RE-FOCUSED

Greetings from Ghana!

 

We have been without power all day, but as we went to the group homes to share in devotionals, the power came on.  Thankfully we are able to spend a few minutes to reconnect with home.

 

Yesterday was a wonderful day at the VOH.  Fred Asare delivered a very powerful lesson entitled "The Heart of the Matter: FOCUS."  The lesson got me to thinking about what our focus has been, and what it should be.  While we have been planning and preparing for this trip for many months, our focus has been on what we can do for the VOH.  We raised over $33,000, and filled 15 trunks with school supplies, medical supplies, painting supplies, and supplies for VBS.  We also raised an additional few thousand dollars to build a baptistry.

 

Just prior to our departure we were blessed by Brian DeBusk's generosity of his home for a team-building dinner and devotional.  Mark asked each of us to share what we wanted to give while we were here, and what we wanted to get.  A break from the hustle of our busy lives was a common answer for those things we wanted to get.  Also popular was the opportunity to reflect on our spiritual lives and our relationships with God.  By far, the most popular response for what we wanted to give was a hug and a smile to a child.  I would suppose that these seem to be reasonable and valiant responses.

 

HOWEVER....!   As I sat in worship services yesterday morning, I realized that at least my focus was short-sighted.  We are surrounded here by 120 or so children who have no family but each other.  Their bedrooms are long rectangular rooms painted white, with 6 sets of bunkbeds.  And then there are their belongings.  Basically a pile of clothes in one corner, and eventually a trunk for each kid.  But to hear them sing, and thinking in "American" terms, you would think that they were the wealthiest people in the world.

 

Well, as I continued to think, perhaps they ARE the wealthiest people in the world!  But they have a wealth not measured in bank accounts or possessions, houses or cars.  They have a wealth measured only in Kingdom terms.  They understand Jesus, I think, more than we do.  And so, I wonder if our focus should not have been how we can help the VOH, but how the VOH can help us.  And perhaps the bigger change should not be here, but at home.  Brothers and sisters, I have to admit that they "get it" here.  Their living conditions may not hold a candle to ours, but they get it.  We need to get it too!

 

Fred started by apologizing to "the Tennessee brothers and sisters" for not having rain or power at night since our arrival.  A few days prior to our arrival, a few people came from Harding in Searcy, Arkansas, and they had had rain and power each night.  But then he said perhaps we should be apologizing to them for sending the rain away!  Well, apparently God is a Volunteer because that afternoon we had monsoons!  Mark asked Fred if he was going to go forward next week for making such a statement!

 

Please lift up Mavis in your prayers,  She is one of the older kids here, and she committed herself to Christ and put Him on in baptism on Sunday.  We celebrated with her on the beach as Tommy baptized her in one of the largest baptistries in the world.. the Atlantic Ocean!

 

Several of us walked to the beach, and it was on our way back that the rains came.  Tommy came back and picked us up just in time, but when he dropped us off, he asked me to check his windows in his house.  By the time I got to his front door, I was drenched.  So, I walked back while everyone was on the porch telling me to hurry.  Long story short, about 15 minutes later Zach, Michelle, Billie Jean, Mark, April, David and myself, along with the two interns, were on the volleyball court playing.  It only took a few minutes for a dozen or so kids to run from their shelter to join in the fun.  We were finally thoroughly cooled off, while they were freezing!  As soon as David Tiller showed up, the rain stopped and we all went in.  Just like an elder to spoil the fun....

 

Today we travelled to Kwakrum for the first day of VBS.  It was just like Danny's pictures!  We had about 150 people, with the older teens and adults asking alot of questions, and looking forward to tomorrow.  Michelle, Lori, Cathy, Zach, Dee and Billie Jean started teaching the 2-5 year old children "Jesus Loves Me."  It was beautiful!  Most of the kids wore only a portion of what we consider a full set of clothes.  Some in only underwear, some in only a shirt.  But they stood intently, and they all sang in beautiful chorus a Ghanaian song that includes the words "our God is good."  It really puts things in perspective!

 

We hear that Danny did a fabulous job on Sunday and that there was a large attendance, in spite of so many being here.  Praise God for how He has blessed and continues to bless us each day!

 

We love all, and miss you dearly!  (Keep hugging our children!)

God bless!

Jeff