The Silver Lining

Wow…December 31 st already. So we’re perched here, teetering at the edge of good-bye to another year. It seems to me that the seasons change quicker, the days are shorter, and the years roll by much faster than they used to. Some years are better, even easier than others. I recall a few years in which I was flat-out delighted to see December 31 finally arrive. Those were the years that brought the pain of difficult decisions, separation and divorce, deaths of loved ones and friends, or just plain “hard times.” They left me eager for a new start, a new beginning, a new year. But 2010--for the most part--has been very good to me. I’ve laughed a lot this year, and that is always good! At our house, 2010 was The Year of the Kitchen and Back Porch . And for a couple of do-it-yourself-ers, I think we did a pretty darn good job! Little by little, we’re seeing this neat old house develop into Home, Sweet Home. David and I traveled a bit, spending a couple of w...

You know, some days you just feel sort of.....well, ordinary. Un-special. Like there's nothing particularly remarkable about yourself or your life. One of those days when you feel like you could just melt into the wallpaper and never be missed. I was having one of those days a couple of weeks ago. It was just one of those "Blah" days when smiles are rare and laughter seems like a foreign language. Since this is the holiday season, I keep a running "to-do" list. With a sigh, I picked up my notebook to see what I needed to accomplish that morning. There were three entries: Elephants Green Beans Super Glue I sat there looking at that list, and a smile spread across my face -- what an outlandishly ridiculous list that was! I seriously doubt that there was anyone else in the country with a to-do list consisting of elephants, green beans, and super glue! God was nudging me in the ribs, saying, "See, Child, you ARE unique and special! Just take a look at...

I've been going through some of my old journals and found this story that I wrote about 3 years ago. Hope you enjoy it! "Dashboard Message" -- written Nov. 19, 2007 Today when I started my car, I got a new dashboard message. Very plainly, the letters spelled out to me "YOU ARE LOVED." You might find that difficult to believe -- so allow me to share the whole story with you! I drive an older model Buick Park Avenue. My children always referred to it as a land yacht. Granted, it is a large car. But one thing I really like about it are all the little "bells & whistles" -- the extra features that make it a neat car. For example, it has heated seats, which are oh-so-nice on a frosty morning! Another feature is the dashboard message center. This small display of bright green letters lets me see my car's mileage. Or it may display a warning, such as "DOOR AJAR." Once in a while, it reads "CHECK GAUGES" when I'm running...

Our first night aboard the Grandeur of the Seas....aaaahhhhhh a little rest & relaxation is good for the soul... Very early the next morning, David prodded me awake. "Come on! Let's go! Let's walk around the upper deck and start this beautiful day!" Now when I am at home, I rise early and take my morning walk, and quite honestly I'd sort of planned to sleep in a bit on the cruise. So much for sleeping in! I got up, donned my walking shoes and we made our way to the upper deck. Surprise!! It was still dark. Even the SUN wasn't up yet! As we made our first round, I saw maybe 10 people, and 9 of them were crew! I was seriously ready to grumble. Toward the rear of the ship, the lights were dim. We were so far out at sea that there was no land in sight in any direction. David and I stopped our walk to watch the wake our ship was making: a frothy trail that seemed to glow in the dark water. Cupping my hands around my face, I blocked out as much of...

(Written on Sept. 21, 2010, onboard Royal Caribbean's "Grandeur of the Seas" as we headed toward Grand Cayman.) I snagged a couple of poolside chairs and managed to get in a little snooze after our early morning walk. But by 10:30, the sun was blazing in the sky and the day began heating up. Rather than risk a sunburn on our first day out, we gave up the lounges to a young couple, and moved to a table in the shaded area on the port side of the ship. I began watching the sea as we churned through the water. Off on the distant horizon I could see the uneven outline of an island: Cuba, I realized. Purplish hazy hills jutted out of the deep sapphire blue sea; we were too far away to see any details. I stood at the ship's rail, watching as we moved past this mysterious country. To my right, I noticed an older gentleman. He was dressed in a dark t-shirt, plaid shorts, white socks and tennis shoes. I guessed him to be in his late 70's or early 80's. He was g...

Most days, I tend to take the blessings of my US citizenship for granted. I grew up reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag every morning at school. (Do they still do that? They should!) I remember my high school Spanish teacher, Dr. Alberto Valdez. A Cuban refugee, he used to stand on top of his desk, waving a tiny American flag, shouting and preaching to us that we had no idea how lucky we were to be born in the USA. We were kids – and likely thought he was a bit nuts! I grew up, I registered to vote as soon as I was eligible, and I’ve exercised that right every election. But to be honest, the privilege of being born in a country that provides me with so much freedom is not something I think about a whole lot. Like most of us, I take it for granted most of the time. But earlier this week, I had the opportunity to witness the naturalization ceremony of a good friend, Mr. William Aludo of Kenya. And it truly made me stop and give thanks for my country and my...

