What I Wish I Could Tell You

Today is a holiday in Ghana. It is Eid Ul Fitr, the end of Ramadan. Businesses are closed. Schools are closed. I am working. Just like I did on July 1, Republic Day in Ghana and July 4, America's Independence Day. Why? Why didn't I take a day off? Because I am leaving on Home Assignment soon and there is a lot to do. On this side of the ocean, I need to make sure my commitments are fulfilled, that my water bill is paid for the next several months, that my electric bill will be paid for the next several months, that my freezer and refrigerator is emptied and any food that is left is given away. I need to make sure that school fees are paid for September's semester for a special needs student. And, I need to set my schedule for the time I will be stateside. Oh, and packing. Did I mention the challenge of packing?

Then, there is arriving in the US. Who will pick me up from the airport? (My brother and sister-in-law and my sister.) Then, or rather now, I need to be concerned about where I will lay my head. I have no home in the US. A phone...I don't have one in the US. So, that is something else I have had to cosider while I am preparing for my "home assignment." I have at least 20 speaking engagements scheduled and possibly more to come, plus two continuing education conferences to attend. Add to that dentist and doctor appointments.How will I get there? I have no car. Flying to and attending conferences is costly. Living in the US, even with a borrowed bed and a borrowed car is much more costly than living in Lawra and driving a motorcycle. 

Part of this time is vacation for me. I get to spend time with family and friends. It may be home to you, but, for me, I want to picnic and do fun things like ride (Is that the proper word to use?) on a Segway, see fireworks, go on a boat, see a show, go to a movie...I want to eat foods that I haven't had in ages...Mmmm. I'm dreaming! 

And, I want to worship in English! I want to have Communion. I want to be able to sing praises in my heart language. Chances are, there will be all new worship songs and I won't know any of them. 

How can you help? (You can help, you know.) Computer help. A car to drive. A day spent together having fun. Shopping! Gift cards for fuel. Gift cards for restaurants.  Gift cards for amazon.com. All that stuff can help. And, can cut expenses. And, will give memories that when I am in Lawra feeling alone, I can remember the time we had together in the US.

Home Assignment is not for the faint of heart. It is almost four months of a gruelling schedule, visiting churches, talking about ministry and trusting God will provide. Pray for my health. Pray for my sanity. Pray that my needs will be met while in the US . Pray that funds will be raised so I can stay here for five more years. Pray that in all my busyness, I will not forget the One whom I serve.

Brother Lawrence

Several years ago, even before I moved to Ghana, a friend had asked me what concerns did I have about moving to Lawra alone. "Hmmm...I guess it would be that my family would not be close by." I explained the reasons for which my brothers and sister would probably never visit me in Ghana. So, this person told me that he was friends with a Ghanaian. His name was Lawrence. At the time, Lawrence was living in Accra. I was instructed to email Lawrence and tell him that he was to include me in his family. So, I did. Lawrence responded. Of course, I was welcome into his family. And, his home village was in the Lawra area. Who knew? Not the person who gave me Lawrence's name!

Fast forward about two years. I finally move to Ghana. My memories of Lawrence were on the "back burner." I had no idea who he was, where he lived or how to get in contact with him. It is Easter week. I leave for a training with Rev. Dery, which would be held in Kumasi. We show up at Dery's Uncle's house (Rev. Job) at 2:00 in the morning. And we are welcomed like long lost family! I fall into bed. In the morning, I join the group for family devotions...guess who walks into the room. Lawrence! I was introduced to him, finally! It ended up that the people I knew or have met are all part of Lawrence's extended family! His family house is about a five minute motorcycle ride from my house!

Since then, Lawrence and I have seen each other several times a year. He comes for coffee/tea when he is in the area. I attended his father's funeral. When I am in Tamale, I visit him. He makes long, boring meetings not so boring. We've had theological conversations. I ask about his family. He asks about mine. I encourage him and pray for him. He does the same for me. At Rev. Baiden's funeral, he stood next to me as I read the Tribute from the Lawra Mission Circuit. He watches over me like my older brother, Dan, would, if he were here.

And, because Lawrence is a Superintendent Minister in the Methodist Church Ghana and I work alongside Methodist Church Ghana, Lawrence is there to share my joys and challenges in ministry. And, when life gets crazy, he tells me to "breathe" and reminds me of the One Thing that is most important. He sends me to Scripture and prays for me. And, I am thankful that years ago, God put into motion everything needed to give me family when I am so far from my own. Praise God!

