The One Who Heals the Blind

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. ~Mark 1:40-42

Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel. ~Matthew 15:29-31

When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering.” Jesus said to him, “I will go and heal him.” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith….” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that very hour. ~ Matthew 8:5-13

And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, “Who touched me?” But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” ~Mark 5:25-34

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God. ~Luke 18:35-43

I believe Christian’s eye can be healed.

A few weeks ago, Anita from Adoption Advocates International emailed me. They had just received the social investigation report with full details of Christian’s past. None of the information can be put on my blog. But for the purposes of this post I will speak on a few things. Anita’s words to me as she prefaced the details that surfaced in the report:

I received Christian's social investigation report and birth certificate today. I'm telling you, he has one of the saddest stories I have seen in four years.

And those words come from an adoption program coordinator who has seen loads of social investigation reports.

Mix in evil, a fetish priest, threats, drink potions, and more evil and you have the resulting disability of Christian’s eye.

In case you’re wondering, here is the definition of a fetish priest via wikipedia:
In Ghana, Togo, and Benin and other parts of West Africa a fetish priest serves a spirit associated with an image or object that is usually kept in an enclosed place called a fetish shrine, often a simple mud hut with some kind of enclosure or fence around it. He (or she, in the case of a priestess) performs rituals to consult and seek the favor of the god of the shrine.

That is the sort of thing Christian has been up against. Our God, the One True God, is Greater. For He will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in His sight (Psalm 72:12-14).

God has risen up to defend this helpless, vulnerable, and victimized child against the evil that has surrounded him his entire life. And, I firmly believe that through prayer and faith, the stronghold causing the disability of Christian’s eye can be healed.

I’m not crazy. I’m not delusional. Rather, I serve the ONLY GOD who is Healer and I believe He still performs physical healings today to reveal His glory, just like He did in the past.

Christian is a beautiful soul inside and out, no matter what his eye looks like. It is not for beauty that I hope in faith that his eye can be healed. It is for victory and deliverance. Because every day that Christian wakes up, his eye is a constant reminder to him of his past, and how he has been wronged. And every time he meets someone new, they will inevitably ask him, “So, what happened to your eye?” Just the way Jake and I did. And he will have to tell of those who have wronged him. Again. And again. And again. And Christian is going to be meeting a lot of new people……because……..GOD HAS FOUND A FOREVER FAMILY FOR CHRISTIAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’ll get to tell you about them soon. For now, I keep envisioning a new start and a new life for Christian in America. And in his healing that I hope for, I long to hear Jesus say, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.”

Jesus, I believe.

Who will stand with me in prayer, calling on the Name of the Ultimate Healer, for the restoration of Christian's sight?

Adoption Update Regarding Christian!!!!

Blogger wasn’t working this morning and I was so bummed because I couldn’t wait a moment longer to share this exciting news about Christian (you can read his original story here)!!! Since our trip to Ghana I had gotten in touch with the Ghana program coordinator of Adoption Advocates International, Anita, to see if Christian’s case could be investigated. I felt hopeful that adoption was the best possible scenario for his situation. Last Friday an in-country representative from The Ripley Foundation (who partners with AAI) traveled to Asikuma to find some answers. Here is the report via Anita. As I see it God’s hands continue to be written ALL OVER this....especially take note of the second to last paragraph!!!!!!!!!

I received an update about Christian from Joha! Joha went with Michael to the village last Friday. They talked with the family at length but the family didn't know a TON about Christopher's story. They weren't sure how he became blinded in one eye, but one story is that the father tried to poison Christopher when he was very small, and it "killed" his eye. =-( The father abandoned him at a very young age. At some point several years ago the mother "dumped" him at the village and left. Christopher actually lives with his Great Aunt. A "grandfather" was also there (but not sure if he was an uncle or actual grandfather). All of the relatives there were on the mother's side.

The family has very little contact with Christopher's mother. In fact, they can only talk to her when SHE chooses to call (something about her having to go to a certain hilltop to get good reception). The family in the village all agreed that a good plan for Christian would be adoption, but of course that can't happen without mom's permission. The meeting ended with a request that the next time mom calls, please have her call Joha to arrange a meeting. Joha didn't know how long that might take.

Grandfather is very old and sick--he can hardly move. Joha says grandmother is also sickly with a curvature in her front and back (scoliosis?). I asked about how he was eating and Joha said the grandmother cooks once a night whenever her health allows her to (which Joha said is pretty typically for all of Ghana). I know Joha has put Christian on the list for foster care, but we don't have enough foster home! [Hmm....wish the Children's Haven was done already!!!] Hopefully he can go to foster care soon.

