Adjusting to My New Life

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This city girl is starting to adjust to life in Ghana. The weather has been great! I have always been here before during the dry season when it is incredibility hot. So, the cool days have been a pleasant surprise.

My biggest problem I have encountered is the rooster that always seems to be crowing in the wee hours of the morning, waking me up. If anyone knows a trick to keep him quiet until 7:00, I would be forever in your debt. However, it brings me back to the days that my brother and I would be awakened by our mother doing a rooster call, which she had mastered over the years of waking us sleepy heads out of bed. I learned to hate the rooster call, and to this day it is like nails on a chalkboard to me.

New Family, New Experiences

I’m temporarily staying in a guest room at the home of Pastor Sammy, his wife, Grace, and their kids in town. Grace and Sammy have been absolutely great and are always spoiling me.

Alberta, Pastor Sammy and Grace's daughter, enjoys watching videos I brought like Cinderella.

I have also been at the center of their laughs as I encounter their culture. Like the other day, we went to the market to get some meat. At the market, the meat sits out in the sun with flies swarming all around. I began wondering if you took a culture of the plywood that he was using as a cutting board, what the culture would grow.

Then, if that wasn’t enough, we stopped by the butcher to have a guinea killed and butchered. This butcher can take care of anything, from a bird to a cow. While waiting, I started to take in the surroundings; big mistake—I should have never looked around. My already-queasy stomach started to roll as I saw the process of them killing and butchering goats. I had this strong urge to jump out of the truck and rescue the poor sheep that was tied to the tree, baaing for its life. Sammy and Grace, laughing at me, had to put the icing on the cake and tell me they also butcher dogs there. Needless to say, I lost my appetite for the day and questioned if it was time to become a vegan.

Transportation

I’m learning to be flexible. The truck broke down one day, which meant I got to ride on the back of the motorcycle. Sammy was nice enough to give me a helmet, and I held on to the back of the bike for dear life. It ended up not being too bad of an experience, but once was enough for that day. We thought at first it was simply a battery issue, but we’re not sure yet.

The World Mission Board is in the process of providing a vehicle for my own use, which will come in handy.

Me with some of the village children.

Looking Ahead

In the next few weeks, I will be busy trying to get my residency papers, which requires me to travel to Accra. So, pray that during this process everything goes quickly and smoothly. Also, I will be getting my driver’s license. I feel like I’m 14, learning how to drive all over again, except that all those rules we have in the US are useless here. Here it is every man for himself.

In September, I will move to Nalerigu to begin a three-month internship at the Baptist Medical Centre there. Four World Mission representatives visited Ghana for about 10 days, and we were all able to travel to Nalerigu and meet the great people working there. I am looking forward to learning more about medicine in Ghana.

God has been providing in just the last few weeks. For example, Sophia, a nursing student, is interested in working with me, starting in January. She can serve as translator, and with her medical background she will be a great resource.

God is working here, and the doors are opening for other ministry opportunities. I look forward to sharing more about those in the future.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.