Ringing in the New Year- Ghana Style

Happy New Year from six hours ahead. The past few days have been filled with activities to keep the girls entertained.

On Monday, we went on our out of town excursion to Kakum, Han’s Cottage, and the Ostrich Far. Our day started off bright and early by cramming 27 people into a tro-tro and driving the 1 ½ hour to Cape Coast on Ghana’s wonderfully paved roads (haha that’s funny). Kakum is one of, I think, 5 suspended rope bridges in the world. It hangs 200 feet from the ground and winds through the top level of the Kakum Rainforest. The girls went last year, but were all terrified. They went through this year with much more ease. Their favorite thing to do was stand in the middle and yell “I’m not afraid any more!” which is their favorite line from Home Alone. Lawrencia was my buddy all the way through, even though she made me walk at the pace of a snail. I was so proud of the girls for all finishing the bridges. After that, we packed our wonderful smelling selves (haha funny again) back into the tro-tro to our next destination. We arrived at Han’s Cottage, which some of you may know as the crocodile restaurant, to eat lunch. While waiting for them to bring out our food, an employee took us all around the compound in search of crocodiles. I had been to the restaurant and I think the most I have seen is the swish of a crocodile’s tail as it dove into the water. However, this time I saw five crocodiles and the woman let each of us pet one. The girls were terrified, yet so amazed at the same time. After eating we still had one more stop to make, the Ostrich Farm. It was only five minutes away, but was one of the scarier drives I have taken in Ghana- up and down dirt roads not really big enough for our car, what felt like completely vertical hills, and turns with pot holes and drop offs. There were about six ostriches that were in a “gated area” and a man there to tell us all about the birds. We were able to feed the ostriches and the girls got some bright ideas from the boys there to try to put their hands in the ostriches’ mouths. They quickly learned that it was not their best plan. As we traveled back home we bought some of Ghana’s best pineapple, which is in Cape Coast for all of you future travelers. When we returned I could not help but be amazed by all of God’s creation. Seeing the rainforest from bottom to top and hearing about the medicinal powers of the plants, to seeing an animal that lives life dragging itself on the ground and then seeing the complete opposite in an ostrich that stands tall about most other things. It was a great day to just bask in the glory of the Lord and see the beautiful things He has made all across the Earth.

And on Tuesday, we rested.

Wednesday was outdoor games day, also known as Pearl House Olympics. As most of you know, I am not the sportiest person you will ever meet, but I can dress the part. I had on all of my athletic wear, hair up, and laces tied. Laura, Dana, Dawuni, and I came up with a long list to keep the girls busy. Our first game was a sack race, and man can those girls jump. Laura and I introduced them to the American classic, three-legged race, and most of them did better racing on three legs than they do walking on two. We had the nerve-wrecking game of lime and spoon (Americans play with an egg, but why waste one?). Next up was the limbo! Our winner was a tie between Ruth and Mbatima. There was no stopping their flexibility. I think my favorite game of the day was “Filling of the Bottles”. This entailed two girls filling a bottle with water only using their hands, then running with the uncovered bottle though an obstacle course, and then dumping the water into a bucket at the end, returning the bottle to the next team member to run it through again. The team with the most water at the end of 5 minutes won. The girls would either finish very fast or have all their water left at the end. No one really conquered both aspects of the race. Laura and I sat at the buckets, cheering on the girls, but also hysterically laughing as the last obstacle fell on almost every girl as they crawled though it. We ended the day will a game of football (soccer for you Americans). I would tell you who won the Olympic games, but I am not really sure anyone figured out who it was. But hey, we can play PeeWee Rules and say everyone is a winner.

            I learned that New Years Eve in Ghana is like Easter in America. In America, we have those who Christmas service goers and then never step foot in a church until the next Christmas, here the same can be said on New Years. That is where everyone says goodbye to the year before and welcomes in a fresh start. Laura, Courtney, and I endured a 5 hour-long church service. There was a teaching time, a sermon, and dancing. So much dancing. Like a lot of dancing. It was definitely a new perspective for me though, to start the New Year off surrounded by a church family and singing praises to my King. Pastor Nana preached his way into 2016 and gave us spiritual goals to have in the New Year.

