Counting Our Blessings !!
Good afternoon from the Village of Hope! From Danny
I told Bobbie Lynn I think she probably has a better way with words than I do when it comes to trying to capture our experience here and the things we are learning. Yesterday we were planning to have a very special evening for the kids. We had planned a movie night with ice cream and we were all very excited about the event. All of the preparations had been made and we were all anticipating that ice cream. Then just as we all came together and began taking our seats for the movie as it got dark, the power went out. Bummer. But this is the way things go in Africa. Anita Drinnen has a saying WA WA (West Africa Wins Again), I so totally understand that saying now. We debated on just having the ice cream by itself, but we wanted it to be a comprehensive fun time, so we postponed the event to Monday evening. Needless to say it was a sticky night.
Today we assembled to have our morning worship services. Once again the hearts of these children sing without boundaries. I was informed yesterday that I would be preaching today and so I was as prepared as you can be in half a day. It was a good morning and we talked about striving to keep ourselves from being modern day Pharisees who seek to exclude, isolate, restrict and confine. Instead we used Jesus as the standard in Luke 15 when he pointed out to the Pharisees the value of "tax collectors and sinners", the value of those who are lost. Just like the lost sheep which has value, just like the lost coin which has value and more importantly a wandering son who is lost has value. Our main emphasis was on that older brother whom Jesus is using to portray the Pharisee's attitude. That older brother really wanted to say, "Dad That's not Fair what you are doing for this son." We noticed that he won't even acknowledge that this is his own brother. It was the same with the Pharisees, they did not think it fair that Jesus should offer the Kingdom to "those sinners" that he should sit and eat with them as he did in Luke 5.
I wish that I were able to capture the hugs of these children and their smiles and bring them home to each of you. You would never be the same.
I want to relate one thing that happened to Davis and I this morning. We were going to run the trash to the outer limits of the VOH in which there is a garbage pit, in which they periodically burn all of the trash. As we approached the pit, there were children not from the VOH all over the trash that was in the pit. When they heard us come up they stepped back to the outer rim of the pit. When we threw our trash into the pit, they immediately ran for it and began to dig through it. Davis had a hard time believing that these children would want to do that. He asked why, and I was really at a loss for words. I don't really know if they were looking for food or if they might be looking for something else. I told him it is hard to believe that something we regard as trash can be treasure for others.
We need to thank God Daily for our Blessings and all that has been done for us.
We appreciate your prayers and continued support.
Love,
Danny, Bobbie Lynn, Ellen, Davis and Camille
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Greeting from Bobbie Lynn at the VOH!
Well, we are a little back to normal since we have our water supply restored! What a relief to be able to walk into the bathroom and water comes out of the faucet, you can flush the toilet without using a bucket of water to fill the tank, you can wash dishes, and your hands! We were just thankful the guest house was empty! What we take for granted is just incredible!
I wanted to apologize for not sending any more emails and blog updates than we have. The electricity doesn't always cooperate and when you get a chance, either the room is locked or you are just so busy!
The kids have really adjusted well. They will be very lonely when we get back home. There is always someone to play with here. In the afternoons they play basketball or soccer or just sit under a tree near our house! It is really neat seeing them play with the kids. I must mention that the VOH kids are on a holiday break for 3 weeks! When they start back to school it will be very different! The house parents are just great here! Ma Margaret made Ellen, Camille, and I Ghanaian dresses! We can't wait to wear them to church tomorrow! The house parents have so many children, but everyone seems to understand the rules and they all have jobs to do. Ma Lydia is the one who keeps everyone in line during church on Sundays especially! She gets up and moves children around or just makes them stand if they are going to sleep! We sit in church for 3 hours! She is really good at what she does. Class on Sundays is from 9-10, we sing, pray, read scripture from 10-11, and the sermon is from 11-12. Mark, we will be expecting more when we return! Ha! Ha! The building is walled half way up and the top is screened in. It has fans and lights, but if the electricity is off, you pray for a breeze!!!! At night if the power is out, we use flashlights and battery powered flourescent lights. The singing is phenominal, the voices are loud and strong with great harmony. We hope to teach you all some new songs! Usually one of the younger boys leads the singing.
Did I mention it was hot here?! I find myself at times just having to lay down and rest! It is really draining on you! Just walking up the hill from our house to the school or church makes you hot and sweaty! I never knew it was possible to sweat all day long! I'm just very thankful for good clean water which is readily available.
