Student in Ghana (2010-2011)
Reading Lessons with David
As I think over my month in Ghana, I think one of the experiences that will remain with me forever was watching David as reading finally "clicked" and he was able to read his own Bible with a huge grin on his face. At our next to last meeting, he stumbled through Psalm 23 on his own, and I gave him the Bible I had brought him. At our last meeting, he knocked on the door and I opened it to find him almost glowing with excitement. He told me he had barely been able to put down the Bible, and that for the first time, things were truly beginning to click, and not only was he figuring out the words, he was beginning to understand them as sentences and paragraphs. We read through some of Romans 5, and then he told me that he remembered that my favorite verse was Psalm 37:4, so we read through that.
Nathan and Alberta
(Re-read the blog post describing the personalities of the babies at the orphanage)
Home Sweet Home...and missing Ghana
I am safely back in my hometown, and about to crawl into bed after about 48 hours of traveling. It is wonderful to be home in many ways, but it was very difficult to leave Ghana. I have a few updates left to post - some videos, pictures and final stories about the babies, medical clinics and David. So keep checking the blog, and thank you SO much for all of your prayers.
Medical Clinic here in Ghana
Medical Clinic in a Rural Village
Sidenote: The Internet has been down, so sorry for the delay in posts. I am leaving tomorrow to begin my way back to the United States. I will fly out of Accra Thursday night and will be back on Friday! See everyone soon!
In my blog posts, I have been mostly talking about working at the orphanage and cultural experiences, which together comprise most of my time here in Ghana. But an important piece of my time here is the medical aspect. I’ve been reading through “Where There Is No Doctor,” and watching Elizabeth, and I have had many chances to apply the medical things I am learning as well as some medical things I already knew. I mentioned before about visiting the orphans who have gone to live with extended family after leaving the orphanage, and how many of them have kwashiorkor. Also, many of the people that work here at the hotel come to Elizabeth or I for medicine or for advice. We are constantly handing out Tylenol, cough drops and Tums, and every once in a while, malaria medicine or an inhaler. Today, though, we traveled to a rural village and set up a medical clinic. Elizabeth and I (and two Dagbani translators) treated over 60 patients in about two and a half hours, ranging from infants to elderly men and women. While we were setting up, a line of patients began to form. They saw Elizabeth and her translator first, and she asked diagnostic questions and wrote down treatment suggestions on a little slip of paper. Then the patient brought me the slip of paper, and I administered the proper amount of drug based on their age (and our limited supply), as well as gave them vitamins or Tylenol to take home, and talked to them (through my translator) about the importance of drinking lots of clean water, eating even when you’re not hungry, and staying as clean as possible . Perhaps the hardest cases I had were three people with horrible skin infections. One individual had the infection (probably a strange bacteria or a fungus, if I had to guess) all over her face, and her son’s entire body was covered. I put on gloves and rubbed Neosporin all over the infections. Elizabeth and I are going to look up what they might have had and find them some prescription medicines and send them back to the village as quickly as possible.
I don’t really have words to describe the experience…the words “heartbreaking” and “fulfilling” partially capture my emotions, I guess. In the sense of it being “heartbreaking,” it was difficult to see these people suffer the pain they were suffering, and for most of them, only be able to offer them Tylenol. There was one man with a broken leg that had not been set properly years ago and has now grown crooked, and he finds it difficult to bend. There were many men and women with headaches and back-aches - and perhaps most painful - rotten, black teeth that need to be pulled. We handed out a lot of acetaminophen, Ziplocs of vitamins, some Icy-Hot pads, and a little bit of Orajel to ease the toothaches. Most of the children had malaria or worms, so we constituted Parasetimol (malaria medicine) and distributed Wormee (an antihelminth drug). Some of the children had fevers over 103 F, and almost every single child was visibly malnourished. As I sit at the computer typing, thinking about how quickly I receive any medicine I need for the smallest infection, and compare that with the people I saw today…it is difficult to reconcile. But while it was heartbreaking to see, it was also a fulfilling experience. The joy on people’s faces as we gave them malaria medicine or acetaminophen was indescribable. I had an older man come up to me with tears in his eyes, grasp my hand firmly and say “tank you” in broken English, and I almost cried as well. Having the opportunity to give back like this makes all the hours I’ve spent studying organic chemistry and human anatomy more than worth the time. THIS is why I am pre-health, and what I was able to do today is the foundation of why I want to spend 10 more semesters in school after I graduate from college. I want to learn as much as I can about medicine, drugs and the human body so that I can help suffering people, whether they are in the United States in a luxurious hospital, in the inner city of my hometown in a free clinic, or in a remote village in rural Ghana. Pray for the patients we treated today – for God to work miracles through the limited medicine we were able to provide, and also for our medical aid to create opportunities for others to provide for their spiritual needs. And for me – pray for endurance this upcoming semester/10 semesters as I finish college and jump right back into school. Pray that God would make His plan for my life clear (location, finances, specialty [pediatric or family?], etc.) Please also pray that He would sustain my excitement about helping others medically and my faith in Him. We are doing another clinic in a different village this coming Monday, so be praying about that as well. Thank you for all of the prayers…I’ll be home in a week, by the way. Love to all of you!
