Ladies from the church fill the baptistry the old fashioned way, carrying 10 gallons at a time on their heads. We think they were filling the baptistry for the three day conference that is beginning in Kante tomorrow for the 8 Baptist churches in the area.

We've learned from the Togolese men that it's the women's job to carry things. No further comment.

Jonathan greets the Kante village chief, who was, of course, the first in line for the clinic. Also, he was the last to go through the clinic, returning after we'd already picked up. He was very gracious and gave us a speech welcoming our group.

Charles Ray demonstrates saying "yes" to Jesus. On the Evangecube, there is an illustration of a handshake. For large group, one person presents the cube, and the rest spread out in the group so that everyone can see a cube. We've talked about "cubing" people.

Jeff's little heartbreaker. She was so happy to receive the glasses. Her smile was so beautiful it had to be photographed. Of course, Jeff lowers the bar somewhat, but it's still a good picture.

Thursday, December 18, 2008 9 PM

Friends and Family

Today we went once again into the town of Kante’ which is about 1 hour drive north of Karra where we are staying while up north. The pastor at Kante’ is Pastor Nijombe who is a wonderful man of God. He wakes up at 4:00 each morning to pray and it shows. If everyone was even 5% as faithful as this man the world and Christianity would be stronger than ever and known around the world.
We arrived in Kante’ about 9:30 to a crowd of about 150 Lamba people waiting for us outside the church. Nijombe and Jonathan explained the way to salvation to the group and many, many of the people raised their hands to accept Christ. I sincerely hope that many of them were sincere and understood what they were doing. Among the audience was the Chief of the Town. I never understood (nor do I remember) his name but he was held in high regard among the attendees. He was a very gracious and noble man and it was very pleasurable to visit with him. (My French has increased dramatically with these people…but still not as good as I’d like). After about a 30 minute sermon by Nijombe and Jonathan we began performing the eye clinic. From about 10:15 till 5:30 we saw about 120 patients. Many of the people in line were students aged from about 12 – 20 who had nothing wrong with their vision. It was good to see them and interact with them however their spot in line may have taken away from someone who really needed to be checked.

Even though we saw some 30 or so students who did not need glasses we came across some older people who were very happy to finally be able to see. It makes it all worth it to see the joy on their faces.

One interesting thing we saw today occurred on the way to Kante’. As we were climbing a mountainous pass someone saw a Singe Monkey running down the road in our lane ahead of us. It was strange to see the monkey “running” the way it did. Randy and I both thought it looked like a Kangaroo in the road…matter of fact that is what I thought it was at first. When we got up to the monkey it stopped on the side of the road and just looked at us. Kinda looked like a baboon in the face or at least I thought. No one had their camera out at the time but Randy jumped out to get its picture…don’t know if he got anything worth looking at or not.

Another really neat scene that we saw late in the day was watching some of the women filling the baptistery up with water they carried on their heads. Each bowl of water amounted to about 10 gallons best Charles Ray and I could figure. I think there were 5 of them that made two or three trips each. 80 pounds of weight on the top of there heads has got to smash together their vertebrae in their neck you would think. They’re tougher than me that’s for sure.

One of the “Coincidences” that occurred this morning was that we met a pastor who is a native Lamba who is here at our center translating the bible to the Lamba Dialect. He had 80 bibles for us to take to Kante’ for Nijombe. Jonathan and he are meeting right now discussing how we can be more effective toward the Lamba people on future trips. This man is a great resource for our missionary works in this part of the country. I’ll let Jonathan speak more about this on later blogs as he has much more information that do I.

We all miss each of you dearly and look forward to seeing you. It will be bittersweet when we leave. We have really grown fond of the locals that are traveling with us from the Wuiti Church. They are all great guys. I don’t think though that any of us will miss the heat.

Good luck to the Bobcats. Seems all we talk about is the mission trip and the Bobcats! Someone better get us a DVD copy of the game for us to watch when we get home because we are having Bobcat football withdrawals!

