Reflections on Togo, Part 5

The Internet is working and I’m awake before the rest of the house….

2002 - I guess you could say that this is the beginning of “normal” life in Togo for our family. Bryan continued language/culture learning by spending his mornings with Camiye, his language helper, and afternoons in the local villages practicing what he learned. I studied French with Essowe a couple of hours a week.  But mosly, I stayed busy doing the regular mom stuff with the twists and turns of living in Africa.

In February we had our first visitors from our sponsoring church in Dallas - Michael and Murray Sanderson!

A group of Harding interns arrived for the summer. That first group of interns was a definite learning experience. It was great to be around college students and see Togo freshly through their eyes.

My Dad visited in November! (Can you tell that visitors are a big deal to me? They bring encouragement, news from home, goodies and lots of laughter! I think they get some things in return too.)

It was during this year that I became convicted that I needed to take my relationship with Jesus more seriously than ever before. In the past I had considered myself a “strong Christian” and loved going to church, but having my cultural props stripped away I saw the truth. I was a spiritual sloth. I enjoyed being fed by others without doing any real searching, learning or listening for myself. My heart had become buried in layers of others’ expectations and my own victim mentality. It was time to break free!!!!!

More later…