Merry Christmas!!!

Well to be honest it does not feel much like Christmas at all. There are no Christmas trees, no lights on houses (that would be mud huts here) and there are no Santa’s laps to sit on at the mall. But then again what is the real meaning of Christmas? I have always felt like I have tried to keep Jesus at the center of Christmas, but being here and having the birth of Jesus really be the center of all the kids talk about and sing about reminds me that He is the focus. We have been teaching the kids Christmas songs to perform to their parents on Christmas. Last Thursday we learned "Do you hear what I hear?" While they were singing I really felt the true meaning of Christmas and for the first time I really listened to the words of the song. We are also reading an advent story to the kids every night. We have been reading about the prophets that foretold the birth of Jesus. I guess not having all the things that remind me of Christmas, I am able to focus on the true meaning without having all the commercialism get in the way. We were able to get every child a good pair of shoes and socks, underwear along with a TV and some DVDs. We are so excited to give them their gifts, we know they will be so thrilled to get there own pair of new shoes.

OK so I didnt write this blog, I have to give Lindsay the credit. We had a very hard time tyring to put this last weekend into words. Lindsay put it so much better than I could.
Last weekend I spent a few days traveling through a part of eastern Ghana called the Volta Region. It is in this region as well as other parts of West Africa including Togo and Benin, that the practice of Trokosi slavery is widespread. It is this region that four of our children at Haven of Hope used to call home.

Trokosi is a belief system in which entire villages believe in and worship a variety of gods. However, in addition to idol worship, this religion requires that in order to atone for sins and appease the gods, one must offer a child, preferably a virgin daughter to the Trokosi priest over the local shrine. That child is then enslaved for a lifetime, at the will and whim of the priest. They are his, for work or for pleasure. There are hundreds of these shrines throughout West Africa, but thanks to the concern and efforts of Every Child Ministries and its full time employees in the Volta Region, three shrines have agreed to the liberation of their slaves just in the past few years and another is being negotiated at this time, hoping for another liberation ceremony in the summer of 2009!

As I mentioned, four of our children come from this region of the country and our mission last weekend, at their request, was to take them to their former homes in order to greet what may remain of their families. While each reunion had its own unique circumstance, their commonality was a lack of attachment, emotion, and love in each instance. As we passed from Sogokopie to Aflau over countless rivers and through soaring coconut trees, I began to ask myself what it was that made these reunions different from those we had witnessed previously in Accra. As much as I tried to avoid the Sunday school answer, it was the only answer that made any sense. The difference was God. Even though they have struggled through poverty, prostitution, and despair, many of the mothers in the streets of Accra know God and believe in the sacrifice of His son. These families in the Volta Region, who participate in an idol worshipping, child enslaving religion completely devoid of the knowledge of the one true God, know nothing of love because God is love. Today I ask that you pray for ECM and its employees in the Volta Region ministering daily to those trapped in the Trokosi traditions, that they may radiate Christ’s love in a land where there is very little.

Please keep the kids in prayer over the holidays, some are very sad about not being able to see their families.

Nov 10th

Dear friends and family. Sorry I have not written lately, things have been busy around here
These past couple of weeks has been the biggest mix of emotion, I have ever felt. So a part of my work here is helping with the street ministry on Sundays. Felicia the street ministry director has planed for some kids to come each week to see their parents. Our first trip was last week, it was sad for some, and for others there were tears of joy. We took our second group today. The pure joy of the mothers and seeing the kids run into their arm gave me an overwhelming joy that brought me to tears.
God has been teaching me the really importance of love and how much it can change lives. God loved us so much that he gave his only son. For some reason I am just now grasping the depth of love that He has for us. Love is so powerful. I have seen that first hand here in my relationships with the girls. Mary, one of the girls we took to the street ministry last week. She is a very beautiful 12yr old sassy girl that runs with boys. She is very tough and would sacrifice her body for the sake of wining a soccer game. She had a very big wall built up around her heart, I think seeing her mother and having to trust me in an overwhelming situation broke down those walls. To be honest loving her was not easy at first, but true love casts out all fear. To receive hugs, love and time from her makes it all worth it. I look at how much God loves us, to be soaked in that kind of love is a feeling I can not describe.