Many answered prayers!
Thank you so much for all of your prayers, I can definitely feel them here in Ghana! There are SO many ways God has been working here!
-This is not the most important at all, but I thought you could rejoice with me... I got to take a shower with hot water today!! It felt wonderful. :)
-The babies are all doing well. A lot of them were sick last week, and they are almost all better! (3 of the boys, Joshua, Josiah and Joel still are coughing). They have been very well-behaved this week...Nathan (normally the rowdy one) sat in my lap with his arms around my neck for 30 minutes today.
-I did not have a relapse of malaria/flu (whatever I had!) Thank you for praying for my health, God definitely answered your prayers!
-Reading lessons with David are going very well. God's grace is so evident as he grasps concepts quickly. Now that he has all of the basic sounds down very well, we have moved on from three letter words to different vowel combinations and consonant combinations. We have been reading a lot from a children's Bible story book. Today we read the story of Jesus healing the blind man, and then we went to John 9 (in the Bible I'm going to give him before I leave) and read it out of the Bible. It was a difficult process...words like "revealed" and "disciples" don't follow the rules of phonics I have been trying to teach him! After we finished, I could tell he was a little discouraged about how long it takes him to sound out the words. I explained to him that reading is something that takes practice, and now that he has the knowledge of the sounds of letters, all he needs is to keep practicing. Then I turned the Bible to Philippians 4:13, and he read aloud (barely pausing) "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." His face lit up with a big smile and he said, "I can do this."
It has been amazing to experience God using me to teach David. He has built my faith as I've watched David progress in a way that is literally supernatural, and it is evident that this is God's work and not me or even David. (not able to read one word --> 6 or 7 one hour sessions --> reading??) As well, watching God use me in this way has given me a lot of peace about how He led me to Africa for this month, and in turn, about His sovereign plan for my life (Philippians 1:6).
-God has been working in my heart in many ways. Being in Africa has been really good for me spiritually. I have seen a lot of my sin (desire for comfort, pride, etc.) and while that isn't exactly enjoyable, I wouldn't trade it for anything. I am learning a lot - about humility, as everyone laughs at my attempts at pounding fufu (I am NOT strong enough!), about openness, as I learn to be honest about my weaknesses even when I would rather pretend to be strong, about faith, as I learn to release things to God and to trust His timing, and about joy, as I see people who have very little materially, but so, so much spiritually. Often in America, I want to be happy, and while being happy is a good thing, and I usually am happy, there is a big difference between being happy and being joyful. Joy is based on Jesus - not on circumstances - and while circumstances constantly fluctuate, Jesus never changes. One thing I want to bring back with me is an increased focus on living a life that pursues joy, not happiness. My favorite Bible verse has always been Psalm 37:4 (it is even inscribed on the inside of my class ring!), which is "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." It is easy to be "happy" about having the desires of your heart, but the focus of that verse is on the first part...finding "joy" by delighting in the Lord. All of the desires of my heart will follow...because I already have been given the ultimate desire of my heart.
Please keep praying for me, the orphans, David and for the spread of the Gospel in Ghana! I have about 10 days left here in Ghana before I come back to start classes....if I come back. ;)
Happy 2011 from Africa!
Isaiah 43:18-19
"Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old, I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."
If someone had told me last New Year's Eve that I would be in Ghana to watch 2011 begin, I'm not sure what I would have said. But as I think of the many blessings and also of the difficult times of 2010 that God is using in many ways, I can't wait to see what God is going to do in 2011!
