We Praise the Lord for our Blessings!

Many of you are aware that when Brother Dan came to the US this year, his main goal was to raise money to purchase a second bus for the school, OAVI.  With 307 students, one bus which seated 50 (80 ghanaian-style) was not enough.  Even with the bus making two rounds in the morning and evening, this would leave many students to walk 5-7 miles.  Taking public transportation 5 days a week to school is too costly and the students have no money anyway. 

With the help of the Lord, Dan was able to raise $11,000 towards the bus.  This left us $10,000 short.  A church in California will be raising money toward this effort in May and will be able to contribute a portion of the amount.  So on faith, Brother Dan discussed the situation with the dealership.  We were able to pay him enough so that we could have the bus now.  Below are pictures of the old bus and the new one!

WOW!

Hard to believe this bus is more than 10 years old!! It has been rebuilt.



Now, look!  It has been dressed up in style!!!



This new bus will only sit 38, however, I somehow believe the Ghanaian students will find a way to put near 50 or so in here.  Besides, they are all pretty small in size and do not mind sitting close!

This morning I had the opportunity to watch Brother Dan as he recorded one of his TV programs.  I wish I understood more Twi than I do.  I do know that the lesson was on Mary and Martha and the one thing we need....and that is to do as Mary did and listen to the teacher!  Study our Bibles, not just read them.....but STUDY them! 

We then went to the school to look at the progress on the guest house.  The school has slowly been building a 10 room guest house as money is available.  We have decided that the way the building is divided, it will be easy to finish one half of it first.  I will live in one room and the clinic will be in another.  So we will work to raise the funds for the roof and the south half of the building first.  This part of the building will have a kitchen, living room and 3 guest room, each with its own bath.  After this section is complete and the clinic is functioning, then we will raise money for the other side.  Below are a couple of pictures of where we are right now.

As soon as we finish raising money for the bus, we will begin fund raising for the finishing of the 1st phase of the guests house so the clinic will have a home. 

Now, so that you don't think it has all been roses....I will let you know, I have had my second hiccup.  I have have the "visitors tummy" for the last 5 days.  First time this has happened to me on a trip.  No appetite, and not feeling "chipper".  I have only been eating cooked oats and plain rice for the last 3 days.  However, today I have an appetite and have actually enjoyed eating!  I will take it slow.

Another church member stopped by this morning with a gift of fruit....pineapple, bananas and watermelon.  I want it all so much......I will slowly start eating the fruit maybe tomorrow.  I want to make sure that what I ate today doesn't stir up trouble again! :)  Cecilia did open a fresh coconut for me today.  It contained about 8 oz. of fluid which we all shared.  It was okey, but not something I would just sit around and drink.

As we continue to pray for this work, of course, there are many scriptures in God's word which come to mind.  But these have been on my heart for the last few days.

Matt. 7:7-8  Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

I Thess. 5:16-18a  Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances.

John 3:30  He must become greater; i must become less.

Settling In....

Well I have been in Ghana for a week.  This time feels so different just knowing that I am not going back home for a least a year.  I actually thought it would bother me more than it does, but I think I am at peace because I am so certain this is the right decision.  With all the technology we have today, I am talking by e-mail daily to friends and family back home.  And my new adoptive family is really taking good care of me.

I am living with the family of Dan Asiamah who is the preacher of the Takoradi Church of Christ and the director of the Outreach Africa Vocational Institute (OAVI) where we will set up the clinic.  Cecilia, his wife, takes care of my every need.  And if she is busy (which she is ) there is Linda, Harvey, Abena, Jr., and Rodney.  Linda will be working with me every day.  She will be my traveling companion, translator, assistant and anything else I need.  She is 23 and wants to be a nurse. 



This is Linda and the car she and I use for business and church! :)  No cruisin'!  :) ha

The weather here is very humid and hot.  Temperature around 90 with 110 percent humidity.  I did not know that I could sweat so much just sitting in the shade or in the house.  I am blessed with an air conditioner which I use at night.  During the day, I keep my door shut and run the ceiling fan when I am working at my desk.  I have a bed & bath to myself at one end of the house.  I have a shower but only cold water; however, at this time, the cold showers are really okey.

I have been very warmly welcomed.  The leaders of the church came by the house on Monday night to welcome me and present me with a gift of a sack of food.  What an honor.  Also 2 students and one of the interpreters who I worked with last year came by to welcome me.  Saturday, I attended a women's seminar.  I was asked to teach a short lesson, which I did.  Not a wonderful lesson, but hopefully presented them some food for thought.  On Sunday, Brother Dan introduced me to the congregation and invited me to say a few words.  Everyone was very welcoming.

