starting to get closer

It's Friday night. May 19th and I've got roughly one month until I head for Ghana. I'm getting a lot of questions like, "Are you scared? How are living conditions there? Are you going to have access to the internet? What are you going to be doing?" So I thought I would answer to the best of my ability some of these faq's!!

For me, I believe God gives me just enough insight at times so I am just nieve enough to be excited. Yes there are days when I think, "What am I doing? Why am I leaving a place that seems to be a good fit for me (Tupelo)." I have moved at least once a year since 1997 and would have thought by now I might be a little more settled. My friend Tiffany looked at me yesterday and said, "You know, you'll be in Africa longer than you've been anywhere in the past nine years." Ironic. So am I scared to go? Not right now. But again, I haven't lived in Africa and I haven't had to be alone at night in Africa. There are a lot of unknowns at this point, but honestly God has been preparing me for unknowns for quite sometime now. Moving to Oxford was a great big unkown and pursuing foreign mission work without knowing for a year where God's plan of branching out was an unkown. The list could go on. There are times where the enemy attacks and really plays on some fears I have though. I would say right now that is an area that I'm really praying through.

Living conditions. I have tried to upload a picture of my house, but blogspot is being tempermental and it won't post. I am going to live with a family of four named the Sims. They have a "boys quarters" as it's frequently called in Africa. This is like an apartment. There are two bedrooms with doors accessing outside and an additional room with a kitchen and bath area. Each room is seperate from the other, but it's a nice place. I think most people think of mud huts when thinking Africa, so this is a paradigm shift for some. When I started this process I thought I would live in a hut, in a small village being as "incarnational" as possible. I am actually going to live in a city of 2 million people, larger than anywhere I've lived before. In smaller villages I know foriegn missionaries who live in conditions relative to the people, however in many readings and research I have found something I didn't realize. Many times in African culture, and I'm referring to Ghana only as I have not been to any other country in Africa, Americans are viewed as having money. To live in conditions like a mud hut actually places a wedge between the people foreign missionaries are connecting with. Americans are viewed as people with wealth and why would someone want to live in that type of environment? This was new to me as I thought it would be beneficial to live as "incarnationally" as possible including living conditions. Through training I have learned the key is to go into any culture as a learner. This means you're ready to be quiet and learn from nationals, asking tons of questions and not assuming you have the answer. I pray my mouth will be slow to speak and ask tons of questions :) I will have access to internet in Accra. It is very industrialized and I will be able to keep up with communication when in town.

That leaves "What will you be doing?" I prefer to answer this with four words. Loving God/ Loving People. I know that's not the best vision to climb on board with, but those four words have been ringing in my head since the day I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me. I was on my way to Tupelo, MS from Oxford, MS (one of many many trips) and I was talking to Daddy. This was sometime between September-November 2005. And the answer was Love Me and love My people. Wow! I mean I think I knew that...but that's what God was saying to me...love Me love Me love Me...don't worry about what you're going "to do." Then I went to Africa in November...great God story...this sweet couple in Chicago Kristen and Mike couldn't make the trip. The didn't know me from Adam, and I'm still not really sure how they found out Ghana was one of four countries on my heart. But they donated a ticket so I could go!! November 26- I was in Ghana. I had taken a little sony hand held digital video camera with me and shot some footage of several ministries some missionaries are working with. And through conversations with the missionaries and a feeling placed on my heart I felt the avenue God was opening up for me to show His love on other people was using videography. It's funny His plan. I have a degree in broadcasting from MSU and PR. I have been in PR since I graduated but have always remained with a burning in my heart to get back into media. So, He's letting me! The plans are to work alongside other missionaries and help document some of the things God is doing. It's going to be hard to capture this on video. Especially with people who have traditionaly been exploited by people coming in, taking pictures and then leaving with no explanation. So, I feel like I will build relationships with the missionaries and Ghanians and then shoot the footage as God leads. This could take months to develop relationships with the Ghanian people ... that part is an unknown. The other area I'm passionate about is small groups. I don't know if God will have me lead or attend or start a small group. Realizing small groups will look different in Africa as opposed to America. I'm praying about how it will look. So- long story long...that's what it looks like so far. Wow- what a long blog- If you've made it through my thoughts today...you get a big :)