Friday, June 22, 2007

The Itsy Bitsy Spider

I have no idea where to begin. I have seen so many things and done so many things that I never thought I would do, and I have only been here three weeks. I feel as if I can write for three days and still not relay to you all my thoughts and experiences. Today was my last day at St. Francis. A spot opened up at an organization called pro-link which focuses on HIV/AIDS counseling, which I think is perfect for me! I start there on monday. Anyway...St. francis has been amazing, but I felt that the teachers there were doing an amazing job and i was just being a hinderance to their work as they were trying to rearrange their schedules for me. So today we played shapes and colors bingo, a game that the kids have started to look forward to every friday...it took them a while to get it since the language barrier is so huge...but they LOVE it! We had also been working on the Itsy Bitsy Spider song...which has been a challenege. As I left today all the kids stood up and starting singing it...my eyes filled with tears. It was such a great feeling! I'm sad to leave the school, but also excited to start something new.
The school isn't the only thing that is changing around here. All but about 5 of the volunteers were here fore 3 weeks so this weekend everyone is leaving. It's been harder than I anticipated to see them go as many of us formed close frienships. I hate goodbyes, so the past few days have been hard. I'm ready for the new group to come in though, it is time for a change. 30 girls crammed in a house can get a little tiresome and I'm dying for some change. I've been praying that I can be helpful and a friend to the new volunteers...I want to ease their fears as best I can. I've been looking over Pslam 51 about asking God to create a clean heart...so I hope that is what i can have as new people come....an open and clean heart to begin and form new friendships.
In the afternoons I have been pretty regularly going to the Eugemot orphanage. Those kids have stolen my heart from the minute I met them. As soon as we stepped out of the van they ran up and embraced all of us. They have SO much love to give. I don't think I've loved anyone as quickly as I have loved these kids. I'm going to share a few of their personalities with you.

first there is Catherine, she is 13 and has a face that is so stern, yet she is full of grace. she seems so hard on the outside, but is one of the first to come and greet us when we come to visit. she can carry a 15 lb bucket of water on her head with no problem. eventhough she doesn't talk much, we have a connection.

Godwin who is no more than 7, but you'd think he was 25 with his maturity level. I feel like he takes on so much responsiblity at the orphange. He is so serious all the time; he acts tough, but I know that he wants affection. He'll come up to you with a serious face on and sit down and put his head on your shoulder and stay that way for as long as you let him. I wonder what his life has been like...what all he has seen and heard. My goal is to make him smile. Wordsearches and sharpened pencils seem to do the trick. He is by far my favorite...he is tough love.

then there is Bless...he is 12 going on 18. He is so interested in people...he comes up to us and just asks us question after question. If i were 8 years younger, we'd get married haha. I can tell that he has a heart of gold, and it hurts me to know that his chances of adoption are slim because he is so old. Parents usually want to adopt babies. He is making me ponder and pray about adopting and older child when I am ready for a family. I worry that he will not be able to afford secondary school, since only primary school (grades 1-6) is offered at the orphanage. He can do great things. He also LOVES Jesus. Yesterday out of nowhere he began asking me these intense religious questions....like "how do I know the Bible is true" and "what does faith really mean?" I was so excited that he was questioning things because i think that a lot of ghanaian Christianity is just what people accept without making their faith their own. Me and bless...we're going to be good friends.

One thing I love about ghana is that the people are not afraid to go up and ask you if you are a Christian. granted, it makes some people uncomfortable, but I really admire their honesty. I wish everyone in America was that honest. A friend from here is actually dating a ghanaian (for over a year...talk about committment!!!!) and her boyfriend is so honest and I really appreciate it. we were talking one day and he mentioned out of nowhere that my sarcasm could really hurt people...I told him thank you...he's keeping me accountable without me even realizing it.

I have started to get used to the povery here and am realizing how truely happy the people here are. Just because their definition of happy does not match mine does not mean that i need to feel sorry for them. It's funny thinking on this experience and how coming in you think you're going to change the world. Then you realize that you aren't changing anything...it is changing you. there is nothing that I can do so help Ghana...there are small things of course, but for the most part Ghana is helping itself. I have just been glad to witness it. well my online time is dwindling so until next time!
Continue praying and loving and changing. Can't wait to see all of you in a month!

PS-all of your comments and encouraging words have meant so much to me...it has kept me going when I have been so frustrated. I appreciate all your support from the bottom of my heart!

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

My new home!

I've been in Hohoe, Ghana for a week and a half now and it is beginning to feel like home. I am getting into the slow paced life that the people here affectionately call ghana time. So I'll give you guys a quick run down of what's been going on so far. I actually got to ghana at about 2:00 am last sunday...exhausted and cranky from traveling. Man, let me tell you, i was so nervous about being here and kept thinking to myself "what on earth am I doing?" Things are much better now, don't worry.
Hohoe is such an endearing town. The streets are dirt and filled with potholes, but I love them. I love everything about this area. the fact that i can walk out of the compound and see mountains and a beautiful sky has me baffled. My favorite part of the town is a HUGE bronze statue of a woman smack dab in the middle of downtown. we call it Miss Ghana, and it is the focal point for all our journey's in town.
The volunteer team has been amazing...I love them all and we get along great besides the fact that we are 30 girls inside a small compound. SO...onto my placement. I have been placed at St. Francis Basic Demonstration School teaching 54 five year olds. I have quickly learned that teaching is not my forte, nor do I enjoy it very much, but the kids are amazing. there have been 3 that have stuck out to me.
Matilda: She is a firecracker...she's tough. She's the kind of girl who won't take crap from anyone. she loves to sing and dance and hold your hand, but is quick to throw off her dress when it's time to play soccer with the boys.
Robert: who introduces himself to me every day, saying "hello, I am robertsolomon." I knew he was a keeper from the minute he raised his hand and said he wanted to be president when he grew up.
Selase: I think that she is the voice of the Holy Spirit to me. She knows about as much English as i know Ewe. Our only communication has been through eye contact, but i feel like i can read her like a book...and she can see straight through me. The first day i was at the school the kids crowded around me because I'm "yevu", a white person...and she just put her hand on my arm as if to say...it's ok, I'm glad you're here. I think I would have lost it without her.
So the teaching is going slow, but I'm enjoying it and learning a TON!
This weekend we took a trip to the coast...it was an adventure to say the least with our van breaking down and us having to push it Little Miss Sunshine style. this weekend was the first time that I have ever desired to see a middle class suburban neighborhood where people are living comfortably. There is SO much poverty here. I just want to turn my head and look away and forget all that i have seen. But I guess this is God's way of showing me what the world is really like...I cant' escape from it. It forces me to be active and deal with what i am uncomfortable with. I just weep for these people, knowing that in 7 weeks I'm going back to hotwater and a bathroom. These people do have love though...so much love. they give up everything to make someone happy. I love that about them.
Yesterday i met a boy who had been a child soldier...it shocked me. He was at the eugemot orphanage, where i am going to be going in the afternoons. He was so kind and accomodating...my eyes whelled with tears thinking of all that he has seen and heard. No child should have to experience that.
So ghana has been changing me...and i know that it has a lot more to teach me. I am anxious to see what else the lord has in store. I keep having to remind myself that perfect love drives out all fear.
sorry this has been so long....I could have typed so much more, but I know no one would have read it all. I love and miss all of you. Continue putting me and ghana in your prayers...you are in mine.