A Local Swing Set

Last Wednesday, while we were waiting for our friend to come for visitation, our kids went to play with the other children. Here is what they came up with... a local swing set. Our at least a Tarzan version of one.

Please click on this photo to see how high Junior is swinging! He is in the middle of the pictures holding on for dear life!

Spiritual Warfare

In this modern world were everything has become distance and impersonal, even warfare is effected. Long gone are the days of hand to hand combat, and looking the enemy in the eyes. These days, battles seem to be fought by pushing a button, dropping a bomb, and at the most personally pulling a trigger. These forms of sterile combat seem to distance the warrior from the reality and brutality of war. And so seems the case of the average Christian experience.

In Christian experience today the battle is seldom face to face. No longer does the average missionary stand toe to toe with a witch doctor and the powers of hell. He does not seem to see the physical manifestations of the warfare. For this reason to some, out of sight is out of mind! Since they do not see it, they refuse to see that there really is a war going on. But as any soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan knows, just becomes a person cannot see the snipers bullets does not mean that they can not kill them.

These last two weeks have been a good reminder of this conflict. I have been reading a book written by a former China Inland Mission missionary, which talks about the spiritual warfare that a Christian must fight. Then as if on queue the bullets began to fly.

I have learned a few things about warfare in the last few years. It seems as if Satan likes the path of least resistance. By this I mean, he loves to work with the less direct forms of conflict first, and does not move to more obvious forms of attack unless necessary.

The best way to describe what I am talking about would be tell some stories that my pastor told me while I was growing up. My pastor served two tours of duty during the Vietnam War. This is what he told me. He said that the Vietcong preferred to stay hidden. They knew that they could not match the US forces in direct combat, so they used other means. Many times they loved to use the environment. Vietnam is mostly covered with rain forest, small villages, and rice paddies. This helped the Vietcong greatly. They would use the surrounds to aid their fight. At times they would lay bubby traps in trails, rice paddies, or in the jungle, hoping that the enemy soldier would die in these traps, before they would even have to face them.

The Vietcong also would use the local population. Pastor told me of the times when they would enter the villages. The children would run to meet them. Most of the G.I.s would give out candy from their k-rations. But, after a while this became a problem. Sometimes the Vietcong would give the young children grenades so that when they would come up to the soldier they would explode and kill everyone. He put it this way, “The problem was a person never knew if the mama san that smiled at them in the day, was the one shooting an AK-47 at them at night!”

This is how the devil likes to work, subtle things, little distractions that hinder the work, or stop the advance. This last two weeks have shown us a lot of these environmental attacks.

Rainy season has started here. Well, at least in season, if not in reality. We understand that the rains are a blessing and necessary. But they also bring a hardship. Most of the people that attend our services have to walk long distances. For this reason it is very hard to attend while it is raining. The rain here is not like the light droplets of America, when it rains here it is like a hurricane. For a better description click here. I have come to learn that rain and low attendance are just a part of life. But the last three weeks have been difficult. The rains have not been coming on most days. During these weeks it has not rained at other times of the week. It will only rain about 45 minutes before service time. Most times it will rain until 10 minutes after starting time. This rain affectively stopped most if not all people from attending services. These circumstances have taught us to pray more specifically.

Music is also another weapon used very greatly here. The average American church has a great opportunity to change the environment that it is placed in. In most places in Michigan where I come from, a bar cannot be built within a quarter mile of a church building. In America sound ordinances and community laws keep the outside distractions to a minimum. But this is not the case here.

Many Sunday are a fight in regard to noise. Smaller churches in Ghana use school building. In the classroom block that our Bible Studies are located in, there is another ‘church’. Also down the hill another ‘church’ has a large building. Like most churches in Ghana, these groups have one goal: noise. Many classrooms on Sunday will have about ten to twenty people inside, but outside near the entrances will be speakers. These are connected to the microphones, drums, keyboards. These speakers tend to be quite large, able to service an entire baseball stadium. Much of the noise begins once the majority of the people arrive and this continues until the services are concluded. Our group has learned to pray that the people in these groups either arrive early or late. So that the noise will begin and end before or after our Study has been held.

