Today was the whole reason I came on this trip. We started our day off at the Christ Faith Foster Home working with the children. The orphanage has just over 40 students they care for and then run a school with 217 students. I was able to work in the "nursery" which cares for children between 2-4 years old. The superviser of the school, who goes by "grandma," walked me into the class and told all the children they had an "obroni" in their class! One little boy came straight to me with open arms, giving me a giant hug! It was so cute. The teacher, Rosemond, asked me to sing for the kids. I'm normally not to keen on singing for people, but how could you say no to those little faces! I taught them "I'm a little teapot" with hand motions and all. We also did "Head and Shoulders," "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," and "Eentsy Weentsy Spider." The the kids taught me some songs. I can't wait to put all those videos up for you to see!
After singing for a bit the teacher told the students to sit down and rest while she talked with me. She had an old children's song book and asked me to go through it with her to teach her the songs. We learned "Ten Little Fingers" and several others that she was so thrilled to learn. She said she had the book, but could understand how the songs were supposed to be sung. And some songs she had trouble with the words. As I talked with her I found out she is an ordained pastor. She said she's an evangelist and a gospel singer. Her job at the school provides money she needs to hire a car to travel to churches in the area and spread the Gospel She said if she had a car herself she would go everywhere to proclaim the Word of God because her whole body and life is dedicated to Jesus Christ! Amen!
We left the orphanage and headed out to the public school we visited yesterday. I was able to go into the class with the youngest students along with three other ladies from the group. The teacher set up chairs for us at the front of the classroom at first, but we chose to sit closer to the students. I was near the back of the class talking with some kids when the teacher asked what we would like to do. Everyone was so quiet that I finally spoke up saying that we were there to help. She had me write things on the board as the kids mentioned them. Then we told the kids a little about America. At that point I wandered outside to check out some of the other classrooms. A group of about 6 five year olds found me and were fascinated by my skin and hair. They grabbed my hands and arms laughing and saying "obroni!" When the teacher came to ask me if I would teach the children a song, my little group of children followed me all the way into the classroom! I felt like a mother duck!
After working at the school we returned to the orphanage for a party. It started off with an assembly where some of the kids put on a performance for us. They had reserved seats at the front for us, but I much prefered sitting with the kids so I went back where they were. By the end of the program I had two little boys in my lap! Next came the food. We had a long line set up with all our volunteers helping to serve. While they were serving I saw two of the youngest children at the school and went to visit. While over there I met a young lady named Marvis. She's fifteen years old and wants to be a newscaster. After talking with her for a while I asked if I could pray with her. When we were done praying one of the little girls, Nancy, tugged at my pant leg and made motions to me. The children around me said she wanted me to pray with her. She was not even 2 years old yet! So awesome. We put her Fanta on the ground and she folder her hands and bowed her head as we prayed. All the kids around her were helping, telling her to closer her eyes. When we were done I said amen and Nancy yelled "Amen!" Absolutely incredible. The most amazing thing I have ever seen in my life. If only all of us had the same passion that Nancy has!
We ended the day by returning to the public school for a time of fellowship with the teachers. We prayed for them and then fellowshiped over a light meal. They are all so joyful! Before we left they began singing worship songs. What touched me most was when we sang songs common to both cultures. Listening to those from the Ghanaian culture singing alongside those of an American culture was touching. It just showed me again how we truly are a united family in Christ.
Such an incredible day followed by an evening of rest. Forgive me, but I'm going to take advantage of that time of rest and tell you more stories at another time.
Praises:
- Watching Nancy and the other children pray today was amazing!
Prayer Requests:
- Pray for the teachers here - that they would be encouraged and that God would bring provision.
- Please continue to pray for rest and guidance for out team.
God bless!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Trotro, School, and dinner with an archbishop . . .
Praise the Lord! Glory to God! May the Lord be exalted and lifted high on our praises!
Today was a good day. We were given the option of either taking a boat tour of the man-made Volta Lake in the Volta Region or staying around Accra for the day preparing for our ministries tomorrow. After a vote, our group opted to stay in Accra. Although we heard the Volta Lake is gorgeous, we've just been kind of run down with all the traveling and non-stop go recently. Instead, we had a fantastic day in Accra!
