Farm Pictures: The beginning

My "son" Kwesi and I on our return from observing someone's farm. Just wanted to show the unique names of our drinks. Mine was "Steri Stumpie" which was chocolate milk and Kwesi's was "Yomi" which sort of looks like 'Vomi'. Just found it interesting. :)

One of my favorite things ever is to see shoes outside my door. Look at all these shoes! They represent people in our house (and in our lives) that we have the opportunity to connect with and love.

The boys came ready to go to the farm with us to clear land. We utilized around 20 machetes and 3 hoes to clear our small piece of land.

A little fun before heading out to work.

Our incredible volunteers after clearing the land. Sokpoe Ridgers Babies (15 and under), but they didn't clear land like "babies"! They took down four trees and lots of brush with just machetes! Go team!

Standards according to...

So I've been made aware of something after being here for oh, six weeks or so.

When it comes time to make a decision and I think, "What should I do? What is okay?" I find myself using the standard of my own culture. I justify the way I dress because its more conservative than most people back home.

Its not just clothes, that's just an example. All throughout the day I catch myself, or GOD catches me, choosing to use which ever standard suits me. "The my church does ____." "The way we do _____ in the US." "The way my European friends do ______."

So whose standard is the right one? We know the answer. Its obvious. What's not obvious all the time is what standard we are actually using!

Its harder to use the Word as my standard because I can't manipulate it. I can't make it mean what I want it to and be at ease with that. But even when making a tough decision or an uncomfortable one or one that leads towards MORE work rather than less, when its the right one (according to God's Word) its feels so much better.

Just something I noticed about myself last week.

The Sports World

It seems like every day the world of sports ministry grows. Actually, its like it is already grown but we are being made more aware of the other "members of the body".

There is an organization that is working in the central part of Ghana. THey have partners in ministry from the US and possibly other countries.

I am hoping to go and meet them and see what they are doing. I have plans for Godson and I to fly to Kumasi this week if it works out. This is a ministry that I hope to not only highlight on this blog but also to follow their lead in sports ministry here in the Volta Region.

But before I get ahead of myself, we'll work on meeting them first! More to come...

Physical Refreshment

...wOw!!! If you haven't read the post Spiritual Refreshment, please read it before reading this one so that you can see the full picture of what God has done!!

Last night (April 16) before bed, I typed up the last post on Spiritual Refreshment. I didn't have internet to post it so I close my computer and fell asleep. Around 10pm or so, it began to rain. It was a slow soft rain on the tin roof. Enough to drown out the goats and noises from other houses but not enough to feel as if we were in a monsoon. It rained and rained and rained! By the time I woke up at 6am it was still raining. I laid in bed until seven something listening to the rain and finally got up to spend time in the Word.

I praised God for the nourishment our maize was getting and that we could now plant ayi, they use the English word beans but it is what we call black-eyed peas. I thanked him for the cool weather and that it was even possible to stay in bed until 7am.

Then as I was finishing my devotional it began to absolutely pour! Earlier that morning, I had set a 7-10 gallon bucket out under a gutter by my house. At the time it began to pour the bucket would be filled in about 5 minutes. I would empty it into a small cistern inside and then set it outside again.

In my last post I mentioned it seemed like people didn't realize the crisis in which we'd found ourselves. I was wrong. Girls ran out in the pouring rain with their large bowls and buckets on their head. I watched them run straight to my house and stand under the gutters. Two began to fight, dropping their buckets. I took one girls bucket and put it in place of my own. They are aware.

It rained for nearly twelve hours. After just an hour the girls had collected all the water their storage could hold.

God brought rain for our dry land, our dry weather and our dry pipes. There is still a problem with the pipe HOWEVER...

the blessings didn't stop... an hour or so after the rain stopped, I heard water running. I ran to the shower where I had left the faucet open and saw water coming out!!! I could not believe my eyes! I collected about 15 gallons of water this morning from the rain and NOW I was getting clean water from the pipe!

