august 28th update

It’s Monday! The past week has been good. Last Monday night I went with Gifty to youth. Youth is a lot different here it consists of people from age 18-30 and is really a time for young adults to hang out and worship together. It was good and I think Gifty had fun having a white girl there, trying to speak Twi! Everyone there laughed as I tried to speak their language. As the custom is here, if you’re a guest then they ask you to stand up and speak a little bit about yourself. With the British influence here, they have a President of the youth group and she asked for me to stand up and I thought she said, “sing” for us! I said, “Um…did you say sing? Because you really don’t want me to do that?” But she laughed and said no. She just wanted me to share about who I was and why I was there. It was a GREAT cultural experience. The night was beautiful. It’s the end of the rainy season and the breeze is cool at night and the stars were out, so we enjoyed the outside before we went into the church. You know how much I LOVE looking at stars!

The other reason I went with Gifty was to meet with Felix about a community Bible club. Nicole, Gifty and I have been praying about whether or not to start a Bible club for this community. There are a large number of Muslims here from the North and there are some churches in the area, but as far as we know, not a community club for kids. Gifty and Felix, both Ghanaian, are HIGHLY excited about teaching these youngsters more about a life with Jesus and what that looks like. Nicole and I don’t want this to be “An American” Bible Club, but we both feel like we can challenge and encourage the Ghanaian leadership. So we’re praying for three more leaders and I’m hoping when we have short term teams come over this will be one of the areas of outreach people can pour into. Please be in prayer about this, for leaders and for Felix and Gifty….. I NEVER thought God would be calling me to help start a Bible Club for Kids. But I’m thinking that’s precisely one of the reasons He had me in Ri-Zoo the past two years….and why I have great children ministry contacts back in the states that I can pick their brains J.

Also, I’m going to be traveling with a short term team that comes in October and videoing their trip. I’m very excited about this!!!

Yesterday was Ghana’s Annual Conference and I got some good footage. The Mozley’s and the Sims’ families were there so we got some good shots of the people they are pouring into and have been developing relationships with in the Methodist Church. It was a five hour long service, but I’m still praying that God continues to teach me how to love ALL of His creation and worship Him at ALL times. There are some ministers and lay people here that Love the Lord and want to do great things. I just have to remember their hearts are in the right place, but I still want to see the process challenged. Just because we do it one way, doesn’t mean we HAVE to do it the same way. I don’t think that’s an American thought…. is it?

Let’s see…also I’m continually thankful for Internet…I got to listen to the “we are gifted” series pod cast! Thanks for putting those on line Darrell/media team J

Friday was also a day where I felt a sense of accomplishment! Stephanie and Jimmy are married and arrived about three weeks ago. They’re here as teachers at a new school so I took them to a couple of places to start getting some things for their classroom. The AWESOME part was that we navigated around Accra, without getting too lost! HAHAHA J I did take one wrong turn that sent us on a motorway and we drove for about 30 kilometers without having a place we could turn around! Oops. But then we went and got carpet, blinds and more and put it all in my Golf! It’s amazing how much stuff that car will hold! Gosh, I just read the bit about carpet and blinds….you would think a foreign missionary does adventurous, dangerous things daily. I guess we all have days were we have to do the mundane ins and outs….but in everything we take refuge in Him.

I’m doing well emotionally. Still days with ups and downs, you will notice Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were left out of the highlights in this update! That’s because it was full of things like cleaning, washing clothes, trying to get the girl who’s helping me, Lady, to understand if you don’t come to work in a week and a half and don’t call it’s not a good way to gain trust. I’m writing this Monday morning and she’s still not here…as of right now she’s an hour late. I’m trying to determine if I’m supposed to continue hiring her because she needs some people to speak Truth into her life, or if I should not rehire her. Be in prayer about this because it’s really hard because I know she needs the work and pay, but she’s also around all my personal information and things…so I’m still praying about what to do…

Oh and what a GREAT blessing…I got to see my mom, dad, sister and NEPHEW Saturday night. The Sims have a web cam and it was slow and distorted, but man was I happy to see their faces J I continue to miss everyone. It’s really hard right now because I just found out Brogan is starting soccer this year, so I will miss every game in his first year of playing sports. But I just have to hope that when I get back I will appreciate family even more than when I left and want to make the most of every game, even when it’s extremely hot and out of my way to go to….

Love to everyone who takes 20 minutes out of their busy day to read my thoughts and keep praying for this mission. God is my refuge daily and I’m learning more and more about the little ways in which this looks like. If you’re reading this then I probably have a relationship with you, unless you’re bored and perusing the internet looking for new people’s blog to read, and I’m so thankful for all the relationships God’s put in my pathway….