All I Want for Christmas...

This year I have a few requests for Christmas for our kids:
*Simple scientific calculators (about 15 of them)
*Stickers! Lots and lots of stickers of all shapes and sizes.  (They will be a part of reading program now)
*Large soccer goalie gloves
*Size D and size AAA batteries

If you are interested in meeting some of these needs, or want to know about more ways to help let me know!

God will make a Way

Blessed is he whose help is in the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them--the Lord, who remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free...

Psalm 146:6-7

It's a good thing I didn't see it.  If I had seen it my heart would have been shattered.  Seeing the bloody swollen lips were enough to tell me that whoever the perpetrator was heartless.  How can you beat a child in the face?

I traveled to Kete Krachi with members of the Touch A Life Foundation in mid-November.  Kete Krachi is known as being a hub for child trafficking.  Children are forced to work for fisherman on Lake Volta and its many small islands.  You can find out more about it on their website if you are interested http://www.touchalifekids.org/ .  We have many children at VOH who were former child slaves.  I felt it would be a great experience for me to go and see their background and the conditions they came from so that I would better understand them.  I knew it would not be an easy trip, but felt it necessary in my continued ministry to these kids. 

We transported 10 children from our campus here to perform surgeries on their umbilical hernias in Kete Krachi.  We left VOH around 5:15am last Sunday morning and arrived in Kete Krachi around 7:30pm.  There has been a compound built there to house children who have been rescued previously.  We were greeted by cheers and hugs from many excited teens.  The older children who have been rescued stay in Kete Krachi and complete vocational training apprenticeships.  The younger children have been moved down to the gomoa area to attend school with us at Hope Christian Academy. 

Monday morning we went out on the lake in a boat to go and talk with fisherman.  I have been hesitant as to whether or not to make this trip for months now.  For the reason that I didn't want to be a nosy white getting in the way of the social changes in progress.  I wanted to take some pictures in order to tell these kids' stories, but didn't want them to feel like they were in the zoo or something.  Every time we stopped our boat to talk to fishermen they had this smirk on their face, like they knew they were in the wrong but weren't ready to do anything about it.  Each time we stopped to talk with fisherman, the kids would continue mending nets, bailing water, or doing everything but making eye contact with us. 

After stopping to talk to several fisherman, we pulled up to one of the many islands to stop and talk with individuals there. It was a market day, which meant many of the children usually on the lake would be on the islands working on mending of nets or other menial tasks.  We were met by a small group of children.  George Jr, the Ghanaian man who works tirelessly to rescue and care for many trafficked children immediately recognized one of the boys: Gideon. He said he had been rescued and returned to his parents, only to be re-sold to a fishing master.  Because he had been previously released, we thought there might be a good chance of being able to rescue him again.  I quickly grabbed a tiny little boys hand and walked off to allow any negotiation talks to happen without interference. 

I was walking around holding several young children's hands and communicating with them in my broken twi (the local language).  A woman started yelling and one of the young boys immediately dropped my hand.  I realized that she had been scolding him for associating with a white.  Unfortunately fear and superstition still dominate many rural and remote communities.  Within a few short minutes we were called over and told that the boy would be released to us, along with his younger brother.  The two boys disappeared momentarily into a hut to gather their few belongings.  When they re-emerged I realized the younger brother had been the very boy I had been walking around the island with.  His name is God's Way.  We quickly ushered them into our boat and took off before anyone changed their minds. 

I could hardly grasp how fast the worlds of these two boys had changed.  I sat with Gideon, the older brother, on the boat and tried to reassure him that things would be okay.  I could sense his apprehension and fear.  I can't imagine what it would be like to get in a boat with a bunch of white strangers to go to an unknown place!  Thankfully he spoke some English, so I was able to communicate with him.  The power of that moment is unspeakable.  I can't express to you what God did in those moments leading up to the boys climbing on the boat.  God is capable of great transformation, and I witnessed something that day that is priceless. 

We ushered them onto the bus that would drive us back to the Touch a Life compound.  We stopped briefly on the way back, and the boys were given some shoes to wear, new footballs, and some new clothes.  Immediately their demeanor changed.  They began to smile and relax. 

When we arrived back, their eyes were wide as they took in their new surroundings.  God's Way was sitting quietly on woman's lap when one of the formerly rescued boys named Jacob walked in.  God's Way's eyes lit up and he shouted his name.  Jacob ran and embraced him.  It was a reunion unlike I have ever seen.  In that moment I believe God's way realized that it would all be okay.  He had known Jacob from when Jacob was working as a child slave at least a year ago.  They embraced and held hands for many quiet moments. 

Over the next 24 hours I witnessed the look in their eyes change.  I was sitting with Gideon a few hours later and asked him how he felt, he paused for a moment, looked at me and simply said, "happy."  That word made the whole trip worthwhile.  To make a child feel happy, loved, and valued is what this ministry is all about.  God's Way fell asleep curled up in the lap of one of the women in the group.  One of the women in the group had lost her son Connor the year before.  She had come on the trip in search of healing, and also to reach out to children in need of the love of a mother.  At the end of the night her son Connor's blanket was given to God's Way as he was prayed over.  He slept peacefully through the whole thing, wrapped in the warmth of love, possibly for the first time.  As Connor's life was honored, the God's Way's was given a chance at life.  I was part of something powerful that day.  I was reminded that God's way is perfect.  And that most importantly, His way is redeeming. 

