july 9th-update

I'm back in Accra. It's 10pm here and I'm Mike and Claire's house using their internet!!! The trip was a great experience for several reasons. There were five of us. Claire, Mike's wife, Anna their daughter and two of her friends from highschool back in the States. We traveled from the southern most part of Ghana to the northernmost. Total roundgtrip we're thinking around 1600 miles. The first day we drove to Kumasi and got there in time to see the Bible club that started when Mike and Claire lived in Kumasi. We drove through the eastern side of Ghana which is how I picture "Africa" to look like. Since it's the rainy season the bush, rural areas, are totally green. When I came in November we went North, but it was dry season. It was like I was seeing something completely new this time. We drove through several small towns and stopped at Linda Dor's on the way to Kumasi. After about six hours of driving we pulled over to Linda's and used the facilities. You pay 10,000 cedis or 10 US cents to purchase the toilet paper and can use the toilet there. Nice and clean actually. So on the way back to the car we ran into a couple of Oboroni's (white people). They are missionaries in Kumasi and were headed to Accra. We greeted them, in Ghanian culture you ALWAYS greet, and then headed back to our car. When Anna, Davis and Ryan came back to say..."we have a flat." But let me tell you God is GREAT! The family we had just been talking to pulled over to look at the car. He had left ALL his tools at home since their truck was full, but he had the ONE tool we needed. The thing that helps lower the tire from underneath the car...I have no idea what that's called. so. :) Then there was a place across the street called a vulcanizer where we aired up the tire and were on our way. What else is cool is that we had been in areas of NOTHING. Driving for HOURS and once we got to the place we were taken care of, and Claire got to see a friend she hadn't seen in a year. They had pulled up right as we were fininshing putting on the tire!!!

Then we arrived in Kumasi and went to the Bible Club. There are children there throughout the community. Afterwards we took some of the people home. We went to the home of ne of the little kids Nana, he's 12 I think. He lives behind a house that's being built with his mom and sister. By kerosene lantern we were invited for dinner but didn't eat as it was probably everything they had. Then we looked at how he was learning math. They wrote with chalk on the side of the kitchen hut and then they showed us some prized pictures of his deceased father. One of the most inspiringly unselfish parts during this is when Nana took out the twizzler that we had given out at Bible club. He saved it to give to his mother.

The next day Tuesday, we went to Obuasi orphanage. They have 94 kids there and do an amazing ministry. I e-mailed the prayer team earlier tonight to keep praying that my heart continues to be burdened by these kids. There are so many orphans here. This might sound bad, but I'm keeping a blog to be honest so...here it goes. In the states about a year ago I met a friend who has a HUGE heart for orphans and has worked with them overseas. She constantly and unknowingly challenged me to talk with God about taking care of orphans. Figurtavely and literally. So I started praying that God would increase the compassion in my heart. It's not something I'm naturally inclined to do. But I felt like God kept putting people in my path and orphans on my heart. The Bible talks about our fruits of the spirit and to pray for the ones we don't see as they would increase. Kindness, gentleness and self control. I'm a kind person, but I am not naturally compassionate to care for orphans. But through prayer God continues to work on my heart. The day at this orphanage helped me see that just holding a baby for two hours is precious. When you're hot and want to leave have self control to know that you really can stay a little longer. Now, I'm not saying that we're all called to start orphanages and I honestly know I'm not, but Jesus loves those children. If it's not natural that I have compassion then pray for it. He definetly is teaching me that He dwells and works. I held Aquia, 1 year old weighing about 15 pounds for about two hours or so. Every breathe she wheezed, but eventually she got to the point where she trusted me. Selfishly she made me feel good, but i think God gave me that moment to say, yeah I'm changing your heart. Sit tight.

That night we went over to some American's and celebrated the FOURTH of July!!! No fireworks, but we had hamburgers and potato salad...and CHIPS they were Pringles...but boy were they good! (no rootbeer...buy hey...can't have it all right!)

By the way I have to say to my nephew HAPPY BIRTHDAY! He turned four on the Third!!!!!

