Friday, January 31, 2014

Ghanaian Ceremony

Many people in Ghana have traditions that differ from one tribe or region to another. Evelyn is 6 months pregnant. Her mother had a ceremony to bless her and her unborn child. When Naomi and I arrived Evelyn was surrounded by the elders in her family, she had a vine of leaves around her neck and beads around her wrists and calves. They where just beginning to wash her face and hands with these leaves. This is to ensure the washing away of  any evil. There was also money in the water which she is to keep and never spend, so she will always have money. Then she is presented with some gifts from the elders. A new dress, slippers and miscellaneous toiletry items. At this point she is to go and bathe.

I took this time to get some pictures of the many ladies pounding fufu and preparing the soups. I was offered some Oto, boiled yam and egg, for breakfast. Once Evelyn was done bathing she was dressed in her new dress. They then helped her on a mat where they placed a boy and then a girl baby on her lap. After that she was fed some Oto, and the elders all took some as well. Someone came and painted her toenails and put on lipstick. She was now ready to be seated under the tent for all to see her. 

We were served fufu with groundnut soup (yum). Afterwards I went to talk to Evelyn and prayed with her. I was a little hesitant on going to Evelyn's ceremony, because she is with child and unwed. I didn't want them to think I was condoning it. Everyone knew we where from the "Baptist Church". Pastor Prince and his family live just across the way. Evelyn herself has come to our church. As I talked with Evelyn, I encouraged her to get back to church, and teach her child the ways of God. It was a good morning and I am glad I went. 



Washing with leaves
Receiving the gifts

Pounding Fufu


Groundnut Soup


Evelyn (middle) in her new dress

Placing her on the mat

Painting her toenails

Putting on lipstick

Fufu




Monday, January 27, 2014

A Day In The Ministry

One new thing we are doing this year is, on the last Saturday of the month we are distributing John & Romans in our area of Sekondi. Today was the first time this year. We will also be distributing John & Romans on the last Tuesday of each month, before our Bible study in Kojokrom. On the last Sunday of the month the men with be meeting early at the church for prayer, devotion and a little breakfast.

We had a good morning talking with people as we passed out John & Romans and telling them about are church. Afterwards we all headed back to the church to stamp some John & Romans with the church name so we are ready for Tuesday.

A look at Saturday:









These Muslim boys asked for one of our books and then they got into trouble by one of their parents.









Joseph helping Naomi with her Algebra






Thursday, January 23, 2014

Not What We Envision

2Ki 5:11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. KJV

Last week me and Nehemiah did the story of "Naaman and The Little Maid." II Kings 5:1-19 I have been thinking of this story all week. How many times do we get disgruntled because it didn't go the way we envisioned it to go. Naaman was offended that the man of God didn't come out to greet him and lay his hands on him and say some powerful prayer. He thought the muddy Jordan River? Clean? I am supposed do go wash in that river? Not what he envisioned a'tall. Many things don't go our way but in the end he did get healed. Is't that what he really wanted?

2Ki 5:12  Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
2Ki 5:13  And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
2Ki 5:14  Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

Rain? We usually don't get rain in Dec/Jan. It is usually sandy and hot. Well Tuesday night we got caught in the rain. We where headed to Kojokrom and the rains came down. Once at the Bible study they asked us inside their home. Emanuella, Nicolina and Winnifred came to church this past Sunday! The Sunday before last Steven got baptized.

Caught in the rain

Mack standing  under the over hang

CBBC at the baptism

Pastor Prince and Steven

Steven

Monday, January 6, 2014

Back To A Routine

We had a break of about 3 weeks off of school. I was not planning to be off that long, it just seemed to work out that way. The week before we where going to have our break from school, the older kids took their exams during the week instead of taking all of them in one or two days. Our schedule is so busy during the week sometimes it is hard for the kids to find the time to study. So we took the week to catch up on anything that needed to be done and take all exams. We finished earlier than expected and we where ready to be off from school.

Having a routine is nice.We started school today and getting back into our routine. This Tuesday we go back to our Kojokrom Bible study. I know with Christmas and New Years Eve, we missed two weeks. Next Monday the Bible School begins again. This Saturday we have visitation/soul-winning and Mack has the Men who are taking the Discipleship/Prep Class, come to the house before visitation, oh, he also has Bible Study at William's house in the morning. On Saturdays (somewhere in between everything else) Linda has been coming for Flute lessons. I think she has mastered blowing into the Flute, now we can work on the fingering of the notes? I will tell you more about Linda at a later date.

William

Joseph turned 12 on January 3rd. We took the kids swimming and got some Pizza. It was our last event before we started school. We were all glad it was Joseph's birthday. We are thankful for the Lord working in Joseph's life and his tenderness towards the things of God.

Joseph 12th Birthday












 

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