As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless.  He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.  2 Samuel 22:31

Don't Try this at Home

The coconut men should post a disclaimer.  Or at least issue a verbal warning.  Quite frequently you may find coconut sellers on corners chopping up coconuts for customers.  They use machetes to chop off all the outside materials into a convenient cone.  They stack these ready to enjoy coconuts on their carts until customers come.  At which point they make one swift chop and knock off the top so that you can drink the coconut water and then scoop out the coconut.

A co-teacher was sweet enough to leave me a coconut on my table in the staff room last week.  I went home thoroughly excited to enjoy my coconut.  I pulled out the biggest knife I could find and gave it a whack.  I expected the top to cleanly fall off like the professionals do, no such luck.  When all was said and done I was drinking the coconut water out of a small slit, with coconut n water dripping down my chin and shirt.  There were pieces all over the counter, floor, and me. Turns out I should just leave the coconut chopping to the professionals. From now on it will remain "eat-here" and no longer for "take-away."

Only in Ghana

I recently spoke to Francis, our VOH student attending school at OC.  I asked him how he was coping with American culture and what he thought of it.  He said there are so many times when he just laughs at Americans.  I am sure many of the things we do are amusing to him.  The same thing is true living here.  There are times you just have to laugh.  Sometimes the kids tell me I am getting crazy because I laugh too much.  There are times when I see and experience things that could only happen in Ghana and I can't help but laugh.  Here are some examples:

• when the discussion in the teacher's lounge is about whether or not dwarfs exist
• when a woman shows you her menstruation calendar like its a normal thing to do
• when you see a live goat strapped to the top of a van with the other cargo
• when you see children running up the stairs at school holding a machete
• when an invitation says a wedding will start at 9:00am prompt and it starts at 12:00pm
• when you see entire bus loads of people peeing by the roadside
• when you see a billboard advertising fashion for weddings and funerals all in one
• when you share a giant bowl of food with several people without utensils
• when you see an advertisement for Wormplex, "your one stop de-wormer"
• when you are sitting in a tro-tro with baby chicks under your feet
• when you see an elderly woman wearing this shirt in pink sparkly letters... "wanted: boys that don't lie"
• when you see this page in a beginner's English book:

apples are for teachers

Pine-apples that is.  I thought the pineapple sitting on this teacher's desk was perfect.  What better reflection of the differences in our classroom culture? 

This picture was taken a couple of  weeks ago when I went to Nkwatia, a small town in the eastern region of Ghana to conduct a teaching semniar with Alayna.  Alyana has been working on a curriculum development project for a few years, and this seminar was part of the implementation.

The first day she presented on integration, lesson planning, inquiry, experimental procedure, etc.  The second day I presented on reading skills and phonics.  It was really short, but a good start.  We were only with the primary 1, 2, and nursery teachers.  Turns out rhyming was not a part of their training, they found it quite challenging to create simple rhymes out of words that I had written down and given to them.  They did however, get really into the "letter aerobics" song.

It is really interesting to try and present material and methods to individuals who have no previous experience with such methods and philosophies of teaching.  I felt like I was speaking a foreign language for most of the presentation.  Hopefully some seeds were at least planted to focusing on literacy skills in the primary classrooms! 

send the fairy godmother packing

If you had any illusions that mission work, or life in Africa was straight out of a Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, please throw those out the window.  There is nothing Cinderella about this story.  Sure, coming here for a week or a month as a playmate life might appear a bit Utopian.  But the truth is, some days it just plain sucks to be thousands of miles away from family and friends.  The truth is some days I just get down right frustrated with the kids.  The truth is, trying to control a classroom of 40 plus kids seems like it is not even worth trying at times.  There is nothing exotic or romantic about such a life.  All that wears off in a matter of days after you step of the plane. 

A group of visitors is here this week, and they were asked to sub in classrooms today so that we could conduct a reading seminar for the primary 1 and 2 teachers (1st and 2nd grade).  One of them had her bubble burst when she realized this was not the "disney land village of hope".  She realized that the reality is that the 1st grade class is just down right awful, and that the 2nd graders are not much better.  While it was kind of amusing to me to watch the guests realize just how challenging teaching is around here, I know exactly what it feels like to just want to walk out of the classroom feeling totally defeated.  I know what it feels like to wish you don't care and just be able to walk away. 
But I do.  I do care.  And that is why even when the reality of work here threatens to overwhelm and consume me, I sit outside and look at the stars and pray for the strength for tomorrow, and I know that it will come with the morning, and hopefully the weariness will fade with the night.

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself: the Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him. The Lord is good to those who hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Lamentatations 3:22-26

#2

Here's a question you don't get every day... "How would you like to be my second wife?"   I never imagined I would get so many proposals from random strangers in Ghana.  I sometimes get tired of all the attention the color of my skin brings.  As flattering as professions of love from complete strangers are, I can only come up with so fake phone numbers. 

Surprisingly, polygamy is still practiced in Ghana. Usually in more rural communities.  I have asked several kids that have come from families with multiple wives, but still can't quite seem to figure out how that could ever work.  An old man the other day told me to "try and come by his house later..."  I don't think he was talking about a game of scrabble either. 

They are never threatening, I don't ever feel unsafe, just feel like blending in a bit more sometimes. I have gotten used to stares, and shouts of "obruni," and I have lost track of how many proposals.  There are days I just wish I could travel somewhere without being noticed...  It would be nice to not draw attention for once.  Especially since it is attention just based on my skin color and assumptions of the money that goes with it.  The only perks are that I do often get free tro-tro fares, directions and advice, as well as the opportunity to tell plenty of fake husband stories thanks to the whole single white female situation.