I have been struck by the Godly vision of these people. Fred Asare has done an incredible job of sharing his own Godly vision with not just the children, but staff and house parents as well. We participated in the Thanksgiving Prayer Service for the JSS3 students (9th graders) who finished their exams this week. What an awesome priviledge to be a part of this. God was our focus, we sang songs of praise and thanksgiving, several men prayed for specific things we had prayed about the week before thanking God for answering those prayers. The students came up and sat while all the men stood behind each one and prayed for each student specifically. We stood and prayed and we all - everyone from the children to adults - got on our knees and prayed! It was very meaningful and powerful. The electricity went out and we had only flashlights during the remainder, but it did not hinder the service at all. This kind of Godly vision reaches way beyond the here and now. It carries us far into the future, so that we live our lives now in a way where our children cannot help but catch the vision and want to pass it on to their children. Satan tries very hard to keep us from thinking this way. As long as he can keep us comsumed with today and today's business, we will not be able to do this. But, we need to be a people like those here at the VOH who have caught on to this. That the future is ever before us and we cannot help but praise and thank God and ask for His guidance in everything to help us. It reminds me of Judges chapter 2. After the incredible story of Joshua and the Israelites and all the ways God worked through them and with them they failed miserably! Judges 2:10 says "After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel." Why?! Somehow they lost their vision and got busy and forgot to pass it on! The people here at the VOH have not forgotten what God has done for them and it is an incredible, awesome, experience to participate in their ongoing vision for these children. To God be the glory!
We really miss everyone and wish you all could be here with us, also! Thank you for your support, keep up the prayers and know we love you all dearly! God Bless!
Well, we are a little back to normal since we have our water supply restored! What a relief to be able to walk into the bathroom and water comes out of the faucet, you can flush the toilet without using a bucket of water to fill the tank, you can wash dishes, and your hands! We were just thankful the guest house was empty! What we take for granted is just incredible!
I wanted to apologize for not sending any more emails and blog updates than we have. The electricity doesn't always cooperate and when you get a chance, either the room is locked or you are just so busy!
The kids have really adjusted well. They will be very lonely when we get back home. There is always someone to play with here. In the afternoons they play basketball or soccer or just sit under a tree near our house! It is really neat seeing them play with the kids. I must mention that the VOH kids are on a holiday break for 3 weeks! When they start back to school it will be very different! The house parents are just great here! Ma Margaret made Ellen, Camille, and I Ghanaian dresses! We can't wait to wear them to church tomorrow! The house parents have so many children, but everyone seems to understand the rules and they all have jobs to do. Ma Lydia is the one who keeps everyone in line during church on Sundays especially! She gets up and moves children around or just makes them stand if they are going to sleep! We sit in church for 3 hours! She is really good at what she does. Class on Sundays is from 9-10, we sing, pray, read scripture from 10-11, and the sermon is from 11-12. Mark, we will be expecting more when we return! Ha! Ha! The building is walled half way up and the top is screened in. It has fans and lights, but if the electricity is off, you pray for a breeze!!!! At night if the power is out, we use flashlights and battery powered flourescent lights. The singing is phenominal, the voices are loud and strong with great harmony. We hope to teach you all some new songs! Usually one of the younger boys leads the singing.
Did I mention it was hot here?! I find myself at times just having to lay down and rest! It is really draining on you! Just walking up the hill from our house to the school or church makes you hot and sweaty! I never knew it was possible to sweat all day long! I'm just very thankful for good clean water which is readily available.
I have been struck by the Godly vision of these people. Fred Asare has done an incredible job of sharing his own Godly vision with not just the children, but staff and house parents as well. We participated in the Thanksgiving Prayer Service for the JSS3 students (9th graders) who finished their exams this week. What an awesome priviledge to be a part of this. God was our focus, we sang songs of praise and thanksgiving, several men prayed for specific things we had prayed about the week before thanking God for answering those prayers. The students came up and sat while all the men stood behind each one and prayed for each student specifically. We stood and prayed and we all - everyone from the children to adults - got on our knees and prayed! It was very meaningful and powerful. The electricity went out and we had only flashlights during the remainder, but it did not hinder the service at all. This kind of Godly vision reaches way beyond the here and now. It carries us far into the future, so that we live our lives now in a way where our children cannot help but catch the vision and want to pass it on to their children. Satan tries very hard to keep us from thinking this way. As long as he can keep us comsumed with today and today's business, we will not be able to do this. But, we need to be a people like those here at the VOH who have caught on to this. That the future is ever before us and we cannot help but praise and thank God and ask for His guidance in everything to help us. It reminds me of Judges chapter 2. After the incredible story of Joshua and the Israelites and all the ways God worked through them and with them they failed miserably! Judges 2:10 says "After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel." Why?! Somehow they lost their vision and got busy and forgot to pass it on! The people here at the VOH have not forgotten what God has done for them and it is an incredible, awesome, experience to participate in their ongoing vision for these children. To God be the glory!