            New Years Day was fufu day. Fufu is a mixture of boiled cassava and plantain, mashed together. It takes a long time to prepare and takes a lot of muscle. We paired it with light soup and our New Years goat; well the goat didn’t quite make it to the New Year. The thing with fufu is that after you eat it, you cannot really do anything after. If you looked around the house you would think that someone tranquilized us all. Girls were falling down to sleep wherever would catch them. Courtney had the girls evaluate 2015 and write down what they wanted to do to improve themselves for 2016 and characters they should continue with. I am excited to see how the girls wish to grow. We have been praying over each girl individually, which brings me such joy to see each girl committed into God’s hand and have her needs prayed for.  

AFEHYIA PA

Afehyia pa (Merry Christmas) from The Pearl House! The past few days have been jammed packed with activities to keep the girls entertained. Whether you are in America or Ghana, if you have un-entertained children, people get feisty. Wednesday, the 23rd, was our beach day. We encouraged the girls to put their feet IN the water this time and they really took it to heart. They surprised us with their ability to swim-or not drown, how ever you want to look at it- and literally went in head first. We of course took loads of pictures, played with the local kids that live at the beach, and Laura and I introduced them to the wonderful world of hammocks. By the end of the day the girls were drenched and exhausted.

On Thursday, we turned the pearls into architects and constructed gingerbread houses. We paired them up and let the icing fly. We had walls as roofs, and windows as doors, but at the end of the day, it all tasted good. The gingerbread was perfect because it wasn’t too sweet for the girls. As far as the icing goes, they girls looked like white people because more of it ended up on their skin than on the house. The girls wrapped up their remaining “decorations and foundation” and I still see them munching on from time to time. I think our undeclared winners were Beauty and Eunice. It was truly a work of art. Thursday was of course Christmas Eve, meaning we went to church service. The service was nice and very centered around thanksgiving to God. Everyone that was there went up in front of the congregation and shared what they were thankful God had done in their life this year. Some of the girls brought tears to our eyes by sharing the work God has done in her life. As the night went on there was about 30 minutes that was all in twi and very loud. I found myself having to sit down and pray.

“God I know that this is worship to you and I know that you delight in this praise. And for that I am so thankful. But it to me this is noise. It sounds like yelling and not glorifying what so ever. Lord, please change my attitude and let me hear what you hear.”

I was able to finish out the night, singing praises to God, thanking Him for the birth of His son and all that He has done. HERE IS THE COOL PART. After the service, Laura and I were talking outside of the church and I was sharing my frustrations with her. I told her that I did not like feeling that way, especially on Christmas Eve. Laura then shared with me that she had the same thoughts! As I was praying my prayer, Laura was lifting up the same words to God. It was so cool to see God humble both of our hearts and remind us why we were there- to celebrate the birth of His son.

            Christmas day started off the way it should always start off, by praising our Lord and Savior. Devotion was about an hour and a half, as we sang, prayed and gave more thanks to God. The girls worked on Christmas lunch all morning and we all ate together. No, we didn’t have a big turkey or ham, or mashed potatoes, or stuffing, but it was just as special because the girls put in so much hard work preparing our meal and we got to enjoy it together. After lunch, we shared gifts with the girls. They each received a stocking with their name on it and watching them try to figure out why the Christmas tree had 20 boots under it was pretty entertaining. They wore their stockings as hats, gloves and shoes. Just like at home, it doesn’t matter what they present is… they want what it came in. We spent time reading their letters and sharing who gave them what. Courtney even surprised Laura and I with presents. After presents, we packed up snacks and drinks to take down to the new house. The workers had stayed at the site for Christmas to continue building and we wanted to thank them and celebrate with them. We delivered their snack with an American touch- CAROLING! The girls sang Christmas songs as they passed out food and shook the men’s hands, thanking them for their hard work. We ended Christmas day just as one should, with our church family, worshiping God.

            As you can see, our Christmas here was full of Thanksgiving. I am so glad that the staff here has instilled an attitude of gratefulness. I enjoyed learning new ways to celebrate and sharing some of my own this Christmas season. God has done so much for these girls this year and I love seeing them rejoice in Him for it.

