{"id":1798,"date":"2025-09-09T10:05:44","date_gmt":"2025-09-09T10:05:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/?p=1798"},"modified":"2025-09-09T15:11:00","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T15:11:00","slug":"newsletter-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/2025\/09\/09\/newsletter-9\/","title":{"rendered":"Newsletter #9"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"1798\" class=\"elementor elementor-1798\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-67034fc1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"67034fc1\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f71a0b9\" data-id=\"f71a0b9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d333a0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6d333a0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 15-07-2024 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Welch Update #9&nbsp;- 09.09.25<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2d555a2b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2d555a2b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 15-07-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>Seven Months in Togo<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-543bd51 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"543bd51\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 15-07-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-divider{--divider-border-style:none;--divider-border-width:1px;--divider-color:#0c0d0e;--divider-icon-size:20px;--divider-element-spacing:10px;--divider-pattern-height:24px;--divider-pattern-size:20px;--divider-pattern-url:none;--divider-pattern-repeat:repeat-x}.elementor-widget-divider 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.elementor-divider-separator:before{content:none}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-start .elementor-divider__element{margin-inline-start:0}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-end .elementor-divider .elementor-divider-separator>.elementor-divider__svg:last-of-type{flex-grow:0;flex-shrink:100}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-end .elementor-divider-separator:after{content:none}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-end .elementor-divider__element{margin-inline-end:0}.elementor-widget-divider:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text):not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon) .elementor-divider-separator{border-block-start:var(--divider-border-width) var(--divider-border-style) var(--divider-color)}.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern{--divider-border-style:none}.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern.elementor-widget-divider--view-line .elementor-divider-separator,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line) .elementor-divider-separator:after,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line) .elementor-divider-separator:before,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not([class*=elementor-widget-divider--view]) .elementor-divider-separator{width:100%;min-height:var(--divider-pattern-height);-webkit-mask-size:var(--divider-pattern-size) 100%;mask-size:var(--divider-pattern-size) 100%;-webkit-mask-repeat:var(--divider-pattern-repeat);mask-repeat:var(--divider-pattern-repeat);background-color:var(--divider-color);-webkit-mask-image:var(--divider-pattern-url);mask-image:var(--divider-pattern-url)}.elementor-widget-divider--no-spacing{--divider-pattern-size:auto}.elementor-widget-divider--bg-round{--divider-pattern-repeat:round}.rtl .elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__text{direction:rtl}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-divider,.e-con>.elementor-widget-divider{width:var(--container-widget-width,100%);--flex-grow:var(--container-widget-flex-grow)}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f2e853b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f2e853b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2b51e89\" data-id=\"2b51e89\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-baf9e08 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"baf9e08\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-ac2031b\" data-id=\"ac2031b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6f4d368 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6f4d368\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 15-07-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5703-2-1024x768.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1799\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-afeb433 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"afeb433\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Teary eyed saying farewell to Grandpa &amp; Grandma Toupin after their 6 week visit to Togo<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-46fa377 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"46fa377\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5f041f4 elementor-widget-tablet__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5f041f4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Family and Friends,<\/strong><\/p><\/div><div style=\"text-align: center;\"><div><p>We miss you deeply, but write to say we are doing well.<br data-start=\"280\" data-end=\"283\" \/><strong>Seven months have flown by in the blink of an eye<\/strong>\u2014at times it feels like we just arrived in Togo, and at other moments it feels like we\u2019ve been here forever. Time is funny that way. I remember when I started residency, my chief resident told me,<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><em data-start=\"529\" data-end=\"576\">\u201cthe days are long, but the years are short.\u201d<\/em><span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>That same mantra rings true here as well. The days can feel long, but somehow the months keep flying by.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7ea8ed5 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"7ea8ed5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0984b44 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0984b44\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div><p align=\"center\"><strong>Happenings<\/strong><\/p><div><p style=\"text-align: center;\">It\u2019s only been three months since our last update, but those three months have been<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><em data-start=\"769\" data-end=\"775\">full<\/em>. Outside of our day-to-day life and work, <strong>we celebrated all four of our birthdays, and my (Alyssa\u2019s) parents came to visit for six weeks!<\/strong> What an incredible blessing and encouragement it was to have them here. It was special to share our life with them\u2014not just at home but also in the hospital. Some highlights included celebrating Eden\u2019s 4th birthday and Gil\u2019s 2nd, playing endless rounds of pickleball (the girls may or may not have dominated\u2026), and even getting the chance to operate alongside BOTH my mom and dad (the last time I operated with my dad was as a medical student!). Their absence is already deeply felt and we look forward to when we will get to see family again.\u00a0<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-ff04297 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ff04297\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-333773a\" data-id=\"333773a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4556c3f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"4556c3f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5416-1024x768.