This Sunday, I was quite please that the school campus was very quite. Then just as the service was started … it began. I have learned to handle the rhythmic sounds of the tongue speaking, and the off key noises of the chants, but this was different. It was a heavy, thumping, driving beat! It was so loud that it seemed to fill everything. It was followed by lusty Twi music. This had a much more powerful spirit! (We found out later that a few houses down a family was going to have a wedding and the sound guys had come early and where testing the systems). I do not know if the reader has ever been to a rock concert, but it is quiet difficult to have church and a rock concert at the same time. All we could do was pray. The rain the night before had slowed the arrive
al of the most people. So we had a few minutes to pray. Thankfully by the time that the first ten people arrived the volume had reduced and our singing was able to help. Finally by preaching time all the battle seemed over and the teaching time went well.

Children, believe it our night can also be a weapon. In all our Bible studies we encourage children to come. Most of our Bible Studies my wife holds a separate service for the kids. But there are times, when they are not welcome.

Back in college, I came on a trip to Ghana. The pastor that our group was helping lived near a shrine and a local fetish priestess. The priestess had a rather large number of children. During our two weeks there, our group was able to meet them. Many of them where quiet nice and we all hoped to bring them to services and help them to become believers in Christ. But, then the first Thursday night came. The priestess was not happy about our work in the village, and was very angry that some people had converted.

That night our group was holding services near the pastor’s house, and as the services began, the children from the shrine came in. At first all was well, but then the fighting began. As the people began to sing, the children started to cause problems. One or two began to run around the tent. A few later on began to scream and wail. During the preaching one boy began to make growling noises that were quit beastly.

After the services many of the people were afraid. They knew that the spirits had entered the children. The pastor told us that many times the priestess would asks the spirit to possess the children, and then send them to the services to disrupt. It was a very powerful lesson!

Though I have never had anyone tell me that a fetish person is sending children in our studies, at times a person wonders. This Sunday, it happened as in times past. The services and preaching will be going on well, when the children will come. Not the normal group that attend, but children that we have not seen before. They will stand at the windows and laugh, open and close the shutters. So times they will run through the back of the school room shouting. They will throw things in windows. At times people will be sent to chase the bad ones away, but each time they return after a few minutes. The only thing that seems to work is patience and prayer.

These distractions seem to be the most used weapons in Satan’s arsenal. Our services have been visited by drunks, rabid dogs, crazy people, people filming a movie, and even angry watchmen with machetes. But over all the answer to them has been patience and prayer.

Reading this book it has been a good reminder. Though as of yet, we have not faced any direct fights with the agents of evil, we have faced battles with circumstance and troubles. Through each sickness, problem, and hardship that is not from God, we have learned that prayer is key.

What missionaries need today are support groups. Groups that support through effective, specific, Spirit led pray. Though many missionaries do not face the brutalities of hand to hand combat, they are still at war. They still need prayers.

Family Birthday

It was that time again! Time for our family birthday party. Normally our family has this party in July. This allows us to celebrate the 4th of July (covertly) and Patty's birthday all at the same time. One might ask why we have a family birthday??? The answer to that is simple. Our daughters birthdays and my birth fall very close to a beloved holiday that falls in late December. Our families tries very hard to call and write during these times, but it seemed that with living so far away it was to much to ask for people to buy, mail, and remember to ship very early for all these different birthday around Christmas. So our family came up with the idea of a family birthday. Since we never felt very free to celebrate America's independents day, and since Patty has the lone birthday in the summer, why not celebrate it all together! Thus, the family birthday was created. Just one big envelop for cards, or one big box for gifts! It works great! But, this year it came early. The families, loaded my sister with gifts when she took here trip. (I think that they filled four 50 pounds bags). So after two weeks of waiting, our impatient took control, so we decided to have it early! Here are some photos from our big day.

The girls loved the new bubble wands. Ella was laughing and screaming trying to catch the millions of little bubbles.

Some of our grub! Patty bought me a new charcoal grill for my gift! So we had hamburgers for our dinner!

