Back to Togo I Go. . .

Dear family and friends,

As I sit down to write this letter to you all, I am acutely aware of my inability to write this letter adequately. I simply have to use Paul's words to the Thessalonians:

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3

You are those who have labored in love for the Gospel, those who have been steadfast in the hope of Christ. As such, I desire to include you in my plans to return to Togo, West Africa from November 12- 22, 2015.  The country of Togo has held a place deep in my heart since my initial medical mission trip there in March of 2014. While there I experienced the beauty of worship unclouded by excess, the dark burden of voodoo across generations, and the miracle of spiritual and physical healing.

The people of Togo possess large physical and spiritual needs. One of my favorite patients I encountered was an 11-year-old girl in the village of Kpove. She came unaccompanied to our clinic, bearing a large burn on her thigh from a moped accident a few days earlier. She also happened to be the daughter of the voodoo leader in that village. Her approach was timid and fearful, and my heart was torn for her. I do not know to what extent she has been the victim of the physical, spiritual, and mental atrocities of voodoo, but I was determined to show her the love of Christ that day. Unfortunately, her wound required fairly significant debridement--the removal of dead flesh to allow for the growth of healthy tissue. As you can imagine, this is a painful process, which requires courage to endure. Through it all, she assisted in holding her leg as it shook from the pain, tears streamed down her face, but she never cried out. After debriding the wound and training her in creating a wet-to-dry dressing, I got the opportunity to tell her about a perfect Father, one who loved us enough to send his Son to live a perfect life and die for our sins. I don’t know what the condition of her heart was in that moment, but I do pray that a seed was sown that will one day blossom into a beautiful faith.

When I was initially asked to return to Togo, there was hesitation and fear. A lot has happened in West Africa in the past 18 months. However, Togo remains peaceful and, miraculously, Ebola-free. As I prayed through this decision, my mind continually returned to the joy in Togolese worship. For the past year, I have longed to stand beside the unfettered adoration of my Togolese brothers and sisters as they come before the Lord. Another key factor in my decision was the ability to collaborate with other providers on the trip and triage the medical and surgical needs of patients. This collaboration ensures that support dollars are not only spent faithfully, but creatively as well. Last year, we were able to utilize the Togolese community to meet needs for one another and stretch the value of a support dollar. For example, we saw a young patient with glaucoma who required $8/month for eye drops to maintain what little sight he had. He was the son of a farmer, and we were able to pay his family monthly to provide food for local twin girls who were severely malnourished. It was a joy to brainstorm together and overcome obstacles to love and care for these people.

I will be traveling with a group of 11 individuals from Seacoast Church in Charleston, SC. We will be traveling to three villages throughout the country. Seacoast has a unique ministry partnership with Pioneers Africa, and all three villages have been identified as specifically needing an inroad for the gospel. We are praying that medical care will provide an open door for relationships with the missionaries currently in these villages.

In order to make this trip possible, I need to raise $3400. This cost will cover flights, food, shelter, transportation, translators, medications, equipment, and visas. Donations can be made by check payable to “Seacoast Church” (see enclosed form) or online at http://www.seacoast.org/mount-pleasant/missions/global-missions/missions-togo-nov2015 (click “Support this trip” on the bottom right). Any excess will go to a fund for the patients whose medical needs require surgical intervention or to those who may have a pressing medication or medical equipment need. At the end of the week, the providers come together and triage — prioritize according to severity and urgency — these needs, spending this lump sum to changes lives. For example, last year we paid for a 19 year old to have orthopedic surgery on a non-displaced femur fracture that had occurred three years prior and prevented him from walking—this cost a little over $150.

Finally, I covet your prayers above all else. This list of requests is by no means exhaustive, but please pray for the following:

•       That the light of Christ would go before us and shine brightly amidst the darkness of idolatry and voodoo, and that His victory over the sin that declares all guilty and condemns all to death would be proclaimed boldly.

•       That the Lord would be setting apart those patients that have the greatest needs, and that we would rest in His sovereignty over the physical and spiritual needs of those whom we will be unable to treat.

•       That the Lord would provide physical health for the team, safe transport of all necessary supplies, and unity and grace among team members in the midst of physical and spiritual challenge.

•        That the Lord would broaden my vision for global missions, providing insights that can be used for future missions.

Thank you for partnering with me in ministry as I go to Togo. I look forward to writing you again following the trip and telling you all that the Lord has done!

In Christ alone,

Catharine

Light in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation. . .

I have been given the privilege (challenge) to teach a middle school girls'  Bible study on the following words this week:

Phil 2: 14-18: "Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me."