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1819\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a0ccf42 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a0ccf42\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Celebrating Gil&#8217;s 2nd Birthday<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-92e7e26\" data-id=\"92e7e26\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8bbe8bb elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"8bbe8bb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_4971-1024x768.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1801\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f76bf46 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f76bf46\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Celebrating Eden&#8217;s 4th Birthday<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-08f5bd7\" data-id=\"08f5bd7\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-522e3fb elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"522e3fb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5643-1024x768.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1805\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4c66e3e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4c66e3e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Grandpa &amp; Grandma brought bikes from the US !<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-4e627eb elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4e627eb\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-b4a9649\" data-id=\"b4a9649\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-96f50e6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"96f50e6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_4913-768x1024.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1802\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4c705c7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4c705c7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Eden&#8217;s birthday dress made by our house-help Mawupemon (left) and nanny Antoinette (right)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-b90e9ec\" data-id=\"b90e9ec\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aaf04d8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"aaf04d8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5097-768x1024.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1807\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8996258 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8996258\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Operating with my dad<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-5bfa1d9\" data-id=\"5bfa1d9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f260c1b elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f260c1b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"542\" height=\"714\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_6047-3.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1811\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-17e126d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"17e126d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\">AND mom<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5c0622b elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"5c0622b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-4986956 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4986956\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-e57ddf0\" data-id=\"e57ddf0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1cd12c2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1cd12c2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Lord, Help<\/b><\/p><\/div><div style=\"text-align: center;\"><p data-start=\"1298\" data-end=\"1551\">July was especially busy for me (Alyssa) as one of our surgeons was gone most of the month, and I was the sole long-term surgeon working full time (so grateful for our short-term visitors!). While I feel more settled in the hospital, there are still many cases that leave me whispering, <em data-start=\"540\" data-end=\"558\">\u201cLord, help me.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/div><div style=\"text-align: center;\"><p data-start=\"1553\" data-end=\"2297\">One such case was a woman named Abra. She came in with Ludwig\u2019s angina (a severe infection of the jaw and neck from an untreated tooth infection). Unfortunately, this problem is not too uncommon here due to lack of access to dental care. For Abra, the infection was so advanced that she struggled to breathe, and as we were trying to do the surgery we could not get an airway forcing me to perform an emergency cricothyroidectomy to open her airway through her neck (and through the infection!). \u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"1553\" data-end=\"2297\">To add context: the only place we have ventilators here (machines to breath for someone) is in the operating rooms. If someone cannot breathe on their own, they don\u2019t survive\u2014there simply isn\u2019t the capacity for higher-level critical care. For Abra, survival depended entirely on being able to breathe through the tube I placed in her neck in addition to fighting this severe infection. I remember uttering to myself as we left the OR,<strong><em>\u201cLord, if this lady lives, it will only be by Your hand.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/div><div><p style=\"text-align: center;\">When I walked into the hospital the next morning, not only was she alive\u2014she was sitting up in bed, fully alert. I looked at her sister, whom I had told the night before that she would likely not survive the night, and all I could say was,<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><em data-start=\"2516\" data-end=\"2552\">\u201c<strong>Gr\u00e2ce \u00e0 Dieu\u201d \u2014 Thanks be to God.<\/strong><\/em><span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>There was no other explanation. Weeks later, I saw Abra in clinic completely healed, and I had the joy of telling her that just as God saved her physical life, He longs to save her eternally as well. Amidst the constant suffering here, stories like hers remind me that <strong>there truly is a God who sees, who cares, and who is in control<\/strong>\u2014<strong>even when we don\u2019t understand.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-7018e30 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7018e30\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-9075471\" data-id=\"9075471\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7b9152d elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7b9152d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_4689-768x1024.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1812\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5ae6635 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5ae6635\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Abra while in the hospital<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-80c30e9\" data-id=\"80c30e9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e42578d elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e42578d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5018-768x1024.