I'm Tired of...Saying, "Good-bye!"

It has been happening for a long time now. Aid workers have been leaving Lawra. Some return. Some do not. For the last several months, I have been saying "Good-bye." Sometimes the people leaving were close friends. Sometimes they were acquaintances. They all have one thing in common, they left.

I left, too. I left my passport country to live here in Lawra. I said "Good-bye" to family. I said, "Good-bye" to friends. I said "Good-bye to worship in English. I said "Good-bye" to being at weddings and funerals and life celebrations. I said "Good-bye" to a lifestyle.  

I'm tired of saying, "Good-bye." I did it this past week. I said, "Good-bye" to close friends whom I won't see again until at least November. Saying "Good-bye" is the life of a missionary. People come and go. I come and go. Nothing ever stays the same. There's no "status quo" among aid workers in my area. We are always in a state of flux, as I imagine it is with most missionaries and relief workers.

When I arrive in the USA in a few weeks, there will be a ton of, "Hellos" and, "Aren't you glad to be home?" Home? What is home? I don't have one in the US. I live out of a suitcase, borrow a phone and borrow a car. And, just as I have changed during the time I have been away, so have my family and friends. Again, a state of flux. Even worship - in English - will be different because new music will be played, new songs sung. I don't get much of that in Lawra! So, again, I say "Good-bye" to what was familiar...and I try to have an open mind and embrace all that is new while secretly wishing for familiarity.

I will see a lot of people when I am in the US, plenty of people I know, some will be new friends. Again, there will be plenty of "Good-byes" there, too, especially when I will be in a place for a day or two or three. Except for family and a few friends, the comings and goings will be filled with those "Hellos" and "Good-byes." 

And, you know what? Today, I am tired of saying, "Good-bye." Yet, it is a part of my life. A BIG part. So, I will get some sleep and tomorrow morning I will probably feel much better about the situation. And I will take comfort in knowing that the LORD is always near, never leaving, never changing, always the same. 

I Love Minions, But...

I love Minions, don't you? They are cute. They are silly. They are clueless. I've never seen the Minion movie. I have seen the original Dispicable Me movie, though. Minions were cute then. They still are. But, I wonder...why do these cute little creatures need to be evil? I actually "Googled" Minions. What I discovered was, "Minions are small, yellow creature who have existed since the beginning of time, evolving from singecelled organisms into beings who exist only to serve history's most despicable masters." Oh, no! The life  goal of a Minion is to serve evil. Sigh!

As I was pondering this most important issue (after all, plenty of children watch the Minions. Are they good role models for our children?), the thought came to me...this is how Satan entices us. He makes sin look fun. He makes sin look cute. He makes sin look very appealing to us. And, it isn't until we are "hooked" that we realize that maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

In God's Word, the Bible, Philippians 4:8 says, "Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." That's how we will stay out of trouble. It's all about fixing our thoughts, our minds on things that are honorable, that are pleasing to the Lord.

Oh, I still think the Minions are cute. But, I also think they need a heart change!

Flexability, a Lifestyle

As an American, I like to plan out my schedule...plan my workday, plan my weekends, plan my traveling. I want to know, "When? Where? How? Why? How long?" That doesn't work here. I love the fact that each of my days are totally different one from another. They start the same...coffee or tea, time with God, then, I "go to work." Even if I plan something, it rarely goes that way.

On a recent Saturday, I traveled on my motorcycle to Kunyukuo to be with the mother of a child who had died. As I was with her, I received word that the step child of a church member in Kalsagri had died and the burial would happen soon. So, I hopped on my motorcycle and I was off. (Rev. Clifford, Razak and Steve were there, too.)

When we arrived at Kalsagri, we were greeted by family members and taken to a shady spot to sit. A cold drink was given to each of us. As we spoke with the family, we discovered that the minister of the deceased was not able to come. So, Rev. Clifford was going to do the grave side service. He had no liturgy book with him. But, I had my phone with me. So, I "Googled" Christian burial service" and found several. We were ready! When the time came, Rev. Clifford preached, Razak translated and I helped out with the prayers. We all worked together and God was glorified. The grieving family was most appreciative. And, when we left, we knew we had done the right thing.

