Learning to Trust

So, something that I'm learning about here in Ghana is the art of trusting others. Money is a big issue here. Not just because it's a third world country so there is a great deal of need (which there is), but because of the need, people are greedy and will do anything to get money--even if it means destroying relationships or losing out on the money you would have gotten just because you want a higher price. And the color of my skin can push this issue even further. (Little do they know, that behind me are 200 people that are giving a little here and a little there to support my time here. There's no way that I could be here without all of YOU!)

We've been facing crowding issues here at the Freedom Center--our new home in Doryum. With 30 people here and water coming to the tap only every other week, we've run out of water quickly. There isn't enough room for beds for all of the staff, so we have people sleeping in our van, on our living room floor, and in our office. We were looking at renting an empty house just around the road from our own house. The man said he'd rent it to us for 150 Ghana cedis, and then changed his mind and wouldn't take less that 400! Rediculous! So, John and Stacy have been out searching for another house, but there isn't much here. We're just kinda stuck in a financial conundrum--pay the man a crazy amount of money for a house that's only worth 150, or stick it out all here together.

We've also been working with a man who has been the mouthpiece of the village chiefs this past year. Yet, now, he's holding us back from getting our land registered because he wants to be in control.

Ultimately, it all comes down to money. . .but even more, it comes down to trust. And when you find those people that you can really trust, you hold on to them with all your might. We've found some good, trustworthy staff that we don't want to let go of--our teachers, our caretakers, our houseparents, our night guard, our maintenance man--all of them are men and women with whom we can trust, and that is where we place our time, and resources, and energy. If only these others would see that investment comes with TRUST, then, in the long run, they would be more than rewarded.