First of all, we got rid of all private transportation for the day. Thus far most of our traveling has been done by a private bus or our own van. Today we chose to use the public transportation. So much fun! We started off with the trotro. Bascially, it's a van that comes to certain areas, picks people up and drops them off in different set locations. It's pretty much a bus system, but on vans and in very tight quarters. We loved it though! Whereas before we were watching the people from behind a plate of glass, today we were literally shoulder to shoulder with them. What an awesome experience! Thank you, Jesus, for this opportunity!
Next came the taxis. We were headed out to the orphanage we will be serving in tomorrow and since the trotro would take to long to get there Dr. Clarke hired two taxis to transport us there. Nearing the orphanage one of the taxis broke down. Praise the Lord it was next to a convencience stand so we were able to spead to the woman who owned it - Magnificent - while we waited. Such a wonderful woman. When the car was "fixed," we were able to get the rest of the way there. We met with the director of the orphanage who told us about the history of the institution, then got to meet some of the kids briefly.
We once again caught the trotro and headed to a local public school where some members from our team will be serving tomorrow. The teachers came out to meet with us for a long time to discuss their struggles and challenges. It was so great to hear from them and we're looking forward to going back to encourage them tomorrow. After talking with the teachers we each greeted a class (95-100 students per 2 teachers! Never again will I complain about class sizes!). The kids were able to ask questions of us about America. One boy asked me if life was difficult in America. I explained that for some people it is very difficult while for others it's not so much.
This meeting was followed up with a light snack at Redd Lobster (no, you didn't read it wrong). We got back to the hotel with an hour to wash off the think layer of sweat and red dust that had accumulated on our skin throughout the day. Next came dinner at archbishop Duncan Willians' home. It was a very beautiful home and the food was delicious! The bishop even came over to our table for a while to talk to the Regent students specifically. He then prayed for us which was absolutely beautiful and empowering. At that point we headed back to the hotel, did a quick debriefing with the group, and are now headed off to bed.
There's is obviously so much more to tell, but, as always, it is late and I need to get sleep before playing with the kids tomorrow.
Praise:
- Our God is simply amazing!
Prayer Requests:
- That we would be guided by the Holy Spirit in all we do.
- Pray that we would have an impact on the kids tomorrow and take time to listen and learn from them.
- That God would use us to bring Himself glory.
Today was a good day. We were given the option of either taking a boat tour of the man-made Volta Lake in the Volta Region or staying around Accra for the day preparing for our ministries tomorrow. After a vote, our group opted to stay in Accra. Although we heard the Volta Lake is gorgeous, we've just been kind of run down with all the traveling and non-stop go recently. Instead, we had a fantastic day in Accra!
First of all, we got rid of all private transportation for the day. Thus far most of our traveling has been done by a private bus or our own van. Today we chose to use the public transportation. So much fun! We started off with the trotro. Bascially, it's a van that comes to certain areas, picks people up and drops them off in different set locations. It's pretty much a bus system, but on vans and in very tight quarters. We loved it though! Whereas before we were watching the people from behind a plate of glass, today we were literally shoulder to shoulder with them. What an awesome experience! Thank you, Jesus, for this opportunity!
Next came the taxis. We were headed out to the orphanage we will be serving in tomorrow and since the trotro would take to long to get there Dr. Clarke hired two taxis to transport us there. Nearing the orphanage one of the taxis broke down. Praise the Lord it was next to a convencience stand so we were able to spead to the woman who owned it - Magnificent - while we waited. Such a wonderful woman. When the car was "fixed," we were able to get the rest of the way there. We met with the director of the orphanage who told us about the history of the institution, then got to meet some of the kids briefly.
We once again caught the trotro and headed to a local public school where some members from our team will be serving tomorrow. The teachers came out to meet with us for a long time to discuss their struggles and challenges. It was so great to hear from them and we're looking forward to going back to encourage them tomorrow. After talking with the teachers we each greeted a class (95-100 students per 2 teachers! Never again will I complain about class sizes!). The kids were able to ask questions of us about America. One boy asked me if life was difficult in America. I explained that for some people it is very difficult while for others it's not so much.
