The time difference between Oklahoma and Ghana is 6 hours with Ghana being ahead. This becomes important when you want to communicate. During my trip to Ghana in August, many of the wonderful friends and brief acquaintances I made would ask for my phone number. This really interested me as I really could not imagine them ever calling me. How wrong I was! I receive at least one to two calls each week from my Ghanaian friends. You see, relationships are very important to them. When they call me, it is not to ask for anything or to give me some juicy gossip. The conversation is usually just about them wanting to hear my voice, tell me they are thinking about me and to wish me God's blessings. The call only lasts a couple of minutes, but it seems important to them. Usually I receive these calls between 11am and 2pm, which means they are calling me at the end of their day. What an honor to be thought of and receive such a special call from people across the ocean who I have really only spent a hand full of hours with.
I can not think of one time when I have ever called someone I barely know even if they just lived across town or someone I see at work or at church. There are many times when a reason presents itself and I SHOULD call...when I hear about a hardship someone at work is enduring, a church family has a special celebration, or a neighbor down the way is in need of help.
Many of us are busy with our own lives and even though we know we could make a difference with a simple phone call or hand-written note, we just don't seem to find the few minutes it would take. Why is that? Shouldn't relationships, "people", be more important than that weekly TV show, or playing a game on the computer/Wii?
I must admit I am so guilty of not making relationships a priority. As a matter of fact, just this past Friday night at 1am....the middle of MY sleep, my cell phone rang. I am like
sooooooo grumpy when my sleep gets interrupted...but, you know, it might be an emergency. I get up and look at the calling number.....are you kidding me? It is a call from Ghana! Well, you know what I did! I just clicked that phone off and went back to bed. I know, it is 7am in Ghana, so someone must have just forgotten about the time change...but, really, don't call in the middle of the night just to say "Hi". It took me a little while to get back to sleep and the I'm up at 5am to get ready for work. I did think about that call and wonder who it was, but only for a few minutes before my busy day really got going.
Well, guess what. Saturday night at 2am in the middle of MY sleep, the phone rings and it is again from Ghana! I hesitated for a second and then I answered the phone. On the other end of that phone was the bright, cheerful, smiling voice of a young lady I met at the school. She starting her day by calling me to say hello and to hear my voice. Her excitement is clearly heard in her voice. She wishes me a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. She tells me she is so happy to talk to me and is anxious for me to come see her. The call lasted less than 4 minutes.
I have thought a lot about that short call today. I probably spent less than a total of 2
hours with this young lady over a 4 day period of time and yet, she remembers me, takes the time to call (several times) just to say hello. She is honoring me with a relationship of friendship. And, I owe her the respect of answering her call. The sound of her joyous voice told me how important it was to her that I answer the phone and that she be able to hear my voice. I will always answer my phone when someone calls if it is at all possible. My time is NOT more important than that of the person who is taking the time to call me.
Matthew 13:34. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."
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