As we emerged from the plane into the busy Atlanta Airport, my senses were immediately assaulted by bright lights, flashy American advertisements, noise, and the usual US rush-rush hustle-bustle. I literally gasped in shock. Too much noise, too much "slickness," too much consumerism.... Driving home on smoothly paved roads, I don't feel any bumpy potholes. The other drivers stay in their lanes, come fairly close to maintaining the allowed speed limit, and don't blow their horns constantly. Quite a change from my experiences of the last couple of weeks. Once home, I looked at our neighborhood. There were no high fences topped with constantine wire or broken glass to deter robbers as is common in the cities in Ghana. A neighbor, on his riding lawnmower, waved at us. I remembered seeing some men with machetes, hacking at the grass in front of a home in Tema... I take a deep breath and smell....nothing, really. But the scents of acrid smoke, sweat, sea, animals,...

Our game plan was to spend Monday through Wednesday after the team left evaluating the trip, visiting with friends, and relaxing. However I'd begun to feel a bit bad over the weekend. Saturday I nursed a scratchy sore throat; Sunday found me sneezing and sniffling. What I *thought* was going to be a simple summer cold turned very ugly. By Monday morning I was in the middle of a full-blown "asthmatic episode" which left me literally gasping for every breath. As soon as a pharmacy was open on Monday, our friend Stephen took us to get some medication for me. It was pricey (about $90 USD) but at that point I'd have maxed out every credit card I had to get some relief. I spent most of the day doing absolutely nothing. By evening I was feeling MUCH better. For me, Monday and Tuesday is sort of a blur. I'd get up and go a while, then nap a while. But David managed to get a good bit accomplished and I joined him as I could. David took the time to go back to t...

Saturday and Sunday, July 17 & 18 After the long week "on the road" in the Volta region, everybody slept in on Saturday morning! I think we all needed the rest; we'd worked really hard and accomplished a good bit. Along the way we built some relationships that are precious and priceless -- and help to show others the Jesus that is living in our hearts. The Grace Team needed to make another trip to the Accra Arts and Crafts Market and they spent most of the day there. David and I ran some errands and made some visits in and around Tema. We spent some time in the Tema market -- searching in vain for Kingsbite chocolate. That's one of our favorite treats. However, the factory had been shut down for a few weeks for maintenance, so we learned, and nobody in the market had any of the candies for sale. Pastor Paul drove us to the Evergreen Supermarket -- a large store fashioned like those in the USA. There we found Kingsbite, and purchased several bars to share w...

Friday July 16, 2010 I woke up in the coolness of Logba Tota, remembering a childhood hymn my mother taught me: "God's beautiful world, God's beautiful world, I love God's beautiful world. He made it for you, he made it for me, I love God's beautiful world." Logba is a natural retreat; it is the perfect spot to relax and unwind after the busyness of the week. And it is a perfect place to reflect upon God's creation and grace, and commune with the Spirit. There are several lovely waterfalls around the mountain. Several years ago, I made the hike down to the falls and back -- quite a workout! A few of the Grace team mates laced up their tennis shoes and headed out to see the falls. I knew that physically I was not quite up to that trek this year (maybe next year!). David and I spent the morning in the village of "upstairs" Logba Tota. We first visited the new school built by some Dutch philanthropists. It is a good sized school; the faci...

Thursday, July 15, 2010 We left Ho this morning by way of Pastor Thywill's home. He is in 9 days of fasting and mourning for his wife; we did not stay long but we wanted to tell him we appreciated the use of the house for the team. After fueling the bus and car, we were on the road to Logba Tota -- one of my favorite places on earth! Every year we wind up our trip by a visit to the mountaintop village of Logba Tota. It is a wildly beautiful and spiritual place. As we made our way through the countryside, I noticed men mowing the shoulders of the road with machetes -- back-breaking work, for sure. Fields of corn and cassava dotted the hills. As a surprise, Chief Takyi arranged for us to visit the Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary. We turned off the main road and drove 5 km on a rough, dusty road through bush that was taller than the bus. At last we entered a clearing by a sign "You are entering the Monkey Sanctuary." We gathered together as a young man introduced himself...

Wednesday, July 15, 2010 We spent a lot of this day on the road. We were invited to a couple of different church plant areas that are part of Christ Harvests the Nations. In these rural areas, wherever they plant a church they also start a school. Our first stop was at Labo Labo, whose pastor is Ted Heavenway. (Yes, that's his real name! Often Ghanaian pastors will change their names to reflect their Christian beliefs.) Bishop James met us there, along with Chief Takyi. The pastor shared with us that the church school began with 10 kids but after 4 months they had 46 children enrolled. They meet under a palm-roof, seated on wooden benches on a dirt floor; the three classrooms are divided by tarps strung from the ceiling. This building doubles as a church building for services. Pastor Heavenway explained that while 46 children were enrolled, they all did not always attend. Some days, the children are needed to work on the farms to help support their families. Another det...

