Last Three Months in Pictures

Well, here is our life the last three months in not so many words.

Glimpses of Life

This last few weeks has been very busy, but also very rewarding. There is no way to describe the joy and contentment of a life with purpose. Lately it has been to busy to find time for journals, but finally after a few weeks of silence I am able to record some interesting events again.

About two weeks ago it was Eid-Al-Fitr. A major Muslim holiday. On Friday all the mosques were full and everyone was wearing their finery. While visiting with one of our converts I heard the prayer calls and decided to walk over to the local mosque. I got there a little early and was able to talk with the malim (equivalent to the sexton of a church, he takes care of the building and grounds). After talking he allowed me to take some pictures of the people coming and going. Finally he asked me what I do. After I told him that I was a missionary he was interested to know why I wanted to learn about Islam. Pray for this man, I hope to be able to give him an Arabic Bible some time in the future. I pray that he will read it and start to seek the truth.

This last few weeks have been great. I have had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with a young man that really wants to learn more about the Bible, and also wants to help with the ministry. About two weeks ago Nat, cooked some really good local food for Andrew and I. If was boiled ripened plantain with a spicy vegetable stew. It was great! The next week I surprised him with food that my wife and I made. It was pepper chicken stew and ripened plantain. It has been great to sit in his house cooking over the charcoal grill and fellow shipping. After eating and while cooking we have lots of time to discuss life and Bible teaching.

After Andrew and his wife went to the capital to wait for their baby to arrive, Nat and I did all the visiting together on Fridays. It was nice to see how God worked things out. I have been working hard not to build dependency in our people. I want to them to trust God, and look at us as equals. This is very hard to do in African culture when you are foreign. But, it was so nice to see God working in all these Friday visitation times. Nat asked if we could walk the 2 kilometers instead of taking a car, so that I would not have to pay. (In Ghana the older person always pays when people travel as a group). I was ready and happy to do this, but he do not want to be a burden so he ask for us to walk. Also last Friday Nat bought my food, when we went to the local chop bar. I was very grateful. I had gone off to get a bottle of coke and a little water and when I returned the food was on the table and ready. Nat and I sat down and eat together, from the same bowl. (This is how good friends eat here). When I went to pay, he told me that he had already paid. It has been so amazing to watch.

Also while we were walking back from visiting last Friday, Nat told me this. "You have taught me alot about how to appreciate Ghana!" I looked at him kind of shocked and said, "What do you mean?" He looked at me and said, "My whole life I have heard people talk bad about Ghana, and tell me that a person must travel to have a good life, but you are different. You always say good things about Ghana. I have heard you say it so much, I believe it. It has helped me to see that Ghana is also a good place, and if a person follows God, he can enjoy life here."

I was pretty overcome with emotion. The old saying proves true. Little pitcher have big ears. People are always listening. I wish that I have always had a good attitude about Ghana, but I have not. I think that my first term I must have made most people think that Ghana was one of the worst places in the world. But God worked in my heart. After hearing another missionary that was an African talk, the Lord convicted me. He always talked to the people like this, "You do this..., you are like this... my people do it like that... and so on." After hearing this and seeing how the people seemed to react to it, I saw what must be done. It was no longer you, but us. Not them but we. After identify myself with the people God had called me to, I started to look for hopefully things. (No one wants to be part of the losing team, everyone want to be a winner). It was amazing how this like change of focus helped so much. I am glad that God has gotten glory and helped others.

On Thursday of last week I say something it Ghana that I have never seen before. Ghana is very peaceful and pretty crime free, but this was a real shock. I was in a taxi on my way back from town. I was sitting in the front seat of the car, when we reached the hill called Oforikrom new side, when everything happened. At this spot the main road passes over the hill and right at the top is a taxi/bus stop. Must of the time the traffic bottle necks here and creates a traffic jam. While the car approached the top of the hill and sat in this traffic I saw it.

One of the tro-tro mates (the guys that tell the passengers where the car is going and collects money) came walking around his car. There on the side of the road, in broad daylight, he pulled out a small plastic bag. As he began to unroll it, he called all the other mates. Soon about five of them were all huddled around him. And right their between the stopped tro-tros and the traffic they began to snort cocaine. They looked like kids in a candy story. Everyone was just walking past them, and they each took about three or four snuffs each. I was shocked!

