My First Week

I have arrived safely in Ho, Volta Region, Ghana, West Africa. Thank you everyone for your prayers and support in my preparations for this trip! I am overwhelmed with the financial support and good wishes I have received. It is rather sad, I suppose, that I should be so amazed that God has come through for me. He has really opened doors for me on this trip and I pray that He will continue to do so.

I first contacted Mr. Buamah, who works for the Municipal Education Department in the Volta Region, about 4 or 5 weeks ago. He replied quickly, saying he had found a position for me and to arrive at the end of September. He did not give me any other details, which I found disconcerting. I emailed him several questions. When he replied with the answers, he informed me that I would be an English teacher at Sonrise School.

I was very excited, because I knew the family that had started and presently run the Sonrise Primary and Secondary Schools. Sammy and Joseph Dzamesi are members of the church of Christ. Sammy preaches for the church here in Ho. In fact, he has visited the Castle Rock church of Christ a couple times, so many of you have met him. Joseph, his son, lived in LA for ten years and graduated from Pepperdine University. The 2007 missions team worked closely with Sammy and Joseph. By the end of that trip, the two had become very dear to our hearts. I had spent time especially with Joseph when we took one of our team members to the hospital in Accra, and it was he I contacted to make my living arrangements.

I bought my plane ticket and thought everything was ready for my arrival on Wednesday, September 23rd. Five days before my departure, I received an email from Joseph. It seems there had been a terrible miscommunication. Apparently, Mr. Buamah had only contacted them one time to see if they had a position for me (just after my first email). Sammy had told him to have me send a letter and my resume directly to the school, because he did not particularly remember me from 2007. But I did not receive this directive, so I did not send anything to Sammy. Sonrise was therefore unprepared for my arrival and did not have a teaching position open for me. However, Joseph was very comforting. He wrote that they had prepared a place for me to stay and not to worry about anything. The Ghanaians would take care of me.

I arrived that Wednesday and after spending a night in Accra, drove up to Sonrise Secondary School, just outside Ho. There, Joseph showed me my rooms at the girls' dormitory. My accommodations are awesome! It is so much more than I expected! I have my own room, bathroom, kitchen, and sitting room. There is even electricity, running water, and a fridge! Best of all is the fan in the bedroom. That fan has saved me from many a hot, sleepless night. I spent the next few days catching up on sleep and getting to know the girls. Dorcas, who is a Form 3 (senior) student, has been especially helpful, along with Deborah (also Form 3) and Priscilla (Form 2).

The following Monday Joseph took me to the Primary School, which is about ten minutes from the secondary school. There I met Sammy and three of the school directors: Mr. Stanley, the English Master; Emmanuel, the French Master; and an elder from the Ho church of Christ. Sammy welcomed me most cordially. He told the others that they were unprepared for my sudden arrival, but that because I was a sister in Christ, they would welcome me with open arms and do whatever they could to help me. I wanted to cry! I thanked God above for my family in Christ, who would welcome me no matter the circumstances, and never turn me away. Sammy said this several times in the following days. He often stressed that we are of the same body and blood in Christ, and because of this, I am most welcome.

I was assigned as an assistant to Mr. Stanley, who teaches the Junior Secondary students (middle school). School runs from 8 am to 3 pm, and he has at least two classes per day. Last Thursday, I taught the second half of the Form 1 class while he attended a funeral, and led a discussion in the Form 3 class while he graded papers. I really enjoy Mr. Stanley. He is an excellent teacher and a great mentor. I know I will learn a lot from him.

Emmanuel is also a man I will learn a lot from. He is a member of the church and is in the process of starting a volunteer organization. Its main purpose will be to go out to the remote villages to preach the gospel. Apparently the only time they go out to these villages is in the early summer, when Ben Fulks' missionary team from Texas comes. Emmanuel sees the pressing need to continue this work year round. I am very excited and hope to contribute the knowledge I learned at Bear Valley to the formation and running of this group. My main concern is that this does not become a 'Missionary Society' and will remain under the eldership of the church. Please pray that God will guide Emmanuel and the church in the evangelism of remote villages.

I hope everyone is well back home. Please post any questions or comments you may have! I will continue to post more updates including more about my everyday life. I will also post some pictures soon!