Big Sam, Prince & Ezekiel

Do you remember me telling you about these two kids that we met in Ghana?

Big Sam.....

And, Prince.....

Well, I haven’t done a very good job on keeping you updated about them. And, in fact there hasn’t been too much to share, until now that is. If you remember back a few months ago, I had mentioned that Big Sam was going to be the next student from Ghana to take part in Jake’s hosting program. In fact, I had noted that he was supposed to be getting his student visa shortly after we returned home from our Ghana trip, and that he would be arriving to Iowa by the end of January. The coach that Jake has been working with in Ghana, Mark, was to be the one helping Big Sam get his passport and visa and get through the Embassy appointments. Well, it turns out that Mark is a great coach and a great help with coordinating all of the things we need help with regarding Project:Ghana, but his skills in working with the Ghana Embassy were a little rusty. So, after a few months went by, we decided to see if Kofi, our adoption rep would be able to help with the hosting program on the Ghana side….helping the students obtain their student visas, and getting through all of the steps required by the Embassy. It’s a lot of work, a lot of trips to the Embassy for various appointments, and it takes a lot of knowledge and expertise to know how to do it all. Kofi was the perfect man for the job, and he jumped on board and is now helping us with the hosting program!

For the past month or so, Kofi has been picking up Big Sam and Prince and taking them to their various appointments at the Embassy to complete the steps leading up to getting their student visa. A few weeks ago they received their passports, and now, they have their last appointment next Wednesday, May 19th, which is the approval for their student visas, God-willing.

Now, meanwhile, you also know that Kofi has been working with our adoption agency to coordinate the adoption of our Samuel (so many Samuels!). Well, it just so happened that Kofi had an Embassy appointment coordinated for all 3 of these boys last week on the same day! Kofi sent us a picture of these 3 together. Even though this picture is not clear at all, it’s more just the idea of having these 3 together that is so cool! I cannot stop smiling when I think about it! To me this picture says GOD IS WORKING!!!!!

The most exciting part of all of this is that we are trying very hard to coordinate it so that when we travel to bring our Samuel home, that Big Sam and Prince will also be visa ready, and can travel to the United States with us. I mean seriously, if that happens, we are going to be rockin’ down the house at the Des Moines Airport when we get in!

I previously had shared that we found a host family for Big Sam – he will stay with the Gerlach Family in Des Moines and attend Des Moines Christian High School as a junior. When we got back from Ghana, Jake already had a family in mind to host Prince, and when he shared Prince’s story with this family, they said yes without hesitation. Prince will be staying with the Vander Weide’s who also live in Des Moines and Prince will attend Des Moines Christian and will be in 7th grade.

Now, there is also one more youth basketball player that we met while we were in Ghana that will be taking part in Jake’s exchange program, but he will not stay with a host family as he is ready to head straight into college. This player’s name is Ezekiel….a funny story is that he was actually on the team playing against the Kingdom Hoops Ghana team on the game that was scheduled while we were there! Jake immediately noticed his talent and gave him his contact info. Ezekiel and his family were able to start working on his student visa shortly after our Ghana trip. They sent film of him playing in some games, and Jake was able to send it off to colleges that would be a good fit for Ezekiel. In early February Indian Hills Community College (a junior college in Ottumwa) offered Ezekiel a full ride scholarship and that is where he will be attending school! Ezekiel’s student visa was approved on Monday of this week and he is supposed to be picking it up at his last appointment with the Embassy today. So, he will be all set to book his flight to the U.S., and right now we are also waiting to see if we can coordinate his travel to Iowa with us on our trip back.

When I think of these kids I can’t help but be so excited for each of them individually, and how much their lives are going to change. Although the world may view situations in Africa as hopeless or helpless or ‘too far gone’, I know that God doesn’t see it that way at all. He sees individuals when the world sees too many. He sees personal situations when the world just throws them all into one. HE gives hope to the hopeless. HE defends the oppressed. HE is near to all who call on Him in truth. HE hears the cry of those who fear Him and saves them. HE determines the steps of every man from every nation. And HE will put a new song in the hearts of these kids. HE has a plan for them.

Psalm 40:1-3
I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD.