So, several years ago, my roomate Kirsten handed me "The Hunger Games" to read and immediately, I was hooked. We patiently waited for number two to come out and then anxiously awaited number 3 to come out...just waiting to hear what would happen to Katniss, Peeta, and the gang from "Catching Fire".
Well, knowing that the movie was coming out in the States, I have been hoping that our Accra Mall movie theater would bring it in. And finally, we heard the news...it would be arriving in May. So, I looked up the books on my kindle and reread the whole series.
It was an interesting experience reading it through again this time and I think a big part of my strange emotional journey through the series had to do with the work that we do here.
When I first read through the series, I thought a lot about the Roman arenas and the desire for entertainment leading to the shedding of blood...ultimately the shedding of blood from hundreds of Christian martyrs.
But this time, I really felt the battle of the "child" inside this story. Katniss and Peeta would probably be considered teenagers, but when you get to the Mockingjay, there is just so much pain and disillusionment, confusion, anger...all of it. It makes one wonder if there could ever be complete healing from such an ordeal...
And then I look here in the country that I live and work. Childhoods robbed as young as 3 and 4 years of age in exchange for hard labor on a lake. Names forgotten. Parents forgotten. Excruciating pain from waterborne illnesses and disfigurements, deaths, abuse--so much pain.
And I look at the happy faces of my children here. I see DK who spent five years out on the lake and the amazing, smart, happy boy that he is today (though he can be moody coming into his pre-teen years). I look at Abigail and her huge smile. I see Dora and the funny way she laughs and falls down and loves so purely. And Mary and the way that she has grown so much academically that she has blown her teacher away!
There is healing to be had, but there will always be a story to be told. And it's in those moments when the story of what WAS is so overwhelming for them, that we have to watch out for...it's in those moments when we need to be present and ready to speak truth and love purely...it's in those moments that we become the hands and feet and voice of Jesus.
We are planning on rescuing 18 more children in the upcoming months. Our investigations have already begun and I'm praying about the kids that will come and live in our new house. I'm praying that the battles that they have lived through won't define them, but will make them even more determined to see that FREEDOM is available to more children. I don't want them to be disillusioned with life, but learn to understand the love that is available through Christ. And I want to see them brought into healing...powerful healing. I'm praying against the WAR that they are living in now and praying them into a future...a hope...a love that will change their lives.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Birthday Lovin'
Today, we had a long overdue dance party birthday bash. We had the dirt in-between our house and the new guest house paved over with cement this week and we set up tables and benches and we partied!
It was so fun to finally get to have our first official birthday celebration here at the new place. I looked around the circle at our kids and was so happy. The kids were so happy. I think the happiest of all was our newest addition, John Apaw--an orphaned boy from Doryumu who joined our family in February. His birthday was just a few days ago and he was so excited to be celebrated!!
We danced, cheered, ate, danced, cheered, and danced some more. Portia and Justice fell asleep right in the midst of it all, and in the end Valentina won the dance contest, but all the kids WON because they left with a few new "prizes" to add to their collections...all the kids got socks and underwear--something we're in constant need of with over 20 kids to be watching out for at any given time.
Today was an absolute blessing and I'm so glad that we finally had a celebration at our new place. It's really begun to feel more and more like home!
It was so fun to finally get to have our first official birthday celebration here at the new place. I looked around the circle at our kids and was so happy. The kids were so happy. I think the happiest of all was our newest addition, John Apaw--an orphaned boy from Doryumu who joined our family in February. His birthday was just a few days ago and he was so excited to be celebrated!!
We danced, cheered, ate, danced, cheered, and danced some more. Portia and Justice fell asleep right in the midst of it all, and in the end Valentina won the dance contest, but all the kids WON because they left with a few new "prizes" to add to their collections...all the kids got socks and underwear--something we're in constant need of with over 20 kids to be watching out for at any given time.
Today was an absolute blessing and I'm so glad that we finally had a celebration at our new place. It's really begun to feel more and more like home!
Exactly Where I'm Supposed to Be
There are some times when I am here and I just get this incredibly overwhelming sense of loneliness. It's weird to say that since there are SO MANY people that live here, but this loneliness is different.