A fin co beh to yeh (Happy New Year)       

After the Lights Went Out

Well, my welcome was everything that I imagined it would be. Our “chief driver,” as he calls himself, Kofi picked us up from the airport and we went straight to the house. We arrived around noon and waited for the girls to come home. In my Miss Pink way, ran into the house and immediately started bothering Rita and Tina. I yelled for Tina all around the house and eventually went to her room to wake her up, letting her know that I have arrived. She was not too mad. Courtney and Laura fell asleep every time their minds knew there was something there to catch them. I on the other hand was too excited. Seven of the girls returned from school around 2:30 and they others would come around 4:30 because they had training. Even though I surprised the girls in groups, the love was just the same. This is time though I just got three big group hugs. Of course, we could not make it through the day much longer and the three of us went to bed at 7 and did not wake up until noon the following day.

            As soon as I woke up, I went to the girls’ school. It was their last day, so it was my only opportunity to say hi to their teachers. I greeted the headmaster, the administrator, and the teacher Madam Clara. I loved hearing about all of the girls’ progress. This is their first term after all being double promoted. Just like in America, the last day before break comes with grades being posted. I brought those who were ready to leave back to the house with me and they went through their daily after school routine. My first full day back greeted me by being lights off. This means no lights and no air conditioning. That lasted from noon that day until the following morning. It is okay though, I am still pretty used to it. I am glad that the girls don’t think that I need to readjust after being gone. I can handle the food, the heat, the cold showers, and for the most part- the mosquitos. 

            On Friday, we decorated the whole house for Christmas and the girls did a wonderful job. It is now Saturday. The caretakers, Laura, Dana, and I spent the afternoon planning the schedule for the break. We came up with so many fun things to do. Thanks to out wonderful donors, we get to take a local excursion to the beach and another excursion to a Ghanaian tourist attraction. The girls also got their Christmas dresses yesterday and Laura and I were so jealous that we had to go into town and hunt down a seamstress that would make us dresses before Christmas. No worries readers, we found one. 

            The past two days have been so wonderful. I love spending my days with the girls and having it be like I never left. They still call my room “Auntie Clara’s Room” and remember all of my family and ask about them. It amazes me that so much joy can be found in cleaning the house, because I am doing it with my pearls. Today was also filled with Ghanaian dishes. Mercy made “rocks”- like creamed corn- for breakfast and I just finished a bowl of groundnut soup and rice ball, eaten with my hands of course. 

            I am looking forward to all of the fun things we have on our calendar for the next two weeks. I will keep you all updated on Clara’s Christmas Adventure featuring The Pearl House.            

            

Homeward Bound

I know that people have been on the edge of their seats for the past year waiting for me to write another blog post. So, here it is. And of course, with a blog post, comes a trip back to Ghana. It has been a year and a half since I have seen my girls. However, not seeing them has not stopped me from talking about them. This past year and a half I have gotten to share with so many people about my other life across the Atlantic. I have had so many opportunities to speak in different settings about my work with The Pearl House. From new friends on campus, to speaking in front of hundreds of people, God has made sure I get to talk about what He has made me passionate about.

Despite my love of talking about The Pearl House, I love even more when I have the opportunity to go! And so here I sit, at the beginning of my Christmas break, on a plane to Ghana, West Africa. I am jittery, tired, and hungry; but I know that as soon as that African air hits me in the face (quite literally) it will be like I never left. As I was planning this trip, I gave Courtney Garland full reign of when to tell the girls. She never did. SO… surprise it is! Which let’s be honest, it is more fun that way. Who doesn’t like being attacked with a giant group hug that knocks you off your feet? It really is the only way to be welcomed by someone these days. I know what most of you are thinking. It is the same question so many people have asked as I have prepared for my trip. SHE IS MISSING CHRISTMAS. Yes, yes I am. But, thank God that I have such a supportive family that truly understands that I have more family besides them now. They share me with my African family. Yes, my family will miss me and I will miss them, but as most of you can recall, I was gone for six months last time. These three weeks will be a breeze for them.

