We did it!! We finished our last week of teaching and we are feeling the effects of it. The weather turned hot and sticky, the class size DOUBLED to 27, and we had to deal with new students coming early, and teaching the ones who have been there all along that showed up late!! Then we even taught a refresher course to the Evangelists on the art of using the concordance and found they “talk” in class as much as the younger ones and we had even less Evangelists! All in all, it was a good two weeks, and man, did we cover a LOT of territory!
Aside from the all hard work done last week (and there was always a review), we then added other stories to keep them from getting bored. Those lessons included:
With all the review we had, we made sure everyone GOT IT!! Betty Jo and I noticed a few of our students that came to the deaf church know how to look for Bible verses. Our student knew all the answers to the questions asked in class and helped those that didn’t. We did notice everyone struggled with the who, what, where, and how questions. Our constant attempts paid off, when we worked together on the sign choices or by writing what we meant on the board. Our group also came together with the Evangelists for discussions on circumcision=law and gospel, salvation in Jesus and baptism. It was inspiring to see the Evangelists teaching on baptism that resulted in 4 members of our class becoming baptized!! That was an awesome event to witness!
The class had a GREAT time performing 3 skits for the Evangelists on the last night of class. They included David and Goliath, Noah’s Ark, and the Christmas story. I don’t know which one was my favorite, but after a week of chaos of practice, they all pulled it off when it came to be. Then we “enjoyed” a special feast of spaghetti, rice with pepper sauce and oh yeah, fish! Ok, I have to admit, I didn’t eat fish as much as the last 2 years, BUT I did something this year that I never did before. I ate the fish head of one of my dinners (on the dare of one of my students) and that took the fun out of fish for me for the week! Betty Jo was not going to be out-done so she partook in that appetizer as well! And yes, we have pictures to prove it!! We could NOT be convinced to eat the bones, but it’s amazing what a hot commodity that is! I also decide that I don’t care for Banku (a fermented corn mush). Now that I know the names, I know what NOT to order at a restaurant! Agnes, our cook was a real trooper and she enjoyed that I took pictures of her creations every night. I didn’t want anyone calling me a liar when I got home!
It was not easy saying goodbye to our new friends. I had become quite attached to this bunch in the short time that we had. I had about 10 favorites but I have TONS of pictures to show of everyone. We said goodbye to Kobbie at the Internet Café who looked forward to our visits as much as we enjoyed going there to retrieve messages from home. We found out he too is a Christian and is interested in attending a Bible seminary in the U.S. Pastor Bud was all too eager to introduce him the LCMS website in his search for schools. Matthew, the “groundskeeper” in our class was very sad to see us go. He enjoyed the lessons learned and I encouraged him to continue with the tools that we provided for him. And then there is Daniel, the young (hearing) boy that has been attending these classes for years. I know he has been mentioned many times by me and others in past emails and reports. His knowledge of the Bible boggles the mind. He hopes to become a Lutheran pastor someday and to work with the Deaf. I know God has a special plan for him as well as the others that we taught.
After a long bumpy truck ride to the Cape Coast deaf school to meet up with another young man who also has GREAT potential to become a wonderful pastor, we head to visit the Castle, the site on the Sea of Benin, that was responsible the for shipment of 11+ million slaves to England and other countries. That was the low-point of this trip. The history is vast and the story needs to be told, but this beautiful castle’s reputation precedes itself. Ironically, the room just above the door where the Africans were led down to the crowded dungeons below (and ultimately to their demise) was a church.
We are now back in Accra where we started this journey 2 ½ weeks ago. As we prepare for our long journey home, we are ready and eager to return to our family and friends to face the challenges that await our arrival. But in the midst of “catching up,” I hope to continue the message we’ve been sharing here. It has been a true blessing to teach the deaf Ghanaians! We have been telling them all along to continue the work that had been started. These kids returned to school today and I pray that they will be a support to one other and take God’s message to all the deaf here. We offered up many stories of spiritual encouragement and provided them with the resources to find the words of encouragement after we left. I feel we came and did what God intended us to accomplish. Now let’s pray that the seeds that were/are planted take deep root and create a CROP!!
