sheepdresses, toilets, and God's Indescribable Gift

On Christmas Eve day we went to Abri to a Botanical Garden. They would pull cocoa beans off of trees to let us try and break twigs to smell Cinnimon in a cinnimon tree. Crazy! This is a picture with us, a fellow teacher and his mom.

This is a strangler ficus tree. It wraps around the outside of another tree until it kills it and leaves it hollow inside. We decided to climb it when noone was looking.

Here is Cathy and me inside the strangler ficus.

Here is a picture of the program. The girl is carrying sticks on her head, it is amazing what they can caryy!

Focusing on the children's faces is so important. This is the reason why I live, to share with these children.

These are Cathy's little sheep. Aren't they cute? Before, the one on the left has a really cute smile that really means trouble. Cathy had a great and tiresome time keeping charge over her little flock. I like this picture since you can see her in the background, always keeping an eye on them!

Here is the manger scene, with Mary in her Ethiopian veil, the angel Gabriel in Ghanaian print, and the shepherds. I love the African flare to the Christmas story. The most important part that is still the same is the focus on Christ.

The little boy, Ella(Emmanuel) did such a great job. He had to sing with the older girl here and say a very important part. Wow! Thanks! God Bless You! Oh if you could only hear him say it. I taught him how to say it with an American accent since his English is limited. He even said his "th". The poor thing was sick on the night of the program and was trying to sleep whenever he wasn't on stage but he did a great job still. Cathy tried to get him home in her suitcase but we didn't think his family would approve.

The angels before the show. They are ready to go!

These are out of order but this is a picture of the wise men coming down to worship the newborn King. I love their outfits, very African!

Auntie Jean, the founder of Children of the Light, is giving a thank you speech at the end of the program. All the children are beautiful in their outfits.

This is the finale of the Christmas Program. They look excited to be done but they all did an excellent job throughout the program especially since English is not their first language.

These children can dance! They are doing a choreograph dance for the finale. They tried to teach me to dance but it was a failure, they just got to laugh at an obrunei instead!

This is before the concert as we rushed around like crazy people trying to get everything finished before the show. The angels have to have their wings to share the good news with Mary!

Do you love the title? Although I have not written in over a week, this title sums up the people and memories Cathy and I have been making. Two days before Christmas, Cathy and I went up to Auntie Jean's to help with the program for Children of the Light. Just in case you are not familiar with what I just wrote, I will give you a brief overview. Auntie Jean (preschool teacher at my school) has her own ngo for children in her village for them to learn English and about Christ. This is the fifth year she has put on a Christmas program on Christmas Eve. The theme of this years program was "The Indescribable Gift," whom seem familiar anywhere? It was also based on the Christmas shoes where a shoe maker gives a pair of shoes to a little boy who has none. The children traveled on a trotro to the Christian Center where the Christmas program would be held. This was an eye opening experience for some of the children as they had never seen toilets before. They all rushed to the bathroom to watch the water swirl around, a new concept to most children as they are use to a hole in the ground. Little things that are so trivial to us like flushing a toilet is a new revelation to children here. It is a different way of life, something that is hard for us who have a lot to grasp but thoughts we must think through.

Practice was brutal as we practiced from 4-7:30 for two nights in a row. Children are the same everywhere as they were tired and ready to leave. Cathy was in charge of the little ones who were going to play the sheep. That was a full time job as they were very cute but very sneeky to get into mischief. On the night of the show, one of them was ready for his sheep constume. He kept yelling and gesturing with his hands, sheep dress, sheep dress, where my sheep dress? All the hard work of the children payed off as they performance on Christmas Eve went well. There were 40 children involved including the main characters, the choir, shepherds, angels, sheep(don't forget them!), the wise men, and Mary and Joseph. I actually don't know how well the show went as I was back stage trying to get children on an off the stage with the right costumes on. This is hard to do with children, let alone children who don't speak much English! The most important message that rang out very clear that night was the gift that God gave us, his only son, to come as a baby and then to die for the sins of us all. This message was proclaimed to children in the audience, adults, and the performers as God gives to all. These children wake up on Christmas morning and go to church. But Christy, you left out the part about ripping open the presents spilling out from underneath the tree?

What tree and what presents are you talking about? This isn't a reality for the children here which might leave you horror stricken but on the flip side, Christ is focused on more during Christmas than in America since there isn't presents to get in the way of praising Christ. All the children that performed were able to receive an extra special Christmas as they were a part of sharing Christ's message with others, something they deserved to be proud about. They also received small gift bags from another teachers' parents who came to visit for the holidays. After the program, all the children in Children of the Light received dinner. However, there were many other children who just came to the performance from the village. It was insance afterwards as they were all trying to get food but we had to stop them as it was only for our children in the ministry. Oh their eyes and faces were enough to kill you in a second, but Auntie Jean told them that all they had to do was register to be a part of Children of the Light. Even though it was hard for me to watch them begging for food, Auntie Jean reminded me that the children need to learn that they can't get everything handed to them, they must earn some of it like being involved in the ministry. This was a valid point as the people will continue to beg unless they are taught to work some for food and needs. However, by God's grace he provided enough food for all of the children to have! It worked out anyway. After the excitement of the evening and picking everything up, we sat down to a nice Ghanaian meal outside underneath the stars with the city lights below. The Christian center, where the program was held, is up on a hill that is secluded and gorgeous. It looks out to the crowded city below, far away which is what I like! A year ago, I had no idea that I would be sitting outside for Christmas Eve with my new friends and sister. God works in amazing ways! Don't get me wrong, I most definitely missed Christmas Eve service at home with the candlelight ceremony. The fellowship and friendship I have at home will never be replaced but I am thankful for the relationships that I can build here. To build relationships, it is important to spend time with people, I know seems like common sense but you just have to take the time to listen to peoples stories; triumphs and difficulties.

We awoke on Christmas morning to the waking sun, bright colorful flowers, and of course exotic palm trees. I mus say that this is the complete opposite of most, okay all of my Christmas' I have had. We went to Auntie Jean's land in the morning where we read the Christmas story and prayed. I wish you could all meet Auntie Jean as her vision is amazing. She has purchased land in the middle of nowhere for children in the surrounding area. Most people think she is crazy but she is only listening to the call of the Lord. No matter what goes wrong, the Lord shows himself by giving the right amount of money to purchase the rest of the land, or finding a road not too far from the land. She continues to be faithful and the Lord provides. Everytime we doubt about how the Lord will provide, he goes above and beyond! I feel at peace on the land and seemed liked the perfect place to praise the Lord as we celebrate His sacrifice. The hot sun beamed down as we ascended from the land to greet many people doing their normal routines;bathing, gathering water, farming, cooking, cutting chickens heads off(didn't stay around for that part), and even using the restroom(sorry, but its the truth!). Nope, we didn't see one Christmas tree with presents underneath it, and we would have seen it as none of the houses are complete! This is the complete opposite of America, people here will go to church but other than that they have to go on with their normal business to survive the day. These sights are a reality and I will never see Christmas the same way. It is much larger than a Christmas Eve service or spending a quiet Christmas at home, don't get me wrong, these are so important, but it is also about practical Christianity, about brining the message to the masses, the lowest masses as Christ himself had a lowly beginning.