At first I was making sure the water would hit my hand and not the bucket because if it was loud, the neighbors would come and turn theirs on which would turn mine off. But then I realized I wasn't getting my work done and it was silly for me to try to get all of the water for myself.

So I moved my hand and said aloud, "Jesus I trust you as provider of water. You don't need me."

Then another crazy thing happened. After running smoothly, there began to be air in the pipes where it sputtered out. At first I thought, "They will surely hear and I won't have water with which to wash dishes or cook. I said I trusted God though so I didn't go back. As I listened I realized, the sputtering made it sound like I was pouring water from a bucket rather than it running from the pipe.

The water ran enough for me to have about 15 gallons of piped water.

The morning was spent praising God for the rain. The way He provided was a miracle and a blessing in itself.

But the greatest thing of all is evidenced in an email I wrote to a friend...

"And guess what….OH PRAISE GOD!!! It has been raining for 12 hours now!!!! God has brought RAIN! Our thirsty hearts have been quenched, our dry ground is soaked and the water that has been cut off (haven't had any since we got back from Accra) is being replaced by rain water. People have been suffering for water and today God has brought more than we can contain…in every way!

I just had to share this with y'all. It is a confirmation of God's provision. And I just think how each time we went to the farm we prayed for rain. I questioned why God hadn't brought it. No one will ever convince me of anything other than the fact that when we were obedient/faithful to come before God with pure motives, just to know Him, be with Him, confess to Him…He answered the cry of our hearts for renewal with Him and then refreshment for our land and our needs. "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their lands." Its true. He has done it.

Mawu lolo nutc! God is great oh!"

Spiritual Refreshment...

16 April 2012

Most may not know it, but in my village and the surrounding villages, we are in a bit of a crisis. What seems strange is it seems like many here don’t see it as such.

Something has happened with an essential part in the treatment process as water is pumped from the river to be pumped into the village systems. The answer I received was, “The reservoir has spoiled.”

Just one month ago, few people went to the riverside for more than just a leisurely day of washing clothes. Now, people are forced to fetch water for their every need. Many are buying purified water in sachets for drinking, quite an expense for many families. Even the purified water is scarce as it is the piped water that is purified and bagged. Today I visited a man named Evans. He and his wife have been absolutely incredible and if there is anyone here that I would consider my family, its THEM! They look after me so well and have assisted me in learning everything from formal greetings to the easiest way to prepare Banku!

Each time we leave their house, they give us water. First it was one bag, then it was four, then five, then six!  Even in a time when their water business was at a standstill, they still gave. Today I noticed they had a huge cistern hauled in with water so they could continue their business.

There is no way this problem could go on so long in a more developed country. My biggest questions deal with health. What will happen to people here if they don’t have treated water? What health issues will arise? Will the young children be okay?

Most people bath twice a day. As water is rationed, we try to just stay clean. Although I went to farm and played with kids today, I just washed my legs and my hands before heading to bed. My dishes have been waiting since yesterday. And I will NEED to wash clothes soon.

Just before we left for Accra we got so low we were forced to fetch water at the riverside. Then, in the night, the water came on enough to almost fill one big tub of water. We are now low again. Its only me in the house for the most part so I’m praying God will provide what’s needed! Jehovah Jireh!

Water is a necessity. So is the living water. Some of our leaders in ministry have experienced a time in our life where we have been parched and unsure, or unmotivated, of what to do next. After a lengthy conversation and insight and honesty, this morning was devoted to personal time in the Word and group time in the Word.

God is faithful and gave water to His thirsty ones! And we drank, and drank, and drank. And then for the rest of the morning were drunk with the happiness and joy that comes from time in His presence, that comes from Living Water flowing into the parched life!

And just like God does...He poured out his blessings...more than we could contain.............please see the next post!