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1813\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-13ade83 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"13ade83\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Seeing Abra in clinic several weeks later, almost completely healed<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-8348f89\" data-id=\"8348f89\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ef62a26 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ef62a26\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5818-768x1024.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1814\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7f9af4e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7f9af4e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Pauline came to visit between chemotherapy treatments (see praises\/prayer requests below).\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-98da03d elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"98da03d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-90eb18a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"90eb18a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-f3c2151\" data-id=\"f3c2151\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0f8ede3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0f8ede3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\" data-start=\"2698\" data-end=\"2907\"><strong>The In-Between<\/strong><\/p><div><p style=\"text-align: center;\">As for Joe, he has continued to faithfully serve in many behind-the-scenes roles within the finance department and administration of both the hospital and the mission compound. His work may not always make for dramatic stories, but it is foundational to keeping the hospital running smoothly\u2014whether that\u2019s helping improve financial systems, troubleshooting logistical challenges, or supporting the missionary staff.\u00a0<\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\">One of his greatest joys, however, has been investing in people outside the office. <strong>Saturday morning soccer <\/strong>with the neighborhood kids remains a highlight of his week. And most recently, he began <strong>teaching a personal finance class<\/strong> for the teenage missionary kids. It has been meaningful for him to share practical wisdom about stewardship, budgeting, and generosity with the next generation, and it\u2019s given him a fun new way to build relationships here. He continues to approach every opportunity\u2014whether small or large\u2014with a servant\u2019s heart, and I am so thankful for the ways God is using him here.<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-08e7a2d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"08e7a2d\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-a107668\" data-id=\"a107668\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b5b0553 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"b5b0553\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_9178-1024x768.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1827\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-79814de elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"79814de\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Devotions at Saturday morning soccer<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-5d34bbf\" data-id=\"5d34bbf\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1c4f98c elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1c4f98c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_9380-1024x768.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1828\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-95f9b32 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"95f9b32\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Joe teaching personal finance to the missionary teens<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-31bc1c8 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"31bc1c8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ee57aba elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"ee57aba\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 15-07-2024 *\/\n.elementor-column .elementor-spacer-inner{height:var(--spacer-size)}.e-con{--container-widget-width:100%}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-spacer,.e-con>.elementor-widget-spacer{width:var(--container-widget-width,var(--spacer-size));--align-self:var(--container-widget-align-self,initial);--flex-shrink:0}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-spacer>.elementor-widget-container,.e-con>.elementor-widget-spacer>.elementor-widget-container{height:100%;width:100%}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-spacer>.elementor-widget-container>.elementor-spacer,.e-con>.elementor-widget-spacer>.elementor-widget-container>.elementor-spacer{height:100%}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-spacer>.elementor-widget-container>.elementor-spacer>.elementor-spacer-inner,.e-con>.elementor-widget-spacer>.elementor-widget-container>.elementor-spacer>.elementor-spacer-inner{height:var(--container-widget-height,var(--spacer-size))}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-spacer.elementor-widget-empty,.e-con>.elementor-widget-spacer.elementor-widget-empty{position:relative;min-height:22px;min-width:22px}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-spacer.elementor-widget-empty .elementor-widget-empty-icon,.e-con>.elementor-widget-spacer.elementor-widget-empty .elementor-widget-empty-icon{position:absolute;top:0;bottom:0;left:0;right:0;margin:auto;padding:0;width:22px;height:22px}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a61a207 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a61a207\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\" data-start=\"4048\" data-end=\"4134\"><strong><span style=\"text-align: start; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-size: medium;\">1 John 3:1\u20132\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\" data-start=\"4048\" data-end=\"4134\"><strong><span style=\"text-align: start; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-size: medium;\">\u00a0<\/span><em style=\"text-align: start; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\" data-start=\"896\" data-end=\"1084\">\u201cSee what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are\u2026 Beloved, we are God\u2019s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-5593e1f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5593e1f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-6e66338\" data-id=\"6e66338\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-39a13ee elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"39a13ee\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5968-768x1024.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1820\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-37cf6b8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"37cf6b8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Beautiful waterfall in Togo about a 45 min drive and 1.5 hour hike from us (<span style=\"font-style: inherit;\">we&#8217;re the little dots at the bottom)<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a20a729 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a20a729\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-style: normal; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; text-align: center;\" data-start=\"4037\" data-end=\"4343\">I would be lying if I said these past seven months have been easy. While there has been beauty scattered throughout, they have also been incredibly hard. Both Joe and I have wrestled with a heavy undercurrent of anxiety, the source of which is difficult to pinpoint\u2014likely because it is so multi-layered.