If I was in the Hollywood, movie-making scene, other than starring in the movies themselves and having my handsome co-stars take me out to dinner, I think I would like to be the person responsible for putting the movie to music and make it come to life. I put music to my own life as a way of cataloging my experiences, and for my own amusement. For instance, does “Who’s that Lady?” really play when I walk through the door? Not likely, but I crack myself up thinking it does. I know I have been thrown around in the back seat driving down the dusty road to Damongo to “Magic Carpet Ride” and watched the sunrise from Mole to the Lion King sunrise song and danced out of bed in the morning to “Stayin Alive” as a little pick-me-up.
Life sounds good here.
However, Sunday as I rode on the back of a motorcycle into a small village about an hour’s drive from Saboba, there was no music. Only the quiet hum the motorcycle and a song in Twi I just learned. I sighed breathed deeply, taking in the fresh, cool morning air. It felt good, and I needed to breathe.
God knows what we need exactly when we need it, and Sunday, He used Jonah to do just that. Jonah had asked me to go with him to a church plant in one of the villages and because of the situation at the hospital, I did not want to leave Kristi, even though she is perfectly capable of handling herself, and wasn’t happy about going. We had a cholera patient coming in and I was intrigued and wanted to be in on the action. How bad was it? Rice water stool bad?! All I could think about was the movie “The Painted Veil.” I couldn’t back out on Jonah, so I convinced myself out the door this was the better option. The less exposure to cholera the better right? Not convinced, I climbed on the back. My attitude was poor today and I needed to pull it together.
Nothing will lift your spirits like a solid dose of Jonah Manyan. We headed west towards a small town of Wapuli and talked the majority of the way over the pleasant drone of the motorcycle. He always knows what to say, he always speaks truth and believes in the best and he has such great perspective. There was a lot I needed to get off my chest, which I hadn’t realized until I starting talking. The more I talked, the more I had to say, and the more words came out, the more relieved I felt. He is always so encouraging to me, and I find his love for people because of his love for Christ deeply inspiring.
Arrived in Wapuli, only to find they had not come yet. Imagine our church services in the U.S. operating like this. Maybe the inevitable sibling fights or being late because it was a bad morning would cease.
We jumped back on the motorcycle on continued to the second village. I had thought he only went to Wapuli every other Sunday, but as it turns out he goes to two different villages. I believe it is about 15 miles to Wapuli and just as far onto Lifuul, so totally driving time one way was over an hour and I loved it.
The village of Lifuul will have a special place in my heart. Jonah had told me on the way that he had only been coming to Lifuul for a year now after he had heard from a high school boy from here that there were no churches. Not only were there no churches, they had never, ever heard about Jesus.
Regardless of your view of God, you have heard about him and this guy named Jesus from somewhere in your lifetime. Maybe your super Catholic, crazy grandma used to drag you to mass when you were little or your kid goes to church with the family down the road or maybe you yourself have been fortunate enough to be raised with the knowledge and understanding that you have hope and life through Jesus Christ. Can you imagine? It’s 2011 and until last year, these people thought ancestral worship and pagan sacrifices to all their gods had never once heard such a concept. And Pastor Jonah, along with his associate pastor have introduced them, gently, from the very beginning to the our Lord. What an absolutely incredible thing to be a part of. He says he doesn’t go to preach. He loves to teach and that’s what he does. I asked him several questions about this like how exactly do you introduce something like this to a culture of people who knows nothing, has never even heard, the good news. You start small, you build relationships and be patient as these things take time. Those are wise words coming from a man who has no motorcycle of his home or a steady income.
When we arrived in Lipuul at the school house where they meet, I saw little faces peek over the top of wall. I smiled and waved as I walked into the room to meet them. There, eagerly awaiting Jonah’s arrival, where about 10 small children with smiles on their faces. I was instantly hit with emotion. THIS was his congregation? This is who he drives all this way for every other Sunday? Jonah would. I felt so privileged to be there, to see what I saw and be able to take it with me where ever I go.
Our congregation continued to grow as time when on. While there were only a few old people, the vast majority of the classroom were children under 10. That is a beautiful way to effect a population. Get the kids and they will change their family.
