Dear Family and Friends,

I’m excited to share that from May 18th to June 30th, I will be traveling to Togo, West Africa to serve alongside a ministry team called Thrive - something I’ve been praying about and preparing for.

This is a six-week opportunity to step into work that is already happening there, and I feel incredibly grateful that God has opened the door for me to be part of it.

While in Togo, I will be helping support the Thrive team as they serve young women in their community. In many areas of Togo, access to basic feminine hygiene supplies is limited, and because of financial need, some women and girls feel pressure to seek money for supplies in unsafe ways, including situations connected to human trafficking and exploitation. The Thrive team works to meet this need by teaching young women about their health and by helping provide menstrual kits, so they have the supplies they need. Something that may seem small to us can make a huge difference in their daily lives, helping them stay in school, care for themselves, and move through life in safe ways. I am grateful to come alongside this work and help however I am needed, whether that is preparing kits, assisting with education, or supporting the team in practical ways.

During my time in Togo, I will also be working with children, helping with Bible lessons, and spending time encouraging them. Additionally, I will be assisting at a missions institution where I will help teach basic computer skills, which can help open doors for education and opportunity. Another meaningful part of this trip will be listening to and documenting the stories of those who live and serve in Togo, so their voices might be heard and their experiences shared and remembered. I am especially looking forward to this because stories are so powerful, and it feels like such an honor to help preserve them. 

Africa has held a special place in my heart since, as a child, I was deeply impacted through the stories shared by a missionary family in our church who served there. The chance to now serve in Togo feels incredibly humbling. I continue to pray that the Lord would shape my heart through this experience and use this time in whatever ways He desires. I am thankful for the opportunity to learn from others, serve alongside them, and be part of what God is already doing.

As I prepare for this trip, I would love to invite you to partner with me through prayer. Please pray for safe travel, good health, and that the Lord's will would be done in every moment of this trip. Pray that hearts would be open, that the work being done would continue to grow, and that I would be sensitive to where God is moving and how He is working.

I am also working to raise funds to help cover travel and ministry expenses for this six-week trip. If you feel led to give financially, please know any amount is a blessing.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and for considering being part of this journey with me, whether through prayer, financial support, or both, you are truly appreciated.

In gratitude and in Christ,

Victoria Bacon

“Here I am. Send me!” — Isaiah 6:8