<\/p><p style=\"font-style: normal; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; text-align: center;\" data-start=\"4345\" data-end=\"5048\">About a week after my parents left, my dad\u2019s old roommate from medical school, Wayne Moore, and his wife Debbie came to HBB as part of ABWE member care. Wayne was in my parents\u2019 wedding, and my dad in his. He\u2019s a semi-retired general surgeon who later went to seminary. Getting to operate with him was a huge highlight for me\u2014especially since the last time I saw him in person was years ago at the Global Health Mission Conference in Kentucky, when I was still a medical student. I had just decided to pursue general surgery, and he gave me a piece of advice I\u2019ve never forgotten:\u00a0<em data-start=\"4926\" data-end=\"5046\">\u201cLearn to tie better with your left hand than your right. That way you won\u2019t always have to put your instrument down.\u201d<\/em><\/p><p style=\"font-style: normal; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; text-align: center;\" data-start=\"5050\" data-end=\"5386\">A few nights ago, Wayne and Debbie came for dinner, and something Wayne said has been echoing in my mind:<strong>\u00a0<em data-start=\"5156\" data-end=\"5251\">\u201cGod is far more concerned about your heart and relationship with Him than with what you do.\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Too often I get caught up in the doing\u2014striving to measure up\u2014instead of resting in the confidence I already have as a child of God.<\/p><p style=\"font-style: normal; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; text-align: center;\" data-start=\"5388\" data-end=\"5795\">1 John 3:1\u20132 reminds us: <em data-start=\"896\" data-end=\"1084\">\u201cSee what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are\u2026 Beloved, we are God\u2019s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared.\u201d<\/em><\/p><p style=\"font-style: normal; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; text-align: center;\" data-start=\"5797\" data-end=\"6339\">Recently, I\u2019ve also been reading\u00a0<em data-start=\"5830\" data-end=\"5851\">The Holiness of God<\/em>\u00a0by R.C. Sproul, and it has stretched my view of God\u2019s holiness in profound ways. The more I\u2019m struck by His greatness and set-apartness, the more astonishing it feels to remember that we are His children. I don\u2019t love my own kids based on what they accomplish\u2014how could I? At ages four and two, they don\u2019t \u201cearn\u201d my love. I love them simply because they are mine, and what I long for most is relationship with them. It brings me joy when they run to me with delight just to be near me.<\/p><p style=\"font-style: normal; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; text-align: center;\" data-start=\"6341\" data-end=\"6844\">How much more, then, does our heavenly Father delight in us\u2014not for what we do, but simply because we are His children? <strong>He desires relationship with me.<\/strong> That truth convicts me, comforts me, and calls me to rest more deeply in His love.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-69df6fc elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"69df6fc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-1996a4f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1996a4f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-d4e62a5\" data-id=\"d4e62a5\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d50ed63 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"d50ed63\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5864-3-1024x768.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1832\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-34a905e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"34a905e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Spending time with Wayne &amp; Debbie Moore<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ba1c86a elementor-widget-tablet__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ba1c86a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Praises<\/strong><\/p><ul style=\"font-style: normal; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\"><li style=\"font-size: 16px; font-style: normal;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong data-start=\"175\" data-end=\"195\">Time with Family<\/strong><\/span> \u2013 We can\u2019t begin to express how much it meant to have family here with us. The six weeks Grandpa and Grandma Toupin spent in Togo were an incredible gift, encouraging our hearts and giving us sweet memories we will cherish.<\/li><\/ul><ul style=\"font-style: normal; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\"><li style=\"font-size: 16px; font-style: normal;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong data-start=\"423\" data-end=\"449\">Pauline\u2019s Chemotherapy<\/strong> <\/span>\u2013\u00a0<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">Many of you reached out after our last update asking about Pauline. She is a 21-year-old mother of a 5-month-old baby with advanced breast cancer. I (Alyssa) was able to operate, but she still needed chemotherapy and radiation\u2014treatments that are almost never possible here due to cost and distance. By God\u2019s provision, and through the generosity of supporters like you, we arranged for her to travel to the capital for treatment. She has now completed three rounds of chemotherapy. When she visited last week (see picture in newsletter), she was understandably saddened by her hair loss but deeply grateful for the opportunity to receive care she otherwise would not have had. Please continue to keep her in your prayers\u2014the logistics are challenging with her mother caring for her baby while she travels for treatment. We are so thankful to everyone who made this possible. Praise the Lord!<\/span><\/li><\/ul><ul><li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong data-start=\"1421\" data-end=\"1449\">Joy in the Little Things<\/strong><\/span> \u2013 We had hoped to surprise the kids with bikes for their birthdays, but finding quality bikes here is nearly impossible. My parents managed to take bikes apart and pack them in their luggage\u2014but the one missing bag when they arrived was, of course, the bikes! In places like Togo, lost luggage almost always means it\u2019s gone for good. Yet after days of calls to the airline and many prayers, the bikes were found! Not only that, but my parents were here to witness Eden transition to a pedal bike for the very first time. What a joy and a reminder that God cares even about the little details of our lives.<\/li><\/ul><ul><li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong data-start=\"2010\" data-end=\"2051\">God\u2019s Provision through Short-Termers<\/strong><\/span> \u2013 We are so thankful for all the short-term volunteers who come to serve here. Not only do they provide practical relief during busy seasons, especially when many families are on furlough, but they also bring encouragement and new energy to both locals and missionaries.