Here's the update since Friday:

Joha was able to meet wth the mother! As luck would have it (umm....GOD!) she called very soon after they left, and then Joha went to her village to meet with her earlier this week! The mom is in absolute agreement for adoption. So...Joha is now working to have Christian's documents completed (Social Investigation Report, Declaration). The medical will have to be done after he is in foster care. On Friday a social worker from Accra will be going to Eastern Region with Joha to work on the Social Investigation!!!

Praise God!!! So...if you know of someone who is ready to adopt Christian, they might want to get started on the process!

I can tell you that when I received this good news I was in an overflow of non-stop praise to God! Whenever I think of Christian, the first verse that comes to my mind is Psalm 27:10 ~ Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. Christian’s story is all the more proof that God IS the defender of the fatherless. He will take up the cause of the oppressed and needy, and He will rescue them. He hears the cries of those calling out to Him in despair. He will lift them out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire and give them a firm place to stand. He sets the lonely in families.

It gives me goosebumps to think that God has a perfect mom and dad out there for Christian who will NOT forsake him, but love him and show him what it means to have a caring family. I wait in excitement to watch the rest of this story unfold. Yesterday when I received this email I scanned the Psalms to try and find one to express the joy I was feeling inside that God has come through for Christian. This is the one that seemed to speak it all perfectly:

Psalm 145:1-5 ~ I will proclaim your greatness my God and king; I will thank you forever and ever. Every day I will thank you; I will praise you forever and ever. The Lord is great and is to be highly praised; his greatness is beyond understanding. What you have done will be praised from one generation to the next; they will proclaim your mighty acts. They will speak of your glory and majesty, and I will meditate on all your wonderful deeds.

The Boy Named Christian - UPDATE!

You may remember me writing about a little boy named Christian who stole my heart away on our recent Ghana trip. :) You can read his story by clicking here. I have a little update….nothing adoption related to share YET, but hopefully soon. This is an update of a different sort….it’s very uplifting!

While we were in Ghana Jake met a man named Ken. Ken found Jake in the village one day and told him that he wasn’t sure where God was leading him in his life, but he thought maybe Jake could help him figure it out. :) Jake set up a meeting with him at our hotel. To start off Jake asked Ken what he thought his gifts and talents were. Ken said, “I love music. That is my passion. In fact, I was the leader of the band at church on Sunday.” Jake thought for a moment and then told Ken that he could use his musical talent to start impacting the kids in the village. Jake’s advice….start a music school. Give lessons on how to play instruments!

Meanwhile, on a different occasion when Jake was talking with Christian he had asked Christian what he wanted to be when he grew up. Christian’s answer to Jake was either a pilot (which is what he had also told me in the schoolyard) or a musician! Of course because of Christian’s visual impairment, becoming a musician is a much better goal for him! Eventually Jake put two and two together and ended up emailing Ken and telling him to go find Christian….Christian could be Ken’s first ‘client’ and our foundation would pay for Christian’s lessons. Ken did so immediately, and below I have the recent update that Ken emailed Jake (as hard as it was, I decided not to correct his grammar so you could get the full effect of his email). Ken attends school somewhere outside of Asikuma, but he gives the music lessons when he is in the village for holidays and visits. He will also be back in Asikuma all summer. Here is his update:

Hi Mr. Jake how is you and your family doing?

Glory be to God almighty for all the wonderful things he is doing in our lives. We are actually doing equally fine here and I think it is the opportunity to wish you and your family the season's greetings. May God continue to be your strength and guide.

As I told you in the previous mail,we are still at home for Easter vacations and it will be ending on the 11 April. It is somehow tough for me now. We are still expecting the result of the previous exam, that we are to attach to the new registration form; yet it isn't in till now. We pray that God work some miracle again. I managed to see Albert and he is a boy in the same church with me. He and Christian are doing pretty well.

Despite my being very busy preparing for the exams, I judged it better to start something with the kids. Surprisingly,I found some of them to be so dexterous that I pour out tears of joy whenever we start playing some tunes! It makes me remember when I also was a kid and very thirsty to do music without any single opportinuity!

What I did was to invite all the kids from the town to come for a screening. And when I saw their talents, potentials and interests it was very amazing! I counted in total 21 kids that were ready to join the band and learn. Later,when I tried talking to the parents, some say they are willing and wish their wards could, but they can't. Either because they can't be paying or want the kids rather to be helping with farming. Now, I'am left with 10 regular kids and teens to train. And they are very good. I felt and still feeling a great pain to see all those other lucrative talents die!

I have officially started with Christian on the 17 April and Albert too has join us. They live near each other. God is truly wonderful. He(Christian) is trying his best! Think Albert too would do good.

Our problem now is the distance between us. I'am praying for God to help me with a bike so that I can be reaching the kids on time. The Asikuma church has allowed us to be using their instruments for now and I think we should just help them with the electricity bill (they have not asked for this, but this is Africa, you know.)

