Life in an African Village

WOW! I am not sure quite where to start…I feel as if I have gone from one distant world to another. Daily I have to remind myself that I am NOT at a State fair exhibit.
I have been staying in 3 different places in rural, Central Ghana. Kirk and Christine move between 2 small villages and one small town. Monday through Thursday Christine and I are in the smallest village, about 50 people, and this is where we are trying to be teachers! Hmm…I never wanted to be a teacher but for some reason God thinks I can be and I am really enjoying it. We also are faced with any injury or illness that comes up. My nursing skills here are quite limited here. I have no idea of the cultural and natural treatments that they use and there is no local Osco to run to. Christine has been here long enough that she has seen a lot of the tropical diseases and knows how to diagnoses and treat. I am learning a lot from her.
As a teacher I am Sister Abena Dara. I am curtsied to and when I call on the students they stand next to their desk to give me their answers:) They are a VERY respectful culture. Today as I was teaching a chicken walked through the classroom and I wanted to stop to laugh and the kids didn’t even realize it! There were also chickens in the tree- they didn’t notice this either.
I am eating a lot of African food (with my hands), bathing outside with rain water, washing my clothes by hand and sleeping under a mosquito net. It has all been quite humbling- relearning how to bath, eat, cook- everything. Kirk and Christine are very patient and have been fabulous!
From Friday to Sunday afternoon we are between another small village which is more peaceful and just a place to relax. And their other home is in a small city where they can buy things for the week from the market and there we can also catch up on emails. The electricity is on about half the time so we try to plan our errands depending if it “lights on” and “water on”.
I am really enjoying being part of this culture and getting to know what gets them out of bed in the morning. I can clearly see the impact Kirk and Christine are making by becoming part of these people.
Again, there is so much to learn from these children. I wish you could all hear them pray in the mornings. One student from the class gets up in front of the room and leads them in prayer and then all the children pray at once. And they PRAY- from the bottom of their hearts they pray! They know that without God they have nothing. He is their provider and sustainer and they believe it! I am seeing a living example of child like faith! I have seen a true example of Matthew 18:1-5…
“I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.”
That is all for now. I will have many stores and pictures to show when I get home!
Also, please pray for me to get and stay healthy. I have been sick with a fever for the last 3 days which has kept me in bed. We are not sure what it is, nothing serious but enough to be miserable. So I want to be healthy and well to be ready to teach again on Monday. Miss everyone!!