June 2016

Thank you so much for being patient with us and continuing to pray for us these last six months. Ryan and I can say that we are in a much better place than we were in December. The Lord has taught us and grown us. Though life's problems never cease from testing us, we are learning to find the joy in the various trials that the Lord allows into our lives in order to sharpen and make us more into the likeness of His Son (James 1:2-4; Romans 8:29). Many thanks to all of the people who have counseled and encouraged us with God's Word both formally and informally.

Looking forward, we are ready to go back to Togo. But before I get too far ahead of myself, we should finally announce that we are expecting another little bright eyed wonder into our family this coming September. We've decided to stay in the States for the birth of the baby and then, Lord willing, go back to Togo as soon as we can secure Little B's passport. To our joy, the gender of the baby will remain unknown until his or her sweet arrival. Sorry about that, but not really.

While we wait for the arrival of Little B, Ryan is studying and flying to improve his pilot ratings. Until recently, it had been three years since he had been in the pilot seat of a working airplane. He has been dusting off the cobwebs and increasing his knowledge in order to be ready for our Togo team's aircraft to arrive in Togo around December or January.

Speaking of the airplane, a little over a year ago, the 1964 Cessna 206 was sent back to the States for some much needed tender love and care. We are pleased to report that N5180U is in the last stages of her total refurbishment, and she is looking good! Through many of you and friends of the Togo Aviation Team, almost all of the funding has come in to complete this project. Ten thousand dollars is needed for its completion and to finally get the plane back to Togo. Contributions can be made to account number 0763033 at www.abwe.org/give.

Since we left for France 100% supported in 2013, we have been truly blessed by the prayer and financial partners the Lord has brought to partner with us. Two thousand dollars per month was initially raised in ministry/aviation funds. Part of this has been used to cover ministry expenses, part for language school, part for travel expenses to and from Togo, part to get our vehicle out of port last year, part to keep Ryan proficient as a pilot, and some of these funds have been used to cover our support deficit. In short, we are doing our best to be wise stewards with what has been so graciously and sacrificially given to the work God has called us to in Togo.

I mention the above to note that we have always had everything necessary to do what we have needed to do over the past three years. However, I also mentioned above a support deficit. This deficit has slowly accumulated to $900 per month. What this means is that as we anticipate finally having a functioning aviation ministry shortly after our arrival back to Togo, we are going to need to re-raise this monthly support in order to fully participate in the aviation ministry. Once again, we are asking you to join us in praying that the Lord would supply this need before our return this November. Those interested in partnering with this work can go to www.abwe.org/give and use account number 0134443.

On the Gnamssa family front, studies continue with Pastor Ali. Their group has grown to the point that more seating was needed! Please continue to pray for God's protection over the teaching of His Word and for Spiritual growth in the family and the surrounding Agamé region.

It has been a blessing and joy to meet with many friends here in the States. Catching up with friends face to face is always best. It has been fun to see how God has worked in and through you and your churches. Our invitation to meet over coffee remains open to whoever wishes. We are always happy to see you. Honestly though, we usually walk away from our meetings with friends as if we get the better end of the bargain. You guys are all truly wonderful!

Many blessings to you and the work our Creator has called you to.

December 2015

We were gearing  ourselves up to spend our first Christmas in a hot climate when circumstances pleasantly brought us "home" for the holidays. Now, we are cold which makes it a little easier to identify with what we consider a normal Christmas.

We have come home in agreement with our team, our church, and our board to allow time for refocusing, strengthening, and spiritual growth as it relates to our family health. We believe and have been encouraged by those who surround us that this time in the States with godly biblical counselors will produce long-term results that will allow us to be more effective ministers in general, but will also give us the tools necessary to be what the Lord would like us to be in Togo for the long haul.

Please understand that this time is only temporary and that we are in no uncertain terms giving up on what we know the Lord has called us to in Togo. God has allowed us to be a part of things in Togo that our wildest dreams never could have imagined and we look forward to getting back stronger than ever.

Under the proper context, please know that we are willing to answer questions you may have in person, but please do us a favor and get your information "from the horse's mouth." We are pretty open around a cup of coffee or a dinner table.

Please do pray for us. Ask the Lord how to best pray for us and His Spirit will let you know. We know this because you have told us about times when you felt lead to pray for us and were able to identify that those prayers came at just the right time.

Please also continue to pray for our ministry in Togo. We feel that the Gnamssa family has been left in good hands under the guidance of two pastors, one pastor in training, and one female friend to help with the wives. After the recent fetish burning, the family is likely to come upon some hard times. Please pray as Paul encouraged the Colossians in Colossians 2:6-10 (see below).