The Children at the Orphanage
I've been wanting to do this for a while! Here are the names and descriptions of the babies at the orphanage so you can be praying for them! Grace Grace is the oldest baby - almost 2. She loves to pretend that she is cleaning...sometimes she will use a toy or a bib to "dust" the walls or the cribs. She is always smiling, and loves any attention she gets, although she is usually fine on her own. Nathan Nathan is the troublemaker of the group. Since I've been there, he has managed to remove one of the bars of his crib to escape, remove the basket on top of the toilet so he could dip his fingers in the toilet, remove his diaper, and make all the other children cry as he stole their toys. The frustrating thing is that he is absolutely adorable as he does all of this - he is always giggling like he knows a secret no one else knows. He is "married" to Alberta. Alberta Alberta is the sweetest of the children (in my opinion). Most of the time she likes to waddle around, but every once in a while she just wants to cuddle. If Grace or Nathan are doing something, Alberta is there to follow them. She loves to be tickled. She is "married" to Nathan...their cribs are standing next to each other, and at the end of nap time every day, they both stand up and kiss each other on the lips! It is the most precious thing I have ever seen... Mona Mona is the whiner of the group...but probably the cutest baby of them all, with big round cheeks and big dark eyes. If you are holding her, she is happy and makes little happy noises, but she will begin to wail as soon as you put her in her crib or put her down on the mat to pick up another baby. She is crawling and can pull herself up. I'm hoping I get to see her first step! Joshua Joshua is one of the most well-behaved babies. He will sit for an hour occupied in examining one toy. He was born a little prematurely, so he has some neurological damage, but for the most part, he is progressing well. He loves to be held and he loves to eat. Victoria She is a sweetheart, and rarely is fussy. She loves to be held. Victoria is the other baby that has neurological damage. She is mostly deaf, and has a large hernia in the middle of her stomach. Josiah and Joel Josiah and Joel are the twins. They are absolutely adorable...and quite large for their age! They eat SO much, in fact, all they really do is eat! They are just beginning to crawl. Peter Peter is the smallest of the babies at 4 months. He is very well-behaved and loves to be snuggled while he drinks his bottle. Every once in a while he smiles, and it is really cute. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed hearing about the babies. Pray for their futures, whether with extended family or with adopted families, their health, and that they will grow to love Jesus.
A Tough Day...
Long story short, I think I had malaria yesterday. I'm not really sure how, since I take my doxycycline every day and the incubation time is supposed to be 2 weeks and I haven't even been in Africa two weeks until this afternoon....? So, it might not be malaria and might just be a 24 hour virus, but regardless, I'm fine now. Yesterday was horrible...I was fine in the morning, but an hour or so into my shift at the orphanage, I knew something wasn't right. Everything hurt - my toes, my neck, my back...kind of like the flu, I guess. When the babies took their nap, I laid down on the floor and tried to doze off, but everything hurt too much. When the children started waking up, I helped to feed, bathe and clothe them, but I could barely stand up straight. Somehow I made it through the shift (God's grace), and walked to the street and took a taxi back to the taxi rond. I caught the second taxi, and closed my eyes, hoping I could make it back. Thankfully I happened to look up one road before our road, and was able to tell the taxi driver I needed to get off. Our key was at the front desk of the hotel (since they had done insecticide sprayings in all the rooms and apartments in the morning), so I laid down on a couch in the lobby since there was no one at the front desk when I walked in. Someone arrived in a few minutes and found the key. By the time they brought it to me, I was so hot I was sweating and I had begun to cry. I took my temperature when I got back to the room and it was only 98.6, so I didn't have a fever yet. I needed to take a shower since a few of the babies had spit up on me, so I climbed in the (cold) shower, and began to shiver uncontrollably. I took the fastest shower possible, and curled up in bed to wait for Elizabeth to get back. When she returned, she took my temperature again, and it had increased to 99.8. At this point, I was freezing, so Elizabeth gave me a fleece jacket and piled on some extra blankets. I was mildly delirious - I thought I heard babies crying, and I was having visions of clouds and monkeys and there were voices in my head...it was very scary. I had very little control over myself, and said all sorts of mean things to Elizabeth and couldn't stop crying. She was a saint (I'm so thankful for her), and after some Tylenol (to lower my fever) and then some Nyquil (to knock me out and let me sleep), I finally fell asleep...in our sweltering hot room wearing a fleece jacket! Long story short, I woke up feeling completely fine this morning (no fever), just a little weak. Elizabeth asked the orphanage director to give me the day off this afternoon at the orphanage, and I moved my tutoring session with David to late this afternoon. I am typing this sitting in bed, and I will probably take a nap after I close the computer. I am not sure whether or not this was malaria - the symptoms (joint pain, fever/chills) sound like malaria, but it could be something else. The only way to find out for sure is a blood test, and I am not that impressed with the appearance of the local hospitals and would prefer to avoid them at all costs if I can... If I start the symptoms up again, it is possible to buy anti-malarial medications (not preventative, but actual malaria medicine) over the counter at any pharmacy in town, so that is the plan if these symptoms return. I took my doxycycline as usual this morning, and like I said, I feel completely fine. I have to say, though, that as tough as yesterday was, God was very faithful, and not only did He get me back to the apartment safe and sound, as I was praying last night trying to fall asleep, I really felt His peace and presence. Please don't worry about me - if this happens again, we will buy the medicine. You can definitely pray for it not to happen again...but far more importantly, PLEASE pray for the millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa that have malaria far worse than whatever I experienced last night...and no access to medicine of any kind.
