In GA

I flew into Atlanta Ga yesterday for training with Adventures in Missions or AIM.

I am working with them for the summer and leading mission trips with high schoolers. There are three other interns with me Sara, Melissa, and Doug. Our project leaders are Marcus and Cathy and they have a 6 month old little girl. (I am excited for that) :)

We will be in GA for a week finishing training and helping out. Then our team is driving to Philly, yes even with the baby. Hopefully we will stop in DC for a night. We will start driving on June 1st.

Training has been great. We are living in a cabin with bunk beds three high with a total of 36 beds! There is not electricity and we have to use out houses. No big.. I just got back from Ghana :)

I'll keep you posted on what is going on.

Summer Plans

I got an internship with Adventures in Missions.

I will be living in Philadelphia and leading high school mission trips all summer. I will be working with the homeless, people with adictions, and a children's ministry. There are three other interns with me and all four of us will be living in an apartment in Philly.

It will be a different summer (not working with kids with specail needs) but this is where the Lord has lead me. And I am excited.

Graduation

I am done, finished, through - I graduated!

Wow - It is hard to believe I finished college already. Those four years really went by fast but I was able to cram as much as I could into those four crazy years. I will remember it forever.

I graduated :)

Teaching Video

I made a video for class about my view of teaching. It is video and pictures of my students during my whole student teaching experience. Enjoy

Lordy

Lordy is a teacher at the Wa School for the Blind. She went to the university and graduated about 2 years ago. Lordy was lucky to find a job at the school. She is the homeroom teacher for the P6 class. The students love their teacher and Lordy loves her students.

She is about 23 years old. After college she got married and moved from her village to the city of Wa. Her husband is currently in school for his job and is gone down south during the week. Lordy is lucky if she is able to see him on the weekends.

After being married for a year Lordy and her husband has a son named Jackson. Ghanaians pronounce his name as Yackson. He is 6 months old and very cute. Yackson comes to work with his mom every day.

Lordy grew up Catholic but I do not know if she believes that Jesus died for our sins so we can go to heaven. She does not attend church but instead watches it at home on her TV. After school and on the weekends she loves to watch TV.
Lordy and I became good friends over the 10 weeks I was in Ghana. She showed me the good placed to buy fabric and made me many different Ghanaian dishes. Lordy has just moved to Wa this school year and I had was very new to Wa. She understood how hard being new person could be and she helped me out a lot. Lordy is a great friend.

Fuseini

Fuseini is 19 years old and is in P5. He is the captain of his class which means he has the duties of making sure his classmates do their homework, collecting papers, making sure the class is clean and communicating between the class and the teacher.

Fuseini is from a small village in the Upper East. Most of the people in his village are Muslim and Fuseini himself says he is a Muslim. The Upper East, including Fuseini’s village, is at civil war and is often dangerous to travel there.

He was caught making out with a girl (another student) and was reprimanded for it but it was kept between me and two other teachers. He is a teenage boy.

Fuseini has sight and if he has the opportunity to get glasses he could see normally. But if he had glasses he would have to stay at his village and work. Since he is considered blind he has the opportunity to get an education.

When I asked Fuseini what he wanted to be when he grew up, he told me a pastor. I then asked how he can be a Muslim and a Christian pastor at the same time. He was not sure but knew he wanted to be a Christian pastor. His favorite verse is Luke 22:33, ‘But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”’ A powerful verse.

Fuseini is very shy but some what of a jock at the school. He was elected as the sports prefect of the school by the staff.

He has a lot going for him and hopes to graduate from the school in 2014 to go to secondary school, then to college and then become a pastor.

Pictures: Fuseini is in the black shirt working on a math assignment. He is excited after the radio station.

Russell Family

The Russells were missionaries in Wa for the last five years. God led them to Wa and gave them the opportunity be a light for Him. During their time in Wa they helped many churches start, lead many people to Christ and helped out around the community. The Russells have a passion to work with the unreached, specifically the Muslim population in a poverty stricken area. That is just what Wa, Ghana is or rather was.

After five years it is evident that God has used the Russells to show how great our God truly is. Although Wa is still majority Muslim, there is a great increase of Christ followers. Churches are being planted all over the city as well as the surrounding areas. It is clear that the Russells have done what the Lord called them to do in Wa. They are now moving back to America.

