I Tell Papa God Tenki!!

Gratitude

This word has been bouncing around in my head over the past 3 weeks. How thankful are we for what God has provided us? It seems so cliché and like this is what every missionary says after being in a third world country – so please forgive me if this is redundant. Thanksgiving is a day we celebrate in America with lots of food, football games, and more food. We may go around the table and say what we are thankful for and we give good answer (my family, this food, etc.). This week I’ve been wondering though, do we really know what it feels like to be truly thankful? 

The people here in Sierra Leone have blown me away with their kindness and resilient graciousness. They are faced with impossible circumstances, have lived through a treacherous bloody war, barely survive each and every day and yet they greet me with a smile and sincere concern about how I am doing. 

Today I was weaving in and out of a dental screening, interacting with the locals and trying to keep them calm (I was doing security). I was faced with people whose face was swollen to twice its size and you can see their pain clearly in their eyes. They have been standing there for hours waiting for help admist the chaos of Freetown. I ask them, “How da morning?” “They say “Fine, tenki” (Fine, Thank you) and I proceed to ask them “How da body?” (How is your body) and almost every response was the same. Their eyes soften and they look up saying “I tell Papa God tenki” 

I’m staring at someone who has every right to complain, who are expected to tell me they are in pain and can’t eat. They don’t, they say with all sincerity that they thank God for how well they are doing. After telling me this, they ask how I am doing and how I slept. This screening is about them and they are genuinely concerned with me – a complete stranger. You can tell by their eyes, when they hear that I am injured, they have genuine concern for ME and want to help ME! They may have a large facial tumor and their concern is for me. 

This Thanksgiving is going to be different for me. This Thanksgiving this is how I will think:

My head hurts: I tell Papa God tenki that I am able to live another day

I miss my family: I tell Papa God tenki that I have a family

I miss food from home: I tell Papa God tenki I get 3 square meals a day when the people I serve may not eat at all today

The internet is slow: I tell Papa God tenki for blessing me with the ability to communicate back home

I only get 2 minute showers: I tell Papa God tenki for making my soul as white as snow

I tell Papa God tenki for opening my eyes to see, showing me a new world, and using me in ways I would have never imagined. When life gets overwhelming just remember to tell Papa God tenki for the little things.

My God Moment in Yams Farm Wharf

Have you ever felt God was talking to you through an event, or a person? Well this happened to me during my field service, and I would like to share about it.

 

I was extremely excited to get back to work after hurting myself. I rested my ankle all weekend, and I felt great! So I dove right into work first thing Monday morning. I was shoveling dirt. We did that a lot during this field service: moved dirt. It seemed simple enough but after a while of taking turns shoveling my ankle was crying out in pain. After trying to ignore it for a little while, I finally decided to go into the shade and have a rest. I sat down by the school and watched everyone else work. I felt defeated and that I was letting my team down. I hated it. Then this little girl came up to me. School was not in session, and I don’t think I had ever seen this girl before or after this moment.

 

She came and sat on my lap. She looked at me, and I asked what her name was: “Whaty na u nem?” She didn’t respond; instead, she looked down towards my legs and did something that really shocked me. She started gently wiping all the dirt from my legs (from shoveling). When she got to my scrapes she made sure she was extra careful – making sure it was really clean. She looked at my ankle all wrapped up, and she cleaned the dirt off of it and just laid her hand on it. She then moved up to my arms: slowly wiping away all the dirt from my arms. She took my hands and started to clean under my nails. One by one, my nails were cleaned. When she was done, she looked up at me and just looked into my eyes. If you could see the whole world in a pair of eyes, I believe it was hers: such innocence and tender care. Then came her sweet smile and a sudden pat on the head and she was gone.

 

As I sat there in a state of shock, I thought about Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. Someone who is innocent and pure taking the time and care to make those who serve him clean again. This girl was one whom I was serving. I was tired, weary, and dirty but she took care of me. She couldn’t have been more than 6 years old, but she carried gentleness in her that is unlike other children I’ve seen (in Yam’s Farm). This was my God moment during my 2 weeks off ship. I believe in those girls eyes, I saw Jesus taking care of me and telling me, it’s ok to sit and rest.

 

 

 

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Yams Farm Wharf

An hour away from the madness of Freetown is a village called Yams Farm Wharf. While the traffic is still crazy and there are signs of recent war everywhere – this place is beautiful. If you drive down the hills on almost none existent roads you come to this tiny village. Surrounded by trees on this steep slope lives this group of people we have been serving. At the base of the village is a river that leads to the ocean with a mountain on the other side. Absolutely beautiful…until you look at the living conditions. 

