Luke 21:34-36
34But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36Watchtherefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man.
Thanking God for His word and His direction today. Praying what He said to pray for myself and loved ones. I wish I could stand on the tallest mountain with the ability to make everyone hear and listen to His words. We all need to pay close attention when He says things like "take heed".

Ghanaian Tradition

A dear friend said to me that she had learned from the Ghanains to be more relational.  I thought about it many times since she said it.  It is so true!  This is only one example: when a woman gives birth to her firstborn she retreats to her mother’s home for a month or two of training. I’m sure anyone in America is thinking, what? Are they crazy! Not at all.  There is  a precious momma living with us now.  She is sharing my room with her newborn.  Watching the women in her family who’ve gathered around her to teach her how to take care of the umbilical chord, bath and share their secrets of how to comfort her little one is precious.  But more precious is her attitude in receiving this instruction. She is receiving many blessings and memories.  I watch them laugh and giggle during many beautiful moments that they are sharing with one another and the bonding of the family to the infant is impressive.  Occasionally when they speak English and because I am beginning to understand Ga a little,  I find it refreshing that they keep no secrets but converse with one another openly about their feelings, their fears, their mistakes and their triumphs in life.  I’m sure your asking, what about the husband?  He visits often and you know what they say… Absence makes the heart grow fonder.  I am sure they long to be with one another and I am also sure she will return home to him rested and very confident in her abilities.  The bible speaks of the older women teaching the younger women.  The mother and other family members feel so honored to have the opportunity to share and be a part.  My dear friend, you are correct,  we should open our hearts and our minds so that we can become more relational with one another.  The enemy has robbed us of precious moments and memories because we are not more relational.

IT COULD BE YOU

This 8 yr old., Rebecca is precious.  She is beautiful and has a smile that will warm your heart.  She desperately wants a mommie and daddy.  We are praying for God to give her the desire of her heart!

Ghana Bath House

THIS IS OUR GHANA BATH HOUSE.The girls made this special place to bath.  They were so excited when I said I would use this place also.  I am fixing this up for the girls for Christmas.  I am so excited for them to see their new bath house.  More before and after photos to follow.  You can barely see it but they wrote open for business with chalk.  So cute!

I am not sure how to say what I am feeling.  Living at the home with these children has changed my life forever.  I know that it is a good thing to support orphans all over the world.  I do not want to take away from that.  However, would you want someone to support you in your poverty or rescue you from it?

I was thinking last night about some of the things that they live with daily. 

One of the things I miss most is silence.  There is none here.  Maybe for a few hours at night, but a little one is always stirring and someone must answer the call of the soft cry before it becomes wailing waking the others.  I have always been able to retreat to a quiet place until now and wonder how awesome a few moments of silence might be to these children.

 Another is the survival mode they live in.  The runt must fight not to be the runt.  When one advances in the chain another one will retreat to their new found place lower in the chain.  You must prove yourself and live in the moment for there is always someone a little higher on the chain than you. Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like someone was competing with you?  It causes feeling of insecurity, frustration and anxiety.  

The assembly line is another.  Feeding, bathing, just about everything they do is done with the purpose of getting it done.  I remember taking my time bathing my little ones and enjoying every minute of it.  My heart breaks when I think about the necessity of the assembly line in this type of situation.  Unfortunately it is a necessity.

I am very fortunate to have a wonderful family who runs to my side if they think I am hurting or who come together to enjoy blessings.  There are so many times these children have moments that go unattended by another.  No one is there to share.

Can you imagine?  Please try.  And then… ask God what he wants from you.  He just might want you to give, we need givers.  He might just ask you to adopt a child.  Walking in obedience requires faith like the faith he required in II Kings 3 when he told them to dig ditches and he would fill them.  Just as he did then if you are obedient he will be faithful and you will be victorious.

CAPTURED

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ANYONE WANT TO JOIN ME FOR LUNCH

You have to eat the head and the bones if you want to do it Ghanain style

Just When You Think This World is so Big...

God shows how small it really is... What are the chances of someone from America meeting someone from Sweden in Ghana who have the same passion?  Really good when God is in the picture!  This is Lynn and Ellen and not only did they  visit the orphanage several times while they were here but they also have raised money to help us with our Christmas Project.  Thank you Lynn and Ellen so much and may God Bless You!Just When You Think This is Such a Big World... God Shows Up!

GEOGRAPHY LESSON 1

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Today we had a geography lesson.  The children made it so much fun!  They were very impressed that Africa was so large.  They said, "Grandma, we live on the biggest continent, even bigger than America.  Isn't that right?"

A HURTING HEART

A HURTING HEART

What does a hurting heart look like?  I have learned that it might look nothing at all like you think.  It can wear a smile, it can be laughing, playing, singing a song, jumping rope, doing just about anything that would not give the slightest clue that it is aching.  It will however show itself from time to time.  It can be captured in a moment of silence and seen very clearly in the eyes that look like they are seeing something in the far distance.  They are not looking to the space in front of them but the empty space inside.  Perhaps seeing another child with their adoptive parents takes them back to a time when their mother or father was holding them and kissing their face.  A broken heart misses the touches of a mommy and daddy, the security felt in laying their small frame next to their mother’s bosoms or their father’s big strong arms. It  longs to hear I love you, you are so beautiful, you are special and all of the other emotions expressed  the way only a mommy and daddy can do. The most beautiful thing about a broken heart is that it can be mended.  It does not have to stay broken.  Our Heavenly Father knew that we would be broken and healing would need to take place when he created us.  He knew that painful moments in time could be replaced with new moments. Tender, caring and loving moments that can bring healing into the heart of each child that is longing for a mommy and daddy.  In Romans Chapter 8 God’s Word very clearly tells us that we have all been grafted into His family.  That we are in fact joint heirs with Jesus Christ His son.  We do not have a spirit of fear but a spirit of adoption.  I pray that the Spirit of God would move in the hearts of His children to know this spirit of adoption by which we were so graciously accepted into and hurting hearts all over the world would come to know the feeling of being grafted into love by His children.

