Togo..it is!

Togo.  One year ago I'd never even heard of the country...now it's Bailey's home.  We received word today that the non-African elders in the Ivory Coast Mission are safe and sound, just in different countries.  I was excited to find out more about the country of Togo...this is what I learned!



Togo is about twice the size of Maryland and is on the south coast of West Africa.  It borders Ghana, Burkina Faso and Benin.  The full name of the country is Togolese Republic.  It's capital city is Lome.  There are about five million people in the country.  The country is situated just a little above the Equator. The area includes marshes, lagoons, savannas and plateaus. The climate is tropical and humid for seven months and from November to March the desert winds bring a bit cooler weather.

About 75% of the people live in rural villages.  French is the office language, but tribal languages are also commonly used.  Togo is a poor country.  Roughly about 43% of males and 47% of females (over the age of 15) are literate in Togo. 

Togolese usually have two or three meals per day, each consisting largely of a startch product such as cassava, maize, rice, yams or plantains.  A hot, spicy sauce is served with their midday or evening meals, consisting of fish, goat, beans or beef.  Women and men are kept apart in most social gatherings.  Women usually eat after men, but before the children. 

Bailey's excited to be there...to be able to be out teaching the gospel and sharing the message of Jesus Christ with the people in Togo!  I'm VERY EXCITED to talk to him on Christmas and to hear all about his adventures.