As for me myself, I will not ask the kids to pay me. I will take it upon myself to help them develop the talents in them and play to the glory of God. I only pray, hope and believe that through that, my God will find a way to help me with the numerous needs I have.

The phone I often use to write to you when I'am outside school, is now faulty and can't access the web anymore. It dropped into water on my way coming from practice with the kids last time. (It rained heavily here!)

Now I have to be putting my sim card into my mum's phone and I think I'am disturbing her. Now,I don't know what to do. Please if you wouldn't mind, you can still be writing the E-mails and I will see what God will do.

Believe NOTHING is gonna STOP me from the job and even if back to school some week-ends I would be trying to come and see them until the exams are completely over. Please what do you think about opening a web site so that some people out there too can see what we are up to. Something like 'godstalentedkids.com'

Please write soon and till we meet again, I leave you in the hands of Lord Jesus.

Lots of regards. Ken.

HOW AWESOME IS THAT?!?!?! I loved seeing Ken's heart through his words, and it is clear that he must rely on God for so many things to see this through. Ken had also mentioned Albert. Albert was the young man that Jake had picked out as a leader in Asikuma. Albert's family actually shares the same housing unit with Christian and his grandma! To read Albert's story, click here.

And here are some pictures Ken sent with his email update…unfortunately the first couple came through really small, but it is still so good to see Christian again!


Wearing the t-shirt Jake gave him! :) It has a gym rat on it!

Oh, Christian, I am confident that God has a wonderful plan for you and your future….I can’t wait to see it unfold!

Trip Highlights ~ Chris & Jake

Chris Gardner ~ Owner of Bella Homes, LLC; husband; father

In Chris’ words ~ For me, it is hard to figure out what was the top highlight of the trip. There were a lot of great things - the orphanage, shopping with Doug, the council meeting up in the village, all the great conversations we all had together, or even just the quiet time to reflect and worship our God. Below are my thoughts…

Reflecting back on the trip, I would have to say that perhaps the best part of the whole trip is simply how it has impacted my life so far.

It seems God must take me away from my life to get me to listen. For the first time in many years I had no internet, no computer, no cell phone, no texting, no TV, nothing….furthermore for some reason I had my own room for a couple of nights and I was all alone. I am not good at going to bed ever and trying to go to bed while dealing with a 6 hour time change was not that easy for me. I had plenty of time to think. At that time, I desperately wanted to talk to my wife and hear what she and the girls (I have a 4 year old girl, Kayley and a 2 year old girl, Halle) have been up to. I think I just wanted to be able to call and at least feel for a few minutes that I was back in the comforts of home.

Verizon phones do not work in Ghana. I could have borrowed Jake’s international phone to call my wife, but the funny thing was that my wife’s phone had gotten wet back home and broke the same day we arrived in Ghana so she was without a phone for 2 days. I think God might have had something to do with that….

I was stripped away from every convenience I knew - comfort of family, nice home, nice food, nice bathrooms, etc…. I was hot, sweaty and tired and all I wanted to do was hear my wife’s voice, hear my girls say ‘luv you daddy’, and I had no way to make that happen.

Some may know me enough to know that if someone tells me I can’t do something or something challenges me - I react, I do not back down. And yet, here I was, for one of the few times in my life, unable to control the situation….not happy…

This first night I was there, alone, middle of the night Ghana time, I was actually a little confused and frustrated to why I came back here. I don’t like being hot and sweaty, I don’t like strange food, I don’t like cold showers, I don’t like having a stomach ache all the time, I don’t like this bed, I miss my kids, miss my wife, and why is there no internet here!?!? Why doesn’t my cell phone work?!!? What the heck am I doing here!!!???

No answer from God, just more silence…

Next day as we were in the village I started to adjust a little more. I got a little more used to the heat, and got busy trying to keep up with my new friend Doug who just happens to compete in Iron Man events all over the world, and recently completed his 13th event last fall.

Each night, I would ask God why I was here…still no answer.

Each day became even busier than the day before as we encountered many great experiences - church in Asikuma, touring the school, sitting in the council meeting with Doug watching Nana lead his team, handing out gifts, meeting the basketball players, and more and more…

One of the last days we went to the Beacon House Orphanage and we were able to listen to the story of the director and founder of the home. Hearing her passion, her commitment, her laughter while being amidst one of the hardest jobs on the planet, made me open my ears and finally listen to what God was trying to tell me all week. It was not that God was not answering my questions of why I was here, it was just that I was not listening. I was still distracted. Still focused on how much work we could do here, how many opportunities there were here. And at the same time still focused on back home. I had not been listening.

