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.