This meeting was followed up with a light snack at Redd Lobster (no, you didn't read it wrong). We got back to the hotel with an hour to wash off the think layer of sweat and red dust that had accumulated on our skin throughout the day. Next came dinner at archbishop Duncan Willians' home. It was a very beautiful home and the food was delicious! The bishop even came over to our table for a while to talk to the Regent students specifically. He then prayed for us which was absolutely beautiful and empowering. At that point we headed back to the hotel, did a quick debriefing with the group, and are now headed off to bed.
There's is obviously so much more to tell, but, as always, it is late and I need to get sleep before playing with the kids tomorrow.
Praise:
- Our God is simply amazing!
Prayer Requests:
- That we would be guided by the Holy Spirit in all we do.
- Pray that we would have an impact on the kids tomorrow and take time to listen and learn from them.
- That God would use us to bring Himself glory.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Dogpile of Children
Today was absolutely incredible! It's Sunday so our team broke into two groups to serve in two churches in Kumasi. Dr. Clarke, Temaki, Dayna, and myself served at one church in different areas. We all started off in the adult worship which was incredible. People were singing, dancing, and praising the Lord! We had such a wonderful time worshipping with them. I'm always astounded when worshipping in a context where others speak a language I don't understand that despite the differences in style and mode of worship, we are worshipping the same God. Praise the Lord! At one point Dr. Clarke called forth the A students to recognize them. After saying a few words he asked me to come forward and pray with them. It was such a wonderful opportunity.
Forgive the next parts for being very brief, but it's been a long day and I need to get some sleep. I promise to share mroe detailed stories at another time.
After praying with the students and Dayna giving her testimony, Dayna and I went to work with the kids. I was assigned to work with the group aging 5-10 years old although several were younger. They had some interesting questions, including who is our prime minister. We talked some, I prayed with them, and they began to recite Bible "quotations" for me. I was so impressed with what they could recite! It was incredible. Then they went on to name off the books of the Bible. Amazing.
At that point I sat down so the teacher could finish the lesson she had prepared. During the time I was stading a little girl probably 2-3 years old had sat in my church. The teacher moved her so that I could sit down, but I could tell she was really tired and didn't really know where to go so I put her in my lap. Within five minutes she was asleep! So cute.
They were fascinated by my camera. They liked being able to take a picture and see it right away. In fact, I had to be very careful in taking pictures because they would push each other in order to see the camera. My hair was also very entertaining. At one point, recognizing the kids were fascinated by my hair, I knelt on the ground so they could all touch it. I literally ended up with over 20 children leaning over me! What was even more hilarious was a little girl who was not interested in touching my hair who instead kneeled down with me so we could continue talking. It was like we were having our own private conversation in a tent made of children! :) Oh, and apparently I now answer to "obroni!" All the kids were calling this to get my attention - it means "white man." Praise the Lord I had learned this word beforehand or I would have been very lost today!
After working with the kids we checked out of our hotel, had a wonderful buffet dinner, and made the 5.5 hour drive back to Accra. Tomorrow we'll be making preparations for a party at the orphanage on Tuesday.
Praises:
- Such an awesome church service this morning for all of us. God really brought out our talents and gifts today.
Prayer Request:
- For rest and rejuvination. Pray that God would grant us His strength, rest, and endurance.
Praise the Lord for the wonderful things He has done! God grant us boldness and courage to continue the work you have set before us. Father, I thank you for the many opportunities you have given me to see Your abounding grace. Amen.
Forgive the next parts for being very brief, but it's been a long day and I need to get some sleep. I promise to share mroe detailed stories at another time.
After praying with the students and Dayna giving her testimony, Dayna and I went to work with the kids. I was assigned to work with the group aging 5-10 years old although several were younger. They had some interesting questions, including who is our prime minister. We talked some, I prayed with them, and they began to recite Bible "quotations" for me. I was so impressed with what they could recite! It was incredible. Then they went on to name off the books of the Bible. Amazing.