Did we have other pland for the day? Yes.Did it matter? No. We went where we were needed. It was a God appointment. This or something similar happens ALL the time. Flexability has to be part of life. If it isn't I wouldn't survive. I guess another way to put it is I need to always be looking for how God intends to use me. It's right in front of my eyes. Lord, may I see the opportunities You set before me.

Uncompromising Faith

Esther is a member of the Kunyukuo Methodist Church. Recently, she received word that her daughter had died down south. The daughter, who was not yet 20 years old, had left the village to travel south hoping to find a job carrying things at market.. Esther traveled to the south for the burial and funeral. But, there also needed to be a funeral in her home village, too. Her culture requires this to happen.

Esther is a follower of Jesus. Her ex-husband follows the Traditional relion. So, when the time came for the Traditional rites to be performed on the parents of the deceased girl, Esther refused. "I am a Christian. I will not take part in these rites." she said. The community elders were not happy. They wanted both the mother and father to participate and, among other things, have their heads shaved. I was notified of this situation. So, I hopped on my motorcycle and traveled to Kunyukuo to meet with the family and some of the elders of the community. A compromise was made, one that was satisfactory to both parties. On the same day and at the same time as the Traditional rites for the father of the girl, the mother, Esther, would meet with us and the pastor. We would have a Christian counterpart to the Traditional rites. 

Saturday, the day for the ceremonies to take place, had arrived. We drove out to Kunyukuo and met at the house of Ester's ex-husband. Chairs were set out. Water was offered. Greetings were made. And then, the service began. The pastor preached an appropriate sermon. Songs were sung. Hands were laid on Esther and we prayed for her. And, soon, it was finished.

I had been touched by Esther's faith. She did not compromise in a difficult situation. Her faith held firm. I don't see that very often. Most times, a little bit of both traditions is done. But, Ester held onto her convictions and was not afraid to speak up. I asked if I could speak. I commended Esther for her faith. And, then I did something that I didn't plan. It was most likely an American thing, totally against culture, but people didn't seem to mind. I took off my cross necklace that I had been wearing since I came to Ghana. It has the word "faith" written on the side of it. I put it around Esther's neck and told her to continue sharing her faith. This cross itself has no power, but, Who it represents does. I encouraged Esther to tell her story of faith in the One True God when people asked about the cross she was now wearing. Then, I sat next to her, and we grieved together. I pray that the Lord will continue to keep Esther's faith strong until the day she sees Him face to face.

For Liz and Christopher

My dear friend, Lizzy, got married on Saturday. I was several thousands of miles away. But, in spirit, I was with her and Christopher. Here is my prayer for them:

Father in Heaven, thank you for this husband, Christopher, and wife, Elizabeth, and their commitment to Christian marriage. As I look ahead, I pray that their future will never lack the convictions that make a marriage strong.

Bless this husband, Christopher. Bless him as provider and protector. Sustain him in all the pressures that come with the task of stewarding a family. May his strength be his wife's boast and pride, and may he so live that his wife may find in him the haven for which the heart of a woman truly longs.

Bless this wife, Elizabeth. Give her a tenderness that makes her great, a deep sense of understanding, and a strong faith in You.Give her that inner beauty of a soul that never fades, that eternal youth that is found in holding fast to the things that never age. May she so live that her husband may be pleased to reverence her in the shrine of his heart.

Teach them that marriage is not living for each other. It is two people uniting and joining hands to serve You. Give them great spiritual purpose in life. May they seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, knowing that You will sustain them through all of life's challenges.

May they minimize each other's weaknesses and be swift to praise and magnify each other's strengths so they might view each other through a lover's kind and patient eyes. Help them everyday to be kind and gentle, More like You. Give them a little something to forgive each day, that their love might learn to be long suffering.

Bless them and develop their characters as they walk together with You. Give them enough hurts to keep them humane, enough failures to keep their hands clenched tightly in Yours, and enough of success to make them sure they walk with You throughout all of their life.

May they never take each other's love for granted but always experience that breathless wonder that exclaims, "Out of all this world, you have chosen me." Then, when life is done and the sun is setting, may they be found then as now, still hand in hand, still very proud, still thanking You for each other.

May they travel together as friends and lovers, brother and sister, husband and wife, father and mother, and as servants of Christ until He shall return or until that day when one shall lay the other into the arms of God. This I ask, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, the Great Lover of our souls. Amen.

Adapted from Dr. Luis H. Evans' Marriage Prayer for Bride and Groom 

God Speaks MY Language!