So on Wednesday the 5th we drove from Kumasi up North to Bolgatanga. We stayed in the middle of nowhere and ate rice and some kind of meat??? Not too sure what it was...but it makes for a nice inside joke here! We went to another orphanage in an area that is extremely Muslim. We arrived just in time to see them eat dinner. Of course they invited us, but we passed. The man who God gave the vision to start this orphanage is named Abraham. There are 47 kids at this orphanage and they all go to a Christian school there in that village. In Bolga, as they call it for short, Islam is highly prevalent. Abraham receives a lot of opposition, but the blessing is that people are seeing these kids learn, be cared for and I wonder how many are affected by this. I wasn't there for a lengthy amount of time, but you could see the kids have fun playing games together. It is inspiring to see someone like Abraham be selfless to start this place.

The next day we went to a game park, where lo and behold I saw some large animals native to Africa. You know in Southern Ghana we don't have elephants or lions like you picture Africa to have. So I was about fifty yards from elephants and it was neat. We also met some people on that trip. Chris, a guy working with the Peace Corps and his dad and grandad brought two boys from the village he was working with. It was exciting to see the two African kids get to venture out of their village and see something like this. Most of the times here people don't travel because of the expense, so I imagine it's a great opportunity for those boys.

We then drove to Nvrango and stayed there for the next two nights. We arrived in time Thursday night to eat dinner and then go to church in a village called Zwarungoo.(I think that's how you spell it) This Christian church sits in the middle of a traditional village. Meaning the people there, called FraFra's, worship ancestors. Being a Christian there is somewhat difficult. We met a young man who was thrown out of his compound for being a Christian and was cut with a knife by his father. They let him back in about a year ago, so there's no telling what God will do through him.

This particular church sits in an area that has alot of spiritual warfare. Please pray for this village called Zwarungoo. We went to church the second night and during prayer time realized that one of the girls, Lizzie 21, had passed out earlier in the day and was unconscious. The moon was so bright that night that we (the whole church) walked through the fields to the compound where she was. As we entered into the compound of huts people started praying aloud. Thankfully we had a car and the family decided we could take her to the hospital. Claire took her and some of the family members and Anna, Davis, Ryan and I started walking. There were five other Ghanians with us and we started heading towards town. Once Claire took Lizzie to the clinic she would come back for us. I can't tell you the experience and the vast amount of joy and sorrow during that walk. Lizzie and I had a great conversation earlier that day. She has been taken in by this family as her biological family doensn't care too much for her. She has a heart for the Lord. It is sad because no one knows what illness she has and the people in the village don't ask her about it when she comes to. The walk to the clinic though was joyous as we sang songs in Twi walking down the road as Oboroni's and Ghanians singing praises. I know this is kind of hard to understand. But picture a completely dark night, no street lights, no paved roads, dust everywhere, people standing outside. We had miles to walk and pray for Lizzie together. Amazing.

The thing that I have noticed this week in my thoughts is primarily I don't know why God has called me to a VERY traditional place. I rest in the fact that He knows BEST and I am committed to serving Him wherever but that doesn't mean I don't wonder why He's sent me to a place that puts on your Sunday best to go to church. I love a come as you are place. Appearance is very important in dress and in faith. I have been blessed to be in a community where we admit we're sinners and have problems, let's work on them together asking for God's guidance. Women cook, clean and wait on the man. You greet others when you pass through their town, even when you don't have time. Sometimes people stop to see each other just because you're going there, not that you REALLY want to see that person... I wonder with my personality and mindset if I will say or do something to offend someone. Then I think about how Pat was teaching the Sunday before I left the States. Do we speak with the fear of the Lord? I of course want to be incarnational and try to understand the culture here. But I also want to make sure I'm walking on the side of what is God's culture and not was is learned Ghanian/American culuture. I think this is a fine line we walk wherever we are as Christians. I'm just being stretched a little here. Which is great.

Well it's late here so I'm signing off...I'll blog more later. hopefully be able to add some pics too...