Your Health
Praying for your health!!! And thanking God that you are feeling better!!!
Tizert and Backing Babies
I am beginning to get into the swing of things here in Ghana. Cold showers, intense heat, too much food and changing diapers are still part of the daily routine, but I am growing to love being here. It is so pleasant to be free from the distractions of having a cell phone, ipod, driving (even though you all know how much I love my car!), e-mail, internet, telephone, homework... Today and yesterday were almost identical in schedule. I have now tutored David in reading two more times...it is exciting to watch his progress! He did all his homework - plus a lot more that I didn't even assign - and is making extremely fast progress. Today, he knew the sounds for all the letters in the alphabet, understood as I explained putting those letters together in words, was reading sentences I made up out of three or four letter words (ex. "I want to hit a cat"...that was the first one I thought of...I'm not sure if I should be concerned about myself) and even stumbled through (with some help) John 14:6. God is really working a miracle in him, and I think we might reach our goal of his being able to read the Bible before I leave! That would be so amazing...that alone would have been reason enough for my coming to Ghana! Working at the orphanage is going well also. Today Elizabeth and I "backed babies". You take a large piece of fabric and tie the baby so that it is immobilized "piggy back" on your back. Elizabeth and I showed the nannies (the paid workers at the orphanage) our backed babies and told them we were taking them with us to America and pretended to walk away from the orphanage...they believed us for about 2 seconds and then laughed hysterically at us. They really enjoy laughing at us...especially our attempts at Dagbani. The baby I backed fell asleep on me...it was the most precious thing ever. It made all the smelly cloth diapers I changed an hour later seem a lot more bearable. This morning, I learned how to make "tizert." (I have no idea how to spell it...that is what it sounds like). It is made with corn flour and boiling water, and resembles flour putty or dough. You tear off a piece of putty, dip it (using your hands!) into a vegetable stew (it looks kind of nasty because it is green due to the vegetable leaves), and then eat it. It was not my favorite Ghanian dish...at all..but I'm glad I tried it! One other funny story - so in America, I often hear jokes about certain individuals being so pretty that they "stop traffic." Well here in Africa...I stop traffic!! Anytime I step out in the street, taxi cars and motorbikes stop to watch the "sinnaminga" walk across the road. (In my time here in this city, I have seen less than 10 sinnamingas total....) So anyway, that has been a lot of fun... ;) Well, Elizabeth and I are going to go get a soda and wander around town after a long day of work. We have a favorite drink we always get...it is called Alvaro Passion Fruit, and it is SO delicious. Enjoy all the snow! Prayer Requests:Keep praying for the other orphanage (call it the YCH)..even though I haven't been there since that first time, it is still very much on my heart because it was such a dismal place.Also pray for David as he continues to study. We are getting to the hardest part of reading - the exceptions that make phonics so frustrating - and pray that he is still excited and doesn't get discouraged.
I'm excited to read how God
I'm excited to read how God is using you in Ghana! 
We continue to pray for you!
