september 19

It's Tuesday! September 19. Our lights are out today, but we're running the generator ...

This week was good. I did lots of driving around this week but it was fun! You know me...gotta be driving. I think living in Oxford and commuting to Tupelo really made me love driving :) Anyway- last Sunday we went to a FraFrae church...was great they danced lots and lots. It was about an hour away. Then Monday? Gosh, I can't remember. I know Tuesday was our "lights out" day. (Remember there's a three day rotation where we are without electricity for 12 hours). Gifty and I had so much fun we sat on our porch and she started teaching me Twi songs everyone sings here. Here's the funny part...our neighbor Mathew (not sure if he's a believer) heard us and said he wanted to come the next time. Then this Sunday at church a couple of the guys that are helping with the Bible Club said they want to come so next Tuesday during lights out, we'll be jammin on the porch in the dark! Come on over if you want :)

Language is going good. Ama is a fun teacher and so flexible with Tatum and I. It's hard because SO many people speak English in Accra that you're not forced to use Twi....so I think I'm learning ....SLOWLY! Oh now that makes me remember ... last Tuesday I went to the doctor to get some tests run for my work visa. (It only took 3 hours...it took me 2 hours to get there in traffic. I left my house at 7am and didn't get there until 9am.) I say this because Tuesday we had to rearrange schedule for what we intially were going to do which was go to Akropong. Language is Monday, Wedsday and Thursday (well we change so much it's kind of week to week;) We were headed to Akropong, where Micheal's taking courses for his Doctorate. We were supposed to go on Tuesday, but because of doctors appt. we went on Thursday...which meant we were supposed to have language! Ama visited Akroprong when she was little so she road with us and we had language on the move!

I went to tape Andrew Walls, a professor of Micheals. I videoed for Micheal so he could have a little documentation of what Andrew's passion is. Dr. Walls is from Scotland and comes to Ghana to teach twice a year. He's very interesting and a nice man. He's a scholar christian who applies his gifts in acedemia to further the kingdom. And he was in one of CS Lewis' classes!

Anyway- After we taped we visited Ama's great Uncle and she got to visit with him. She hasn't been there in four years, it's expensive to travel there, so this was definetly a treat for her! It was so neat to visit with him in the compound house. (It wasn't a hut compound house) By God's handywork we got to see him because when we arrived we knocked on the door and went in and didn't think anyone was there. Then a lady walking down the road kindly helped us find someone who knew him and he ended up being there. So we stayed about thirty minutes and they caught up on the family. Where everyone was and what they were doing. This is a cool story...the last time Ama saw her uncle she didn't have as good of grades as she could have. Sidenote he was in Education for over 30 years teaching all over Ghana. So she told him, "uncle next time you see me I will be in University," and she is, teaching us! It was one of those moments that you soak it in and think...if the only reason I am here was to give Ama a ride up North, then it was worth the smile on her face! Their picture will be on flickr...so check it out.

Friday Tatum and I ran around with Claire doing some errands. And then Saturday Tatum and I took Stephanie around to get some things for her new house...then it was Sunday! Richard, the guy who was on the motorbike when I had "the accident' had called earlier in the week and was going to go to church with us, but called Sunday morning and said his mother was sick. I need to call and check on her....plus Aidan got sick this week :( He has a high fever for about three days, no malaria, but we don't know what was wrong. So it was just Gifty and me at church Sunday morning, but it was GREAT. The message was on James 3, how powerful our tongue can be. It's SO true. Afterwards we talked to some of the people there and I met a nice guy who works at the airport! He said if I ever had people coming in that needed anything to call him...so if you come and visit....we've got a contact at the airport for help!

This week I would say God's really teaching me how to feel His love. To really rely on validation from Him first and foremost. It's awesome living here, but not without it's ups and downs!

love you all
margaret