We really miss everyone and wish you all could be here with us, also! Thank you for your support, keep up the prayers and know we love you all dearly! God Bless!
Friday, April 27, 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Greetings from the Village of Hope from Bobbie Lynn!
I hope this finds everyone doing well.
We are all doing fine. It is very, very hot here as always, although we have found our house gets a good breeze because we have windows all around the house, unlike some of the others.
I wanted to share some more observations. We haven't really had too much trouble with bugs, yet. (It has rained twice since we arrived.) We have tiny ants and the flies are pretty relentless! I'm still looking for a fly swatter here! We just have to spray the house daily whenever we leave. We have had 4 small lizards in the house, Danny managed to get rid of 2 of them, I don't know where the other 2 went! Hopefully, we won't bring them home or find them dead in our stuff! I did see one snake the first week. I was walking down the sidewalk between the Asare's house and the guest house, it was right beside me slithering along and I about jumped out of my skin. I grabbed Camille behind me and stopped her. It went down Tommy's walkway and into one of his trees! I told Latisha at the guest house what I saw and asked who to tell. She said, "Don't tell me, I'm afraid of them!" I'm glad I'm not the only one! I have not seen any more, thank the Good Lord!!!!
Our days are pretty set for us with the rising and setting of the sun. You really don't need an alarm clock at all. It starts getting light around 5am and by 6 it is light. By this time you hear birds singing and children singing. It starts getting dark around 5:30pm and is completely dark by 6:30! If the electricity is out, it is very dark. You pretty much go on home and start getting ready for bed. We have all taken showers by flashlight, which can be quite interesting, you are never sure you get all the dirt off! We have breakfast around 7:30 or 8, lunch at noon, and supper around 5. The kids and I have been trying to go to the library twice a day to record all the books the kids are reading. For every 10 they read, they get a free book, and when they reach 100, Tommy will take them out to eat in Accra!
Please keep praying this week for the JSS3 students (meaning 9th graders). They are taking their exams this week to get into high school. It is very serious and competitive! We have had prayer services galore, which has been very meaningfull! One of the things we prayed for specifically was the environment of testing, meaning the room, furniture, conditions, etc. I must say I was very surprised. I went along Tuesday morning with Tommy to see where they test and to encourage them before we headed to town. It is taking place the the Fetteh public school nearby. The examiners had tables set up outside under some trees. They used rocks for paperweights. The test themselves were just like ours in the states with bubbles you have to fill in, etc. The classrooms are concrete floors and walls. Two sides of the walls have decorative type concrete block with openings in them for windows. No glass in the windows, no fans, no electricity, no lights. THe desks were very old and the examiners had written each student's number on it with chalk. There were also chickens walking around! It was all very organized, just really different. The VOH staff brought our kids chairs to sit on during breaks and food to each for lunch, plus cold water to drink. It was very obvious the VOH kids were blessed because all the other student (there were about 150 or so total from all the different schools around the area.) So, please pray that they all pass with flying colors!
Did I mention it was hot here?!
I have to tell one really funny story! Well, it was not funny at all at the time. Last week, the kids and I were in the house reading. I realized Camille was not in the room with us and sent Davis to see what she was up to. He came running back saying she had locked herself in the kitchen. Now, each door in the house has a lock with keys hanging in them. We removed the ones we needed, exterior doors, but the others we left. She wanted something cold to drink from the fridge and closed and door and partially turned the key. Now, there is a very small pass through about shoulder height on me from the dining/living room to the kitchen. It measures about 2 ft wide by 1 ft tall. But it has 2 sliding glass windows which leaves the opening about only 1 ft by 1 ft. We kept taking turns sticking our heads in and trying to explain to Camille to turn the key. She could't/wouldn't. Davis had his head through while standing on a crate. Ellen and I lifted him up and started pushing him through. Fortunately there was a plastic table underneath on the other side. We managed to shove him through and got Camille out. That was a close one! We kept wondering why that window was even there, you can't pass plates through it! Now we know why God had them put it there!!!!!
Camille has found lots of friends! She is always sought after and usually walking down the street holding hands with them and playing!
We still do not have water at our house. Please pray that it will come today! We are just using the guest house to get cleaned up and cook and eat.
We love you all very much and miss you terribly. We have all been fine, just very hot, did I mention it was hot here?!
God bless you all and thank you for your prayers!
I hope this finds everyone doing well.
We are all doing fine. It is very, very hot here as always, although we have found our house gets a good breeze because we have windows all around the house, unlike some of the others.
