two full weeks in September

As I'm leaning back into my favorite thinking chair in my office, I am reflecting on the last two weeks and the impact they have had.

The time started with the Africa by Radio meeting here in Lomé. Representatives of local and international radio ministries came together to strategize and plan how to use radio most effectively to reach the remaining unreached people in Africa. These two days were followed by the annual meeting of the African Media Trainers. Together we identified major media training needs on the continent and ways of meeting them.


Kathy did a lot of work hosting as many guest as we have beds in our house. The rest of the visitors, from South Africa, UK, Canada, Sweden and Ghana stayed at a local hotel. However, they all had a chance to taste her culinary delights one evening, as Kathy, with the the help of many others, organised a BBQ for 30 people! For me it was definitely the highlight of all our meetings and get-togethers.


Just as the majority of delegates left Lomé, we welcomed the participants to a one-week Training of Trainers course. One of our strategies to tackle the immense training needs on the continent is to equipping African media practitioners to be able to pass on their skill and knowledge. So, finally, after many month of planning we held the first "Formation de Formateurs" in West Africa. We had 12 participants, from almost as many countries. It was a big challenge for me, since I was determined to teach in French. It went okay, but now my head is very tired. I really hope that these men and woman will pick up the task and improve the quantity and quality of Christian witness in the media in francophone Africa.


Finally, Sydney saved the day as our ministry leaders, Danny and AnnMarie Isenring, left from the airport in Lomé. We saw that they had problems at check-in. So, I tried to text Danny's mobile phone, but it wouldn't go through. As I was wondering how to contact them otherwise, Sydney had the idea to write something on my notebook and show it to them through the glass window that they had to pass on their way to the passport control. It worked! They saw us and we were able to find out that everything was okay. On our way out, Sydney said to me, 'Ain't I a saver-the-dayer'? Yes Sydney, you saved the day! :-)

Simply Fiona

Fiona is a lot of fun. She is always thinking of funny things to do and say. In the last few weeks, we've had a number of things going on and I'm dedicating this post to her way of looking at things.


Fiona has wanted to learn the violin for a long time. We bought one and Mae brought it as well as her ability to teach it.


Fiona's friend, Miriam, spent 10 days with us at the end of August. She and Fiona had a wonderful time together.




Elena braided Fiona's hair. However, they started shortly before bed one night so only half was finished until after school the next day.


This is what it looked like afterward.


The other day, we went thru the girls' clothes and got rid of things that didn't fit or that we didn't need. Fiona decided she wanted to sell them and, with Papa and Sydney's help, she set up a "shop" just outside our front gate. People from all round flocked to her shop and she actually made around $20! Now we see little kids walking past our gate in clothes we recognize.

Mae is here!

This year, our home school will be different. While we were in the USA, Mae Jennings wrote saying she was interested in doing a short term mission, preferably working with children. Since we had a great fit--with our girls and all--we suggested it and she came. We are all very excited to start school this year (we'll start Monday). The girls are ready to have someone besides Mama as teacher and I'm ready for some help. I know there will be great things in store for all of us. Please pray with us that all goes well and that we thoroughly enjoy each other this year.

Girl Power!!

Yesterday, Roger flew to Chad for a 2 week training course. As is usually the case, something that doesn’t usually go wrong when Roger is here, went wrong today.

We had been invited to the Mission to Seamen where our German friends live. He is a pastor and holds periodic services at the mission in German and French. Today was one of those. We were also invited to stay for lunch afterward and maybe a swim. We were excited and Elena had made cake to bring as well.

As I was backing the car out of the garage, Elena, who was holding the door open, shouted that a tire was flat. I put it in forward and went right back into the building. My initial reaction was to get upset, however, I knew, from previous experience that getting angry wasn’t going to help. I calmly called our friends and told them what was up and that we certainly weren’t going to make it to the church service.

