Final thoughts

Having been back in the states now for just over a week, I have struggled to try to tie my entire trip into one nice neat little package. While I did realize that it’s not going to happen, I also came upon a common theme over the months that culminated in the last two books that I read while I was in Ghana.

Taking a few steps back, or more like a year back to one of my first blogs that I wrote in June of 2008, I see that I asked specifically for prayer for humility. In all honesty I don’t quite remember why that was at the top of my list at the time. Most people getting ready to be separated from everything and everyone they know and love for 10 months probably would have asked for courage, boldness, or strength. I guess God knew that wasn’t what I needed most. He knew that in order to be used fully, I had to realize first how useless I really am. And I did learn that lesson, time and time again. Then, in case I didn’t really get it the first thousand times I fell on my face and cried out for help, I read two books in the first week of June, my last week there, that really nailed everything home. In Francine Rivers’ book, And the Shofar Blew, she tells the story of a man who becomes a pastor of a church to build it up in the name of Christ, but glorifies himself instead. In the end, the church crumbles and he is inevitably brought to his knees. Then in John MacArtuhur’s book, Hard to Believe, he first quotes from 1 Corinthians saying “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are.” MacArthur then goes on to say “It is human nature to want to be somebody. So the Lord decided to do it in a different way, choosing as his messengers the impotent, nonintellectual nobodies who the world considers nothing by its standards.” I believe that passage of scripture does a couple of things; it humbles those who need a good humbling, and encourages those who need a good encouragement. In other words, it puts us in our place, a loved child of God made in His image, but one that should not consider equality with God something to be grasped (Philippians 2:6). After all, when countless people asked Jesus during his ministry on earth what they need to do to come after him, he said “deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). It is not about us, for we are dirty wretched sinners (“there is no one righteous, not even one”) but it’s about who God is and who we are only through him. I am so thankful for those invaluable lessons in humility, as painful as they may have been at times.

Finally, I have one last child to tell you about. It is strangely fitting that he is the last child for me to introduce you to, as he was by far the most difficult kid for me to connect with. His name is Kobby and he is a beautiful and precious boy. He is 11 years old and is very guarded, obviously carrying more emotional baggage than I would ever wish on any adult, let along a child. He has a winning smile and a heart of gold, but a real hesitancy to have too much fun or get too close to any one person. At one point though in the last month that I was in Ghana, he sent a message to me via another kid who said “Miss Lindsay, Kobby wants you to know that you are loved by him.” While there was never physical affection or attention to back that up, that single statement meant more to me than anything else could have. I ask that you continue to pray for him and all of the other kids even though I am home. I may be back in the US, but they are still there, and their needs are just as real now as they’ve ever been.

Thank you.

Love,

Your dear obruni

Lindsay Hendrix

I'm Coming HOME

The past week at Haven of Hope has been challenging and tiresome, but also rewarding and full of hilarious moments. I guess I don’t know why I expected my last week to be any different than the other 42 that preceded it. I struggled with a couple of my students in class and said a few goodbyes, but after school we put on plays with balloons on which we drew funny faces and had our final dance parties. In retrospect, if I weighed the good and the bad of every week, no matter how difficult it seemed in the moment, I think I always came out on top. I thank God for His goodness and faithfulness to see me through this ministry that He called me to. It is true that He will never give us more than we can handle with Him by our side!

There is one thing that made this week stand out above every other, and that is the fact that in the last 7 days, 10 boys from the home have come to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord of their lives! Praise God.

On another note… in case you weren’t already aware… I’m coming HOME. In 3 days, I will be taking off, making a pit stop in London, and traveling the rest of the way home to Phoenix again. I know it is time; I am more than ready to see my friends and family. And while it may be a few days before I am on a normal sleep schedule, I am anxious to have some real social interaction again!

Our child today just so happens to be one of the boys who chose this week to pick up his cross and follow Jesus. His name is Osumanu. He is 8 years old and kind of short for his age, but what he lacks in height he makes up for in personality and pure spunk! He is wild and crazy, but has a soft and tender heart!