I wanted to share some more observations. We haven't really had too much trouble with bugs, yet. (It has rained twice since we arrived.) We have tiny ants and the flies are pretty relentless! I'm still looking for a fly swatter here! We just have to spray the house daily whenever we leave. We have had 4 small lizards in the house, Danny managed to get rid of 2 of them, I don't know where the other 2 went! Hopefully, we won't bring them home or find them dead in our stuff! I did see one snake the first week. I was walking down the sidewalk between the Asare's house and the guest house, it was right beside me slithering along and I about jumped out of my skin. I grabbed Camille behind me and stopped her. It went down Tommy's walkway and into one of his trees! I told Latisha at the guest house what I saw and asked who to tell. She said, "Don't tell me, I'm afraid of them!" I'm glad I'm not the only one! I have not seen any more, thank the Good Lord!!!!
Our days are pretty set for us with the rising and setting of the sun. You really don't need an alarm clock at all. It starts getting light around 5am and by 6 it is light. By this time you hear birds singing and children singing. It starts getting dark around 5:30pm and is completely dark by 6:30! If the electricity is out, it is very dark. You pretty much go on home and start getting ready for bed. We have all taken showers by flashlight, which can be quite interesting, you are never sure you get all the dirt off! We have breakfast around 7:30 or 8, lunch at noon, and supper around 5. The kids and I have been trying to go to the library twice a day to record all the books the kids are reading. For every 10 they read, they get a free book, and when they reach 100, Tommy will take them out to eat in Accra!
Please keep praying this week for the JSS3 students (meaning 9th graders). They are taking their exams this week to get into high school. It is very serious and competitive! We have had prayer services galore, which has been very meaningfull! One of the things we prayed for specifically was the environment of testing, meaning the room, furniture, conditions, etc. I must say I was very surprised. I went along Tuesday morning with Tommy to see where they test and to encourage them before we headed to town. It is taking place the the Fetteh public school nearby. The examiners had tables set up outside under some trees. They used rocks for paperweights. The test themselves were just like ours in the states with bubbles you have to fill in, etc. The classrooms are concrete floors and walls. Two sides of the walls have decorative type concrete block with openings in them for windows. No glass in the windows, no fans, no electricity, no lights. THe desks were very old and the examiners had written each student's number on it with chalk. There were also chickens walking around! It was all very organized, just really different. The VOH staff brought our kids chairs to sit on during breaks and food to each for lunch, plus cold water to drink. It was very obvious the VOH kids were blessed because all the other student (there were about 150 or so total from all the different schools around the area.) So, please pray that they all pass with flying colors!
Did I mention it was hot here?!
I have to tell one really funny story! Well, it was not funny at all at the time. Last week, the kids and I were in the house reading. I realized Camille was not in the room with us and sent Davis to see what she was up to. He came running back saying she had locked herself in the kitchen. Now, each door in the house has a lock with keys hanging in them. We removed the ones we needed, exterior doors, but the others we left. She wanted something cold to drink from the fridge and closed and door and partially turned the key. Now, there is a very small pass through about shoulder height on me from the dining/living room to the kitchen. It measures about 2 ft wide by 1 ft tall. But it has 2 sliding glass windows which leaves the opening about only 1 ft by 1 ft. We kept taking turns sticking our heads in and trying to explain to Camille to turn the key. She could't/wouldn't. Davis had his head through while standing on a crate. Ellen and I lifted him up and started pushing him through. Fortunately there was a plastic table underneath on the other side. We managed to shove him through and got Camille out. That was a close one! We kept wondering why that window was even there, you can't pass plates through it! Now we know why God had them put it there!!!!!
Camille has found lots of friends! She is always sought after and usually walking down the street holding hands with them and playing!
We still do not have water at our house. Please pray that it will come today! We are just using the guest house to get cleaned up and cook and eat.
We love you all very much and miss you terribly. We have all been fine, just very hot, did I mention it was hot here?!
God bless you all and thank you for your prayers!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Preparing Well and God's provision
Greetings all this is from Danny,
I had an opportunity this weekend to see a different picture from what we have been experiencing here at the VOH the last week. I left for the Ashalay Botwe evangelistic workshop a day earlier on Friday. I was priveledged to stay at the guest house of Samual Tumasi (sp) the President of Heritage Christian College. He is also the preacher at the Nswam road CofC in Accra. He was away with a group from the college on a evangelistic outreach in the North. I had to catch taxis all over the place and arrange hookups for rides. It would have been difficult to accomplish with the whole famiy together.
We had a great evangelistic outreach day on Saturday. Paul Ntem the preacher and about 17 others from his church and other churches gathered for the day. We walked through some very impoverished areas and the smell was not something I will easily forget. Paul is very passionate about his work and passionate for reaching the lost. I was energized by his zeal. We worked together alternating between sharing the Gospel with different households and businesses. Yes businesses, we entered a hair styling shop which was no bigger than 6ft x 6ft and there were two ladies working on two other ladies sitting. We asked if we could talk about God's word with them and they graciously invited us IN. (try that in the U.S.) We had a wonderful 30 min talk and they asked many questions. We got their information and Paul will follow up with them. Every place we went for 4 hours was receptive about talking.
