Stop. Engage. Listen. Act.

Do you ever experience moments when time seems to stand still?  When what you are seeing is almost surreal?  When you know God is in the moment, and you are not?

This week when we delivered food to Chorkor, we had this experience.  Reid and I both felt the same things.  Even our boys, as we talked about it later, recognized God's hand in orchestrating all of this.  One of them admitted being frustrated because we had to turn the van around after we were on our way, but realized later that if we had not turned around then we would have missed our appointment with these children.  

God does that.  He messes up our plans so He can allow us to participate in His plan.

Every month, Feeding the Orphans provides food for two single mamas and their babies living in Chorkor.  Our job is to deliver the food each month and check on the families.  We praise God for the faithful people who support these families.  Without them, lives for these mothers and children would be extremely difficult.  For this month's delivery, we were blessed to have Phyllis, Connor and Lauren help us.  Because of the amount of food and the length of the walk, we were very grateful for their help!  

Chorkor is a salt mine community with narrow paths of land surrounded by the salt water mines.  To travel to the first house, we walk down a long, long path encompassed by water.  Usually, there are no vehicles on this path, but today was different.

As we walked, a large pack of children passed us.  The oldest girl looked to be about 13 and she had a young one tied to her back.  It seemed there were about seven children traveling alone.  They were walking with purpose, but without much speed.  Noticing the children, I sensed a heaviness around them.  They all seemed so sad.  We journeyed a little farther, then a trotro passed us.  (A trotro is public transportation.  A 12 passenger van that usually holds around 30 people.  Remember, this is Ghana!)  

 After the trotro passed, we met three crying children.  Young ones.  They were running after the trotro, I thought.  All three of them were yelping with fear.

My mother's heart leaped in my chest.  There is no adult near them.  These three are alone on the path. 

God quickens my heart, and says, "Stop.  Check on these children."

Reid and I turn and catch up with them while most of the rest of our team moves ahead.  We move close enough see these children are scared.  They are in filthy, torn clothes that don't fit.  Three tear stained faces notice us and look up with fearful eyes.  They are afraid of us because white people are not common here.  However, the sight of us is not what is causing the restless fear in all three of them.

 The pack of children that passed us on the beginning of our walk are approaching us.  All seven of them come toward us carefully.  Through observation, it's evident that the large group of children and the three little ones are connected.

With Esther's help, I begin talking with the oldest girl in the group after learning her name is Christiana.

Through conversation with Christiana, we learn that all of these children live together in one house.  The three young ones and the seven with her all live together.

(This is Africa.  That's not a big deal, right?)

Me:  Where are you going?

Christiana:  To the place where there is no food.

Me:  Do you have food?

Christiana, looking at the ground:  No

Me:  Who do you live with?

Christiana:  My mother, but we all live together.  She is mine and Thomas's mother, but she is their grandmother.  She cares for all of us.

Me:  How many of you live together?
Christiana, again looking down at the dirt:  Eleven.

Me:  Who is staying with the three young ones?

Christiana:  No one.  My mother must go and sell fish so she can buy food for them.

Me:  Why are you going somewhere else?

Christiana:  Because there is not enough food for all of us, and the little ones must eat.

(The pieces are coming together.  The older children are expected to sacrifice so the little ones can eat.  They go without food so the smallest ones can be fed.)

Me:  Do you have water?

Christiana:  No.

Me:  Do you have electricity?

Christiana:  No.

Me:  Do you have a phone?

Christiana:  No.

I notice the clothing is very worn on all of the children.  Holes.  Tears.  Stains.  

In my heart, I cry, "Oh, God, what do you want us to do?"

"Care for them."  He answers.

Heavy hearted, I ask the children to wait for us.  We needed to deliver the monthly food to Mary, and our hands were full.  I told them we would like to meet their grandmother and see where they live.  We promise to return and tell them again to wait for us.  

As we walked to Mary's house, Reid and I realized we could not leave them like this, but did not know what to do.

I asked Esther if she thought this was really true.  (I think I asked because I did not want to believe it.)  Esther laughed and told me that she would go without food for a week at a time when there was no money to buy it.  How have I lived so long without being aware of the dire need of people in the world?)