After the meeting with the director, I was able to play with the kids for a little while. It was then I fully realized why I was here. It took these little smiling faces to make me listen. After playing with these little guys and having all the little girls dance with me while they stood on my feet and I twirled them around, I had to walk away. I couldn’t take it anymore. I was broken.

I realized that I was not be able to help these kids today, but in fact they were the ones who were doing all the helping… they were helping me, changing my life!

I will be back and will make a difference somehow in their lives and the lives of the kids in Asikuma.

I will not just be going through the motions anymore. I will listen.

God gave us all talents and abilities. He gave me the ability to build and construct. That’s what I will be doing for the Lord come August! The times in my life where I have felt closest to God have been when my girls were born and this trip to Africa. I cannot wait for August, working for the Lord, working with my hands, using the talents that God gave me. That is what it is all about.

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Jake Sullivan ~ Founder of Kingdom Hoops International/Isaiah 1:17 Foundation; husband & father

I’ve discovered a new way to live. Every morning when I get out of bed, I look for Jesus. No, not because I’ve misplaced him. And I’m not talking about a feeling I get during prayer, or revelation that comes to me while reading scripture. I’m talking about finding Jesus in the eyes of real people. In the eyes of the poor, the handicapped, the oppressed, the orphan, the homeless, The AIDS victim – the abandoned and the forgotten. (Excerpt from Red Letters by Tom Davis)

In Jake’s words ~ In 2008 when this journey began this quote above was all I asked from God each night as I laid my head down to sleep. My prayers were not long or deep and often times I was sure I was the worst person at prayer in my whole church community. I simply wanted to see Jesus each day in the eyes of other people. I have soon discovered that my simple prayer each night for God to give me the eyes to see Him, and let my flesh obey Him, would radically alter my life and send me on an incredible adventure for Christ.

Seeing Jesus in the eyes of youth in a far off continent seems like it could be everywhere all the time. However, during my journeys to Africa the past three years it always seems like God brings that one person in my path whose face glows of Jesus like no other face….even amongst the thousands of children in a land of desperate need.

In 2009 the first face was a boy named Nana Yaw, the second face was a boy named Big Sam, and then a small boy named Samuel, soon later there was a Prince, and then a young man called to lead named Mike, then a stranger named Ezekiel, and then a unique mother named Mercy.

This most recent trip to Ghana was no different. As our journey began and a couple of nights had passed it seemed like God was not fully hearing my prayers as all the incredible people that came into my life seemed no different than the one before. Then God did it again. He showed me the face of Jesus in one little boy named Albert. Albert is 12 years old and incredibly intelligent with a desire to lead, a desire to be more than just another boy from Asikuma. Words can’t really explain it but it is like Jesus touched down and said, this will be the boy that helps to lead the youth and maybe someday the people of Asikuma.

So, how did I meet Albert? On day two in Asikuma I was feeling tired and worn down and decided to lay down and take a quick nap with JJ. Our nap lasted two hours and during our restful sleep the rest of the group snuck out without me to the village to hand out shoes and clothes. The group returned to the hotel at about 3pm and I quickly awoke because what type of servant sleeps the afternoon away in a place with so much need, but as always God knows exactly what he is doing.

My wife sat down on the bed to journal and I felt guilty so I quickly headed out the door to see what God had planned for me. As I took my first step out of the hotel there was a boy who fell to his knees with his face to the ground asking me for a pair of shoes since he did not receive any when the group was in the village. I tapped him on the shoulder and told him to stand up and look at me in the eye and ask for a pair of shoes. However, when he looked me in the eye I know for sure I saw Jesus.

From that moment on, Albert was at my side for the remainder of the trip. The most incredible part of Albert was his incredible proficiency of the English language and on top of that an unmatched level of self-confidence. How had he become so educated? How had he become so confident? This question swirled through my mind as he spoke and I got to know him. I had never met another young boy in the rural parts of Ghana quite like him. It was as if God’s hand had been on him throughout his life and brought us together intentionally to make one great team. Over the next few days Albert became my right hand man and my personal interpreter! I do not pick up on languages quickly as my Spanish teacher in high school could tell all of you!! This often becomes a real barrier for me in Africa and sometimes causes me to avoid new relationships as I am not confident in communicating with all the people. But with Albert I could go anywhere and talk to anybody and he would interpret everything I said and everything the other children or people of Asikuma said. It was like a new world was opened to me through one little boy with the eyes of Jesus.

Albert soon allowed me to meet his family which included his mother, father, sister and her twin boys’ who are going to become the most well-dressed one year old boys in the history of Asikuma when I return in August. I am not sure where God will take Albert or where he will take our relationship but I know God has big plans for him and I am so excited to be a part of his life. To sum it all up the highlight of my trip was God bringing Albert into my life. I have not had a morning or night go by that he is not on my mind and can’t wait to see what God has planned for us come August!!

