Fresh Start

A fresh new school year brings a fresh new blog! Our first year in Ghana was definitely challenging (probably an understatement). Sometimes I feel like I am in one of those seed-planting ministries where the only water I have is sweat and tears and the soil I’m working is rocky clay. Well I am proud to announce that God can make things grow no matter what! We don’t have any dramatic conversion stories (yet), but I have been privileged to witness some of God’s work in the lives of my students and co-workers and I know that things are growing in my own heart that I didn’t even know God planted there. He is full of love and surprises.

We had a wonderful summer in Colorado Springs. I did some child care and took two graduate courses, and John worked long and fun hours with a handy man. I loved on my family, I sipped Starbucks with friends, and I cried with my precious state over the fire and the shooting. We returned to a Ghana in mourning over the loss of her president, but also rejoicing over a peaceful and orderly transition. We’ve had some “only in Africa” moments like when a little gecko fell in the spaghetti sauce last night and we ate it anyway (the sauce, not the gecko). It is good to be laughing with friends, cooling off with Coke in a glass bottle, and high-fiving the neighborhood kids who call out, “Obruni,” or even our names because they remember us.

Now that we are back in Ghana, I am experiencing a joy and excitement that I honestly didn’t expect. I was looking forward to a new school year in my nerdy way, armed with my school supplies and new ideas from classes this summer. But then we had the first day of orientation, and I was infused with a different kind of excitement. The guidance of our leaders, the faces and personalities of some new staff, and especially the Word of God encouraged me more than I can express. I feel like I have a real watering can and some tilled soil now! I can’t wait to tell you more about this school year and what God does in the hearts of students, teachers, and staff. Keep praying and thanks for your support!

Mole National Park

Two weeks ago we had the awesome privilege of visiting Mole National Park in northern Ghana over a long weekend. We took the trip with Barb and Roy, two other teachers from school, and a driver. After 9 hours of highways (with only one minor brake problem) and 3 hours of a bumpy dirt road, we arrived at the Mole Hotel overlooking a vast plain of trees and clearings and small bodies of water where wild animals gather at one of the only wildlife preserves in Ghana. 

Early the next morning we took a walking safari down into the valley. Along the way we saw warthogs, bush bucks, and many different kinds of birds. But the highlight was definitely the elephants at the water hole! Our guide, who carried a gun, said we could keep getting closer until they (meaning the elephants) let us know to stop. So we did. If you’re wondering, an elephant’s sign to stop is a low thundering growl as he shakes his head from side to side. I kept thinking: they would never let you do anything like this in America...this is so dangerous...this is so awesome.

That afternoon, the grounds of the hotel were suddenly covered with monkeys - mostly baboons. They snatched food off people’s tables and hung out on the back porches. It was so incredible. We took a driving safari at dusk and saw a herd of female elephants with a baby and more varieties of bucks.

God is so powerful and creative and we feel humbled that he is allowing us these kinds of once-in-a-lifetime experiences while we are here.

Our driver, William

No zoom - I was actually this close

Ugly alien baby monkey!

We were staying in D3.
You can see this was the porch of D5.

Sleepover

There is nothing like a sleepover to bring a group of girls together. Tanya and I hosted 18 high school girls and various teachers to spend the night in our compound last weekend. There is one apartment empty in our complex right now, so we pulled in couches and some extra cushions (although no one really planned on sleeping), set up a projector, broke out myriads of nail polish, and began a photo/video scavenger hunt. It will probably be one of my favorite memories with these girls. It was a great chance for some shy ones to show their wild side and for people to interact with others they didn’t know very well. One of their photo assignments involved John. He hid on the compound and jumped out to scare the searchers every once in a while, resulting in shrieks and giggles. 

Probably because of my lovely Denali and Desiree, I usually see students as little brothers and sisters. I admit that I carefully walk the line between authority and camaraderie as a teacher.  The value of a teacher having fun with her students outside the classroom is priceless. It can lead to so much more trust and even learning inside the classroom. More importantly though, the love that is growing among us is opening doors to the important conversations: Why is it such a big deal to wait for marriage to have sex? How can I get along with my Mom? Why does God let bad things happen? Are you afraid to die? We also just started discipleship groups at school (Yea!!!!). We’ve been planning them for a while. I have a group of middle school girls. I don’t know them well yet, but I can wait to change that! 

The boys will get their turn. John and Josiah and some others are planning a camping trip. They also have discipleship groups. Please pray especially for our discipleship groups: we need wisdom. I often feel inadequate in the face of their questions and their needs. The fact that I am growing to love them so much just adds to my distress at times. But God loves them more and is worthy our trust. 

