traffic. The moment the message comes through on their radio they
have the right to stop all the traffic to clear the road. Everyone
selling along the road is meant to move back from the road as the
president's convoy races past. I was on a tour of the city with
Adebayu, a young friend, when a man in a tan uniform waved for us not
to come any closer. The road was already clear and two armed policemen
were also patrolling. A marked police vehicle, two black suburbans,
then a beautiful black Mercedes followed by another 5 suburbans and
finally an armoured vehicle mounted with a man behind a machine gun
passed us, on the way to the president's estate.
Togo has had decades of trouble and the future is yet uncertain.
Elections are to be held on February 28th. President Faure Gnassingbe
has served the five year term since suspicously being elected to take
his fathers place. The major opposition party is led by the son of the
first president elected after Togo became independant in 1960. He was
assasinated in 1963 by Gnassingbe's father. As of yet there was no
feeling of tension amongst the people in the capital, rather an air of
celebration as the new year was rung in. Yet there is no freedom to
even send news like this by email from within the country.
We are on our way back to Cotonou after some very special days in
Togo. I was thankful to spend time with a native sister Lorpu from
Liberia. She has had five years in the work in Ghana and Nigeria. Not
long before I left for West Africa Allan, who has worked many years in
Liberia, told a story of when war came to the country. He told about
two girls from a professing family who were kidnapped by rebels.
Finally at the end of the story a shiver went down my spine when he
mentioned the name of one of the girls as being Lorpu. It seems that
no beleiver in God could come through such an experience without deep
convictions and faith in God. It is so evident in her service that
such is the case.
It was also special to spend time with Daniel and Nadia who live
on the convention grounds just outside of Lomé. Their homelife is
evidently rich as friends and workers are welcomed without hesitation
until beds are overflowing. Nadia runs a bakery in the yard and this
morning sitting around a long table in the sand we enjoyed plain,
beef, fish and sausage croissants fresh from the oven.
Now we will have the next week and some to visit around Cotonou.
My parents arrive on Saturday to spend about 3 weeks with us.
Until next time... Alize