KidsGames

Much has gone on in the last 72 hours. I am sitting at a newly completed desk that my  dear friend , Carlin, built. He has since left Ghana and now I am here as the lone American working with the ministry. This is good and, well, mostly good I suppose. I miss my dear loved ones more than ever. At the same time, as I arrived home I found myself on my knees. All I have is Jesus. Now I have some awesome friends and co-laborers for Jesus, this is true. At the same time, I cannot rely on “my people” (as they say here) as my coping mechanism at which to vent or think through. Now my frustrations must (and should’ve from the beginning) first go to Jesus.

Today we held KidsGames. Due to lack of planning and then, of course, last minute issues, we were not well-prepared. I thought I had done a good job of preparing in the absence of my Ghanaian co-laborers. Unfortunately my Western-organized mind didn’t help the situation.

The way things turned out, we didn’t even get to the MEAT, the Bible stories. The leaders met afterward and decided to scrap the KidsGames Curriculum given and come up with their own. We will meet on Friday to plan the next KidsGames, which will likely be two weeks from today. We shall see. I’m hoping we can still utilize the concepts of KG because they are key to learning.

Today was a good day. Meeting after the games revealed a lot. We have learned from today. We have a better scope and sequence when it comes to our desired outcomes and objectives that will get us there. We will hold a couple more games in Sokpoe to continue to work out kinks and gain a better understanding of the best way to reach these kiddos in a meaning and relevant way.

It’s been a few days since I’ve been THIS exhausted at the end of the day and its not even 8pm!

Tomorrow is a day to go to the farm and weed and then off to the beach!! I have wanted to go for two weeks but more important things have come up. We’ll see what happens for tomorrow!

Please pray for our leadership team. Today we have increased by one! Our team now includes a young man named Aikens (sp?). He loves Jesus and loves football. He wants to be a part of ministering through sports so we warmly welcome him. He is the disciple-ee of Mawuko. J

My RIGHTS!

Am I not free?... Don't I have rights too?!

That's what Paul starts writing about in chapter nine of 1 Corinthians.

Lately, with opposition from all sides (mostly just because of cultural differences) I find myself saying, "I'm free! I have rights! I can do it (wash, clean, dress, talk) any way I stinkin' want to!!!! So there!"

And as I read Paul's words, I realized, "Yes. I am am free! There are rights and freedoms that God has given us."

After establishing the fact that they have rights, Paul continues and says,
"But we did not use this right."

Ouch!

"On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ."

"I have not used any of these rights...What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it Free of charge, and so not make use of any of my rights in preaching it."

He's talking about specific rights but I believe this same principle applies to any and all rights.

As I am reading this I find it painful, because it reveals the shallow willingness inside my heart. I say I want the Gospel shared at all costs but the biggest hindrance I find here is me.

I want to be able to say, "Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the [Eve] I became like an [Eve], to win the [Eves]. ...to the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the Gospel, that I might share in its blessings."

I cannot say those things yet, but I can say,  by God's infinite grace, I have a continued opportunity to try. And as I have been convicted, I am working on it.

This summer I gave up some rights and without even having to think, I've taken them up again. As I've entered a new culture, there are new ones I have to give up. So my prayer this morning is:

Jesus, please deliver me from

the desire of being loved (I cannot be loved here the same way I am loved at home. Showered with hugs and words of affirmation and security in that love.)
the desire of being preferred to others (It feels like rejection when I am unable to spend time with the handful people that I am close to because they've chosen so be with other people or other activities)
the desire of being consulted (Often, I am unaware of decisions made and while I have full trust in those making them, I get irritated sometimes when I'm not included. I don't want to be this way.)
from the desire of being approved
from the fear of being ridiculed (I can handle some, but it happens so often here, its like its a special sport to ridicule Sandra.)
from the fear of being falsely or maliciously accused (the accusation as of late is that I have a school here and people are not happy with me ...schools are businesses here. This means the rumors lead people to believe that I am taking money from others.)
from the fear of being forgotten (Irrational, yes, but still I need to be delivered from this.)