The celebration continued as we headed back to Accra on a trotro, a dream come true on Christmas. Even Medina, the market, was still busy on Christmas, like I said before, people still have to make a living, even on Christmas. The day was all around glorious as we skyped my parents later to open presents. We then went to a Christmas party to have all of the usual goodies and some unusual ones to Americans as there were many nationalities present. God's church is universal and it was a lifetime experience to observe the festivities of the birth of Christ in a different culture. The focus was just on Christ, not Christ and rush around to get presents.

Long Awaited Christmas Present

Last Saturday was a joyful occasion to celebrate because I received the best Chistmas present ever! I received new clothes and cereal!!!! Alright, just kidding, even though those were great gifts, the best one was meeting my sister at the airport! Yes, she is here and still alive although I have kept he pretty busy. I want to first of all thank you for all those who donated Christmas gifts for the children or other items. I will talk about my Christmas party soon. It really was like Christmas opening the suitcases and finding love from America. You were all very giving and I thank you so much for that! Cathy seemed to have a good flight and she wasn't even tired so I decided to get her exposed to Ghana right away. There is no better way to do that than to ride on a trotro! She is so adventerous, a couple hours in the country and she was already on her way to the market in a beat up van. I think the market was overwhelming to her but it is for everyone as there are so many people trying to get you to buy their things. We went to look at fabric which is gorgeous but hard to choose just one! Then we boarded another trotro for Kitase to help with Auntie Jean's Christmas program. Cathy did well but she said that she got to know here neighbor well as they shared the same sweat! Sorry, probably too much information!

Up at Auntie Jean's, we gave her Christmas presents by bringing candy canes for the progam(you can't even get candy cane here!) and plans for her land. Just in case I did not explain this well enough, Aunie Jean finally has the money to buy the land she wants for her ministry. Her next step was to make plans for a pavilion she wants put there so I recruited my dad to help. No, he didn't go to Africa but thanks to technology, we used skype so he could talk to Auntie Jean and Ben, a teacher at our school, to make up the plans. I am so proud that he could be involed in that way! She loved the plans so she is taking them to the Australian government today to see if it will be approved. Please pray for this matter so we can start building on it shortly. Also, the land is down a narrow path so getting supplies down there will be tricky but Auntie Jean doesn't let anything stop her and I know she will find a way to get down there wih everything!

The Christmas program is coming along nicely but we only have two more days to practice! Cathy got to hang out with the kids while the other ones were practicing their lines. One girl kept trying to take off Cathy's freckles and then compare their skin color. I must say I am so happy she is here!

Sunday brought a long awaited day that I have been planning for awhie. As you might know, whe have a bible club for kids on the street every other Tuesday. I decided for Christmas to make dinner for the kids and give them Christmas presents. Liz, another teacher, and her friend Gideon, who is a Ghanaian, made Jollof Rice and Fried Chicken. Everything here is labor intensive as Gideon bought everything at the market, chopped up the chicken, ground the fresh ginger, and slaved over the stove for a least 4 hours! It was well worth it though as fifty kids came for our club. We did not tell them ahead of time that there would be food because than we would have had a thousand. We began the evening with the usual singing of songs and acting out a bible story. Hmm? I wonder what story we chose? I hope you said the birth of Jesus because you would be correct! I read Luke 2 as the kids acted out the story. Surprisingly the kids stayed very quiet which is unusual for them! Afterwards, I brought out a present which was the Bible. I told the kids that this was God's greatest gift to us, first sending his son to die on the cross for our sins and then writing the Bible so we could follow his commandments. I then told them that we had a present for them and that they would be having dinner with us. Fortunately, I had many helpers as Jonathon, another teacher at my school, came with his visiting parents and three girls from school graciously came to help out their soccer coach. I kind of bribed them with phsyc episodes afterwards but that is besides the point!

The children all lined up nicely as they received their food and joyfully ate it. THey were so quiet and so well behaved. I loved that moment! Most of these children live as squatters in homes, meaning they live in unfinished houses until someone kicks them out. I am not sure how often they eat but they do have to work hard all day with a family who does not have a lot of resources. After they helped clean up, we lined them up again to give them Christmas presents as they headed out the door. This caused a little more chaos as they all crammed up against one another in line to wait their turn for a toy, but it was more organized than any of us anticipated. THe kids loved everything and the evening was a success. God definitely blessed us that evening as we had just enough food for all of the kids and for us. We also had just enough presents too! God was working in a mighty way to show his sovereignty and grace to His precious little ones and to us. I do struggle with knowing I have a lot more than these kids, like electricity, or more than one pair of clothing, but God has placed me here so I can use my resources to help others. However, I couldn't have done it alone, and I am thankfu for all of the help from Cathy and my friends to put this crazy idea into reality. God is great and forever needs to be praised!

We are now getting ready to leave Accra for Kitase where we will help with the Christmas Program on Christmas Eve. Please pray that the children learn their lines and that ultimately God is glorified through this program as the children describe the indescribable gift that God gives us each day. We will return on Christmas morning where we will skype my parents and have Christmas together! Later, we will go to Laurie's house where we will have dinner and have a gift exchange. Merry Christmas to you all and thank you for being loyal in reading my blogs. I miss you all during this Christmas season but do know I am praying for you all and am there with you in spirit. The summer will be here shortly!

Mundane Happiness

A week ago from Saturday, I waved goodbye to all of my friends who were heading to America from Christmas. At first it was hard knowing that they were all leaving to see family but once they were gone, I still felt the peace that this is where I need to be. On that Sunday, I moved in with a family who practically started the school. She is a nurse for the embassy and the project manager for the school. It was so nice of them to let me stay there so I wasn't lonely at the house. It was so homey to be with a family so I experenced a week of good fellowship and good homemade somewhat American food! On Sunday, we went to a soccer game against two local rivals. Oh man, let me tell you that there was a lot of testosterone flying around as everyone was yelling at their neighbor throughout the game. The Accra team won 1-0 even though I thought the Kumasi team played better. After the game, the heat soared when the Kumasi player slugged a ref. The police swarmed onto the field like ants attacking our food in the kitchen. It was insane! THen a riot broke out in the stand so the police were jumping up seats to take care of that while we watched in shock on the other side. It was so barbarious but they take their soccer seriously here. I don't know if anyone remembers but about 10 years ago, there was an actual stampede that took place at the stadium when these two team were playing. Due to the riots, the police shut the gates so people panicked and stampeded others to their death. Not a happy story but a reality here. Don't worry, nothing liked that happened, we made it back safe and sound!

