Missing my Wingman

Tomorrow night I am losing my right hand man. Elise has been with me since the moment I stepped off the plane here in Ghana over 8 months ago. We have gone through everything together, both the good and the bad. We figured out how to get around the city and how to survive in a vastly different culture. We danced our hearts out at camp, and celebrated every major holiday together. We also have shared every frustration with regards to the kids and our feelings of missing home. We have experienced real Christian community and authentic fellowship. Now, she suddenly has to leave early in order to be with her family as her grandmother’s health is rapidly declining and the doctors don’t give her much more than a few days to live. That leaves Elise in a lot of pain and me still here, alone, for the last 6 weeks of my stay. I must admit that I’m nervous. I’m not so much nervous about getting around by myself or staying in our house alone. I’m a big girl and I was always the navigator anyways (sorry Elise but you know it’s true), but I am nervous about what God is going to do with me in the next six weeks. Recently I have been really craving social interaction with others my own age, and just as I start to feel that longing, the ONLY other person my age is taken completely out of the picture. I almost feel as though this is my final test. I’ve survived so far and relied on God for his strength and provision, but I’ve also had the unending support of a great friend. Now completely on my own, how will I fare? Will I falter? Will I thrive? God, test me and use me according to your perfect will. May my faith not be reliant upon that of those around me. May I stand firm on my own two feet and finish out my time here with a boldness, confidence, and strength that literally come from no one but You.

And friends, please pray for Aisha this week. She is a bright girl and loving sister to our handsome little Gabriel. She is athletic and witty, hard-working and hilarious. Keep this beautiful 11 year old in mind this week, as well as Elise and her family.

Slowing down, seeing stars!

Something that has been both a source of enjoyment and annoyance since being in Ghana has been the drastic change of pace. Back home in the States, it seems the philosophy is to get as much accomplished in a single day as possible. I was no exception. I can even recall my brother asking me in college if I had more hours in a day than a normal person. However, my lifestyle has taken quite the turn in a culture where time is of little importance and it seems the only thing people really need to do in a day is cook. While this has been slightly frustrating for a multi-tasker of my nature, it is something I have also come to appreciate. A side-effect of that slower paced lifestyle and living in a remote setting has been that in the evenings, there is little to no light pollution from big businesses or busy streets, allowing the stars to be seen more vibrantly than I have ever seen them! What a magnificent way that God has chosen to reveal His awesome nature to us.

“To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls them each by name.” ~ Isaiah 40:25-26

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” ~ Psalms 8:3-4

God’s very nature and presence can be seen in His creation day in and day out and I know that He has revealed marvelous things to me over the last 8 months through these children at Haven of Hope, created in His very own image.

One of those creations is our very own Bequin. He is a handsome little 10 year old with long skinny legs and knobby knees who can kick my butt in a 100-yard dash any day of the week. He is lively and hilarious, quite the character, but also shows a softer side in little notes he writes to Elise and I. He is a precious boy and I ask that you pray for him and his well-being as you continue through your week!

Thinking bigger!

There comes a time when anyone is doing short term ministry that you begin to realize that you are not going to be in the field forever. I can still so vividly remember arriving here in Ghana in August and thinking that I would never be going home. Ten months felt like a lifetime. However, now with less than 8 weeks left, I am feeling a sense of urgency in accomplishing all that I set out to do here. In doing so, it has been very important for me not to look so closely at the next few weeks, but really examine the big picture and think about what lessons I can teach the kids and what experiences I can provide them with that will last long after I am gone. First and foremost, I want the kids to know that they are loved, that I love them and that God loves them. I think that goal has been in the slow process of accomplishment since the day we got here. More specifically, there are things I would love to instill in them in regards to their education.

I know that in one school year, I will not be able to equip my students with everything they need to know in the subjects of math, reading, and science for the rest of their lives. With that in mind, I am desperately searching for ways to show the kids that there is a purpose in their education and that if they work hard, they too can go to college and make a life for themselves with greater opportunities than their families were afforded. I understand that is a difficult task, so that’s where I ask for your prayers. At camp last week, Elise and I were able to meet some great Ghanaians who are our age, and nearly all are in some sort of college or University. Some already have jobs as engineers or nurses and are making a way for themselves via a quality education. My goal is to get the youth at Calvary Baptist connected with our kids here at the home so that they may see that even Ghanaians can go to college. That realization might possibly give them the motivation they have been so lacking in their school work. All the while I hope they will be developing relationships with young adults who can be good role models for them after we leave. I also think that connection would be great for the youth as well because it would help them to see the dire need just within their own country that many of them are oblivious to in their middle class neighborhoods and private schools only an hour and a half away. So I ask for your prayers as we attempt to make that connection in the next couple of months.

The other main point that I am trying to convey to the kids is the importance of reading. If these kids know how to read and read well, they can teach themselves everything else they’ll need to succeed. In order to emphasize that, while we are on vacation I have been doing a reading club with all of the kids from our school (whether they are from the home or the village) who are struggling with reading, as well as anyone else who would like to attend. Initially I thought my attendance would be low, but since the word got out, there have been over 35 kids in my class on Tuesday and Thursday mornings! What an awesome, fulfilling, and chaotic experience it has been. We have been making our own books, doing a variety of phonics activities, playing games, and even expanding our imagination through story writing!