I had the priveledge to speak Sunday morning at the Ashalay Botwe Church along with Paul. It was in the form of a workshop so Paul spoke for 30min then I spoke for 30 min, while he translated for me. We each entertained questions for 10min after each talk, they ask good questions. It was a great weekend.
The 9th grade children all over Ghana began their testing on Monday and the children at the Village of Hope are very well prepared. They were also nervous because these exams determine whether they can continue on to high school. There are limited numbers of high schools so these exams can make or break one's future. We prayed over each child in their desks and collectively as the day began. Their tests consist 4 series each day. At 9:30am they start by answering a series of questions for an hour on the topic of the day. They have a break and then begin the essay portion of the exam for another hour. Lunch and then they do it all over again for 5 days. The VOH kids came out of the first day very positive because they have been prepared well.
Bobbie Lynn and the kids are doing very well. We have continued to work at being flexible. Our water tank that is our water supply to our house sprung a leak and it all leaked out. With no water it is hard to do regular things. It is not our drinking water, but it is what we use for everything else, so we have been going between the guest house (while empty) and our house to cook our meals. Bobbie Lynn and Ellen and Davis are doing a great job with the reading program for the children at the VOH. Davis told me today that the library was full of kids reading books. Tommy started the program that when they read 10 books they will receive a free book. When they reach 100 books read he will take them out to eat. Currently 5 or 6 have completed 100 and when the rest learnn of the prize there will be an explosion of reading.
Last evening we went to the nightly devotional at one of the group homes (Boyd house). We sang songs and then Mr Effah asked if I had advice for the children. I told them I learned a very important lesson that day, as I watched the 9th graders write their exams. I said they were prepared for their work. I stressed the importance of all of us needing to be prepared to live a life that glorifies God. I stressed the fruit of the Spirit as proof of our being prepared. Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.. These are results of our being prepared to be God's people, to be light in dark places. We taught them a song called Covenant of Love and we hope to teach it to all of the children so we can sing it together.
We continue to try to stress the positive, but I will tell you this is a very difficult place to live. We are blessed to have water although it is held in large reservoir tanks which must be refilled. Electricity is sporatic and somewhat predictable, but when it is out things get more difficult. Finally it is very HOT, and without water you could get into trouble very quickly. I say these things so as not to complain or alarm anyone, but to stress the very hard work of many of the staff here at the VOH who are extremely dilligent and hard working to make things managable here. They will do anything for you, and much is done in the background that you don't see, but you thank God for the provisions that are being made on your behalf.
We are blessed and we continue to thank God for his faithfullness.
Seeking to Glorify Him,
The Riders
Greetings all this is from Danny,
I had an opportunity this weekend to see a different picture from what we have been experiencing here at the VOH the last week. I left for the Ashalay Botwe evangelistic workshop a day earlier on Friday. I was priveledged to stay at the guest house of Samual Tumasi (sp) the President of Heritage Christian College. He is also the preacher at the Nswam road CofC in Accra. He was away with a group from the college on a evangelistic outreach in the North. I had to catch taxis all over the place and arrange hookups for rides. It would have been difficult to accomplish with the whole famiy together.
We had a great evangelistic outreach day on Saturday. Paul Ntem the preacher and about 17 others from his church and other churches gathered for the day. We walked through some very impoverished areas and the smell was not something I will easily forget. Paul is very passionate about his work and passionate for reaching the lost. I was energized by his zeal. We worked together alternating between sharing the Gospel with different households and businesses. Yes businesses, we entered a hair styling shop which was no bigger than 6ft x 6ft and there were two ladies working on two other ladies sitting. We asked if we could talk about God's word with them and they graciously invited us IN. (try that in the U.S.) We had a wonderful 30 min talk and they asked many questions. We got their information and Paul will follow up with them. Every place we went for 4 hours was receptive about talking.
I had the priveledge to speak Sunday morning at the Ashalay Botwe Church along with Paul. It was in the form of a workshop so Paul spoke for 30min then I spoke for 30 min, while he translated for me. We each entertained questions for 10min after each talk, they ask good questions. It was a great weekend.
The 9th grade children all over Ghana began their testing on Monday and the children at the Village of Hope are very well prepared. They were also nervous because these exams determine whether they can continue on to high school. There are limited numbers of high schools so these exams can make or break one's future. We prayed over each child in their desks and collectively as the day began. Their tests consist 4 series each day. At 9:30am they start by answering a series of questions for an hour on the topic of the day. They have a break and then begin the essay portion of the exam for another hour. Lunch and then they do it all over again for 5 days. The VOH kids came out of the first day very positive because they have been prepared well.