What words to dwell on as I simultaneously dwell on the beheading of 21 Egyptian brothers. My initial reaction to the mass martyrdom was shock and sorrow, these emotions remain and yet they are slightly attenuated by the passage above. Paul wrote those words from prison, as he was facing a very possible execution. Stuart Briscoe, in his commentary "Bound for Joy," had this to say about Paul's words:

The expression "offered" is a striking one straight from the Old Testament. The priests, when they offered sacrifices to God on behalf of the people, would sometimes pour wine on the sacrifice. This was called a libation. When Paul thinks of the possibility of his blood being poured out in martyrdom, he sees it as a libation on the sacrifice of the Philippian believers' faith. In other words, he is presenting the believing Philippians as his offering to God, and his own poured-out life as an added libation. And all this is designed to bring delight to the Lord he serves. 

As I read these words, I was challenged by the lives of my Egyptian brothers. They are lights in the world, and ISIS has NOT extinguished their flames by beheading them. They held fast to the word of life, that is the truth of Salvation by the cleansing blood of Christ alone, and they rejoice at the right hand of the Father this moment. They did not run in vain or labor in vain. Their victory now is won. 

May we be glad and rejoice in the lives of these men and Christ's victory over death. May we be exhorted to shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation,  and to hold fast to the word of life, that we may be fully equipped to rejoice in the "pouring out" of every aspect of our lives for the sake of Christ. And finally, may we earnestly pray for the Lord's mercy, grace, and protection in the lives of these brothers' families. 

#PrayforTogo

In 12 hours I will be boarding a plane to Togo, West Africa.

I have been overwhelmed at the function of the Body of Christ and blessed immensely as so many have given of their time, prayers, and money to make the Lord's work happen in getting our team of 20 off of the ground and into the air tomorrow. I go with the Lord in front of, behind, and beside me. He is going to do a mighty work to claim His people in Togo and I am beyond thrilled to be a part of it! 

During our time in Togo we will visit 8 villages, 2 of which have never been evangelized to. The majority of Togolese people practice Voodoo or ancestory worship, living lives enslaved to handcarven images and the fear of evil powers. Our team is going to heal physical wounds as an avenue for the light of Christ. Only Christ, the one who lived a perfect life, became the sacrifice for our sins on the cross and defeated death, can lighten the darkness of this sinful world. We are without hope apart from Him, and I am thrilled to bring HOPE into the lives of the Togolese! I can't wait to tell them that the Creator of this Earth sent His son to die for the evil of their hearts, so that the separation caused by sin would be overcome, and we could have access to the Father's love. And I anticipate with joy, seeing the Holy Spirit move in the hearts of the Togolese as they recognize their sin and seek salvation in Christ alone. 

May He who began a good work in you and I, do so in many Togolese hearts this week, and may He carry it through to completion at the day of Christ Jesus. May the earth tremble and the nations rejoice in praise of our Creator, Savior, and King! 

Pray:
- for health and safety of the entire team
- that the devil would be thwarted in his desire to prevent the furthering of the Gospel
- that the Lord would bring physical healing to many

Covenant Renewal

The first Sunday of the year my church holds a Covenant renewal service. This is the Covenant Renewal we come together and recite as a Body of Believers: 

I am no longer my own, but yours, 

Put me to what you will,

Place me with whom you will.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering; 

Let me be employed for you or laid aside for you,

Exalted for you or brought low for you.

Let me be full, let me be empty; 

Let me have all things, let me have nothing. 

I freely and heartily yield all things

To your pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:

You are mine and I am yours. May it be so!

And may the covenant which I have made here on earth

Be confirmed in heaven. 

Amen. 

Free for 3 YEARS!!

I got the green light on Friday to not return to the cardiologist for THREE YEARS!!! What a super-relief that was.

If you have no idea what I am talking about, see this.

I was very worried about this appointment because I had been having really high heart rates (as in, 215 high) when I work out. I didn't think it was my valve, because they just don't become stenotic that quickly, and my cardiologist doesn't think it is either. I am now free to workout as much as I want to, the only restriction being that I have to be able to lift whatever weight I'm working with at least 10 times. There is a tendency for the aorta to dilate in patients with bicuspid aortic valves so he just wants to make sure I don't lift such heavy weights that I increase the pressure for the aorta to push against.

He said that he doesn't expect any changes in 3 years either, so that's definitely a positive. He thinks that I'm looking at having to have the valve replaced in my 50s. I asked him if it is a possibility that the valve will never stenose further and I can keep it forever--he said he has some patients that that has happened with but the valve replacement in the 50s is much more likely.