We finished the walk to Mary's and took her the monthly blessing from Feeding the Orphans.

 Mary was away caring for her sick mother, so her sister promised to deliver the food to her.  Her sister doesn't live in Chorkor, but she was nearby at a church service.  Again, God orchestrated everything.

 After we left Mary's, we met back up with the children on the path.  Somehow, they had found the grandmother and she was waiting there with them.

We asked if they would show us where they lived.  They led.  We followed.

The window in the center is the room they all live in.  As we walked through Chorkor, Weston, our 12 year old, noticed that all the homes are one room structures.

Once we arrived at their quarters, we talked with the grandmother, Agnes, and learned more about the family.

Christiana and Thomas belong to her.  None of the other children's parents are in their lives.  The fathers are not "responsible" and the mothers have abandoned them to the grandmother.  Agnes's husband works the salt mines, and he is away doing his job to support the family.

None of the children are in school.  They can not afford the school fees.  Because there is not a public school in this area, the only option is private school.  Transportation to the public school would be too expensive.  The fees of the private school are too expensive for Grandmother Agnes to provide.  Ninety cedis for each three month term.  (In American dollars, $20 per month school fees + uniforms and books per child.  Did you get that?  $20 per month for education is too expensive.)  

This family is struggling simply to survive.

I ask if we can go inside.  Agnes nods and jiggles a key to unlock the door.  The inside is practically bare.  The dark damp hovel is no more than 12' x 12'.  Eleven people live in this room hovering over the water out back, and I grieve internally as I take it all in.  Looking around, I notice a foam mattress on the bare floor, a few belongings shoved in one corner, and one metal bowl and spoon for cooking...  That's all I see.  There are no more clothes.  There is no food.

My mind spins toward thoughts of wealth in America and I force my critical thoughts to cease.

As I converse with the grandmother, Reid captures the scenery around us with the camera.  

One child with orange hair signifying he severely lacks protein in his diet.

 This child's dress is so ragged, her chest is not even covered.

 The dog needs attention too.

In my spirit, I am praying, "Lord, what do we do?  We had not planned on this.  We don't have money to buy a lot of food.  Lord God, what do we do?"

"Feed them," He answers.  "Care for them as I would."

Okay, time to dive in.

The children need to be cared for, and supervision of the little ones is a necessity, so I ask the grandmother, "Agnes, what is your greatest need?"

She answers, "Money.  So I can buy food."

"Agnes, if we bring you food, will you agree to stay with the children and care for them?  Do you promise you will not leave them to go sell fish?"

Relief comes over her, and she gives one slow nod of her head.

"Do you agree to care for them if we bring food?"  (I want to be sure.)

"Yes, I will care for the children," She promises.

 Christiana leads us back toward the road where we came in so we can buy food.  It's a long walk.  I begin to wonder, how will we pay for this?

God speaks again, "Don't worry.  Just act."

(Reid and I joke that women feel and don't think, but men think and don't feel.  This occasionally plays out in our marriage.  This time however, Reid and I both knew God was telling us to buy them a month supply of food.  We didn't over-think it...we didn't respond from feeling/emotion.  God was leading us both to do the same thing.  We were to open our hands and give.)

We arrive at the store and purchase rice, oil, tomato paste, Indomie, fish, tea, soap, canned milk, juice, etc...   After paying, everyone grabs the cases and we begin the long walk back to the room housing the children and grandmother.  (I don't know why I can't type "the room housing the family," but I can't.)

On the walk back, I learned that Christiana's dream is to become a hairdresser.  She loved school until she had to drop out.  Her favorite subject was English.  As we talked, she shared some about her faith in God.  Her family is Christian and attends a church nearby.  

I told Christiana that I think God brought us to her today.  She nodded, closing her eyes slowly.  I said, "Do you know none of the food is from us?  It's really from God.  Christiana, He promises to take care of you and He will always provide what you need."  Again, she nodded her scarf wrapped head.

When we arrived back at the room, we delivered the food and I think perhaps the children had never seen so much food.  They were very grateful.  Agnes kept saying, "Thank you.  Thank you.  May God bless you.  May God bless you."