I spent the rest of the week helping Laurie, the project manager at the school cleaning up. I did go to Auntie Jean's house one day to help with the Christmas program but other than that I was at the school or at their house planning for next semester. By Friday, I felt like I had wasted my week, just because there is so much need here but I realized that I was right where I needed to be. Laurie did need help and the job wouldn't have gotten finished if I didn't help her. Also, we were able to have some really good conversations where we both just needed a listening ear. I have struggled with the mundane of life for a long time and it is still hard for me but my mother would always tell me growing up, "Even missionaries have to do house work and pay the bills." Yes, very true! I can't believe I just agreed with my mother! Just kidding! Anyways, as a title from a book clearly states, "Bloom where you are planted." I am in Africa during Christmas for a reason and even though I can't save every child I want to, I must be faithful in the chores God has given me to accomplish because my ultimate reason for being here is to serve him. I can serve him though joyfully cleaning or trying to talk twi to the guards or clearners. However, we can all be faithfully blooming where he planted us, not just in Africa but wherever we may be.

Reflection on the Greatness of God

I can't believe I am actually writing the words, "I have taught for one semester" Yes I wrote it and it is true, crazy. I have dreamed about teaching in my own classroom since I was little and Cathy made me be her student when we would play. After many years of preparation, I finally have my own classroom and my own students, it really is hard to fathom it but I am so grateful for it. Also, since about the age of 10, I have dreamed of teaching overseas where I could share my passion for teaching and Jesus in an International setting. The fact that both dreams happened at the same time is too much to take some days which reminds me how much I must praise the Lord for his amazing plan that is perfect.



A year ago, I would tell you that I would be teaching overseas but I did not have a clue how this would be accomplished. Even last spring up until May 21st, the master plan was not revealed to me yet. My poor mother would listen to my sad case every morning as I drove to Muncie for student teaching. I thought everyone else had job opportunities and I was left without any options. Of course, now looking back on the situation, it is quite comical as everything obviously worked out but I was just caught up on knowing the plan then. Two days before I graduated, God revealed that plan when Mr. Crosby called and offered me the job even though I had to wait five days for his phone call either confirming the opening or denying my chance. Oh patience, I think God is teaching me something!



That was 6 months ago and now I find myself walking to school on dirt streets, talking to the children on the street who call me sister Christy, and bardering for good taxi fares. Who would have thought? Silly me, of course God thought it through and he knew! If I would have only trusted him more but that is why I am still a work in progress.



Question: Do you have any regrets for being in Ghana?



Answer: Absolutely not. Like I have said before, there are hard days but that will be anywhere. I know that God has planted the seed in my heart for a long time to teach internationally so this is where I need to be, no turning back now! God has blessed me with great friends who already care about me when I work too much and don't take a break. I am always invited to fun events and I feel comfortable sharing my personal struggles with them. Being in this setting really brings you close together. I teach at a school where I can openly share about Christ to students of all backgrounds, the staff pray together three times a week, and I have a pretty good assortment of supplies considering I am in Africa. It is sometimes easy to complain about problems at school or lack of resources but compared to public schools here, we have everything we could ever need. However, I will eventually like to help in public school somewhere in Africa as the need is great. Being here has helped me realize how much I have to renew my thirst in Christ everyday so I do not become dehydrated to the point of exhaustion. God has broken me and he continues to break me as He has made me submit my independence and control to Him as I cannot control every situation here. Through the hard times, the Lord makes us stronger and I do believe I am learning to lean on him for the strength to endure.

Quetion: Will you teach another year?

Answer: What kind of question is that? Of course I will teach! God has designed me to be with children and to instill passions inside of them for learning. When I watch a struggle with a concept, especially in math to the point that we are both frustrating, it gives me no greater joy than to watch him or her understand say double digit addition for the first time. The light bulb comes on and there is much celebrating to be had especially dancing on the desks! Yes, this does happen sometimes but we have to celebrate big for a student who understands, they need to know that what they can do is important. I the hugs I receive, the concerns they bring up for mankind, and the connections they make between what I have taught them and the world around them. Now am I this happy about teaching everyday?(I'll be honest and say some days are a struggle) but I keep on coming back because of the 11 soon to be 13 inquisitive minds that walk in my room everyday. They are worth it and so will all the other students who I have the privilege to guide them through the learning process. I am so thankful for the Lord for instilling in me the passion to teach, not to be bias but it truly is the greatest professional a girl or guy could have!

I have learned many lessons from my first semester like make sure you introduce yourself right at the beginning of the first day, or know exactly what you are doing before the kids enter the room but as long as I learn from my mistakes, I know I will improve. Next year will be easier but I never want to get stuck in a rut as there is much that I still need to learn.

Thank you for supporting me for a semester, I appreciate all the prayes and e-mails. Please keep them up! I am currently staying with a beautiful, welcoming family until Cathy comes on Saturday. Oh happy day! So the next time I write there will be two of us experiencing God's plan in Ghana. Maybe I will even let her be a guest blogger! Enjoy the week before Christmas and never forget the real reason we celebrate!

Enfrijipah(Merry Christmas in Twi)!!!!!!!!

A test I'm Glad I Failed

Okay, so these are hard to see but they are pictures from the Christms program. All of the kids in white are angels or sheep. They are the preschoolers and kindergarteners.

Can you find Mary holding the baby? She is pretty much in the middle of this picture.

I can actually never remember failing a test while going through the education system. Well, in my book, I failed a test if I got below an A, that was tragic enough, but I don' remember seeing that D or F on my paper. Oh yeah, once in college during PE for teachers. You may, laugh but everyone who has taken it will agree that it was a difficult class! Anyways, you may be wondering what kind of test I would be happy to fail so don't wonder any longer! Last Sunday, actually Saturday night, I could tell I was getting a fever since I had a headache, the chills, and was getting really hot. The girls told me I probably had malaria, in a half joking but half serious manner. I shrugged it off, said I would be fine in the morning and went to bed. However, I was not fine in the morning and spent all day miserable. Sorry for those who have been close to me when I have been sick, but I am not very pleasant as I hate to rest! I would sleep for awhile, find some energy and then try to do something productive before I crashed again. I felt like it was a waste of a day but I guess God was telling me I needed to rest. Anyways, the fever and headache never went away so I decided to call Laurie who is the project manager at school and a nurse.