After a good rainstorm and a leaky roof this appeared on my wall.  I thought it was pretty cool.

 The children are making pictures for the O'leary family.  They love to color and hearing them say Grandma look, Grandma look what I did is so precious. 

Thank you to everyone who donated to Feeding the Orphans so we could have these crayons and notebooks!

Village of Chorkor

We deliver food to families in the village of Chorkor once a month.  This month we were very blessed  to have the founders and  friends from Feeding the Orphans go with us.

He is helping to prepare the fish for the family to sell at the market.

Deep Frying the Fish

A DAY AT THE POOL

The 13 of us loaded up in the taxi and headed for a day at the Ramada swimming pool.  They also have a playground the children enjoyed very much.  This was a reward for obedience, not throwing rubbish down, staying at the table while eating and sticking with their new buddies.  Each child has an older child as a buddy who helps them brush their teeth, etc.  It cost $6.00 for each child under nine and $12.00 for each child over nine.  We also buy a bag of water for $2.00 and the Taxi is $15.00 if anyone would be interested in sponsoring a trip to the pool.  You can contact Feeding the Orphans if you would like to be part of the swimming rewards.  The children love going to the pool Only one had gone before.

Grocery Shopping Ghana

First a ride on the trotro and then off to the market.

I will appreciate Kroger and never complain about shopping again. 

COOKING GHANA STYLE

 

Breakfast

                                                                     Making Fufu

                                                          Eating Rice & Egg for lunch

                                    Shopping for Yams (takes 1 - 3 hours) Not my favorite thing to do.

A typical day at Assurance of Hope

The day starts pretty early, around 5 a.m.  Janet collects the laundry and begin washing by hand for all 46 children and adults.  While Adjua is cooking breakfast the older children who attend school get their baths and get dressed for school.  While they are eating their breakfast the younger children take  their baths and are next in line for breakfast.  After breakfast there is a break while everything is cleaned up and then school begins which last around two hours.  The rest of the day is spent playing and waiting for the older children to  arrive home around 3:30 in the afternoon.  Everyone plays until time for dinner and once we have eaten, cleanup and homework.  The day ends with singing and prayer and then it is off to bed. 

William

Today begins a journey for a little boy, William, who doesn’t even understand how this journey will change his life for the rest of his life. His handicap could potentially keep him from reaching his potential.  Only God knows what William will do with his life, how He will use him.  

We hired out taxi to take us to the hospital in Accra.  As I watched William, this tiny beautiful little boy, I was wondering what he must be thinking leaving his home full of children entering the busy streets of Teshie.  His little face was so serious.

We arrived at the hospital, the largest in Accra, and made our way to the eye clinic.  

The nurses tried but William was having nothing to do with the eye patch or flash light.  He did however take the vegetable pie I got him.   At the end of the day we had what we needed and William will have his eye surgery February 20, 2011.  My heart is so encouraged as I see God working out answers for these children.  Our God is a Great God and nothing is too difficult for Him.

Sippy Cups!

The toddlers have sippy cups.  They absolutely love them!  Thank you so much to those of you who send supplies to Feeding the Orphans.  It may not seem like much but sippy cups are a huge deal for us.  THANK YOU!

Blowing Kisses

Who knew blowing kisses could be such fun.  And you should see them trying to cross their eyes.  We tried looking at the tip of your finger and moving it towards your eyes but nothing worked.  They ask me to cross my eyes every day and every day they laugh like they were seeing it for the first time.   

PRAYER WARRIORS

Today I found myself a little drained mentally, physically and spiritually.  I retired to my room to talk with God and  found myself carried away in prayer and worship.  I realized at some point that there were other  prayers being prayed and as I looked I saw Sandra and Grace sitting on the bed next to me pouring out their hearts with Grandma.  They were concerned that Grandma was crying.  I told them that the tears were  coming because I could feel God's presence and I was so grateful for it.  I also told them they are my little prayer warriors.

Today was pretty good all around.  First time I ventured out with a couple of the younger girls.  On the way home my taxi driver started yelling at a group of boys, ended up getting out of the cab and as they were yelling and starting to push a little I started yelling the name of Jesus.  One of the boys began to try and stop them from pushing and convinced our driver to get back in the cab.  Thank you Jesus.  I also told the driver I would not pay him 5 Ghana CDs that I would only pay three (knowing I had been paying four) and he said he would take 4.  I told him that was ok.    I have to admit, I patted myself on the back for negotiating.

Psalm 23:3
he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
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October 3, 2011

I will be in Ghana October 3 and will begin posting shortly after that.  Thank you for visiting my blog site.