HOME

I have been home for exactly two weeks.  It is almost overwhelming to try and  process everything right now.  My heart is in two places now and they are so opposite of each other in many ways.  The abundance of water here is such a blessing to me now after have two buckets of water for bathing (outside under the trees), brushing teeth, etc. and now, just turning on the tap anytime I want.  Restaraunts galore, air conditioned grocery stores with nice little buggies (everything is carried on your head in a huge metal bowl in Africa) and vehicles to jump in anytime you want to go somewhere (VERY FEW people have cars in Ghana)  are something I just don't take for granted anymore.  I went without television for the past nine months and honestly when I turn it on now I don't like it at all!  When I think about sitting in front of a box and watching other people (literally with "reality" tv) I feel like it is such a waste of time. After living with a people who have nothing watching people who are flaunting the fact that they have an abundace of money being rude, crude and totally unapreciative of what they have is just not how I want to spend my time. I don't have a tv and sometimes I wish I could just sit down and watch a good movie once but there is always my pc which was my television in Ghana. I like to watch people, always have.  I have really noticed that  color is missing in our wardrobes.  In Ghana when everyone wears their traditional African outfits they are arrayed in color and the styles are out of this world awesome. African's love color and so do I after being around it.  Their fabrics are so different than anything you can find here.  I don't know why we are so reserved when it comes to color, and I still am, but it just makes you feel good looking at all of it on the streets on Sundays.  They still get so decked out to go to church and consider anything less not acceptable for God's house. I like it that they consider going to meet with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is reason for putting on your best. I know it is cool and hip to go to church in anything you want and we don't want anyone to feel bad about whey they wear but I still think it is nice to make effort when going before Him, He is worth it.  MUSIC, SINGING and DANCING, oh my! Everywhere you go in Ghana, the market place, the streets, someones home there is music.  It is loud, the kind of loud where we would call the police and complain.  There is no complaining in Ghana and many nights I went to sleep hearing the neighbors music playing. As you walk the music and the voices change but everone is singing, uninhibitedly!  It is so refresing.  I would dance with them and sing and we would all laugh and smile and it was so nice to just be free with what I was feeling.  I pray that the families who have brought Ghanaian children home will make an effort to just be goofballs and dance and sing with their children.  It is a huge part of their heritage and I just want to say a beautiful part of their heritage.

Being torn is tough but I would not give up this experience for anything.  I am blessed to know the people of Ghana and my heart is with 36 orphans that call me Grandma and who I love with all my heart.  I also would never give up the privledge and honor of loving and raising my three girls and having their children be such a huge part of my life or the wonderful friends that I have here in America.

GOD BLESS AMERICA! GOD BLESS GHANA! GOD BLESS TOGO! GOD BLESS US ALL!