At that point I sat down so the teacher could finish the lesson she had prepared. During the time I was stading a little girl probably 2-3 years old had sat in my church. The teacher moved her so that I could sit down, but I could tell she was really tired and didn't really know where to go so I put her in my lap. Within five minutes she was asleep! So cute.
They were fascinated by my camera. They liked being able to take a picture and see it right away. In fact, I had to be very careful in taking pictures because they would push each other in order to see the camera. My hair was also very entertaining. At one point, recognizing the kids were fascinated by my hair, I knelt on the ground so they could all touch it. I literally ended up with over 20 children leaning over me! What was even more hilarious was a little girl who was not interested in touching my hair who instead kneeled down with me so we could continue talking. It was like we were having our own private conversation in a tent made of children! :) Oh, and apparently I now answer to "obroni!" All the kids were calling this to get my attention - it means "white man." Praise the Lord I had learned this word beforehand or I would have been very lost today!
After working with the kids we checked out of our hotel, had a wonderful buffet dinner, and made the 5.5 hour drive back to Accra. Tomorrow we'll be making preparations for a party at the orphanage on Tuesday.
Praises:
- Such an awesome church service this morning for all of us. God really brought out our talents and gifts today.
Prayer Request:
- For rest and rejuvination. Pray that God would grant us His strength, rest, and endurance.
Praise the Lord for the wonderful things He has done! God grant us boldness and courage to continue the work you have set before us. Father, I thank you for the many opportunities you have given me to see Your abounding grace. Amen.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Dirt Roads, Palaces, and a Meal to Remember . . .
Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. - 1 Thessalonians 2:8b
Good evening! Boy, was today a long one. We began our day in Accra with a continental breakfast and a quick devotion. After packing an overnight back, all our other luggage was gathered together in one room to be stored until our return to Accra tomorrow. This began our long, bumpy ride to Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
Imagine 23 people plus a driver packed onto a rather small bus, each person carrying a purse and an overnight bag. Now add a combination of dirt roads and paved roads with massive potholes. Needless to say it made for an interesting ride! Despite the rough terrain, we had an awesome time watching the countryside, seeing the people, and enjoying the company of one another. It took us over four hours to arrive in Kumasi, but we finally made it!
Our visit here began with a stop at the palace of the Ashanti king. They were getting ready to close, but we were able to take a quick guided tour. It was very interesting to learn about the Ashanti people and their customs. Each Ashanti person is seen as being of the royal family and therefore any woman can serve as the queen mother as long as she shows herself dignified among her people. This understanding that each person is of royal blood brings pride to the Ashanti people. It makes me think of how as children of God, of the "royal bloodline," we should be confident of who we are as His children.
After visiting the palace we checked into the hotel and went to the home of a local friend of Dr. Clarke's. This gentleman also happens to be the father of a friend of mine from Regent University. He welcomed our large group into his home and fed us the most amazing meal! One of our team members, Tanishia, also had a birthday today so they had a cake prepared for her so we could celebrate. It was such a wonderful night. We also got to experience and learn a bit more about Ghanaian culture. As a way of showing appreciation one is expected to bring people with them to say thank you, including a dignitary. Tonight Dr. Clarke showed this appreciation to our host, Nana Yo Oduro, by having a bishop in our group from New York present gifts and a blessing to Mr. Oduro. It was an awesome thing to be a part of. All this excitement for the day ended with a prayer and debriefing, then off to our rooms to ready for bed.
There were some other interesting side notes I wanted to share: I've noticed over the last few days how common it is to have chickens and goats wondering through the streets of the city. We were at a gas station today and were able to watch a group of about 6 goats wonder back and forth across the street . . . along with their rooster friend! It was so funny to watch! :)
I was also able to observe a lot of children today. It seemed rather common for children to be placed in charge of their younger siblings. I saw many children walking hand in hand through the countryside and the city. Many times the older of the two was only about 6 or 7 while the younger may have been about 3. We also saw many children playing games and such outside. Despite the environment they are in, each of them had a smile on their face expressing pure joy. It made me think of my own childhood and the lives of many children in America. Where do most children spend a free saturday afternoon? More than likely sitting in their air conditioned house in front of the tv playing a video game. And even then they don't seem happy and only ask for more. This trip has already begun to show me how much we take for granted. I have a total new appreciation for traffic, paved roads, and fast internet. Silly things, but things I take for granted and even fuss about when they're not as fast as I would like.