Thanks for the prayers!
JG

Flat tire on the way into Kante tonight meant that we were stranded on the road. At least 17 Africans stopped by to see us. All of them got to hear the Evangecube presentation and most of them prayed with us. Pastor Nadjombe took their names and addresses and told them of his church in Kante. Flat tire a problem? Nope.










The kids hang around the clinics all day looking with big eyes at the strange white people. This little boy had the big belly of an underfed child. We haven't seen that too much. The children are easy to love. One little boy we saw today was almost blind. Jonathan picked him up and he tried to see his face. He felt the beard and liked that. Some very pitiful cases today in Kpaskpai.





This is Pastor Shalom Amegah of the Wuiti Church of Lome. He accompanied us north and is a very valuable team member. He knows how to handle the kids and most situations. He is keeping Pastor Koete Amony of Wuiti, his senior pastor, informed about the work here. Shalom is preaching on Sundays in Lome at a new preaching point, the start of another church. Shalom was one of "Pastor Horne's boys" years ago.







Told people about Jesus today as they moved through the clinic. Here Randy is using the Evangecube. Two interpreters for everything to get it from Texan English into French, then from French into Lamba. Eventually, the Lamba pastor for the small church at Kpaskpai learned the presentation backwards and frontwards and we stepped back so that the message could be given without interpretation. We think 20 people prayed to receive Christ today during the clinic.

See comments from Jeff, Dudley and Randy from Tuesday!

See "older posts" for Randy's comments and the previous days.

Go Bobcats!

Tuesday - From Jeff

We made the hour journey to Kante' to visit the Lamba tribe. Wow...it is a different world between the Lamba people and the locals in Lome'. I thought the people from Lome' were improvrished....the Lamba people have absolutely nothing but the clothes on their back and their mud huts with a thatched roof. The people were very excited to see us and were waiting for us when we arrived.

I was most impressed by Nidjombe who is the pastor of a church in Kante'. He is a wonderful pastor who speaks beautiful French, wonderful English and other dialects that I can't even pronounce. He had an agenda typed for us when we arrived at his church informing us of all tasks we needed to accomplish our 4 days in Kante'. Please keep Nidjombe in your prayers as he is truly a man of God and doing wonderful things in this area with the Lamba tribe.

We are having fun even though it is very hot and really dusty up in the North. Again...no one is safe from verbal jabs. The other day on the 8 hour journey we were complaining that we couldn't sleep on the bumpy hot van ride....Dudley asked Jonathan to start preaching since each time he preached someone falls asleep! May have been the best jab so far.

I for one am very sad that I missed the freezing rain/snow as it is some of my favorite memories of home....especially around Christmas.

Thanks to you all for reading the blog and praying for us. I miss all my friends and really miss this week as the Bobcats prepare for #9! Please keep the paper articles and news clips that are being played about our beloved Bobcats. Good luck to the boys on Friday night. The guys in Africa are rooting for you.

Audra, Peyton, and Caden...I love you all and miss you terribly. 3 big Kisses!

Daddy

From Dudley

Today was a great day. It was really exciting to see so many people being helped by receiving glasses and was a real boost of energy to see the line out the door as they all waited for their turn. We saw many, many people today and they all heard the message of salvation.

God has provided a great team who are working hard, a great partnership with the men of the Wuiti Church who are translating and helping us. Without them it would not be possible. God also provided strength to the team as the day wore on; God also decided that today was a good day to teach me patience. (don’t worry Bridget; you will not have to apologize for me when we get home) It was just tough communicating with people through two different interpreters and some of the patients were very old.

I would like to say THANK YOU for those who have contributed to the team financially. God has blessed many people though your generosity. And a special thanks to those men who under wrote all the glasses

God bless and keep us in your prayers. We need it.