Returning back to America is not easy task after living in another country for five years. Much change has occurred not only with the Russells but with family, friends, churches, and culture. The Russells now have a 10 year old, 5 year old and a baby on the way. Issac and Rachel will be going to school. Bess, mother, will be having a new baby. John, father, is looking for a pastoral job. The whole family is just awaiting new things such as a house, car, food, clothes, aspect of time, friends and culture.

I can only imagine how hard it was to leave Wa. Leave their friends, churches, belongings, Lizzy (their nanny), Abu (security/house helper), dogs, house, and so many memories. They know the Lord is going before them and they have complete trust that he will provide and that this is the right thing to do.

It is Sunday, April 25, 2010 and they are currently on a plane to America. If you can be praying for the Russell family and the transition they are going through that would be great.

Pictures:
Bess is doing some medical care in a village
Rachel and Issac with Lizzy
John praying over a church building in a village near Wa

Ajara

Ajara is about 19 years old and is in P5. Ajara is totally blind but she does not let that stop her from just loving life. She is always smiling and is always willing to talk with you. She tries very hard in school, even when it does not come very easily to her.

When she grows up she wants to be a singer. Ajara sings in the school choir. She has a great voice and will sing whenever she gets a chance. Often times she will just start singing during afternoon class just to give everyone a little break.

Ajara is a great example to all of her classmates. It is evident that she loves the Lord. She might not ask questions but she does attend bible study every week. Ajara is just has a wonderful heart.

Razak

Razak is 19 years old and is in P5. He is a very intelligent young man and school often comes very easy to him. He likes to learn but does not always like to do extra work outside of class. He is a very good student and answers questions but in Ghanaian standards he would probably be considered the class clown. I would just say he is an average teenage boy.

Other than the fact that Razak lives in Ghana he is still a teenage boy. He strives on the social aspect of school and has a lot of friends. Sports are a big deal to him and he is often found playing football (soccer) or goal ball. Razak loves to talk to his friends that are girls but according the school rules he is not suppose to have a girl friend.

Razak is from a small village in the Upper East Region. There is some civil war going on between his village and a few neighboring villages. Most of the people in Razak’s village are Muslim and he says that he is a Muslim. It seems to be more of a title, or heritage, rather than a religion to Razak. He sings in the school choir and says that when he grows up he wants to be a Christian worship leader. Occasionally he will say he is a Christian and even has a Christian ring. But he will never ‘slip up’ and say he is a Christian in front of a Muslim leader or teacher.

If Razak had glasses he would be able to see clearly but his family does not have enough money to pay for him to have glasses. If Razak was able to get glasses, and be able to see, he would have to stay home and help out the family. Since he is considered blind he has an opportunity to get an education. Even though Razak would really like to see clearly, he really enjoys getting an education because he knows how valuable it will be to him later in life.

Razak is the one looking at the camera.

Benidicta

Benidicta is about 15 years old and is in P6. She is a very bright student and loves to learn. She is in the school choir and has a beautiful voice.

With her wonderful voice she sings to praise Jesus. She is involved with the student lead worship. The students set up a time to pray and sing on their own and she is on the leading rotation. Benidicta announces what to pray for and starts off each prayer and then everyone prays at the same time. She is a great leader.

It is very evident that she loves the Lord but there is much spiritual warfare where she lives. The week I left her grandmother was taken to the hospital down south. She could not go home to see her family because she lives too far away. If Benidicta left she probably would not have enough money to get back for the rest of the term.

There is much going on at home but she continues to praise our Lord Jesus Christ for all He has blessed her with.

Missions Organziations

It was great to go and see what the Awana clubs were like in Ghana. If you have ever been to Awana before, well let me tell you, it is pretty much exactly the same but outside. It is pretty cool how cross cultural Awana is. They have hand book time, where they memorize verses. They have council time, where they have a lesson or a story. And you can not forget game time where they have all the same crazy Awana games as in America.

Before I left for Ghana I applied at Awana International to go to Africa and help start Awana clubs. While I was in Ghana I received an email stating I was accepted as a missionary candidate and they gave me three countries I could go to. I was very excited and have been praying about it.

