So, the first time out to Wunlanyili was not a success. But we went back the next week and we went this past week too. Every time it has gotten a little better.Imagine never moving farther than 10 miles away from your home. That is the life of some people in this village. Because they don't go very far their knowledge is very limited, their world view is very small. It must be so hard for them to try and understand Damary and I as we want to learn the language and culture. They hear things like foreigners are weak or they even have a cultural value of extreme hospitality that if a stranger comes let them relax and sit in a chair. They would not want us to go and fetch water because they thought we wouldn't be able to do it. They don't want us to go out to the fields because we are weak. They would rather us just sit in plastic chairs with people around us. Yes, the people around us part is great but they just sit. They don't understand that we would love to see their daily activities and we would learn from that. So, sometimes it was hard finding someone to learn with. Also, women are so busy and that would be the most culturally appropriate thing for us, but alas, women were hard to find at first.Since no one wanted to take us to fetch water because "it is so far" (I am sure they thought we would collapse) Wil, the 19 year old who's room we are renting, took us with 2 kids. Oh-my-goodness!! It was far!! 30 minutes one way walking. This water is nothing to brag about either. It is so dirty. I saw Wil drink directly from the bucket when we got home. I saw women boiling it and straining it but for the most part...this is it. When I came back to Tamale I asked someone about it and they also are shocked by it but said, "did you see anyone sick?" I said, "no" and he said, "they are very strong people". Yeah, I guess so.
Bits and Pieces
Damary and I were in Wunlanyili last week for a couple of days and it was fine. We are going again this week for a night too. I will post photos after our next stay.So, in the meantime, random things go on here that you might be interested in knowing/seeing. We go to the center of Tamale where there are lots of street vendors and a food market. We park the car at a gas station and then walk around to do our shopping. Some days I really miss organized shops with air conditioning but some days I love my market shopping!
Sometimes after we finish our food shopping we dig through the used clothes that people have hanging up or in piles on a sheet on the ground or on a wagon. The ones hanging up are more expensive. You have to bargain so the price could be from $1-$4 (I would never pay $4, just saying). The ones in piles can be from .30 -.75 cents. It is hot though to be digging and one day I tried on a pair of jeans. Ughhhh such a sweaty experience but when it is cheap, well, you deal with it. I know some of these clothes and shoes come from thrift stores in western countries because I can see tags on them :) funny.
Sometimes after we finish our food shopping we dig through the used clothes that people have hanging up or in piles on a sheet on the ground or on a wagon. The ones hanging up are more expensive. You have to bargain so the price could be from $1-$4 (I would never pay $4, just saying). The ones in piles can be from .30 -.75 cents. It is hot though to be digging and one day I tried on a pair of jeans. Ughhhh such a sweaty experience but when it is cheap, well, you deal with it. I know some of these clothes and shoes come from thrift stores in western countries because I can see tags on them :) funny.
Check out how much rain gathers on the ground in minutes. After the rain there is a brief cool period. Since we are technically not in the wet season yet, the cool leaves and it gets hot, a humid-hot. Not so nice but soon it will come where the cool will stay a bit longer and the humidity will be high but without the high temps. When I came in August last year that was almost every day...ahh, it was beautiful.One last bit. Again, I miss convenience. My glasses's nose piece fell off. I went to an Eye clinic to see if it could be fixed. Nope. "We don't have those kind". Ok, so I had an old pair of glasses and I decided to get the lenses of the new-ish frames into the old ones. I went to an eye clinic where they had a big billboard with all this information of all the services they can offer blah blah blah... They tell me they can do this and it will only cost me about $10. My glasses are pretty big and my old frames are small. The next day they call me and say it's finished. I had a friend pick them up for me and when I tried them on...TOTALLY COULD NOT SEE! It was as if someone smudged them really bad. So, I cleaned them and tried again. I couldn't read or anything. I looked closely and saw that there were tiny scratches all over the lenses. They totally ruined my lenses! (sigh) Ghana, ghana, ghana... The next day I called them and said this is really terrible and they were like are you sure? Uh... duh, yeah. When I went again I just told them since the lenses are now spoiled just put the old lenses back into the old little frames. I know they couldn't find the lenses at first because I heard them call their lab but then they did. When I was there this time they let me come into the exam room. I was shocked to see such few things. They had an eye board with the big letters, you know like E... They had a wooden chair with a cushion ripped. The doctor (was he really a doctor??? I don't know) had a brief case of those little lenses they put in when they say, "do you like it better this way or this? A or B?". I was wondering how they do all the services they claimed to do. I was very thankful for the care I get in my home country. But what about people here? Again, I am assaulted at the poverty here and the plethera at home. I don't know what to do with these thoughts sometimes...Ok, I digress--so, then I come back another day and try my glasses on. Still not right. I didn't know what to do because I was already feeling pain from wearing my contact lenses too much in a day. But then, it must have been from God, I turned my frames upside down and switched eyes (lenses)...and I could see! They did not put the lenses back in correctly and my eye strength is different in each eye. I call them and tell them this is not correct and that I will bring them in for them to change it. They were like, "Are you sure? We cannot mix up lenses. We cannot." Well, buddy, ya did. When I gave it to them they were very like this-is-all-your-fault when really I was like dude-you-are-maybe-27-years-old so back off! They did fix it and it was perfect and I know the guy was shocked. But, yeah, I don't think I will be going there again. When I told DooShik he said, "Oh, Sherri, I should have told you, in Tamale we don't go to eye doctors or dentists." Now I know. I did go on the internet and order a new pair of glasses. A bit big, but I can see!!! (Thanks again to Mom and Dad to send them out to meeeee!!)
