It's hard to know exactly what to post and how to post it...one long post (VERY LONG)??? numerous short ones??? I think I'm going to try for one really long one (basically my journal from our time in Ghana along with some pictures to go along with the words). Then maybe another post with more pictures...really I just want to post SOMETHING - making a blog post has been near the top of my mental to-do list...and I want to get it DONE.
Honestly, just sharing these journal entries doesn't feel "complete" - there's no nice bow to wrap up the package. Maybe that will come later. And I've been trying to add pictures to this (cause that would make it much more exciting!) But I've been met with lots of frustration and challenge. The end result is that there aren't as many pictures as I would like. One note on the pictures: some of them are mine/nick's and some were taking by a guy on our team named Josh (super talented creative fun guy named Josh!). Happy reading (i'll understand if you don't make it all the way through)...
One last disclaimer: these are my thoughts and feelings - Nick's experience was a bit different and I can't completely wrap my head around my kids' experiences - at least not enough to put it into words that would be blog-able. So...without further adieu (?), Field Service from dianna's point of view...
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Ghana…wow…wow in a
good way and wow in a hard way! It’s
Thursday night, July 19…I’m sitting in our little “home” for our time
here. It’s hard to call a one room place
home…not necessarily because it’s just one room…more because it’s so incredibly
foreign – if home is where the heart is, then this IS home…but it doesn’t
necessarily feel like home! We have our
own shower and toilet and a room for all 5 of us to sleep in. (we're rather blessed to have our own toilet -- all of the single ladies – about 20 of them! – have to share one toilet and shower)(the
guys have one of each, too…but there are only 8 of them…so that’s not so bad!).
Our room....We've got 2 beds...well, one bed and one mattress. Nick and I sleep in the bed...the kids all sleep on the mattress. Miraculously, it's working out fine. I'm kind of impressed with the flexibility of the Cash kids at this moment (and they were excellent travelers!). Our floor is concrete…but quite dirty. It’s been swept multiple times…but still
manages to get clean feet dirty on the short trek from the toilet to bed. Shoes are a must (at least for this mama’s
feet!). Seeking to be grateful for what it is rather than discontent with what it is not.
This place – the physical geographical location -- is beautiful! God’s creation is so amazing! (the picture doesn't even look real!) There are mountains and green
hillsides…beautiful sunsets…nice breezes.
And lovely children! Lots of
children who go crazy over bubbles (and knock one another over as they attempt
to pop them)….children who are eager to know our names and super excited when
they get to touch our skin. Children who
like to sing “Jesus Loves Me” and “If You’re Happy and You Know It.” We did the hokey pokey today and “singing in
the rain” – maybe those will catch on.
We’ve had a full week
of traveling and getting settled and beginning work….in some ways it seems like
forever since we left Texas – we’re worlds away. In other ways, this doesn’t feel completely
real. We’re in Ghana, Africa….causes me
to breathe deep.
Recap of things so
far:
Sunday afternoon we
rode vans to Dallas. We successfully
boarded our plane and flew to London (we even got to board early since we were
flying with children – THAT was a nice perk!).
The flight was good – the kids slept some, the parents did not.
We landed in London
on Monday morning and spent the next few hours at the airport. We colored and played on the fun playground
and ate lunch at “the Giraffe” (I fell asleep at the table…) and then
played on the playground some more (I fell asleep at the
playground).
Monday afternoon we
successfully boarded another plane (no early boarding this time) and flew to Accra,
Ghana. Enjoyed multiple plane cokes – and
several cups of ice (that flight attendant gets major bonus points!!!!!).
We landed in Accra
around 8:30…going through customs/security/getting luggage/loaded the bus was a
bit hard.
new country + new continent +
different language + not super clear instructions + tired kids + tired parents
= kind of difficult.
We finally managed
to get our entire group and luggage onto the bus and rode a few minutes to a
university (maybe the university of Ghana?) where we stayed the night. In hind sight, it doesn’t seem so bad…but in
the moment it was tough!! We had some
pizza (not sure I’ve ever been so thankful for the familiar smell of pizza!)
and then headed to bed. Getting cleaned up
was a little interesting (the kids were not fans of the cold showers). Emma and Eli fell asleep, no problem. Caroline took a while – I fell asleep telling
her about all of my birthdays as a child.