NOTE: For all you church goers - Sunday morning service was from 9 til 1:30.  There is no Sunday night service, HOWEVER, tonight (Monday) the Bible study was from 7-9:20pm.  We go again on Wednesday night and I would expect the same.

As I walk down the street with Linda for shopping, I frequently hear the shouts from children, teens and adults of "Obroni" which means "white person".  I try to always give them a wave and smile, to which they laugh and giggle.  Then they yell at me some more for me to tell them "goodbye".  However, once a man came up to me and grabbed onto my arm and didn't appear to want to let go.  Linda removed his hands from my arm and gave him a pushing away sign with her hands to tell him to go on.  Today, we went to the market for a few items and several kids came up to the car when we were at a stop sign, pressing their faces against the windows to see me.  It seems I must get used to this.

The quote; unquote middle income families here take their security very seriously.  The house has a 7 foot concrete wall around it with razor wire curled in big circles on top of it just like you see at high security prisons.  And then, it is hot-wired as well!  The gate is always closed and pad-locked.  Then when we are all in for the night, the doors to the house are closed, locked with dead-bolts and then 2x6 boards are slid into place just like in the ole' west days.  All the windows have rod-iron bars on them.  I am secure. 

This is the view from the front porch.

This is the kitchen

My room

The food is prepared for me by Cecelia and Linda.  There are usually two meals a day; morning and late afternoon.  I eat around 7am and 4pm.  If I want a snack in the afternoon, I usually have some fruit or biscuits (cookies or crackers).  I have not eaten too much Ghanain food, but have had a lot of fish including octopus. 

This week has been a very blessed week.  I pray that all the works we have planned will be successful and bring much needed assistance to this area.  Two nurses from the church came Sunday to greet me and ensure me that they will be assisting  with the clinic when and however they can.  Each of them works at a different government facility.  They will be taking me to visit these facilities and introducing me to those I need to know.

Matt. 6:25-34 is one of my favorite passages.  The "Do Not Worry" passage.

25 I tell you, do not worry about your life........33-34 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given t you as well.  Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Why Am I Here?....

Breanna

Before we discuss the heavy question of why I am here, let me tell you about Breanna.  Some of you know all about Breanna, but for those who don't...she is my "baby".  I have had her since she could fit in the palm of my hand.  I had planned to bring her to Ghana with me, but I had trouble getting an Import Document from Ghana.  So I had to leave her at the airport.  It was a sad day for me.  BUT I am currently working on getting the documents so she can join me.

Now, the question of Why am I Here with Here being Ghana.  This has been a question which many have asked me and few have truly understood.  Sometimes, I think I hardly understand the depth of that question.  I have been reading many books about culture, poverty, developing countries, and most importantly, the Bible.  Scripture is where we should all look for the answers to our questions....But we will get there in a minute. 

After my first trip to Ghana and the decision to come to Ghana was made, the following were my reasons for coming.

1.  They need medical people to come help them.

2.  I want to help others.

3.  The need here seemed greater than in Guatemala where I had been going on short term missions.

4.  The people were so genuine and they asked.

5.  The need I was asked to help with was a need for a long term mission

But this question continues to challenge me.  As things started falling into place for my move, I knew that coming to Ghana was what God wanted me to do.  And of this I am fully convinced.  But I keep having a feeling that there is more.  I have really struggled with being able to put into words some of the additional reasons I believe I came to Ghana.  All of the reasons I have listed above are valid reasons, but there is much more to it and it is much deeper.

Why did I feel that God would want me to leave my home, my family, my friends, my church.  Well, I looked to the Bible and found that he indeed does tell us to "go into all the world", but really?  And Jesus went throughout the land "healing and teaching", but really?  Me?  Why me?  Why do I feel that he wants me to do this?  Well, let's see.  I'm single, medical, physically able, and I also thought this was what I should do.

No, I really don't think I have reached the depth of the answer yet.  Today, as I read and studied, I came across a section in one of my books which I think really made me dig deeper.  I remember telling some of the people I came here with last year that I believed the people of Ghana were very happy and hospitable people.  After being here for a week, I still have not found one person who is not happy.  Oh, I am sure they are here, but to date, I have not found one.  Their roads are bad, yes and most don't have wash machines, and life here is harder, but they are happy.  They go through each day just like I did in the States doing what needs to be done.  But in the Christians here, I see a real peace and a deep faith.  They live each day, one day at a time.  In America, we are always living for what we can have tomorrow.  Where is our faith in God for the morrow?  Do we really believe we are in control?