They kept coming. I couldn’t believe it, and somehow there was always room for them. They gave tithe and offerings in an open Bible with only a few coins. That was it, but it was so much. I counted as Jonah and I were about to leave. Get this- there were 106 little bodies in that room, including Jonah and I by the time we left. He asked me if I had anything to say to them, which I did, and close in prayer for them. I was so delighted to be in one this. My favorite part about this whole story is that initially, 10 kids were worth it for Jonah.
We stopped on the way to Wapuli so I could observe yam farming first hand, which is very labor intense for not a lot of yield. They make a mound about 3 or 4 feet high, plant, let grow about 4 months and yield ONE yam per mound. John Deere needs to come up with a solution stat. The farmer has happy we stopped by and that Jonah had dug a few mounds for him during his demo, so he gave us a small roasted yam for the road and 7 large yams to take, which went on my lap. It was quit comical actually. I wanted to try my hand at yam farming just to say I did it, but Jonah would not like me as it was “unladylike” because it is “hard work.” HARD WORK?! The women here way harder than men do! They do is haul water, cook and push out babies all day! I decided I was not going to fight this one. Yet again Toto finds herself out of Kansas.
Wapuli was a similar format though we did not stay as long. There were maybe 30 people there who were mostly young adults. This church had been here for 2 years now and Jonah was working hard to get them land to build. Again, he would and he will.
Though I did not take my Nikon, I did get great photos from this endeavor.
Jonah is EXACTLY why I want to make a lot of money. I just wish so badly I could buy him a brand new motorcycle, sturdy enough to weather the rainy season on his Sunday visits and transport a woman in labor safely to a hospital (he does this all the time).
I am so thankful for this day.
Here’s what went down today:
-The ectopic pregnancy lady is doing WONDERFULLY!! I had to take her picture today because I needed a face to this miracle I witnessed. Thank you so much for praying.
-The cholera patient who came in is doing well also, which is great. They were fortunate to have caught it early that it shouldn’t advance.
-I forgot to tell you earlier, Banbu was discharged to go to Tamale to a specialist. I never got to say goodbye, which is a bummer but I think she is suppose to come back, so I am really hoping I see her again.
-Though my visa is for 3 months, the actual stamp in my passport expires after 60 days, which is April 3rd. I have to pay more money and fill out all this paper work and get passport photos all over again, which thoroughly annoys me. It is just the way it is though. There is a little shanty hut that does them here, which was odd to me they had those capanbilities in such a little hut.
Imagine this- no make-up, hair slicked back and the perma glow forming sweat beads all over my face.
Driver’s license pictures and passport photos are not never good no matter how hard you try, so you can imagine how this one looked!
-Precious took her briads out so I never got to take a picture of her with them in. She is still as cute as ever. Her and Patience were both wearing pale yellow dresses today and they looked SO beautiful! And that I did take a picture of.
-I took my camera to the hospital today and got some priceless photos I will post eventually so you can have a better understanding of how things work around here. They will shock you!
-I talked to my mom and dad today, which was great, except that during that conversation I realized I miss my people! It is good to be here, though it has been challenging lately, but it will be so nice to see family and friends again.
-Oh my gosh. How could I forget?! Today “de Prince” told me that I looked like a man!! Yes, that is exactly what he said and I was shocked. I walk like a man and I run like a man. I handle this with good nature because he is not meaning to insult me, but I did do him a huge favor and inform him that is the WORST THING YOU COULD SAY TO A GIRL!! An American girl that is! I told him girls want to be beautiful and skinny and well, not manly! I am too embarrassed to say the rest of the details, but basically, he meant I was strong, like athletic and tall. He’s also turned into a shameless flirt so he was trying to flatter me. Awkward. So awkward. I was so happy I was almost back to my house, “Well, see ya later!”
I should have been in bed hours ago, but I guilted myself into finishing this so I would not be behind. You are welcome! I sacrificed my beauty sleep for this, and since I look like a man, I better get some serious shut eye!
P.S. Not proof reading because I am too tired, so my apologies.
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