I wanted to take a photo of us with everyone.  Reid insisted we not.  He was right.  We were not here for a photo opportunity, and this grandmother's dignity is worth our sensitivity.  I'm thankful my husband is a "thinker."

All of these children will need sponsorships as soon as possible - for food and schooling.  Feeding the Orphans wants to help them, but we need people to commit to provide for them.  Perhaps you could pray about helping Christiana, Mary, Agnes, Thomas, Alfred, Isaac, Ama, Mershack, Love, Godfred or Isaac.  Isaac is the little boy in the pink dress in the front.  All they have to dress this precious little boy is a pink dress!  Doesn't that break your heart!

This hurts.  And it is supposed to.  What breaks God's heart should break ours.

On my way home from Chorkor, I was overwhelmed.  Because I'd been having stomach issues all day, I was able to sit in the front seat of the van.  I allowed tears to stream silently down my face as I turned and faced the window so no one would see my emotion.  All of this hurt so much.  There were children being sent away without food...to a place with no food...so that their siblings could eat the tiny amount of food available.  It is all so overwhelming.

I looked out the window at the ocean waves crashing on the shore.  Enormous waves crashed and crashed pelting the rocky beach.  That's what I felt was happening to my heart.  Needs all around me - crashing into my compassionate heart.  Oh, this hurt.

"God, the need is so vast.  It's like the ocean out there.  We can't meet it all."

As soon as I prayed it, He answered, "I don't expect you to meet it all.  You are to respond to the needs I place in front of you.  That's all."

I watched the waves continue pouring on the shore knowing the needs will continue to come.  But His answer gave me some clarity of my responsibility in the vast ocean of needs here.  

I am responsible for the ones He places in front of me.

After this conversation with God, I pulled out my phone and typed this post on Facebook as a consolidation of this day in a few short words...

Sometimes God says, "Stop. Engage. Really listen. I'm presenting an unexpected need and asking you to meet it. Trust me. Be my hands and feet...care for the least of these and show them my love today. Don't worry. Just act." We heard His voice and we obeyed it. Now praying for a grandmother caring for nine children in a one room hovel with no water or electricity. Jesus loved them today. Thank you Lord.

God is not overwhelmed.  God is not deaf to the cries of the hungry.  God is not blind to His children.  Today, He invited us to participate in something He orchestrated and directed.  What an honor.  I pray I'm always aware of His voice, and walking out a life of faith and not worry.

Remember how worried I was about paying for the food?  God already worked that out as well!  HE is the Provider!

My parents called last night and told us that a the LLL Sunday School Class from Inskip Baptist Church was sending us a donation.  Guess what the amount was?  Almost the full amount of what we had spent on groceries!  Can you believe it?  God always provides.  He was moving on the hearts of the women in this Sunday School class to give this money.  This class is made up of grandmothers!  Elderly women with little to give were obedient to give to missions.  Their money gave Grandmother Agnes enough food to feed her babies for one month! These ladies have given to support a grandmother here without even knowing that is what their money would be used for!  Isn't that incredible?  Only God could weave grandmothers together like that!

I stand amazed by our God.  He is moving among His people.  We praise Him for providing for Grandmother Agnes, and all of the children in her care this month.  We thank Him in advance for providing for them in the future.  Only He knows how He will do it, but maybe He's asking you to participate in His plan. 

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
    when it is in your power to do it.

Proverbs 3:27

P.S. If you are interested in helping to sponsor any of these children please contact Feeding the Orphans and ask for information about the Chorkor family.  Sponsorship is $30 per month for food.

Update:  Within 24 hours of this post, this entire family was sponsored for food to feed them!  Our God provides!  Thank you!  We praise Him for caring for this family through YOU, and trust Him to care for the many others who continue to cross our path.

Meet Esther

Over the past four days, our home (and our hearts) have been opened to a precious girl.  Her name is Esther and we met her at GMI, one of the homes we visit here in Ghana.  A few nights ago, Esther shared the story God has begun writing in her life.  My heart was deeply touched.  She’s endured much loss and grief, yet, she exudes an overwhelming joy when we talk.  I asked her today if she might like to share her story with you.  Humbly, she agreed.  