I believe that all of us are broken as is the whole world.  God is the answer to our reconciliation.  We must put God first and have a meaningful relationship with him.  I believe that my relationship with God is growing and was not where he wanted it to be.  As I dig deep and try to be honest, I believe God sent me to Ghana as much, if not more, for me as he did to help with a clinic.  Yes, he has blessed me greatly and he allowed me to have the opportunity to become a nurse.  He blessed me with a wonderful church family upon whom I can look to for guidance and help.  He blessed me with a loving family.  All of these I have, but I believe I am being asked to build a stronger relationship with God and this is the place and way for that to happen.

Another piece of me which has always been broken is my relationships with others.  I have not always been the daughter, sister, mother, aunt, wife that I should have been.  What I have seen here in Ghana during the last 2 trips and so far now, is the relationships they have.  With life so hard, they have to lean on each other as well as God.  Perhaps, this is a way for God to teach me how to build a better, stronger, more meaningful relationship with others.  This IS God's plan.  I will remain open to the Why Me questions and continue to see what answers I find. 

However, I will also work hard to build trusting, loving, christian relationships here.  These relationships will allow me to begin a successful medical clinic at the school.  I will always keep the Main Thing, the Main Thing....and that is GOD FIRST!  If we believe in him and follow his commands, he will reconcile us to him through Jesus Christ our Lord!  "...But with God, ALL things are possible!"  Matt. 19:26b

Romans 5:1-5, 11

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.....

11 Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

You are Gifts from God....

This is my last week in Oklahoma (actually the U.S.) for a while. As my time quickly nears for my move to Ghana, I have spent time with many family and friends. I want to take this opportunity to tell you all how special you are and how much you mean to me. You are all truly Gifts from God.

Each life that has touch my life has helped to shape who I am. Now, I know some of you are thinking....she already said this a few weeks age....And, in deed I did. However, I have to say this again. I really want you all to know what wonderful Gifts you are. You are each specially made by God and we are each given the ability to touch others each day, whether it be for a short time or for an extended friendship or family ties. As I start this new adventure, I take a piece, a chunk or a bowl full of each of you with me. please know that you will be in my thoughts and prayers.

I wish I had the time, the space, and the memory! to mention each of you here in this note. But knowing that there is not time, space or adequate recollection in my brain to list everyone just proves how blessed I am. I have so many Gifts!

See You Soon! :). Please keep in touch. And May God Bless you all!

Building a Team

I'm not suring I can adequately tell you what a wonderful week this has been.....Busy, but wonderful!  Dan Asiamah, the Director of Outreach Africa and the preacher for the Central Takoradi Church of Christ, has been here visiting with my Memorial Road Church family.  We have been out to eat with many wonderful families this week.  I am sure I will need to purchase bigger clothes next week!  Ugh!

This picture is of Dan, my mother Barbara, my dad Louis, and myself.
On Tuesday Dan, his son Joe, and I rode the Heartland Flyer Train from Oklahoma City to Fort Worth, TX.  We visited with the wonderful people at Healing Hands International (HHI).  HHI receives donated medical equipment and supplies from  various places.  They make sure the items are in good condition and package them in various sized packages.  When another organization comes to them for assistance, they help provide needed equipment and supplies all around the world.

This is Marilyn from HHI with Dan's son, Joe.  It was a pleasure for us to spend time with the workers here and they expressed that it was also for them.  They showed us pictures from places where they have sent supplies, but stated they rarely get to meet the people who they help.

This is me, Brenda Jones, the office manager, Marilyn and Joe.  The HHI team expressed that they would like to be part of the team for the clinic at OAVI.  I am excited about meeting them and their work which will help serve the OAVI/Takoradi area.

Last night, Thursday night, Dan and I met with the MRCC Missions Committee.  We discussed the work at OAVI, the proposed clinic and the Takoradi Church of Christ. There is so much experience represented by the people in this committee.  I know that I will need their advice often.  The meeting with Dan and I lasted about an hour and a half.  The committee still had more to meet about.  However, at 10pm last night I received a fantastic call from John Wilguess, the Director of the Missions Committee.  He informed me that it was a unanimous vote of the committee that MRCC sponsor me!!!  This is wonderful.  Another GREAT addition to the team.

All through the Bible, especially in the New Testament, we are shown examples of Christians working together.  There were 12 disciples, Paul wrote letters of encouragement to several churches, and Paul traveled with John Mark and Barnabas to name just a few examples.  We are all told to 'go and make disciples of all the nations'.  We must unite together as God's family to share his word and do his work.