Tuesday morning we
slept in a bit later than we should have (missed breakfast), got all of our
stuff packed up in a hurry, listened to a bit of an orientation and then loaded
a bus to head to pai katanga, ghana.
The bus ride was
about 5 hours – it was nice! A 5 hour bus ride doesn’t sound like something
that would be pleasant and enjoyable…but it was!
We arrived here to
the village around 4:00…unloaded…ate some dinner…realized that we’re more “in
the bush” than we realized (or at least more than I realized!).
Felt overwhelmed
again. Definitely a moment of , “I can’t
do this!” and God reminding me that He
can…and He will..and he is with us…and this is temporary! Our set up is less
than ideal…but we’re managing. I’m
trying to figure out how to paint a picture of our reality without
complaining. It’s not fun being hot and
sticky – but we’re thankful for the chance to get clean! It’s not fun not having warm water – but
thankful for the cool water! It’s not
fun not having air conditioning - but
we’re thankful for the windows that open and for the ceiling fan (and are
selfishly praying that the electricity doesn’t got out…we’d lose the comfort of
the fan. Lights, we can do without…not
having the fan….ack…don’t want to think about that!). It’s not fun not having food that we’re used
– but we’re thankful for things that have been served that we do like (Rice!
Noodles! Chicken!). It’s not fun not
being able to communicate well with the local people – but thankful for the
phrases that we have picked up and are able to use. It’s not fun attempting to wash our clothes
by hand – but it makes me alllll the more grateful for washing machines (though
I’m not sure I ever took them for granted before….i’ve always been a very
thankful for washing machines kind of girl).
It’s not fun that the freezer outside of our door smells like fish and
other raw meat – but it IS FUN that there’s a freezer outside of our door…we’re
so very thankful for the chance to chill our water and cokes!!!! (and even have ice if the water stays in the
freezer all night)(amazing, ice is made the same way in Africa as it is in the
USA…)
And now it’s Thursday
night, we’ve had 2 days of work “up the hill” at the construction site. Eli and Caroline have been working along with
everyone else!!! It’s a joy to see them
work and pitch in. They’ve shoveled dirt
and moved rocks. Caroline helped teach a
4th grade class J. Nick’s been
working hard on a couple of drainage ditches.
I’ve gotten to do a few things here and there – mainly bring water and
have encouraging conversations when people come to the shady tree to take a
break. I love asked “is there anything
you need?” I’ve offered songs and dances…so far no one has needed one of those.
Maybe tomorrow.
I’m really impressed
with our team – the general lack of complaining is beautiful!! No one is denying reality….but there’s very
very little whining and complaining. The
Cash family likes that!!! That’s one of
our core values: No whining. It’s not really one of our family’s core
value…and the truth is that we do more than our fair share of whining…but we
try not to! And we like it when others
try not to, too!
The other thing that
has been a HUGE blessing is the way the team has loved on our children. Some have carried emma when my arms felt like
they were going to fall off (though a huge accomplishment was that emma walked
all the way to the worksite today!!!
It’s not “that far”….but we usually pick up quite the following of
Ghanaian children along the way…I think the crowd overwhelms her and she just
wants to be held). Some have “looked out
for” Eli and Caroline on the worksite – helping them serve and helping them feel
like an important part of the team. Some have simply asked me how I’m
doing. Some have carried bags and
genuinely sought out ways to serve us. Some have prayed for us (and prayed
specifically for our nights…the “going to sleep” parts of our nights have been
challenging – though those were challenging at time in Columbus!) Some have just talked with our kids –
checking in with them and asking their thoughts on all of this. All are more than willing to do anything we
need them to do. God is really taking care of us through our team!!
I will say this much,
this is challenging for us. I am
trusting in what the Lord said “There is blessing for you (the Cash Family) in
Ghana.” We don’t want to waste this time
in any way….though I must admit that I’m reaaaaaaaly looking forward to the day
we get on the bus and head back to Accra…and even more excited to board the
plane for Las Palmas, Spain…and even even even more excited about getting on
the ferry boat to get to the Island where the Africa Mercy is docked.