I was writing in my journal that sometimes I just long for my friends, my family...long for something normal. I read on facebook yesterday that one of my besties was going to the farmer's market. And another wrote me an email about something exciting happening in her life. And those are the moments that I just wish I were with them. That I could experience life with them. I become lonely...longing for those people who know ME. They know me for me...not the City of Refuge me, but just ME.
And then, in our worship gathering this morning, I read this passage:
"All these people [Noah, Abraham, Abel, etc] were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had the opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for has prepared a city for them."
--Hebrews 11:14-16
And I realized that so often I make this place, this loneliness, this mission...about me. And this isn't about me. This whole thing--my life--City of Refuge--my friendships and my family--it has to be about God. Because in the end, even if I haven't received all the promises of God that He has spoken over me, I can stand firmly in the truth that He has called me here and that even the work that we are doing here is not for ourselves or even for these children, but it is for HIM. And I'm working for a heavenly city.
So God, even in the places of loneliness, I lean on the fact that YOU know me...that YOU have called me...and that YOU are my home.
I was writing in my journal that sometimes I just long for my friends, my family...long for something normal. I read on facebook yesterday that one of my besties was going to the farmer's market. And another wrote me an email about something exciting happening in her life. And those are the moments that I just wish I were with them. That I could experience life with them. I become lonely...longing for those people who know ME. They know me for me...not the City of Refuge me, but just ME.
And then, in our worship gathering this morning, I read this passage:
"All these people [Noah, Abraham, Abel, etc] were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had the opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for has prepared a city for them."
--Hebrews 11:14-16
And I realized that so often I make this place, this loneliness, this mission...about me. And this isn't about me. This whole thing--my life--City of Refuge--my friendships and my family--it has to be about God. Because in the end, even if I haven't received all the promises of God that He has spoken over me, I can stand firmly in the truth that He has called me here and that even the work that we are doing here is not for ourselves or even for these children, but it is for HIM. And I'm working for a heavenly city.
So God, even in the places of loneliness, I lean on the fact that YOU know me...that YOU have called me...and that YOU are my home.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
A Little Touch of Home
It has been a weird break for me so far. I have felt a little homesick and also desire a lot of resting time, but then feel guilty when I take a nap or do something "unproductive" like watch TV all afternoon.
I remember my break last April with Katie Majewski home with me and us spending hours of time locked in my little room hammering out summer camp thing. Laughing and chatting about life and all the things that were happening. I really miss Katie this April break...I miss a little touch from home.
But, today, it was so nice because I had a scheduled phone call with Christy Lynch to discuss the August Day Camp and it was such a nice refreshing breeze of HOME!! Sometimes, I just need that!
It's kinda funny how Christy and I became friends...I mean, she's quite a bit younger than me, but a few years ago, I lived in her parent's basement with about 5 other people. That summer was amazing! I had come out of my first year of teaching and it had been REALLY TOUGH. My roommate and one my best friend's was getting married, so my living situation had to change and I moved into the Lynch's basement. Needless to say, after I moved out, they instituted a "quiet hours after 10" rule in their contract. Whoops!
Christy was a big part of that summer though. Coming downstairs singing showtunes, horror night Thursday (I hated that one!), kidnapping friends with pantyhose on our heads, and so much more! It was a fun summer, and a much needed summer of laughter after such a hard year of teaching.
And then, as time went on, our friendship/aquantaince continued to grow. But, it really began to blossom when Christy told me that she was going to come out last August for our day camp and help run the program. I was so grateful as I knew that I would be in the States at the time I needed a little help to run the program while I was gone. And when I finally arrived back at the end of August, I got to spend nights chatting with her in my room, talking about Ghana...about our kids...about CORM...about life...and we became sisters! Ghana does that to people...makes them family.
So, when she told Tom and I that she was IN for my planned trip to Australia in February, I was excited to spend my days with adventurous Christy!
And today's conversation was just a feeling of home...a time to laugh about a few things...plan for the time when she will head back to Ghana...and just a little bit of what I've been hungering for this break.