Trip Highlights ~ Doug & Dawn

Doug Vander Weide ~ Owner of VW Advisors, L.L.C., West Des Moines; husband to Dawn; father to Emma, Grace & JD In Doug’s words ~ Day 5: Today we are back from the village of Asikuma and in the capital city of Accra. We’ve got much work to do and we have our vision of how to accomplish our building projects.

So how do you go about building a medical clinic and library in a remote village of a foreign country 6000 miles away? You tackle it swimming hole style - take a running leap and jump in!

Today Chris and I went to the town center to begin bargaining for supplies for the medical clinic. We negotiated for and purchased some of the beginning essentials: a sink, toilet, hammer, nails, and cement block molds. In Ghana, EVERYTHING is negotiated. White people can easily be taken advantage of because they assume all of us have endless wealth. They clearly saw us coming too, I think we were the only white people we saw today. Bargaining became somewhat of a game to us, and we got very good at it. I’m confident we are getting the best deals we can on all of our building supplies. We priced lumber, cement, roofing, and electrical supplies. In August, I’m planning to arrive a few days earlier than the rest of the group to make sure we are as construction ready as possible. I’ve gladly accepted the role of being Chris’s right hand guy. I can see why this guy is a good home builder. He’s organized, straight shooting, and could outwork 10 men. We’ve literally been going 16 hours a day.

Yesterday in the village we had the amazing experience of getting to sit through a village council meeting. Picture seven town elders in a small village room-at best 200 square feet. These are not plush meeting room accommodations. So Chris and I walk in and start shaking hands (ending the handshake with the traditional Ghanaian “snap” is a must and a sign of respect.) The meeting was chaired by Chief Nana and assisted by his Linguist. It is necessary for the villagers to speak to The Linguist rather than to The Chief. Since The Chief is Peprah and Yaw’s father, we get to speak directly to him and he is grateful for us. Nana is great about including us, making sure we get the full experience of his culture. Picture a West Des Moines Planning and Zoning Meeting. Now picture that in a small village in remote Africa. It’s quite different.

Chris and I presented our thoughts on how we should partner together to help the village, describing in detail our Phase 1 building plans. The council was most grateful for our efforts and all of the elders voted to proceed. It should be noted that during our part of presenting the master plan and the value it would provide to the village, I actually saw Nana tear up a bit. This is clearly a big deal to him. He paused and began to speak to us. In a very emotional and heartfelt way, he described that every Chief’s responsibility was to do something significant to better his village. Given financial restrictions he had so far been unable to do this during his tenure. He said now his dream was being fulfilled and he thanked us. In a later conversation, Esi pulled me aside to thank me and said Nana confessed to her that day may have been the happiest day of his life.

And now on to the second part of the meeting. Also in attendance for the council meeting was a woman, a mother of 9 kids. The youngest was her baby, who was with her and attached for his mid day feeding. Turns out, this town council meeting was called for two reasons. One, so Chris and I could present the Phase 1 project. The other was to try the case of this unfortunate woman's 8 year old son. Planning and zoning turned quickly to court. As we learned, the son had killed a neighbor’s goat when the animal wondered into his family residence. The kid, in an effort to shoo the animal out, beat the goat on the head with a stick, killing it instantly. (It should be noted, the poor goat should not garner much of the blame for such an honest mistake of wondering into the wrong residence; it's home looks the exact same as the family, dirt floor and all.) So the issue in this council meeting turned- dare I say, Kangaroo Court hearing, was what to do with the the young boy. They take this type of incident very seriously. Had this been an adult, said event would have been criminally prosecuted.

So we listened to the woman plea her case for leniency. As she exited, she pulled out a bottle of gin and gave it to The Chief. All of this was occurring in their native tongue. Nana later interpreted for the benefit of Chris and me. Given her contrition, and the gift of libation, they agreed the family could simply repay the man with another goat and pay a small fine.

You can't pay money for this and I can’t make it up. Africa amazes me.

* * *

Dawn Vander Weide ~ Co-owner VW Advisors, L.L.C., West Des Moines; wife to Doug; mom to Emma, Grace & JD

In Dawn’s words ~ My highlights centered around the relationships I formed with several young men, most from the Khoops Ghana bball team. I got to talk with these boys for hours and hours with the intention of really getting to know them. We talked about all kinds of stuff: their religious beliefs, their families, their living conditions, how it’s different in the U.S. Emma and I taught several of the boys how to waltz and fox trot!

It’s been easy for Jake to identify kids who are good at basketball. It was my charge on this trip to identify kids who could also do well in the U.S. educational system. Our hosting program is based on achieving student visas. The kids can stay in the U.S. so long as they are in school, so they have to be bright enough and hard working enough to make the program a success, to give them futures and for our program to grow.