I am certainly
looking forward to life on the ship more than ever!!!! There will be ice…and reliable showers…and
washing machines & dryers….and air conditioning…and shelves and drawers for
our things. Sounds luxurious! (maybe that’s the whole hidden reason for
field service!! Just kidding!).
BUT, in the midst of
looking forward, it’s important for us to be fully present right where we
are. We’re excited to see what the Lord
does in us, through us, and around us in Ghana.
May we not waste a single second here…
Saturday, July 21, 2012
I’m still trying to
figure out how to put all of this into words!
How I long to share what we’re experiencing with all of you…but I’m not
sure that an “after the fact” blog post will do it justice – I don’t think an
“after the fact sit down and talk about it for 3 days” will do it justice! It may just be a “guess you had to be there”
kind of thing.
Today was a day
off! There was talk of getting a group
together to go to a lake that is about 15 kilometers away…but that didn’t end
up happening. Most everyone ventured to
the market area (the main road). I
attempted to carry Emma like the local ladies carry their children…I don’t
think I had the cloth and/or girl situated quite right! Maybe next time (my Moby wrap would come in
handy…though it requires about 4 x’s more cloth than the Africans use!). Nick found us some yummy cookies - he has a
special knack for finding the shops that sell cold sodas – he’s the excellent
shopper in our family! After our
shopping experience we came back and had lunch…and then rested a bit.
It rained this
afternoon….it was the perfect excuse to nap and read and color and rest
together as a family. The breeze blowing
through our room was fantastic!
Fun things to
know:
- There are goats and
chickens and turkeys and cats (and the babies of all those animals) wandering
around all over the place (makes for fun things to look at…think: constantly at
a petting zoo)(…but lots of animals produce lots of poop.)
- Emma attracts a crowd
wherever she goes. She and I walked down
the “road” (and by “road” I mean walking trail/path…) to the ladies dorm this
afternoon – by the time we got there we had a little following of children
about her size with us.
- Having a cold coke
with dinner makes most everything better! (our team leaders decided that since
our conditions were less than ideal they would bless us with a cold soda each
night…sweet sweet sweet treat to look forward to!)(we heard that teams usually
get coke one night during the trip….we’ve gotten it every night!)
- Bucket showers are
not so bad. I think I actually prefer
the bucket shower method even when the water is on and a “regular” shower is
available.
- It’s possible to get
blisters while washing clothes (the “wringing things out” part is tough!)
Monday, July 23, 2012
Ei Yi Yi. That’s my favorite phrase today. We woke up to the rain…which doesn’t really
make for fun working conditions. We met as a team to discuss how everyone’s
doing – it was very beneficial and good to hear what’s on the hearts and minds
of the team.
This is hard to write
about. I’ve started dozens of sentences
only to erase them.
I miss the smell of
clean. Clean clothes. Clean sheets.
Clean water. Clean kids. Clean me.
The 2 things I felt
that I had to offer – smiles and ”hellos” - are gone. I don’t even have those to offer.
Our team leaders led
an EXCELLENT meeting this morning – they gave everyone a chance to share their
thoughts and feelings (most everyone is struggling in some way or another)…but
it wasn’t “just complaints,” it was constructive complaining (I’m not sure I
thought that was possible!)….and it was also a time of sharing where we see God
at work in this place.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Things are starting
to look up…maybe because the end is in sight?
Next week this time…we’ll be flying to Madrid. I STILL don’t want to waste this time
though…I don’t want to miss out on a single thing that the Lord has for us to
do or experience here in Ghana.
Chris Empadu (not
sure I’m spelling that right) came on Monday – he’s our contact person from
Samaritan’s Strategy. I think his presence is really helping things to make more
sense – he is our bridge to the community and to the language.
The team really seems
to be getting into a neat rhythm – a few people have been going to the local
health clinic each day….the VBS is finally getting off the ground…a few of the
teachers have been serving by teaching the 4th grade….lots are still
faithfully shoveling dirt and moving earth.