As our car drove off the driver and I talked about it. He was pretty angry, but told me that most of the mates that work out of one of the main stations in town snort cocaine. They are young men that collect a lot of money through their work and then buy cocaine when they finish work. I have to admit that as I sat in the car I was pretty dumb-founded. What might I see next? The next seven years could be interesting!

The last glimpses of life these last few weeks is one of mixed emotion. Patty and I went out on visitation on Saturday. After taking a few taxis we walked to one of the wood shanty villages that we work in. There we began to greet Bible study attenders and witnessed to Joseph and Cynthia. They are a young couple that attends are Wednesday night services. Well, I took Joseph and Patty took Cynthia. The two and half hours went well, but the understanding is not all their. IT was sad that they were not ready to trust Christ, but it was so wonderful to sit under that small shanty roof, with all the children and chickens around, and have the chance to explain the story of Christ in our local language. Though they have not trusted Christ as Savior yet, I can think of no better way to spend two hours in all the world.

Well, here are a few glimpses of our last three weeks.

The Attack of a Crazy Woman

This last week added another new experience to my wife's list of Africa moments. It all started with our youngest daughter hurting her foot about four weeks ago. She had a puncture wound from a small piece of glass that became infected and need treatment. Each morning about 8:00 Patty needed to pack her up and head off to the hospital for new bandages and medicine.

Well on the particular day of our adventure, Patty set out and had Ella on her hip, since she was not able to walk. As they approached the junction, Patty remember that a crazy woman had been living near the junction for the last few days. For this reason she tried to cross over to the other side of the street. But, just as she tried to do this, a larger truck drove onto the road and parked beside her. There was no were to move. She either had to turn her back on the crazy lady or keep walking forward.

As Patty approached, the crazy woman, (totally unclothed except for a bolt of cloth around her waist) she began to approach Patty. (I might write a post someday about the decent into madness. A person here sees a lot of crazy people, and most of the time they can tell how crazy the person is just by their cloths and actions. Anyway back to the story).

At first Patty thought that she was just going to ask for food, but as she approached, she got a wicked light in her eyes, and reached out to grad Ella. All at once, she was pulling on Ella arm, trying to take her away from Patty. Patty told her to stop, but the woman was not listening. Just then the truck driver drove off, and all the ladies near the shops began to scream and yell. They were all to afraid to help. Patty tried to hit the woman, but she just keep pulling Ella's arm harder. Her was Patty in a tug-o-war with a crazy woman and Ella was in the middle. Patty and Ella were trying to pull away, but the crazy lady was using all her strength! Patty just kept on hitting her and trying to get away.

Suddenly as everyone was screaming and Patty was about to loose hold of Ella, a man came running up. He was dressed in business clothes and carry a leather messenger bag. Well, like David with his sling, he started running and wound up that bag and let it fly. He hit the crazy lady right up side the head and sent her flying.

The man told Patty and Ella to run. At this time all the ladies came over to comfort and she is Ella was hurt. Just then the crazy lady came back. Like a Yankee batting star he line-drived her in the shoulder and knocked her down. The man had to hit her about three times, and finally had to use a stick to chase her off into a distance gutter.

After a few minutes and a few tears, everyone was better. Patty thanked the man and headed off to the hospital. Luckily the crazy lady is gone, and no one is worse for the wear. Patty has had a few interesting experiences over the years with crazy people. But each time we are reminded and thankful for the chance to live in a country were people still help each other and are not afraid to act.

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.

A Pictures Worth a Thousand Words

The last week has been very busy! Activities, preaching, visiting, preparing, disciplining, living, sleeping... no wait that one did not happen that much!

It would take years to describe all of these things to the reader, photos just seem to fit better. Lately, I have been trying to take my camera with me more as I go places. It is challenging at times to remember to pull out the old camera and take pictures, but I find that I am glad I did when I get home.

Here are a few photos from the last week.

Pictures- 1. just some splashes of yellow from around town. 2. A Muslim man and his daughters that we meet out visiting on Friday. They where on the same tro-tro heading to one of the big Mosques in town for prayers. 3. A Rastafarian lottery ticket seller. 4. The view on our way to Matilda and Bismark's house. These people are smoking cow heads. 5/6. Some more splashes of yellow. 7. Andrew eating at our local chop bar (fast food). He and I lovingly call this place Nat's Dinner, since our good friend Nat took us there for the first time. 8. A nice serving of black-eyed peas, white rice, tomato stew, avocado, and chicken! YUMMMY! 9/10. Our two little bronis at the Botanical Gardens. 11. The road near the saw mills, after visiting church people.

