to do. My dad was involved in the fixing of everything. This left an impression on me to such a point that I never thought I could not do something and that the world could be made a better place. This has been a driving force of who I am. On the other hand, when I struggle and cannot do something and/or I have trouble understanding something, which is fairly often, I feel inherently “not good enough”, I feel inadequate. And if I am told by someone that “it cannot be done,” I struggle with understanding this response and usually respond with a thousand questions. This has affected me deeply as it has caused me to reflect, maybe too much at times, on my experiences in life with the goal of becoming better. It is in this state that I heard the message of justification and sanctification at Grace Fellowship in Florence KY that started my walk with Christ. Justification is the concept that we, as Christians, are accepted, freed from condemnation, guilt and the penalty of sin, through belief alone in Christ and through his death. Sanctification is the process of becoming more like Christ through study and prayer. As Easter comes and goes, I am reminded again of God’s story in the Old Testament, Christ’s life and death through the New Testament; His commands to love the One who sent Him and to love one another as He loved us; how He invested in people (the twelve disciples, people’s lives through healing, conversations, action); how he prayed for future Christians; how He died; and the power of sin. The Pharaoh chose not God but sin despite the evidence and signs to the contrary. And according to my impression of Revelations, we too, or at least a good majority of us, will choose not God but sin despite the evidence and signs to the contrary. I am coming to the conclusion, in all this, that “we cannot fix it.” It is only through Jesus Christ that this world and we can be “fixed.”
Sherbrooke
The weather is changing here. The snow on the ground is all gone but we are still experiencing a weekly snow fall.
At the beginning of April, we were blessed with a visit from Lydia’s mom, brother, and his family for a weekend. We spent time playing soccer, talking (in English), and visiting Quebec City.
French studies are continuing. We have written 8 sets of French exams and our grades are improving. At the end of April, we will be taking a final level B1 exam which consist of oral and written assessments and a grammar test. For the months of May and June we are planning to participate in a French language conversational course here at Parole de Vie while our kids finish the school year. (The last day of school for the 3 younger kids is June 23rd.) For the month of July, we will be making a trip to Michigan, Indiana and possibly Tennessee. Planning and timing for a future departure from Sherbrooke to Togo will depend on a few things such as our language proficiency, language clearance from HBB, immunizations (may take ≥ 3months), passports, VISAs, housing availability in Togo and the arrival of our stuff to Togo. Currently we are projecting a departure date of Dec 2025 or Jan 2026.
HBB – “More than just a hospital”
A meeting: we had a zoom meeting with one of our supporting churches. We were encouraged by the conversation and the desire to be more involved in our ministry and the ministry at HBB. We are not sure of what the future holds, but are excited for the possibilities.
Newborn supplies: we had communication with a women’s group at a supporting church that is knitting blankets, hats and other supplies for the OB/newborn unit at HBB.
Ventilators. We understand a missionary couple has secured 5 additions ventilators for HBB. Thus, when they arrive, HBB will go from 1 to 6 ventilators. We are excited for this addition to HBB and what it could means for the treatment of acute respiratory emergencies (from snake bites for example) but we are also nervous at the challenges it may bring (when do you take someone off the ventilator).
A newsletter: we read a newsletter from Dr L (FP/OB doctor at HBB). The once-a-month OB meeting with the nurses to discuss treatment protocols has started and is being well received.
Praises – Thanking the Lord for:
Prayers for
Dear Friends and Family,
We are challenged not only by our new surroundings, but by the suffering of friends, families, and colleagues. How do we live (or suffer if you will) well? Thank you for your prayers and support. To read our latest newsletter, click HERE.
God bless,
Fred, Lydia, Noah, Nathanael, Noémi and Noll
MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR from the Pfennigers!