Love you! Thanks for praying!
Love you! Thanks for praying!
Village Take 1
Damary and I arrived at Wunlanyili Wednesday afternoon to help us hear and speak Dagbani better by being immersed in the language and culture. It was hottt! The only person I know in this village is Pastor Isaac. I met his wife and church people too but I don’t really remember them. The room we are/were renting is a hut with several family huts around it.
Wil is 19 and it was his place we are using. He and his friends helped us unpack our things. We brought a fan with us that we just bought. It was still in the box so they started putting it together. 
They gave us a bench to sit on. Even with the fan blowing it was still hot. People were coming in a greeting us. At one point I counted 8 people just sort of staring at us. We could make small conversation. These boys just stayed there. It is very culturally inappropriate for boys/men to be in a woman’s room. Damary and I could not figure out what was going on. We knew they wanted to be hospitable and friendly but we were like, “dudes…get out”. We don’t know how to say that in Dagbani. So we just sat there, sweating, and trying to smile and mentally tell them to leave. We did say we wanted to rest. So, Wil pulls out a mat and lays down. Maybe I didn’t use the right pronoun. We asked to take a walk and see the village but they said it was too hot and we should wait. So we waited. I should really be a professional at waiting with all my years in Ghana. Should is the key word.Well, I guess it became cool enough to walk around and the boys took us. Weird. You would never find this happening in Ghanaian culture- single men walking around with single women. But they introduced us to lots of people and we greeted them. It seemed we would walk to a different tree or shelter and greet more people. 
We got back to our place and Damary told them we would like to unpack. They started moving our bags and she stops them—NO, I WILL DO IT. And then she adds such a sweet “thank you”. But still they stayed in. Like, they just moved around her. Ugh. Finally, she tells them she wants to change her clothes and points to her dress and they get it. They leave and sit outside the hut. We just sat there thinking what in the world do we do so they don’t come in? We sat and chatted for a bit. Damary is a great organizer so she fixed everything up. She is one of those people who can make a hut seem homey…ha ha.Ghanaians are very community orientated. Everything they do is together. They think we are small children and need to be watched over. It wasn’t because the boys wanted to be near us. No, it was more like we are taking care of you and will help you and being together is how we do it.Then we sat outside with the boys and Wil had an English primary school book. It had pictures like a tomato, dog, house, woman carrying a bowl etc, etc. He would point to it and say what it is and then tell us to repeat. Many of the words we know and we are not looking into learning words. We are interested in making words into sentences and having conversations. We are a bit past what he was trying to help us with. I think the problem was because we were using his room he must have thought he was supposed to teach us. His English was not very good so we could not explain this and got frustrated.It got to be night and they let us go into our room—alone! Pastor Isaac and his wife brought food for us.
Delicious and way too much. We were trying to go easy on the food because they don’t have a toilet. They have a square wall up to your chest that serves as a place to take your bucket shower and pee but no place to do #2. To do that is called the bush :) and of course the moon was full. That means white people glow in the dark. THANKFULLY, Pastor told us the school down the road has latrines and we could use them to “free ourselves”.After eating and no more people came to greet us we took our bucket baths and went to bed. Since I had my bath first I started putting up the brand new insecticide covered mosquito net. When Damary finished her bath she helped me. Then we went to sleep.Sleep did not come. It was hot, even with the fan full blast. I found though, my arms were itchy. My face also felt hot. Damary commented too that her face felt like she touched chili peppers and touched her face. It was weird. Unfortunately, I didn’t sleep at all. I mean, not a minute. If I tried to sleep either I would be too hot or my arms would keep itching. I tried to not think about it but then it would turn into a stinging sensation. I don’t even know what else to say about it other than it was probably my worst night in Tamale (worst day?)Every hour I waited for it to be light and once it was I said to Damary we are leaving. She did not sleep well either. I walked to Pastor’s place and told him my body was hurting and my head was hurting and that I need to go home. Even though I had no marks or swelling on my arms or face I knew I was not making this up! I did feel like a wimp though as we drove home. But, before we left, I noticed some small red dots on my wrist. A man helping us pack up saw it and asked if we slept with a mosquito net. I said yes and he said that is what that is from. In the car I asked Damary to look at the package of the net. It said to air out the net 24 hours before use because of the chemicals in the insecticide. Ooooooooo!! That explains it. When I got home I googled it and people have had bad reactions to un-aired out mozzy nets. NOW I READ THIS! And there is no cure except to wait (again, I should have nailed this waiting thing a long time ago!! Grrr…) for it to go away. I googled cures or home remedies to help… this is where it gets funny.I came home and took a long shower hoping that would help. Then I tried Mary Kay night cream. Then I tried cooling gel for burns. Nothing. Then I tried milk but unfortunately the milk in our fridge was old and lumpy and I did not even smell it or look at it first and just started wiping it all over me…chunks and all! That was not helping and of course I needed another shower. I tried Aloe and baby powder too. No relief. I guess waiting is the only cure.I was able to sleep for about 45 minutes but woke up. I am at hour 30 of no sleep. I thought it was getting less itchy but it seems to have kicked in again. WHYYYYY!? I will take some antihistamines later and hope for the best.Ridiculous isn’t it?Love you for praying.P.S. We did tell Pastor that we will come back on Tuesday. That will be Village take 2 :)