And the long awaited moment..... I got to have my first malaria test! She just pricked my finger and then tested my blood on a strip. If there is only one line that appears then the test is negative. After what seemed like years, I finally saw for myself that there was only one line there! Yippeee! Malaria free for now! There are two teachers who have malaria right now but once you take the medicine, you feel better quickly so it isn't that big of a deal. It is just really bad if you don't catch it soon enough.

I can't complain about being sick since this was the first time it has happened to me since being here and that is unusual for here! I went to school on Monday but had to go home because I got sick in other ways(no details necessary) but they had called in a sub so everything was okay. I felt bad because I had a new student that day so I said hi to him and then had him meet the sub. I never got to ease him into the routine but I think he is doing just fine. Now I have eleven students and I know I will have at least twelve after Christmas. I welcome my new students and I know my current new students like new faces but my room is not very big so there isn't many places to put everyone. I will have to start hanging some from the ceiling! Just kidding!

In other school news: The Christmas Program was sensational! There was some technical difficulties as the music would not play for most of the program so the kids did the program accapella. It was amazing! Most of the parents didn't realize that it wasn't suppose to be that way and the most important part, the message of Christ, was proclaimed for all to hear!

I had told you in the earlier blog that I was praying for one of my students to come since her father told me she wasn't going to since they are Muslim. I was worried she wouldn't show but she did! Praise the Lord! Afterwards her father came up to me and I thanked him for letting his daughter came. He said it is no problem, it is all okay, it was good. Oh praise the Lord! God is working here and through us to reach the nonbelievers. Continue to pray for this family and others at our school and everywhere.

We didn't have school on Friday because it was Farmer's Day! Yes, the day we celelebrate the work of the farmer! We looked it up on google so we knew for sure why we were getting the day off. In the 1980's there was a horrible drought and the country was saved by the hard work of the farmers who fed the nation. In 1988 they decided to make Farmer's Day a National Holiday. We celebrated the day by having a breakfast together, complete with fresh bananas and pineapple, a product of the farmers. Oh there is also a yearly competition where they watch the work of select farmers all year. On this day, they announce the winner of I guess being the best farmer. This first place winner gets a new house, second: new car, third: new tractor(I think a tractor is the best gift.)

Thanks for reading that random information, but it allows you to know Ghana better. Or you could have skipped it and that is okay too.

Today is our last week of school. In the elementary school we don't have any specials so we will be with them all day long, please pray for all of us! We are doing Christmas Around the World which should be fun and something different for the kids! Please pray for all of the kids as they travel for Christmas and some of them see parents that they haven't in awhile. Please also pray for the teachers who will be traveling home. Yes, I am still staying here and although I reall really, really, truly miss everyone at home, I know that this is where I need to be as I help with the Children of the Light Christmas Program and with other ministries in the area. I am so excited to have Cathy come and to spend some quality time with her! God is good! Have a blessed Sunday and week.

School Events

Our volunteer, Ben hiding underneath the box. Read below to find out why he is doing this,

Mr. Crosby our director being scared by finding something unusual underneath the last box!

Mr. Crosby getting ready to play a "fun" game.

All the students in the pavilion watching the "box game." It will be explained below.

All the kids playing at field game. Look how much fun they are having!

A big game of spud with water ballons. Where is waldo or where is Christy? Can you find me? Hint: I am not in the foreground and I am still very white

Okay, so I am a little late in getting this out since I missed my usual Sunday but I guess it is better now than never!
A week ago Friday, we had Field Day at School. All the students were broken up into 16 teams and we played random games against other teams. I was the leader of team of South Africa. We did pretty well but didn’t win overall, that isn’t the most important part anyways. We played games like spud(throwing waterballoons over a volleyball net and trying to catch them), snowball fight in the classroom, battleship, sumo wrestling, steal the bacon, and water relays. It was a great atmosphere for the students and teachers as we didn’t have to be teachers but more coaches and encourages. The kids were split somewhat evenly by grade level so I got to know some of the older kids which I never see. Everyone was very encouraging through it all and it was great morale for our school since everyone knows everyone anyways. The kids favorite activity was a surprise game where one person a time had to come up to some boxes, lift up each one to see what kind of ball was underneath it and then run to the next one. This was easy except for the fact that under the last box was one of our volunteers who screamed when they picked up the box. The rest of the school watched and fell out of their seats laughing as each victim was tormented by the surprise of their life. They even got Mr. Crosby our director to do it! Great fun in Ghana!
Last week since it was Thanksgiving, I had to teach Thanksgiving in the classroom. Of course they don’t have Thanksgiving in Ghana since it is an American Holiday but it was still important to teach it with the biblical background. The first day we made a thankful tree on a bulletin board where we put up leaves that had things we were thankful for on it. They loved it and had really good things that they were thankful for. On Tuesday, we pretended to be the pilgrims and walked(sailed around the school) looking for new land. They were really cute pretending. One boy laid on the ground pretending to die and another student pretending to give pump his stomach for CPR. Oh what creative minds second graders have! When we got back to the room, they had to be the Pilgrims setting up their new land in America and they all went to work establishing their new lives. I love that they are still able to be creative in though and have fun out of nothing!
We also made Indian headdresses on Tuesday and put feathers on it of things we should thank God for. On Wednesday, we put on our hats and headed to the kindergarten room where we helped the kindergarteners make Pilgrim hats. We brought popcorn because they really did have popcorn at the first Thanksgiving(that’s what they say) and we had a feast to thank God for all of his blessings. They were all so cute! I wish I could show you there picture but I can’t because of privacy. Trust me though, they are adorable.
One more school related thing, we are having our Christmas Musical this Saturday(tomorrow). It is a full blown musical like a church would do and the whole school is involved(high schoolers aren’t too excited about this but they half smile and suffer through it.) During the practice the kids did a great job, especially my second graders. They were the best behave of everyone and I am not being biased. After practice I had to go outside to talk to a parent. He spoke in twih so I had to have a translator with me. He explained that he is a Muslim so he doesn’t want his daughter participating in the school program because she would be worshipping two gods and she can only worship Allah. I wanted to tell him that she already worships the real God at school but I was good and kept my mouth closed. I told him that she had been working very hard and it would be nice for her to be able to participate with her friends and have her feel a part of the school. Again, I really wanted to say, we want you there so you will hear the truth and believe but don’t worry I was praying during the conversation so God was keeping me calm. It is so hard to have these conversations because I just want to share the truth with the lost people in the world but it has to be done in a certain way. He told me at the end of the conversation that he would think about Saturday so please pray that she comes! It would be such a blessing to have her there! Also just pray that if there are people there that don’t know your name, they will understand you in a new way as the gospel is presented clearly.