Last week I went to the office to discuss a little further about what I would be doing. After talking with many people at Awana, other missionaries and Jesus I have politely turned down the job offer. I do not feel God is calling me to be a missionary for Awana International.

I am currently looking into three different mission organizations: International Teams, Africa Inland Missions, and Serve in Missions. I have had a little communication with each organization. I have filled out an application at ITeams and information forms at the other two.

So far these are the organizations that work with children with special needs and are willing to have to be a missionary for them. I am still praying and have set up interviews with each organization next week. My hope is that during the interviews God will tell me which origination He wants me to go with.

I will keep you updated on where the Lord is leading me.

Communication

Technology is great!

It not only allowed me to keep in contact with all of you while I was in Ghana but it is allowing me to keep in contact with all of my students back at the Wa School for the Blind.

I just got an email from one of the teachers at the school with exciting news.

The new school leaders, or school prefects, were elected this week.

Yakubu is the boys prefect and Josephine is the girls prefect. They would be equivalent to an RA in college life or the person students go to with concerns and they keep things in line.

Michael is the new student Chaplin. Fuseini is the sports master; he basically will lead extra curricular sporting events. Iddrisui is the key holder, which means he has the big responsibility of opening and closing the classrooms.

All of these students were my kids :) It is exciting to see them succeed!

There are six students that have a little bit of vision and they were given special color reading lights to help improve their sight. Justina, Paulina, Getrude, Afia, Elijah and Solomon. A few of them will be graduating in April and will be going to high school.

Keep all of these students in your prayers: the new school leaders and their new appointed positions, as well as the students that will be going to high school shortly and to strengthen the student's eyes that can see a little.

Pictures: Michael, Soloman, Iddrisui, and Fuseini

Home

I just wanted to let you all know I am home safe.

I will update you later about the end of my trip adventures.

Coming Home

I leave Ghana Today at 11:30pm (Ghana time; 5:30pm Chicago time)

It is a 6 1/2 hour flight to Germany

3 1/2 layover and then I fly to Chicago

About 9hrs and 45min flight

Should be in Chicago Thurs at 1:30pm (Chicago time; 7:30pm Ghana time)

Pray for safe travels please

I will let you all know that I got home safe

Good Bye for Now...

Wow! What an experience!

I was able to go to two different Awana clubs in the Accra area. They were pretty much the same as our club. Awana translates cross culturally very well.

I was able to go to the school for the Deaf and sign with the students a little.

Today I am going to a school for children with Autism.

Tomorrow I am going to an orphanage for children with special needs. I can not wait! This is what I would love to do with my life. Have an orphanage for children with special needs.

Wednesday night I will say 'see you later' to Africa (of course in hope I will return soon). I will be flying home and arrive in Chicago Thursday evening.

Thank you for your prayers; I feel much better. Oh and Patsy thanks for the encouragement. You might have to talk to Grandma for me... Love you Grandma :)

Back in Accra

After a 12 hour bus ride I made it back to Accra safely.

Saying the last good bye was hard but I am rejoycing in the fact that God allowed me the opportunity to meet all of the students and teachers. The computer lab teacher and each class captain has my email address in hopes that we can keep in touch. I also hope to come back to see my P5 class graduate from the school in 2014 :)

I will be visiting two different Awana clubs here in south Ghana. I am very excited for that. For those of you that do not know; Awana is a children's club that helps teach children about Jesus. I have applied to be a missionary for Awana International. The open positions are in Kenya and Zambia; almost wish one was in Ghana but it looks like the Lord is calling me else where. Still praying for God direction.

Prayer Request: I have caught a cold so some kind of sickness. Please pray that I get better before I fly home because being sick and flying is not fun at all. Thank you

Last Day at the School

Today is my last day at the school. Last night I printed a picture for each one of my students. Yes, I know what you are thinking… They are blind, they can not see the picture. It is true all of the students are legally blind but a lot of them have a little bit of vision and ALL of them love pictures. I printed up pictures (thanks Dad) for them and spent a long time writing little notes to them in Braille and taped them on the back of the pictures. I hope they like their gift. Gifts are very important in Ghanaian culture.