So Jesus I pray for deliverance from these rights, desires and fears. And in place of them I ask that You remind me that I am wholly loved by You, that You are surely Sovereign over all, that in You there is no room for fear, only perfect love. Thank you that I am not forgotten. Please help to see what I can lay aside for the sake of the gospel and give me the courage and perseverance to do so! Mawu lolo nutc! God you are so great! Amen.

Meet Edinam

Prounounced "Eddy-Nahm", her name means "God has given me that which I was looking for".

Precious huh? As she is sitting here playing Mancala (or Oware here) she informed me that she is the only girl on her father's side of the family. 

I think her name is fitting for me too. She turns 12 on the 17th of May. She is a sweetheart in so many ways. She is humble and patient. She is unlike other children and adults here in that she does not make incessant demands on me. She will often ask if she can travel with me to which I mostly must respond, "No."

Today is different. Today Mawuko, Godson and I are traveling to Accra for a Sports Ministry Meeting. I have no idea what this meeting is about but it is supposed to be only two hours. For some reason, today I want to bring Edinam along. There is something about her, something within her.

This morning she moved around the room quietly for a bit, observing all the things she's seen before and then she said, "Yesterday Jesus die." My heart lit up for an opportunity to discuss Jesus' death and resurrection with my precious little friend. 

I affirmed her statement and asked if she knew why. She had no idea. I went through a brief story of sacrificial times to Jesus' death. She was in awe and seemed to understand. After we discussed the importance of His death, I mentioned the importance of his coming back to life. "Easter!" she exclaimed, "That is Sunday." 

"Yes, that is the day we celebrate Jesus and His power. And when we follow Him because He is stronger than death, we don't have to be afraid of anything."

She grinned and so did I! It was a special moment, the moments I anxiously await here.

Edinam and I took a picture together but I cannot post it now. In the background there is a cloth of pictures that depict history from Creation to Jesus' return. Kids are absolutely MESMERIZED by it here! So I think I will begin to get the stories down in such a way that I can memorize them verbatim and share them with the children to give them a full picture of the Gospel. 

My joy is full this morning! Thank you Jesus that You willingly gave your life for me, for Edinam, for everyone who will accept it, and even for those who won't. Thank you that you are patient with me when I so often fail to follow in Your ways! Thank You that tomorrow we can celebrate Your power, displayed in incredible greatness, that death itself cannot wave a finger at it. Thank You that You have given us this same power. All praise and glory and honor is for You alone because God, You are the only One who is worthy!

May this Easter be holy, worshipful one for you and yours where we can wholeheartedly focus on the love of a Savior and the power of the One we serve.

Joy in Goats

Allow me to set the scene...

Friday night six of my dear children are invited to stay overnight in the Mission House with Carlin, Godson and I. We fill the living room with foam mattresses and immediately the children start jumping on them! I call the girls into the kitchen with me and we have fun shutting the boys out. We prepare popcorn and cut a pineapple. Edinam and I go to buy Coke and Fanta and Sprite, one drink per child.

We set all the goodies out and the most encouraging thing happens! Godson tells a story from the Bible and the children are ALL ears! They are intensely focused taking in every happening. Godson is asking questions along the way. He is telling of Gideon and the way God spoke to his people through the skin of sheep.

After the Bible story we spend a couple of hours enjoying the refreshments. And then bed time (yeah right!) Eventually we did all go to sleep but not for long. See, outside on the front porch, there are cement blocks stacked up so although the place is fenced off, it is accessible to pretty much any person or animal. This small place is where Godson parks the motorbike at night. It has an alarm but its still better to be safe.

Just a few hours into the night, I hear goats making all kinds of noises! The living room has seven windows and it often sounds like the rooster/child/goat/anything that makes noise is right there with us, especially because the room is nearly void of everything aside from four plastic chairs and a plastic table. So we hear the goats making noises and I try to write it off as normal goat-ness and go to sleep. The children are sleeping soundly.