I am so excited to celebrate Christmas the Ghanaian way. Who needs a ham or a turkey for Christmas dinner when you can have a goat and some of Rita’s hand-pounded fufu? I think it will truly be an eye-opener to celebrate Christmas in a different culture. And by different, I mean NOT American. I am not saying that Americans celebrate wrong, I just think that sometimes we forget that Christmas is not just a holiday for those born in the States, but that there are so many ways to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. BUT, I of course had to bring a few of the fun traditions from the States. It would only be fitting that as the new Pearl House is being built, we build some ginger bread versions of the house!

I cannot believe that I am going to embrace the girls that have captured my heart in less than 12 hours. This gives me plenty of time to drive to Winneba and find a good hiding spot. I will be keeping you all updated on the Pearl House Christmas Extravaganza, featuring Auntie Clara and Auntie Laura, throughout these next few weeks, but for now, goodbye from row 30, seat D (middle seat).

One Year... And A Few Days

     One year, plus a few days, I got off a plane in a country that was once a summer destination and was about to become my home. A lot has happened in this past year. You know when you have a birthday and everyone asks if you feel older? Well, I kind of consider July 2 my mission birthday. So if someone asked me if I feel older, I would confidently answer YES. I feel as if in the past year my ideas have matured, my thoughts have gone beyond tomorrow, my point of view crosses borders, and my walk with Christ is miles down the road from what it was a year ago. 

     One year the thought of college terrified me. I had no motivation to go or do anything that really involved going. I wasn't ready. In one month I am moving to OSU and rooming with three of my closest friends. I am going into school with a 4-year plan of what I want to accomplish and a scholarship to get me going.

     One year ago I was sending my exchange student Alba, who really become more of a sister, back to Spain after living with me and my family during our senior year. This week I got to sit by her on the beach because she came back to go one family vacation. 

     One year ago my mom was being released from the hospital after having her brain cancer removed and had a long road of recovery ahead of her. Yesterday we got news that she had a perfect MRI and PET scan. Even her doctor was shocked. 

     One year ago my sister and brother-in-law were living the newly-wed life. Today I am holding my three month old niece. I love her so much, but honestly I didn't think she would ever exist. 

     One year ago 20 girls sat in their mud huts in Ghana, West Africa with no hope of a real future. They were probably on the brink of having to choose to be married off or to move to Accra and find some way to send money home to their family. Now, those same 20 girls live at The Pearl House. Those girls attend school almost everyday and come home to a bed that they can call their own. The same girls that usually went to the farm everyday, can now speak English and read. They have a family they can rely on. 

     One year ago The Pearl House girls were being influenced by whatever religion brought a water well to their village first. Now, they are each involved in Lauren's Light House by teaching, preaching, and leading worship. They are at the point where they can go home to their families and talk to them about how God has transformed their lives. 

     Sure, it has been hard these past 6 months to not be at The Pearl House. I have missed them each day. Sure, I get sad sometimes that I'm not there when they a 100 on their test. Sure, I get jelouse when I see a picture of one of the interns with my girls. But, I think back on all that God has done this past year and I have so much to rejoice in. 

     The first six months of this past year I lived in Ghana, West Africa as an intern at The Pearl House. Being involved with starting the house from the ground up. I can confidently say that I have left my mark in the foundation of The Pearl House and life of each girl there. The second six months I worked state side with our board and founders. I was able to do a lot of speaking engagements and really tell people about my time living with the Pearl girls. I even got to go back to Ghana in April and surprise the girls. 

     So, yes. I do feel older on my mission birthday. I have met new people, grown closer to those I already knew, and sadly lost touch with those who simply cannot understand why I do what I do. I thank God for everything He has done in my life this past year. 

     For those of you reading, a majority of you probably didn't go live abroad for a majority of this past year. However, I encourage you to look back at this past year. Reflect on what you have experienced. Remember the people you have met. Learn from the things that made this past year difficult. I don't mean to sound cliché, but really, go do it. 

     A year ago, I was a white girl living in a black man's world. Today, I am a daughter living out my Father's will for my life.