Pre-field, Same Mission

 "Emergency!" came a cry from outside my bedroom. With multiple possibilities of mishap running through my nurse brain, I opened the door to my mother. She handed me our slightly sudsy foster baby who had just sabotaged her bathwater.  The little rascal looked quite pleased with herself as I carried her in search of a towel and my mom made a second attempt at drawing the bath water.

This is not an uncommon scene in our household these days, (or ever, really. As with every other family, a dull moment rarely exists). Yet it does make me ponder these months leading up to returning to Togo. Earlier this month I went to a training session at ABWE, the missions agency that is partnering with my church in sending me to Togo. There, the agency approved me as an ABWE missionary.  During the training, we discussed the pre-field period, which is the time leading up to the missionary's departure to their ministry destination.  While this time involves countless details, emails, phone calls, and prayers, a reassuring reality is that the mission is no different from what it has been or will be: to make the hope that is in Jesus known and live in a way that points others to Him. Thus, whether I'm teaching new nurses at work, raising support, reading about healthcare policy, talking to the friendly post-office staff, or holding a mischievous baby, that is the goal to which I must remain committed.                                             

 I'll share the same verse that brought me tears at the end of my ABWE missionary interview earlier this month:  Ephesians 3:14-19 states, "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." The writer prays this for his audience, and I echo this prayer for myself, those I interact with during pre-field, and for those in Togo.  It is so wonderful that God remains committed to bringing people to Him through Christ and lets us be a part of it! As 2020 comes to a close, I can rest in God's faithfulness to His unfailing purposes and pursue sharing the love of Christ wherever I am.

Thankfully, dental treatment appears ahead of schedule, and the support raising process continues to be a blessing as I meet with different families, share about Togo, and get to catch a glimpse of what God is doing in their lives too! What a privilege! So far 100% of start up funds have come in, and I am at 25% of my monthly support. Woohoo! If you're interested in partnering with me in prayer or financially or both, please contact me. See contact info below.
Thank you for your continued encouragement in this journey! You are a blessing to me!
 

Happy Thanksgiving from my family!

    In Christ,

   Theresa

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Email Address:
inHispasture45@gmail.com

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Home Church
Hope Bible Church
9112 Guilford Road
Columbia, MD 21046

Sending Organization
ABWE International
PO Box 8585
Harrisburg, PA 17104

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