Bobbie Lynn and the kids are doing very well. We have continued to work at being flexible. Our water tank that is our water supply to our house sprung a leak and it all leaked out. With no water it is hard to do regular things. It is not our drinking water, but it is what we use for everything else, so we have been going between the guest house (while empty) and our house to cook our meals. Bobbie Lynn and Ellen and Davis are doing a great job with the reading program for the children at the VOH. Davis told me today that the library was full of kids reading books. Tommy started the program that when they read 10 books they will receive a free book. When they reach 100 books read he will take them out to eat. Currently 5 or 6 have completed 100 and when the rest learnn of the prize there will be an explosion of reading.
Last evening we went to the nightly devotional at one of the group homes (Boyd house). We sang songs and then Mr Effah asked if I had advice for the children. I told them I learned a very important lesson that day, as I watched the 9th graders write their exams. I said they were prepared for their work. I stressed the importance of all of us needing to be prepared to live a life that glorifies God. I stressed the fruit of the Spirit as proof of our being prepared. Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.. These are results of our being prepared to be God's people, to be light in dark places. We taught them a song called Covenant of Love and we hope to teach it to all of the children so we can sing it together.
We continue to try to stress the positive, but I will tell you this is a very difficult place to live. We are blessed to have water although it is held in large reservoir tanks which must be refilled. Electricity is sporatic and somewhat predictable, but when it is out things get more difficult. Finally it is very HOT, and without water you could get into trouble very quickly. I say these things so as not to complain or alarm anyone, but to stress the very hard work of many of the staff here at the VOH who are extremely dilligent and hard working to make things managable here. They will do anything for you, and much is done in the background that you don't see, but you thank God for the provisions that are being made on your behalf.
We are blessed and we continue to thank God for his faithfullness.
Seeking to Glorify Him,
The Riders
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Greetings from the Village of Hope in Ghana, West Africa! From Bobbie Lynn!
We hope everyone is doing well and know that we miss you all lots and lots!
I decided to give you all my perspective on our adventure here at the VOH!
From the first moment I stepped off the plane my first thoughts were how many things I should'nt have brought and all the things I should have brought! Mainly because the heat and humidity hit you like a ton of bricks! We were able to get here and get settled the first night, it was late and we were all exhausted. We have had electricity more that we have not had it, which has been a blessing!
Some of my observations have been things like we can all live on and with a lot less! Being here at the VOH is kind of like being at Hillbrook all the time! You simply cannot get away from the heat. (Although right now I am in the computer lab at the school in an air conditioned room! I will try to come here more often!) You always keep your windows open all the time and there is dust and dirt everywhere. The roads at the VOH are all dirt, so you naturally track stuff in. I try to keep Camille from dragging her feet in the dirt when she walks, but she really enjoys this! Living here is really neat. The children come morning and mealtimes right behind our house to bathe and cook. They bathe in an open concrete walled area, seperated for boys and girls. When they walk by the window you can usually speak a greeting almost constantly. I have noticed when I go outside with either Ellen or Davis, some child always greets them by name! There are no phones, TV, or anything like this (at least not at our house!) Tommy's phone rings constantly, and he has a TV though. We are just so busy, there is not much time for it! Our house is very simple, but clean and bright. All the walls are white! We do not have a water heater yet, so we boil water to wash dishes. I don't know if the substitute house parents (this will be their home after we leave) will have or need one or not. Because we do not have one our showers are not hot, but with the heat it is not a problem at all! I have to go to Tommy's or the guest house to do laundry, he doesn't have a dryer, but the guest house does! (Ghana team you can use those dryer sheets!) When I wash at Tommy's we have to hang laundry up outside behind his house. Davis helped me with this one time, then I discovered the dryer! Everyone here is very friendly, it is kind of like Mr. Roger's Neighborhood!
Camille and I went to Accra with Tommy on Monday shopping. We got hamburgers and fries for lunch and to Camille's great surprise a chocolate milkshake! The grocery stores are very similar to ours and you can really find most anything you need. The difference is you can not just run to the store and run back EVER! It took us 2 hours just to get to the first stop and more than 2 hours to get home. The traffic just sits and it is slow going!
I do have a prayer request, one of the little girls here is handicapped. She cannot do anything for herself and requires constant care. Her name is Christy and the house Mom is Victoria, a very special lady, indeed! Please pray that physical therapists, speech therapists or others in these related fields will come and help them out however they can!