Then I hear the motorbike alarm shrilly sound "beep-beep". And I know the goats are on the porch. But it's dark, everyone's asleep and I don't want to get up. My thoughts are that surely they will stop trying to get out and just sleep.

Nope. It continued until finally at five in the morning I got up and moved the twenty or so blocks, only after disastrous attempts at conversing with the neighbor who only speaks Evegbe and a 5 minute effort to get the goats off of the porch. Then I wanted to just lay back down but my dear children were already up and sweeping up the goat poop from not just the porch but from around the entire house! So I swept with them and then we went inside and had tea and bread. With them around, even starting at 5am, it was a great day.

Before I left for Ghana, I attended two goat trainings in hopes that I could use goat milk as one way for children to get protein. These goats around here are not milking goats, they are small. But as I waited for the water to boil that morning, I had to laugh because this was not the experience with goats for which I had planned. Nevertheless, as it turned out, the children had a good time listening to me try to explain in Evegbe to the woman my problem with the goats and I had a good time being with the children.

If I could equate this lesson to anything it would be...
That night was a depiction of my life here. I had hoped to milk goats and feed children but as it turns out, right now I'm just protecting my house from them and shoveling their insane amounts of poop. Life isn't always as we expect. But God knew from the beginning that Friday night would turn out like it did. So I'm not worried or disappointed (at the moment) because this morning, I am aware that all things are in His hands! Goats. Children. and Sandra.

God is good!

Communication Issues

So for a while I felt totally secluded and abandoned here. Okay, that's a stretch but seriously, over the last week or so, most of my communication efforts have failed. When trying to call the US, most often I can hear the other person but they cannot hear me. Using Skype, neither of us can hear each other. Email would connect but not let me do anything. The only two people I'd been able to communicate with were my mom and brother. It was a bit disconcerting.

But yesterday I had a couple of breakthroughs. 1) My internet here is like a Pay-As-you-Go phone. You buy credit, top up, and use your phone. The modem takes a SIM card and is used the same way. As it turned out, I had run out of credit and couldn't connect. 2) A dear friend called me via Skype and at first it didn't work but then we were able to chat for over thirty minutes. It was a connection I dearly needed!!

I have now posted several things on here and have been able to connect with some dear ones through Facebook. Connecting with others back home, keeps me in check, brings a touch of reality, familiarity and accountability.

Now that I am no longer in a world saturated with technology and passive forms of communication, I'm grateful for the communications I have had. I'm grateful for my conversations with my mom, Kaden, Kat and others. Thank you Jesus!

God is good y'all!

Incredible Evening

This evening I met with Godson and Mawuko.

As of the 19th of April, (or thereabouts), Godson will be a full-time missionary with E3 Ministries International <-- A long name that simply means being faithful followers of Jesus. Godson's primary focus will be on ministering to children through sports, games and activities.

Mawuko could soon be joining the ministry full-time as well. This remains to be seen.

But the Incredible-ness came about in listening to the dialogue between these two young men as we discussed issues that would come about as this ministry works. We will be doing what churches often deem inappropriate and working with people they do not accept. As realizations came about of how we will be perceived and accepted or rejected, we were faced with decisions. As Godson and Mawuko discussed these things, answering each others' posed questions, my heart was jumping with joy in agreement. We all agree that we are called to go no matter what. We all agree that we will stand firm in trials and we will do it together. We all agree that it will not be easy but we are committed to this process nonetheless. And we all recognize that "it is not a one day job."

Pray for and with us as we move into a more cohesive, intentional place of ministry. We will plant on the farm as soon as (its cleared and) the rains come. Mawuko has already begun the sports ministry and we will continue as well as begin in other villages. Arrangements are being discussed and made for the medical team. God is good oh!

God helps those who (can't) help themselves...

....that's the Gospel right?