I am so lucky to have such an amazing support system back home in the form of some pretty amazing friends and family. God is good!
I remember my break last April with Katie Majewski home with me and us spending hours of time locked in my little room hammering out summer camp thing. Laughing and chatting about life and all the things that were happening. I really miss Katie this April break...I miss a little touch from home.
But, today, it was so nice because I had a scheduled phone call with Christy Lynch to discuss the August Day Camp and it was such a nice refreshing breeze of HOME!! Sometimes, I just need that!
It's kinda funny how Christy and I became friends...I mean, she's quite a bit younger than me, but a few years ago, I lived in her parent's basement with about 5 other people. That summer was amazing! I had come out of my first year of teaching and it had been REALLY TOUGH. My roommate and one my best friend's was getting married, so my living situation had to change and I moved into the Lynch's basement. Needless to say, after I moved out, they instituted a "quiet hours after 10" rule in their contract. Whoops!
Christy was a big part of that summer though. Coming downstairs singing showtunes, horror night Thursday (I hated that one!), kidnapping friends with pantyhose on our heads, and so much more! It was a fun summer, and a much needed summer of laughter after such a hard year of teaching.
And then, as time went on, our friendship/aquantaince continued to grow. But, it really began to blossom when Christy told me that she was going to come out last August for our day camp and help run the program. I was so grateful as I knew that I would be in the States at the time I needed a little help to run the program while I was gone. And when I finally arrived back at the end of August, I got to spend nights chatting with her in my room, talking about Ghana...about our kids...about CORM...about life...and we became sisters! Ghana does that to people...makes them family.
So, when she told Tom and I that she was IN for my planned trip to Australia in February, I was excited to spend my days with adventurous Christy!
And today's conversation was just a feeling of home...a time to laugh about a few things...plan for the time when she will head back to Ghana...and just a little bit of what I've been hungering for this break.
I am so lucky to have such an amazing support system back home in the form of some pretty amazing friends and family. God is good!
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Story Time
Last year, when I was teaching our kids, I would spend about 15-30 minutes a day reading from a novel. The kids loved it! We started with The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Each day we'd read a little bit, and then on Fridays, we would watch just the part that we had read that week of the movie. Oh, they would get so excited to see if the book and the movie were the same and when I had to shut it off...the groans that would come were so funny!!
We read all kinds of books last year...some with movies and some without. But, all in all, the kids began to enjoy reading and because of their English language skills, using the movies to give them a picture of what the books were saying was so fun.
Well, this year, I haven't been able to do any reading to them. I'm not in the classrooms anymore (at least not as a teacher) and so I don't get that "book" time with the kids anymore. So sad! But, this break, I thought it would be fun to read to the kids, so we started Story Time a couple days ago.
I'm reading the book "Matilda" to the kids and so far, they're loving the fact that Matilda is just this small girl who is thinking up all these crazy ways to "get" her parents (who are incredibly mean, by the way).
Last night, we read how Matilda put superglue in her dad's hat, and how she put a bird in their chimney then made them believe their house was haunted, and finally, how she could add incredibly difficult numbers in her head at just 5 years of age.
They're loving it! So, hopefully, next week we'll have time to finish the book and watch the movie. They're excited for that part! If we finish it soon, maybe I'll have to track down another book and movie...I think I have Holes somewhere...
We read all kinds of books last year...some with movies and some without. But, all in all, the kids began to enjoy reading and because of their English language skills, using the movies to give them a picture of what the books were saying was so fun.
Well, this year, I haven't been able to do any reading to them. I'm not in the classrooms anymore (at least not as a teacher) and so I don't get that "book" time with the kids anymore. So sad! But, this break, I thought it would be fun to read to the kids, so we started Story Time a couple days ago.
I'm reading the book "Matilda" to the kids and so far, they're loving the fact that Matilda is just this small girl who is thinking up all these crazy ways to "get" her parents (who are incredibly mean, by the way).
Last night, we read how Matilda put superglue in her dad's hat, and how she put a bird in their chimney then made them believe their house was haunted, and finally, how she could add incredibly difficult numbers in her head at just 5 years of age.
