Pray For The Sick

We've been back in Kara for about two and a half weeks. During this time, it seems people we love are becoming sick. There are three people specifically we want to ask you to pray for:

• Antoinette, our houseworker, has been sick for almost two weeks. In the two years she has worked for us, I think she has missed work because of sickness three times. She went to the doctor who put her of medication for high blood pressure. Her daughter has been helping us at our house and I can tell she is concerned about her mother's health as well. Antoinette lost her husband years ago, if something happens to her, her three children will have no parents.
• Erik's wife, I don't know her name, is sick. I don't know anything other than Erik did not work today because he was taking her to the doctor.
  
• Eli and Elise, the twins, have been in the hospital. They were not eating. They are both doing better now, but I ask that you continue to pray for them to gain strength.
  

Through all of this we ask that you pray for our health and strength as well. Because life here is difficult physically, a simple headache can feel like an illness. We are thankful for each of our prayer warriors and praise God that you are in our lives.

Missing Home

Veronique's Visit

If you are a regular reader of our blog, you know about Veronique and her story of how she lost the ability to walk when she was a little girl. Just before we left Togo, she came to our home to share this excitement with us....

Veronique
Uploaded by emersonstogo

Together for Togo Updates

We now have less than two weeks until the 2009 Together for Togo conference! Much prayer and planning have gone into this conference, with much more to come in the next several days leading up to the big event. We want to update you on three things in this email. First, the deadline to register, second, an update on the registration costs for the conference, and third, the conference schedule.

We would like to ask everyone who plans to attend the conference to please register by this Sunday, March 29th. This is especially important if you will be needing housing during your stay in Montgomery, since we will need the week before the conference to make the final arrangements on where everyone will be housed. If you won't know until the very last moment whether or not you will be attending, registration will be available at the door when you arrive, but housing will not be available for late registrations. Please visit www.togetherfortogo.com and register today!

We would also like to announce an updated pricing schedule for the conference. Registration for the full conference weekend is $65 per adult and $10 per child to cover the cost of food and other expenses. However, if you can only attend a portion of the conference, pricing is as follows: $25 for Friday only (includes dinner), $35 for Saturday only (includes lunch and dinner), and $10 for any single session (Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday evening) if you do not plan to eat with us for any meals. After registering at www.togetherfortogo.com, please make payment out to Grace Pointe Church of Christ, write 'Together for Togo' in the memo line, and mail it to Grace Pointe at 1565 Ray Thorington Rd., Montgomery, AL 36117. All funds will go directly towards the costs of putting on the conference.

We would also like to note that free housing will be provided for all out of town attendees. A big thank you to the members of the Grace Pointe and Vaughn Park churches for graciously offering their homes for the conference weekend.

Finally, we want to give everyone a heads up on the conference schedule. GracePointe will open it's doors on Friday, April 3rd at 4pm to begin the on site registration process, and the evening meal will be served at 6pm. At 7:15pm we will worship together and listen to a keynote speaker. On Saturday, April 4th, we will begin at 9am with worship time, followed by breakout classes and another keynote before lunch is served at 12pm. We will begin again at 2pm with more breakout classes which will continue until dinner is served at 6pm. We will have more worship time and a keynote speaker at 7:15pm before breaking for the evening at 9pm. On Sunday, GracePointe will have two services, at 8:00am and 10:15am, with combined adult classes in between. We look forward to sharing in these special times with everyone!

Please visit www.togetherfortogo.com today to register for the conference. We continue to ask that you be in prayer for the success of the conference and that God would be glorified as we gather to celebrate the advancement of His Kingdom in the tiny country of Togo. God bless you!

Furlough Time

It's that time of year once again for our family, our time to leave our lives in Togo for several weeks and reconnect with our sponsoring church, our supporters, our family and our friends. Please pray for our time in the States, that it would be productive, restful, and full of God's sustaining grace. Hope to see many of you soon!