Before I want to get pregnant (NOT any time soon!) I have to check in and make sure all is well, before placing the demands of pregnancy on a gimpy valve! Otherwise, I'm a free woman!! The Lord is good!

To Togo I Go!!!

                                                                       

Dear Family and Friends,

As many of you know, the last year and a half have found me in the whirlwind that is Physician Assistant School at the Medical University of South Carolina. I am now well into my clinical year, and it has been a privilege to begin serving others through medicine. Last Spring, the Lord placed a desire on my heart to serve on a short-term medical mission trip in 2014, and I began to pray through several opportunities. I never had a sense of calling until early this Fall, when I heard of a medical team going to West Africa. After many weeks of prayer, the burden to be a part of this ministry exponentially increased.

I am thrilled to tell you that I will be traveling to Togo, West Africa from February 26, 2014 to March 9, 2014! The team is made up of twenty medical professionals, sent by Seacoast Church in Mt. Pleasant, SC. We will partner with Pioneers-Africa to bring medical care to eight remote villages of Togo that are largely unreached by the Gospel. The Togolese people face diseases such as HIV/AIDs, high blood pressure, malaria, parasites, and anemia, as well as complex orthopedic injuries, disfiguring burns, and untreated tumors and malignancies. Services provided will include a medical clinic, dental clinic, pharmacy, medication counseling, glasses station, HIV education, and counseling on the management of illnesses such as dehydration, fever, and headache.   

Many physical needs will be met, but the people of Togo have even greater spiritual needs.  They need the good news of great joy that is the Gospel; it is the only thing that can free them from the bondages of idolatry and voodoo that ensnare their souls. The Togolese people need to hear 1 Peter 2:24 that says, “He [Christ] himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” May the Holy Spirit work in the hearts of these people to show them the eternal life that is offered to them by the Father through the blood of our perfect Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, shed for us on the cross.

As part of my commitment to the mission team, I must raise financial and prayer support for this trip. I humbly ask you to consider financially supporting me as I go to Togo. The total cost per individual is $3,400; this money will cover visas, flights, surgeries, medications, supplies, and cost of living in Togo. Donations can be made by check payable to “Seacoast Church” (see enclosed form) or online at http://www.seacoast.org/longpoint/missions/view/43/ (click “Support” on the right toolbar > “Pay as guest” > choose “Catharine Wingate” from the drop down menu of team members).

Finally, I covet your prayers above all else. This list of requests is by no means exhaustive, but please pray for the following:

• That the Lord would open ears to hear the Gospel and prepare hearts to receive it (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).
• That the light of Christ would go before us and shine brightly amidst the darkness of idolatry and voodoo (John 8:12), and that His victory over the sin that declares all guilty and condemns all to death would be proclaimed boldly (Isaiah 52:13-15, 2 Corinthians 4:5-6).
• That the Lord would be setting apart those patients that have the greatest needs (Proverbs 16:9), and that we would rest in His sovereignty over the physical and spiritual needs of those whom we will be unable to treat (Psalm 19:1-2, Psalm 22:27-28).
• That the Lord would provide physical health for the team, safe transport of all necessary supplies, and unity and grace among team members in the midst of physical and spiritual challenge (Ephesians 4:11-16, 1 Corinthians 2:3-5).

Thank you for partnering with me as I go to Togo. I look forward to writing you again in March and telling you all that the Lord has done!

In Christ alone,

Catharine Wingate

                                                                                   

                                                                                   

It's been a while, friends.

I have received my White Coat--the official transition from didactic year to clinical year. As the speaker said at our White Coat ceremony, that jacket is "a cloak of compassion and a blanket of humility." I'm striving to make that true of my career in medicine.

As of today I've finished with my Internal Med and ER rotations. I loved Internal Med and I enjoyed ER. I went into medicine dreaming of a career in emergency medicine. . . Reality Check: it's not all it's cracked up to be. I learned so much and it is a lot of fun to stitch up a face now and then, but I think I've discovered that I would rather be a master in a single field than a jack of all trades.

I've loved being in Columbia these past months. The love and fellowship I've found here have blown me away! Dare I say, I want to be here after graduation next year?! Those are scary words to me. But, I made my first move yesterday and put out "feelers" for a job here. I felt so old, so professional, and so stinkin' vulnerable. I told my parents it was worse than dating. . . it might be true.

The patients I'm seeing are changing my life. I feel so inadequate to help these people and so honored that they are allowing me the opportunity to try.