October 25

It has been two months!!! How crazy is that. It feel like I was just celebrating our one month yesterday. This past week was our midterm break; we took a week off school and with that time we were able to help out in the office and take the kids to the beach. On Tuesday we had a long day at the immigration office. We walked in and found out that we needed a lot more than just our passports, so we drove around getting new visa pictures and a letter from ECM office. Praise God we were able to get six months extinction on our visas.
On Wednesday we went on an adventure to find the ECM office. We were given directions and amazingly we found it. (well Lindsay did most of the work considering I am directionally challenged) When we arrived Abby was waiting with piles of papers for Lindsay to type and a desk load of paper work for me to file. We had a great time visiting with Abby; she is a very hard worker with huge heart for the kids.
Wednesday was the big day! We loaded up 35 kids with two mamas and headed to the beach. The pure excitement and joy the kids had was like nothing I have ever experienced. Just to get in the van and go somewhere was a big deal to so many of the kids. There were two brothers who had never been to the beach before; I was so excited for them and all the kids. The look on their faces when they saw the ocean was priceless. We all ran to the water, with a few behind in fear of the waves. Only a few of the kids wanted to go out a little deeper, so with a death grip on my arm we walked out waist deep. I know that may not sound very exciting, but for them it was huge. As each wave came the grip on my arm only got tighter, the terror on their face after a wave hit instantly turned into joyful screaming when it past. I couldn’t keep from laughing. They were all so content flopping around in inches of water and burying each other in the sand. To see them play so contently with each other for hours, just showed me again how we are to be grateful for the little things. God is continually reminding me that He is everywhere. I never really grasped that, I see how different everything here is, but yet God is still same and living in the lives of the kids and seeing him in his beautiful creation in Africa, it has defiantly smashed the little Bonney Lake box I had him in.
Again I want to thank you all for your prayers and loving support.

Oct 12

So this week was one of love and of hardened hearts becoming soft. I have experienced the fruit of unconditional love and trust.
I wrote last week about a boy holding my hand, well his name is Baquin. Baquin is 11 years old and about the size of an 8yr old. He has been very closed off, didn’t talk or even smile, for a long time I thought he hated me. Now he is one of the many that hangs out on my porch with me. He will take my arm and he put is around his shoulder while walk. His smile and laugh melts my heart. He has also shown a lot more compassion and love to the younger kids. To see his transformation in these past two weeks has been an answer to my prayers.
The Gowinns arrived last week are going to be living here for as long as they are needed. They are going to be taking over the school. Lindsay and I so excited to get some organization and changes, it’s going to benefit these kids so much. I am so glad the couples are to here, they are the parents these kids need so badly.
Africa is so beautiful!!! The weather is not as bad as I thought; it stays around 80 degrees in the day and drops down to about 70 at night. The wildlife here isn’t too crazy, well minus the kids I did see a big green snake, and I think I was a green mamba, they are around here. We do have lizards everywhere; we do get little geckoes in our house at night. ( Megan, I have friends here too) At night the toads come out and the kids are afraid them, the first time I caught one they all freaked out. They said that toads are poisonous and where afraid for me because I touched it. I had to tell them if I ate it then I could get sick, but it was ok to touch it. I don’t think they believe me because they are still very afraid. I use the frogs as pay back for when they chase me with the big beetles. It is so funny.  It is a very strange to know that is fall and getting cold there at home. Christmas is going to be weird; December is the start of the hot months here.
Please pray for Abdul, he has not returned, buy law we cant really do anything about it. He has lived at HH for six years, so now some of the other kids are missing him. I am concerned about what the other kids might be feeling about this and if they think this could happen to them too. To be honest, I worry about that too. I have to keep reminding myself that God in control and He watching over Abdul and all the kids here. Please keep all these kids in you payers.

God bless!!!!! Happy Fall 

October 5

October 5

Psalm 29:11
The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses His people
with peace.