We truly love you all and miss you terribly. We are making it fine and are slowly but surely settling in to some routines. My inspiration to keep me going has been Granny (Sue Rider) and Angie Langley. I have had to make do and figure out how do work things (the oven tempuratures were in Celsius degrees not Farenheit!) But, I think of these two ladies and make up my mind that I can do this, I say a prayer and off I start! Thanks!
I hope this has been helpful to share some of my experiences! Please keep praying for us and all of the people here at the VOH! God Bless!
We hope everyone is doing well and know that we miss you all lots and lots!
I decided to give you all my perspective on our adventure here at the VOH!
From the first moment I stepped off the plane my first thoughts were how many things I should'nt have brought and all the things I should have brought! Mainly because the heat and humidity hit you like a ton of bricks! We were able to get here and get settled the first night, it was late and we were all exhausted. We have had electricity more that we have not had it, which has been a blessing!
Some of my observations have been things like we can all live on and with a lot less! Being here at the VOH is kind of like being at Hillbrook all the time! You simply cannot get away from the heat. (Although right now I am in the computer lab at the school in an air conditioned room! I will try to come here more often!) You always keep your windows open all the time and there is dust and dirt everywhere. The roads at the VOH are all dirt, so you naturally track stuff in. I try to keep Camille from dragging her feet in the dirt when she walks, but she really enjoys this! Living here is really neat. The children come morning and mealtimes right behind our house to bathe and cook. They bathe in an open concrete walled area, seperated for boys and girls. When they walk by the window you can usually speak a greeting almost constantly. I have noticed when I go outside with either Ellen or Davis, some child always greets them by name! There are no phones, TV, or anything like this (at least not at our house!) Tommy's phone rings constantly, and he has a TV though. We are just so busy, there is not much time for it! Our house is very simple, but clean and bright. All the walls are white! We do not have a water heater yet, so we boil water to wash dishes. I don't know if the substitute house parents (this will be their home after we leave) will have or need one or not. Because we do not have one our showers are not hot, but with the heat it is not a problem at all! I have to go to Tommy's or the guest house to do laundry, he doesn't have a dryer, but the guest house does! (Ghana team you can use those dryer sheets!) When I wash at Tommy's we have to hang laundry up outside behind his house. Davis helped me with this one time, then I discovered the dryer! Everyone here is very friendly, it is kind of like Mr. Roger's Neighborhood!
Camille and I went to Accra with Tommy on Monday shopping. We got hamburgers and fries for lunch and to Camille's great surprise a chocolate milkshake! The grocery stores are very similar to ours and you can really find most anything you need. The difference is you can not just run to the store and run back EVER! It took us 2 hours just to get to the first stop and more than 2 hours to get home. The traffic just sits and it is slow going!
I do have a prayer request, one of the little girls here is handicapped. She cannot do anything for herself and requires constant care. Her name is Christy and the house Mom is Victoria, a very special lady, indeed! Please pray that physical therapists, speech therapists or others in these related fields will come and help them out however they can!
We truly love you all and miss you terribly. We are making it fine and are slowly but surely settling in to some routines. My inspiration to keep me going has been Granny (Sue Rider) and Angie Langley. I have had to make do and figure out how do work things (the oven tempuratures were in Celsius degrees not Farenheit!) But, I think of these two ladies and make up my mind that I can do this, I say a prayer and off I start! Thanks!
I hope this has been helpful to share some of my experiences! Please keep praying for us and all of the people here at the VOH! God Bless!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Good Afternoon,
It is 3:00pm on Wednesday. We have been very busy in the Dental Clinic this week. We have seen approxomately 70 patients with various treatments on each. This has been a great way to learn peoples names. The clinic has been open from 8:00am till 9:00pm with breaks for meals and various devotionals. The children really grow on you very fast. They are so sweet and good natured. Ellen and Davis have worked in the clinic, Ellen as the secretary and Davis as the entertainer and encourager and flossing instructor. They are both learning names so fast, and yet I struggle to remember who just shook my hand. I stood on the veranda at the clinic this morning with a view of the ocean, the hum of the generator in the background and music from one of our cd's playing. I thanked God for my blessings, for a chance to serve in his kingdom one child at a time in this clinic. Tommy during our devotional last night talked about Satans approach to picking off God's children one at a time. I realized that we have got to be more diligent, more aggressive and more motivated than ever to let people know what has been done for them. To let them know that God loves them and that he has saved us if we will just listen and obey. In our quest to Glorify God I pray that we will kick it up a few notches and turn up the heat to drive Satan out of the way.