Dudley

Randy teaching the children how to sing "Jesus Loves Me" in French. Really, it was Pastor Shalom from Wuiti church teaching but it was Randy's idea. And, Randy sang with them!

This is the line outside after we had done about 2/3rds of the day. These folks stayed there all day in the heat. I didn't see them eat anything or drink anything. Our driver said that as the older people walked away, they weren't using their walking sticks anymore!

Dudley is examining this older man. Two translators get the words from English to French to Lamba. Several older folks had cataracts and we couldn't do much for them. Most of the people had a correctable problem and walked out with new glasses and a big smile!

We are presenting the gospel with the Evangecube. Jonathan is speaking. Pastor Nadjombe is interpreting. All the team is spread throughout the people showing them the cube up close. Probably 90 people. Maybe 40 people prayed to recieve Christ. This roof is next to the small church where we did the eye clinic. These people were waiting for us when we got there.

Tuesday Night

From Randy Calvert!!!!
We had a great day with the Lamba people today, especially the kids. I taught them to sing "Jesus Loves Me" in French! Well, I had a little help. We were really impressed with the pastor and the work he is trying to do. These Lamba people definitely need our prayers, money and support! Look forward to the next couple of days.

Monday's Drive

This is Jonathan posting for Jeff. We've arrived at the SIL Center in Kara, 250 km (might be more, feels like 1,000 km) north of Lome. Our team is accompanied by Pastor Shalom of Wuiti Baptist Church, Evangelist Samuel Avisse and Nike (yes, it sounds like that). Our driver is Mouneera, who drove our group last time.
We left Lome this morning about 10:30 after slowly moving out of the Missions Center where we've been staying and going to the bank for another money exchange. The drive is frequently interrupted by stops to pay "fees" to various "security" men along the way. That's the way it is here. Supposedly these "fees" (read: bribes) go to the mayor or the police chief to pay for the road. Somebody's not filling in those potholes! The number one traffic rule is to avoid potholes. Motorcyclists are free. Big trucks only have to be avoided by 1-1/2 inches or so. But, we must avoid the potholes. I actually saw Randy cover his eyes and duck once. There were various exclamatory remarks coming from the back two seats. Charles Ray, Dudley and I just rolled our eyes and thought, "Tourists!"
Rolled into Kara tonight tired and ready to eat. The cook at the SIL Center prepared spaghetti with meat sauce and it was good!! One of the men (initials RC) was heard to say it was better than Olive Garden and another man (CR) said it was better than he'd get at home. (But you didn't hear that from me!)
The SIL Center is partnered with Wycliff Bible Translators and they have already completed the New Testament in the Lamba language. They have a team right now working in the Lamba area and translating the Old Testament. In the morning, I'm going to be able to arrange a meeting with one of those team members to discover what they've learned about the Lamba. We have a contact in Kara, 1 km from where we are staying. Missionaries Randy and Jannet Alderman, independent Baptists, have been working in this area 20 years. They made some arrangements for us and communicated with the SIL Center cook about our American food. (Thus the better-than-Olive-Garden spaghetti!) Randy Alderman "just happened to be" at the Lome Missions Center when we arrived. The Lord is causing some "coincidences" for us that are very encouraging. One other was meeting with some Church of Christ missionaries, again they "happened to be" staying in the Lome Missions Center when we were, who told us all about the SIL Center and eased our minds about it.
And, Kathy Daniels, the Southern Baptist IMB Coordinator for West Africa just happens to be arriving here, at the SIL Center, Thursday night. So, we can talk with her about our discoveries and work among the Lamba over supper that night. She also "just happened to be" in Lome with us and we got to talk about travel arrangements and the help the Board can give us with future trips. Many "coincidences" that remind us that the Lord is really in charge!
The Internet is reliable and faster here at SIL, so we should be able to report each evening.
Thanks for your prayers! Keep it up during the next three days of being among the Lamba!
Jonathan H.