Oh my goodness! I almost forgot to tell you about the storm! As we were sitting in the bus driving along the dirt roads, I started looking at the blue skies and actually began to miss rain. Perhaps I'm strange in this regard, but I love rain. About that time I happened to glance out the window of the other side of the bus to find a massive storm cloud. When it came closer the wind picked up a lot and the rain began to pour. Most of the vendors on the streets, including the children, didn't have anywhere to go so they sat outside trying to protect their goods. It's obvious the rain was a treat for some. I saw a group of about 4 boys standing on a building porch dancing in the rain with huge smiles on their faces!
Praises:
- We made it safely to Kumasi!
Prayer Requests:
- We will all be ministering in various churches tomorrow - pray for the Lord to speak and work through us in powerful ways.
- Pray for safe travels as we head back to Accra on the bus tomorrow evening/night.
- Please also be praying for continued health (physical, emotional, and spiritual).
And as always, thank you for your support and prayers. Please let me know if you have any questions about anything that we're doing or anything you may just want to hear more about. There are so many stories, but I simply can't write them all down . . .
God bless!
Good evening! Boy, was today a long one. We began our day in Accra with a continental breakfast and a quick devotion. After packing an overnight back, all our other luggage was gathered together in one room to be stored until our return to Accra tomorrow. This began our long, bumpy ride to Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
Imagine 23 people plus a driver packed onto a rather small bus, each person carrying a purse and an overnight bag. Now add a combination of dirt roads and paved roads with massive potholes. Needless to say it made for an interesting ride! Despite the rough terrain, we had an awesome time watching the countryside, seeing the people, and enjoying the company of one another. It took us over four hours to arrive in Kumasi, but we finally made it!
There were some other interesting side notes I wanted to share: I've noticed over the last few days how common it is to have chickens and goats wondering through the streets of the city. We were at a gas station today and were able to watch a group of about 6 goats wonder back and forth across the street . . . along with their rooster friend! It was so funny to watch! :)
I was also able to observe a lot of children today. It seemed rather common for children to be placed in charge of their younger siblings. I saw many children walking hand in hand through the countryside and the city. Many times the older of the two was only about 6 or 7 while the younger may have been about 3. We also saw many children playing games and such outside. Despite the environment they are in, each of them had a smile on their face expressing pure joy. It made me think of my own childhood and the lives of many children in America. Where do most children spend a free saturday afternoon? More than likely sitting in their air conditioned house in front of the tv playing a video game. And even then they don't seem happy and only ask for more. This trip has already begun to show me how much we take for granted. I have a total new appreciation for traffic, paved roads, and fast internet. Silly things, but things I take for granted and even fuss about when they're not as fast as I would like.
Oh my goodness! I almost forgot to tell you about the storm! As we were sitting in the bus driving along the dirt roads, I started looking at the blue skies and actually began to miss rain. Perhaps I'm strange in this regard, but I love rain. About that time I happened to glance out the window of the other side of the bus to find a massive storm cloud. When it came closer the wind picked up a lot and the rain began to pour. Most of the vendors on the streets, including the children, didn't have anywhere to go so they sat outside trying to protect their goods. It's obvious the rain was a treat for some. I saw a group of about 4 boys standing on a building porch dancing in the rain with huge smiles on their faces!
Praises:
- We made it safely to Kumasi!
Prayer Requests:
- We will all be ministering in various churches tomorrow - pray for the Lord to speak and work through us in powerful ways.
- Pray for safe travels as we head back to Accra on the bus tomorrow evening/night.
- Please also be praying for continued health (physical, emotional, and spiritual).
And as always, thank you for your support and prayers. Please let me know if you have any questions about anything that we're doing or anything you may just want to hear more about. There are so many stories, but I simply can't write them all down . . .
God bless!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Street Evangelism and Haggling . . .
