Safe Arrival

We arrived safely in Togo today.  Praise the Lord!  Yesterday began with a scare as there was a possibility our flight out of Charleston to Atlanta would be delayed which would have caused a ripple effect. However, the Lord was on our side and we were able to catch all of our flights.

For the most part, we arrived without incident and without our toiletries bag.  Lost it in Senegal.  Nevertheless, we just received word that the bag has been located and will be sent to us shortly.

Pastor Francis and his team are GREAT!  They do an awesome job welcoming us and helping to remind us of why we do what we do.  We have already had opportunities for fellowship and preparation for our upcoming week.  It promises to be an eventful week, but we are up for the challenge!

Please continue to pray for us, the Togo Team and the brothers and sisters we'll meet throughout the week.  We know that God has a plan for each of us and we're just honored to be a part of His plan!

Grace and Peace,
Donna Lee and the 2010 Togo Medical Team.

Ready or Not... Here We Go!

Pills are counted, bags are packed, devotionals and Bibles gathered, clothing choices carefully considered for space, and our personal lives are set up and organized for us all to be out of contact with them for the next 12 days. After months of preparation, our trip to Togo is finally upon us. I know all of us will have a restless sleep tonight in anticipation of what awaits us tomorrow. I guess it's always this way but watching God's plan for this trip and our team unravel and reveal itself has been inspiring and life changing. I have always been one of those "planners" where I feel like I have control if I have every step of my life planned out. In all of the preparation for this, I have really learned to put things in God's hands and watch what he has in store. I can't wait to see his plans for us with the people of Togo! He is so good and so amazing and I know that the amazing people on our team are so ready to share His love with them. Thank you all so much for your love, prayers, and support!

10 Days and Counting!

Our trip to Togo is getting so close. As we excitedly crossing off days on our calendars, our to do lists are getting longer in making sure we have everything we need. From getting absentee ballots to making sure our liquids are regulation size to making sure we have everything to help minister the people of Togo, both our time and the amount of space in our suitcases are quickly decreasing! We will gather for our final meeting on Saturday the 23rd to ensure everyone has what they need and answer any last questions. We have an amazing team of 18 people planning to provide free health care, a women's ministry, children's ministry, home health teaching, and soccer ministry while we are over there. God's work has been so amazing while we have prepared for this trip and we can't wait to see what He has in store for us when we arrive. Please help us to pray for the people of Togo, guidance for our leaders Ann Marie, Ariana, and Chris, and for our team to show God's grace and love in everything we do while together.

Oops & Excitement All Wrapped into One!

"Consider it pure joy my brothers whenever you face trials of many  kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything" - James 1:2-4

     Can you tell how busy our team has been? We haven't even  had a chance to update since the end of July! Here's a fast forward version to catch you up...
     The months of August and September have been filled with fund raising, vaccines (ouch!), getting to know one another better, and spiritual, emotional, and mental preparation to go. We have been able to raise the majority of our funds and receive our shots from Ann Marie. Unfortunately, the months of August and September also presented a lot of challenges for many of our team members. We have had to face the loss of many teammates due to circumstances with family. Although we wish with all our hearts that they could join us in Togo, we know it was God's plan for them to stay and care for their family members that needed them. Because of these losses, we have decided to take one larger team rather than 2 small teams. In making this decision, it became clear that this was in the best interest for everyone. There were some very real logistical issues that weren't quite worked out (like how to pack all of the medications needed for the 2nd trip in less than 24 hours time!). We also feel this will be easier on the Togo missionaries, two trips back to back would have been exhausting on their resources. God's plans always work out to be the best for everyone.
    We are now entering the month of October and we are in the home stretch! We leave on October 28th with 18 team members, including 4 providers. This size team and that number of providers is going to allow us to serve so many people in so many different ways! We have the majority of our supplies and are working on inventory and packing to make sure we have everything. We are all so excited to go and share the word of God with the people of Togo. These next 4 weeks are going to fly by as we try to ensure that we are all ready to go and serve Him.

