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.
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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!!
