As I woke up this morning, my first morning in Africa, it was so quiet and peaceful. Africa wakes up quietly and slowly. The only sounds were those of some song birds and another bird that I think was a guinea.
After a leisurely and delicious breakfast, we (our team) along with Chief Togbe Takyi of Logba Tota, Oto and Ritchie walked to Jerusalem Gates Academy. Julius and Salomey (the husband and wife team who run the school) were expecting us and graciously welcomed us. I love the relaxing, laid-back ways of our African friends and we could learn a lot from them. We arrived at the school and they invited us to sit in the shade, sip bagged water and visit with them for a while. They had invited another gentleman from their church to be present, a Mr. Bloe (i'm sure that is not the spelling but if you drag the 'oe' out it's what is sounded like to me) who works for the Department of Agriculture and shared with us some of the experimental farming techniques they are experimenting with. It all sounds very interesting and quite progressive.
Next, what we were all looking forward to - meeting the children. Oh my, they are so precious and so polite and so heartbreaking! When you look into their eyes, it feels like you are looking into their very souls and you want to pull everyone of them into your arms and just make everything okay. Unfortunately, life is just not that simple. I took pictures of them and hugged everyone I could possibly get my hands on and then decided we would just do a great big group hug or huggle as our family calls it. Some of them laughed and some just smiled shy smiles and some held my hand and many of them hugged me. I left feeling sad and happy at the same time and so grateful to just be here!
We came home to a delicious lunch of kontumerie stew. This is a mixture of kontumerie, a leafy spinach type vegetable, tomatoes, tuna and a variety of spices. This was served with yams which taste like a cross between our sweet potatoes and white potatoes. Really, really good - my favorite food yet!
After eating that wonderful lunch, we went to the Dump. Never in my life have I even imagined the sights I saw today. Our fellow human beings living in conditions that I never knew existed. Yes, I've seen pictures of this dump and other dumps around the world but as we all know, seeing pictures and seeing real flesh and blood people are two vastly different experiences. My heart literally ached and I felt nauseous as I walked around. Their homes are made of whatever they can find, cardboard, pieces of wood, garbage bags, sheets of plastic and pretty much anything else you would find at a garbage dump. The smells will forever be with me - the smell of poverty and filth and hunger and heartache. The images are burned in my mind and in my heart - the images of poverty and filth and hunger and hopelessness! I pray I will never forget today.
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May all of us who read this be reminded of the great need to look beyond ourselves and see the world as Jesus does, then follow His example and do something about it.
This is a lot like what I have been reading about in Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan. He talks a lot about - not what Jesus suggests we do - but what he TELLS us to do to help and support our fellow human beings. America was not given the gifts we have to buy pontoon boats and $500 purses. We were given our gifts to help others who are in need! I'm so thankful you were able to go on this trip Becky. Love you! -Ashley S.
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