finally in Africa- home away from home

Gosh Where to start? Hello to all my family and friends and whoever reading- we FINALLY made it to Ghana (yay!) After two days-ish of traveling and four days in Africa, we are all settled in and getting cozy at Lagoon Lodge! Lets see we left Jackson, MS on the 11th and flew to Memphis (had a 6 hour delay there) then met up with Shelley and Sarah and all flew together to Amsterdam and then to Accra! Funny little traveling story- As we were going through the security checkpoint Adam decided it would be funny if we tried to put a penny in Clint's pocket so the metal detector would go off.... well it didn't work and I don't think Clint had any idea soooo as I followed behind of course the detectors go off on me..... thanks Adam for setting me up with quarters! So anyway we arrived in Accra, Ghana that night and checked into a guest house for the night. Food was yummy, since I slept on both flights all of my sleep was messed up so I accidentally slept until 12:30ish (whoops) The next day we drove a while a way to Winneba and checked into our fancy hotel at Lagoon Lodge! Oh how I've missed you! The first day here (the 13th) we couldn't wait to go to Rafiki so Mathaias packed us all up and took us onto the orphanage! Oh that was sooo exciting! I didn't think we would get to see the kids until the next day because it was already late. It brought such joy to my heart that I could see the little faces once again. It made me so happy! So anyway the past couple of days we have been working in the orphanage then going to the beautiful beach in the late afternoon and ending our evenings with devotional and down time. Its so beautiful here I wish all of you could experience what I am experiencing. Using the word beautiful, I mean the beauty in the works of God in just three days. We have seen and experienced so much already so who's to know whats next to happen. Its amazing how our Father is working in each and every one of us. Its like we have all grown to be family already and we are working through each other, and of course the Lord is working through us! Praise him for that!!!

So on another note just aside from everything else. I want to let you all know what has been on my heart lately. I've been talking with my mom and a couple of my friends and I am hearing everything that is going on back home and being "updated" or "posted" Christmas parties, events, occasions, everything in between. From the I miss yous and I love yous I have really been doubting myself. With questions like why am I here? What have I gotten myself into? What have I signed up for? What 20 year old spends Christmas away from their family in another COUNTRY, across the WORLD? I even feel a little guilty, it being the first Christmas with a new family (note: mom got married day after Thanksgiving) I love my family and miss them so dearly and I want to be home so bad. A couple of nights ago I just kinda broke. I was wondering WHY I was here. What was my purpose. I got lots of encouragement and I know that God has called me to be here and thats simply why I am here on this Christmas. Its kind of like I am suffering and drowning in my own thoughts. Not so much suffering, but selfishness in a sense. Wanting to be home. talking to family and longing to be there instead of here. God has shown me that God uses the hardships and pain life brings our way to mature us. I've heard that "suffering is the greatest teacher..... and the crown of life" Its so true. Our faith is being tested here, and when our faith is tested we have the opprotunity to develop spiritual character as we persevere through the storms and feelings of doubt, worriness, pain, and suffering we are all experiencing. Just like when Paul testified to the character-building value of suffering in Romans 5:3-4 he says "we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character, and character hope." Paul also brings me hope as he developed the gift of compassion through his afflictions, he praised in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 "the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."

So from these verses I have learned a lot in the few days I have been here. The trials we are faced with strengthen our souls as we journey towards heaven.

I want to share with you just one more thing. There are these two boys Eufrance and Quomoe (I'm not sure how to spell their names exactly) but they live in the village where our hotel is and are the sweetest little boys I have ever met. I promise you God is using us to minister to these two children. They remember our faces six months later and still cling onto us as if we were family. We had obviously touched them very significantly the last time we were here in May. They have been walking with us to the beach, waiting at the gate of the hotel every day for us to get back from the orphanage, swinging in our eno hammocks, peeking their heads through the little holes in the fence at dinner. They just want to be with us. At dinner I saw Adam put a bunch of rice in a waterbottle and stuck it through the fence. Unsure of what he was doing, after dinner I went to the fence to have a look. Sure enough I saw their two little heads. this was like 30 minutes later. They were still there. I spoke with them for quite some time and we discussed Jesus and Christmas and the beach and all the fun stuff. (I learned last year that their mom had died and their dad was off living in another town) It was dark out and the boys are about 9 and 12 maybe. I was wondering what they were doing out so late. As we were talking about the Lord Eufrance told me that he wanted a bible for Christmas. I started crying. What little boy wants a bible for Christmas? I'm not judging all little boys but most of them would ask for a playstation or a dirtbike or something ridiculous and expensive. This little boy asked me for a BIBLE. He was so excited when I told him we would be here for Christmas. These boys are starving. They ate rice we had given them and were still hungry. They need more than food, they need Jesus. They aren't hungry for food, but they are hungry for faith. It touched me so much that they asked me for a bible that I couldn't stop myself from crying. All of this suffering and pain I have been talking about the past couple of days doesnt even COMPARE to the suffering these boys are feeling. And they long for a relationship with Jesus. Jesus is their only hope. When things are going smoothly, we tend to get distracted and think that everything is going fine and there are no worries in the world. When we are faced with obstacles in life we have no other choice but to turn to God. Thats what these boys are doing. They have no other hope but to turn to the Lord and it makes my heart break and smile at the same time. I wish so badly that I could take them into a Sports Authority for christmas and let them go crazy. Like Adam said tonight, they deserve it. I don't even know what its like to be starving. And I know all of you have no IDEA what it is like to be starving. It tangles my mind how God is wellknowing of all of this and Isaiah 45:7 lets us know that God "forms the light and creates darkness,  bring prosperity and create disaster, I, the LORD, do all these things." I'm struggling so much with this right now. I guess God is testing them too and through this these two boys are putting everything aside and putting our good SAVIOR first. It makes my heart sooooo warm and happy.

As we continue our works here, we are searching for bibles for the boys. We are going to see which we think would best fit for them. Seeing as they are pretty young, we do not think they know english well enough to read an english bible, but do not think they are suitable for reading Fanti, their language, either. The Lord will definately give us an answer soon, I am sure of it. Because I am certain that we need to give these children bibles for christmas and teach them of the good Lord. Oh and good news: they are going with us to church on Sunday (yay!!)

Please continue praying, it all means so much and is greatly appreciated. It is a six hour time change ahead of America and we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow! I will try and keep you all informed, please pass this blog onto all other family members and friends so everyone can continue praying for us and the lives we are blessed to touch. I love you guys I miss you all so much but I will be home before you know it... time has already flown by! I said it in May, and I will say it again, there needs to be more time for me to be here doing God's work!

Through his faithfulness and love,

Catherine