In preparation for the trip, I worked on outlining the process, every single step, in getting a student here from Ghana. It is so complicated that it makes me crazy if I think about it all at once. I had to break it down into small, achievable steps. I won’t bore you with the details here. Instead, I’ll tell you about a few of the boys.

James Okine – I spent a lot of time with James. His visa application was denied in December 2010 because he forgot to take his birth certificate to his embassy appointment, but also because he didn’t really know how to answer the questions the U.S. embassy asked him about his plans to study in the U.S. He has been invited to attend school at Pella Christian, and his host family will be the Baughs. I’ve probably skyped James 10 times, and we’ve sent hundreds of e-mails back and forth. He calls me Auntie, and he worked super hard to prepare for his May 16th embassy appointment – we’ve done mock interviews, and he’s ready!

Cyril Clarke – took and passed the Dowling exams that I proctored – math and reading comprehension. Our family will host him for his junior and senior year, starting in August. We email and skype often, and he calls me “mom.” On my birthday, he sent me the neatest poem ever. He treats Emma, Grace, and JD like his siblings, and we are so hopeful that he passes his embassy interview so he can come live with us. He is a gentle giant with academic and basketball smarts.

Riyaz Adams – has been invited to attend school at Iowa Christian Academy. Our family will host him starting in August, just like Cyril. He and Cyril are really good friends at home, so having them live with us together will be a really neat thing. We skype and email a lot too. He calls me, Mom, and really means it. His birth parents died in a fire 4 years ago, and he is a true orphan. His Godliness amazes me, and I know we were meant to meet and support this young man. He has great charisma and humor!

Obie – this kid is AMAZING!! Jake is looking for the right school for him, he’ll need a college because of his age. He’s got great basketball skills, but more importantly, he is SO Godly. He is basically a young preacher. His insight is beyond his years. He asked if he could call me “mom.” Of course, I said yes!!!

McMartey – this boy is beautiful inside and out. He practiced math and reading with me for hours because he wanted to improve academically. He is SO capable and smart, and he can dunk with serious finesse. We’re looking for a host family for McMartey. He also calls me “mom.”

I could go on and on. I can think of 10 boys who call me Mom, just off the top of my head. Many of them have asked me for advice on improving academically. They want to learn, and they are SO hard working!

If I could, I would host every one of these boys and several others: David, Henry, Prince, Michael, Mike, Rubin, Muhammed…. If you are interested in the hosting program, please email me at dawn@vanderweideadvisors.com. I’m hoping to match several of these boys with families and schools that are a good fit.

Trip Highlights ~ Katlyn & Grace

Katlyn Brekke ~ Junior at Iowa State, majoring in elementary education with an emphasis in English as a second language In Katlyn's words ~ It is so hard to come up with specific highlights from the trip. As I reflected over my journal of the trip, two things really stuck out at me. First, on day two when we went to the village my heart was forever changed. Obviously, having not been out of the country before, I knew Africa was going to be a "world shocker" and completely different. Duh. I knew going to Africa the sights, sounds, smells, people, culture, and ways of life were going to be different. Yet, what I learned most on the day we were in the village is that this is not all bad necessarily. By that I mean, that people can and do live with joy in their hearts, who worship our great God even if they don't own a pair of shoes, or they don't eat three meals a day every day, or that their lives can depend on the amount of selling on the side of the street that they do. Walking into the village and simply seeing the smiles on the faces of children who had nothing, gave me the greatest joy. To see their excitement about a "new" pair of shoes, or two animal crackers, or a package of fruit snacks, or simply seeing their face show up on my camera screen - it was instant joy at the littlest things. They weren't expecting it. They didn't know what we held in our bags, but it took them only seconds to get excited. I reflected that night on how I don't get excited for the little things, or continually be grateful with less and instead delight in the Lord with joy by giving more.

The other moment that stood out the most was our time at the orphanage. After spending almost 4 days in the village among the people and seeing the things they did have and didn't have, I was then able to see a different group of children who at one point had nothing, and then see those children who had either been neglected or orphaned be clothed, fed, and most importantly loved. There was such a stark difference. Their bellies were round, their cheeks were chubby, their hair was longer, there even seemed to be an extra bounce in their step. Sure, having clothes and food on the table was essential in their physical progression, but what I noticed even more was their emotional progress. This all happened because a woman selflessly gave up a "comfortable life" to move to Africa, to Ghana, to open a care facility for kids who were HIV+, had sickle cell anemia, or were part of a sibling group. Not to mention, she lives on a very small amount of money because everything else goes to the kids she houses. Why did she do it? God called her to. Her love, and the love from others were making a drastic difference in the lives of African children who otherwise would have nothing. The ability to see what love does, and is capable of doing, made me think of the unconditional love that God offers. It made me see God's love differently and what it is truly capable of doing. Something we take for granted so often or push away, but can drastically change our lives if we accept it.

