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Then June and I would be invited to
say anything that was on our hearts. On the first morning we went to worship
the Lord gave me a word for them about “how blessed they are. How they may
not have a lot of material things, but the Lord has blessed them to be rooted
and grounded spiritually, and to be raised in the Lord surrounded by ‘family’
who love them. How even though many youth in America have ‘things’ many of them
don’t have God, and that He is more important than things.” During another
morning worship, the Lord told me to tell them “to look forward to each day
with great expectation. To look for the Lord to do something new, reveal
Himself afresh – in this day and each day.” Then another word that really
sticks out for me was one morning the Spirit of the Lord was so heavy on me and
He told me to tell them that “even though volunteers come from different
places and help out in different ways, if they bring anything other that the
truth of the living God to reject it”. In other words, they were to
“keep the good and throw out the bad”. Many volunteers who come there are
not born-again and do not know the Lord. He also told me to tell the children
that “they could be used to help bring salvation to the volunteers who do not
know Him”. He gave me the illustration of the woman at the well to share
with them. Just as she went to the well just to get water (so she thought), she
had an encounter with Jesus and left with so much more. The Lord said “the
same thing would happen when these volunteers come. Although they think
they are coming to help out, they could have an encounter with Jesus and leave
with so much more (eternal life)”. I told the children to not be afraid to
share their faith with the volunteers even though they are children, and that
the Lord would use them to be a blessing to others.
After worship we would usually help bathe, dress and feed infants and toddlers.
Some mornings I would sit and talk to Mommy (the founder of the orphanage) about
the facility, as we got the children up and dressed. After this we would
usually head back to our room which was down the road at a guest house and
restaurant called Winters. Mommy decided to separate us from the other
volunteers that were from Germany. This indeed was favor and the wisdom of
God. We walked in Divine favor the entire time we were there. God’s hand was
on the mission’s trip from the start.
Back at our room we would have
breakfast. My newly “adopted” son Michael Takyi (age 18) was assigned to bring
us our meals. You talk about a well-manner young man. He was such a blessing.
Not only did he bring our meals three times a day, but he would set everything
up on the table and clean up afterward. At one point, June and I laughed to
ourselves and said we were going to bring him home and tell our children to
“watch and observe Michael and do what he does”. Michael also showed us around
Bawjiase taking us to the market and to a couple of dressmakers (yes, we had a
few outfits made).
After breakfast we would usually go
back up to the orphanage to help out in any way needed. We usually had the
“Life Skills and Sexual Purity” class from 11:00 – 1:00 although the hours
changed a couple of days.
Classes were GREAT. The ages
ranged from 12 and up. There were quite a few young adults between the 16-22
age group. That made it extra special. Even our new “adopted” daughters
Benedicta (age 18) and Yaaba (age 24) came to each class. They are teachers at
the school of the orphanage. There were many young men in this age group also.
I love the fact that they were attentive, and gave excellent answers to the
questions presented in the curriculum. I truly believe that they were blessed
and empowered to stand strong in purity, to grow in the Lord, and to be the best
person that they can possibly be by these teachings. They were instructed over
and over that they only have one life and to live it well – just as Joseph did.
After class we would go back to our
room and have lunch. The food was delicious, but the first week it was going
right through me. I later learned from my seatmate on the flight back home,
that eating the Palm Nut Soup can have that effect on you – and I at a lot of
it. I ate Fu-Fu, Banku, Palm Nut Soup, Ground Nut Soup, Red-Red with sauce and
Gari, Fish, Omelettes, Crepes (like pancakes), etc. Everything was good to
me!!!
After lunch we would go back up to
the orphanage and I would usually play. Yes, I am still a kid at heart. We
would play volleyball or table tennis with the older kids and they are good. I
think everybody except maybe one person beat me in table tennis, and I had
always though I was pretty good. Sometimes I would play jump rope or a card
game with the younger kids, or just hang around and talk with them. I even
taught them dodge ball and they loved it. They picked it up quickly even
throwing the ball in the air to the other thrower to get people out quicker. We
were playing dodge ball with a soccer ball (that’s what they love playing –
football as they call it). While playing dodge ball someone hit me in the head
to get me out and I felt my brains rattle inside my head.
