The Mission Trip Chronicles: Cement Blocks

Last year we had the privilege of assisting in two village church construction projects near Dapaong. Prayerfully, this fall we (Randy, some masons and I) will start construction on a new church building located about 45 minutes away from Kara. Pastor Koffi has been out with this church for many years now and it’s finally time to give them a building of their own. One huge blessing came in a couple years ago when the land was given as a gift. However, it has taken all this time to get all the necessary documentation settled and switched over into the churches name. But, since all that is behind us now, we are merely awaiting the end of the rain season so that we can start our building efforts.



The mission team and I took a morning trip out to Sarakowa which is relatively close being only about 12 miles north of Kara. It is there that the tractor, airplane and hangar are located. We left early on a Monday morning and made blocks for about three hours.
It’s important to realize that blocks can’t be simply purchased from Home Depot, Ace or Lowe’s. Here you have to fabricate them on your own. You have fetch water, haul cement and find sand. With all the supplies already at Sarakowa, I called in a local mason, who often assists in our building projects, and he was more then willing to give us a crash course on block making. It was and interesting morning. Some from the team had done this type of work before but others it was their first time. It took us five men, one African and a Mason three hours to make 75 blocks and all in totally the church will need about 1200-1300 blocks. I’m sure it would take the Mason less time on his own without slowing him down but block making is very time consuming and back breaking labor.

We obviously didn’t have the time nor the supplies at that moment to make all 1200-1300 blocks in one day but it was a wonderful chance to do something for the village church out in Pagadou and to know that we helped build a bit of that church even if it was a just a minor part.

The Mission Trip Chronicles

Over the past two weeks I’ve had the privilege of showing four men from Georgia around Togo. This was the first visit for each of them to Africa and it was quite the experience overall. Over the next several blogs I would like to focus on a specific event and how it impacted our lives and/or that of the Togolese.

Of the four men that came there was Tony. Tony is well experienced and you might even call him a veteran short term mission traveler. He has taken numerous trips to Mexico and other Central/South American countries to assist works and missionaries. With his past experiences he was able to provide a much needed ministry of reading eye glasses.

It was our first Sunday together in Togo and I took the four men to Tomde for church. They weren’t really sure what to expect. However, with the assistance of Koffi, a college student who is fluent in English the Sunday School service was comprehensible. The folks really enjoyed having the men in attendance and afterwards were super friendly in greeting them. We left after the service for the house and enjoyed lunch before heading back to the church that afternoon to host an eye clinic. The clinic was announced at the church just that morning and was open for all members, member’s families and anyone else that wanted to come. The glasses would be free to those that would actually need them. When we arrived at the church there was already a small crowd forming and we, in four hours were able to see 48 folks and of those close to 30 weren’t church members. Over the four hours, we were able to give basic eye exams for reading and pass out tracts. Our system, thought up by Tony was to give out a tract

and a registration slip. The folks would then, the following Sunday return with their registration slips and after the church service receive their glasses as needed. When we followed up on the following Sunday via the Pastor we discovered that every persons that needed glasses whither a member or non member showed up the church. There was even one Muslim man who snuck in about ten minutes before the service was over to insure that he too would receive his.


Tony’s great idea, coupled with God’s provision allowed us to aid folks here in Kara but at the same time be a witness. Pastor Moussa from the Tomde church was so thrilled and had crafted a special message just for the occasion. It’s interesting how God can use us all with all our different talents. Tony’s just one example of that and was an important part of this team. Through his talents many folks were able to hear about the Lord that might not have otherwise.

Lome trip Number 2: Picking up the Aldermans

I left Wednesday morning at about 6:30 am with three Africans and we drove about 6 hours to the capital city to meet and pick up the Aldermans. They had been on furlough for nearly 7 months and were so thrilled to get back to Togo.

When we arrived in Lome I dropped the men off and then ran some errands before beginning to wait it out for their flight to arrive. It took 36 hours total to travel from Jax, Florida to Lome, Togo. They were scheduled to arrive at 1:30 am but the flight pulled up around 2:15 am, needless to say it was a long night! However, it was so great to see the Aldermans after such a long absence here.


The following couple days after they arrived we drove around the bustling and busy city of Lome shopping for supplies and food for the next month. It was on the morning that we were supposed to depart for Kara that Randy came down with Malaria. What a horrible thing! He had been in the country less then 72 hours when the virus that he had contracted so many years ago resurfaced and began attacking his body once again. He began taking medicine immediately but it will take several days if not weeks to fully recuperate from this latest bout.

It was a unique drive home with Randy sprawled out on the back seat of the extended cab Toyota pick up truck, me at the helm and Mrs. Alderman constantly offering add, pain medication and water for Randy all the way back home.

Despite it being a long and not so wonderful trip back for Randy it’s wonderful to have both of them back here in Kara again!