A Desert Christmas
Judging from the e-mail I got from my church back home canceling church this morning…it seems like it was a white Christmas back in the United States! It certainly wasn’t here…it was definitely over 90! Overall, it was a wonderful Christmas. I got to sleep in a little (which is nice, because Monday-Thursday this past week I was already at the orphanage around 7:30/7:45 a.m.), and then Elizabeth and I went to the orphanage for their Christmas party. We took many pictures of the (adorable) children dressed in their Sunday best, and enjoyed delicious Ghanian food. All of the orphans that have been discharged were invited back. (Sidenote: Many of the children here in Ghana are in orphanages because their mother died during childbirth and the father is unable to care for an infant. For this reason, a lot of children leave the orphanages and return home to their fathers and extended family as a toddler.) It was wonderful that they had a Christmas party, because some of the families are Muslim, and it was a great opportunity for them to be blessed (with a free meal) as a result of celebrating Jesus’ birth. I was also able to talk to my family in the afternoon using a pay-as-you-go phone…it was wonderful to hear their voices and tell them I am doing well here in Ghana! After the party, our friend Nathan picked us up in town and we went to visit his uncle and aunt, and were invited to eat homemade goat kebobs. They were quite delicious – very chewy – until Elizabeth and I noticed the goat hairs remaining on the meat. Of course, the only solution was to pull off (as subtly as possible) the goat hairs and continue smiling and nodding and saying “naaa” to show our gratitude by responding in Dagbani. (It is a very difficult language, but I am making slow progress…good night is “Nahooneetibyow” (phonetically)– try saying that and keeping a straight face!) From there we went to visit Nathan’s cousin and his wife. We love visiting this home – they have the cutest children ever, and their home is so welcoming and full of the love of Christ. This morning, the church service was wonderful – the simple Gospel message in the context of Christ’s birth. It reminded me of my home church. :) Last week, I had given the second Bible I brought with me to Jacqueline , the girl who is a native French speaker. She did not have her own Bible before that, but instead had a small and tattered New Testament. She is so grateful, and carries it around with her everywhere. Today, before opening it, she kissed it and whispered “Merci” to me before finding the reference mentioned in the sermon. Once again, I am so humbled by the gratefulness people here have for the Word of God. After church, we went to Pastor Mbarra’s again for lunch. The food was delicious, especially the dessert. I am somewhat obsessed with the vanilla frozen yogurt they have here. It comes in little plastic packages called “FanIce.” You tear off the corner with your teeth (that was funny the first time I tried and couldn’t do it…now I’m embarrassingly good at it because I’ve eaten too many) and then squeeze the yogurt into your mouth. Elizabeth and I have taken it a step further and mix it into the bitter acai-like ginger juice served with lunch. It is a very strong version of a root beer float…I don’t think there is any way to replicate it in America, but I’m pretty sure you all would love it. There was also delicious homemade bread with chocolate spread. I think I had three slices of bread covered in chocolate…thank you for praying for my appetite to increase, you can stop now!! (Just kidding…I still really struggle to finish the ridiculous portions people serve here. Even everything I ate at lunch, which in addition to all the sugar included meat and salad, still was considered “baby-sized.” Everyone teases me that I don’t eat enough!!) On a personal level, I am feeling refreshed spiritually. I have had a lot of time (compared to during the semester) to read the books I brought from home, finish reading the book of Acts (I’ll be starting Romans tonight), and journal. God is teaching me a lot, and I am so grateful for this time here in Ghana to serve others and also to feel God change my heart as I am out of my comfort zone. I hope you are enjoying the snow…I will enjoy the sun in honor of all of you!
Christmas Eve and an African Traditional Funeral
Tonight at Bible study we read Jeremiah 6:16, "Thus says the Lord: Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls." As I think about my life next semester and after graduation, I have many decisions to make. That verse above is truly my desire. As I think about the future, though, I am encouraged as I look at how God has provided in the past. Last Christmas, if someone had told me I would be in Africa next Christmas, I would have laughed out loud. But...here I am! Isaiah 55:8, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord." And today was the most strange Christmas Eve I have ever had....Let me tell you about it.
Elizabeth and I visited a different orphanage in the morning (not the one we work at normally). It was very sad - dirty, dark, filled with ragged, unhealthy children. We brought malaria medicine with us to give to some of the children who have malaria. Please pray for these children, and pray that God would send people to work at this orphanage. They desperately need help.
This afternoon was QUITE the adventure. Mr. Abu (the man who runs the orphanage) took me on his motorbike to a small village about fifteen miles away from the town center...to a traditional African funeral. As we drove up, we saw crowds of people in their African clothes carrying drums, antelope horns, and muskets. When we arrived, I was introduced to the chief of the village and to Mr. Abu's extended family...that was quite an adventure. Apparently, (Mr. Abu told me approximately five secnds before I needed to do it) when meeting a chief, it is necessary to kneel to the ground and respond to whatever he says in Dagbani. I managed to kneel without falling over...but the responding in Dagbani was somewhat disastrous. Who knows what I told the chief...but, oh well, I'm still alive, and back in the apartment! :) After the introductions, and sitting in the hut of the chief's 2nd wife for an hour nodding and saying "naaah" (the Dagbani word for yes) every few minutes, we went outside to watch the festivities. Men in the village and from neighboring village lined up and fired (ancient looking) muskets every few minutes using homemade gunpowder. People played drums, and danced traditional African dances. I have really never seen anything like this...I took lots of pictures and movies, but the internet is too poor to upload them while I am here in Ghana. I think when I return to the USA, I will go back on this blog and update with pictures/movies. For those of you I see often, I will give you a private showing if you are interested. :) Overall, today was the craziest Christmas Eve I have ever had, and I wish all of you could have seen this funeral in the village. The one thing that was heartbreaking, though, in the midst of all of the dancing and joy, is that none of these people in the village (and I really mean none) knew anything about Jesus. They will not be celebrating Christmas tomorrow...because they have no idea what Christmas is. Please pray for Jesus to save people (maybe through Elizabeth or my testimony, or through someone else's) that are able to speak Dagbani and can return to this village with the Gospel.