I am sad to leave. I really have adapted well to the community here and love all the students. It was hard last week for me when I realized I only had one more week left but I know God has a bigger plan for me. Sure I may have to stay in the states for a little while to graduate but then… Well for now, as you all have guesses I feel the Lord is calling me back to Africa! Hmmm, who would have thought  Not sure where in Africa yet, Ghana maybe but there are many countries in Africa. I will keep you all updated.

As for now: Please pray for all the good byes I will be making and the transitions that will be taking place both with me and the students at the school. I will be leaving all the teaching materials in hopes that it will be used.

Thursday (tomorrow) I will be taking the long bus ride back to Accra. I will let you all know as soon as I can that I made it safely.

I was able to pass out some of the pictures already this morning and oh man did my students love them!!! So cool to see!

Teaching Aids

While I was preparing to come to teach at a school for the visually impaired, I visited a school in Chicago for the blind. I had an opportunity to meet with a few of the teachers there and learn some of the techniques they use to teach, as well as some materials.

Not knowing really what to expect coming to the Wa School for the Blind, I packed an entire, 50lb suitcase full of teaching materials. I brought a long things like; thick pens, frames to write in Braille, wicky sticks, play dough, clay, moon sand, ruler, some games, cards, pom-poms, felt, foam paper, pipe cleaners, paper that rises when written on with markers, paper that can be written on with Braille that can be a sticker, some books in Braille, beads and string, ect.

Most of the materials are new to Wa. I have used all the materials in my teaching. It has been great to think of new and interesting ways to make learning hands on and fun. I have realized I am not only teaching the students but the teachers as well. The students are learning the basic concept and the teachers are expanding their teaching methods with the new teaching aids.

For the lower functioning class they have been matching different textures together, sorting out things, putting things in order, playing memory games and working with clay for fine motor skills.

At Bible study we used felt to make a Joseph’s coat of many colors but of course we made a coat of many textures  We made cross necklaces which was a big hit with all the students at the school.

In math there are a lot of pictures the students must see/feel to understand; shapes, lines, angles, measurements, charts, graphs. With the paper that rises I was able to teach the different types of lines. I cut out different shapes from the foam paper and labeled them. These shapes not only helped the students recognize the shape but they were able to label with the proper name of the shape, measure it and label the different line segments. We also worked on creating angles by using the wicky sticks and raised protractor.

Sometimes you have to be a little creative for the students to be able to understand without having to see it with their eyes, but it is really fun to think of new ways to teach and to learn.

Question and Answer

I was asked some questions about a few things and I figured if one person has these questions, I am sure others do as well. Just a little more details so you better understand life in Wa, Ghana.

Animals: Ghana is like a farm. There are sheep, goats, dogs and chickens running all around. The way to tell a sheep from a goat is by looking at its tail; goat tails go up and sheep tail is down. There are also pigs and cows. The only place you can find elephants, monkeys or crocodiles is in Mole, which is Ghana’s National State Park.

Money: The currency here is called Cedi, it is said as CD. When you go to the market or a shop food is always a stable price, you pay them what they say. Sometimes if you buy in bulk, meaning 5 oranges in stead of the three they sell together they will give you a deal but really only if you are having a party or if you are an American do you buy in bulk. You usually only buy things to prepare supper for that day and get more the next day. If you are buying fabric, bags, clothes, shoes, sunglasses you can bargin to get the price down.
Uniform: Each school has a uniform the students have to wear. The students wear the uniform so that if something happens to them on the way to or from school they know what school the kids belongs to. At the School for the Blind the students wear yellow and blue. The girls have yellow dresses with blue trim, while the boys wear yellow shirts, blue collars and tan shorts. Some students have a blue uniform as well. They can wear it if their yellow one gets dirty but more often than not, they only have one uniform.