We now have a fully functioning house (sort of no hot water). We have a stove and a refrigerator which is fantastic. We had our first official breakfast this am with scrambled eggs and biscuits and fruit. It was great to eat together as a family in our house. Bobbie Lynn is great, she will be picking up the reading program now that the house is mostly in order, working with the children who are needing help. Camille is charming everyone with her magic. We are healthy and are having no problems with the weather or anything else so we praise God for his faithfulness and we continue on.
We love you all and will write more later.
The Riders
It is 3:00pm on Wednesday. We have been very busy in the Dental Clinic this week. We have seen approxomately 70 patients with various treatments on each. This has been a great way to learn peoples names. The clinic has been open from 8:00am till 9:00pm with breaks for meals and various devotionals. The children really grow on you very fast. They are so sweet and good natured. Ellen and Davis have worked in the clinic, Ellen as the secretary and Davis as the entertainer and encourager and flossing instructor. They are both learning names so fast, and yet I struggle to remember who just shook my hand. I stood on the veranda at the clinic this morning with a view of the ocean, the hum of the generator in the background and music from one of our cd's playing. I thanked God for my blessings, for a chance to serve in his kingdom one child at a time in this clinic. Tommy during our devotional last night talked about Satans approach to picking off God's children one at a time. I realized that we have got to be more diligent, more aggressive and more motivated than ever to let people know what has been done for them. To let them know that God loves them and that he has saved us if we will just listen and obey. In our quest to Glorify God I pray that we will kick it up a few notches and turn up the heat to drive Satan out of the way.
We now have a fully functioning house (sort of no hot water). We have a stove and a refrigerator which is fantastic. We had our first official breakfast this am with scrambled eggs and biscuits and fruit. It was great to eat together as a family in our house. Bobbie Lynn is great, she will be picking up the reading program now that the house is mostly in order, working with the children who are needing help. Camille is charming everyone with her magic. We are healthy and are having no problems with the weather or anything else so we praise God for his faithfulness and we continue on.
We love you all and will write more later.
The Riders
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Greetings from Ghana,
We have made it to Ghana successfully! It is very HOT! We had a long trip to actually get here but God is good and we are here. We are staying in a brand new house and so with every new house you have some things that dont quite work yet or need to be hooked up. We have two bedrooms with 3 beds in each and a living room. We dont have a refrigerator yet and the stove has not been hooked up, but we will be patient and get there soon. We have enjoyed some wonderful meals from Rueben and the GMT will love his cooking. We enjoyed a tremendous worship service this morning, class at 9:00, worship 10-12. After the service was completed we got to participate in the praying over 15 new children that just arrived the same night we arrived. It was beautiful. They have the fifteen children sit in front of everyone, then they have 15 men come forward and have the new children rise from their seats and let the men sit down, then the men lay hands on the new children. The rest of the children extend their hands out to the new children and one person leads the prayer and we collectively pray over the children and their new lives. I cried like a baby! It was precious and very moving. It made me realize just how blessed we are and in our process of glorifying God we must be renewed just like these little children. We must be renewed daily. My time is limited as to how much I can write at the present time so I will just say we love and miss everyone. We are all doing fine. We have had electricity most of the time and we consider ourselves blessed for being here. The kids are doing well, really meeting and interacting with the children. Camille was like a rock star the first night we went out and met children. I have pictures. They crowded around and just stared at her and smiled when she said anything. They wanted to touch her hair and white skin. Well we will write more later.
Love to All and God bless.
The Riders
We have made it to Ghana successfully! It is very HOT! We had a long trip to actually get here but God is good and we are here. We are staying in a brand new house and so with every new house you have some things that dont quite work yet or need to be hooked up. We have two bedrooms with 3 beds in each and a living room. We dont have a refrigerator yet and the stove has not been hooked up, but we will be patient and get there soon. We have enjoyed some wonderful meals from Rueben and the GMT will love his cooking. We enjoyed a tremendous worship service this morning, class at 9:00, worship 10-12. After the service was completed we got to participate in the praying over 15 new children that just arrived the same night we arrived. It was beautiful. They have the fifteen children sit in front of everyone, then they have 15 men come forward and have the new children rise from their seats and let the men sit down, then the men lay hands on the new children. The rest of the children extend their hands out to the new children and one person leads the prayer and we collectively pray over the children and their new lives. I cried like a baby! It was precious and very moving. It made me realize just how blessed we are and in our process of glorifying God we must be renewed just like these little children. We must be renewed daily. My time is limited as to how much I can write at the present time so I will just say we love and miss everyone. We are all doing fine. We have had electricity most of the time and we consider ourselves blessed for being here. The kids are doing well, really meeting and interacting with the children. Camille was like a rock star the first night we went out and met children. I have pictures. They crowded around and just stared at her and smiled when she said anything. They wanted to touch her hair and white skin. Well we will write more later.
Love to All and God bless.
The Riders
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