I hope everyone in the US has a wonderful Christmas Eve! Enjoy this time with your families...and please pray for all the orphans in Ghana who are hungry tomorrow, and for all the people who do not know what Christmas is.
Motorbikes, Muslims and the Alphabet
So much is happening here in Ghana that it is difficult to keep track of everything God is doing! I will attempt to update you on a few of these things in this post:
-I have been praying about why exactly God has called me here to Ghana for Christmas, and yesterday, I received the clearest answer thus far. I had my first tutoring session with David, the Ghanian man who never learned how to read and wants to be able to read the Bible so he can share it with people here in Ghana. He told me that he never learned to read as a child, and has been hiding that fact from everyone until this year. In January, he started praying that God would send someone to teach him how to read by the end of the year, and he told me I was the answer to his prayer when he first heard I was coming from Elizabeth in November. I will be working with him the whole time that I am here. Before we started learning the alphabet, I asked him if he had a Bible, and he said he had a friend's Bible that he was borrowing but it wasn't the whole Bible. I pulled out one of the 3 Bibles I brought to give away, and told him that when he could read it, this Bible was his. He looked at me, completely surprised, and said "For me?" I said "Yes," and he almost began to cry. It was humbling to see his excitement about receiving a Bible - something I take for granted in America. Over the course of our hour together, he learned the sounds (and accompanying words, A is "a" for apple, K is "k" for well, those of you who know me well can guess what I said k was for...haha) from A-P, and even began sounding out three letter words like "bag," "dog," "pan." Before we finished he read this sentence completely on his own: "The man had a dog in the bag." I gave him a page of letters A-D to practice writing, and told him to review the letter sounds 10x a day and also to practice reading the three-letter-words and the sentence. He was so excited, and promised he would be spending every spare moment practicing. He wants to read desperately, and I am so excited to see God making his prayer come true. Please pray for him to see God's love through this, and pray for me as I have never taught an adult how to read before, and definitely need wisdom, patience and insight.
-On Sunday, I met Jacqueline. She is not a native Ghanian, but is working in a local school teaching French. She speaks English, but not very well, as it is her second language. When she found out I could speak French, I was immediately her best friend in Ghana. She came over to Elizabeth and my apartment two days ago for dinner, and we spent an hour talking in French. She was telling me all sorts of things God is teaching her, struggles she has, etc. that she hadn't told anyone and told me how wonderful it was to be able to talk in French. I am excited to continue my friendship with Jacqueline, but please pray for my French (which I haven't studied since freshman year of college!!).
-Yesterday at the orphanage while the babies napped, Elizabeth and I got to help decorate everything for Christmas! It was soooo strange to be hanging garlands and Christmas ornaments in 90 degree weather. We sang Christmas carols while we worked and everyone laughed at us...it was a lot of fun!
-We were also able to visit some deaf men for a few hours the other night. They were so excited to have visitors, and taught us a lot of sign language. This brings me to the motorbikes part of this post as I describe how we got to visit them...other than a few wealthy individuals, everyone in our town drives motorbikes!!! I can't describe how much fun I have had zipping around town on the back of a motorbike (sorry Mom and Dad...), looking at the African huts and trying not to breathe in too much dust as we fly by everything. Yesterday, Elizabeth and I, along with Mr. Abu (the orphanage director) and his sister, went around to visit the orphans that have been discharged from the orphanage to return to their families. It was heartbreaking to see the quality of life, or lack thereof, of many of these children. Many of the children had kwashiorkor (the condition where your stomach is swollen because of malnutrition), and most were dirty and barely clothed. Please pray for these children, and pray for Elizabeth and I to be able to make a difference in their lives while we are here in Ghana.
God is doing SO much here in Ghana, and I am so grateful for all of your prayers! Keep them coming! Merry Christmas (Eve)!
