Christmas and New Years. Ghana style.

Well I have to say Christmas was great. We killed a chicken Christmas morning. Actually Gifty killed it. I simply held it for 5 minutes thinking about how it was about to die. Is that kind of sick sounding? First time for me to hold a live chicken and to watch one get killed.

So we woke up and gave bruni, presents to Ghanaians basically, to our next-door neighbor Mathew. He has chickens so we bought one from him to cook for Christmas dinner that afternoon.

So we did. Gifty is really good. You can tell she’s grown up in Northern Ghana where that’s a regular occurrence. Not one sound did that chicken make as it was being slaughtered. Aidan and Eli were engrossed to watch how it was going to unfold. Then Aidan got really sad after it was dead. Me too. I could barely eat any of it. I’m a weenie.

So then the SWEET Mozley’s had brought presents to us that morning and I went over to their house and got on line to skype with my family. It was good to see them via webcam. I got to watch them open presents. Thankful.

That week I spent going around and giving out banana bread muffins I had made. It was fun and next year I think maybe I’ll get more into the giving out before Christmas is so close. You give all the Ghanaians you’re close to bruni and even those that you don’t know will ask “where’s my bruni” so you always have something ready or in your car. Amazing.

Then on December 30 I went to Dansoman. A densely populated area west of central Accra. That’s where Ama, my language teacher lives. I went and spent Saturday night with her at her two-bedroom apartment building she shares with her two cousins. There’s one bed and they always let her have it when she’s home from school. So we “perched” together as she calls it. It made our rooms in the states look like 7 star hotel suites. But we had a BLAST. I met her childhood friends, mostly boys, who look at her like a little sister to protect. We went uninvited to a baby’s birthing party. The parents had seven huge speakers and a dj hosting an outdoor party to celebrate the baby’s birth. Everyone’s invited, even if you don’t know the people. So I show up. The only obruni of course. But it was great. She let me into her life and people she loves it was great. I met her boyfriend that is in from the UK and we went to a bar that was so loud I could barely hear. He was asking me all kinds of questions about being a ‘missionary’ and said, “I’ve never really met one face to face…live before.” It made me laugh. For many reasons. Mostly because I think how far God has brought me and the fact that He redeems people with ‘pasts’ all the time. So I’m definitely nothing to think too special off… so it made me laugh the way he put it. I think he’s kind of been burned by the organized British influenced ‘Christianity’ that still has many remnants so our conversation was interesting. Then Ama and I went to church Sunday morning and it was a non denominational church….I’m glad she goes there… the Spirit among the people there was alive! And not once did we sing a boring British hymn from the 1800’s that no one really understands. (Sorry can you tell it annoys me that the Methodist church I go to does this?)

New Years was great. I didn’t go to watch night, which is where most ALL Ghanaians spend time in prayer welcoming the New Year in with Jesus at church. (then at 12:30am lots of the the young people head straight out to party until wee hours!) interesting.

I decided to stay at the Mozley’s house and celebrate it semi-American. That means we had a ping pong tournament at 80+ degrees in December and shot fireworks at midnight. It was fun with the whole Down’s family there and Ryan! Man was it great to get to know them. It was a blessing because they are southern people that remind me a lot of my fam. They let you just fit right in with them. Ms. Pam, Tates’ mom, reminds me of my sweet momma who feels like a mom to everyone. Then her two sisters Annie and Sally were a blast to hang out with. Annie and I jumped right into a heart to heart and I just felt like I had known her for years. After new years’ they invited me to go to the beach with their family and the Mozley’s, which was a BLAST. It wasn’t sunny at all, but we hung out, watched movies and played an awesome new game (for me) called Mafia! It was great obruni time J Sal, Ryan, Anna and I looked out into the ocean and sang songs for about an hour one night just praising Jesus. It was awesome. And it was a blessing.

The next two months are going to be really busy and I’m thankful. I went through a really tough season when I first got here of not having a structured job and waking up early early because I felt like I wasn’t “doing” enough. So as things start to pick up I’m thankful but at the same time want to make sure and remain in a place that I’m fully aware what I do doesn’t define me. And to always seek praise and validation from God first.

I think right now I’m learning how to listen. I sat in my car about a week ago and for the first time in a long time I said You talk. I’ll listen. That honestly usually doesn’t happen because I’m the first to start talking.


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