I asked Esther to do this because I’ve realized there is so much that Americans can’t seem to grasp, myself included.  She’s enlightened me to what life is like for many children here.  I’m thankful for what I’ve learned.  So, I sit here and type, while Esther sits right beside me here in our bedroom.  Engage your heart in this sweet 17 year old’s story.  These are her words...  (The words in parenthesis are my own side notes for you.)

I was born in the Asanti Region in a big village.  It was my mom’s village.  My father took me at the age of 6 months because my mother was not caring for me.  My mother was involved in religious activities that concerned my father.  My father was a Christian and this was not okay with him.  (The ways Esther describes the religious practices will be hard for you to understand, but the spiritual dimension here is REAL.  People experience and witness the spiritual battle in ways that are difficult for us Americans to grasp.  Suffice it to say, her father needed to protect Esther.)  

My father took me to begin living with him and my grandmother in the Eastern Region.  While there, I lived in a double room made of concrete...it was two small rooms.  There were 13 people in the house with us...about seven adults and six children.  My father and all of my uncles and aunties and their children lived with us.  For water, we would fetch it from the river.  We had no electricity.

Everyone in my father’s family was Christian, so we would praise God together in church.  We always trusted God would take care of us.

My grandmother loved me.  While I lived with my grandmother, I would go with her to the farm while she worked.  She grew cassava and yams.  (Cassava is a root that grows here in Ghana.  It is a staple food found in many forms here.)  After it grew, she would sell it and she would feed herself and me.  While she worked, I would be tied to her back.  We would go around 6:00 am and come back at 4:00 pm.  While we were farming, she would build a fire and put yam and cassava in it so we could eat something.    

We ate what she grew - cassava and yams.  She sold some too, so she could take care of her children and me.  Sometimes I would go to the market with her to sell the the cassava and yams.  I would sit with her at the table while we would sell.  I lived with her for six, almost seven, years and then she died.  My grandmother died of sickness.  She was 60 years old. I was with my father about 8 months before he also died.  My father died because some people were fighting and he went to separate them.  When he did this, they choked him and cut him with a knife.  I cried.  I was seven years. 

My Auntie came to take me to Accra because there was no one to take care of me.  She was going to try to take care of me there.  She had a small provision store.  (Something about the size of a small coat closet in America.)  I would go to the store with her while she sold.  Sometimes when a person would come to buy something, I would sell it for her.  I did the house chores for her too.  I would wash the bowl, sweep the house, and wash my own clothes.  (Esther was with her auntie from age 7 until age 12..)   When I stayed with my Auntie, we stayed in a concrete house - a hall and a room.  The bathroom and the kitchen were outside the house.  I slept with her in the room on the mattress.  There were three of us living in the room, my auntie, a girl who helped in the store, and me.  

In Accra, some white woman saw me and she offered to help take care of me.  Because my Auntie couldn’t care for me, she let me go stay with her.  I stayed with her about eight months.  She was very nice to me.  I was the only child she was caring for.  When she was leaving to go back to America, she called my Auntie to see what to do.  I told her I wanted to stay with the children we would sometimes visit at the orphanage.  My Auntie agreed to this because she could not take care of me.  The white woman took me to the man who had an orphanage.  I was 12 years old when I came.  After two years, the man taking care of us at the orphanage also left.  After he left, things were very difficult.  

Then Pastor John found us through Pastor Eben.  Pastor John came to us, but things were hard because Pastor John was not having money to take care of us.  So, he went around preaching in a car.  Some people would give him money so then he would go and get us food.  Until then, we would stay without food.  Sometimes for one week we would have no food.  Sometimes, Pastor John would travel to the Volta and bring back gari for us.  (Gari is grated and roasted cassava.)  

