The North: Part 1

We're back in Accra after an awesome journey all over the country. So much to write about, and only a small amount of time and energy to do so! The trip was great, and there are so many storys and details that I would love to share. I'll start writing, and then stop when I can't go on anymore.

First of all, God blessed the trip in powerful ways. Everything went as planned, and the travels could not have been quicker or more hassle-free. We spent time with two missionary familys and a Ghanaian pastor, and each of the three ministrys are totally different yet all have the same driving, joyful purpose that flows from Christ.

We started by driving to Kumasi and leadind Bible Club (a weekly event that draws dozens of Ghanaian kids). I played "Waves of Mercy" , which is always fun, and we had a great time with them. We then ate at the delicious Modi Mahal, an Indian food restaurant.

Tuesday morning we woke up and made the short trip to Lake Bosumtwi. The Jernigans ( jernigan.typepad.com -- it's the best blog I've ever seen. If you're going to be reading a blog, read this one. Scroll down to the June 19th and June 20th postings about us), have run a health clinic on the Lake since February. Their names are Andrew and Juliana. The lake is gorgeous, a giant crater with big hills lining the rim, and the clinic is located along a very poor dirt road that runs around the lake. We stayed for two nights at a beautiful little guesthouse with it's own beach on the lake. We spent two days with the Jernigans at the clinic, and the second night they came over to the guesthouse to "get away" and really get to talk with us. That night we worshiped with the guitar we brought on the beach, and it was incredible. God really revealed himself that night, and we were all renewed and amazed.

Our purpose of being with the Jernigans was simply to encourage them and love on them. We played with their two kids, Lucas and Louisa, for hours, and just got to really spend quality time with the two of them. Andrew and Juliana are so increible. Andrew does the management, construction, and evangelism work while Juliana is the doctor. We could tell that they were worn out from the endless days of frustrations and living in the middle of nowhere with none of the things we take for granted. Yet they had something that was obvious and apparent. They were still excited and still dreaming and working hard to serve the Lord in every way and make the clinic as good as possible. Andrew gave us a tour on the first day, and the entire complex is under renovation. It's not like they are planning to do improvements in the next two years. They are taking action and turning the whole place around. It's so encouraging to us to see people living for the Lord like they are.

Next we drove up to Wa (yes, its called Wa), and spent time with the Russels. John and Bess, and their two children Isaac and Rachel, were so good to us. Bess is a nurse, and we went with her to clean an amputated leg of a cute little girl in a small village. The fettish priest had told the girl she would die from her foot injury, and that anyone who helped her would die. Her uncle came to Bess and asked for help. They took her to the hospital and she is now doing much better. No ones dead yet, despite the predictions. Then we went to another village where John lead a funeral, which was a great cultural experience, if a little hot. We had such a good time with Russels, and seeing their courage and joy was incredible.

Thats all for now. Thanks for reading, and more will come. Tonight is my last night in Ghana, and we are about to eat and celebrate!

Bye Bye! (the universal "goodbye" term in Ghana)