Endless needs and beautiful faces

Sometimes I feel as if I am on a roller coaster of emotions here. I will feel an sense of despair at the overwhelming needs and then I will watch the children and feel an overwhelming sense of love and hope. I thought I might share some of the needs, hope and beautiful faces with all of you. Maybe you can understand alittle of what I mean. But the phrase "a picture paints a thousand words" is not really true. I can not capture the beauty or the need in pictures or in words. This is North-Eastern Christian Academy. We are a Christian school with 100 students in the heart of the northern region of Ghana. It is only 10% Christian here. Most students at the school are Muslim. They have names like Mohamed, Wumpini, Nabhan and some I can't pronounce or spell. Yet the Word of God is taught every day. Because I am a public school teacher of 15 years, I catch myself asking, "Can I say that?" Then I remember that I am in a Christian school and that is my mission here. So there is hope, that the Word of God is being heard. But there are endless needs. It is not easy to run a school in an area of such poverty. The school has to charge tuition, but most families in the area cannot pay. Water is scarce and the one tank we have runs out weekly. Children are sick, as health is poor and malaria is rampant. We tend to forget the poverty because our kids come in clean uniforms. But they may be eating very little at home and dress in almost rags when they are not in school. There is so much to teach and so little time. I am reevaluating what I need to do, and feel very pressed to make changes in the school and to get serious about teaching God's word in the next 7 months.

Nabhan and Wumpini

Nabhan is a very kind soul...just look at that face. Wumpini is all boy. This picture really does capture both. We have been reading Bible stories, lately about Jesus' birth. Wumpini asked, "but how was the baby borned". I knew from the context of the conversation he was asking how the baby "got there" if Joseph was not the father. Nabhan said, "God went poof (with his hands) and the baby started growing." One other day we were reviewing the pastor's morning devotion and discussing what Jesus' sacrificial death meant. Very hard to explain to 8 and 9 years olds, with a language barrier, and Muslim backgrounds. But suddenly Nabhan said, "Madame, He died so my sins could be forgiven?!!!" And the others chimed in, "For me?" "For me?". Wow. So, there is hope. Please pray that after I leave here, the next teacher will continue to "tell", and that they will remember the message and not just the white lady.

Happy

This is Happy. She comes from a Traditionalist or maybe no religion family. Her "brother" Andrews comes to the church and is in my class at school. We went to visit Andrews and his family one evening and I met Happy, although it was dark and I could not see her. They live in a house which is a row of rooms, but no electricity and no water. Happy is actually living with her father's other wife. Andrews is living with his father's sister (one in the same person). Happy goes to the Islamic school because it is free. Andrews is on scholarship at our school. The evening I was there the Auntie/other wife was telling us that Happy was flogged that day because she forgot her veil. Flogging actually leaves marks. My heart broke for her even though I could not see her. Now that I have gotten to know her, my heart breaks even more because she is a very beautiful, sweet girl. (This pic does not do her justice). She will start the new term in January, without a scholarship. We are just going on faith that God will provide.

Ruhia and Sharon

Ruhia and Sharon are best friends. Sharon is very smart and says she is coming to live with me in America and go to college. She is Christian and goes to N.E.C.A. on a scholarship. Ruhia is Muslim. My fear is that Ruhia will grow up and have an arranged marriage. Yes, that still happens here. It is still a very poor area and marriage is for survival, not for love. Ruhia is beautiful as is her older sister and her mother. I have heard that her older sister does all the work around the house and that she too is being raised to make a good wife. I have asked "what about love?". The answer is, "In this area, it is somewhat taboo." There is the despair of making a difference. I am hoping and praying that our school, even when I am gone, will somehow change the culture and teach that girls can go to university, earn their own money, and choose their husband.

Football boys

All boys here love football, or soccer as we would call it. During field day they organized a football game. They played skins and shirts, not what they call it here but the same idea, and many played barefooted. I asked my students one day what they would want if I could bring anything back from the U.S. with me. They want footballs, shoes, socks and uniforms. They recently received a basketball hoop and a basketball from the U.S. and are very excited about getting that set up and using it. I am trying to get a sports camp going for spring break in April-May, or in July. We want to use the Upward Basketball and Soccer curriculum and possible teach a Bible school along with it in the evenings. As with everything else, there is the cost of airline tickets for the teacher/coaches, the food during the week, the VBS and Upward materials and the uniforms. Here, another need, but a hope that it will transform lives, and a prayer request.

This is Babamu (Bah bah moo). He speaks no English, just nods yes whenever you talk to him. So we say, "Are you a monkey?" and he says yes.

Friends

Tintoni - I took this because I liked her

name. She is beautiful though. I told

her I had a daughter named Toni, but

she did not understand. She just said,

"My name is Tintoni, I am 3 years old,

I go to North-Eastern... " her rehearsed

speech for the Christmas program.

Haddie, our little

gangsta in the nursery,

wearing his "Chuck Taylor" shoes.

Isaac, who's father is a pastor to the villages.

Tabitha, Issac's sister, Waldine Mustapha

a neighbor girl and Cindy Mustapha.

Elton was giving me a flower everyday on the bus.

Yesterday he gave it to Beentu.Ah well,

I've had my heart broken before.

Two beautiful faces

Sisters.

Hope you enjoyed the pics and hope you get a feel for what is going on here. World
Vision founder Dr. Bob Pierce once wrote on the flyleaf of his Bible, “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.” As I said at the beginning of this, my heart has been broken (by more than Elton's betrayal). When 2 year old Lettie had a 103 temperature for 2 days, when I met Happy, when I think about Ruhia in an arranged marriage, when I hear about children waiting to go to school, with Winifred (4) who is deaf and has no special education and knows no sign language, with children begging for coloring books, with Adamu who was a street child living with her mentally ill mother and still is not sure where her home is even though she has moved in with principal, and with kids who think that rice is a special treat and get chicken only on holidays. As I said, the needs are overwhelming. God is teaching me that I can not do it alone. I can not fix all these problems. But I can make a difference in a few kids lives and I can pray and leave the rest to God, who can do all things.