I was born in Tsevie in the south of Togo, West Africa. My father is the son of Togolese immigrants in Ghana. He was born, brought up and educated in Ghana. He came to Togo when he was only 20. My mother was born and brought up in Togo.

Both of my parents were already practicing Catholics before they met and were married in the Catholic Church. I am the third of five sons.

Tsevie is a small rural town situated 20 miles from Lome, the capital. More that 70 per cent belong to the traditional religion generally called Voodoo.

A small number of immigrants are Muslims. They come from Nigeria and Niger, and some Togolese from Sokode  or Tchamba, cities in the north where there is a big number of Muslims. They live in a special area called Zongo.

Some 25 per cent of the population of Tsevie are Christians belonging to the Roman Catholic Church, the evangelical churches, the African independent churches and Christian sects from the USA. Because of the growth of the African independence churches, many "pagans" are becoming Christians.

The Catholic community of Tsevie was founded by German SVD missionaries who came to Togo during the German Colonization. According to what I heard from my grandfather, who was then living in Ghana, there was already a stable Catholic community in Tsevie by 1925. Today, it is almost a self-sufficient parish run by the diocesan clergy.

Many of the priestly and religious vocations of our diocese come from the community of Tsevie. But how deep, inculturized and personalized is the faith of this community? It is very difficult to evaluate. I know that in our culture, polygamy is not believed to be a bad thing. Although the Christians know that they have to be monogamous, the temptation to have a second wife is always present.

Given the fact that children are the best fruit of every marriage in our culture, there is the temptation to prove fertility before the formal marriage in church.

So, many Christians cannot go to communion because of matrimonial irregularities. It is also very important to mention that Voodoo is not only a religion but it carries a culture whose mentality influences even the Christians.

The local clergy are trying their best to relate to the people and make them aware of their own culture and history but they still remain "foreign people in their own land".

As for my vocation, I always find it difficult to talk about. I come from a Catholic family where priestly and religious vocations have always been encouraged. For the first 18 years of my life, I always admired priests, religious, and missionaries but never hoped to be one of them. It was my thirst for consistency and seriousness in following Christ that brought me to the conclusion that I also could help those who were trying to evangelize my country.

Having experienced the joy of being Christian, I am convinced that I do not make any mistake if I ask a non-Christian to share my faith. Knowing that even the clergy are not free from the influences of the Voodoo culture, I decided to join a religious community which can help me to be a witness of Christ among the non-Christians.

I met the Comboni Missionaries in Vogan in December 1984.They dedicated their lives to the people. I had the impression that they were men of God whose example could help me to grow in my vocation. Six months later, I applied to enter their postulancy and I was accepted.

I began to study philosophy in October 1985. After three years, I entered the novitiate in Isiro, in Zaire. I made my first religious vows in May 1990. I went to England and completed my missionary training in 1995. I believe and hope that the Lord who began this work in me will accomplish it in me. I thank him for calling me to serve him as a missionary.