This week I really had to draw on the strength of the Lord.
It all stared with receiving a new girl to my class. This girl cried the entire week along with the other girl who likes to cry every time I look at her. So trying to get from one place to another is so fun with seven kids, one criers tied to my back, the other I carried while shrieking, and just hoping the other five would follow. There is no way I could do this in my own strength.
This Tuesday we had a boy named Abdul leave with his father for a few days. His family is all Islam and wanted him there to celebrate their holiday. He was supposed to arrive back here Saturday, but has not. Please pray for him, this the first time in six years his parents have come for him. I am trying not to think of the worst. Abdul is 11 years old. He is in the 3rd grade and loves to learn. He is very smart. He is very animated when he is speaking to you, he can’t tell a story without yelling and laughing. And he is always carrying the younger ones around a making sure they are being taken care of. He has a very caring heart.
Yesterday was a very big day for HH, we played a soccer match against Raffiki. (the other home and school a mile away)
The kids have been practicing and talking about this day for weeks, it has even been in our nightly prayers that we would score them. ( which means win) J When we arrived and saw the other team I had to laugh, they were all much larger and also had shoes and uniforms. Most of our boys and girls played with their bare feet. J The boys lost but played with such heart, I was proud. The other girls fought hard and won. We all came home a celebrated with a long nap. JOn our way home some of us slow walkers lagged behind and were sharing stories about the day, when one of the kids took my hand to hold, now my hands are always filled with some kid’s hand, but this one was different. This boy who I have shown love and trust to with giving nothing in return, held my hand for only a few minutes, but those few minutes made my day. The Lord blesses His people with peace. And that is exactly what I felt. God bless!!!!

Sep 29

September 29


It has been ONE MONTH as of last Wednesday!!!!!
God has blessed my heart so much with these kids. Despite the fact that these kids have been through many struggle and hardships and still thank God for their lives, families and friend, just blows my mind. I was walking by the boys rooms yesterday and heard some singing , I looked in and saw all the boys standing in a circle praying and worshiping God, but get this there was no adult telling them to pray, they were doing it because they love God and want to praise Him. Shouldn’t we have something to praise God about? We are the ones with the homes and food, we have parent and families. I felt like I was a thankful person, but I think true thankfulness can not go hand in hand with complaining. I have yet to hear one of these kids complain about sharing a room with 14 other kids or that they eat the same food every week. Yet they thank God!! 1 Thes 5:18 says “Give thanks in all circumstances”. That’s what I see from these kids.
God has given me feeling of complete joy and contentment in being here. On Thursday I was sitting outside, the sky was full of the orange setting sun and I had Moses and Gabriel on my lap while we watched the boys playing soccer, when I got this feeling of joy that I have never felt before. I sat there feeling the most content I have ever felt, I know this is where He wants me.
Gabriel and Moses are boys here at HH and are also in my class at school, they are both soon to be three, they love to snuggle, sing and play the drums. Gabriel has the biggest dimples when he smiles; he is a tough little boy. He loves to play soccer, sing songs and walk around with a stick in his hand whacking any thing or anyone that gets in his way. ( we are working that)  Moses is a very little boy, when he came here he was undernourished, so he is a little behind in speech, he is also very unbalanced. He does know how to say my name, and at random he will shout hallelujah! From now on I am going to try and tell you a little bit about two kids each week. O and I have moved from my porch to a room, with a table and some chairs! Praise the Lord!
Praise God that Lindsay and I have not gotten sick. The Driscoll arrived last week and have already been sick. What a blessing the Driscoll are to us, just to have other Americans here and to be able to communicate with has been great. They have sold all they have, left everyone they know to come here and live. They will live here until or if God calls them somewhere else. What faith!!!
Things are starting to feel more settled and homie. I think I have gotten the fact that I am going to be here for another 8 and a half months and not some one month stay. Time is just flying by, I wish it would slow down a little, I have the feeling this will be over before I know it.
On Saturday we ventured into town in search if a mall that we had heard was here. Our adventure started with the tro tro ( not cho cho) dying twice. They had to push start it both times. While I was in the mall I got this feeling like I wasn’t in Africa, just like walking through a mall back home. That feeling quickly died the minute I stepped outside and boarded a tro tro, which made it to a town just before Medie ( medie is where I live) when we stopped to find smoke coming from the hood. To top things off, the other tro tro we got on drove right pass our stop!! What a hilarious day!!
Please pray that these kids would feel loved. I know they want love, but knowing how to receive it and give it is very difficult for many of them. They have so much pain bottled up and many cover it up anger, fear or just silence.
And that I would die to myself everyday, allowing Gods love flow out of me on these kids. For it is only God who can mend broken hearts.