First Wednesday Dinner & Meeting #4

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their hard work. 10 For if one of them should fall, the other one can raise his partner up. But how will it be with just the one who falls when there is not another to raise him up? - Ecclesiastes 4:9,10

On July 7th we were able to sponsor the First Wednesday dinner at both the Summerville and Mt. Pleasant campuses! It was a great evening filled with fellowship, food, laughter, and praise. Although it was very different having the team split, we were able to raise more money for our trips by hosting the dinner at both locations. At the end of the meal we packed up to-go boxes for Togo! Families were able to purchase the meals to take home for later.

On Sunday, July 11th we had our fourth Togo meeting. We spent time focusing on each other's personalities and learning how to work with one another. Karen came up with a great activity that tests our acting skills! Each personality type has come up with a short skit to show how to work with the different members of the team. We will be working so closely together and trying to help as many people as possible in Togo- neither of which will be possible if we don't know how to communicate with one another! I can't wait to see the skits!

Meeting Three

Blessed are you who consider the poor.  Psalm 41:1   This scripture has resonated in my heart all day.  What a blessing it is to think not only of one's self, but also to consider others, especially those less fortunate. 

My name is Donna Lee Williams.  I will be working with Rachel to keep you abreast of the latest events and happenings of the 2010 Togo Medical Team.  This will be my second trip to Togo.   It was a life changing experience in 2006 and I thank God He has once again allowed me to be a part of a team that gets an opportunity to shower our Togolese brothers and sisters with the love of Christ.

Our team had its third team meeting today and it was GREAT!  Chris presented an informative mini-training on Sharing our Testimonies.  Ariana then facilitated the meeting which included a lively discussion filled with many great questions from team members and wise responses from Togo veterans.  We are an eclectic group with diverse gifts and areas of expertise.  The beauty of a team such as ours is that God will use all of our gifts and talents for His glory as we become a cohesive unit.  Together we'll be able to accomplish much more than we could ever accomplish individually.

In addition to our team meetings, we are also preparing for our first team fundraiser, First Wednesday Dinner at the Long Point Campus.  Please come out and support us on July 7th for a great meal followed by an awesome worship service.  Also, plan now to join us on Sunday August 1st at Rialde Farms!  This fun filled day promises to be unforgettable for the entire family!

Please continue to check our blog often for prayer requests and the most recent information on our team here and in Togo.

Grace and Peace,

Donna Lee

Growing Excitement...

As I sit here and try to find words to start the story of our team(s) this year all I can say is "wow." My name is Rachel and this will be my first mission trip. I am amazed and awed at God's work. Donna Lee and I will be blogging about our experience and journaling our preparation and trip over the next several months. She has the experienced missionary perspective while I am hoping to offer a glimpse at the rookie viewpoint.
I got involved in Togo through my husband's stories from last year's trip and his contagious enthusiasm. We have been blessed this year with an incredible problem- too many people want to go and do God's work for the people of Togo! Every week I hear more about previous trips and it feels like November can't get here fast enough! I love that, even though our country is facing difficult times, so many people are willing and wanting to reach out and help others who so desperately need it. I find myself looking around and realizing how blessed I am and wanting to share more and more with others.
At this point our team is working on raising funds, praying for one another and our team, and getting to know one another. Although we've only met a few times, the feeling of companionship is there and we all know we are united in our beliefs in Christ's work and our desire to help others. I cannot wait to get to know our teammates better and to meet those that are traveling from other areas to join us!
I'll leave you with a verse from Isaiah 40: 3-

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run

and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

God Bless,
Rachel

Togo 2010 Team (s)!

Welcome to the Togo blog...or welcome back to our previous followers. We will TRY to actually blog some this year! God is doing BIG things in the Togo team this year! We have such an overwhelming interest that we will be taking TWO teams to Togo this year during the first few weeks of November!

Please follow our blog to stay updated on fundraisers, team events, and happenings while we are in the field.