Wow, this month has felt like a rollercoaster –from very joyous moments to moments of fear and sadness as we say goodbye to friends. This season for us has been a hard one. It is one that reminds us to think on what God has done and to trust in Him, that what we are doing is His plan and not ours. It is in this remembrance that we are strengthened and able to go forward. However, it doesn’t mean that all our fear is gone; in fact, this season has been about working through fear, the emotions of change and loss, and having no clue of what lies ahead. It makes me wonder about Joseph and Mary. Did they feel this way as they embraced their circumstances? Did Joseph have doubt despite his dream? How often did Joseph reflect on his dream and God to overcome his doubt? And what about Mary? How often did Mary need to remind herself of what the angel said as she not only carried the pregnancy, but went through the pains of labor far from family? Then, in the midst of this, God blessed them with the gift of the amazing story of the shepherds who had of a whole host of angels proclaiming that this child is the Messiah, Prince of Peace, Savior of the world! That must have been a moment that not only encouraged them but also one that they would hold onto for years to come.
In the midst of fear, leaving and sadness, we have been blessed! From a church that gave us a generous send-off; to the response-conversations we had in our home during our Togo presentations; to the families who have helped drive our kids to their sports events, provided meals, and brought over extra toys as we delt with the logistics of closing up our home; to the teachers –one who didn’t want one of our kids to miss out on a year-end fun activity, so she set it up all on her own accord and invited the entire class to come, and to the others who went out of their way to say goodbye to our kids; to one gentleman from church who came over multiple times a week to help in repairs and packing; to the men who came and did an amazing job helping us load all of our belongings heading to Togo, into a 26 foot truck in 1 hour(!); to many friends who have written cards/letters, drawn pictures, printed off special photos all to show our kids and our family how much they care for us and they care about what we are doing and will be praying for us!! It is something we will hold onto and, we pray will spur us on in those hard moments. We are so grateful for the birth of Christ and so grateful for the gift of friends and their love!
Highlights of the move & the two months to come:
HBB – “More than Just a hospital”
We met with Mr. and Mrs. G (pharmacist and nutritionist –she’s working on personal trainer certificate) and are excited at their addition to the medical team at HBB. They are a young missionary couple who are currently fund raising and are committing to HBB for a 2-year period starting late 2025. One of their ministry goals is to start a sports ministry –catering to both nationals and missionary families. We are encouraged with their coming, not only to help address patient care, and thus grow the testimony for Christ but also for us and the kids, to help us stay active, involved in sports, and healthy. In all this we marvel at God’s timing as we were part of a team that was able to secure some exercise equipment for HBB (The Charity Build) for this purpose of saying active and healthy. Now with their addition, we are looking forward to the exploration of the sport ministry, and its impact on the call for Christ.
Finances
In December we received financial clearance to go to the field! Thank-you all for your support. Our ability to do what we do is directly related to your prayers and financial support. FYI: our supporters are made up of short- and long-term commitments, one-time and re-current gifts, and individuals and churches.
To give, visit: www.abwe.org/pfenniger
Prayers/Praises:
Dear Friends and Family,
We want to say THANK YOU! Thank you for how you have walked beside us on this path! Please read our newsletter (Click HERE) and let us express to you our gratitude along with additional explanation, prayer requests, and what is happening now.
God bless,
Fred, Lydia, Noah, Nathanael, Noémi and Noll
A Thought
As we’ve been cleaning up our house, we’ve come to realize not only how busy we’ve been since we got married 14 years ago, but also in our lives prior to marriage. Our lives today, over the last 8 months, feels different as we are not being driven by lives that pull us in opposite directions, but by a life that is pulling us in the same direction. The result of this has been, un-intentionally, us spending more time together, not only as a couple, but also as a family. The change has been subtle, but palpable. Near the end of July and beginning of August, we traveled as a family to the west coast for 11 days, visiting family, friends, and Temple Baptist church. During this time, we camped for 4 days, spent a day at a waterslide park, played games and spent time with people. It was probably, from my point of view, one of the most relaxing vacations we’ve had as a family so far, as we simply enjoyed the journey. Do not get me wrong, we have a lot on our plate including worries and work, as we prepare to leave, but there was a peace. Is this God speaking into our lives? A.W. Tozer in The Pursuit of God, pg. 125, writes “It will cost something to walk slow in the parade of the ages, while excited men of time rush about confusing motion with progress. But it will pay in the long run . . ..” We are grateful as we reflect for the gift of time we’ve been given.