One of our guys, a trained chef!, spent
some time with the ladies who have been cooking all of our meals. I really appreciate the freedom that allows for
each person to use their gifts and abilities to serve in whatever way the Lord
leads them to serve.
Honestly, I’m not
sure what the Lord is up to – I WANT to see Him…but my vision feels
blurry. I know He is here. I want to REJOICE in the midst
of not so pleasant circumstances. I want
to delight in the sacrifice (is it really sacrifice though?). I want to honor my God with my attitude and
with the opportunity to be less selfish.
Raw thoughts: these people are doing “fine” – this
community is well fed, clothed (for the most part! The parts that aren’t well
clothed are ones who are choosing not to be clothed! Ahh, the freedom!), there’s opportunity for
education and religion. There are
systems in place that seem to be working well.
As “rich white people” I don’t know that we have anything to offer (but
did we come in thinking that we really did have anything to offer?)….they don’t
need to do things the way we do them – it wouldn’t work here! And it’s not that “it wouldn’t work” because
of lack – it just wouldn’t work because there are other things that are
working. We can smile and laugh and dance and sing….we can help get some
projects done around the school…..we can be a tangible representation that this
village is thought of and cared for by others outside of it….we can boost their
economy by buying lots of cokes…we can seek to be the love and light of Christ
– but that’s no different than what we are called to do wherever we are –
that’s exactly what we were seeking to do in Columbus. I don’t know…just
continuing to question why we are here and wondering what we are
accomplishing. Do I have to know? Do I
have to see? Does it really matter? God
has us here….may we be faithful to be and do only what He has called us to be
and do.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Admittedly, I am counting
down the days until we leave this place…3 more days and one Monday morning
left. Monday after lunch we’ll ride a
bus to Accra (about 6 hours, I think)….then 2 nights and a day in Accra
(there’s been talk of finding a beach on Tuesday?!) and then an early morning
flight to Madrid on Wednesday followed by a flight to the Canary Islands. Wednesday night we’ll sleep in a hotel
(supposedly a super nice hotel….though, at this point, I would dare say that I
would consider most anywhere super nice!) and then we’ll get up on Thursday
morning and go to a ferry that will take us to the Island where the Africa
Mercy is docked. So the reality is that
we’re still a week away from moving onto the ship….but really it’s just Monday
that I think I need to get to!
Tomorrow we’ll go up
to the hill once more in the morning for work (for me and the kids that means
sitting under the tree and singing/asking names/smiling (well, we try to do
those things…eli and caroline aren’t particularly fond of the crowd that
naturally surrounds us. Emma doesn’t
mind it as long as no one is trying to hold her…I don’t feel like I have much
to offer other than singing Jesus Loves Me, If You’re Happy and You Know it and the Hokey Pokey) …then
there’s a soccer game planned for the afternoon followed by some prayer time
for the village as a whole (I’m excited about the view).
Still seeking to experience God and all that
He has planned for us in this place.
These verses from Psalm 119 were my prayer today (parts of verses 25-32)
“…help me understand these things inside and out…build me up again by Your
word…grace me with Your clear revelation…I grasp and cling to whatever you tell
me; I’ll run the course you lay out for me if you’ll just show me how.”
How I want to run the
course He is laying out for me…I just need Him to show me how!
After the Fact Attempt to Wrap It Up: I don't know how to wrap it up. I still don't have a cute bow to tie on the package. We're on the ship and I am oh so grateful...I know there was blessing in Ghana...there was purpose in our going...I've seen bits and pieces of that blessing and purpose - I'll continue to ask God to give me His thoughts on it all.
We do have tons of pictures that we want to share (it was taking a reaaaaaaly long time to load them - I kind of stopped about 1/2 way through). Hopefully there will be more pictures to come...maybe blog posts that are only pictures!!! For now, thanks for loving us and supporting us and investing in us (and thank you for giving us so much of your attention in reading this blog post!)(I'm sorry for the terrible formatting....technology is not my friend tonite!).
Surely there will be more to come (hopefully pictures!).
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