Between the two moments, I was made uncomfortable with my life at home. At one point in the trip, Janel, Emma and myself were having a conversation about how the conditions we saw were making us mad because such simple things weren't being done, yet would create drastic changes in many lives for the good. Janel continued to say that this trip shouldn't be about going home and simply being more thankful for the things I do have, but instead to be made uncomfortable and ask God to change my perspective, and to then DO something. She knew we would be asked that question when we came home, and of course she was right. I have yet to find words that even begin to explain the things I saw, experienced, and the work God has done in me and continues to do in me. I am so thankful for the opportunity I had, and I definitely pray it is not the last time I get to see change happen in Ghana. I want to be able to continually grow, see the bigger picture that God has for me, and to learn to give more to those in need.

Grace Vander Weide ~ 8th grader, West Des Moines; shooting guard for Kingdom Hoops 8th grade girls team

In Grace's words ~ The most unique experience I had in Africa occurred on the day we went to church. This was the same morning all of the high school boys who play on the Kingdom Hoops Ghana team came to our "hotel" so they could get to know us and interact with us. Church that morning started at 11am, and all of us began walking to church at about 11:45. In Africa, you can show up at your destination anytime you want, and still not be considered late. As soon as we arrived at the outside gathering called church, we instantly had kids that were staring at us, wanting so badly to either hold our hand or sit on our lap. So, after the first 20 minute song got over this little boy came over to me and jumped up on my lap before I was all the way seated! This little boy was about three or four years old, with dirt all over his face. As the pastor was preaching, I realized that the small boy was gripping something really tight in his left hand. A couple minutes later the boy reached his arm backwards to try and give me the 10 cent coin he had been clutching during the service. Since the boy and I couldn't understand a word each other said, I closed the boy's hand and told him to keep it. The boy tried to do this three or four times until he flat out fell asleep in my arms. From looking at the boy's face and clothes I could tell that the dime was all that he had, and he trusted me to hold everything that he had! This was my fondest memory of Asikuma because it showed me how much the boy understood that if he gives, it will be given to him, like Luke 6:38 explains.

Lighthearted Adventures

Most of our days in Ghana were highly scheduled and down to business….and rightly so. But, we also had a few ‘lighter’ moments as well….

Two men of Asikuma who hold prominent positions in the village try some cheez whiz!

What could Doug be eating now?

Let's take a closer look.....hmmm...... He’s eating snails! Fresh ones. Meaning a few minutes ago they looked like this on the roadside… And while I am on the subject of food……for the first few days in Asikuma we couldn’t exactly figure out where the kitchen was for our hotel restaurant. They always came from ‘out back’ with our orders of food. One morning, Doug decided to go looking ‘out back’ to see what exactly was….well….’out back’! And let’s just say, our food was being prepared….Survivor style! That’s a goat being skinned and be-headed! And there's lunch!!!!!!!! And Jake's fish being seasoned... And guess who got to try to pound out some fu fu? Trust me, it’s way harder than it looks! While we were back there, I decided to opt out of taking a picture of the chicken who had just been slaughtered on the rock (you can thank me later). But, I was pretty impressed by their little outdoor kitchen. However, our surprise tour ‘out back’ was a reminder of why I become an instant vegetarian on our trips. It’s a good thing I like rice. And no blood shed or guts spilled when slicing open a mango. Alright, enough about food. Now for some cultural sights… Among the numerous things I’ve seen being sold on the roadside, I can now add coffins to my list. I am still amazed with how they do this!!!!!!!!!! An iron cooling off outside a sewing stand. And, oh look, our Kingdom Hoops guys are out for a run….wait a minute, who’s that white guy leading the pack?!?!? Oh, that’s just our resident Iron Man competitor, Doug. :) There is no escaping the leg lifts when Doug is leading the workout! The Kingdom Hoops boys also got a great practice in and learned 4-out motion offense for the first time…. And they got some encouraging words of advice and things to think about from Jake. And guess what? On our very last day in Ghana we got to go to the beach!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woot woot!!! (yeah, it was pure bliss)

And here are a few more pictures of JJ living it up in Ghana… he pretty much spent every waking moment with the Kingdom Hoops boys.

Thoroughly enjoying his goat's milk chocolate shake!!!!

Our last day in Asikuma we were able to do a bible study with about 40 kids from the village. Katlyn, Emma & I taught the kids about salvation through faith in Jesus by making salvation bracelets which the kids LOVED!!!!