I Spy...

My two girls have some small I spy books that they love. When they are in the car with my wife on Mondays, they love to look at them. I hear her calling out things and then I will hear one of the girls say, "I see it". Most of the time the pages are crammed full of everything imaginable. Each page has a theme, but the things in the pictures are colorful mix of the ordinary and the bazaar!

My life the last two weeks seems to have resembled one of these 'I Spy' books. To say the least it has been full. Life lately has been filled with a ton of the ordinary stuff, and a lot the abnormal also. All this activity has made it very difficult to write any updates. But after two weeks, I thought that I should attempt to talk about so of the things that have happened the last few weeks.

In the last two weeks, I spy... Family Time

-Carey has been study countries of the world. For this reason in the last few weeks our family has eaten food from and dressed up as people from the countries China, Mexico with Holland, Japan and other countries coming on the way.

Ella and Carey really enjoyed opening their mini pinatas!

Also Valentine's Day has come and gone. Though the hearts, pink, red, and white decoration are off the walls. The girls still have fun stories to remember.

I spy... Trips to the Capital with Ella

Ella joined my on a trip to the capital to pick up our paper work that the government had finished. While there we visited Ghana one and only Mall. It was great and Ell loved playing on the playground that they have outside near the food court.

I spy... A major accidents

While on our trip to the capital Andrew and I spied this accident. It was roughly around 7:00am in the morning. The accident had accorded about twenty minutes before our arrival. Two large trucks, one a tanker and the other loaded with dry goods, collided and exploded into flames. Our vehicle was in a long line of traffic that was waiting for the Fire Service to arrive and put out the flames. This picture was taken after about 2 hours of waiting while cars where allowed to pass the wreck.

I spy... A change in decade

Yes, it is try. Just last Sunday I passed into a new decade. Though I am far from old, I am no longer young (in the immature sense, at least I hope not!) Patty and the girls did great. The Andrew family was invited over. The meal was great. There where steaks, potatoes, baked beans, stir-fired vegetables, Coke, pumpkin pie! After about 30 minutes of gorging ourselves, the kids went off to play and the adults all played guitars together.

I spy... Two young boy grieving


Last Thursday one of the boys that attends are services on a regular bases on Thursday nights seemed quiet. After church my wife asked him what was trouble him, and he told her that his mother had just died a few days before. His father had divorced his mother many years and ago and was staying at his uncle house. Now that she was dead, he has no parents to help to raise him. The follow day, Andrew and I went to the family house to greet the family and pray with them. The boys seem to be doing well, but they are grieving quietly.

Also on Saturday I attended a funeral for another boy that attends services off and on. His father had died some months before. Here are some pictures from the funeral.

I spy... Asamoah recovering

This last week we visited Asomoah, and he is seeming to be recovering well. I show a x-ray and scan of his skull this week. It looks as if h has a skull fracture, but the doctor says that the operation will need to be delayed for some months to insure that all the swelling has gone down. Currently he is very open to the gospel and is able to listen well.

I spy... People coming back to church and growing

It has been very exciting to see men and women coming to the Bible Studies. Some have returned after missing for some time, some are new, some are very faithful. It has been such a blessing to see people grow and change.

Here is Andrew with a few of our young men that attend on Sunday mornings.

I spy... The City Road Construction People braking our water lines

At the end of every dry season here in Ghana, there is an unofficial holiday. It is called the Braking of the Pipes! Yes, it is the wonderful time of the year when the City Council send out road machine to fix the roads that have corroded in the last rainy season. Generally this workers, with good intentions, come to our community and start to grate the roads. The only problem is that the Water Company and Road Workers have different ideas about how deep pipes should be. Here in Ghana pipes never freeze, so they are not placed very far into the ground. Normal the lines are run about one to two feet deep. This workers great for normal stuff, but when the road here corrode by rain, it leave only about two inches between the road's surface and the pipes. So every year the same thing happens. The tractors come and put down there blades. In about 30 minutes there are about 10 to 15 broken lines, and water cover the whole road. It is all great fun! The road guys finish the job, the local plumbers come and get money for work fixing all the pipes, and the whole community comes out for the sceptical and free water. After about two hours all the buckets are full of the water that would be wasted, the pipes are fixed and recovered, and every goes home. They all 'eagerly' waiting for next years festival.