Sunday morning

Sunday, December 14, 2008

This morning we attended Wuiti Church and were blessed to see wonderful singing and praising. Charles Ray gave his testimony to the church and told a wonderful story about working with a young man in RA’s without the teaching material as was expected. Using crayons and paper to keep the children busy, Charles Ray asked the children to illustrate what church meant to their young minds. During this time Charles Ray discovered a young 8 year old who understood what church truly was. This young man drew a man hanging on the cross. Charles Ray’s story made an impression on the church members as well as his traveling group.

As always is the custom, the leaders of the church met with their visitors after the service treating us to Cokes, Fantas, and cookies (biscuits) while visiting with us about our plans. The Togolese are wonderful people who are truly happy with our visitation.

This afternoon brings a bit of rest….trying to communicate with home and washing some clothes. Tonight after dinner we will attend the Hosanna church as Randy Calvert will be giving his testimony and Jeff will be trying his hand at preaching for the first time (please pray for those people for having to endure that).

It is really hot and humid here but we are drinking lots of water and iced tea at lunch and dinner. Oh yeah…the initial review on the food…not bad at all….surprisingly good.

On a lighter side….we all were very happy and grateful for all the Bobcat updates during the late night. I think we stayed up till it was 21-0 then figured out that the Voodoo lady’s hex worked out. I think we are going back to visit her to give her some more pink chickens for next week’s game against Carthage.

Congrats to the Bobcats for an impressive victory over Liberty Hill. We are very happy to be here but we sure miss being there to support our team. Blessings to you all and thank you for your support and prayers. We miss you dearly.

Saturday 12-13-2008

Saturday, December 13, 2008

On Friday night we attended church service at Wuiti Baptist and listed to Jonathan give a great sermon. After Jonathan’s sermon a leader of the church began having prayer requests and basically having a prayer service. Every need of the church and its parishioners was mentioned with its own individual prayer. The group was very comforted in our perception of the duration of the prayer meeting as Jonathan made mention of the incredible prayer life and length of the prayer meeting. It also seemed to the entire group that our jet lag had arrived on Friday night. None of us could tell what day it was much less what time.

Saturday morning everyone seemed to physically feel better and seemed to be somewhat adjusted to the time. This morning we all had a very good time when we were so blessed to spend time with Wuiti’s children’s church. About 100 kids, aged 3 to 12 were in two different groups having a version of “Children’s Church”. Those children are the most beautiful things God has created. They loved to see us and have us spend time with them. I wish we could have stayed longer with them but had to get to the Hosanna Church for a quick meeting before lunch.

After a great lunch of Po Boys we went to Hosanna’s church about 20 miles East of Togo to their mission church. We had to travel down a very congested road with many people scavenging on each side of the road. We turned off the main road and traveled on a dirt road about 2 or 3 miles off the beaten path to find their newly formed church. The people were very glad to see us and very kind.

We went out into their village to witness and speak to some of the parishioners of the church. We each took turns visiting with the locals and sharing the Gospel. Randy Calvert had the most interesting encounter of the day as he was witnessing to a woman with 4 or 5 kids and telling her of Christ. When it came time to see if she wanted to accept Jesus she told Randy that “She had the marks of Voodoo on her and she could not pray” She also explained that she was afraid to pray as she had friends in the past that prayed and those friends had bad things happen to them. She did allow us to pray with and for her children as she sat watching which was encouraging. Randy took some good natured fun as we were leaving as we were wondering if he had a Voodoo hex on him. Dudley asked Randy if Randy would mind catching another plane home next week as we didn’t really want to be in the air with him. We also thought about going back to the woman and asking her to put a Hex on Liberty Hill tonight for the game….wonder if it would work….we were afraid that she would charge us three chickens and we didn’t want to steal the Pink Chickens from the locals as payment…yes….pink chickens….we have pictures.

The ride to and from that mission church was very interesting…We saw all sorts of people make their living in any way they can….they sell anything and everything they have.

