(Craig writes) We had a great CNP in September with 7 of our 8 grandchildren able to attend the annual Camp NanaPapa. The theme this year was "The Swiss Family Robinson" with stories from the book, decorations with an island theme, food with strange names (snake eggs, frog eyes, live wiggly worms, dried ants and jungle juice - a.k.a. frozen grapes, garden peas, hotdog strips, raisins and lemonade/tea punch) as well as building a treehouse. The treehouse was actually more in between and around trees rather than actually being built up in one thanks to the engineering skills of Papa and his desire not to harm any live trees in the backyard. Tom and Ashlea also brought the bouncy house for us to use during camp week so the cousin campers had plenty to do outside. Each of the children got a chance to hammer some nails and put in some screws while building the treehouse but Addie seemed a bit more interested than the others in drilling holes and putting the wood together. She also wrote and directed a play, "The Red Headed Cousin" that all 8 grandchildren (with a guest appearance by Nadia) presented to Baba, Laura, Amy, Rita, Becky and me.
Becky is already making plans for next year and is considering making it a "Little House on the Prairie" theme complete with native american crafts, a visit by a real horse to ride around the yard, authentic food (gluten free of course)...you get the picture. The treehouse will probably be converted to a "prairie soddy" or suitable housing to afford as realistic imagining as possible as the children hear the "little House" stories read.
On another front, Becky and I were given gift certificates by our children for kayaking tours for our 40th wedding anniversary and we are looking forward to using them in the very near future!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Thanks for the memories...
(Craig writes) Our 40th wedding anniversary party was a blast. About 90 of our family and close friends were able to join in the fun with us. Seeing so many familiar smiling faces at one time brought back many memories of life events that span over our 40+ years together. Many conversations of "remember when we..." followed by laughter punctuated the evening. One of the major highlights for me was when our children shared a few words with us on their reflections of being parented and loved by us over the years. Wow, between Bec and God we ended up with a truly wonderful family! Thanks God and Becky for a wonderful life, and thanks for the meaningful memories that have made it a full one.
The next phase of our lives together continues and I am excited about what God will do with us as we continue our journey down "the road less traveled."
The next phase of our lives together continues and I am excited about what God will do with us as we continue our journey down "the road less traveled."
Saturday, September 10, 2011
40 Years Of Wedded Bliss! (mostly...)
(Craig writes) Today is the day of our 40th wedding anniversary party and to say we are excited would be an understatement! More like uber excited, stoked out excited, wildly excited - you get the picture. We recently had a photo book made and entitled it "From 2 to 16" based on the 2 of us starting out 40 years ago and how our family has grown to 16 today. When you think of family and building relationships the fact that we are all really a mosaic of who we choose to let into our lives becomes refreshingly clear. The statement "no man is an island" becomes more meaningful the older I get. We will have a plethora of folks celebrating with us tonight from many aspects and times of our lives. Like it or not, if you are reading this you have had some input into the couple you are partying with tonight (feel free to claim only the good parts as your addition to our makeup)! So to all of you who knew us, know us or will know us in the future, thanks for your addition to our lives. We wouldn't want it any other way!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
That was a fast year!
(Craig writes) - Well it is now 2011 and I didn't record anything here from 2010. Seems like good intentions don't always work out like you envision them. One of the many notable things that happened in 2010 was that Becky was able to complete her Doula Certification with D.O.N.A. and help bring several new babies into the world! She loves doing this and is really making an impact on the families she has helped/is helping. We will also be celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary this year and decided to make it a year long celebration by doing special things together all year long. Since I had to be in Florida for a business meeting in January we started our year of celebration by spending a few extra days enjoying the warmth of Florida together. Becky even ran in the Disney World 5K and received a medal while we were there. This January has seemed colder than normal for us and we had a lot of snow and ice to chill things down even more. We both have mentioned that the older we get the better warm sunny Florida looks, but would probably settle for someplace along the Carolina's Coastline as that would be closer to our wonderful family! The LifeNet dream continues to unfold as Peace Community Church became the first new church to grow out of it. Seems like the housechurch momentum is picking up again...yeah! I wonder if I will do a better job at recording snippets of our lives in 2011?
Monday, February 1, 2010
Happy New Year!
2010 finds us with 8 grandchildren now! Wow...and to think it all started back in 1967 when Becky woke Craig up on the high school band bus to see if he was really asleep and did he want to talk, (I was asleep but I woke up to talk)! The rest of the story to follow...
Friday, July 24, 2009
Reflections on Ghana, West Africa
Each day of our life, actually each moment of our life, is a stepping stone for how we live the moments or days or even years to come. But some moments, some days seem to have a more dramatic effect than others. My Ghana experience will definitely have a profound affect on the rest of my life. I pray I will be able to use the things I have seen and experienced to effect my own life and the lives of my family and friends. To help all of us have a different, perhaps new, perspective on life. To help me know how to live my life in the coming days and months and years.
