Our first trip to Togo, West Africa was in 2001 while we were both still in college. John and I went on on 2 week mission trip with a group of student nurses to visit Hopital Baptiste Biblique in the village of Tsiko. At that time, John and were just really good friends, but the Lord put a love for the Togolese in both our hearts. Just 2 years later, we would marry and begin preparations to return to Togo to serve a 2 year term (2005 -2007) working in the hospital,teaching in the nursing program, and leading Bible studies.
While there, the Lord continued to work in our hearts and cultivate a desire to serve Him through medical missions. We returned home in 2007 with plans for John to attend school to become a Nurse Practitioner so that we could return to Togo to further be used of God.
After returning home, I struggled with going back to Togo. In 2007, the Lord blessed us with our second daughter and then a third child, a son in 2009. I did not have a peace about going back. One side of my heart wanted to return to Togo, but the other side said, "No!! You can't take small children to a village in Africa!!". After much prayer, the Lord settled my heart and gave me (the mommy) the peace of God. Am I scared? Yes! Am I nervous? Yes! Do I lie awake at night thinking about taking 3 small children to Africa? Yes! But I know that God is faithful and His peace will sustain!
So here we are, preparing to go back to Togo for another 2 year term. John has 3 semesters of his MSN program left and Lord willing he will graduate in August of 2012. We are starting the process of raising both financial and prayer support. We can not do this alone! Right now, the task of raising such a large amount of money seems daunting, but we are claiming this promise.
"Faithhful is He that calleth you, who will also do it ."
It is not us, but God who will accomplish this great challenge!
My family