It is definitely a change in perspective when you begin to realize your limitations, but I pray that I am being a good steward of my time here in making a lasting impression on these kids!

Today’s child is Abby. She is 10 years old and in P5! She is a subdued personality and can be overshadowed by others in her class, but she works hard and does well. She is also really great with the little girls and loves being a mothering figure for them. She can be quiet and hard to figure out sometimes, but I thank God for the glimpses into her heart that He has allowed us!

CAMP

Over Easter weekend, I think that I experienced the widest variety of feelings in 72 hours that is humanly possible. I attended youth camp with over 160 other Ghanaians my age. We had prayer time, worship, speakers, bible study, alone time, outreach, and praise. Sounds like an average Christian camp, right? Wrong. I experienced hunger from fasting for 2 days, fatigue from 4:30am morning devotions, embarrassment from being called on all the time, loneliness from being the “new kid”, frustration from being the object of racism, happiness from making new friends, joy from exuberant worship, satisfaction from helping set up a medical clinic, and excitement (and a sore body) from participating in the most epic dance party I have ever been a part of! I learned more about myself, my faith, and the character of people in those three days than I thought possible, however I don’t think that I can remember much of what the speakers talked about. It goes to show that experience really is the best teacher.

To expound on a few of those highlights, I would like to start by saying that I hope and pray that anyone who has even an ounce of racist tendencies will look very closely at their own hearts and lives and let them go. The reason being, I now know first hand what it feels like to be discriminated against for absolutely no reason, based on nothing but stereotypes of other white people that have been buried in their minds and dwelled upon creating anger and resentment towards innocent people. Now, that being said, I would have you know that 90 percent of the people at camp were very welcoming, outgoing, and excited about our presence. However, the remaining 10 percent had no qualms about letting us know that they were unhappy about our being there. So please, I beg you to examine your own attitudes towards those who are different than you, whether they are black, green, purple, handicapped, homeless, or addicted. Jesus made no exceptions in those he chose to pour his love out on and instructed us even to love our enemies. God’s grace and forgiveness is abundant for all people and we should follow his example and allow his love to pour through us in the same unlimited fashion.

To make another point, I would also like to say that there is great importance in hospitality towards newcomers, especially within the church. But as the newcomer, you must also be willing to go out on a limb, step out of your comfort zone, and make the effort to meet new people. As many of you probably know, I have been a member of the same church since I was 6 years old and it is my home, the members are my family. Until this weekend, I didn’t really know what it felt like to be the new person. However, I did not just sit back and expect people to come to me. I sought out people to sit with, introduced myself to everyone who would listen, and even went so far as to dance with them for 2 straight hours, becoming a sweaty mess while we all laughed and carried on together. In the end, it paid off and I had the privilege of meeting a lot of great people, making some new friends, and creating hilarious irreplaceable memories. Every situation is what you make of it, and while it is reasonable to have certain expectations of loving members reaching out to others in the church, the end result is really in your hands.

All in all, I am very glad that I went, I learned so much, and even got a few compliments on my attempts at dancing! Great experience… great weekend.

As always though, I still missed my kiddos at home and was so glad to see them. There are two kids I’d like to introduce you to today. One of a few sets of siblings here at the home, Janet (15) and Isaac (11) are a beautiful part of our home. Janet keeps herself busy reading all kinds of books while Isaac will surely grow up one day to be a football (soccer) star! They are great with each other and set a good example of brotherly love for the other siblings within the home. Pray for them, their individual well-being, and their bond as family!

An Inside Look

Fairly frequently, amidst all that can be difficult or disheartening, I am blessed to receive priceless little “nuggets” from the kids in the form of a funny comment, an unexpected hug, or a precious letter. These little nuggets do nothing less than sustain me, remind me why I am here, and give me the encouragement I need to continue on. This week I have had the benefit of many such nuggets in the form of hilarious pictures and videos.

Over the course of our time here, Elise and I have taught several of the kids how to use our cameras. They usually will ask to borrow them if we are all playing a game or doing some kind of activity. However, this week they have asked to borrow them in the evenings so that they can take pictures and videos of happenings in their dorms. What we have received from those nights in their rooms could never be duplicated! If there is one truth that I have discovered, it is that no matter the culture, background, or age of the kids, the idea of imagination, pretending, and playing, is paramount. It is a universal truth. The boys turned in pictures of themselves in karate stances, doing marching exercises, singing songs, and even dressing up like girls. They put together a play and took videos as they acted out everyday scenes and made up ones. The girls gave us pictures of themselves with pillows stuffed in their shirts and blankets draped over their heads as they pretended to be famous singers and beautiful queens. I am so thankful for these precious inside looks at their unhindered imaginations.

Another unintentional benefit of these pictures and videos has been to provide a funny introduction to our home and a welcoming environment to another new addition to our Haven of Hope family. Joshua is a 13 year old boy who just came to us from Accra. He has a bright smile and an outgoing personality, but I pray that his transition to our home will be smooth and filled with 46 new friends!

Additionally, I’d like to introduce Regina who is a beautiful 11 year old girl and younger sister to Mary. She is in P6 and is very smart, always working hard on her school work. She is a gentle spirit, but her quiet demeanor does not fool us, as she can dance and sing better than most! Please keep Regina in your prayers as she thrives and continues on to Junior Secondary School next year.