Life in A Desert, Cold Showers, and Loca Rice
Well, I have been here in Africa for three days now, and time is flying by. The culture is so different it is a little overwhelming, but I think the longer I am here the more I will understand it. I must say, though, that Ghanians as a whole are some of the nicest and most genuine people I have ever met. One thing that has really surprised me is that Ghanians view white people (sinnamingas) as “white angels.” They are so excited I am here, and think it is an honor that an American came to spend Christmas with them. It is very humbling, though. Since I got here, things have been very busy. Quick catch up about Hope, my friend from the plane ride: She and I talked on the plane from the United States to Ghana for a good portion of the trip. She grew up in Ghana and married her husband while he was in Ghana with the Peace Corps before moving to Florida for the last two decades, and was on her way to see her dying mother. We had a great conversation about her home village, and she taught me a lot about Ghanian culture. Her dream is to build a library in her village so that the children that don’t have enough money to buy a school uniform to attend school still have an opportunity to learn if they can only learn to read. We also had a great conversation about some of the difficult circumstances God has brought her through, and how she “is grateful to God for each of them now.” She made me promise to try to come visit her (since her home village is close to where I am living)…my first example of Ghanian hospitality (many more were to come just in the next few hours!). The first day after I landed, I spent the afternoon with the family of the pastor who picked me up from the airport. I attended a women’s prayer meeting that night. One thing I loved was the style of the prayer meeting. A prayer request would be shared, and then everyone would pray out loud at the same time. (I prayed for a lot of you back home!) After the prayer meeting, the family and I gathered around their piano (side note: it was the most out-of-tune piano I have ever heard, more than a half step off on some notes, and it made me realize how blessed I am at home, and also reminded me that worship has nothing to do with the musicians and instruments, and everything to do with Who we are worshipping…) and sang worship songs. I didn’t get to bed until around midnight that night (after another mini-prayer meeting for my safety the next day), and then got up at four the next morning. At 4:30 a.m. on Saturday (the next day), I headed back to the airport and took a small plane to the village in which I will be living for the next month. At the airport to pick me up were Pastor Mbarra and Elizabeth. I was SO excited to see Elizabeth, and it has been so much fun to catch up on our lives and also to see how God has been using her in amazing ways here in Ghana. I spent the first day here meeting an overwhelming number of people, eating delicious Ghanian food (loca rice – rice, tomato sauce, fish and spices…it is delicious!), and walking through the downtown marketplace. (Imagine anything you saw depicting Africa in a highschool geography textbook, and that is exactly what it looked like, complete with dilapidated wooden storefronts, native African clothing, and butcher tables with full legs of cows displayed). Church on Sunday was…interesting! Very different than church in America! The sermon was wonderful – it was about continuing to trust God even when things are difficult. The worship was what was so different! Everyone is so full of joy during worship, and all the women clap and dance around. I’m hoping I can join in by the time I leave…I’m still trying to clap at the right time! (I’m convinced Africans and African-Americans have an innate rhythmic ability…try as I might, I’m always clapping at the wrong time, let alone if I try to start moving around the room at the same time!) We had lunch at Pastor Mbarra’s house – once again it was delicious! This time it was the loca rice with goat and half a chicken. Ghanians expect visitors to eat what I would consider to be two or three times a normal serving. It is impolite not to finish your plate, so if you think of it, pray for my appetite to increase…!! Today was my first day working in the orphanage. I am working with the babies, and it is a lot of fun – and a lot of work! It is half snuggling and feeding adorable babies, half changing diapers and folding clean clothes. The orphanage is well run and clean, so that is wonderful. Oh, and today, the regional minister (basically the governor of where I am) came to the orphanage to present a Christmas gift of food and clothes on behalf of the wife of the Vice President of Ghana. So…I got to meet him, and was on the news standing next to him while he made his speech to the media! So apparently I am now famous here in Ghana….haha not at all. One thing I must describe to you is my experience in the morning. In America, a nice morning to me includes a good night’s sleep, and a long, very hot shower...and maybe a frappuccino if it’s a really good day! Here in Ghana, I am getting a good night’s sleep, but I wake up to an ice cold shower!! And then by the afternoon, imagine going in to your attic with no air conditioning and then walking a few miles on the treadmill….that is how I feel by about 2 p.m. But I am not saying this to complain, just so you can laugh at my experience, and maybe feel even more grateful for your (cold) white Christmas. And despite all of the things I have seen that Ghanians could easily complain about (cold water, hot temperatures, no kitchens and cooking over coals, no air conditioning, and the list could go on forever), Ghanians are some of the happiest and most joyful people I have ever seen. I am sure I will leave so aware of how privileged I am in America, but also far more aware that joy does not come from possessions or circumstances. So many people told me before I left to focus on relationships while I am in Africa, and I am already seeing their wisdom...relationships and friendships are treasured here in Ghana. Well, Elizabeth and I are hanging out with some Ghanian friends, so I’m going to end this blog post and I will update as soon as I can (hopefully with some pictures!!) Hope everything home is wonderful. Enjoy the snow and ice…Love to each of you!!