Col. 2:6-10 (NKJV)
As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Thank you for your faithfulness to us. The encouragement we have already received since these things have revealed themselves has been truly overwhelming.

Yours to Togo,
Ryan, Stephanie, Leslie, and AnnMarie

November 2015

“If I was born and dedicated into fetishism, how can I become a Christian?” “What do we do with our fetishes now that we believe in Jesus?” Questions like this and many more have been asked of the Gnamssa family over the past several weeks. Though the answers may seem simple, the cost of giving up Spiritism for Christ can be pricey. The first week we really dedicated to answering these questions, Mrs. Gnamssa #1 (1 of 3) expressed fear. She told us that her brother decided one day to burn his fetishes and three days later he was bit by a snake. After that, he had seizures and some form of psychological difficulty. He then decided to take back his fetishes and was better. We are not sure the actual spiritual condition of Mrs. G’s brother, but clearly, one must approach these questions carefully. Please always pray for us to have spiritual discernment.

Four days after Mrs. G shared her fear with us about her brother, she stepped on a poisonous plant and a nasty infection took over her foot. We took her to our hospital to have it looked at. The infection was bad and surgery was prescribed. Due to fear, probably of the idea of having her foot cut open, Mrs. G refused three weeks in row.

Meanwhile talks concerning what to do with the fetishes continued each week. The idea of getting rid of them were moving in the right direction. On October 18^th at 3:00pm Ryan left to go to the States for a family visit and the girls and I went to visit the family as usual. That day, much of the family and some extended family came. Walking away that day, it felt like everything was going well. God’s truth was shining through and their faith toward God Almighty was growing.

I pulled into our driveway at 5:00pm and immediately the girls and I took our dog for a walk. I never could have never expected the way in which God was about to reveal that power to me within the next 24 hours. Within ten minutes, I went from thinking, “We’ll be alright. I’m a big girl. I can handle ten days without my husband home” to “Oh Lord, I can’t!” On our walk, our dog, Zoé, got bit by a deadly green mamba (snake). Trembling, and almost in panic, I quickly gathered my two girls and my very stunned dog and headed back home almost stepping on another snake. Commence melt-down.

Was this spiritual? Was Satan trying to scare us away from this family that he has had under his power for all of these years; even generations? We prayed. You prayed. There were tears, but God’s peace ruled our home that night.

To our amazement, Zoé survived the night with some difficulty breathing, and a swollen nose. She should have died within an hour of the bite. The snake was found and killed. Apparently, before it had bit Zoé it had already eaten a mouse, so our guess is that maybe it had used all of its venom on its dinner. In any case, God chose to protect the life of our dog. Someone noted on Facebook that perhaps this was God’s way of showing the G family that He alone is all powerful and that he protects his own (meaning us, not so much the dog). When I told the family about Zoé’s bite, they agreed that it must have been God who protected her life. Two days later, Zoé’s nose was back down to normal size and you never could have guessed that she was ever bitten.

Paying a quick visit over to the hospital the next morning, I spotted one of our G family members there with a little girl in a hospital bed. The little girl had experienced seizures through the night brought on by cerebral malaria and possible meningitis. Once again, it was a cry-out-to-God moment, “Why Lord? Why are you allowing this? Please Lord, save the life of this little one, and please use this moment to reveal your love, grace, almighty power, and glory.” And He did. Three days later she was well and released to go home in good health!

The day that Ryan was scheduled to come back home to Togo, Mrs. G #3 arrived at my house to say that Mrs. G #1 had finally decided that she would go through with the surgery on her infected foot. While at the hospital, our pastor here who is also a hospital chaplain was able to encourage her and continue to water the spiritual seed planted in her heart. Pastor J shared with me that he felt that Mrs. G was able to come to her own faith in Jesus. After a few days, he was released from the hospital and Mr. G indicated that he was finally ready to set a date to burn all of their fetishes.

Hallelujah! Join us in praising God that on November 29^th at 3:00pm (15:00) friends, pastors, and missionaries will join us as we publicly celebrate the release of Satan’s bind on this family! Please also join us in praying in the days leading to that day and following:

•  that God will continue to bless the family and increase their faith in Him,
•  that He alone is Almighty, All-Powerful God,
•  that the evil one will not be permitted to irritate them,
• that they will follow through with their decision,
• that more members of the family will commit their lives to Him, and
• that they will be a light and a testimony to the entire region of our Great and Glorious Father.