The Church

We are blessed this year to experience The Church in a new way. Somewhere in the midst of theological differences, a cultural gap, hailing cabs, feeling like a carnival side show everywhere we go, and missing my comfortable excitement at Meridian Point, I despaired of finding a church here. Which goes to show you that I forgot what it meant. But now I remember: He said, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” So let me show you around my Church here in Ghana:

Every other Sunday night we gather at Chris and Nichole’s down the street with a handful of believers to eat, talk, read the Word, sing some praises, and love each other.

Every Tuesday night John goes to the coffee lounge to get deeper with a small group of men. They are getting ready to learn from 1 Peter. 

Every Thursday night Daesha meets with a group of women. We cook dinner for each other and study King David, the ancient Israelites, and women of the Bible.

Sundays you can find us all over the city: visiting the congregation at Ghana Christian University with Barb and Roy, taking our students to lead Sunday School at Pram-Pram (a children’s home), meeting with the international congregations of Elim or Hope City, tagging along with Mrs. T. and her husband to the Churches of Christ, and sometimes sitting on our couch, holding hands, Bibles in our laps, Hillsong music on iTunes, and a sermon from Barry or my Dad on the internet.

We do most of our foot washing and Gospel sharing at school on a daily basis. 

I am learning to love The Church here with a deeper understanding. I am also reading a book right now called Safely Home by Randy Alcorn (highly recommend it) about the underground church in China. Everywhere I look, there seems to be reminders that The Church is everywhere: a living room, a classroom, an auditorium, a coffee shop. We pray that God continues to show us how He wants to fill us spiritually so that we can pour ourselves out for others. We long to Be The Church, this week and every week.

Anti-Bullying Week and International Day

This past week we had a school-wide anti-bullying campaign. Surveys, a poster contest, Bible lessons, essays, a focused chapel, skits from the student drama team, and lots of discussion made this one of the best anti-bullying strategies I’ve seen.

January 27th was probably one of my (Daesha) favorite days at AIS so far: International Day. Students were invited to wear the traditional clothing of their nation. When they came to school, each student was given a passport and then “traveled” to different countries throughout the school. Teachers, parents, and students presented different cultures through video clips, food, Tai-Kwan-Do, power points, crafts, pictures, artifacts, and anything else you can imagine. I (Daesha) led the presentation on Spain because John and I will be taking the seniors there in May for their senior trip. They helped me create a video for the presentation (for a grade, of course :-)). I taught some Spanish words. We also watched some YouTube flamenco, cranked up the volume, and danced along. We all gathered to eat lunch off of tables piled high with things I couldn’t pronounce. We watched a Korean drum performance and Ghanian dancing. Then the name of each country represented at our school was called out while anyone who claimed the country marched, skipped, or danced across the stage while carrying their flag. Below are just a few of the flags waved during this ceremony. I was awestruck by the privilege I have to be in this place and see so many beautiful people. I don’t know how I’ll go back to sameness after this. I LOVE the diversity of God’s world. 

John's board (students' words) after a
Bible lesson during Anti-Bullying Week.
(Eph. 4:29, 1 Thes. 5:11)

Elementary students representing
England and the USA.

I love to hear this talented Scottish student
read Shakespeare in class. :-)

Even the Pre-K students got involved.

A teacher (from Burkina Faso) prepares the
flags for the ceremony at the end of the day.

Traditional Ghanian Dance.

Ghana

Our beautiful and brilliant Indian.

The Japanese student on the far left
is one of the most talented young men
we have ever taught.

Our sweet-hearted, all-smiles Kenyans.

U ! S ! A !

Spiritual Emphasis Week (SEW)

In December, we were able to travel back to the States and see family and friends in Colorado, Texas, Kansas, and Missouri. The time was filled with laughter, joy, pain, and some tears - all normal emotions for missionaries (or anyone) in transitional phases of life. We got our fixes of Chipotle, Starbucks, cheddar cheese, hugs, and encouraging words, then headed back to Ghana on January 8th. 

We hit the ground running with Spiritual Emphasis Week, January 16th-20th. Rick and Mick, twin brothers from Alabama, began each morning of the week with comedy, games, worship music, and teaching on faith, parents, purity, and more. Friday morning was “Say So” (“Let the redeemed of the Lord SAY SO) and we were blessed to hear testimonies from students. Many of our students are from Christian families, but they talked about making the decision for themselves. Other students, in tears, admitted the need to forgive, obey, and express love to their parents. One young man stood up and said, “I don’t want to confuse anyone...I am a Muslim...But what you said...about eternity...I’ve been thinking about that a lot.” At the end of the week some of us teachers were convicted about the need for intentional discipleship for our students. We are using the spiritual high of this week as a springboard and starting our AIS small groups next Friday. Please pray for openness, authenticity, and spiritual hunger among our student body.

Teachers and students prayed in groups
one morning during SEW.

Mick and Rick were our
speakers/entertainers/leaders.

Fun, games, and worship all at the same time!