Classes: The school day starts at 6:40am and goes until 1:30pm, that is considered morning classes. The students have a certain schedule and have each subject only three times a week. At 1:30pm they have lunch and take a siesta until 3pm. At 3pm they have afternoon classes, this means they have time to work on assignments given by teachers. Sometimes teacher will come and help the class with homework or finish up a lesson. I always go to afternoon classes, either to help with homework, play a game, or have bible study. If the students do not have an assignment they often play sports. At 5pm they shower and 6pm in dinner. After dinner, 7pm, they have evening classes. They again can finish any assignments or study but also during this time clubs meet; like reading club or a social clubs. I have only been to reading club, I often do not go to evening classes because I prepare for the next day and write emails to send to people the next day too, plus I have been at the school teaching all day long and with the heat I am dead tired by 7 and 9pm I shower and go to bed.

Resources: A computer lab and recording studio was donated to the school last year. They have about 15 computers and currently have them hooked up to the internet but struggle to pay for the fees. The recoding studio is there to record books on tape for the students to listen to. It is hard to find good readers to read the books and because the whole program is so new, not many books have been recorded, but Timothy, the teacher that works in the lab, is very good and is really working hard on getting things done. After they record the book they can put it on CD and have special CD players for the student to use. As for the computers they have software that reads what is on the screen for them. They currently have a computer class to teach them how to use the resources they have.

Music: The students love music! They are great singers too. I wish I could record them singing and make a CD to listen to. I will miss their songs.
Religions: There are three main religions in Upper West Ghana; Muslim, Christianity, and Tribal. At the school one third of the students are Muslim and about one fourth is Christian. The school is a Methodist (Christian) school so, all the students have religious class and learn about Jesus or Esa (that is Jesus’ name in the Koran or Muslim’s Bible). They are taught about how Jesus died for our sins so we can go to Heaven. Students know verses and are taught bible stories. Muslim, Christian or not they all know about our Savior and are very open to other religions. Every day you can see the Christians come together and worship and the Muslims get down and pray 5 times a day. It is wonderful how they all get along.

Weather: Yes, it is HOT! There are three seasons here; dry, hot and rainy but all are hot. We are ending the dry season and entering the hot season. Dry season was nice because you do not sweat because it evaporates really fast. During hot season you do not stop sweating. Everything is outside here but nothing is directly in the sun. There is shade all around; I thought I would come home with a great tan but that is not so much the case. I have a little color but it is just too hot to stay in the sun for a long time. We are right next to the equator, so close to the sun, so very hot.

Blindness: These kids are amazing. On campus, if you did not know it was a school for the blind, it would probably take you a few hours to realize the kids are blind. They walk all around like they can see; they know the campus so well. As for fear in bumping into things, well it happens pretty often if a bench is in the pathway; or a bicycle or chair. They just hit it, then move and keep walking, really does not faze them at all. During our field trips the students are a little more apprehensive about things but still determined.

Education Fees: Most school, including the Wa School for the Blind, are public schools. This means that the teachers are paid through the government. At the School for the Blind the students live there and the money to pay for the facility, food, books and materials are all donated to the school. The families only pay for the transportation for the students to go there as well as the uniform, extra clothes, a spoon and cup, soap and other toiletries. I know it is hard to think that parents are struggling to even pay for those things for their children but it is true. The Methodist church here in Wa gives out a few scholarships but still there are students that have not reported to school this term because of lack of money. There are private schools here and they cost about 64 Ghana Cedis, which is about $50 a term (three months) but then there is transportation fees of 25 Ghana Cedis.

School Stats: There are always more boys than girls that go to school, due to the belief that girls do not have to be educated to cook and clean. This belief is slowly disappearing but is still evident in most villages. I can not tell you the exact boy to girl ratio at the School for the Blind but I do know that there are much more boys than girls. As for average education a person has, well it has gone up. Most people have at least gone through junior high. You start school at 4 years old and go to kindergarten until 6 years old. Then you are in lower primary 1-3, upper primary 4-6 and then junior high school for three years and secondary school for 3 years. After secondary school they pick either trade school for 3 years or university for 4 years.

Now days more and more students are going to secondary school and even to college but as for the older adult are lucky if they went to upper primary. There is a lot of street smarts here in Ghana but the street smarts here is different than in America; which should be the case because it is a whole different culture.

Radio Station

After taking my P5 class to the wood shop I asked them where else they wanted to go and they all explained to me that they wanted to go to the radio station. Since these students are blind the radio means a lot to them. I told them I would see what I can do.