A man from Ghana heard about us because John would go and pray with him.  So, this man brought us rice, gari, and oil every month so we would have food.  Then he also stopped.  In the house where we were staying, the landlord wanted to sack us because we were having no money to pay.  He was telling us to leave the house because we were not having money to pay him.  At this time in this home, I was the only girl with seven boys and we all slept in one room with Pastor John and Pastor Eben.  They were all good to me because I was the only girl.  I would cook for them, clean for them, but they washed their own clothes.  I liked helping take care of them.  

Pastor John shared our troubles with a white lady named Anita.  So, I think Anita told him about a home in Teshie where we could come to stay.  That’s where we are now.  

Now, we have sponsors who can take care of us for food and schooling and everything.   So, I thank God that He has moved us from difficulty to a joyful place.  We always have enough food, and all the children are in school.  We have school inside and outside.  Pastor John and his wife, Irene, take good care of us.  Everyone in the house is covered because of sponsors for food and education.  

I just completed Junior High and I want to continue on to Senior High.  I’ll be going to boarding school in September for Senior High for four years.  I want to study cooking so I can open my own restaurant once I complete University studies.  Through that, I want to open an orphanage one day.  Because I have lived in an orphanage, this is what I want to do.  One day when I get money, I want to rescue children from the street and from villages where they have no food and no water to drink.  I plan to use the money from my restaurant to pay for this.  

(Esther is already blessing others with her love of cooking.  On weekends, she prepares the meals for the 56 people at the home where she lives - children and staff.  I’ve tasted her meals, and they are yummy.  Today she is teaching me to make ground nut soup.  Delicious.  Back to Esther...)

I want the orphanage to be like a foster home a little bit away from the city.  I want the children to feel happy that God loves them.  I want them to know there is a hope for them to get where they want to be.  

I thank God that He has rescued me from difficulty and I am now in a place where I am comfortable.  He has taken care of me.  I thank God for all that He did for me.

Esther’s favorite two verses are Matthew 5:14,  “You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill can not be hidden.”  Amen.  Also, “Blessed are those are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.”  Amen.

(I asked Esther if there is anything she would like to say to each of you...)

In closing, Esther would like to tell you all that you need to care for people and love people.  Share what you have with people who don’t have.  Share with people who are in need.  You should have caring hearts.  I was one of those people.  

How Do You Choose?

God has been graceful to us.  He has introduced us to the severity of needs here in His perfect timing.  This past week, I was moved to tears because of the lack of clean water here.  A three hour drive, but only 60 miles distance from our home, are communities desperate for clean water.

In one village, the children draw water from a surface water well.  They drop down a water bucket. Wait for it to sink from filling to be certain it is full.  Then they then pull it back up to the top.  After seeing the condition of the water around the concrete hole, my stomach hurt realizing they drink this water.  

Here is the surface of the water at the bottom of this cistern.

Would you drink it?  Cook with it?  Bathe with it?

 

After filling their containers, the women and children return down the path they came from hauling the water home balanced on their heads.

In the next village, I did not get photos of the water source, but it was a muddy, gray-water large mud puddle.  There is water available now because of the rainy season.  Several of the homes in this community had gutters in place to run the rain water into large containers.  However, in the dry season, this water source runs dry.  The village children must walk across a main highway with large trucks barreling down the road to carry water home.  (We are learning that carrying water is the job of the children and women.  You will see in the next pictures how young the children are when they begin this role for their family.)

After meeting with the Chief of this village, I noticed he had a water filter placed in the corner of his home.  Ceramic or Bio-sand filters are an excellent way to provide clean water for villages drawing from unclean sources.  These type of filters will clean the water from any water source.  However, the people using these filters must be clearly educated about the care and maintenance of the filter.  In the chief's home, which I would assume has the best water in the community, he is drinking water from a filter where the holding tank for the water is covered with algae, mold, and mildew.

Would you drink it?  Cook with it?  Bathe with it?

In the third village we visited for the day, we followed children to the water source.  Bare-footed boys and girls had their jugs in hand.  Because most of the men in this village were out farming, we trusted the women and kids to lead us to the place where they gathered water for their families.  The Red Shirt boy carries his jugs proudly as he walks to "do his job."  (There's just something about seeing children in red clothing here.  I think the bright color causes me to take notice.)

Then we arrived to see this.  