They gave us a bench to sit on. Even with the fan blowing it was still hot. People were coming in a greeting us. At one point I counted 8 people just sort of staring at us. We could make small conversation. These boys just stayed there. It is very culturally inappropriate for boys/men to be in a woman’s room. Damary and I could not figure out what was going on. We knew they wanted to be hospitable and friendly but we were like, “dudes…get out”. We don’t know how to say that in Dagbani. So we just sat there, sweating, and trying to smile and mentally tell them to leave. We did say we wanted to rest. So, Wil pulls out a mat and lays down. Maybe I didn’t use the right pronoun. We asked to take a walk and see the village but they said it was too hot and we should wait. So we waited. I should really be a professional at waiting with all my years in Ghana. Should is the key word.Well, I guess it became cool enough to walk around and the boys took us. Weird. You would never find this happening in Ghanaian culture- single men walking around with single women. But they introduced us to lots of people and we greeted them. It seemed we would walk to a different tree or shelter and greet more people. We got back to our place and Damary told them we would like to unpack. They started moving our bags and she stops them—NO, I WILL DO IT. And then she adds such a sweet “thank you”. But still they stayed in. Like, they just moved around her. Ugh. Finally, she tells them she wants to change her clothes and points to her dress and they get it. They leave and sit outside the hut. We just sat there thinking what in the world do we do so they don’t come in? We sat and chatted for a bit. Damary is a great organizer so she fixed everything up. She is one of those people who can make a hut seem homey…ha ha.Ghanaians are very community orientated. Everything they do is together. They think we are small children and need to be watched over. It wasn’t because the boys wanted to be near us. No, it was more like we are taking care of you and will help you and being together is how we do it.Then we sat outside with the boys and Wil had an English primary school book. It had pictures like a tomato, dog, house, woman carrying a bowl etc, etc. He would point to it and say what it is and then tell us to repeat. Many of the words we know and we are not looking into learning words. We are interested in making words into sentences and having conversations. We are a bit past what he was trying to help us with. I think the problem was because we were using his room he must have thought he was supposed to teach us. His English was not very good so we could not explain this and got frustrated.It got to be night and they let us go into our room—alone! Pastor Isaac and his wife brought food for us.Delicious and way too much. We were trying to go easy on the food because they don’t have a toilet. They have a square wall up to your chest that serves as a place to take your bucket shower and pee but no place to do #2. To do that is called the bush :) and of course the moon was full. That means white people glow in the dark. THANKFULLY, Pastor told us the school down the road has latrines and we could use them to “free ourselves”.After eating and no more people came to greet us we took our bucket baths and went to bed. Since I had my bath first I started putting up the brand new insecticide covered mosquito net. When Damary finished her bath she helped me. Then we went to sleep.Sleep did not come. It was hot, even with the fan full blast. I found though, my arms were itchy. My face also felt hot. Damary commented too that her face felt like she touched chili peppers and touched her face. It was weird. Unfortunately, I didn’t sleep at all. I mean, not a minute. If I tried to sleep either I would be too hot or my arms would keep itching. I tried to not think about it but then it would turn into a stinging sensation. I don’t even know what else to say about it other than it was probably my worst night in Tamale (worst day?)Every hour I waited for it to be light and once it was I said to Damary we are leaving. She did not sleep well either. I walked to Pastor’s place and told him my body was hurting and my head was hurting and that I need to go home. Even though I had no marks or swelling on my arms or face I knew I was not making this up! I did feel like a wimp though as we drove home. But, before we left, I noticed some small red dots on my wrist. A man helping us pack up saw it and asked if we slept with a mosquito net. I said yes and he said that is what that is from. In the car I asked Damary to look at the package of the net. It said to air out the net 24 hours before use because of the chemicals in the insecticide. Ooooooooo!! That explains it. When I got home I googled it and people have had bad reactions to un-aired out mozzy nets. NOW I READ THIS! And there is no cure except to wait (again, I should have nailed this waiting thing a long time ago!! Grrr…) for it to go away. I googled cures or home remedies to help… this is where it gets funny.I came home and took a long shower hoping that would help. Then I tried Mary Kay night cream. Then I tried cooling gel for burns. Nothing. Then I tried milk but unfortunately the milk in our fridge was old and lumpy and I did not even smell it or look at it first and just started wiping it all over me…chunks and all! That was not helping and of course I needed another shower. I tried Aloe and baby powder too. No relief. I guess waiting is the only cure.I was able to sleep for about 45 minutes but woke up. I am at hour 30 of no sleep. I thought it was getting less itchy but it seems to have kicked in again. WHYYYYY!? I will take some antihistamines later and hope for the best.Ridiculous isn’t it?Love you for praying.P.S. We did tell Pastor that we will come back on Tuesday. That will be Village take 2 :)
Spiritual Life Conference 2017
Guess what I did??! UGH...such a computer dork. I saw that my website was getting full (I am cheap, I only have a free version and the photos take up lots of space) so I deleted many pics not realizing that when I take them off of the photo gallery it takes them off of the blog. Sad, sad! Oh well...This past week our SIM Ghana team traveled from their various cities and ministries and headed to Kumasi, the second largest city in Ghana. It is called the Garden City because it gets more rainfall and people can grow more food there.Every year we get together for our Spiritual Life Conference. Sometimes we don't see other team members in the year except for this. There were about 26-30 people who came. Some are on Home Assignment or whatever and were out of the country. We do it at a Catholic Retreat Center called Samaritan Villa. They provide meals, rooms that are adequate, a conference room and green grass!! It is off the road so very quiet. It is very simple and our team has really learned to love it.We all arrive on Monday and we leave Saturday morning. Damary and I got a ride with DooShik and GaeOk. It was soooo nice I didn't have to drive. And, anyways, I cannot remember the last time I drove from Tamale to Kumasi. Usually when I drive from Tamale I go to Accra and I take a short cut around Kumasi because the traffic is so bad. I don't know Kumasi at all but it is the Twi capital of Ghana so I loved being able to speak Twi!!!It took 6 hours from Tamale to Kumasi. I took a little nap in the beginning and when I opened my eyes I couldn't believe how green the scenery was! So Beautiful. We are just getting random rains so Tamale is still dry and brown. Then getting into the city I think I may have forgotten what traffic was like...but I was quickly reminded and again thankful that I didn't have to drive.