Hello again! I was going to update you earlier today, but the internet has been exceptionally bad lately. Last night we took a night drive around Accra. We had dinner at a place called "Frankie's." I was so happy to see hummus and meat on the menu! So much reminds me of Jordan - and the hummus was delicious. So much better than you could ever find in the states! After dinner we drove around some more. Dr. Clarke drove us near "downtown" which is where the rougher part of the city is. Think inner city New York and then add a little bit. It was rough.
As he was driving around he decided we should stop and walk around so we would have an understanding of what we should be praying for. It was incredible. As we walked a man came up to Dr. Clarke and called him father. He apparently saw the six of us following Dr. Clarke and just associated him as our father. He asked him to come help him buy food. It was a very strange encounter and difficult to explain, but it led to us praying for passers-by on the street out in front of one of the most notorious night clubs in Accra. Dr. Clarke asked me to pray for one gentleman, Moses, and when I was done another man approached me to pray for him also. As he, Seth, told his story, God just stirred up something in me. I had to contain myself long enough for him to share his heart before praying with him. It was simply an awesome God-thing. Afterwards Seth was so grateful. He kept saying he wished he could give us something in return, but had nothing to give us. It brought tears to my eyes.
While we were standing back waiting to see where the Lord would lead next I saw a gentleman standing watching all of us. I grabbed one of my friends and we went to talk to him. He allowed us to pray for him although we later learned he was Muslim. My friend, Patrice, asked if he had joy in his heart and this man, Mustafa, admitted that he did not feel joy. We talked to him a while longer laying out the Gospel of Christ, then blessed him and continued on our way. By then it was almost midnight so Dr. Clarke led us back to the buses. Despite the intense joy and passion I felt while praying for people on the street I was filled with an overwhelming dread on the ride back home. Thoughts like "do you really want to be here?" "You can't even call your family right now," "what made you think you were meant to serve in West Africa?" I was really upset until I began to realize that all of this was lies of the enemy and by allowing him to affect my thoughts I was allowing him to prevent the work God could do through me. My focus was completely on myself despite knowing that my focus needs to be on God and the people around me in order to be a blessing. Once I came to this understanding it was like everything became right in the world again! And I went peacefully to sleep.
This morning was hard to get up. After such a long flight, a full day in Accra, and little sleep, it was a struggle to open my eyes! We met for team devotions this morning before breakfast. It was a great way to start the day. After allowing for a bit more time to get ready, we headed to the Mausoleum of the first president of Ghana. It was beautiful! There were trees, green grass, and fountains abounding. It took us quite a while to get there because of traffic, but it was worth it. And oh was it hot! But again, totally worth it! There were even peacocks wondering around.
Next we went to the Ghanaian "Culture Center." I was expecting a museum from the name of it, but it's actually a giant outdoor market. I've never had to bargain before and was a little concerned I asked a friend to walk with me, but within five minutes I found myself led away by a lady selling me dresses and necklaces. Not long after that I met Nana and his sister, Matilda. They were incredibly kind and helpful - not pushy like most other people. I bought several things from his sister's stand, then Nana wanted to show me the drums he sells. I really wanted a Djembe so I said I was willing to see what I had, thinking it was right around the corner. By the time we were done walking I was in a separate building at the back of the compound, well away from my group. Despite being so far from everyone I never felt nervous or scared. Nana introduced me to his grandmother and we bargained over the drum. Funny side note - Nana was wearing a shirt that said "Virginia Beach!" I was able to tell him that's where I lived and talked to him some about it. What a crazy thing to see here!
When everyone was done bargaining we headed to lunch/dinner at a place called Country Kitchen. They set up a traditional Ghanaian buffet for us that was delicious. I tried fried plantains (among many other things) and they were absolutely wonderful! So sweet! :) Finally, it was time to go home. The traffic was horrible and people would come up to our windows to sell us things. We had one group of vendors who literally followed us all the way from the cultural center to our restaurant - not a short drive and certainly not a short walk/run! They are so desperate to sell their wares.