Benefits of Living in Ghana

During this Thanksgiving Time, I think it is important for me to reflect on the benefits, the cons, the positives of being in Ghana rather than in the United States. Don’t get me wrong, I miss everyone back at home but since I am here in Ghana, I need to embrace the many blessings that I have here while they last. Here is the best of the best reasons by it is great to live in Ghana! (they aren’t in any order, just whatever pops in my mind)
1. You can get your shoe fixed for one cedi(less than a dollar) and they come to your house to do it!(let me explain, the sole of my show was flapping and when I was running one morning, I heard the shoe repair guy. He carries around his box and hits it to let everyone know that he is there for business. He just walks around the street waiting for a customer. I don’t think he was expecting me as we met at a corner by the house because I was so happy to hear the box. I told him to meet me at my house as I ran ahead to get my shoe. He came inside the gate and I watched as he took care in fixing my shoe for a cedi, don’t worry I gave him a little extra!

2. You don’t have to wear a seatbelt in a taxi(oops shouldn’t have written that!

3. When you are in traffic in a taxi, you never have to complain of hunger because there are always people at your window selling you things

4. You can get chicken and rice on the street for 1.50.

5. People acknowledge you wherever you go as they call out oh brunei(how nice!) (can you hint the sarcasm?)

6. If you were desperate enough, you find someone to marry you in a heartbeat as long as you take them back to the states! Don’t worry, I’m not desperate

7. As soon as you get out of a taxi, you have instant friends wanting to sell you their product or make you a bracelet with your name on it.

8. You find out about a holiday the week of.(We have known for awhile that the Muslims have a holiday on Friday(now today) but the Ghanaian government was not recognizing it as a National Holiday. On Monday afternoon, we got the call from the American Embassy that the Ghanaian government decided to call it as a national holiday! I guess this happens quite often. It messed up some of the school plans as we have our Christmas Musical on Saturday and we were supposed to have rehearsal at the hotel on Friday during the school day. On Monday, we had to switch everything to Wednesday. Crazy but we are surviving so far.

9. You make a family quickly with the other teachers and bond through the ups and downs.

10. Living here makes you appreciate the consistency of electricity and running water.( The morning of Thanksgiving we didn’t have any water so we were afraid we couldn’t have it here but it came back!

So after this list, I am sure you are all dying to get over here! My house is right under where the airplanes land so feel free to parachute off of the plane into my courtyard. The more the merrier. Enjoy the extending weekend!
School Events:

Deep Roots

Yesterday marked another groundbreaking day (literally) in the clearing of the land in Katasie where Auntie Jean has Children of the Light. First of all, I need to tell you a miracle to just remind us how God does work in our lives even when we doubt. Auntie Jean is originally from New Zealand but married a Ghanaian. She loves her ministry and it has grown so much as this vision to have its own place seems to take place. However, she has been feeling guilty for having her children here and has wondered if they would be better off in New Zealand. She prayed that if she was to stay, that someone would donate to the land so she could pay it off. She prayed for just 5 cedis, just to show her something. Of course God didn’t provide 5 cedis. He always goes above and beyond and we forget that every time. The next day at school she received enough money to pay off the land in full, it can now be entirely Children of the Light’s land! Praise the Lord as He always Reigns and continues to show his mercies each new day!
So, now back to yesterday. I want to describe to you in detail the process of getting to her house and just what it entails in Ghana. I will take you on a picture walk and throw in some smells and sounds along the way. You might want to cover your nostrils when I take you through the smells, just a little warning. We left our house at 6:30, walked down the street to catch the next trotro and made it to the next stop where we waited for some friends. The Ghanaians always laugh at us for riding in trotros as they don’t think it is a safe thing to do but it is cheap! A taxi ride for 4 cedis will only 35 pesowas(cents). Can’t pass that up! Unfortunately, a trotro never came or when it did, everyone pushed their way on it first that we didn’t get a chance. We finally decided to take a shared taxi which just means you can ride in a taxi with other people and play a lower price but we knew all the people we were riding with! I got the privilege of sitting on my friends lap so four of us could sit in the back. Don’t worry, perfectly safe! When we arrived in Medina, we were greeted with the usual sights, sounds, and smells. Saturday is Market Day so everyone comes to sell their goods or buy some for their shop. You name it, and you can find it in the market. Dead fish, snails, every vegetable, knock off shoes, fake cleats, jerseys, and second hand clothes. Something interesting about second hand clothes; the word they call them in twih means dead white man’s clothing because they figure someone has to be dead to give up their clothes. Don’t they realize how our materialistic society works? Anyways, this market is how people survive but I think it would be hard to make a living because there are at least 10 other people selling the same thing. They love to see white people as they think we will buy more so they shove products in our faces and try to make us stop at their shop. They haven’t caught on yet that forcing us to buy something doesn’t work. When we get to Medina, we have to push and maneuver our way around the market to get to the next trotro station. It isn’t easy to maneuver around as you have to watch out for cars, wagons pulling goods, other people walking and the sewer. Oh yes, the lovely open sewer; my biggest nightmare! I have this fear that I will fall in it one day and then just go home then. The sewers don’t smell pretty or look nice, don’t worry I won’t go into detail but I will say that when it gets hot out, the sewers become more noticeable.
Once at the next station, you have to ask around to find the right trotro as they are all lined up. Usually we have to wait in line while all the ladies come around with the baskets on their heads trying to sell products. We then push our way to get on the next trotro and away we go up the mountain or hill. There is usually traffic but the trotros are good at off roading it and finding the bumpy, sandy back ways to go until we reached the open road. The road up the mountain is nice since the president has a home at the top. When we finally reach Katasie, we then hike down past people carrying sticks on their heads or getting water at the local water pump. Definitely a more simple life than what you find in the city. Oh the land is so gorgeous and there is now more grass planted. We worked on clearing a new area so they can hopefully plant there this week. There is nothing like good physical labor to get your heart pumping! One of the jobs of the guys was to get all the stumps up. As they were removing them, we realized how deep the roots system were as they all were interconnected. This reminded me of how I should be especially here. If I don’t have good strong, deep roots in what I believe in Christ than it is easier for me to get attacked by the opposition or metaphorically speaking, to get chopped down. Satan uses lies to get to us and to stop the truth from being known but I and other believers must be constantly in the word so we can fight evil with the truth. Here there is a lot of prosperity gospel being given or prophesying. You have to be very careful of what you hear, even in good churches. I am also surrounded by 10 inquisitive minds at school who always have questions. If I am not ready or do not know the answers to their questions(well some of their questions no one has the answers) than they could be missing out on the redeeming message of Christ. I want to have strong, deep roots, that are being nourished by the uplifting message of Christ. I want to be filled with the living water where I will thirst no more. Good News! We can be through a trust in the Lord Savior. I will be honest, I am not always good at having quiet times where I am all the way awake or focused the whole time, so I am working on this. I am not always good at praying all the time but prayer is important as we are trusting that the Lord will work in our lives. However, I want to become better at spending more quality time with the Lord as this is how my deeps will keep planted and never uprooted. Oh what great promise we have in the Lord that He won’t leave us on this earth but instead offers us eternal life!
After we worked for two hours and the sun made its presence known, we stopped for a lunch break. Auntie Jean and the kids cooked lunch over the open fire in a pot. We had rice and cabbage stew which was very good and impressive that they did it over the fire. We always had to do this at camp at the beginning of the year and it never turned out well. Anyways, on the way back we were having a hard time catching a trotro so they taught us the symbol for hitchhiking was is to put one hand on top of the other palms up while you say (Mao Poucho; please) The guys tried this and right away we got two flatbed trucks! We really wanted to ride in them but they said they were afraid of the police. It was worth a try! We settled on taking a shared taxi again so I found myself squashed up in the back seat for a 45 minute ride. At the bottom of the hill, there is a toll booth where you must pay. Our driver got out before that and went to talk to the police. This is never a good sign. He went across the road to the other police and then got back in the car. He told us that on the way up the hill, he was stopped by the police and they made him dash them(give him money). Unfortunately this happens often and the taxi drivers have to give it to them or the drivers will get arrested! Yes a little corrupted but things like this probably happen in America too if we want to be honest. So, the police on the other side made the taxi driver give them money also, I guess they didn’t want to feel left out. Just different than what we are use to!So you can see the ordeal it takes to get up to Auntie Jeans but it is so worth it to see the Lord working in this Ministry and in our own hearts. Please pray for the Christmas program that Auntie Jean puts on every year with the children. Cathy and I will be there to help out, I can’t wait! Also pray for safety as we are on the land(found to scorpions last week), for the grass to grow, and for the plans to come together for the pavilion. Thank you for your prayers and I will pray for all of you. Please let me know what I can pray for. Keep in touch!

