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!!

Post from Robert (typed before March 26th)

Hello I am Robert. You might recognize me as Sandra's brother. 

One might be tempted to believe such a fact as this and my knowing her for nearly 26 years would make me pretty familiar with all of her family.

Well over the last 3 days I have met her sisters, a few brothers… oh and her sons. "She is African woman now!!," they said as she greets them in their native Ɛwe. 

Last night she moved her cot into the living room so that she might sleep surrounded by 6 Ghanaian children who spent the night with us. 

Sandra has always been a bold and proud woman. If you know her you know what I am talking about. In the past couple of years God has taken hold of her heart and she has found a new boldness and a new strength in Him. The kind of boldness that drives a woman to pack all that she owns and bid farewell to all that she knows in order to follow God to a country over 6000 miles away from home in order to show people the kind of love that changes lives.

This has been evident in the numerous visits to Greet people around the village and even in surrounding villages. People are always so blessed when she greets them in their own language. It is amazing how many people Sandra has met in her last few trips here. 

The beautiful family (of Sandra's son) whom she befriended early on assured me that they are going to be looking out for her and that makes the difficult task of leaving her here in a few days a little easier. 

But I must be honest there have been more than a couple of times that I have teared up at that thought. But I know she is daily seeking God in this and I look forward to all that He will do here as a result of her obedience.