On a recent afternoon, in the village of Kunyukuo, four of us met for Bible Study. Now, this isn't the type of Bible Study that us Westerners think of when we hear the term "Bible Study." We were reading the Scriptures for Sunday's service in English and Dagaare. I was helping the participants to understand the English and they were helping me to understand the Dagaare. This was basic Bible reading. And, simple explanations.

Those in attendance were Mama Jane (who can read and understand English, but needs reading glasses, so she just listened), Stephen (who can read both English and Dagaare quite well), Ernestina (who can read English some) and myself (who can read both, but understands some Dagaare.) 

First, we read the English passage in Luke. Three of us took turns reading it. Unknown words and concepts were explained. Then, we read the passage in Dagaare. Oh, Ernestina NEVER read Dagaare before today! Her eyes were glued to the page except when her baby was fussing. She was so focused and intent on reading the passage. Her face glowed! God speaks her language! She had seen and heard others read the Dagaare New Testament before, but, now, she was doing it! She was determined to read each word correctly. Stephen helped her along. Isn't this what the body of Christ is all about? Surely, Heaven was rejoicing as I witnessed this heart-touching scene.

Ernestina wants to continue to learn to read Dagaare. She wants to read God's words and understand them. And, I know that God will grant her these desires. I believe that Ernestina, along with Stephen , will one day be leaders in their church. God is showing them the way!

The Blessings of Lost Luggage

After I got over the initial, "What? My suitcase didn't arrive? How could one come and the other stay?" I decided to look at the blessings of lost luggage. The first blessing was the opportunity to spend time with Jesse and Jessica and their mother, Gifty.

The next blessing was seeing Steve and Suzanne and having dinner with them at their house. Steve is a grill master!

Suzanne made perfect tortillas! I am most impressed. Mine are far from perfect.

Project Heal, from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, comes to work in Lawra every year. This year I nearly missed them. We were able to meet for coffee in Accra.

And, my bag arrived, unharmed, bearing gifts for me since it went on holiday in Portugal without me.

When this happens to you, what do you choose? To get upset? Or to see the blessings in the situation? I chose blessing.

A New Adventure, the Last Days

Here it was...my last full day in Ramsbury and parts beyond, all in England. It's been a lovely holiday, but I miss "my people." I'm ready to go back home. I'm not ready to pack! I started the day with a new friend, Susan, and her dog Maisey. We walked along the river and talked, getting to know each other. (She had visited Lawra whilst I was in the US.) 

We went to see The Manor of Ramsbury. It is a huge building, a private residence, not open to the public. But, it was nice to imagine what it must be like inside.In the river were swans...all belonging to the Queen. It seems as if this is something in the history of the nation and has been law for hundreds of years. It is considered an act of treason if you kill a swan.

After our walk, we had coffee with friends and I visited my favorite Cafe' for brunch. Then, I had to walk "home" to pack. How would it all fit? No worries, it did fit. Later in the day, I went to dinner with friends before going into London. I was blessed to have a ride direct to the door of the B&B. I had an early morning flight, so I was staying near the airport this night. After checking in, I walked around a bit, enjoying the sights and hoping to get a good night's sleep.

Check in was very smooth. After I found my gate, I watched the sunrise as I waited for my flight. (The sun rises much earlier here this time of year.) Both flights went well, no problems. I arrived in Accra on time and had friends waiting for me. There was only one small problem. One of my suitcases didn't arrive. It was in Lisbon. I am ashamed to admit, I was not real happy and probably was not the best Christian witness. But, I did apologize the next day when I picked my bag. The people at the airport made the process of filling out the forms and collecting the luggage very easy and painless. I thank God that He had brought me safely home again!

A New Adventure, London

When I made my plans to visit friends in England, I told them that I wanted to be a tourist 20% of the time. Today was my London day! The weather was very cool and overcast. It was perfect for running around a large city. Luke was my tour guide for the day. We traveled into London on the train with Sarah. Less than an hour later, we were at Paddington Station. Sarah went her way, we went ours. 

Since I wanted to ride in a double decker bus, we toured the city from the top of an open air bus, alighting at various places that we wanted to see close up, spending time at each one. It was amazing to see so much history in one spot. Plus, mixed in with centuries old buildings such as Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London, there were modern buildings, such as The Shard and The Gherkin.