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-47bafe0\" data-id=\"47bafe0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2f90b16 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2f90b16\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5885-1024x768.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1823\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-591264e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"591264e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Beautiful overlook from Togo into Ghana<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4b299af elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4b299af\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Prayer Request<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-style: normal; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\">\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong style=\"font-size: 16px;\" data-start=\"470\" data-end=\"493\">Pauline\u2019s Treatment<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"> \u2013 Pray that Pauline can complete her chemotherapy without major complications, and that God would sustain her through the challenging travel and separation from her baby. Pray also for her healing, encouragement, and continued openness to the hope of the gospel.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"font-style: normal; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\">\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Ministry Opportunities<\/strong><\/span> &#8211; Joe was recently asked by the pastor at our local Togolese church to share a sermon. We have been attending a newer church plant to provide support and encouragement, and while it is an honor to be asked, it is also a challenge to prepare and deliver the sermon &#8211; especially in French. Pray that Joe would have discernment, wisdom, and peace as he allows God to lead him in what and how to share. Pray also for our ongoing efforts to communicate Christ in everyday life, as French remains a challenge for us and building deeper relationships can be difficult across language and cultural barriers.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"font-style: normal; caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\">\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong data-start=\"1276\" data-end=\"1305\">Hearts Anchored in Christ<\/strong> \u2013 Above all, pray that we would rest in our identity as God\u2019s children rather than striving to \u201cdo enough.\u201d Pray that our joy and peace would come from Him, and that we would reflect His love to those around us &#8211; in our home, community, and work.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-44258b7 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"44258b7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-5264f4a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5264f4a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-27bbb51\" data-id=\"27bbb51\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8d8d3a6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8d8d3a6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\" data-start=\"5027\" data-end=\"5056\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Grateful For Your Prayers<\/span><\/strong><\/h3><p style=\"text-align: center;\" data-start=\"5027\" data-end=\"5056\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">As always, your prayers are a sustaining gift, and we are profoundly grateful and truly humbled for your continued support\u2014both spiritually and financially.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\" data-start=\"5295\" data-end=\"5342\"><span style=\"font-style: inherit;\">We love hearing from you and would love to know how we can be praying for you specifically as well &#8211; please don\u2019t hesitate to reach out!<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\" data-start=\"5295\" data-end=\"5342\">Thank you for walking this journey with us.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6a60979 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6a60979\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-medium\">In Christ, <\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f13c34d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f13c34d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Welch Family<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1280725 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"1280725\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dcc2579 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"dcc2579\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Home Page<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8ac1458 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"8ac1458\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welch Update #9&nbsp;&#8211; 09.09.25 Seven Months in Togo Teary eyed saying farewell to Grandpa &amp; Grandma Toupin after their 6 week visit to Togo Family and Friends, We miss you deeply, but write to say we are doing well.Seven months have flown by in the blink of an eye\u2014at times it feels like we just [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1799,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"disabled","ast-banner-title-visibility":"disabled","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"disabled","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1798","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5703-2-scaled.jpeg",2560,1920,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5703-2-scaled.jpeg",2560,1920,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5703-2-scaled.jpeg",2560,1920,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5703-2-150x150.jpeg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5703-2-300x225.jpeg",300,225,true],"large":["https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5703-2-1024x768.jpeg",1024,768,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5703-2-1536x1152.jpeg",1536,1152,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/welchmission.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5703-2-2048x1536.jpeg",2048,1536,true]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"josephdalewelch","author_link":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/author\/josephdalewelch\/"},"rttpg_comment":5,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/category\/blog\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Blog<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Welch Update #9&nbsp;&#8211; 09.09.25 Seven Months in Togo Teary eyed saying farewell to Grandpa &amp; Grandma Toupin after their 6 week visit to Togo Family and Friends, We miss you deeply, but write to say we are doing well.Seven months have flown by in the blink of an eye\u2014at times it feels like we just&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1798"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1798"}],"version-history":[{"count":31,"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1798\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1854,"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1798\/revisions\/1854"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1799"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1798"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1798"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/welchmission.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1798"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}