Today happens to be one of the warmest we’ve had lately. Most days have been cloudy and windy which almost makes Lome pleasant! However, today is bright and sunny with NO wind. I was not looking forward to changing—or trying to change—a flat tire. I sat in my room with the a/c on for a bit and then put on my grubbiest clothes and started looking for all the tools. Elena came out and helped. It took a while to find out how to lower the tire from up under the truck (I only vaguely knew it had to be done with some long tool). Once that was done, we tried to figure out the jack. It was wedged in it’s place and I couldn’t get it out, but Elena figured it out and we were ready to change the thing. It was a miracle that we were able to loosen the lugnuts and we finally got the thing changed. Now, we’re clean again (you wouldn’t believe how dirty our garage is, as well as the spare tire—which, by the way, is actually holding air!) and waiting for Julia to call.

So now it’s Girls 1, car 0 in the game we call life in Togo. I only have to find the number of the mechanic so I can have him help me fix the tire—and have him put it back on and return the spare to it’s rightful place under the car.

Thank you Lord, for helping us do this! As I prayed before beginning, “Lord, only you can help me get this tire changed,” and He did, too!

PS I was going to post a photo as well but the internet isn't working well and I can't seem to do it just now. It wasn't all that good anyway since I made it with my phone.

A new Guinnes Book Record?

Is this not the worlds amazing hairstyle?

Take a look:

www.thestollgirlssuperblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/my-hair.html

We made it!

It’s hard to believe it’s only been just over a week since we got back to Togo. We’ve fallen back into life here pretty easily. It’s one of the only times since we’ve been married that we’ve gone from a place for any length of time, and come back to it. It was really nice to walk into a house we recognized, be able to shop for essentials—like food—without wondering where to go and how to get there, etc. The girls were, for the most part, glad to see their beds and things as well.

Having said all that, we also had a hard time leaving the US. We had a great time there and saying good-bye doesn’t seem to get any easier! However, the pull of knowing we were to see Papa after 2 months, helped.

Our trip was probably the least eventful of any I have ever undertaken. My mother accompanied us as far as JFK. Since we knew it wouldn’t be easy getting thru that airport with all our luggage, we welcomed another “trolley pusher”. As it turned out, we didn’t need any others (but it was still nice to have Grandma along!). I believe God sent another angel. This time in the form of a man who worked there. As we “girls” stood there by the baggage carousel trying to decide how best to fit all the boxes and suitcases onto the fewest number of trolleys—at $5 each, we wanted to use as few as possible—a man came up and asked us where we were headed. We told him and he said, “Follow me, I’ll help you.” We did just that and he did just that as well. It was incredibly easy. He even knew how to conquer the doors on the tram as they tried to shut on him (we had been intimidated by them the last time and didn’t all get onto the tram together. You can refresh your memory on our June 16, 2008 entry, entitled Moving Right Along--can't figure out how to link you there.) From there on it was “easy-peasy”. We even got a hotel room with 2 meals in Casablanca to break up our 16 hr layover. It was great. It really helped with jet-lag as we got a chance to sleep a good deal.

Now we are back and the rains are here. It isn’t as hot as it would normally be—a good thing—and it’s nice to see our friends whom we missed while in the USA.

Thank you to all of you for your prayers for our travels and for all of us as we were separated for 2 months. It was great in the US but we are glad to be together again, as well.

~kathy

Kansas

It's already been nearly 2 months since we arrived in the US. We are having a great time. The girls are thoroughly enjoying school and being with friends and family. I (Kathy) am also enjoying them being in "real" school and with friends and family.

It's been pretty relaxing and just plain fun. It was nearly 90 degrees the other day and, although I was hot, I didn't even break a sweat! What a difference. We've also been to see various doctors, etc. I have been to see a cardioloist and my extra heartbeat seems to be something I just need to learn to live with (something I really already knew, but dared to hope might change).

We miss Papa, though, even if it is nice here. He went back to Togo 3 weeks ago. He was worried that he might starve since he didn't know what to cook, but has lovely friends who are taking care of him and feeding him.