With all the places we visited, my favorite was...not Buckingham Palace or Marble Arch or Big Ben or Five Guys Burgers, but St. Paul's Cathedral. (Although, I was a bit disappointed that the Bird Lady from Mary Poppins wasn't there.)

Luke and I spent hours there, thanking God for giving mere humans the ability to create such a beautiful place. It inspires worship. We visited several areas of the Cathedral learning about the history of that particular spot. Then, we did it. We walked up the 528 steps to the top of the dome. Luke was concerned about me. "Will Maakum's knees hold out? Will she have a heart attack?" He was so sweet. All was fine except wen we were coming down and I was reading something on the wall and didn't watch where I was placing me feet. I only missed one step! The view from the top was incredible! 

After a rest, we continued on our touring. My legs were like jelly for quite awhile! God is good, and He gave me the strength to keep on going. We walked over to the bus stop and enjoyed the view for awhile before alighting again. We ended our day at The Mad Bishop and Bear for sustenance before we met Sarah and returned to Ramsbury. It was an exhausting day. It was also a day given to us by God to enjoy. And we did.

A New Adventure, The Bridge

Another low key day. I love those kind of days...things get done, but there is no pressure. Maybe it is those days are the days I trust the Lord more. If I put my day in His hands, what do I have to prove? I'm going off on a "bunny trail," sorry. I met Sarah, Sara and Kerry for a late breakfast at the Cafe Bella. Mmmm. Ali's bread and eggs are delicious. But, an English muffin with egg and bacon - it's hard to beat that! On top of all of that, today was the day I would share part of my story, my calling with a home group of Highworth Community Church, The group usually meets in the home of Stephen and Janet. Tonight they opened it up to anyone who wanted to come. So, it was held at their community Centre, The Bridge.

Janet picked me after she was finished teaching and took me to meet Matt, the main church leader, and his wife, Katherine. Matt and I shared our beliefs, what the Lord was doing in our lives. He asked about how I ended up in Lawra, which was a refreshing question to hear. After a bit, we walked to The Bridge to get the techy type stuff ready for the evening. Then, back to Stephen and Janet's house for dinner. I was real impressed - home made pizza - until Luke, their son, told me it wasn't! That, with a salad and a few other things made a wonderful meal. We all talked about how God was working in our lives. A nice time before going out.

When we arrived at The Bridge, chairs were being moved, coffee and tea were being made. I introduced myself to people as they arrived. Everyone was so welcoming. It was wonderful! The Spirit of the Living God was in this place. 

Matt introduced me, and it was time. My UK debut! I always seem to come alive when I talk about what the Lord has done in my life, especially when I talk to a group of believers. I gave them some information about my background...and how I thought life would be vs. the reality of it all. I am not a "super Christian." I have made myself available to be used by God. That's all it takes. I shared small about what God has done in Kalsagri and is doing in Kunyukuo. And, I invited them to come and see for themselves. 

All in all, it was a wonderful evening at The Bridge. We went back to Stephen and Janet's house afterwards to chill out a bit before returning to Ramsbury. I am so grateful that this opportunity was given to me. I pray seeds have been planted and more people will answer the call of God on their lives.

A New Adventure, A Day Without Rain!

The sun was shining bright and early. After meeting Sarah and Sara for breakfast, I went down to the river. Beautiful! God's creations are amazing. And, today was filled with a variety of His creations, both natural and man made. Sarah and her father, Charles, were my tour guides for the day.

Our first stop was Silbury Hill. It is a prehistoric mound built between 2400 BC and 2300 BC. No one has been able to discover why this mound was built. It has stood the test of time!

Next stop was to see the Avebury Circle of Stones. It's amazing to see,especially when you think about a glacier depositing these in their present location.

Whilst at Avebury, we visited the Church of St. James. I had to climb the steps to the lectern and see what it was like to preach to the congregation!

Next stop, the Hackpen White Horse, which is a chalk figure on Hackpen Hill. It was supposedly cut by the local parish clerk in 1838 to commemorate the coronation of Queen Victoria.

We met up with another friend for dinner - pizza, and returned to Ramsbury to do exciting things like booking a hotel room in London near the airport so I could sleep small before my early flight on Friday.

As you can see, their are some amazing sights, even close to Ramsbury. And, it didn't rain all day! It was a gorgeous day. God has blessed me with several friends who have been making sure I have a memorable time whilst I am here. I am so grateful!