I fought back tears watching this little boy hold the cap in his mouth while he filled his water jug.

Jug after jug and bowl after bowl were filled with dirty water.

The women help each other begin the fine art of balancing the weight once it's atop their heads.

I notice this mother's protruding belly carrying a child within her, yet she still must carry the water home.

The Red Shirt boy wants to be sure I notice how strong he is carrying the filthy water.

How old are these children?  Four?  Five?  Six?  Her chubby hands tell me she is little.

And he can't be much older than she is.

The children gather the water then tramp back down the long path toward the village.

I swallow hard to fight back the tears.

Then we take a few pictures to show that, yes, we were really here.  Yes, these pictures were taken with my camera.  Yes, this is real life for these children.  Today.

I think some people would prefer to think this is not reality.  But it is.

Here's Reid and I standing beside the water source where the children collected water moments before this picture was taken.  Although I smiled for the photo, there were tears before and after from the sight I'd just witnessed.

In this picture:  Steve (MLI Staff), Kathy, Reid, Char, and Wahob (MLI Staff).

 Reid and the staff of MLI have the daunting task of making recommendations for wells after seeing the dire need in village after village.  How do you choose?  The need for clean water can be found in many places here.

Until clean water sources come to these villages, all of these children will be drinking water that can make them very sick.  Because of the lack of clean water, parasites and water-borne illnesses like malaria plague these kids...

And this child...

And these children...

And these...

And this brother and sister...

I recently read a statistic that Americans consume 150 gallons of water per day.  PER DAY!  Can you imagine how long it would take to haul this amount of water on your head?  Oh my goodness!  My guess is that the people in these villages consume less than 2 - 3 gallons per day - and that includes drinking, cooking, washing clothes and bathing.

I don't know what to suggest you "do" to help, but I would be wrong if I didn't offer one way to make a difference in some of the lives in these pictures.  These are real children.  Ones that I have touched and locked eyes with.  These are children going to bed tonight on a dirt floor after drinking parasite-ridden water all day.  Maybe God is calling YOU to do something to help them?  Will you pray about a way you can help?

Will you pray about a way you can help?  Feeding the Orphans is getting ready to launch their Change for Change Project to raise money for clean water here in Ghana.  Their Water for Life Project is making an impact.  Something as simple as collecting loose change will help.  The well FTO provided in the village of Deti is already impacting lives here!

Some people say you should only be concerned with the neighbors near you.  After all, there are needs in America.  "We should only take care of our own," becomes the mantra in some Christian circles.

"Really?"  I now ask.

  Grace must abound because of people's ignorance.  For myself, before I moved here, included.  Clean water wasn't a need "right in front of me."  It should have been.

I will leave you with just one question, what kind of water is your closest neighbor drinking?  Filtered water?  Bottled water?  Or treated city water from a tap at the sink?  

I honestly believe you can help your neighbors closest to you without ignoring the neighbors on the other side of the world.  God blesses us so that we will bless others.  (Gen. 12:1-2)

May God provide clean water for these children.

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Psalm 63:1

It's a Toss UP

Thought these would be FUN to see, for this is how guys PLAY with kids!  Being the mother of boys, I know little boys need this!  It's fun to watch the exuberant JOY come from the children as they fly toward the clouds!

Franklin sending Johnson way up high!

Michael tossing Bright on in his last few minutes at the home.

I'm thankful for men who toss these boys up into the air and always catch them coming down!  (I can't believe I am calling Franklin a "man," but there are times he really proves himself to be one.  When I watch him with the kids, I see the "man" in him being revealed.)

  Sometimes our mission for the day is to be like Jesus when He said, 

"Let the little children come to me; do not hinder them for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."  (Mark 10:13)

Then the Bible tells us,  "He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them."  (Mark 10:15)

After blessing the children, I wonder if Jesus then let them all take turns being tossed into the air and caught in his strong loving arms.  It seems like something He would do, doesn't it?  

Unexpected Comfort

Sometimes comfort comes in unexpected ways. 

