Missions With the Consfords
August 24, 2026
Brother Ruckman and I were sitting in the living room after lunch, just talking, when the lights went out. No warning, no flicker. One second the fan was going, the…
Brother Ruckman and I were sitting in the living room after lunch, just talking, when the lights went out. No warning, no flicker. One second the fan was going, the next second the whole house went quiet. That was the end of the conversation. It was also the end of somebody else's nap.
Let me back up. The day started with a great breakfast from Mrs. Angie and coffee on the porch while we talked through everything that needed to get done before the conference. The Ruckmans and Pastor Reno headed out early to visit a family at the hospital whose baby had been born two days before. Laura and I stayed back so the workmen who showed up that morning could finish a project they had started at the house.
Once the workmen wrapped up, Laura and I walked down to the main taxi station and caught a ride into Takoradi so she could get a feel for what is available here now. It is wild how much has changed. There is a lot more in the stores than there was 12 years ago, back when we were here the first time.
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The Ruckmans finished at the hospital and swung by the church to line up a few things for the day before meeting us for lunch in town. Pastor Reno picked up the tab, which was kind of him. After that, we found a shopping bazaar and spent a while walking through tables of African clothing, which was one of the better parts of the afternoon.
We got home, and a few people wanted to rest through the heat, which is exactly when the power decided to go off. Brother Ruckman and I were still in the living room talking, and just like that, both the conversation and the nap were finished at the same time.
Supper came, and after that Brother Ruckman, Pastor Reno, and I headed to the church for planning meetings. Everybody needed to know their job for tomorrow before the day arrived. Then came the part of the evening I did not see coming as a task: taste testing sauces. The ladies had been cooking all day and made three different kinds. They are spicy enough to make you catch your breath, but every one of them was good.
Everything is ready now. Pastors start arriving tomorrow, and the conference kicks off at 5 p.m. with supper followed by an evening service. It should be a good one. If you think of it, we would appreciate your prayers for the meeting this week. You can keep up with how it goes at consfords.com/connect.