Reality

This post was written last Sunday but then the internet stopped working so I didn't have a chance to post it. Sorry about that!

Although I have been preparing to write this blog all week, it jus hit me that it really won't be a light and airy conversation between to friends but more of a "got to tackle hard realities" kind of blog. I am just warning you at the beginning so if you feel down in the dumps after reading this, you can't blame me because I gave you fair warning! Oh, at the end I will put something a little light hearted so maybe that will motivate you to read the whole thing or I guess you could skip to the bottom since I will never know what you actually read!



Anyways, to the matter at hand since I waste most of your time talking about nothing. I have heard and seen a lot of realities this week that must be swallowed and digested carefully with much prayer at the forefront. Reality #1: Even Ghana is not free from fighting. In the northern most region, there are two tribes fighting over land which has left many dead including innocent people. One of the teachers has missionary friends there who have seen loved ones die during the cross fire. One day, a family member died and it took them at least four hours of shooting back and forth to push the enemy far enough back so they could grab the body and go. Ghana is a peaceful country but there are still hateful acts being done especially in the north. However, the fighting here is still nowhere near in comparison to the fighting in Uganda and other African countries. Pity fighting and killing is still on the rampage and it needs to be heard about so prayers can be given. I have one student who just came from the Congo. Without much emotion he talked about how he couldn't leave school one day because they were caught in a cross fire between two fighting tribes. He had to stay at a friends' house instead of going home but all this was said as the facts without tying too much emotion. Kids get numb to it at an early age if it is a part of their normal life but they shouldn't have to!



Last Sunday, we heard news that a trotro had crashed on the way back from Ho which is in the Volta Region. One of the volunteers who works at the orphanage close by was on the trotro but he walked away unhurt. He said he woke up to the trotro sliding on its side. Luckily, the side on the top was the side with the door so they were able to get out. I guess I shouldn't say lucky as GOd was with them through this instance. The mind boggling part was noone came to help those who were hurt. The guys roommates here were calling all the police departments to tell them about it but noone was really doing anything. The guy even told the police at a barricade not too far away and they told him to keep driving. This makes me think back to the Good Samaritan story where noone would help the man on the side of the road. Here is a country striving towards a strong democracy yet they refuse to help their own people with the basic needs. This story brought defining reality to me as that was the same route we took on the trotro when we were in the Volta Region. It can happen anytime or anywhere and not just in crazy trotro's but that is why I have my trust and faith in Jesus Christ as he will not leave me or forsake me. What a comfort we have in knowing Jesus!



Reality #3 that you are all aware of is the Earthquake disaster in Haiti. I can't even imagine the devastation right now as there is nothing and then to be worried about after schocks. This is a huge prayer concern that we should all be lifting up and seeking ways to help. At school, we have been donating money as a class competition to see how much each class can raise. Some of the kids just don't realize how much they really don't have in Haiti while they have a driver, cook, househelp, etc. Please pray that their eyes will be open to the reality that is around them and that they will seek out ways to help in our community and others.



Reality #4: Even kids are not exempt for stealing in weird ways. On Wednesday during snack time, one of my students told me he was excited for lunch because he had pizza. I saw it in his lunchbox and then he shut it where he then placed it in his cubby outside in the hallway. At lunchtime, he was washing his hands and when he went to pick up his lunchbox, everything fell out but there was no pizza inside! We searched the lunch tables quickly to see if anyone was eating it but I couldn't find any culprits. I was so angry and confused why someone would take his lunch and when they were able to do it. All I could give the poort kid was cookies but he handled the situation well. Later in the day, another student went to get something out of her cubby and she found the pizza, half eaten, underneath her bookbag. I know she didn't do it as she showed me right away but this made the mystery even more confusing! The boy was able to still eat two pieces of his pizza but still the principle behind stealing pizza and then hiding it somewhere else is horrible! It could have been one of my students or it could have been someone in the hallway. The students had a stern talking to so I hope it was not one of them.



Reality #5: Make sure you always know where your students are. On Friday morning, one of my students came to me before school started to say that her purse from her bookbag was missing which had money in it for Haiti. When the students came in, I was busy getting them settled when here driver wanted to speak to her at the door. I said she could go talk to him and then I went back to what I was doing. Here is when I become the bad teacher: so about fifteen minutes later as I have been running around the room like always(well it is hard to run since there isn't much room) the kids go to sit down on the carpet something dawns on me. "Um, where is Bobby Sue(not her real name)?" I stammered out. They replied that she never came back from talking with her driver. Oh man, I just lost a kid and I only have 13! I quickly found someone to watch the class and went to the office to call a parent. We couldn't get a hold of anyone but at that time the student came walking in to the compound. What happend I urgently asked and she told me that they went home to look for the money. I ran outside to talk to the driver where I gave him a stern scolding in my Ghanaian(the best that I can) voice.

At least the realities got a little lighter at the end but it is good to be hit by reality to understand that this life is not what we have to look forward. We are pressing on to receive the prize that awaits us. It also helps put things into perspective. I want to complain when we don't have the internet or that I eat the same things everyday without having a single fresh strawberry since August(you can't tell I miss it can you?) but there are peoople in Haiti who have nothing left! Am I really praising the Lord enough. I think my favorite bible verses are appropriate right here:
"For this light affliction which is but for a moment is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal: but the things which are not seen are eternal." II Corinthians 4:17-18