The fad now in ministry from the Western World to the developing world is to help people help themselves. Business management classes are being held for free. Micro-enterprise endeavors abound. Small business loans are prevalent.

And some people are benefitting in huge ways from this!

Some people.

I’m often cautioned by people of all walks of life and faith to not just give handouts here. “It breeds dependence.” And I’ve tried. In fact, I started out believing this, and then I spent three months in Ghana.

During those three months, I was walking the mile or two to church when a child asked me for money to buy food. I asked where the father was. “Away” was the answer. I asked where the mother was, “In the house.” I said, “Go ask your mother” and left the child behind.

It didn’t take many steps for me to hate the fact that I had denied food to some child, whether needy or not, especially as I was on my way to worship. Although I didn’t know it at the time, Isaiah 58 was the message that I heard…”Is this the fast that I have chosen?”

Today I watched some young men playing football. They were somewhere in between 12 years and 17 years old. I love to watch them play football (soccer) because they can do incredible stuff with their feet and they are soooo quick!

I don’t know anything about football really but I really enjoy watching, especially these kids that Godson coaches and with whom he has has relationships.

Being a sport of the foot, I always notice their footwear. Today there were several children playing in Keds. One young man’s foot was much to big for the shoe he was wearing, in fact, his right shoe was splitting at the back. One kid was playing in Vans. Several were playing in mismatched, rescued soccer cleats, one of which was missing the “cleat” part of the shoe. There were some that had matching cleats but of those that matched, not one had laces. Actually of all the different kinds of shoes, most had no laces. I was ready to give mine from the shoes I was wearing to a boy who didn’t have any until I noticed that almost none of them had any.

As I watched them play, my mind went from their skill to, “WHY?” Yeah people appreciate and take care of that for which they work. Yes, it is biblical for people to work for what they have. But seriously? Just a pair of matching shoes, sized to their feet, with laces…is that too much to give?

They don’t mind and obviously they played with what they had. The best kid was the one with the Keds split down the back. Its not that I want them to have them so that they ‘feel’ better about themselves although that would surely be the case, but because they are so skilled and I think it would improve their game. We don't have the money right now to give like this anyway.

Last week was the district week of games where teams from eight different places within the district boarded and competed. Almost none of the volleyball players wore tennis shoes. Some were flip-flops, most wore only socks.

I see what people are saying these days. I don’t want to harm anyone by pretending I am helping just to make myself feel good. But I also see that in Acts the disciples gave and shared everything as everyone had need.

It is really hard for me to sit back and say that people should work for what they earn all the time. I mean, these people work way harder just to survive one year than I the sum of my work throughout my life. It's pretty relative in my eyes. 

My dream would be to see each of these boys following Jesus, walking in fellowship with Him and in His ways and playing for his glory in bright, new, matching, laced, whole shoes.  If the former comes without the latter, then that’s okay. Until then, it will still remain as my dream!

 For God so loved the world that He gave...

The beginning of John's story

29-March-2012

Not sure how to describe what just took place. In fact, this entire day and WEEK thus far has been out of the norm. And then I remember, there is no norm here.

Our “plans” have changed innumerable times due to interruptions in others’ schedules. Some good interruptions for others, some could only be labeled ‘inconvenient’.

So after all of our plans dropping Robert off at the airport and having all of our meetings fall through in Accra (every single one of them) we made our way back to where we are staying. We left the house just after 6:30 this morning and didn’t arrive in Tefle until around 11:30 this morning. On average the trip is about 2 hours.

After we arrived, a young man named John knocked on my door. In all of his pre-teen-ness, he crossed his legs, leaned against the terrace post and grinned. We exchanged greetings and he told me he was going to farm. He just wanted to see if I was going to come watch them play ball in the school on Friday.

I asked him why he was not in school. His reply, “They sack me.” (They sent him home.)

I responded with the question of why and he said it was because he did not have the 30 pesawas to pay for the exam fee. (That’s roughly twenty cents.)