We had to be back from the mission church in time to attend a wedding ceremony in which we were invited. The church was packed and everyone was dressed to the hilt. The Bride and Groom were very beautiful as were the decorations of the church. As most all men we really didn’t notice many things about the wedding service but did manage to get many pictures and video for our wives so all of their questions would be answered in some manner. It was a truly joyous occasion as is most of their church services are.

Dinner was great tonight as we had fried chicken, mashed potatoes and green peas with iced tea! Goodness gracious was it good. We are all really happy about the iced tea they make for us at lunch and dinner.

Tonight we went the Hosanna church for evening service and heard some of the most beautiful singing we have ever heard. Jonathan gave another great sermon from Luke 5 and Dudley gave his testimony. Watching the congregation give their tithes and offerings is truly a treat as they form a “Congo” line to the pulpit and present their tithe. I don’t quite have the dance moves down but I plan to by the end of the trip. Gracious these women have some rhythm and moves! Charles Ray and I just tried to keep time with the clapping.

By the way…did you know that you could get 7 adult males into a Toyota Camry….neither did we. Now I know how those clowns do that trick at the circus! Our Chiropractic bill will be a bit expensive when we get home.

Arival & First Day in Togo

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Atlanta - 4:30 CST

Odd leaving 27 degree weather to travel to the other side of the world and 100+ degree temperatures but got out of DFW without a hitch….Plane was delayed about 30 minutes but no big deal. The plane was only half full so wasn’t so bad. Jonathan Hewett already used his “connections” and got moved up to first class on the Atlanta leg (must be a missionary thing). The rest of us had to travel as the common men that we are….(there were many Seinfeld jokes made). Charlie Ray thought Jonathan was up in first class partaking in the Lords’ Supper with wine and crackers…over…and over…and over.

Jonathan’s “connections” or smooth talking enabled the entire group to gain admission to Delta’s First class lounge where each of us gladly made multiple trips through the food line. Nice to sit in real chairs as we wait to board the Paris flight.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Somewhere between Paris and Togo - Air France – 4:00 (whatever time zone this is)

After a short layover at Charles De Gaulle we boarded an Airbus 340 headed to Togo. (Note to self…..don’t take sleeping pill until after you board the airplane….sometimes it takes longer to board than it should and prescriptions work a little quicker than you think they will). This leg of our journey had the group split up throughout the plane so each one should have interesting stories about our fellow passengers. After the first 3 hours of the trip I awoke to lunch and crying babies. Fortunate enough for me a very sweet young Togolese-now-American mother of a 1 year old sat next to me during the flight. After lunch and after I shook off my cobwebs from the Doctor prescribed sleeping pill I struck up a conversation with her. She is married to a Naval serviceman, been in Virginia for 5 years and is returning home to see her family for the first time since leaving.

While exchanging small talk she explained that she didn’t care for American too much because of how “Hard Life” was in America. Now coming from Togo, Africa I would not expect to hear this from anyone. How can living in America be so difficult considering that you come from an impoverished country? She explained that she did not like how our Financial Institutions bombard her with Credit Card offers. “They all say they are better than the other person’s card…I get so confused” she explained. (Uncle Dave Ramsey is smiling somewhere right about now)! I explained that she should use cash or a Debit Card in order to stay out of any potential trouble. (I didn’t want to beat her down with Financial Peace University…or IRAs…I’ve got to pace myself on these things).

We then talked about her church in Togo. She was raised Catholic and attended church in Togo 3 times a week. Seems she has become uninspired by American worship….saying that it is too boring. “No one seems happy at American Churches…no one smiles when they sing”. I was told this would happen while I’m here….that I would see people really worshiping, having fun, really rejoicing. She confirmed what I was told…Americans don’t really know how to worship. I know that I’m first on that list…I think I’m about to witness some serious church in the next week…kind of excited….kind of nervous.