The Joy of the Lord

As I walk to school, I ponder over life questions and prepare myself for the day ahead. I always pass by children carry heavy bags on their heads and they ask me if I am tired from carrying my backs. "Sister Christy, are you tired" but picture this in a Ghanaian accent if you know what that is. I will have to do it for you in person sometime, I am learning how to become good at it. Ayways, this process is repeated each day which I enjoy as I love interacting with the children and bringing smiles to their faces. On Tuesday, I was praying for my kids and praying for a good day when it hit me that I have the Joy of the Lord everyday but don't always share it. I have found that it is easier to be negative and share that negativity with others than it is to be positive all the time. I talked to another teacher about this before the day began and we encouraged each other to keep the Joy of the Lord burning high all day long!

Wow! What a difference it made! My kids thought I was crazy as they came in because I wouldn't let them enter the room unless they too had the Joy of the Lord. Some took awhile to get in and I think some took awhile on purpose. It did make a difference in the day as I was energetic and looked at the positive sides instead of focusing on the little things that could get me down. However, I have found that by after lunch, I am begin to lose my Joy so I am working on this but half the day is a start! Right? With the Joy, I am enjoying each moment like when my kids look up every or word in the dictionary since we are learning about or words, or when they are not listening for the thousand time and then wondering what I am talking about. The Joy comes when they are dressing up like animals for the food chain, putting on puppet shows for the kindergartners, or asking my father questions on skype about the Revelations to his favorite soccer team.

I don't want to make the wrong impression, there are hard days here as the electricity goes off like Tuesday night, or the electricity goes off when I am printing a paper. No fun! But having a better aspect on it all has helped me relax and be a better, confident teacher. If I am happy, then chances are, my kids are happier. God has given me this life and eternal life forever so I have to rejoice in His goodness! Do you have the JOy of the Lord? If you don't, get yours at a local drug store as soon as possible(better yet, pray to the Lord for he will provide!)

Different Reasons, Same Purpose

Last Sunday I had the privilege of going to Prom Prom which is a village 45 minutes away near the ocean where they have a children’s home. It was founded by a German lady who was sick so she came to Ghana for some healing herb but then found the Lord through it all. She saw all of the children on the streets and decided to take action by starting a home for the children. When we arrived there late, the children were already under the big hut pavilion worshipping their Lord with their beautiful voices and the beat of a drum. What more do you need? Most of it was in twih so I did not understand it and to be honest even when they sang in English it was hard to make out the words. That didn’t matter as God can hear us all in our own tongue and in our own way. The children moved with the Joy of the Lord as their voices rang out loud to the Lord. Yes, they do have Joy in Jesus even if they have nothing but each other. After the service, the girls showed us to their rooms as they are use to having company. The compound reminded me a lot of Project Mercy in Ethiopia but this one was nicer. There was a girls and boys dormitory, a very nice playground, and an L shape of classrooms. The school is open to children in the area as well but there is only about 10 students per class. This is a little different than Ethiopia as there are up to 80 per class in the lower elementary! It was so peaceful there and it was amazing to see that the vision of one lady could come alive to help so many children. Oh, I just yearn for this someday as my friends and I have a dream to start our own school someday. It is hard waiting but I am constantly reminded that the Lord will provide in His time. After all, He got me this far. Who would have thunk?(alright not correct English but I like to use it!)
Oh yes, so back to the title since I haven’t explained it yet. I left out parts of the story as I never explained how we got there. A family at our school, have lived in Ghana for 15 years. They spent most of their Kumasi which is about 4 hours away but they have lived in Accra for 4 years. They are such a blessing as they always open their home to us and take us to church. For the past 4 years they have been going to Prom Prom on the first Sunday of every month and we are always welcome to comes. They do an object lesson and then a short devotional which I know the children thoroughly enjoy as they know a lot of Twih and they have really built a relationship with them. Through the Mosleys and at church, I have met many missionary families with all unique stories. It is so interesting to hear how the Lord has brought everyone here for a different reason but all for the purpose of proclaiming His name to the people in need. Sometimes I wonder if my job is insignificant since there are a ton of missionaries here but then I see all of the needs that are still not met. So overwhelming! I love hearing the stories of how everyone met or how they got to Ghana. One family that moved here during the summer are working with the orphanage, Beacon House. The husband interned with Mr. Mosley number of years back. After that, he met his wife and he asked her what she wanted to do with her life and she said, “move to Ghana” and then he said “Do you want to get married now?” I hope I find that! Don’t worry I am not in a rush. Anyways, they have really been a blessing here and now the husband has the desire to go get his doctorate degree so they can return and start a school and hospital in the north. Also, before they left, they did a home care study so they could possibly adopt when they were over here. About a month ago, they were asked to foster a cute baby boy which of course they have fallen in love with. Since they did that study, they are now able to adopt if the possibility arises. How amazing is that?
I have so many stories of how the Lord is working here through faithful missionaries who came for one reason or another but are all following God’s call. I know that just doesn’t happen in Ghana but wherever we may be if that is where the Lord has us for the time. Please pray for all the missionaries in Ghana as support can be tight right now and how the need can look overwhelming.