Tuesday, July 14, 2010 What a great day we had! After worshipping with Pastor Johnson's congregation in Kpeve and spending the night in Ho, the team boarded the bus and headed toward Adigbo Tornu. Pastor Johnson drove David and me to a hardware stall in Ho to pick up a few plumbing supplies and we met the group in the village. We gathered in the shade with the chiefs and elders for a formal visit. John Cromer spoke for the Grace Church group, extending their greetings. Then we explained formally the reason for our visit. It was gratifying that the folks in the village remembered us. We had heard that one of the fellows we trained last year, Mr. Blackson, had passed away; we expressed our condolences to them at his death. David had copies of several photographs we made last year, and we located the individuals to give them their pictures. That was a lot of fun for both the giver and the recipient! Last year, Waters Edge Ministries installed our very first purifier in this village an...

Christina’s Serenade -- July 12, 2010 in Tema, Ghana Christina was our chief cook last year in Ghana, and she has catered for us some this year as well. I very much admire and love her. She has this gentle, sweet spirit about her; an amiable calmness that makes you feel cared about and welcome. When she dances at church she moves with a gentle gracefulness, swaying in the rhythm of the music -- and you cannot help but feel the Spirit is dancing with her. Sunday evening, I was feeling a bit down, frustrated and hurt about some issues. As the Grace Church group went into the back room for their meeting after dinner, I began to help clear the table. I’d take a load of plates and empty dishes into the kitchen, and she’d take them from me and stack them by the sink where Auntie Aggie started washing them. When we finished, I sort of hung around in the kitchen a little while, and David joined me there. And then God used Christina in a big way to lighten my spirits. We simply sat and...

Monday, July 13 We ate breakfast at 7, and were packed up and ready to go by 8 -- we’re heading to the Volta Region for several days! As of 10:30, we were still sitting at the house, waiting to get the trip underway. I was not surprised -- this makes my 6th trip to the Volta Region and we have never once left on schedule! First, all of our luggage was loaded. We had to pack clothing for the week as well as bed linens, pillows, and towels. And then we waited. The ladies in the kitchen were hustling more than usual -- I realized that they were packing all of the dishes, silverware, pots and pans into large tubs and laundry baskets -- I think they literally packed up everything but the kitchen sink! These supplies, plus 2 tanks of propane, 2 small gas stovetops, and a microwave oven, were loaded on to the bus. To accomplish that task meant unloading some of the luggage, shifting things around, and re-arranging. Still we waited. A taxi arrived, loaded with several cases of water. ...

Sunday, July 12, 2010 I love worshipping at Christ Harvests the Nations. There is such joy in the praising of our Lord Jesus Christ; it takes me to the mountaintop as I participate in the singing and the dancing! This morning’s service was exciting and insightful. The Youth Choir sang -- accompanied on the drums by our own John Cromer! Richard sang, as did his wife Victoria. Our team took a few minutes to introduce themselves and bring greetings. Rev. James began his sermon with praise, singing “O Come Let Us Adore Him.” It was a spiritually electrifying morning!! After worship, we had lunch then packed up to spend the afternoon at Labadi Beach. We’d looked forward to this “day of rest.” very much. The beach was absolutely packed -- we snaked our way between people, chaise lounges, tables, and umbrellas until we found an area where we could all sit down. We ordered some cold soft drinks, splashed in the surf (the rip-currents are very strong here and swimming is not advisable...

Just a quick note this morning before we head northeast toward the Volta region of Ghana. We may not have internet access there. So it may be several days before we can post pictures or stories again. Check back by -- we will post if we are able! Blessings! Anita & David

POP! HISSSSSSSSS….. I felt the pop beneath my feet more than I actually heard it. And by the sound and the reaction of the driver, I knew it was not good. Kofi (the driver) eased the bus to a stop, got out, and took a look. The bus had blown a compressor -- needed to operate the brakes. So there we were, stranded on a muddy, pot-holed road, right beside the Tema dump. Why were we there? Read on…. ******** It rained a lot in the night, and the skies this morning were overcast. An intermittent mist of rain kept the air and everything else quite damp. Our team slept in; our original plans to travel to Keta had to be changed. So after breakfast we developed “Plan B” -- we wanted to return to the dump. Christine & Auntie Aggie packed a light lunch of pb&j sandwiches, bananas, and bottled water. We boarded the bus, and headed off across town. Many of our teammates play soccer -- a couple of them played in college -- and yesterday they had purchased some brand new soccer bal...

July 8, 2010 UP AND AT ‘EM!!! BRIGHT AND EARLY!!! We have a road trip today, so we set our alarm clocks to rouse us out of our sleep. We are going to the village of Potwabin, then on to Cape Coast to tour Elmina. After a breakfast of crepes, bread and jam, oatmeal, and fresh pineapple, we collected our backpacks and loaded up the bus. Our goal was to leave by 7:00 am -- while it is virtually impossible to “beat the traffic” in Accra…we hoped to at least get through with the least delay as possible! Accra, the capital city of Ghana, is a bustling metropolis filled with people, cars, noise, and exhaust fumes. Maneuvering through the heavy traffic there is harrowing -- but we have a terrific driver who snakes this big bus through some of the tightest spots you can imagine! Driving through I see lots of construction -- evidence of Ghana’s growth. We’re on a major thoroughfare through the city; yet there are patches of red dirt, huge potholes (I’m talking car-sized holes here!) and mud...