Friday, December 12, 2008

Lome, Togo, Africa

4:00 PM

To see this part of the world is unbelievable. Randy Calvert and I keep trying to believe that we are actually in Africa. I am amazed at the living conditions. Today the group split up to go visit people and invite them to church and/or tell them about Christ. We met the nicest people and were all met with a very warm reception. Randy, Jonathan, and I were in one group and Dudley and Charles Ray were in the other group. Dudley and Charles Ray met with a total of almost 40 people and 14 accepted Christ. Jonathan, Randy and I met with current members of the Hosanna Church and spoke with them about their faith and families. We all were fortunate enough to meet with a lady this afternoon who was so sweet. Her eye sight is in very bad shape so we tried to get her some glasses that would enable her to see somewhat better. However, Dudley said she had cataracts and the glasses wouldn’t help her. Her daughter in law was also there and Dudley was able to get her a pair of glasses that made a big difference in her eye sight.

We have also been able to witness the expansion of the Hosanna Church as they build a new addition to the structure. It is amazing to watch these young men work so hard and without the tools that we take for granted within the states. Watching them dig the deep trenches by hand, bend rebar, pour pillars, pour and work concrete with only buckets, shovels and pliers is amazing.

So far the trip has been very enlightening and a joy. We were all fortunate to get to see a bunch of school children as they left school. Watching them look at us with wonderment was really neat. I had to go in the middle of them and hi five them and hug as many as I could. The children here are absolutely beautiful. I can’t wait to get to spend more time with them.

Thank you for all of your prayers and well wishes. We all miss home and are doing just fine. Even though it is hot the only other place I would want to be right now is with my family. I was even told by one of the ladies of the church in her broken English to bring my wife next time. It is truly a blessing to be here and I thank each and every one of you who is reading this for making it possible.

BTW….since you are reading this you know that we figured out the internet connection…so hopefully we will get to listen to the Bobcat Game tomorrow night.

Thanks again for all of your thoughts and prayers. I’ll try to update it once a day if possible. Love you all.

Arival & First Day in

http://fbccelinatogo.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Atlanta - 4:30 CST

Odd leaving 27 degree weather to travel to the other side of the world and 100+ degree temperatures but got out of DFW without a hitch….Plane was delayed about 30 minutes but no big deal. The plane was only half full so wasn’t so bad. Jonathan Hewett already used his “connections” and got moved up to first class on the Atlanta leg (must be a missionary thing). The rest of us had to travel as the common men that we are….(there were many Seinfeld jokes made). Charlie Ray thought Jonathan was up in first class partaking in the Lords’ Supper with wine and crackers…over…and over…and over.

Jonathan’s “connections” or smooth talking enabled the entire group to gain admission to Delta’s First class lounge where each of us gladly made multiple trips through the food line. Nice to sit in real chairs as we wait to board the Paris flight.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Somewhere between Paris and Togo - Air France – 4:00 (whatever time zone this is)

After a short layover at Charles De Gaulle we boarded an Airbus 340 headed to Togo. (Note to self…..don’t take sleeping pill until after you board the airplane….sometimes it takes longer to board than it should and prescriptions work a little quicker than you think they will). This leg of our journey had the group split up throughout the plane so each one should have interesting stories about our fellow passengers. After the first 3 hours of the trip I awoke to lunch and crying babies. Fortunate enough for me a very sweet young Togolese-now-American mother of a 1 year old sat next to me during the flight. After lunch and after I shook off my cobwebs from the Doctor prescribed sleeping pill I struck up a conversation with her. She is married to a Naval serviceman, been in Virginia for 5 years and is returning home to see her family for the first time since leaving.