And then Saturday morning we all head back after a refreshing week.So, I am supposed to be refreshed for language learning right!!? Damary and I are planning to go to a village for a couple nights this week. Let's see how that goes (insert freak out face). Language Immersion Here I Come!Love you.
Funeral
A pastor in a village called Gushegu died last month. He was an older man but people said you would never know it because he had so much energy and was always laughing. He was an honorable man who lived his life according to Jesus' teachings. I know I have seen him at different conferences but I don't remember talking to him. I wish I had. He sounds like he was a wonderful man.He died last month. Gushegu is 2 hours from Tamale. I was told the news and I asked if I could/should come along to the burial. Because Tamale is so hot bodies are buried on the day they die. I hopped in a truck with 3 pastors and off we went.
There, of course, is always something to see on these roads.
When we arrived they had already buried the man. So, we went to the site and then to the family house. When you come you go and "greet" the family members. You shake hands in a line. Many people had gathered to grieve with the family. One of the local pastors, who worked with the man who died, gave a message of Life in Christ and told the people that this man is not dead. He is alive and with his Savior! They also prayed for the widow.
There, of course, is always something to see on these roads.When we arrived they had already buried the man. So, we went to the site and then to the family house. When you come you go and "greet" the family members. You shake hands in a line. Many people had gathered to grieve with the family. One of the local pastors, who worked with the man who died, gave a message of Life in Christ and told the people that this man is not dead. He is alive and with his Savior! They also prayed for the widow.
No, not all funerals are like this. But this man's life touched a lot of people in and out of the church and community. I know many people donated to the family to help take care of the expenses. It was really a blessing to be a part of this, not only to see different cultural things but to be reminded that life here is short, it is a mist that fades away. Real life starts after death.I gotta tell people!
Just a little Wunlanyili for perspective
I was all ready to whine to you and complain about my week.Then I went to a different village for church. My complaining seems so petty when I see things in this perspective. Village life is simple. But it is hot and it is hard work. But there is a strong sense of community and care for one another. The place is called Wunlanyili. It is about 15 km from Tamale…on really bad dirt roads. Hopefully I won’t have to go their during the rainy season because I don’t think a car could make it.People are not sleeping in the church, we are praying. I didn’t want to take a pic with everyone looking at me since I was sitting up front. I know the children would have made a commotion about it and disturbed the service.
We will see!Language is still progressing. I still am amazed at all the interruptions that happen. Like, my shower was clogged and I couldn't open the drain to clean it, my glasses broke and the eye clinic did not fix them correctly and ruined them, my car is getting fixed, it is still so hot, I am not sleeping well...blah, blah, blah...but there were good things this week too. Like, getting a couple new dresses back from the tailor (one being the green one I wore to church in the photos), finding chicken breasts in the shop, consistent electricity, time memorizing verses, and when I forget to pull something out of the freezer to eat, it quickly defrosts!Thanks for praying. Since I have been memorizing this week, God's Word really has the power to help me set my mind on things above, not on things on earth. He continually lifts my heart when I want to cry or quit. He fills my mind with promises and stillness. It has been incredible. Such a hard, yet satisfying week. I don't know how He does it. Following Him is...is...being full. I wonder when I will be able to explain that in Dagbani? :)Love you.
Easter
In case you didn't know we celebrate Easter over here in Ghana too. Kidding. Of course, you know that! But, I am sure, it is not celebrated like it is here. Ghanaians are totally celebratory people. They know how to party, maybe not be on time for the party, but party when they get there nonetheless :)In Tamale we joined with Good News Bible Church for their Easter Convention. It was 20 km away in a village called Nyankpala. It started Thursday evening and went until Sunday afternoon. It was held at a public school grounds (kids are on break). People slept in classrooms or if they knew someone in the village they stayed there. Damary and I came on Saturday and then we went home and came back on Sunday. Different pastors spoke and also my team leader DooShik.Yes, it was HOT. We sat under a canopy and I felt like an egg slowly frying. But, everyone was hot and you just deal with it. It was encouraging to see people together listening to God's Word and singing and dancing and eating!
Sunday brought on the real celebrating!
Sunday brought on the real celebrating!
So, how much dancing and rejoicing did you do at church today?
Water Tank!
This is very, very exciting news! We have been able to get a water tank. Water doesn't always run here but now when it does we will be able to store it and keep if for those days when it doesn't come. Damary and I are soooooo thankful and excited to know we may never have to think about where to go to find water. This tank holds 1,100 gallons/5,000liters! Woooooo!!All these things take time though. I bought the tank the beginning of March. Then we were told not to put it on the ground but have a mason make a platform. Kojo goes to Shalom Good News Bible Church and has been a mason for 20 years.