Halloween in Ghana

Carving watermelons! What else would you do for Halloween? These pictures are in reverse order and it is better to read the blog first but for some reason, the pictures showed up first. Thanks for reading. You are all in my prayers!

As they say, when in Rome, do as the Romans or when in Ghana, do as the Ghanaians do. Yes, this is culturally polite but there is one tradition that we could not leave behind just because we are in Ghana. Yesterday, as I am sure you all know was Halloween. Being here in Ghana has made me realize that I could not explain to someone why we do half of the things we do in America. For example; Halloween. I know that it is the day to get rid of evil spirits before All Saints Day but I am not sure where we started passing out candy and saying Trick or Treat. If someone could shed light on the subject, I would appreciate it but I guess I could google it myself! It would be helpful if I knew the meaning behind everything because I had no idea had to explain to people about the Halloween traditions that we have in the states. We decided we couldn’t skip Halloween so we celebrated it in the best way we could after going swimming on a hot day first!( I know weird right? Swimming on Halloween? Some years it snows!) Faith and I set on a quest to find watermelons. Watermelons you ask? What does that have to do with Halloween? Well, remember this is Ghana and not everything is readily available like pumpkins so we resorted to the next best thing and better tasting, watermelon. We walked all around the neighborhood trying to find watermelon at fruit stands but we were out of luck until we were almost home and saw a lady selling them in a laundry figure. Go figure! Moral of the story; look close to home and in laundry baskets for watermelon before tracking out to Timbuktu! Good moral right?
Anyways, later we made apple crisp, a fallish delight, and then wait for it, the best part of the evening, can you guess??????
We carved the watermelons!!! We were very resourceful with our resources here and decided that we couldn’t just skip out on not carving pumpkins so we carved the watermelon. Faith and I competed against the downstairs girls as we had thirty minutes to carve it. It was very fun and tastier than carving pumpkins! We carved the Ghanaian flag, a soccer ball, and Ghana. They carved black stars(name of soccer team) and a soccer ball. You won’t hurt my feelings, I know theirs is better, we’re over it now. The night got better as we put candles in our pumpkins and ate pumpkin seeds which we were able to find at the store! Then we took them outside on our porch and just sat there talking. We wanted our guard to judge them but he wasn’t home yet from church. We waited in anticipation until her arrived home. I will never forget his reaction as he saw us sitting on the porch next to lit up carved watermelon. As he is a polite young man, he did not pick a winner even though we all know the downstairs pumpkin was better than ours. We then explained to him about Halloween and how we wished we could pass out candy outside to kids. I think we are going to do it next year and just teach them what it is! He then told us he saw a cartoon about a square pumpkin which we never heard before so we even got in a Halloween story! What a complete night. Daniel our guard, who is our age, has much wisdom at a young age and is a hope for Ghana as he talked to us about how children don’t respect their parents and parents don’t require it. He says it stems from the parents but it also comes from the books they read and shows they watch. He also said that the difference between Ghana and the US was we act on our thoughts whereas Ghanaians just talk and don’t do anything about it. It was really interesting to hear that from a Ghanaian but so true at the same time. I don’t think we should take away their African culture but there are ways to help improve it. He encouraged us as teachers to keep on strong because we never know who we will impact as he still remembers his teachers. This is very true especially with the kids we teach as they will be world leaders someday, I can already name which ones. Sometimes teaching can seem like a lesser profession but this is not true as I am proud of what I am instilling in my young students. I am planting seeds for the harvest and creating lifelong learning skills. I love the community that I have made with the girls in my house and even with my guard. He is not just a lowly guard, he is the hope for the future, a young man who has Faith in Christ and a heart for his nation. It takes all types of people from all types of life to create a lasting and meaningful community.

Bouncy Castles and Beyond!

Aren't they cute? Read below to find out about our fun Friday! The picture above this shows the teachers that dressed up. The first two show the bouncy castles, popcorn machine, and juice maker. Find out more below!

Bouncy Castles and Beyond!
Yes, I said Bouncy Castles and yes I do live in Ghana. This is what I have been trying to tell you, I live in a different Africa than what you think of due to the students that we teach. This is as you have heard me say before, is somewhat difficult as I have a heart for those with the least but it is my calling right now to reach out to my students. One way this can be done is by the “awe effect” which takes a little more with the students’ standards. This past month has been reading month where I have been recording the number of pages that each student reads every night. We have been competing with the rest of the school to see which class can read the most. My class has read over 20,000 pages which is amazing! To celebrate their hard work, we had parties galore on Friday. So back to the bouncy castles; one family who employs most of Ghana, provided the pre-kindergarten through second grade with a bouncy castle, juice machine, and popcorn maker. I have shown some pictures below but do not want to put too many on of the kids for their safety. I even got to jump with them which was really fun! Yes, this is not typical Ghana but it is the world of our kids. The kids did work hard in reading so it was good we could reward them in such a fun way. We just had to be careful since the electricity went off and the bouncy castle deflated very quickly!
In the afternoon, we continued the party with ice cream and toppings. We had so much of everything and it was a little chaotic for the teachers to get everything together but we figures why not give the kids more sugar!
If this wasn’t enough excitement for one day, we added more by it being character dress up day(aka we can’t celebrate Halloween but we can dress up as a book character.) No, Halloween is not celebrated as much or at all in Ghana as it is in America. Most Americans see it as a fun time to dress up and get free candy but if people in the African culture know what it is, then they usually associate it with evil spirits. My kids didn’t even know what pumpkins were so I had to explain to them which is quite difficult! Anyways, we all came together as a student body at the beginning of the day to look at everyone’s book character which you can also somewhat see in the pictures. I had a Minnie Mouse, two Ben 10’s (not sure?) and others who just wore different clothes so they didn’t have to wear their uniform! I also dressed up which proved to be very fun. I hope you all have read Sideways Story from Wayside School by Louis Sachar as they are hilarious and crazy. My kids are familiar with them as I am already reading to them the second book. At the beginning of the first book, the current teacher, Mrs. Gorf, turns the kids into apples if they misbehave. She wiggles her right pointy ear, then her left, sticks out her tongue, and then they turn into apples. Don’t worry, the kids end up turning her into an apple by making her look in a mirror and then Louis the yard teacher eats her on accident. I promise it is a family friendly book! So, I dressed up as Mrs. Gorf and carried around apples with their names on it. It helped with discipline as I told the kids I would turn them in to apples if they misbehaved! Don’t worry, they knew I was kidding! You can definitely tell that I got a lot of instructional time in today, you should be proud. Okay, so it wasn’t the most productive day but I am learning that each day does not have to be like that. The students do need a break once and a while and we can still learn through different experiences as the students always need help with cooperation, waiting patiently, and being thankful for what they have. You can be guaranteed that I will hit the books hard on Monday so grass can’t grow under our feet!