Updates – Preparing for the mission field
Language school. Language school has been set and confirmed for Sherbrooke, Quebec. We will start on January 13, 2025. We’ve given notice to our landlord here in Fort Wayne for the end of December, and have been assigned a fully furnished 3-bedroom apartment in Sherbrooke. We are planning to bring our van with us. To help us in the move over the next few weeks, we will be getting a U-Haul hitch put on the van so that it can tow a small trailer. Our goal is to travel with about 15 suitcases. In Sherbrooke, the kids will be attending an English-speaking school with French language lessons. We are happy for this as it seems like it will be less stressful for the kids and with them getting the first part of the year at BCS, the school year, from a learning perspective, can be “salvaged.”
Fund raising and presentations. Noll turned 5 on August 21st and is now a “big boy!” This has had two effects. First, he is now required to wash his dish and put it in the dishwasher after meals. Second, it has increased our child education fund requirements. As such, our monthly support level has gone from 100% to 96%. Our O&P continues to be at 100%. For us to leave for the field, both have to be at 100%. We are believing that God will supply what we need, as we continue our plans to leave on time! Thank you to all of you who support us financially, we could not do this without you! For those of you who would like to become financial supporters, support can be given through https://abwe.org/pfenniger. Our presentation schedule has slowed as we focus on packing and cleaning up the house. We currently have three additional presentations scheduled, Sept 29th at Legacy ABF at Headwaters, Oct 19th at Noah’s Church youth group (DS3) and Nov 17th at Wirt Baptist in Madison Indiana
Exercise equipment. As you know from previous updates, Fred is getting older (but not Lydia), and exercise is not only important to him but us as a family. The kids all participate in sports and are encouraged to exercise daily in some form whether it be basketball, soccer, running or hitting balls with dad. In this we were looking for exercise equipment to encourage this aspect of our life. We started searching in the spring of this year, and were recently blessed by a promise for 7+ pieces of commercial grade equipment for not only ourselves, but also for the other missionaries at HBB to use! Our next challenge in this process is finding a place to set up the equipment at HBB. Currently plans are in place, and a design is being worked on, to build a very basic and simple exercise room. The expected cost is $21,500. As such, we are now looking for funding for the building. Are you interested in supporting this project, either financially and/or with additional equipment donations? If so, please email us at mail@fredandlydia.com. To ensure that the equipment does not get put in storage when it arrives, a backup plan is in place. We have been assigned an 1,800 ft2 home on the hospital compound. Attached to the house is a 270 ft2 screened porch. So, in the absence of a dedicated exercise room we will set up the equipment in the screened in porch of our house for general use by the missionaries. In considering all this, and with the fact that the kids enjoy sports and there are 35+ kids on HBB’s compound, we are praying and thinking about doing a sports ministry that would be offered to all the missionary kids on the compound. We would plan to cycle through 3-month sport seasons. No, we are not “sports parents,” but we have learned a lot about different sports as we watch our kids play, and do believe that these are important skill sets as well as opportunities to grow in faith.
Pre-field courses. Progress continues. Fred has completed all the required courses, and Lydia is on her last two. The two required book studies have been set up and are starting this week. If all goes well, all our pre-field requirements will be complete by the end of November.
Container. As full-time missionaries, we have been assigned a house in Togo and will need to furnish it with furniture and appliances. This home, which is 1800 ft2, is almost as big as our current home. We have been focused on going through our house –reducing and organizing. This is and will be an on-going process until the day we move. However, we now have a clearer understanding of what we have and what we will ship. In this, we made the decision of shipping a container from here to Togo as it will allow for both familiarity and allow us to set up a functional home quickly. Our next steps will be the purchasing of appliances, storage containers, area rugs, and new mattresses and reconnecting with the church in Lansing Michigan that organizes and sends containers to Togo on a regular basis. We have communicated with them in the past and have an understanding that they will work with us.
Other. Outside of above big items, we continue to make progress on multiple other fronts including a retirement plan, the kids’ education requirements, and personal/professional goals (family, midwife training program, and ministry) for our first term (Jan 2025-Spring 2029).
Prayer Requests and Praises