This tank is something I can cross off my list! DONE!! Praising God for providing this for us.Rejoicing, Rejoicing, Rejoicing!
A Life Lesson
It has been hot here. I am talking over 100 degrees daily. March and April are always like this. I have known that it is hot up here. When I lived in Accra I knew it...but to experience it on a daily basis is a different thing. To live in it is a different thing.I am usually the queen of sleep. Anytime, anywhere, I can fall asleep. I think it's a gift. It is wonderful, I don't take it for granted. Since the beginning of March my sleep has become not so gifted (or is it me who is losing her gift?). The nights are too hot. There is a rare breeze. Yes, I have a fan but it just blows the warm air around. It is like the air that comes out of your car heater in the winter. It is that warm. Not so good for sleeping.But I can do this. I can force myself to fall asleep...well...some nights. And WOW do I wake up cranky after a night where I don't fall asleep until 2 am. It has not helped me in language learning. Let me be really honest and tell you when I was in a yellow-yellow around 4pm heading for a language lesson I just wanted to weep. I didn't want to go. I was so tired. But I felt like a wus if I didn't go. (I did go) I haven't been speaking much because, well, for one, I am not good, and two I am too tired to think. And then I get angry at myself and march back home trying to get away from even more heat. Ugh. I am not napping during the day. I have no caffeine or sugar going into my body. There is no reason for me not to sleep. I usually read a slow book to fall asleep and then when my eyes are closing, I slowly put my kindle down...and sleep...NOT! WHAMMO! My eyes bug open and I practically drum my fingers. What is up with that??With it being so hot, though, I am learning how to deal. So, I would like to share with you my little night time routine.It all starts around 8pm where I shower or bucket shower depending on if we have water.
Then I get into bed with the fan on high.
I also need to have a towel which I put under my neck so I don't ruin my pillow and pillowcase with all my sweat. Necks really sweat! Who knew!?
And last but not least I get a water bottle which I have put in the freezer in the morning and I hold on to it.
Now, maybe you are thinking that I may spoil my mattress with all the water. I thought so too. And just to be safe I try to only soak the front of my pj's and I hold the ice bottle on my belly. But usually any water dries so fast that I no longer worry about mold or whatever growing in my mattress. And if it does, well, so be it.So, these are little life lessons on how to sleep in hot weather.Please be praying for me. It is so hot here to go out and sit with people and I make excuses. I. can. do. it. Don't feel sorry for me. Even right now, I am thinking to myself, "plan out where you will go, who will you visit" so that I can be ready and get thru it. It should be a somewhat distraction-less week. A great week to learn Dagbani. Let me say that again, A Great Week To Learn Dagbani!!!Love You.
Naming Ceremony
I noticed when I was back in the USA people don't share the name they will give their baby until it is born. People want it to be a surprise? People don't want others to steal the name? People really haven't chosen the name yet and just say "we don't want to tell"? Who knows. But maybe this came from Ghana :)I went to Pastor Fatau and his wife Victoria's Baby Naming Ceremony. In Tamale when you have a baby you don't name it until after 40 days and with that name they have a party of sorts. The mother in that 40 days does not go out to visit people or go to church because babies are pretty much 100% breast fed they don't want to take the baby out in case it would catch a sickness.They keep the name quite secret until the ceremony when they give it to the Pastor (or whoever is doing the ceremony on a slip of paper) and he reads it out. They did the ceremony at 7.30am and we stayed until about 9-9:30am. It starts to get hot by that time and people want to get out of the sun. I know some women came before 4am to help cook food and set up.
Reverend Abukari gave a message (in Dagbani so I did not understand it) and shared the name of the baby. His name is Bismark. Other church leaders and pastors came and prayed and blessed the new baby.
Reverend Abukari gave a message (in Dagbani so I did not understand it) and shared the name of the baby. His name is Bismark. Other church leaders and pastors came and prayed and blessed the new baby.
He is a cutie!!When the ceremony finished people stay around and talk or head home. We are all given a take-away container of rice and beans and a drink.
Praise the Lord for Baby Bismark!
Praise the Lord for Baby Bismark!
Fetching Water
You don't want to hear about language learning again do you? I totally understand. Let me just say my impression this week and what I told someone was: I feel like I am on a stationary bike-working hard and pedaling but not going anywhere. I am out listening and learning and having lessons but when it comes down to it, nothing sticks. I can't speak. I am so forgetful. Ugh...So...let me tell you about other things.As I went to visit my friend, she and her aunties were about to go and fetch water. I said, "Ok, let's go but I need a container. I cannot just watch you I need to help you". She was very hesitant and said I should just wait for her to finish but I insisted saying that I will hear more language and it will help me. She agreed to that and then gave me a little bucket.
Now let me show you what they carry...
Now let me show you what they carry...
It also takes skill to pour the water from your head into the clay pot. And some of these women who carry these big bowls must be at least 50 years old. Crazy.Our water situation seems not so bad compared to this. This past week we have had water every day! Praise God! When I take a shower I am always thanking God for running water.Last week I was able to buy a big water storage tank. Hopefully, next week we can get it set up. Praise the LORD!!Love you!