No I did not forget to turn the picture. This just shows how Carey loves to hang upside down and laugh!

After food we played games. Hop-scotch.

Bean bag toss. This big white-blue thing is the bean bag that Carey throw at me. I was laying down trying to take pictures, and she thought it would be fun to beam daddy! Well she did!

Throwing bean bags

After it got dark it was time to come inside and play our new game, Tumbling Monkeys. Thanks Aunt Lyn, the game is great!

Then another quick time outside in the dark with the new glow bracelets and wands!

Then last, but not least, the CAKE! Our theme this year was the beach and bright colors. So, Patty made a sand castle cake. It was chocolate, with vanilla frosting, with graham cracker sand! YUMM!!!

Foto Faves!!!!

Here are a few pictures from the past week-

Rasta Man

(Click on photo to enlarge)

Every Friday I pass this guy and his lottery stand. It is located in Kasse, near the industrial part of the city. Each week we would greet him as we were passing by. About two weeks ago while walking around with my friend Andrew, I decided to ask this Rastafarian if I could take his picture. I just loved the mix of the yellow lotto stand, his dreadlocks and little papers. I was not to sure if he would be keen on the whole idea at first, but to my surprise he gave me a big smile and told me I could.

(By the way, a person would not know it from the picture, but this man that the reader sees with his broad shoulders, has polio. Under the table, both of his legs have been withered by polio. Ghanaian are amazing people. Though he has a difficulty he does not let it bother him, he just keeps on living and working!)

This is my photo entry for the i-heart-faces yellow photo challenge. If you want to see more yellow just click here.

Mornings

As I was riding in a taxi at about 5:45am to meet someone, the sights and sounds of the Ghanaian morning greeted me. Mornings are so different here. For one they are always full and abrupt, like most things. Being so close to the equator, a person here does not enjoy the long drawn out sunrises and sunsets of the northern continents, but a more extreme change. One minute it is the dark of night, and within 15 minutes it is the light of day. Now the sun at this time is the not the intense sun of the African afternoon, but still as bright as most places in Michigan at about 11:00 in the morning in summer.

Everything starts in this short span of time that is called dawn. Every morning it starts at the same time: from 6:00 to 6:15. One moment the place is quiet and empty, and then all at once the world awakes. The sounds of roosters are heard (yes, even in the city), and soon to follow is the inevitable sounds of sweeping.

In front of each compound, house, and store are ladies. Some not much older then mere girls, others elderly stooped with age; but all are working at the same task: sweeping. This is considered one of the most important tasks of domestic live. No self-respecting Ghanaian women can leave it undone. Whether hard packed dirt, concrete slab, or grass, each living area must be swept and clean. Ever last wrapper, bag, fallen leave, and piece of litter must be removed.

As a passer by sees them they are each stooped over, bent as if the hips where a hinge (in a way that only an African can). They use a small broom, made with dried broom grass steams. The air is filled with sounds: scraping and scratching, much like a plastic rake in leaves. Each lady is covered in her wrapper. This is a bolt width piece of cloth, about two meters in length that is wrapped around the body and precariously tied under the arm pit. Each lady greets the passers by with her morning greetings. These polite comments are passed through teeth busily chewing on chew sticks.


As the ladies prepare the compounds, the men prepare for work. Most people do not live with indoor plumbing. This fact has produced some interesting morning rituals. The men grab their things and make there morning trek to the water hole, a.k.a. bath houses. Each community has them and each man wants to be first in line. This conjures up memories of summer camp. Woe to the camper that sleeps in late, and is at the back of the line. Baba one of our converts from our last church told me, that most morning he would be up and at the showers by five in the morning, if he did not want to be in line for over an hour.

Each man is armed with his bucket of water, soap, towel, and washcloth. (Now, when I say washcloth, do not get in mind a nice soft American version, with cotton fibers, but rather an African ‘loofah’ of sorts. It is a three foot long piece of plastic mess that is very useful for rubbing and scouring off all dirt. I beg no soft skinned broni to dare to attempt the use of this brush, which would probably remove the first two layers of his skin).