It has been a couple of days now since I left Ghana and returned to my home here in South Carolina. Trying to re-enter society as we know it here in the USA can be somewhat of a challenge. I’ve written before about the confusion I am conflicted with regarding why I have and others don’t. Being in Africa just makes this issue more intense for me. There are also the physical issues of body clocks and getting readjusted to time changes. I can’t seem to sleep past 3:00am but then can’t stay awake during the day J Some of these issues, I want to adjust to. I would like to sleep again. Others, I don’t want to forget.
As Delta Flight 167 lifted off in Accra, I felt a surge of emotions, such a confusion of feelings. I’m ecstatic to be going home, to feel Craig’s arms around me, to feel the hugs and kisses of my precious children and grandchildren. I missed them all so much and yet, I feel a certain degree of sadness too. Sadness at being able to do so little. Sadness at having met so many precious little children who don’t have clean water, or enough food or adequate healthcare. Sadness that I don’t know more about them. Do they have someone to love them? To tell them they are special? To tell them they can grow up and make a difference? Sadness at leaving the new friends I’ve made. Sadness that life is just so hard.
Flying along at 33,000 feet in a 767 at over 500 mph, listening to Natalie King Cole’s beautiful voice, having been served a meal with more food than I could possibly eat, seemed so completely surreal. I couldn’t put the food in my mouth without the images of the people in the Airport Section of the Tema Dump haunting my mind. It’s tragic and unbelievable that people depend on the leftovers from these flights for survival.
I’m home now and I’m thrilled to be home with my incredibly wonderful husband and loving family. I lay down to sleep and my sleep is full of dreams of Africa. I revisit those 14 days over and over in my sleep. I hear the words of my new friends, I hear the beautiful harmony of their voices raised in praise, I see the poverty and I see their smiles. And when I am awake, I think. What happens now? What do I do with all this? Where do I go from here? And then I talk. My family listens and cares. My family wants to help me process all of this. We talk about where we go from here. How can we help? What can we do? And then we pray. We pray for wisdom. We pray that God will show us our next steps. We pray that God will send others to join in our prayers for the people of Ghana. Will you?
Sometimes it is hard to realize just how much difference a little can make. Did you know that $52.00 per year will allow a child living in the Tema dump to attend school? This is only $1.00 per week!!! This allows that child to have a meal each day, to learn to read and write, to learn math skills, to have a chance to one day make a positive difference in the world around them. Did you know that $35.00 will pay monthly rent for a pastor and his family in the town of Kpeve? So little for us makes so much difference for them.
I wrote about responsibility one day last week. The fact that knowledge makes us responsible. I know and now I am responsible. What about you?
It has been a couple of days now since I left Ghana and returned to my home here in South Carolina. Trying to re-enter society as we know it here in the USA can be somewhat of a challenge. I’ve written before about the confusion I am conflicted with regarding why I have and others don’t. Being in Africa just makes this issue more intense for me. There are also the physical issues of body clocks and getting readjusted to time changes. I can’t seem to sleep past 3:00am but then can’t stay awake during the day J Some of these issues, I want to adjust to. I would like to sleep again. Others, I don’t want to forget.
As Delta Flight 167 lifted off in Accra, I felt a surge of emotions, such a confusion of feelings. I’m ecstatic to be going home, to feel Craig’s arms around me, to feel the hugs and kisses of my precious children and grandchildren. I missed them all so much and yet, I feel a certain degree of sadness too. Sadness at being able to do so little. Sadness at having met so many precious little children who don’t have clean water, or enough food or adequate healthcare. Sadness that I don’t know more about them. Do they have someone to love them? To tell them they are special? To tell them they can grow up and make a difference? Sadness at leaving the new friends I’ve made. Sadness that life is just so hard.
Flying along at 33,000 feet in a 767 at over 500 mph, listening to Natalie King Cole’s beautiful voice, having been served a meal with more food than I could possibly eat, seemed so completely surreal. I couldn’t put the food in my mouth without the images of the people in the Airport Section of the Tema Dump haunting my mind. It’s tragic and unbelievable that people depend on the leftovers from these flights for survival.
I’m home now and I’m thrilled to be home with my incredibly wonderful husband and loving family. I lay down to sleep and my sleep is full of dreams of Africa. I revisit those 14 days over and over in my sleep. I hear the words of my new friends, I hear the beautiful harmony of their voices raised in praise, I see the poverty and I see their smiles. And when I am awake, I think. What happens now? What do I do with all this? Where do I go from here? And then I talk. My family listens and cares. My family wants to help me process all of this. We talk about where we go from here. How can we help? What can we do? And then we pray. We pray for wisdom. We pray that God will show us our next steps. We pray that God will send others to join in our prayers for the people of Ghana. Will you?