A Week Worth of Distractions
Last week I said I really need to be serious about language because I won't have any distractions in March. HA! I was wrong. Distractions are not always bad things, just... distracting :)Let me just bullet point my week and also add that every day was HOT!!! Unbelievable.Monday, March 6Ghana's 60th Independence Day! It was a holiday and I wanted to see how Tamale celebrates. They have a park sort of area and politicians and leaders spoke and police and army soldiers march and school children also march. Afterwards, I found this group doing jumps using a tire, and in Ghana they would write it TYRE. We would use a trampoline but I guess they did not have one and, like normal, they make do with what they have and a tyre is what they had. They did really well. It was fun to watch.
Well, that was my week. I did have 3 language lessons in the midst of that. Again, though, I feel I am being too shy and hesitant and not speaking enough. Pray for boldness!I wonder what will happen this week?
Hot has Come
When I came back to Tamale from Tumu I sensed the weather being a bit thicker. It is always hot here but there has been a beautiful dryness that keeps one alive and unsweaty. I don't mind the heat when it is so dry.BUT...that all ended. This batch of humidity swept thru on Friday and Saturday. The power went off for a little bit-which means no fans and there was no breeze. Sunday morning around 1am the power went off again. A quick storm came thru and we had a bit of rain and wind. Damary and I both came out of our rooms because we were so hot with no fans to cool us. Thankfully, that wind helped but once the rain stopped so did the wind.It.Was. Brutal. At church that Sunday morning one man came to me and said, "last night I suffered-oooo!" I thought, if he is Ghanaian and suffering then this must be bad!The weather has continued on this same humid streak since then. March and April are the hot months and we have been warned. This whole week it has been around 100+ degrees with humidity around 20% compared to when it was almost 0%. My job is to walk around practicing Dagbani with people. It is sooooo hot. I am exhausted. Everything in me is drained.The nights have been even worse. It doesn't really cool down and it seems my fan loves to just blow hot air around. Before I sleep I like to read and I was laying on my back with my knees bent and under my knees sweat was pouring and it was trailing down the back of my thighs. UGH. Also, I am usually the queen of sleep, like I have a gift, but not this week. I have not been able to fall asleep even though I can barely keep going. And I wake up during the night. And when I wake up I find my pillow and sheets soaked with sweat. It is gross.Damary and I just look at each other in the morning and say, "how was your sleep?" and we don't even need to answer, we know it was too hot to sleep. I have not had a quiet time since Tuesday because I can't fall asleep and stay asleep and so in the mornings I cannot get up. I tell Jesus I just can't. I am too tired. I know he understands. But I find myself kind-of missing him. So, maybe I will do my time with him in that time when I can't fall asleep. We will see.Enough of this complaining. It is Africa, what do you expect!?Anyways, I will persevere! This month and April have the potential to be really good language months because I will not be traveling or have any other distractions. One thing you can pray for is that I would be bold to speak. Me? Not bold to speak?? Hardly!! But with Dagbani I find it is easier just to listen to conversation and be lazy, though I know listening is good too. But if I don't use/talk the new phrases and words I am learning I will never really have it. When I did try to say a new sentence one lady, who doesn't speak English, just shook her head and said, "Oooo Wunzooyea". Meaning, I have no idea what you are saying. That made me to be a bit more timid and hesitant to try again. Please be praying.I think I may have found a new motivation-- ice cream. When I was in the lovely land of Burkina (you can read that in my previous post) I bought cream (along with other things) and with that cream I made ice cream! Then I thought, since I love Culvers, maybe I should try custard ice cream. So, I made some of that too. It is not exactly the same, but still. AND I have just a bit of cream left and I found a copycat recipe of Dairy Queen's soft serve ice cream. I will try that and see how it goes. Maybe if I do well with language then I get me a little treatie-weatie right? It doesn't really fit into my 21 day fix eating plan but how many of those crazies are in 100 degree weather learning Dagbani? Yeah, exactly. :)Love you all.
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Penny is a colleague of mine who serves in Tumu, which is in the Upper West Region of Ghana. She is very close to the Burkina Faso border and was telling me it is fun to go shopping in Ouagadougou. I was convinced, because if Penny says it is great, it really is :) And another thing that convinced me was as an American I can get a 5 year visa to Burkina!So, February 20th I packed a bag. I had to make a quick stop at the Tamale airport to pick up a couple helping out here short term. Then we made the 5 hour journey to Tumu. Then on the 21st, Penny, Charity, Amy and I all hopped in Penny's truck and headed for Burkina. The border itself is not that far and we had to fill out embarkation cards and show our passports. The ride to Ouagadougou was a few hours but the road was straight and nice.
And just so you think I was not completely running away from Dagbani learning I did listen to my recordings in the car while I drove home. I have to say, my sentences are getting long and it is not so easy to remember so many words! Ei!!! Next week it's time to get-back-in-the-groove!It was really a great-great few days. To be with such great gals and eat beautiful foods and to see a different country. All good things, all together. It was a break I needed. Wish you could have come with me!! I have a 5 year visa so I will definitely be going back!Blessings to You!
Walking In My Neighborhood
I had a good week of going 'round-round. I learned how to say, "I am roaming". People are always asking me, "where are you from?" or "where are you going?" So, I tell them I am roaming and learning. They seem to understand.This is my neighborhood where I go walking.
