Ghana Journal Trip 2: Day 2

This morning we were up by 9am to go and tour Lincoln American School in Accra. It is the best school in Accra, but unfortunately it has very expensive tuition. We’re talking $20,000 a year and it is just a high school! Most children who attend the school are children of missionaries, children of Embassy workers, and children of large corporations in Ghana such as Coco-Cola. The reason we were touring the school was because Jake is interested in renting their very nice basketball facilities for hosting camps and tournaments. Jake had previously toured the facilities on his first trip to Ghana when considering a partnership with the Right to Dream Academy. This time around we were able to have a meeting with the athletic director of the school, and Jake was asked to write up a proposal for renting the courts. Until the money is raised to build the facility on the land we’ve purchased, we have to have some nice courts for the team to practice on and a place to host events. The outdoor courts and crooked non-10 foot hoops that the team has been practicing on are driving Jake crazy. :)

Indoor courts at Lincoln School

Outdoor courts at Lincoln School

After our tour we went back to the hotel so that Jake could meet with the Kingdom Hoops Ghana team.

While Jake held the meeting, JJ, Samuel & I played! We threw the frisbee, played on the swing for a long time, read books, tested out the pool water and played with toys in the hotel room.

JJ and Samuel’s personalities are perfect for eachother. WOW – God is so good. As I watched the two of them laugh and talk with one another on the swing I was praising God for bringing Samuel into our family.

All morning long I’ve been trying to prepare myself emotionally for what it may be like if Samuel’s visa is not issued on Monday, and JJ and I have to return early without him and Jake. You see, all along this adoption journey I have dreamed and dreamed about this trip of bringing Samuel home….I am sure every adoptive family does. I have been rejoicing in the thought of this trip for months. I have even cried happily over envisioning us going up to the immigrations counter once our flight enters the U.S. I can see us walking up to the counter, handing them our documents, getting our stamp of approval and then – walking through the exit area with Samuel being officially on U.S. soil. On our last trip to Ghana back in December I got to watch an adoptive family get through immigrations. They had just survived the long flight from Amsterdam to Minneapolis with their two adopted children from Ethiopia. The mother was tired and disheveled as her new daughter had cried most of the airplane ride. Jake had chatted with the Dad on the plane and found out that they were headed home to Minnesota. They were ahead of us in the immigrations line as we entered into the Minneapolis airport from our flight. I watched as the mother handed the officer behind the counter her manilla envelope full of the adoption documents. I watched as the worker checker their passports and documents – and then – they were in! I saw tears start rolling down the mother’s face – tears of relief and happiness I am sure. And at that moment I thought to myself – I can’t wait to experience that! All the downs of the adoption process can easily be erased in my mind by a moment like that. I am not sure if I will get to experience the high of walking through the immigrations counters with Samuel. But, what could possibly beat this….

Or this?

I mean really, it’s only Day 2! Are we actually adopting him or has he always been in our family? It’s just so natural to have him with us!

After Jake’s meeting with the team we went and had lunch at our new favorite spot – Frankie’s! It is a sort of sports bar & grill with a great menu of mostly American food! Their pizza tastes awesome! And, they even have a kid’s menu with chicken nuggets and fries…..JJ has had it for lunch both days since being here.

On the way back to the hotel from Frankie’s we passed by about a ½ mile stretch of people hand-making furniture. I really can’t even explain it! They were weaving and twisting and carving beautiful masterpieces out of bamboo and wood right there on the side of the road. I could seriously compare it to the wicker furniture that you would see at Pier I. They were making couches, chairs, end tables, dining sets, and outdoor sets. As we drove we even got to watch some young boys weaving a couch together. The arts and craftwork of Ghanaians absolutely amazes me. If somehow they could ship this ½ mile street to the U.S. these guys would make so much money for their work. A set like that at Pier I is over $500. And these guys are making less than a ¼ of that for their handiwork and skill.

Back at the hotel we all took about a 2 ½ hour nap and it felt so good. Samuel loves a great nap, just like the rest of us! We woke up to a phone call from Esi who wanted to stop by and see us. About an hour later Esi and her husband came to the hotel and we sat and chatted and made plans for our day that we would spend with them tomorrow. One of the first things Esi said to me was “Samuel looks a lot like JJ! That is such an amazing coincidence!” Their hair color has definitely grabbed the attention of more than a few people here. :)

Awhile later Big Sam, Prince, Ezekiel and one of the Kingdom Hoops Ghana players, named Mike, came and met us for dinner. We had a great time talking with them and Jake ended up continuing their conversations for another hour and a half after JJ, Samuel and I went back to the room for bedtime.

Listening to the ipod (can you tell Samuel had been playing with the settings on my camera!)

Tonight we also switched our flight back to accommodate our visa appointment on the 21st. They didn’t end up having 6 seats available for the flight out o the 22nd so we had to take the next flight leaving Accra which wasn’t until 1am on the 23rd. On one hand, this was good. Kofi texted us today that if the Embassy doesn’t issue Samuel’s visa on the 21st we will then most likely get it on the 22nd or at the latest on Friday the 25th. So,with our new flight schedule, we will at least have an extra day of cushioning in case they tell us to come back on the 22nd. However, on the other hand, it was extremely hard for me to think of being gone from Jayla an extra 2 days. By the time we get home on the 23rd (9pm) we will have been gone 8 days!!!!!!!! That is a very long dime, especially when we were only planning to be apart 5 ½ days. Ugghh – this is so hard. But, it is what it is. I just keep praying that God will comfort Jayla and that I won’t be consumed by missing her. Tonight when we called to talk to her she heard my voice and got very upset and started crying – so much so that she didn’t want to talk on the phone. I think she is very confused about why she can hear my voice but not see me. Hearing her so upset made me cry, and then my mom heard me crying which made her cry – so all 3 of us babies were crying at the same time! Well, at least God never promised that any of this would be easy. We knew going into this that international adoption could be a long, bumpy journey, and it has been for us. But, today as my reading in the word landed me at Psalm 20, I knew God was comforting me as I had been crying out to him all day long with the stress and hardship of this visa situation.

Good night…..

Psalm 20

May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.

May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.

May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.

We will shout for joy when you are victorious
and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests.

Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
he answers him from his holy heaven
with the saving power of his right hand.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.

O LORD, save the king!
Answer us when we call!