After this free time, we would then
go back to our room for dinner. After which we would go back to the orphanage
(yes, we did a lot of walking up and down that hill) and have evening worship.
After worship we would either watch a movie or help the kids get settled in for
bed. For the movie, they would bring out the television and have “community
movie night” were everyone sits around watching this one television. They love
watching “Nigerian movies”. It was interesting helping them get ready for bed
because unfortunately there really is no adult supervision. Mr Osei, their gift
from God and guardian angel, does what he can, but he is only one person. Mommy
wants to hire another “mother” to supervise these kids, but funds are low. The
children know to sweep the floor (with the little short broom) and then put the
little mattresses on the floor. They do have a few bunk beds, but the younger
kids (ages 7-13) like putting the mattresses on the floor and making one big
bed.
The last day of class, which was
also our last day at the orphanage, we had a closing ceremony where we presented
Be Whole certificates, wristbands and purity pledge cards to the students in the
Life Skills and Sexual Purity class. (Please see video #’s 558 and 564 on our
website). It was wonderful. The orphanage also presented June and I
certificates for our volunteer service. We then had closing prayer where June
and I prayed with the laying on of hands over the children. Of course tears
began to flow. It was hard saying goodbye to them, but the thing that helped
was knowing that the Lord brought us together and that we would see them again.
A couple of funny things that
happened. June and I had to wash our clothes (by hand). O.K., I admit this was
not something that I was used to or from what I can remember, had ever done.
June was a lot better at it than I was. She had done it previously in Trinidad,
but my pampered American self had never done it. The girls were laughing at me
and trying to show me the proper way to do it, but I ended up rubbing clothes
together to get them clean. Washing clothes by hand is hard work!!! Also
getting water from the well and carrying it (on my head) was a new adventure.
I’d never gotten water from a well before. June dropped the bucket into the
well. The children used a long pole to retrieve it. These children are so
strong and skilled at what they do. That bucket of water on your head is heavy
and they were carrying it with no problem and they were much smaller than me.
I remember the first day of class
when we carried the curriculum booklets from our room to the library at the
orphanage. I put my stack on my head (yes, I practiced putting everything I had
to carry on my head trying to get the hang of it). I was trying to balance it
with one hand but it was not easy. When we got to the road where the orphanage
is, two girls came running up to us to help us. One of the girls took my stack
and put it on her head and carried it hands free!!! This was a big stack of
curriculums (about 30 books) and she was only about 13 or 14. What skill.
The most difficult thing we had to
get used to were those “cold water bucket baths”. Yes, “cold water bucket
baths”. You see, we had NO RUNNING WATER. None in the whole town. The water
ran out of the facet twice while we were there (one day each week). Therefore,
the young men would fill up a couple of big trash cans (clean of course) so we
could have a supply. We had a bucket to dip into the trash can and a cup to dip
into the bucket. I got the hang of it after a couple of days. It was not easy
though waking up a little after 4:00 a.m. and pouring that cold well water over
yourself. After those first couple of pours (down the front and down the back)
you wake up quickly. This is also how we flushed the toilet. Pouring a bucket
of water into the back of the toilet and then flushing it. This water thing was
TRULY a learning experience for me. Especially since I have a tendency to just
waste water and let it run when I’m showering or fill the tub to almost overflow
when taking a bath at home. I have a new found appreciation and respect for
water and for people all over the world who have to endure these and even worse
water situations.
Two things that bothered me:
(1) Lack of Black volunteers; and (2) Lack of Christian volunteers. Something
is wrong when the world is doing more to help than the church.
Things I learned: We don’t
need all the “stuff” we think we need. We accumulate a lot of “stuff” that we
really don’t need and can certainly do without. Do we have lust issues
according to 1 John 2:15-17. v.16 “For all that is in the world, the lust of
the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the
Father, but is of the world.”
All in all this was truly a move of
God from start to finish and I thank and praise Him for this wonderful
opportunity. I believe the Lord led us there to be a blessing to Country-Side
Orphanage not only for that trip but ongoing as well.
I thank God for all that I learned
and experienced on this trip.
TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY!!!
-Rev. Renee Keck
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