Different houses. I live on Tahama Street which means HOPE. Unfortunately, there is a lot of garbage around. People use plastic bags for everything and they just kind of throw them on the ground. The winds blow them into the bush and they sort of just sit there decorating the place in sad way. The gal with me is Tuleehatu. I don't know how to spell her name. She doesn't speak any English. I went to the market with her. I could only say short phrases like, "I am coming" "I follow you" "I will not buy""yes" "no". It was hard but satisfying knowing that all the listening has to count for something, right?!!This week to encourage myself I pulled out a hoarded, very highly favored, block of Colby cheese from Wisconsin. I don't have many of them. I need to eat them sparingly. But I knew after my week last week I had to pull out the big guns.So, I divided the cheese into 4 chunks. If I did my allotted language time my reward was to get a chunk of cheese for dinner. Apparently, I am motivated by food because I accomplished (and ate) my goal! It was beautiful (sigh). My best friend sent me some Double Stuff Oreo cookies and I am thinking that may have to be my next "encouragement".
This is what my feel look like after walking around in my neighborhood.
Such beauties! Ei!!! It makes me understand more clearly why in Jesus' time washing feet was such a big deal and why only the lowly servants did it.Love you all. Thanks for praying!!
This is what my feel look like after walking around in my neighborhood.Such beauties! Ei!!! It makes me understand more clearly why in Jesus' time washing feet was such a big deal and why only the lowly servants did it.Love you all. Thanks for praying!!
Flexible
I really should not be writing right now. I am a bit cranky. Missionaries are told we have to be flexible. Yeah, cool, I am flexible. I am definitely not rigid. I know how to go with the flow and "whatevah". I am the queen. But, wow, sometimes life really pushes that flexibility button and find myself being very...what's the word?...unflexible? or not as flexible as I thought.I have decided to take one day a week to run errands and do emails and such. I was spoiled in Accra to have an office helper to buy things for me or go to the post office etc, etc. I realize now how much time he saved me. Thursday I had a nice long list of things to do. But here, things never go the way you plan it. I should know this by now. What I thought would take an hour to fix my car key actually took 4 hours. And so I thought I would take my car to town to pick up some bigger items like chicken or crates of eggs but since they didn't finish my key I couldn't do that. I also wasn't able to do much emails because we did not have power that day and I did not have my computer charged. Since I thought I would have had my car, I didn't wear sunscreen because I thought I wouldn't be out much but that was not the case and I burned. It is so hard to be thankful in an unproductive day. (sigh) Also, during the week we had no electricity for a few days. And, also, I bought some street food...and as I was eating it I thought, "I think this may be off", and yes, I had some runny tummy issues and a fever of 102! Talk about wearing thin...I have been doing a study on heart transformation by Dallas Willard. One day it said to look at the habits that dwell in your body and reflect on the inner qualities that exist and how they do or don't dictate to your body. I was like, "ughhh...this is not a good week for me to reflect." I have so much impatience among other things.So glad God's faithfulness is more than I could hope or dream. So glad God loves me even when I am angry that things are not going my way or complaining. So glad I am sometimes flexible :) So glad I have hope that this is not all there is, this is just a blink. Real life will one day come. I'M WAITING FOR YOU JESUS!!
Language Evaluation
I had my evaluation yesterday. Afterwards, I sent off an email and I thought --let me just copy it here instead of trying to write again---
I just finished my evaluation for language learning...
I CAN MOVE ON TO LEVEL 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That was the encouragement I needed!!! I am soo excited, I wish I had a huge sundae to devour.
THANKS FOR PRAYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will continue to work hard. the other night, as I was thinking about hope the past few days and asking God why do you keep bringing hope to me, I sensed him say HOPE IN ME that I WILL ACCOMPLISH THIS LANGUAGE IN YOU BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
I first said no way.
Then I said forgive me I don't want to be like Sarah or Zechariah who didn't believe. So, I said, Ok, Lord. Let's do this.
My job is to work hard. Haggai 2:4-5 is my year verse.----But now be courageous, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord, ‘be courageous also, Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and be courageous, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ declares the Lord of hosts. 5 ‘As for the promise which I made with you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit stands [firm and immovable] and continues with you; do not fear!’
Ok, So, I am taking some liberties with the verses (but you get my drift) so I am to be courageous. I am to work. I am to remember the promise of God when he took me out of America. His Spirit is with me. I am to not fear.
AND...
Is 50:5,7
The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me,
and I have listened.
I have not rebelled or turned away.Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,
I will not be disgraced.
Therefore, I have set my face like a stone,
determined to do his will.
And I know that I will not be put to shame.
and I have listened.
I have not rebelled or turned away.Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,
I will not be disgraced.
Therefore, I have set my face like a stone,
determined to do his will.
And I know that I will not be put to shame.
I am in tears, overwhelmed by the goodness of God.
THANKS SOOOOO MUCH FOR PRAYING!!!!
then, Then, THEN!