After washing the body and cleaning the compound comes the teeth brushing. One might ask what this has to do with community life, but that person does not know Africa. The rooms are small, and the gutter is outside, so why not brush the teeth outside


As I passed by I was greeted by many faces covered in white tooth paste foam. Each person is in a different state of readiness for the day. But each one is holding a plastic cup with water and his tooth brush. Ever conceivable part of the teeth are scrubbed and re-scrubbed. I can imagine seeing the dentist standing by with a great big smile as he watches these people perform their daily oral duty with more attention to detail then he pays to his own teeth. Then they scrub the tongue. I am still not sure why this is so important, but I have failed to see a person neglect this part of the job. Soon the work is done and all that remains is the white tooth paste foam. Most African are so absorbed in their task that by the time the finish they have a ring of white paste around there mouth, much reminiscent of a rabid dog. After a few rinses of the mouth and removing the foam, the smile is ready for the day.

After using the water in the house it is time to refill the reservoir. Each of the poorer communities has a well, pump, or water source of some kind. In Kumasi, most people that do have wells sell their water. The tap is set up so that a long plastic pipe is arranged much like a shower, but with out the shower head. Each person is then able to fill their bucket while it is still on their head. The person manning the well takes the money and fills the container to the brim.

Soon the sides of the roadways are filled with people walking home with their water bowls. Though the water is less then an inch from the brim and though it is being carried on the head, very little of the two to five gallons of water is spilled. It is amazing to watch the parade of people. They are in some kind of dance, the movements ever so slight. The neck and hips seem to roll in this now unconscious effort to keep the water pails straight.

Finally the house work is done and its time to eat. It is about 6:30 in the morning. The men and women are heading off to work sights and markets. Dotted up and down each road are food sellers, each seller calling out her special call to passers by. There is the tea seller, ready prepared with her sugar and cream. Many old men sit around talking as they eat the fresh hot bread that they enjoy with their tea. Then there are the porridge sellers. They sit in their spots with large aluminum pots. These kettles drum size pots are steaming with their warm contents. Each pot is filled with rice or corn porridge and covered with clean plastic sheets to keep the heat in. Next to her sits her frying pan filled with hot oil, cooking over a charcoal cooking stand. Her daughter or sister is busily cooking the kussa. (This is a donut type confection made from bean flour). Most people wait patiently in line as their stomach rubbles.

Everywhere people are going about their way. Greeting and chatting. ‘Good mornings’ and ‘how are yous’ are on everyone’s lips. Bags of warm porridge are in many hands. The news from the night before is being relayed, and by 7:30 the store keepers are opening their gates, and people are heading to the junctions and taxi stations to start the day.

Missions Trip Glimpses

The middle of last week marked the end of a two week missions trip. The weeks where filled with activities and fun. It would be almost impossible to report about all the things that took place, so here are a few pictures that where taken during the trip.

Small boy near the lumber mills. I pass by his mother's work place almost every week.
Rhonda greeting one of the girls near the saw mills.
The girls at the zoo.

Most people think that when they visit us, they will have the chance to see alot of animals. But, since our family lives in a city of about two million people. It is needless to say that most of the animals that we see are at the zoo. While on the trip, our family took the ladies to our city zoo. It is not much, but our family really likes it. And what it does not have in animals and funding it makes up for in close contact with the animals. (Here is Rhonda feeding a monkey).

This is old grandpa... he loves hand outs!

The best part about our trip to the zoo was the lions. This female was eating this nice hind quarter when we all arrived at her cage. She was only about four feet away. It was so amazing to watch her feed.
Rhonda and I decided to lean in really close to the bars to get good pictures. At first the lioness did not mind, but after a few minutes of trashing her tale, she decided that she had enough of our watching. That is when she rush the cage and scared all the other ladies half to death! Rhonda and I thought it was quite entertaining, but Lyn would not go back near the lion cages again.
The lioness giving use the evil eye before her charge!
The trip was also filled with lots of cultural learning and experiences. It was nice to visit Bonwire again. This is the home of a famous hand made fabric called Kente.



After visiting Bonwire, it was off to the wood carving village.


The last two days where filled with shopping, shopping, shopping!