Now being new to the area I had not idea if there was a station around, how to get there if there was, if this was allow (to take them to another organization), how to get in contact with the radio station, or really what the next step should be. I was talking to another teacher (blind) and she said there is a location station that is not far from the school. Another teacher, Lordy, said she would take me there on her moto (motorcycle). Great!

I went there to ask them what we had to do in order for a class to come and see what goes on at the radio. She said we had to write a letter to the manager. I came back and asked permission from the headmaster to make sure this was allowed, it was!

Well I was not the one that wanted to go to the station so I told the class that if they wanted to go they must write a letter to the station asking permission to come and see what they do. They wrote it in Braille, I wrote it in print, we brought it to the typist to get it typed and had Headmaster sign it. Ok now we have to deliver it. I road my bike on Monday morning and dropped it off.

Friday morning the P5 homeroom teacher got a call from Radio Progress saying they wanted the class to come and talk. We would get 20 minutes on the air. Wow! That was unexpected. They were so excited! This would be the first time a student from Wa School for the Blind would be on the radio. Everyone on campus new within 15 minutes, that P5 was asked to be on the radio.

We were scheduled to come Monday morning; that only gives us 2 ½ days to prepare. They wanted to practice a lot because they wanted to be a good example for the school.

Friday afternoon the students decided on an agenda for the program and picked parts; everyone in the class had a role to play. 7pm they memorized a poem to recite written by their homeroom teacher, Sr. Michael, called ‘Look at Me, Look at You’ (what the sighted can do we can do also). The students knew their parts and thought about what they wanted to say. Saturday morning 9am we came together and wrote down exactly what they were going to say. And we practiced and practiced and practiced and practiced.

Now Iddrisu wanted to read a story. He loved a story from the Fable book I was able to buy with the money raised. The story was ‘The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs’. Many people were nervous about him reading because even though he is a good student, reading is not his strong area (that’s ok, it’s not mine either). The teachers wanted him to memorize the short story but I said ‘No’, the students here do not just memorize at the school they learn to read and we are going to tell everyone in Upper Ghana. Granted by the time Iddrisu and I were done practicing we both had it memorized, I told him to still read it from the paper not from his memory.

Sunday at 3pm the students asked if Sr. Michael and I could come to help them practice. So for a few hours Sunday afternoon we practiced some more. They were doing very well. One of the managers from Radio Progress came to listen to us rehearse and was very impressed with our efforts.

Alright here is the big day. One last run through and we load up into a pick up trust and we are off to Radio Progress. We sat in a room and waited for the manager to come and let us to know we should do. The room was silent but looking around I saw everyone’s fingers moving over paper and mouths mouthing words. (practicing) Oh man you can feel the excitement but tension in the air.

They called us in the studio and taught the students proper radio educate and how to use the equipment. Ok one minute to show time, deep breath and Welcome to Radio Progress, today we have very special guests with us from Wa School for the Blind…

It was AWESOME! They did so well. They spoke clearly and confidently and with passion yet conviction and proudly and happily. Iddrisu read the story wonderfully and they were all very happy with themselves.

All to the school they sang: we are students of P5 at Wa School for the Blind and we were on the radio… Wish I got that on recording.

Everyone at the school was listening to us and were all so excited to hear their classmates, friends, and students on the radio. Now the headmaster does not show emotion but he was so pleased he gave me a little grin. He smiled at me :) P5 was the talk of the school.

We had a little debriefing session and talked about what happened but first they wanted to ask me a question. They asked: did you pay money for us to do that? :) You know: I told them: I did not pay a single coin, you all wanted to go, you all wrote the letter, got the permission and was invited to speak, you wrote the agenda and scripts and you all spoke very well and everyone is pleased with you. I was just here to supervise because Headmaster would not allow you to leave with out a teacher, so I just came to take pictures… That meant a lot to them; they were now very proud of themselves because they did it by themselves.

Students decided the theme of the program to be: Disability is not Inability!

Wow! I know where they are coming from and encourage them to keep up the good work!

Sorry this post is so long- it was just so exciting!
Oh and thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday. I had a great Birthday!