Lif of a TCK

As you might have realized by now, I am not saving all of the children on the street who don’t have an education or food. I build relationships with them but my number one job right now is to teach the children at AIS who come from different backgrounds than the children living on the streets but they still require the same amount of love. This summer during my training, I learned about TCK’s which are Third Culture Kids. They are kids who are from one culture, are moved into a new culture, which then creates a third culture as they are surrounded by a community that has also moved from their first culture. Let me give you a few examples of a Third Culture Kid.
I have students who had been to over 23 countries, probably more than I will ever go to! Most of the students have lived in multiple countries and will probably move again within the next several years. Last week, I lost a student who will be going to Argentina. The kids were talking about how they were sad but that they could be brave because they would see her again. We also had another family leave this week and during chapel we prayed for them and then said goodbye. The kids were sad but they are use to so many goodbyes and hellos.
One thing about these children’s lives that effects them in the classroom is their living situations. The parents of these children have prestigious job that require them to travel a lot. Each day when I take prayer requests, I normally have a few who want to pray for their parents who are traveling. They aren’t sure where they are or when they will be back, but they know they are gone and they miss them. This does affect their school work as there routine at home is thrown off and they are worried about their parents. Also, in this culture, the father handles the discipline and school achievements. If the father is gone, some of the students tend to act up more or not get help from with their work.
I have some students’ whose parents work outside of Ghana so they live with relatives because it is safer here. These students tend to be more touchy feely as they don’t get the affectionate touch at home. One small girl the other day hugged me from behind and then said that sometimes she makes mistakes. I told her that we all do but God still loves us. She then went on to tell me that sometimes she forgets she isn’t hugging her mother when she hugs other people. This is a small girl who clearly needs a hug from her mom who she only sees on short breaks or during the holidays as she works in a different country. Yes, these parents are able to provide nicely for their children, but are they able to provide the care and nurturing that these small children desperately need? Now I am not in their shoes, so I have no right to judge but I do know that it does affect the children academically and emotionally. That is why it is my job to provide the care that these students need. It might not seem like they need saving as they have it pretty well of but inside they are crying out for someone to care for them. I know that my job is to love on these kids unconditionally because chances are they will be future leaders who will be better off if they know how it is to be loved and to love back. Please pray for my children who are constantly worrying about their parents traveling or miss seeing their parents on a daily basis. They need the strength to press on each day as this emotional roller coaster they go through does wear on them.
One quick story; this week we were talking about being a citizen and one boy said that he was a citizen of the United States because he was born there. I told him that anyone born in the U.S. automatically is a U.S. citizen. He then said that he was actually born in an airplane. We said, “really? That is amazing!” He said, “I think so, well I am half white and half black.” This statement puzzled me as I wasn’t sure why he threw that comment out there but then he proceeded to say, “well I must have been born in an airplane since I am half American and half African but not just one.” In his mind, he was born between the two countries since he has a little bit of both in him so he must have been born in airplane and not just in one of the countries. I hope this makes since. I guess you had to be there to understand it but this is a perfect example of something a TCK would say as they try to figure out where they belong in life.

Clearing the Land and Filling our Hearts

Rich, green leaves surrounding the countryside. Large rolling hills cover the background as the defining white clouds stamp sponge over the inviting blue sky. Oh the life of Accra, how I love it!
Okay, if you have been reading any of my blogs, I hope you won’t believe any of this nonsense because they are not synonyms of Accra. To experience real life, you must travel out of the city which I did yesterday to help at Children of the Light. If you haven’t read my other blogs, no need to fear because I will tell you right now that it was started by the lady who teaches the preschool program at school. She is originally from New Zealand but married a Ghanaian so has been living here for 15 years. She started this ministry for the children in her village who are not getting a proper education in the public schools. The students in the area can come to her house Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday after school to get extra help and learn about the Bible. I have pictures below that show the kids sprawled out in her driveway with a container that has many books for them to use. She is running out of room here so she is in the process of buying land down the hill from her. It is all bush there so she is working on clearing the land so she can hopefully start building on it.
Yesterday, some of us went to help clear the land: move rocks, clean up weeks, and rake the soil. This is where I saw nature which I don’t get much in the city and where I realized that I belong out in the bush, living with the people. I love hearing Auntie Jean’s vision for the land. She talks about all the things she will do, like put a road to it since there is only a small rocky path that connects it to the town. She doesn’t even have all of the land purchased yet but she knows the money will come and the plans will be set in stone as she has full complete in Christ. After all, she did start this ngo on her own from nothing so I don’t think anything can stop her. Her testimony is extraordinary as there are many times in my life that I don’t try to accomplish something because I know it isn’t possible. Here is a lady who is taking nothing and turning it into the impossible! I wish you could all see the land, oh yeah, I included some pictures so you can get a small glimpse of what is to come. See if you can picture the grass where the dirt is, a pavilion in the background, containers lined with thousand of books. If you can’t, don’t worry because Auntie Jean can see it and believe it.
After we worked for awhile, we ventured down the hill to the small stream at the bottom. We came across a man who had a palm wine distillery set up underneath his palm leave hut. Yes, you heard me, he was making palm wine! You never know what you will come across if you look for it. They showed us the process of how they chop the tree down, cut a bowl shape whole in the side of it, and then let the sap pour into a can. We were surrounded by palm trees being ripped of their sweet sap but the process was amazing to watch. So yes, they are making wine, but this is how they make a living. They are not begging on the side of the road but yet using their resources to provide for their family as they are proud of their work. I enjoy being out of the city as life is much more simple and it is freeing. I have more opportunities to interact with the people and be amazed at how they can turn nothing into there own business. Through that time with the men, we met his son and Auntie Jean invited him to come to Children of the Light which will be a resource for him to gain more English and here about our Savior. Through this small adventure, God might be able to use Auntie Jean to reach this family for Christ. I am learning to take every opportunity to explore the land and the people as you never know what you might come across.