They're loving it! So, hopefully, next week we'll have time to finish the book and watch the movie. They're excited for that part! If we finish it soon, maybe I'll have to track down another book and movie...I think I have Holes somewhere...
Motivation
I'm on my break from school and I have been looking forward to a little break for a long time. Learning to have the motivation to get OTHER things done while on this break is the problem that I'm having. My goals for this break were to get back into my exercise routine (my last week of school, I was so busy that I couldn't even work out once...boo), work on the curriculum and plans for the August Day Camp, and put together a few things in preparation for my next academic year.
Yesterday, for instance, I worked all morning answering emails and getting a few things out that I've needed to do for the past few weeks. Then, I came back to the house and by 2:00, this massive wave of tiredness came over me and all of the sudden I'm in my room taking a nap for the next couple of hours. I missed my time frame to work out (our "cool" hours here where there is still light is about 4-6) because I just wanted to read.
I keep telling myself that it's okay and that I need to have some grace for myself. Maybe my body really did need a nap, but overall, I'm just lacking motivation to do anything worthwhile.
So, I'm hoping that today is the day...that motivation will just be easy to come by. That I'll get some work done that I've been needing to get done and then, I'll feel productive at the end of my day instead of lazy.
Yesterday, for instance, I worked all morning answering emails and getting a few things out that I've needed to do for the past few weeks. Then, I came back to the house and by 2:00, this massive wave of tiredness came over me and all of the sudden I'm in my room taking a nap for the next couple of hours. I missed my time frame to work out (our "cool" hours here where there is still light is about 4-6) because I just wanted to read.
I keep telling myself that it's okay and that I need to have some grace for myself. Maybe my body really did need a nap, but overall, I'm just lacking motivation to do anything worthwhile.
So, I'm hoping that today is the day...that motivation will just be easy to come by. That I'll get some work done that I've been needing to get done and then, I'll feel productive at the end of my day instead of lazy.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Term 2
Today was the last day of Term 2. It was a crazy day...well, a crazy week to say the least! Yesterday, I think that I had about a 14 hour day. Wow! I had so much to do yesterday with getting student bills together, signing off on report cards, making sure our kids were prepared for the program. It was a crazy, busy day yesterday and then today, another busy day of finishing up the school term.
I was just thinking of the highs and lows of Term 2...here's my list!
High's:
1)Andrea Elizondo coming and being a part of our school and PE and Health program and being a part of our lives here at CORM.
2) My trip to Australia and all that came with my time there!
3) Seeing some of our kiddos skyrocket in their understanding (like Mary Aboanor...so amazing!)
4) Meeting with the parents of our kids and hearing their stories and being able to offer them employment or sponsorship
5) The support of our parents with our PTO
6) CORM kids being top of their class academically!
Low's:
1) Having to discipline a couple of teachers and talk with Mr. Francis about some difficult issues
2) A meeting with Ghana Education Service that was incredibly frustrating
3) Some loooooong days!
4) CORM kids getting into trouble when they should be an example
Yeah, that's pretty much my school term in a bundle. There were some amazing things that happened at CORM during these past couple of months, but my highs and lows with Faith Roots...you've got them!
I was just thinking of the highs and lows of Term 2...here's my list!
High's:
1)Andrea Elizondo coming and being a part of our school and PE and Health program and being a part of our lives here at CORM.
2) My trip to Australia and all that came with my time there!
3) Seeing some of our kiddos skyrocket in their understanding (like Mary Aboanor...so amazing!)
4) Meeting with the parents of our kids and hearing their stories and being able to offer them employment or sponsorship
5) The support of our parents with our PTO
6) CORM kids being top of their class academically!
Low's:
1) Having to discipline a couple of teachers and talk with Mr. Francis about some difficult issues
2) A meeting with Ghana Education Service that was incredibly frustrating
3) Some loooooong days!
4) CORM kids getting into trouble when they should be an example
Yeah, that's pretty much my school term in a bundle. There were some amazing things that happened at CORM during these past couple of months, but my highs and lows with Faith Roots...you've got them!
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