The Bigger Picture

First things first, I want to thank all of you for your overwhelming response to my first update! Your emails and comments were unbelievably encouraging and enjoyable to go through at the café last week. It is so nice to know that I am literally covered in prayer by so many wonderful people throughout the country! So, thank you! Additonally, many of you have asked for my mailing address here in Ghana. Unfortunately, like many other things here, the postal system is extremely unreliable and somewhat corrupt. If packages are sent, they will most likely never be received. So for now, your electronic words of encouragement will have to do, and believe me they are more than enough!

Shortly after my last update, I came across some very insightful information that I feel necessary to share with you so that you may understand the big picture of the organization that I am working with. I got a first hand look at the background of many of the children that live at Haven of Hope, where I am staying and teaching. Contrary to what I had originally thought, Haven of Hope is not an orphanage because that term implies children without parents. Most of these children indeed do have mothers, but it is doubtful they have any idea who their fathers are. After leaving the internet café last week, Elise and I headed to the railway station in Accra where we will be working with ECM’s street ministry every Sunday. Haven of Hope was actually birthed from this original ministry, when they saw the glaring need to bring as many children as possible out of their situation on the streets. In the area where we hold the street ministry, there are sheets and blankets, beer bottles and empty food cans marking the territory of various “families”. This is their home, where they eat, sleep, live, and “work”. A large portion of the women in the area have turned to prostitution as a way to support themselves, but in turn have brought many hurting children into this world. When we walked into the station, we were immediately bombarded with over 50 smiling faces! These were the children that daily live with the consequences of their mother’s poor choices, and they were beautiful. Each week, our organization provides a message, a meal, games, and basic first aid to these amazing children. It was humbling and heart-breaking. Soon after we had arrived, an old woman came up to us and simply said, “Regina and Mary” and pointed to herself. I quickly realized that these two girls that she named from Haven of Hope were her daughters. Again teary-eyed, I tried to explain to her that they are doing well; they are very strong and smart young women. Having now a better understanding of where these children come from and the lives that they have led up to this point has provided me with a new perspective and an abundance of patience as I interact with them daily.

Despite that patience though, the beginning of the school week proved to be quite a challenge. Most of my struggles stem from the fact that my class is the largest in the school with 14 students, 10 boys and 4 girls. Half of them can read at a 1st grade level, and the other half can hardly read at all. Most of them also do not understand respect or hard work because of their backgrounds, providing me with a tough disciplinary issue. And finally, we spend a good deal of time figuring out ways to keep our papers from flying away with the wind, and then chasing them when we are unsuccessful. In the face of those challenges though, by Friday, Ms. Lindsay’s P3 class was having a blast. We were able to laugh and enjoy each other while reading Hop on Pop (my personal favorite), playing flash card games, and digging for earthworms in the black soil.

Elise and I remain busy after school as well. In an attempt to provide some structure and organization for the kids, we are facilitating various clubs Monday through Thursday. Small groups can choose to participate in art, bible, puzzles, and cooking clubs (which leaves Friday and Saturday for market trips and laundry)! We also help the kids with their homework for an hour each night and read a chapter of Prince Caspian before bed. Needless to say, I am usually ready to go to sleep before the kids are! Please pray for endurance for me and Elise as we are completely exhausted, physically and emotionally, by the end of each day!

Finally, the child of the week this week is a little boy that I am extremely fond of (who we affectionately refer to as my hunny bunny). His name is Nii and he is 3 years old. He and his little sister Comfort are the most recent additions to the home. He is such a happy boy (especially when he can play with a ball of any kind) but can also be extremely withdrawn. He has strange scars on his hands and chest that tell stories of his previous situation. I ask that you pray that he will learn boldness and be able to overcome whatever events in his past inhibit his interaction with other children.



Love,
Obruni