I Am a Child in Togo

Here is a little piece that Brett wrote for part of the Mission Weekend program. It was read at the Saturday night worship service as we focused on having compassion for the children of Guatemala and Togo. Thanks to Laura Plunkett for reading it with such passion and feeling!

I Am a Child in Togo

I am a child in Togo
I am a 10 year old girl
Today I woke up one hour before the sunrise to begin my chores
I fed the goats, swept the floor, cleaned the pots, and got water from the river
I did all of these things with my infant brother strapped to my back

I am a child in Togo
After I did my chores, I ate breakfast
Breakfast was some left over bean cakes and a glass of dirty river water
The same thing I eat every single day

I am a child in Togo
After breakfast I said goodbye to my oldest brother who was leaving for school
I don’t get to go to school because my family can’t afford to send me and they need me to work
I desperately want to go to school
But I never will

I am a child in Togo
I spend my morning working in the fields, planting seeds and pulling weeds
By mid-morning it is 100 degrees and there is no shade for me to work in
The work is hard, and I am tired

I am a child in Togo
When I finish in the fields I eat lunch
Rice and beans
The same thing I eat every single day

I am a child in Togo
After lunch I get to play some with the other kids my age who don’t go to school
We kick around a soccer ball made from twigs and leaves
We climb a tree
We chase the goats
I wish I had some toys to play with


I am a child in Togo
I want to keep playing with my friends
But my mother says it’s time to prepare dinner
I only got to play for 1 hour
And now I have to strap my baby brother to my back and do more work

I am a child in Togo
My mother sends me to the river to get water
The river is a mile away
And I have to go 3 times

I am a child in Togo
After I get the water, I pound some corn into powder
It takes me an hour to pound enough for my family
The work is hard, and I am tired

I am a child in Togo
It is almost dark and dinner is ready
I eat outside the house with my 7 brothers and sisters
Corn mush and spicy sauce
The same thing I eat every single day

I am a child in Togo
After dinner I am ready to sleep
Morning will be here soon, and I am tired
Tomorrow will be exactly the same as today
Because I am a child in Togo