I've also noticed it's rather common to see people laying down anywhere. I was really impacted by this as I thought about my recent trip to NYC where we did homeless ministry. At least there they had churches coming by to give food, blankets, etc. and they had cardboard boxes to make things even the slightest bit more comfortable. It's not uncommon to see people lay down on a concrete sidewalk to sleep here - no blanket, nothing. They have nothing more. Some are vendors who have no where to live so they stay on the streets to sell their items literally 24/7. We are so blessed and yet have no idea in the US. We take things so much for granted.
I have more stories, but I'm going to have to start being a little more selective in the stories I tell. There's just not enough time to write out everything! Tomorrow we are headed to Kumasi in the Ashanti region. We'll see the palace and some other sites, stay the night, do ministry in churches on Sunday, and return to Accra Sunday night.
Prayer Requests:
- Please continue to pray for group unity and for guidance from God as to what we are to do in each place.
- Pray for safe travels tomorrow and Sunday.
- Pray also for good health and many opportunities to speak and pray with people.
Praise:
- The Lord is awesome! :)
As he was driving around he decided we should stop and walk around so we would have an understanding of what we should be praying for. It was incredible. As we walked a man came up to Dr. Clarke and called him father. He apparently saw the six of us following Dr. Clarke and just associated him as our father. He asked him to come help him buy food. It was a very strange encounter and difficult to explain, but it led to us praying for passers-by on the street out in front of one of the most notorious night clubs in Accra. Dr. Clarke asked me to pray for one gentleman, Moses, and when I was done another man approached me to pray for him also. As he, Seth, told his story, God just stirred up something in me. I had to contain myself long enough for him to share his heart before praying with him. It was simply an awesome God-thing. Afterwards Seth was so grateful. He kept saying he wished he could give us something in return, but had nothing to give us. It brought tears to my eyes.
While we were standing back waiting to see where the Lord would lead next I saw a gentleman standing watching all of us. I grabbed one of my friends and we went to talk to him. He allowed us to pray for him although we later learned he was Muslim. My friend, Patrice, asked if he had joy in his heart and this man, Mustafa, admitted that he did not feel joy. We talked to him a while longer laying out the Gospel of Christ, then blessed him and continued on our way. By then it was almost midnight so Dr. Clarke led us back to the buses. Despite the intense joy and passion I felt while praying for people on the street I was filled with an overwhelming dread on the ride back home. Thoughts like "do you really want to be here?" "You can't even call your family right now," "what made you think you were meant to serve in West Africa?" I was really upset until I began to realize that all of this was lies of the enemy and by allowing him to affect my thoughts I was allowing him to prevent the work God could do through me. My focus was completely on myself despite knowing that my focus needs to be on God and the people around me in order to be a blessing. Once I came to this understanding it was like everything became right in the world again! And I went peacefully to sleep.
 |
| Our team in front of the Mausoleum. |
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| Notice Nana's Virginia Beach shirt. And the lady is his sister, Matilda. |
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| So much food! And pineapple juice is incredible! |
I've also noticed it's rather common to see people laying down anywhere. I was really impacted by this as I thought about my recent trip to NYC where we did homeless ministry. At least there they had churches coming by to give food, blankets, etc. and they had cardboard boxes to make things even the slightest bit more comfortable. It's not uncommon to see people lay down on a concrete sidewalk to sleep here - no blanket, nothing. They have nothing more. Some are vendors who have no where to live so they stay on the streets to sell their items literally 24/7. We are so blessed and yet have no idea in the US. We take things so much for granted.
I have more stories, but I'm going to have to start being a little more selective in the stories I tell. There's just not enough time to write out everything! Tomorrow we are headed to Kumasi in the Ashanti region. We'll see the palace and some other sites, stay the night, do ministry in churches on Sunday, and return to Accra Sunday night.
Prayer Requests:
- Please continue to pray for group unity and for guidance from God as to what we are to do in each place.
- Pray for safe travels tomorrow and Sunday.
- Pray also for good health and many opportunities to speak and pray with people.
Praise:
- The Lord is awesome! :)
Our First "Day"
Hello everyone! So we have arrived. Because of the time change and the overnight flight it still feels like Wednesday although Thursday is getting ready to come to a close here. Just a heads up - I'm not able to upload pictures onto my blog right now because of the poor connection. Hopefully, I'll be able to put some up on Facebook if you want to check those out. It takes a long time though so I probably won't be able to do that very frequently. 