Sometimes it is hard to realize just how much difference a little can make. Did you know that $52.00 per year will allow a child living in the Tema dump to attend school? This is only $1.00 per week!!! This allows that child to have a meal each day, to learn to read and write, to learn math skills, to have a chance to one day make a positive difference in the world around them. Did you know that $35.00 will pay monthly rent for a pastor and his family in the town of Kpeve? So little for us makes so much difference for them.
I wrote about responsibility one day last week. The fact that knowledge makes us responsible. I know and now I am responsible. What about you?
Sunday, July 19, 2009
African Mission
Monday -
We began our drive toward the Volta Region heading northwest from Tema. The traffic is unbelievable all the time here. Every road is lined in tents and huts with people selling everything imaginable. If they don't have a building for their business, they carry it around on their head. I have seen boiled peanuts (loose), bananas, banana chips, boiled eggs, loaves of bread and sodas being sold from the heads of vendors and this is only a few of the things I saw. Along side the road, you can buy or rent about anything you can possibly think of. You can rent a dump truck, a back hoe or other industrial equipment. The operators just sit in the equipment, you go to them and contract with them on the spot. I saw doors and windows, braids, pots and pans, irons, microwaves, refrigerators, mattresses, newspapers, maps of Ghana and even toilet paper for sale by vendors on the streets. I filled two pages in a notebook with items we saw for sale. Quite interesting.
Labo Labo was our first village stop on Monday. This little village was really prepared to greet us. They set up our meet and greet in a shaded area behind the school. After we exited the van, the children were released to greet us and I can truthfully say I have never been greeted in such manner. They ran across the school yard toward us singing and waving their hands, yelling "akwanna, akwanna"(welcome, welcome). Some of the children had paper airplanes that they sailed into the air. It was quite a greeting!
The people had gone to so much trouble to prepare for us - it was very touching.
That night we attended Pastor John Johnson's church in Kpeve, a small town about an hours drive from Labo. This little church was so refreshing. They have recently made some improvements to their building. It has a roof and door and they also have a new set of drums! The building is small and the walls go about 6 feet up with an opening between the top of the wall and the roof. They have done a lot of hard work on this and would like to put some screening up to keep the mosquitoes out. At this time, they are saving the money for this project. It was a wonderful experience worshiping with them.
We spent Monday night in a hotel in Ho. The hotel was clean and nice. The bed was extremely comfortable and I was very thankful for a good night's sleep. The day was very tiring with a lot of driving and bumping around in very crowded conditions. We have so much fun though even under those conditions - lots of singing, laughing and just enjoying each other.
Tuesday -
Today we will begin installation on the 2nd purification system in the village of Adigbo Torno. This village has a large body of water nearby but it has a parasite that causes Schistosomiasis (one of the symptoms is blood in the urine) and many of the villages are suffering from this. We spent all day here, working on the system, visiting with the villagers and playing with their children. A little girl named Esther and I became very good friends! She sat in my lap for a long time and demonstrated her dancing abilities for us. Very impressive, I might add! (For all you facebookers, she is my profile pic today).
We left there after dark and had a long drive to our next village, Alovanyo. We drove a couple of hours, turned off the paved road and onto a dirt road/path and drove (or perhaps I should say bounced) for 30 minutes into the village. They were expecting us for a worship service which took place far back in the bush under a palm canopy. Ben drove us as far as the van could make it into the village and then we got out and walked. It was really dark and a long walk through the village and down a dark, rocky path. This was my favorite worship experience of the trip. Their drums and shakers were the only instruments and their dancing and singing was out of this world.
We arrived at the guest house back in the village about midnight, very tired and ready for some much needed sleep!
Wednesday -
Upon waking this morning, we discovered the beauty that surrounded the house! Mango trees, pineapples, corn, plantain and bananas were everywhere and a gorgeous view. We were invited to a "meet and greet" with the Chief and his elders. As we walked up to the meeting place, I heard the call of the drums. They were signaling a village meeting! What a beautiful, soulful sound.
We left Alovanyo and headed to Logba Tota! Logba Tota is high on a mountaintop and is the village of Chief Takyi who has taken care of us everyday since arriving in Ghana! He has a 3 bedroom guest home that we stayed in. The views are magnificent from the wrap around porch on the house. It was a nice relaxing afternoon, sitting and visiting with all our team.
