Road Surfing

So I know my mom is going to freak out when she reads this. Dont be mad at me mom I love you!! So Courtney and I went out to the villages this past week. We went in the pick up. We decided it would be more fun to ride in the back of the truck. First of all, these roads are no joke. I think they are worse than the movies! Some holes are big enough to swallow a whole truck! So we were in the back and I had this great idea to stand up and hold on to the bar on top of the truck. So I felt like I was in one of those cool arcade games where you put a thing over your head...except it was real life. It was so fun! Last week I actually rode on top of the truck, but that was a little risky, but fun :) Our driver probably thinks I am some crazy white American now because I was hoopin and hollerin and havin a blast....I held on real tight mom, I promise!

End of Revival

June 1st started the beginning of the 21 day revival at Ditney Babtist. If you have never been to an African revival, I suggest you put in in your bucket list. It was so powerful. WOW. The singing, dancing, and worship was so raw and unfiltered. They hold nothing back. They worship with everything they have. I have seen and experienced things I never imagined the past 3 weeks. My favorite night was Sunday night. Yendi had a black out. A huge storm came rolling in. This did not stop the worship. If anything, the claps of thunder and flashes of lightening intensified the worship. I guess there is nothing to do but fall down and worship our powerful and mighty God during a storm like that.

Witch Village

Last week we were able to go the the witch village. This is a place where villages send women and men who practice witch craft. Most have killed people. The people in this village will die there. They live alone in their own little hut. Sometimes, the village will send one of their children to help care for them if they are not too dangerous. I had been looking forward to going all summer. I did not really know what to expect. I half way expected boiling pots where they made magic potions lol. They were very normal. I was very broken for them. They are outcast and untouchables. They had no hope for the future because they would die there. I found great joy in loving on these people and showing them the love of Christ. The truth is that they are accepted in Christ. He died for them too. They need love. I loved that we had something great to offer them. Hope for eternity in Heaven! They were so grateful. You could tell they were starving for love and acceptance. If I ever come back, I want to stay in the witch village. Pray for these men and women. Pray they will know they are accepted and dearly loved by the One who gave His life for them.

Funeral

So, before we had left to go to a village in Bimbila, Mark (the missionary in that region) was telling us a story about a women. This is what happened...this lady was in a very pagan tribe, who practiced many demonic rituals. There is a church in this village and she went and God grabbed hold of her and changed her. This is a big deal because her family disowned her because of her decision to follow Christ alone. She was older in age and grew sick. The family decided to take care of her. However, the Christian leader in the village wanted to take her for prayer. The family said if she died with them it would not be good for the Christians. So, they took the lady (somewhere) for prayer (possibly to another village church, but unclear of where and how long). Well the women died becasue she was very ill. This was be a horrible thing to tell the pagan family that she died with the Christian prayer wariors. She was dead for a long time. They were bringing her back to the family and praying a miracle would happen. God worked a miracle and raised her back to lilfe for His glory. She stayed alive for a time after (maybe months? [Mark does not have great English so the time was unclear]) The first thing she asked when she came back to life is for prayer for her family that they would believe God and His power. God is working on her family now. They gave her a funeral when she died (which can last up to 40 days). We were asked to go in the room with the body to mourn with them. This was interesting. I know we do not understand everything God does, but everything He does do is for His glory. I have faith that the whole family will come to Christ through her death.

Divine Appointments

I truly believe God sets up divine appointments. Especially when we pray for them. While in Bimbila, I met two guys at a "bar" beside our "hotel." I was not in the bar (lol), but there are tables set up outside the hut. Its was in the same compound as the kitchen and our guest house (if that makes sense.) Mr. Eugene and Conner. Mr. Eugene was a Ghanaian and Conner was a Canadian, living with him for a school project. Mr. Eugene i n a Muslim and has two wives. For some reason, God lead me to share my life story with him and how Jesus has made a difference in my life. He was very interested and had many questions. He came back the next night to talk about God. I know God is working on him and I pray I planted a seed of hope in his empty life.

Shockazulu

Shockazulu is my new friend. We met in Bimbila. Before our journey to Bimbila (we stayed one week) I took motion sickness meds because these Africcan roads are horrible. So...I was a little drugged up when we got there. I got out and sat on the ground under the tree for our team meeting. Thats when I saw him. I thought I was seeing things because the meds make me loopy. So, I studied him for a minute and realized there really was a monkey looking at me! That was the beginnig of our friendship. We played everyday. I fed him banannas and everything. He cried when we left, seriously. Now, I want a monkey like Shockazulu :)

Baby Naming Ceremony

Saturday we had the privilege of going to a tribal baby naming ceremony. We not only got to celebrate with then but we also got to name the baby! This was such a great honor. We named her Aaliyah. This is a Hebrew name meaning exalted. We believe that God has lifted this beautiful little girl up and has wonderful plans for her. After the ceremony was over, we noticed they were bringing out covered bowls. It didn't take long to pick up that we were to eat what was in them. So we uncovered them and there was rice with goat ribs on top. yummy. Its offensive to not eat their food and since I am embracing the culture, I dug in with a smile! It wasn't that bad. Definitely an experience eating from the same bowl.

Fermented Squash

So this past week the team had just arrived to a village when a little boy came running up to me and handed me a round mushy green thing. I just smiled and said thank you. However, the boy was still standing there starring at me. So I asked the translator what it is and he said the boy had climbed all the way up a tree to pick it for me and that i should eat it. So I just smiled as a million things raced through my head like how dirty the boys hands were, strange insects could and pecked on it.....then I closed my eyes and took a big bite. I tasted like fermented squash! But, it brought a huge smile to little boy's face that I will never forget.

The Women in the Village

So Tuesday we went to this village and there were a lot of babies like always. I had just got done telling the children a story and playing games with them. The team was loading up and this lady holding a baby motioned for me to come over there. She did not speak any English but I soon found she was trying to give me her baby! Many people here, especially in the villages know that their children would have a safer and better life with us so they will try to give us their children. Of course I wanted to take it because he looked very sickly. This brought tears to my eyes, but I know God has a plan for the child. However, if I would get the babies back in America I think I would take every single one I can!! lol I pray one day God gives me the opportunity to adopt from Africa. :)

The Sick Baby

Sunday we were at church when Mrs. Brenda (a volunteer worker from Oregon) noticed a little girl carrying her baby brother. Here it is not uncommon for children to be responsible for their baby brothers or sisters. Brenda saw that this baby was not well so she picked him up and he was nearly lifeless. He was so week and so hot from a fever. She took him to the pharmacy to get some medicine and they told her he would have died that day or the next. Brenda spoke with the mother and she said she had already taken him to the hospital, but he did not get better so she just gave up. This baffled me that a mother would send her dying baby boy with her 8 year old daughter out in the 100 degree weather. Some things I will never understand but I am so grateful God put them in our path to pray for and get medicine. The sad thing is that this baby is one of many of the stories. The medical care is limited in Yendi and none in the villages. I realize how much we take for granted our access to medical care. A flu or cold to us is not life threatening, but to them it may mean death.