Our Team

Pictured above:
-Reeves Family: David, Becky, Hannah, Elijah, Gabriel, Caleb
-Kennell Family: Mark, Nicole, Maddie, Michal
-Hangen Family: Matt, Grace
-Emerson Family: Brett, April, Caden, Corban
-Miller Family: Matt, Andrea, Abby, Aidan, Asher, AnnaMarie
-Teachers: Bennett, Daniel, Bekah

Not pictured:
-Stoff Family: Andrew, Julia (Albertville, France)
-Head Family: Ryan, Melissa (Memphis, TN)
-Richardson Family: Ryan, Beth, Katie, Jonah, Aaron (Memphis, TN)

Ever Wonder What Life is Really Like Here?

We've always found it to be very hard to describe our lives and work here among the Kabiye to our loved ones back home in a way that they can truly understand. I think that an outsider's perspective is necessary for this job, and my father, Darrel Emerson, is currently undertaking the task. After their visit to Togo last November, my dad returned home and began blogging about his experiences. For an insightful, honest and enlightening series of posts about our lives here, visit his blog at http://darrelsafricanadventure.blogspot.com

Thanks for sharing your experiences dad!

Discernment

This is Prosper. You might remember him from a previous post. He comes to our house every week or two, sometimes just to greet us, sometimes to bring us tomatoes or carrots, and often times he is coming to ask for money. We usually help him out with a small percentage of what he is asking for, which is mainly related to his health because of his age (he is 69, which is VERY old for a Kabiye person). He always thanks me and says, "God bless you", but it's his face right after I hand him a lot less than he asked for that rubs me the wrong way. His face says, "That's it? Are you kidding me?!" just moments before his mouth says "Thank you".

To be honest, my pride despises his reaction. Words like "ungrateful" and "manipulative" often run through my head after interacting with Prosper, but most times my compassion wins over and I receive him again the next time he visits. So my question is (and has always been as I struggle through benevolent giving in this foreign culture), "Where does God given discernment fit into this process?"

April and I could not possibly help every person that comes to our door or stops us on the street. We want to help as many people as we can, but we also don't want to create a group of people who are semi-dependent on our family. We're not going to be here forever. We want to find compassionate ways to help, but also creative ways. Righteous ways, but sustainable ways. Christ like ways, but discerning ways. You get the picture.

If you were reading this post and hoping for an answer to the problem, then I am sorry to disappoint you. It's more of a thought process post, something to spur myself and others on to holy thinking about poverty, our reaction to it, and the discernment that God promises us through the indwelling of His Spirit. Thoughts, comments and advice are definitely welcome!

2009 Together for Togo Conference

Bi-annual Together for Togo Conference to be held April 3-5 at the Grace Pointe Church of Christ in Montgomery, AL

After much planning and prayer, we are pleased to offer you the chance to register for the Together for Togo conference. Held every two years and hosted by one of our sponsoring churches on a rotating basis, the conference is a weekend full of worship, fellowship, learning, caring and sharing about God's great work in Togo, West Africa. This year's conference features several speakers and teachers with strong, deep-rooted connections to Togo.

- Bryan & Tracey Ries were members of the Kabiye Team serving in Kara, Togo from August 2000 to May 2008. During their eight years in the field, they poured their heart and soul into loving and serving the Kabiye people. Bryan and Tracey currently reside in Franklin, TN with their three boys.

- Frank & Jenna Bunner were original members of the Watchi Team in southern Togo where they served for 10 years. Frank is currently a campus minister at Austin Peay University where he actively encourages young people to have an interest in missions.

- Tom Moore has been couseling mission teams in Togo for over 10 years. His understanding of what it takes to live and work in Togo has been a blessing to both missionaries and their sponsoring churches. His goal is to help missionaries live healthy and fulfilling work, team, and personal lives. Tom has a private counseling practice in Shreveport, LA.

- Stephen & Jennifer Presley have been members of the missions committee at the Homewood Church of Christ for 10 years. During this time they have also served as the contact family for Matt and Andrea Miller, members of the Kabiye Team. Stephen and Jennifer have blessed the Millers and the team by doing an exceptional job caring for them and by making two trips to Togo to visit and encourage the missionaries.

- Brett & April Emerson have been living and working in Kara for two years as members of the Kabiye Team. Their first trip to Togo was in 2003 as college interns, and they joined the team shortly thereafter. Brett and April are sponsored by the Grace Pointe Church of Christ, the host church for this years Together For Togo conference.

