Steady Source of Water

We’ve had a hard, busy two months. Packing up our house and getting our suitcases ready to leave is an overwhelming task. In the midst of that we as a family took a week and went to Gatlinburg TN, for our last all four kids together vacation. It felt like a whirlwind of activities. It went by to fast. 

As we got down to the last week before we left. I was sick with anticipation. I was not ready to go back. I was not ready to leave. I was struggling. Mack preached a messages our last Sunday, June 2^nd, about “Binding the Sacrifice”. I or we as a family had to tie ourselves to the altar as a sacrifice, because we wanted to jump off. Two of my kids are back in the states and I still need to be mom. That was very hard to walk away and board the plane. I said, to my mother-in-law, who has 3 sons on the mission field. “Now I know how hard it is to say goodbye to your children.” Once our luggage was all checked in, I felt a little bit of the weight lift. 

The first week of arriving in Ghana, June 4^th, the weather was so nice. We spent 3 days in the capital before heading home. We had 15 trunks of luggage and 1 didn’t show up. It was Mack’s every day clothes. So, we stayed the third day hoping his luggage would come. It still hasn’t come. When we first got to the house Mack tried getting the water pump hooked up and running. It was not working. No water. I couldn’t do anything. We slept in the living room our first two nights back. Saturday I cleaned our room took the bags off the mattress and got our bed made. Sunday night we were finally in our room. The boys spent one more night in the living room and Monday we got their room ready. The guys from the church came over Thursday, to help clean up the yard. It was beyond overwhelming. I just wanted to pick up my things and move to a different house. Thankful our lawn mower started, with a little encouragement. Our yard is a disaster. The lawn mower has helped a great deal. Our car is also up and running, thankful for that. 

This last week as of June 17^th.  it has been sweating hot. Yesterday, Wednesday we finally got the water to stay in our poly tanks on the roof. We had a leak or two that are now fixed, and all the water we pumped up to the tanks, would empty out just as quick. Which means no water unless the pump was on. So we had many buckets of water around the house to wash our hands and flush the toilets. It’s been a hard couple of weeks. My washing machine hasn’t stopped since we have a supply of water.

We will be going to the Deaf School this Sunday. We also have a VBS coming up the end of June. Prince is letting us know Saturday. It has been really hard this time, getting our house in working order. Progress is being made, especially now that we have a steady flow of water.

Our first Sunday back we sang this song at church.

Thanks to God 

Thanks to God for my Redeemer, Thanks for all Thou dost provide!

Thanks for times now but a memory, Thanks to Jesus by my side!

Thanks for pleasant, balmy springtime, Thanks for dark and dreary fall!

Thanks for tears by now forgotten, Thanks for peace within my soul!

Thanks for prayers that Thou has answered, Thanks for what Thou dost deny!

Thanks for storms that I have weathered, Thanks for all Thou dost supply!

Thanks for pain and thanks for pleasure, Thanks for comfort in despair!

Thanks for grace that none can measure, Thanks for love beyond compare!

Thanks for roses by the way side, Thanks for thorns their stems contain!

Thanks for home and thanks for fireside, Thanks for hope, that sweet refrain!

Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow, Thanks for heavenly peace with Thee!

Thanks for hope in the tomorrow, Thanks thro’ all eternity!

Please send our greetings to everyone and keep praying for us!! 

On a lighter note, it was good to be back at our church. This little guy, Matthew, is too cute. He is one busy guy. He says, “Madame Jackie” and  “Pastor”. Prince and Linda have done well, he knows us and is not afraid. Some of the ladies came over on Thursday when the guys where working on the yard to help me prepare lunch for everyone. That was a big help, because I have nothing in the house. We have been eating peanut butter and jelly I had in my suitcase, our fast food. The other missionary came by to help Mack with the car and his wife asked me what I needed, that’s a loaded question. I said, can you just bring us some bread? 

Also, meet “Duke”. We picked him up Monday. We are waiting to get another puppy from another liter, in a few weeks. Ringo our “old” (best dog ever) has tolerated him so far. We kept them apart the first two days and slowly have introduced them. I hope they hurry up, because I don’t like being on dog duty in the middle of the night.