While exchanging small talk she explained that she didn’t care for American too much because of how “Hard Life” was in America. Now coming from Togo, Africa I would not expect to hear this from anyone. How can living in America be so difficult considering that you come from an impoverished country? She explained that she did not like how our Financial Institutions bombard her with Credit Card offers. “They all say they are better than the other person’s card…I get so confused” she explained. (Uncle Dave Ramsey is smiling somewhere right about now)! I explained that she should use cash or a Debit Card in order to stay out of any potential trouble. (I didn’t want to beat her down with Financial Peace University…or IRAs…I’ve got to pace myself on these things).

We then talked about her church in Togo. She was raised Catholic and attended church in Togo 3 times a week. Seems she has become uninspired by American worship….saying that it is too boring. “No one seems happy at American Churches…no one smiles when they sing”. I was told this would happen while I’m here….that I would see people really worshiping, having fun, really rejoicing. She confirmed what I was told…Americans don’t really know how to worship. I know that I’m first on that list…I think I’m about to witness some serious church in the next week…kind of excited….kind of nervous.



Friday, December 12, 2008

Lome, Togo, Africa

4:00 PM

To see this part of the world is unbelievable. Randy Calvert and I keep trying to believe that we are actually in Africa. I am amazed at the living conditions. Today the group split up to go visit people and invite them to church and/or tell them about Christ. We met the nicest people and were all met with a very warm reception. Randy, Jonathan, and I were in one group and Dudley and Charles Ray were in the other group. Dudley and Charles Ray met with a total of almost 40 people and 14 accepted Christ. Jonathan, Randy and I met with current members of the Hosanna Church and spoke with them about their faith and families. We all were fortunate enough to meet with a lady this afternoon who was so sweet. Her eye sight is in very bad shape so we tried to get her some glasses that would enable her to see somewhat better. However, Dudley said she had cataracts and the glasses wouldn’t help her. Her daughter in law was also there and Dudley was able to get her a pair of glasses that made a big difference in her eye sight.

We have also been able to witness the expansion of the Hosanna Church as they build a new addition to the structure. It is amazing to watch these young men work so hard and without the tools that we take for granted within the states. Watching them dig the deep trenches by hand, bend rebar, pour pillars, pour and work concrete with only buckets, shovels and pliers is amazing.

So far the trip has been very enlightening and a joy. We were all fortunate to get to see a bunch of school children as they left school. Watching them look at us with wonderment was really neat. I had to go in the middle of them and hi five them and hug as many as I could. The children here are absolutely beautiful. I can’t wait to get to spend more time with them.

Thank you for all of your prayers and well wishes. We all miss home and are doing just fine. Even though it is hot the only other place I would want to be right now is with my family. I was even told by one of the ladies of the church in her broken English to bring my wife next time. It is truly a blessing to be here and I thank each and every one of you who is reading this for making it possible.

BTW….since you are reading this you know that we figured out the internet connection…so hopefully we will get to listen to the Bobcat Game tomorrow night.

Thanks again for all of your thoughts and prayers. I’ll try to update it once a day if possible. Love you all.

All,
As the group prepares for our mission in Togo, West Africa we would ask that you keep all participants and their families in your prayers at this time. Those that will be making the journey are Jonathan Hewitt, Dudley Raymond, Charles Ray Huddleston, Randy Calvert, and myself. (Randy and I are the rookies of the bunch).

I was warned from someone that has been on this mission trip before that as we get closer to departing our lives will experience troubles and external issues sent on by Satan to discourage us from going. Things are already starting to occur out of the norm. Glad I was forwarned to expect it.

I also ask that you please pray for our families as we are away....I think I am more concerned for them than I am for us. If you could make time during your day please say a special prayer for our families and give them a call to check up on them to make sure everything is going ok. Be sure to check back starting on the evening of December 11 as I will try to enter my first posting (assuming I can get Web connection....which is not guaranteed).

If there are no postings by Monday the 15th then you'll have to check back on 12/24 to read a daily account of all happenings in Togo as I plan to keep an up to date journal.Thanks to you all for the support for our trip....your financial support and well wishes have been an overwhelming answer to prayers.

Hook ‘em Jeff Gravley