For the past few days our boys have participated in a Sports Camp at City of Refuge.  CORM is hosting a missions team from America who have come to lead the camp.  Our oldest four boys have enjoyed their days.  I have loved seeing them arrive and immediately engage.  Mason, Franklin, and Weston quickly begin kicking the ball on a makeshift field while Braden walks the perimeter whispering to Miracle about secret plans for the club they have created.  (They even have a secret handshake.)  All of the older boys are enjoying their days here making new friends and doing new things.

However, Godwin is not.  He does not want to be here, and he has said so.  He spent all day yesterday crying.  I stayed with him thinking that would provide comfort, but his tears still flowed.  Yesterday he cried.  He cried.  He wailed.  He cried.  Cheeks with paths made of tears peeked out from under his hat all day.  Because I strongly felt this was something he needed to overcome, I sat with him through nearly every session.  The only time I left him was during the indoor Bible lesson.  During this time, Godwin sat on Mason’s lap, too afraid to be without someone from our family. 

Today I realize my strategy was unsuccessful.  Godwin did not “overcome.” 

Tears have flowed this morning since our arrival.  I stayed with him for the first hour, but then left the field - honestly, because I was running out of compassion and patience for his tears.  Was he trying to manipulate me?  It felt like it. 

As I finally walked off the field, a little boy named Gabriel was close beside him.  Gabriel was recently rescued from a life of slavery on a fishing boat.  As soon as he saw Godwin crying, Gabriel put his arm around him and held his hand.  I looked down and saw Gabriel’s scarred hands and legs touching my son.  It deeply stirred me.

Questions started running through my mind.  How do these children comfort themselves when they have no parents?  How often must they comfort each other?  How often must they comfort themselves?  The fact that this little boy, who currently speaks no English and has been a freed slave for less than a week, understands that the simple act of putting his arm around Godwin would provide comfort was touching.  I can learn a lot from Gabriel’s compassion. 

Dora, an older girl at came, just walked up here and told me Godwin is no longer crying.  I am praising God.  Figuring out what is preschool fear, adoption trauma, 4 year old strong-willedness, or Mommy manipulation is a task that brings me stress.  Guilt tries to plague me with any decision.

So, while I am trying to complete some work on the computer away from the Camp, I am thankful that Gabriel stays close to Godwin.  I hope Godwin’s confidence will grow as he continues to participate.  The squeals of delight carried by the wind tell me the children are having fun.  I hope Godwin is making one of the squeals I hear.  If so, I am sure I have Gabriel to thank for it.

Actually, this was Godwin's face at lunchtime.

 I praise God that the God of all comfort, comforted him through Gabriel today!

Tennessee Volunteers...and Kentucky too

After my post about people from Michigan, I thought I'd better give some credit to the people from other states.  (Ha!)  I received lots of messages from folks telling me they were from Michigan, they knew someone from Michigan, they were moving there, born there, they knew someone whose grandma's niece's brother-in-law traveled there for vacation, etc...

It seemed everyone wanted to claim Michigan as their home state!  

Well, other states are represented as Kingdom Impacters too!  Before I talk about them, I should say that friends from Ohio are amazing encouragers for missionaries on the field.  (How's that Cindy?)  Hooray for  Ohio!

This summer, several people have shown us what it means to "give your life away" daily.

Through FTO, Kentucky sent three volunteers here this summer.  Anna Stepp, Olivia Brainard, and Hillary Anderson.  Sadly, we weren't able to spend as much time with Anna and Olivia because they left just a few short weeks after our arrival.  The two of them were usually holding children when we saw them though.  However, Hillary chose to stay here for an extra month.

Even though she has faced numerous challenges physically from her time here, she chose to stay longer to have more time with the children.  She has been invaluable to the children through the love and attention she has shown them.  She's been the hands and feet of Jesus.  Her warm smile captivates the children and it always reciprocated.  Kentucky folks have loved well!

I love my home state, Tennessee.   The University football team in my hometown of Knoxville is known as the TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS!  I love it because Tennesseeans have always led the way in volunteerism.  From the Alamo to current day, Tennesseeans know what it means to lay down their lives and volunteer to help others.

Emily Marshall is one of those great Tennesseans!  GO VOLS GO!