So because he was not in school he said he was going to the farm where his mother was working.  After a treacherous ride from the city, I asked if I could accompany John to the farm with the assurance that the farm was not far. “Oh it is not far!!”

As we began I asked him how he would get the 30 pesawas for exam fees. He said he would ask his grandfather for the money and see what happened.

As we walked toward his family’s farm, I inquired of his mother. He said that actually his mother had died about seven years ago. The woman he referred to that was farming was actually his grandmother.

The way to the farm was definitely not short. We walked over a mile down paths, all within the bush. As families get ready to begin the next farming season, some are slashing and burning. We came upon 2 pieces of land that were burning. It wasn’t a raging forest fire but we did have to run through these patches as not to be burned.

Along the way he expressed his concern over dzudzu and the way that Ghanaians must be careful with their dealings with white people. He spoke of his fear of dzudzu people and their power. I asked who was stronger, Jesus or those using dzudzu and he said, “Dzudzu of course!”

When we finally got to the farm, it was only his grandmother there. They are growing cassava but want to plant maize. I would like to pray about doing Farming God’s Way there for them.

The trek back from the farm was just as exciting as John told everyone that I was coming from farm. They looked at how dirty my feet are (from the sand and soot) and knew that what he was saying was true. 


------------------------------


As things played out, I learned John had not been honest with me.


The next day he said that it was 3 Ghana Cedis that he needed instead of 30 pesewas; which is like  30 cents to the dollar.


He spent the day with me. While I sat on a stool by my shower and washed clothes, he was using a white board and markers and was working on number patterns. He is in the 5th grade but still struggled with the concept. 


After math, he helped me get a fire going in order to have coals to bake (or burn) brownies in the dutch oven. While others came to greet, he hung out. All. Day. Long. And I loved it.


That evening Godson and I went to speak with the grandmother about "sharing the crop" or as we know it, 'crop-sharing'. Truth be told, we don't even want any of the crop, we just want to begin a 'Farming God's Way' plot but it would make life difficult for the family if people knew we were just volunteering and working for them, thus "sharing the crop."


So the grandmother approved and at the end of the conversation she said that John had not been in school lately because he misbehaved and refused to take his punishment. As I heard this my heart dropped.


The next day John came to my house and I invited him in and exhorted him, "Who are you? I don't even know you. You spent the entire day in my house yesterday and all day you lied to my face. We worked on math and spent time cooking and still, you never told me the truth. Please leave and come back when you can be honest with me."


He left. And although it took a few hours, I was convicted. Was this what Jesus would have said? Would he have sent him away?


That evening John came back and told me the truth. As he explained what he did wrong, he refused to take responsibility for his actions, passively giving an account of the instance..."They said"...  My response, "Is it true?" His, "Yes, it is true."


"Then I think you should go to school tomorrow and receive your punishment. This is foolishness."


"I will go. I will take my punishment."


The next day he went. He came to my house in the middle of the day and said that the teachers had sacked them all. I asked why and he gave me some crazy reason that I can't remember right now but immediately knew it was a lie. "John, did the teachers sack you?" 
"No."
"You have lied again."
"I'm sorry, they didn't sack us."


By Friday we will be clearing our land on John's family's property. John will be there. He will watch what we do and I know he will be there to assist us.  One thing that takes place in the beginning of 'Farming God's Way' is the farmers pray over the land. They pray and ask God to forgive what's been done on the land and to the land. This is important, especially for Africa and especially in this area with animism and traditional worship. Then they pray for God to redeem the land both spiritually and physically.


When we pray, I want to be next to John, and I want God to do this in his and my relationship but even more I want Him to do it in His and John's relationship. John is not a believer. He's got a great imagination, a beautiful smile, a mischievous streak and there's just something in him that I look forward to watching our Creator cultivate.


Please pray for John however you feel led after reading this. I feel like this is just the beginning of a really good story...one John would like to tell!!