Hello everyone,
Hope all is well. Today is Sunday and a “rest” day from our teaching but not from learning. We set out this morning to the Deaf church to another FULL room. More than last week!! At this rate, the deaf will need to find a bigger place! It could be that they know the “oburini’s” are in town, or just the fact that MOST of Betty Jo’s and mine class of students showed up! We felt like proud mama’s to see our group participating and applying the tools that we taught them through the week. For example, looking up the Bible verses that were used! They knew exactly what to do! We couldn’t be prouder!!
Aside from the rigorous schedule of teaching, I look at where I stand here in Ghana. It’s so different from home, but yet I will miss the things I’ve learned from this country. The most obvious thought, is the things we take so much for granted. Imagine the dark comes before you’re ready for bed. The light can’t be turned on, because it’s your region’s turn to have the electricity off for 5 hours (We remember this from last year. So far we haven’t experienced this yet, but have been told it’s a problem). You stumble your way to the bathroom, to do your “business,” but you can’t just pitch the paper in the toilet. Oh no, that is saved in the wastebasket that sits for several days during the heat of the day before it’s collected. Do I need to say anymore about that? And before the actual flush (which we save when we REALLY need to conserve water), it doesn’t go to a nice holding tank, but into the open “sewer” drain, that runs to the street. If you prefer to shower at night to rid the Harmattan dust off your body, the pressure is very minimal and the water is COLD! It can be refreshing but since the nights have been cool, it’s a tad TOO refreshing! Once you have accomplished that, you must use filtered water to rinse your contacts or brush your teeth, which means strolling to the kitchen to get that from a container that we need to fill each day. We can’t just turn on tap and use what comes out. Precautions are taken to either boil it to wash the dishes, or filter it to drink it. And if there is a light to turn on, you may find a HUGE cockroach scurrying across the floor! Other “inconveniences”? Internet is down the street, no air conditioning, dinners that still have the eyes and teeth attached (we took pictures of this!), we can’t take a walk whenever we want and the list goes on. But you see we have it made here! Just outside the walls that surround this house, it’s a MUCH different story.
The streets and the villages are the REAL life story of Ghana. Most of the people of this country live without all that I had mentioned above. They don’t own possessions of value, have secure homes or water at their disposal. The open sewer that collects in the drain from EVERYWHERE runs through the streets in front of their “stores”, their “homes”, their gathering places. I saw two young boys play naked within inches of this flowing stench as the women cooked and washed their laundry and hung it in the dust to dry near the pile of garbage still smoldering from the night before. And yet, these people have much more then some others, but if you are deaf here, the story changes again. But for now, each of the places and people we pass, everyone greets us warmly and offers a smile and/or a conversation. That is the most amazing part about all of this; they look like the happiest people on earth!! It’s the same walking in the chaos of town. EVERYONE calls out to us and says hello. Ok, maybe it’s because we are the ONLY white people in that area at the time, but we feel SAFE and we feel we are!! WHERE in America can you experience the same scenario and feel the same?? Yes, I will miss this country! It puts my life in perspective.
My journey this time feels “bittersweet.” Even though there is still much to do here, I feel it’s my time to pass the torch on for other people to experience this “challenge.” It has not been without much prayer and thought, but I feel definitely blessed with the opportunity to have served God in this capacity THREE times!! When I look at our students, I see the Hope. We told them all from the beginning, what was “expected” from them once we returned home. There is an urgent need in Ghana to reach and teach the deaf, young and old about Jesus. Some have the skills and resources to seek out the verses that should be memorized. Some can recite the Bible stories more than others. Some will take what they know and go forth and plant seeds. And still others may be lost to those “forces” on the outside if they are not supported and encouraged by God’s Word. I pray that the work will continue for the deaf here in Ghana and everywhere. These are indeed special people here. Their desire to learn about Jesus puts most of us to shame. Here I see the Hope. In the eyes of the Muslim girl who came to church today and wanted to know more and in the hearts of the Evangelists and the young students that are willing to sit all day to learn so that they will be able to teach others. God bless all those we’ve met and taught here. God Bless Ghana!!
Linda Z.