The cost for the conference is $65 per adult and $10 per child, and payment should be remitted in advance of the conference. We realize that these are tough economic times, but we also feel strongly that anyone with an interest in or connection to missions in Togo will be greatly blessed by attending. However, we don't feel that monetary concerns should stop anyone from being a part of the conference, so there will be scholarships available on a limited basis. Please reply to emersonstogo@gmail.com if you may be in need of financial assistance to attend the conference. We would also like to note that free housing will be provided for all out of town attendees. A big thank you to the members of the Grace Pointe and Vaughn Park churches for graciously offering their homes for the conference weekend.

Please visit www.togetherfortogo.com today to register for the conference. We would also like to ask that you be in prayer for the success of the conference and that God would be glorified as we gather to celebrate the advancement of His kindgom in the tiny country of Togo. God bless you!

The Twins

Back in July, we introduced our supporters to these two little twins. Elise and Eli.

A few days ago, Assiki and his wife came to visit with the twins.

I could have played all day with these two little ones...so cute!

They are now around 8 months old and doing great. Thank you for praying for them and their family. Please continue to pray for these little ones as they grow and learn.

Drums, Dancing and Death

The month of February is funeral month here in Kabiyeland (give or take a few days in January or March). Every Kabiye person who has died over the last year will be officially celebrated and honored with a funeral. Don't worry, they bury them shortly after they die and save the big celebration for February. There will be many times during the next month or so when we will see this exact scene repeated over and over as we visit villages or just travel around town. We know that we have a lot to learn about what this month really means to the Kabiye people, and we look forward to this month as a chance to deepen our understanding of Kabiye culture and (spiritually speaking) why they do what they do.

Kabiye Funeral
Uploaded by emersonstogo

This video was taken today as a Brett returned from a hike in the mountains with Daniel, one of our team's current school teachers...

What Is Skype?

Skype
Uploaded by emersonstogo

You, too, can call us on our Skype number. It will only cost you what a normal long distance phone call costs (unless you are in Montgomery, AL, then it is free!). Another great thing about Skype is that it is only connected to our computer and will not wake us up in the middle of the night...so go ahead, pick up your phone and call...no matter what time it is, we'd love to hear your voice. 334.239.3109

My Adopted Son

I've been working with Akla alot lately. We're building a new rabbit enclosure together, and I have enjoyed spending time with him. It's weird because I'm way to young to have a 17 year old son, but for some reason the relationship just works.

Last week Akla came to me with a form for school that needed signing, asking me to give my John Hancock where it said "Parent or Guardian". With his dad passed away and his mother illiterate, I guess that title falls next to me! It is an honor to have this father/son relationship with Akla, to study the Bible with him, to discuss Togo and America, to teach him things and to discipline him when he acts like a 17 year old. I thank God for my adopted son and the blessing of being in deep relationships with the Kabiye people that God called us to give our lives for...

One of the Many Reasons

One of the many reasons I love our job of living in Togo...These yummy veggies (tomatoes and green beans) came from someone we have helped financially in the past. But it's not just a one time thing, we have had special deliveries from many of our friends. It is such a blessing to be thanked with the things that they have. Every time it reminds me of a different story from the Bible when someone gave what they could or what was precious to them. We chose to help these people without the expectation of ever receiving anything, so you can imagine the feeling to open the door one day to this enormous gift. I love this job.

Update

If you read our previous post, we have some exciting updates for you. (If you haven't read it, click here). First, we have a correction to make. Our friend's name is Veronique (vair-own-eek). Secondly, we found out the history behind why she has been in a wheelchair when she came by this morning. She was climbing a tree nearly 15 years ago, helping her family with food, when she fell. Thirdly, during the holidays she was able to raise some of the money herself to be fitted for the braces which will able her to walk. We were so thrilled that she had continued to look for help rather than just waiting for us that we willingly helped with the rest of the costs for the procedure. And lastly, when we asked her when the procedure would take place, she let us know that the doctor said he would do it as soon as she had the money.

Please pray for this doctor, Veronique's family (she is married with three children), and especially Veronique as she learns to walk again. We look forward to sharing pictures with you in the future of Veronique with her "new" legs.

The Lame Walk?