I didn’t realize until later that the colors in the bracelets are actually the colors in the Ghana flag! :)

I feel like I could keep posting about our trip for days and still not touch on everything that happened. The other tripsters on our team have started sending me their personal trip highlights, and they are AWESOME! I can’t wait to post them, which I will do next week. Tune in tomorrow for details on the construction projects we will be starting on our August trip. SO EXCITING!!!!!!!!! And I’ve had many people ask me what we need, what donations we are collecting for August, etc. I’ll of course be letting you in on all of that too.

Tour of Schools in Accra

Our second to last day in Accra we were scheduled to tour the 3 different types of schools in Ghana: a government funded school (free education), a private school, and a vocational school. You will be amazed at the difference between a government funded school and a private school! When we visited the government funded school in Asikuma their entire school day was put to a halt as the teachers met with us and shared their concerns. However, the purpose of the tour of schools in Accra was to watch the teachers and students in action. We didn’t want them to stop what they were doing….we just wanted to observe what a typical school day was like in Ghana. First up we visited Lekma Primary School in Teshie (side note - the program I use to enlarge my pics on the blog is not working for some reason, but if you want to see any of these pictures in a larger size just click the picture).

This school runs the two class shift as Asikuma did….the head master of the school said the first group of kids comes from 6am to 12noon and then the second shift comes from 12noon to 6pm. Each class size averages about 60 children. We were able to peek into many of the classes and observe the lessons being taught. Many of the children had workbooks and we were told that these workbooks were provided by U.S. Aid.

In one classroom the children were doing computer education….WITH NO COMPUTERS!!! Well, except one computer that was up at the front of the classroom on the teacher’s desk….and the computer didn’t work. But they were using it to teach the students the keys (each student could come up front and look at it).

Did you notice the board? The student’s learned/memorized the computer keys off the chalkboard!!!! And, since there were no computers, and the one that they had didn’t work, they also learned programs off the chalkboard too….

So, it’s basically all memorization and no practical experience of actually getting to use a computer. :( Another class we peeked into was learning some sort of textile technique…separating the fibers on this piece of fabric.

I also noted that this school took great length to post all sorts of signs like this everywhere in the classrooms:

Next up was a visit to a private school, Ford Schools Limited, and WOW was there a big difference!!!! This school was very comparative to a public school that you would find in the U.S. First of all, notice all of the educational pieces up on the walls!

It was easy to see that they had a lot more educational materials, more structure in the classrooms, and more teachers. In fact, the entire atmosphere was totally different than the previous school.

At this school, they also have a large number of kids, but they have enough classrooms, teachers, and materials to run multiple classes at the same time. They do not have to run the shift schedule school day as the government schools do. We observed 4 different kindergarten classes going at once. This little guy was working on his handwriting, and it was perfect!!!!!!

This school also has their own computer lab....

And they had a library!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seeing the library obviously brought us all some great excitement and it really helped us to envision what could be constructed for the Asikuma school. Jake really took advantage of this time visiting these schools. His biggest passion in Ghana is the educational side of things….and he wants to learn everything he can so that he will have a better idea of how to empower the youth through education.

And I bet a few of you teachers out there would like to be able to write this on the chalkboard in your class!!!!!!!!!!! :)

We were able to get a handout outlining the tuition/fees charged at this school. Enrollment for one term is around 200.00 Ghana cedis (1 Ghana cedi is a little less than 1 U.S. dollar) plus about 50.00 more if you are a new student. On top of this you also pay extra for things such as stationery, p.e. clothes, and a school uniform. Total fees are under 300.00 Ghana cedis, and a little more for the junior high classes. This seems pretty reasonable until you remember that many people in Ghana are living on less than a dollar a day. This was a great school, but it’s obvious that this type of place is only for the middle to upper class. There is just no chance for the impoverished to receive a great education like this. Now I understand why child sponsorship is SO IMPORTANT in Ghana.

Another thing that we learned today was the grade structure of these primary schools. Typically you would start in Grade 1 at the age of 6. Primary schools involve Grades 1-6….at Grade 6 you would typically be 12 years old. Then you attend junior high. Junior high involves Junior High 1-3. After junior high 3 you take a big exam that would get you into high school. If you don’t pass the exam on the first try you don’t get another chance!!!!!!!!!!!!! From what it sounded like, all high schools charge tuition…there is no free education for those levels. In Ghana you take 3 years of high school. If you don’t pass the junior high exams, or don’t have enough money to attend high school, you can attend a vocational school which teaches different trades such as car mechanics, sewing, hair styling, etc. A vocational school was the last type of school we visited. The one we toured had main courses for catering and fashion design.

And that was the end of our tour of schools! On this day Doug and Chris actually had split off from our group and had a few adventures of their own as they scouted around for tools and building supplies for our projects. :) Tomorrow I hope to post some pictures of the more light-hearted moments from our trip, and then Friday I hope to post about what our exact projects in Asikuma will be. Yay!