Akwaaba to Ghana! (Welcome to Ghana) - I'm here!
I have arrived safely in Ghana! So far, everything has been amazing. I sat next to a woman named Hope on the plane. She was a native Ghanian, and we had a really interesting conversation. (More about that later, I have limited internet time right now.) At the airport, all of my luggage (including the two suitcases full of medical supplies) made it through, and I had no problems with customs. I met the pastor who picked me up with no problems, and have had a lovely evening getting to know his family, attending a women's prayer meeting, eating (delicious and very spicy) Ghanian chicken, singing praise songs around their family piano, and attempting to learn a few native Ghanian phrases from his daughter. I am leaving very early in the morning tomorrow for another flight to a different Ghanian city. Please pray for safety and for my luggage to make it through customs again.
It's time for Africa!
I am boarding the flight now!! My first flight was delayed so my dad drove me to the next closest airport two and a half hours away(thanks dad!!) It was almost like the Amazing Race...running to the car, reclaiming my baggage and going as quickly as was safe on icy roads!! God is good...I was the next to last person to security, caught the last train to my gate and boarded with a few minutes to spare! I can see that God is going to teach me a lot about flexibility and trusting in Him over this next month...He started tonight for sure! I have to turn my phone off now, but I will update that I am in Ghana as soon as I can! Thank you for all of the prayers so far...keep them coming! :)
Snow!
I am fully packed, ready to go, and supposed to fly to Africa tonight, but current weather forecast at the airport I am flying from is FIVE INCHES. That is like a mini-blizzard where I'm from...:)
So...another prayer request! Pray that my flight isn't cancelled (so far it isn't...!), but that if it is, God would work out everything for leaving as soon as possible. Also, pray that I have peace and trust God's perfect timing with all the details of my trip, even with regards to when I leave. :)
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Praying
I hope that you are on the way. We prayed for you in morning devotions and I'm praying you have a safe journey! :)
Only a few days!
Hi friends! Welcome to my blog (my first attempt at blogging...we will see how this goes...!) I can't believe that finals/papers/fall semester are all almost over, and that I leave in a little less than a week for Ghana!
For those of you I haven't had a chance to talk to in person about my trip, here are some details. The university I attend gave me a grant that is paying for this trip. I will be in Africa for about a month, and then I will be back in America for my final semester in college. Because the part of the country to which I am going is primarily Muslim, and I am a Christian and this is a Christian-affiliated trip, I will be taking a few safety precautions on this blog. (Don't worry Mom and Dad, I should be safe, it is just better to be extra careful!) I won't have my real name anywhere public on this blog, and I also won't put the name of the city/village in which I'll be living. If you leave comments, please don't say anything specific about my name or location. :)
While I'm in Ghana, I will be working in an orphanage, helping out with medical work both at the orphanage and in the villages, teaching people how to read in English, and doing anything else God opens a door for me to do! :) Internet isn't too reliable, but I will do my best to keep this blog updated with what I am doing and with prayer requests.
One of the most important things I would like to ask of my family and friends reading this blog is that you would remember me in your prayers. Here are some prayer requests:
1. Safety - especially while I travel!
2. Family - this will be the first time in my life I haven't had Christmas with my family. Pray for them and for me!! :)
3. Health - I will be taking malaria medicine and I got all of my vaccinations, but health is still a primary concern.
4. Faith - I know God is going to teach me a lot on this trip as I leave my comfort zone and travel halfway around the world. Pray that I will learn a lot and that my relationship with God will be strengthened. :)
I am so grateful for each and every one of you! As I was putting people's e-mails into the "To" box of my e-mail to send you the link to this blog, I was reminded of how many amazing friends, teachers, co-workers, and family members I have. I'm so grateful for your prayers! I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, and I'm already looking forward to seeing each of you when I get back in January.
We are excited and praying
We are excited and praying for you!
praise the Lord
You really made an impact in David's life....he will never forget it and I am so inspired by what you were able to do in just one month in Ghana! love u !