YFW is made up of people displaced by the 10 year civil war that raged throughout the land. Everyone lost everything and were relocated here to start new. There are no stores/markets, no jobs, no doctors, and no hope. This community fishes for food and sells sand, sticks, and rocks (the child pound down to size). This is their life. Every day their only effort is to make sure they have food for tomorrow. They can’t see beyond that…they don’t seek happiness, joy, etc. In fact, most of them have never been to the beach/ocean – even though they are so close. 

It is easy to see hopelessness in this situation but that is not the case. These last two weeks I’ve seen this community trying to break the mold – trying to improve and not follow the model everyone around them follows. It started with a man, Pastor Mark, starting a Christian primary school and church 3 years ago. He was heavily persecuted for the five previous years but he stood his ground and expected better. In 3 years, the hearts of mind of the people have changed. 

Inside the school

The current school in Yam's Farm Wharf

Our project to build a secondary school these last two weeks proved this to me. It started with an elderly man named Champion. We bought a large load of rock from him for the construction work. When Pastor Mark went to pay him, he refused the money and wanted it to go into the school project. This was easily several months to a years worth of income for him but he would rather change the future than eat. This set the precedent and I was amazed to see the entire community start to follow his example.

Champion

The construction workers turned down paying work to come and build this school for free – they will go several weeks without pay (only their lunch provided) but they and their families are committed to change the future. Committed to break the mold and overcome. 

One worker, Mockidad, told us that we helped them accomplish in 2 months what would have taken them over 10 years to complete. Our presence changed them, never before had they worked with the “white man”. The fact that we would “sacrifice” so much to help them made them feel like they mattered. I suspect it may have been the first time they ever really had this feeling. 

Pierce and Mockidad

The new secondary school will change Yams Farm even more. Before, children who wanted to continue their education past 6^th grade had to change their religion to become a Muslim. There were no real Christian options. Now, children can continue their education and keep their faith. In fact, I was told that many of their new students are Muslim. Their parents see the love and affection going into this school and the high standard. They would rather send their children to there than the Muslim options. 

The students are very eager to learn!

This village has broken down the barriers that keep them from progress. They have exceeded our expectations and have taught us so much. They are breaking the mold, changing their world, and changing their future! They are overcoming and there are my hero’s for it!

Please pray they stay on track. They are not perfect and have a lot to overcome. But as Pastor Mark said,

“Because of you, we now know that Christ is alive!”

Flying to Africa

Hello Everyone! Well, I’ve been in Africa for 2 ½ weeks – I can’t believe I can actually say that! It all seems surreal and I don’t know where to begin.

 

Flights

 

So we left on Wednesday morning around 8:30 for Tyler Airport. It’s about the size of GR airport which made security a breeze. For the next 30+ hours we jumped from airport to airport. Most of the flying in the US was choppy but I was very excited when we left Chicago. You see – our flighty path took us directly over Muskegon! My friends were excited to hear this and I was able to say one last goodbye to home. Everything was normal until we stopped in The Gambia, West Africa. You know you are not at home anymore when they flight attendants run down the aisles with bug bombs spraying insecticide before taking off. I’m sure it was extremely healthy to breathe!

 

Sierra Leone was…hectic. We arrived an hour early but it took us at least an hour and a half to get to the “poda-podas” (vans). You should have seen how many bags they put on top of that van! My first thought of Sierra Leone was “Wow, it’s beautiful here!” My second thought, “Wow, I’ve never seen poverty like this before.” The ferry ride was chaotic but beautiful in the dark with only lights from Freetown looming in the distance. The docks were chaotic as well and my first glimpse of Freetown at night was very intimidating. I just wanted to get into the car and be done with traveling! But we weren’t. A quick drive to the ship first. My first look at the ship, I couldn’t believe I was actually here. My energy was boosted as I started to walk up the gangway. Energy that I desperately needed! A quick separation of our valuables (to leave onboard) and scarfing down a meal was all we were there for. I was amazed by how many people I knew and how many came to find me. Five minutes on board and it feels like home! We did a quick running around of the ship – I met my boss and the other writer, saw my office (size of a closet with 2 desks squeezed in it) and then we hurried up and left the ship. Hardest thing yet was to leave the ship.

 

We load up in our poda-podas and have an hour drive to Jui Junction – our home for the next two weeks. Let me explain how tired I was. If you take the worst two track/back road in Michigan and make it 100X worse – add to that riding in a van that has metal benches partial screwed to the ground and being able to see the road through the floor – and I STILL fell asleep on the way to our final destination! We arrive to a guarded place that is truly amazing for being in Sierra Leone. I am so thankful for the Hope Center run by GCPN!

 

Well, this is it! I arrived in Africa – and I can’t believe I am actually here!!

 

Right before I left – I broke my laptop. Please pray I able to figure out how to get a new one here in W. Africa. There are funds lined up for the computer but shipping it here is quite complicated!

 

Thank you everyone for your prayers and support!!

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