Thursday -
Today was our return to Tema day. On our way, we stopped at Adigbo Torno to check on the purifier and it was working perfectly. We were all so thrilled - it was a great moment! Even better is seeing the excitement of the villagers! The smiles on their faces and knowing that we could help in this way is just wonderful! And to top it all, I got to see Esther again!
It was a long hard road this week. I've been through so many different emotions as we go from village to village. I go from being completely exhausted to a burst of energy, from feeling terribly sad to complete exhilaration, and pretty much everything in between. This has been a week I wouldn't trade for anything.
We began our drive toward the Volta Region heading northwest from Tema. The traffic is unbelievable all the time here. Every road is lined in tents and huts with people selling everything imaginable. If they don't have a building for their business, they carry it around on their head. I have seen boiled peanuts (loose), bananas, banana chips, boiled eggs, loaves of bread and sodas being sold from the heads of vendors and this is only a few of the things I saw. Along side the road, you can buy or rent about anything you can possibly think of. You can rent a dump truck, a back hoe or other industrial equipment. The operators just sit in the equipment, you go to them and contract with them on the spot. I saw doors and windows, braids, pots and pans, irons, microwaves, refrigerators, mattresses, newspapers, maps of Ghana and even toilet paper for sale by vendors on the streets. I filled two pages in a notebook with items we saw for sale. Quite interesting.
Labo Labo was our first village stop on Monday. This little village was really prepared to greet us. They set up our meet and greet in a shaded area behind the school. After we exited the van, the children were released to greet us and I can truthfully say I have never been greeted in such manner. They ran across the school yard toward us singing and waving their hands, yelling "akwanna, akwanna"(welcome, welcome). Some of the children had paper airplanes that they sailed into the air. It was quite a greeting!
The people had gone to so much trouble to prepare for us - it was very touching.
That night we attended Pastor John Johnson's church in Kpeve, a small town about an hours drive from Labo. This little church was so refreshing. They have recently made some improvements to their building. It has a roof and door and they also have a new set of drums! The building is small and the walls go about 6 feet up with an opening between the top of the wall and the roof. They have done a lot of hard work on this and would like to put some screening up to keep the mosquitoes out. At this time, they are saving the money for this project. It was a wonderful experience worshiping with them.
We spent Monday night in a hotel in Ho. The hotel was clean and nice. The bed was extremely comfortable and I was very thankful for a good night's sleep. The day was very tiring with a lot of driving and bumping around in very crowded conditions. We have so much fun though even under those conditions - lots of singing, laughing and just enjoying each other.
Tuesday -
Today we will begin installation on the 2nd purification system in the village of Adigbo Torno. This village has a large body of water nearby but it has a parasite that causes Schistosomiasis (one of the symptoms is blood in the urine) and many of the villages are suffering from this. We spent all day here, working on the system, visiting with the villagers and playing with their children. A little girl named Esther and I became very good friends! She sat in my lap for a long time and demonstrated her dancing abilities for us. Very impressive, I might add! (For all you facebookers, she is my profile pic today).
We left there after dark and had a long drive to our next village, Alovanyo. We drove a couple of hours, turned off the paved road and onto a dirt road/path and drove (or perhaps I should say bounced) for 30 minutes into the village. They were expecting us for a worship service which took place far back in the bush under a palm canopy. Ben drove us as far as the van could make it into the village and then we got out and walked. It was really dark and a long walk through the village and down a dark, rocky path. This was my favorite worship experience of the trip. Their drums and shakers were the only instruments and their dancing and singing was out of this world.
We arrived at the guest house back in the village about midnight, very tired and ready for some much needed sleep!
Wednesday -
Upon waking this morning, we discovered the beauty that surrounded the house! Mango trees, pineapples, corn, plantain and bananas were everywhere and a gorgeous view. We were invited to a "meet and greet" with the Chief and his elders. As we walked up to the meeting place, I heard the call of the drums. They were signaling a village meeting! What a beautiful, soulful sound.
We left Alovanyo and headed to Logba Tota! Logba Tota is high on a mountaintop and is the village of Chief Takyi who has taken care of us everyday since arriving in Ghana! He has a 3 bedroom guest home that we stayed in. The views are magnificent from the wrap around porch on the house. It was a nice relaxing afternoon, sitting and visiting with all our team.
Thursday -
Today was our return to Tema day. On our way, we stopped at Adigbo Torno to check on the purifier and it was working perfectly. We were all so thrilled - it was a great moment! Even better is seeing the excitement of the villagers! The smiles on their faces and knowing that we could help in this way is just wonderful! And to top it all, I got to see Esther again!
It was a long hard road this week. I've been through so many different emotions as we go from village to village. I go from being completely exhausted to a burst of energy, from feeling terribly sad to complete exhilaration, and pretty much everything in between. This has been a week I wouldn't trade for anything.
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