I knew I had to kick it into gear with language learning. I told my leader to do an evaluation for me at the end of January. It will help me know where I am at and what is going well and what isn't. It is like a test, kind of. I am nervous. I already failed a goal I set for myself that I wanted to be through level 1 language study by Christmas. Yeah, what a joke! I don't know why this language doesn't stick in my brain. But, I will do the evaluation on Tuesday. I wanted to be able to go through all of the level 1 and move on to 2, but that won't happen. There are still a lot of things I need to learn in level 1. I am discouraged, but such is learning a language. I will only do part one of the evaluation and do part two in a couple of weeks.It has been a long week. Every day I was like, "is it Friday yet?". I met with my language helper every day. I went out to practice every day. I would come back home so tired and even angry. Angry at myself for not trying harder (that is me yelling at myself). Angry at some of these people who ask me to marry them when they already have 2 wives or people who ask me for a visa for USA or people who want my dress/shirt/sandals. The first few times you laugh but day after day after day after day...ugh!!! Come on people!!My house helper, who is great, did not show up on Thursday morning when it just so happened water was flowing and she could have washed clothes for me. I had a big pile since we haven't had water. Her phone was switched off so I couldn't call her. So, knowing we may not have water for another week, rolled up my sleeves, filled up some buckets and washed a couple loads of laundry by hand. Seriously. It bites. Exhausting.Then as the week finishes, I saw no progress with language. That just bites all around. Ok, maybe somewhere in me knows I have progressed in some way that I cannot see yet but what I hear coming out of my mouth doesn't sound like progress.THEN as the week finished I was so looking forward to giving my brain a break and just watching movies. Well, as you would have it, the power goes out at 9am. It didn't come back on until 3pm. "God, can it get any worse!!!???" I was so exhausted (and with no power means no fan, so no rest, otherwise you lay in bed and sweat...not a nice feeling) and so I dutifully started studying again. I cooked some food for the week too. So, it wasn't an all-for-naught-day off, but still.THEN I tell myself to stop acting so whiny because people have it way worse than I do. I have to remind myself of all the amazing things I have in my life. I even have mangoes. I usually finish off my dinner at night with a fruit. Mangoes are in season and I am in heaven. So, I was thinking, "some people love their piece of chocolate, or glass of wine. I got me a lovely mango...(sigh)".May the language continue...only if there is a mango for me to eat!Thanks for praying for me!
Dancing in the New Year
Let's go back a couple weeks to New Years Day. Damary and I were invited to join the village where we bought the pig, Yung, about 30 km away. Now, a few days before the 1st I said to Damary that one day I would like to go to one of those New Year's parties where you get all fancy and dance the night away etc, etc. It is on my list-of-things-to-do-one-day. Well, this was not like we see in the movies for a New Years celebration but it was still a celebration with dancing and people all dressed in their cloths and smocks, which are traditional.We arrived around 4pm and sat with Saidu and his wife. They served us delicious Ground Nut Soup with Fufu, classic dish. Then we heard the drumming. We went out and already they were dancing. This is how the Christians in this village celebrate the new year. Actually, in many places in Ghana January 1st is a big deal. In Accra, many people would get dressed in their best and go to church. Church services could last from 3 hours to 8 hours! I have found in Tamale it is the same. Maybe people want to start fresh? Maybe people want to get right with God in a new year? I don't know, but I do know Ghanaians know how to celebrate. And the Yung village is no different. The Christians invite M*slims as well. There were so many people. The weather was a nice, dry, not-too-hot sort of day. Even the chief came for the event.The drummers are men from another place that have been hired. Sort of like, hiring a band for an event I think. As people dance they will "dash" (like a tip for their service) the drummers and put money on their forehead. They have someone who collects the money if it is sticking to their sweaty foreheads or if it fell to the ground they will get it there. It is not easy to drum like these men. Whoa. They really work. Most time the tip would be equivalent to 30 cents or 5 cents..
I would love to post the videos but I can't upload them on here. You can check them on my facebook page. https://web.facebook.com/sherri.paulson.75The videos were a bit funny because Damary and I joined in. it was funny because I know we didn't look like they did. We each separately went out to dance and people would come up and give money. We gave the money to the drummers. I later said to Saidu that next year I will come back and have practiced and I will be much better :) I don't know if you can practice what seems to be in their blood.We later went and spent some time with the pastor of a Baptist church. They have over 200 members! In a M*slim area this is a big deal. They are trying to build a church for everyone to fit in. We all prayed together. There is something special about praying with other believers, ones you have never met before (or have), there is a sweetness that you can't explain. You know you are united by One Spirit. Even though we are so different, do things different ways, look different, have different experiences, yet, our same God loves us all and unites us all together. It is saaaaa-weet!So, even though my New Years was not the one I wanted to cross off on my to do list, it may have even been better. I already have it scheduled for next year.Thanks for praying!
Friends and Elephants
One of those questions I get about Africa is, "Do you see any lions or elephants?" on a daily basis the boring answer is "no". But, now that I live in Tamale I am only 2 hours away from Ghana's Mole National Park molemotelgh.com and yes I can see elephants! (Again, not on a daily basis, but still.) I heard one man ask our guide if he ever sees lions, which I thought were extinct in Ghana, and he said, "you have to walk very far". REALLY?? Eiii!! I didn't know that.I went with my roomie, Damary and Julia and her husband Florian. Julia was a short termer and worked in Accra with me in 2011-2012. She and another gal did a fabulous job working with a school and helping me at church with youth and kids. She has done well staying in contact with some people and has been enjoying revisiting and introducing people and places to her husband. It was wonderful to have time with them, show them Tamale, eat meals together, talk and of course see elephants!We did a 2 hour walking tour throughout a part of the national park with a guide. We did see elephants. Man, they are huge!! The guide told us they can run, for a short period of time, fast like a cheetah but they can only go straight. So, if one is chasing you run zigzag and you should be ok. We did not see lions :) We also saw baboons, warthogs, crocodiles, and antelope.
Check out what was in my tire! I have no idea how a bolt decided to dive in. Crazy.Always an adventure here! Come and visit. You will give me an excuse to go and visit my elephants again.