Our faith is being tested. One of our friends, Evangelique, went to the doctor recently, and the doctor told her that she may be able to walk again. Doubt immediately filled our hearts and minds; why is that? Is God not greater than the ailment that has kept Evangelique bound to a hand-powered wheelchair for all of these years? Please pray with us as God's plan for Evangelique and the role that we will play in her life is revealed...

My Parents Visit

There are few things that could be more emotional for me as a missionary than having my mom and dad come to visit us here in Togo. For two wonderful weeks, we got to share our lives here with them in every possible way. They got to see the good, the bad, the really bad, the beautiful and the profound way that God is working over here. The best thing about their visit is that now they "get it". Having them play with our boys and enjoying their presence in our home was wonderful, but knowing that we no longer have to try and explain our lives to two of the people we love most is priceless. Thanks Mom and Dad for making the trip over. We'll never forget it!

Immaculee

Being a mom of two very young boys, I have found my involvement in our ministry here in Kara to be quite different than what I thought almost two years ago before we arrived. I am more involved with the people that come to our home rather than who I meet out in the villages. I am perfectly content to be experiencing ministry this way as it allows me to be involved 100% in the ministry I am first called to...my family. There are a few Togolese women that I have developed relationships with. Most of them only stop by asking for help occasionally, making it difficult to build a strong relationship. Then there is Immaculee (ee-mah-que-lay).
Her story is an interesting one. More than 10 years ago, she was Immaculee Ward, living in Boston with her husband and baby girl. Now, she lives alone in Kara. She speaks English well but desires to improve it so she can have good conversations with her daughter, who is still in the States. She is eager to help me with my French while I help her with her English. While in America, she was trained as a hair dresser and desires to use this talent here in Togo too. Unfortunately for her, Brett likes my hair long. ;) She does what she can to have money to eat and buy soap. As a mother myself, I understand her longing to see her daughter again. It is that emotional connection that keeps me doing what I can to help her make contact with her friends and family in America. I explained to her last week that I do want to help her...but I want to help her in a way that insures that she can take care of herself in the future. Please pray for Immaculee as she struggles through daily life in Togo while desiring to be somewhere else. I also ask that you pray for me to have wisdom in knowing the best way to handle her situations...to help her, not to hinder her or her relationships.

An Erasable Message Board of Truth

On a recent trip to Accra, Ghana, I snapped this pic by the side of the road. While this is a truly powerful message that rightly deserves it's place, the message itself is not what profoundly struck me. Here's what did...

First of all, this is NOT a church sign as you might suspect. This is a sign out in front of a lumberyard! In my home culture, this sign would only find it's place outside of a place of worship, put there for passersby to read and soak up in conjunction with the insanity of everyday life. I am a huge fan of truth in the midst of chaos, but what do these church signs that read, "No Jesus, No Peace, Know Jesus, Know Peace" really accomplish for the kingdom? Not much, at least not in my humble opinion. They are more for the church goer than the pagan neighbor type. The fact that a regular business venture would put this out in front of it's cedar and mahogany planks is foreign to my cultural norms...

The 2nd and most profound thing that I noticed did not come to me immediately, but only after driving past the exact same sign 3 days later. You see, this message is written on an erasable chalkboard, and when I passed by again after my time in Accra, it displayed an entirely different message of truth about God. This next time it said, "God is Eternal".

I hope that my life is like an erasable message board of truth. I hope that everyday, the people I encounter in my life and ministry in Africa can see a new truth about God just by observing the way I live my life. May it be so for all of us; may our lives simply and distinctly reflect truths about our God, our Savior and His Spirit that dwells in us...

Prayers for the Millers and Reeves

Our teammates the Millers and the Reeves left last week for a 2 week survey trip to Rwanda. Both families plan on making the move to Rwanda sometime in the next 3 years or so, and this trip will help to pave the way for that eventual transition. They are a part of the Musanze Team, which also includes the Crowsons and the Koonces, our colleagues in southern Togo, and the Robinsons, who are currently in the States preparing for the big move. The Musanze Team, minus the Robinson family

Please pray not only for their comings and goings, but also that God would bless them with great experiences. Especially for their children, that God would use this trip to begin helping them deal with the coming uncertainty. Thanks and God bless!