Brief Buczak family update: I wrote the above over three weeks ago, but am only just now able to send it out. Since writing this, we have moved to our new house in town, Ryan was hospitalized for an amoeba, and hookworm was found in AnnMarie and is currently being treated. While I could write an entire letter on just the last two weeks, I’ll just say that we are so thankful for your faithful prayers for us. Some days, like learning last night that worms were living in AnnMarie’s intestines, we long for “home,” “normal;” but God has given us the gift of very strong faith that He has us here for a reason and that home is not anywhere on this earth. He is in control. He is Almighty God!

Thank you for your faithful prayers for us, the Gnamssas, and the ministry here in Togo. This is your work, your ministry, your battle. Thanks for being our support. May you ever be gaining your crowns in Heaven so that you will have so much to throw back at the feet of the One who is worthy. What a wonderful day that will be!

In Christ,

Ryan, Stephanie, Leslie, and AnnMarie

PS. We are still under supported by close to 10%. If you are interested in joining our financial team, go to www.abwe.org/give and sign up to support us monthly. Our account number is 0134443.

PPS. Work on our airplane continues in North Carolina. For updates visit www.togoaviation.com or visit our Togo Aviation Facebook page.

September 2015

Reality. Ants. Here in Togo, there are all types of ants. We have army ants which hurt when they bite. They’re not quite as bad as Florida red ants, but I wouldn’t want to find out what it feels like to be attacked by them none the less. We have reddish ants that like to live in fruit trees. I’ve heard the Togolese call them “yovo ants” because they think they’re white like us foreigners. And then we have these tiny little ants that like to invade the kitchen. This morning, I got up, went to the kitchen sink, and found that it appeared to be crawling away with ants. For poor Ryan, life with ants disturbs him often waking him up in the night with dreams of ants crawling all over him.

Kabyé VBS

Because ants force themselves into our awareness every day, it’s hard not to think about what scripture has to say about them in Proverbs 6:6-8. “Go to the ant, O sluggard, observe her ways and be wise, which having no chief, officer or ruler, prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest.” (NASB) It’s hard not to have a love/hate relationship with this verse. Scripture seems to honor these little critters in this passage, but we want to get rid of them! How can we kill them when we’re actually supposed to act like them?

Mr. G in orange and Pastor Ali.

Like the ants, we, too, have been busy. Ryan has taken on more responsibilities in leadership as well as working alongside our teammate to cover maintenance upkeep at the hospital while the full-time maintenance missionary is on furlough. He has also been working hard to get our home in town ready for our move. We hope to move in the next three weeks.

Stephanie directed a four-day Togolese-run Vacation Bible School in July where 86 unchurched, Kabyé kids came to learn about Jesus in their own heart language. Praise the Lord that several professed to be saved that week, and those who memorized all of their verses were given the New Testament in French. Many thanks to those of you who sent crayons. To see pictures and videos of that week, go to our group page on Facebook, The Buczak Buzz, or read the following article on our Togo team website: http://abwetogosouth.org/2015/08/02/vbs/.

Leslie and her snail.

Ministry with the Gnamssa family continues. A trained Togolese pastor is thrilled to join us and lead discipleship. This Saturday, Mr. G. is inviting several of his friends from the area to his home and Pastor Ali will be sharing a gospel message. Please pray for a clear presentation of the gospel this Saturday at 3pm London time. The G family also participated in VBS. It’s been encouraging to see that the Gnamssa kids memorized the Wordless Book Song in Kabyé and still sing it at home.

Leslie continues with home-school. She loves math and even teaches little things her sister from time to time. While the girls have been fairly lonely this summer, it has been fun to watch as their relationship with each other has grown.

Thank you to those of you have been praying for AnnMarie. It appears that her heart is softening to the things of the Lord little by little. She recently began praying out loud at mealtime. She is also really excited to start up preschool with Aunt Donna again this week.

AnnMarie with a baby on her back.

Items of Prayer:

• Pray that our ant-like business would be Gospel-centered. That we would be always ready to evaluate what we are doing from an evangelical perspective.

• Pray for the Gnamssa family and the surrounding area, that God would continue to give wisdom, protect from the evil one, and ultimately be glorified through the work there.

• Pray for our move to town, that we would all adjust well to living a little bit more publicly and that our home would be used for God’s honor and glory.

• Pray that our family life would be an example to our community as we seek to show others Jesus by our love for one another.

Thank you for your continued prayers and faithful support for us. Heaven will tell of your impact on us and the work here in Togo.