Emily has served here in Ghana numerous times at the same orphanage.  The children know her and trust her.  She loves the kids, kisses their boo-boos, gives them their vitamins, takes care of them if they are sick, and tucks them in at night.  In many ways, she's a mommy figure for the children.  Our family has learned a lot from her sacrificial actions of choosing to come back again and again.  She encourages us with her true concern and care of the children in this home.  What a beautiful picture of Christ.  

Another hometown boy, Michael Lown, has earned the high admiration of our family.
GO VOLS GO!

Michael has lived in an different orphanage for over two months.   No one serves there with him, so he "goes it alone" daily.  He is self-motivated to help these children and, along with loving daily on the children here, he has worked all summer long on a water project for the home.  He will complete this, Lord willing, before he leaves and the home will have running water within its walls just days before he departs.  You can read more about his project on his blog.  

Michael started a daily Bible study with the older boys here.  He's discipled them well, and his time here has yielded much fruit.  He was willing to stand in the gap for these kids and fight the battle in the spiritual realm.  We thank God for the example of Jesus we see in Michael's comforting hands around the kids.  The children in this home all look up to their Uncle Michael.

I'm sorry to give Michigan more bragging rights, but it wouldn't be right for me not to mention the "Ghana Grandma" in this post.  Lola Crain flew to Ghana from Knoxville but she is from Michigan.  Therefore both states can claim her.  Ha!  GO VOLS GO!

Lola gave her heart away to precious children for nine months here in Ghana.  She spent several days with our family as soon as we moved into our home.  We learned months worth of knowledge from her in a few short days.  Lola has recently returned to the states where she is now raising support to work full time for Feeding the Orphans.  Too much of her life is bound here.  She is now tied to these children so she continues to give her life away in new ways to help them.

Finally, I must talk about the O'Learys - the founders of Feeding the Orphans.  They are true Tennessee  Volunteers.  (Kristie was actually raised in Kentucky.  Here's another two-state claim on bragging rights.  GO VOLS GO!)

Righ and Kristie have been examples of true Christ Servants since we have known them.  They have loved those near them and also the children here on the other side of the world.  Righ has left his prosperous job to work for Feeding the Orphans full time.  They are raising support for their family because they still want all money to go to help the children!  (Maybe you could help them.)  We've seen the O'Learys lives up close.  They are the real deal.  Their lives are totally surrendered to Jesus.

The last meal we shared with the O'Learys before leaving for Ghana was beans and rice.  Our two families sat sprawled out on their back porch spooning beans into our mouths.  How fitting.  A Ghanaian meal prepared in an American home.  The simple meal was such an example of where their hearts are - here in Ghana with the children.

All of the current FTO volunteers here in country depart within the next few days.  After that, our family will await the new volunteers planning to arrive in September.  We are grieving saying goodbye to all three of the people who have helped us settle in here.  Hillary, Emily and Michael have made our lives richer because of opportunities to serve together.  We have grown through watching them serve.

Tonight our family is taking the three volunteers out to dinner for one final meal together.  Although they deserve so much more, it's a small way our family can say "thank you" to them for their time here.  What an impact each of them has made on the children surrounding them.

Tonight, we will probably have something semi-American because Hillary, Emily and Michael have been eating beans and rice, rice, rice, rice, rice, rice for months.  :-)  Ghana Grandma and O'Leary family - we wish you were here to join us.  You will be with us in spirit.

Finally, I want to say thank you to Daniela Leipold who "gave her life away" and loved on our son before we even knew he would be ours!  She loved on him for one full year of his young life.  We are so thankful for her love for Godwin.  She has sent him gifts and still stays in touch with us.  She even sent me baby pictures of him that I will cherish forever!  (What a gift for a momma!)  Godwin had people loving him before he even became part of our family!  The impact of her volunteerism continues.  Thank you Daniela!  (By the way, Daniela is from Austria!  But her actions say she should be from TENNESSEE!)

We thank you all for GIVING YOUR LIVES AWAY to inspire others, ourselves included, to do the same.

We love you all!

"The King will answer them and say to them, "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to ME."  

Matthew 25:35