We were pleasantly surprised by our room. I'm in a suite with three other ladies - Tanishia, Charlma, and Dayna. The suite has two large bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a huge sitting room, and really high ceilings. Can't wait to be able to post those pictures on here! Check out my FB for a preview. Dr. Clarke gave us some time to settle in and rest for a bit. Then we met him outside by the pool at the "command center!" He had a huge map of Ghana and our itinerary to go through. Beside the pool with the palm trees and tropical sounding music I could have sworn we were visiting a Caribbean island!
After resting for a bit we went over to Accra Mall for lunch. They have shawarma! That's a dish they had in Jordan when I visited which is very similar to a gyro. It was so good! And they had this sauce called "Very Peri" which had a great taste, but was also very spicy! When we finished up we walked into the mall where we encountered a gentleman asking if any of us spoke French. I responded that I could understand some and although I couldn't understand everything he said I could make out the words "Je veux manger" - I want to eat. He said this with genuine tears in his eyes and he continued to tell us that he had come from Togo. We gave him a little bit of money and I was able to tell him "Le Dieu vous aimez" - the Lord loves you. It was heartbreaking, but I thank the Lord that I took enough French to be able to tell him that.
We wondered around the mall some more and then drove back to another shopping area near our hotel. The driving here is incredible! They pretty much just go if there even appears to be a little space for them. It was quite entertaining and reminded me a lot of Jordan. There are also vendors everywhere selling items. It's so beautiful how trees grow up out of the red dirt right next to the trees where they also sell plants lined up along the road. Between that, pottery, and furniture lined up along the streets there is stuff everyone. Dr. Clarke actually stopped and bought a melon from a woman right out of the van window! So much like Jordan. And the way people carry things on their heads is amazing. It's become a goal to figure out how they do it . . . and see if I can do it myself! :) If I manage it there will be pictures, I promise.
Well, we should be headed to dinner and a night tour of Accra soon so I'll say goodbye for now. Please pray for us to get over jetlag quickly, adjust to the heat and humidity, and get used to the culture and language quickly. Pray also for boldness and courage as we meet and speak with the people here.
(P.S. I'll add pictures to each post after I return to the states unless I find an area with a great internet connection and can do it earlier.)
We Made it!
My day started around 6am with waking up ready to go! I put the finishing touches on my packing and headed out the door with my mom, grandma, grandpa, and a Hardee's biscuit with sweet tea. :) When we got to the airport my connecting flight ended up delayed for over an hour. Praise the Lord we allowed for a long layover so it didn't effect us too much.
When Patrice and I made it to JFK we had no idea where we were going. Again, God sent someone to help. We ended up riding a trolley at top speeds from one side of the airport to the other. It was quite impressive how well this lady managed around everyone. In no time we were at our gate ready to wait for about 3.5 hours before boarding our next flight! Thankfully, we were able to meet up with two of our other team members (Temaki and Tanishia) and had a wonderful American meal at Chili's! Then back to the terminal where we met up with the rest of our team.
Like I mentioned, the flight was really smooth. The guy next to me was really nice. He is from Sierra Leone and told me all about his family there. I managed to sleep on my food tray for a bit . . . I had an aisle seat so there was no other option. I managed to watch Gulliver's Travels, Big Mama, and Tangled (twice) before landing. Oh and an episode of Andrew Zimern in Iceland.
To exit the plane Accra we walked down the stairs onto the tarmac then rode a bus to the terminal where we quickly made it through customs, picked up our bags, and met up with Dr. Clarke (our team leader). From there we came to the airport where we've been resting up before heading out to see Accra and get some lunch soon. Actually, I should probably be meeting up with my team about now! ;) I guess that means goodbye for now!
I was hoping to post pictures with this, but the computer in the internet cafe is working a little too slow. Hopefully we'll get the wifi fixed soon and I can put them up using my computer.
Thanks everyone for your prayers for our safe travel. The Lord surely answered.
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