From Esi

[We received this sweet handwritten letter from Esi in the mail this week]

Dear Jake & Janel,

It is good to write to you formally. I received the letter Janel wrote plus all the exciting pictures last week. We are very happy to know that you are all doing well and that you are taking very good care of Nana Yaw.

In fact words cannot express how much you (Jake & Janel) mean to us. We believe that posterity [I’m not sure what this word means] would answer some of these things for us. It beats our imagination how Jake came to Ghana and the circumstances under which he met Coach Isaac and Nana Yaw. We are very grateful to God and we see the whole gesture as a miracle ordained by God. Jake’s decision to rather adopt a child from Ghana and not Ethiopia was a divine intervention! [Yes indeed…God has certainly led us to many exciting opportunities in Ghana.] We pray for you and your family each time and we ask for abundant God’s blessings for you. [Isn’t it always refreshing to learn of someone that has been praying for you that you didn’t even know was] We are also praying that Kingdom Hoops Foundation and All Iowa Attack Academy will grow from strength to higher strength.

Nana Yaw told me Jayla has started crawling now. I hope she would get up very soon and start walking. How is JJ now? Is he talking more clearly now? [Yes, in fact he never stops!!] All attempts to talk to Coach Seay and his wife Stacy have not worked out. They are always not available to be spoken to on their cell phones. [Too bad she can’t text. Then she’d get a response ASAP!] Just send them my sincerest greetings and love and tell him we are expecting him in Ghana! [Coach Seay is heading to Ghana in late July to see the Right to Dream Academy]

When are you coming to pick up your adopted son in Ghana? Please let us have the specific dates of arrival and departure. How far have you gone with Nana Yaw’s F-visa arrangements? [All the paperwork is done and turned in, just waiting for the final approval which we should receive anytime by the end of August] We are praying hard for him to go through successfully. We want to hear something about his basketball performance. Is he progressing? [He is improving so much right now as he plays with what will be his high school team. He is absolutely shining in his games and easily has become a crowd favorite!] Is there any hope in the near future for college basketball! [DEFINITELY!] What about his general behavior both at home and outside home? Is he of good character? [I loved this question because I can see myself asking this of JJ once he is Nana Yaw’s age!]

It has been very difficult to communicate since we did not have an internet access at home. Now we have bought a modem and we are left a few other things to buy so we can communicate to you on the email which I believe would be the most convenient. [Yes, the phone service has not been great]

Once again we want to say a very big thank you for everything you have done for us. We know we did not deserve anything from you but you decided to lend a helping hand to a needy person [I would love to share all the stories of how Esi has helped the needy in her own country – God is really using her caring heart to minister to the helpless there]. May God bless you.

Greetings to you all, Janel’s mom & step-dad and her grandmom, Coach Seay, Stacy and the kids and everybody!

Love you all!

Esi (Nana Yaw’s Mom)

[Isn’t she the sweetest?!?!?!]