So, the old saying goes, "home is where the heart is." But I think that home can be a lot of things to a lot of people. There are some things that just make me FEEL at home. So here are some of the things that really make a place feel like home (to me);
>Great friends, no matter where I am, if I have some friends with me, I'm home.
>Family, sometimes family makes me feel at home, but sometimes they make me feel crazy ;-)
>Knowing my way around, a town, a friend's place, a kitchen, if I don't feel lost, I'm at home.
>Hot weather, I don't always like it, but I'm from NC, it's hot there a lot so I'm used to it.
>Sentimental stuff, you know your favorite trinket from childhood, for me it's a stuffed UNC ram that I got when I was about a week old.
>Pictures, now, for some people, pictures make them long for home, but for me, they remind me of the people that I love so I feel more at home when I have pictures of my friends and family.
>Music, I'm very musical so just hearing a few notes of a song can remind me of all wonderful people that I associate with that particular song.
>Food, I love to try food from all different places, but sometimes just digging into one of my favorite foods will make me flash back to the place that food reminds me of.
>A beautiful sunset/rise/starry night sky, anywhere in the world you can see them no matter the locale.
....I'm sure there are more things that would remind me of home if I really put a lot of time into thinking of it....but I'm not going to do that right now. I've realized in the last few years that, for me, home is not so much a physical place as it is a state of mind. I really can feel at home anywhere.
Wherever I am, there I am.
Cape Diem
BA
8.21.2010
Mac Attack...
So, I got a Mac. Finally. I've wanted a Macbook Pro for about 8 years. I wanted one when I was in college because that's what we used for all our editing in class. After some very generous donations, which I've already talked about here, I finally have my Mac. I still kind of can't believe it's really mine. I think it's really cool how I've wanted one for so long, but never could get one and now that I want it to use for the mission I have been able to get it. It's actually a little bit scary. I mean, God provided this laptop for me, through the donations of people I know. That means God is expecting me to use it for HIS purposes. And THAT means I better make some videos for the mission.
I guess I am a little worried that I will make some videos and people will see them and think (or even say to me)..."you mean this is all you can do with that fancy expensive computer?"....I have to keep telling myself that it's the devil planting that thought in my head. I know that I can make good quality pieces. I just need to have confidence in my ability. God must have some confidence in my ability or I suppose he wouldn't have provided the computer would he? I know people are expecting good things now...so maybe I'm feeling a little pressure to produce good stuff. Then again, maybe the pressure is coming from within.
I'm working on transfering files and things from my PC to my Mac....and then I want to re-vamp my newsletter and get a good looking template for it set. Presentation on Sunday at Stoneybrook...excited about that! SB is one of those congregations I think anyone can feel at home in. There are some people there (quite a few actually) that have known me nearly my whole life so I guess I feel closer to SB than to some congregations. I'm excited to tell them about Ghana in part because I know they're excited to hear about Ghana.
I feel like I have lots to get done before I leave for Ghana again. There are some things I need to buy for myself and for others. There are some things I need to get organized, luggage, mailing lists, addresses of friends etc. I have a photo journal on line that I want to get updated and completely squared away so people can look at it before I go. There's at least one trip to the beach planned in there. I would like to see my grandma and brothers again before I go. It feels like the time is flying now....at the beginning of this visit it dragged on day by day...now it seems like the days are just here and gone!
I am really ready to get back to Ghana. I sort of feel bad sometimes because of the people I know, most of them when they travel, they really miss their families and "home." But I can't really say I've missed the US that much. There are some people that I've missed....but not in the way that other people I've observed do. I've never really felt homesick or missed family and friends so much that I wanted to leave Ghana. Maybe it's because I lived alone for a couple of years before I went so I was already used to being away from people somewhat. Maybe God just designed me this way because in His infinite wisdom He knew I'd be in Africa someday and it would be better for me to be one of those kinds of people that can be at home just about anywhere. In all honesty, I feel like Ghana is home. And I feel like NC is home. I know that neither of them is REALLY home...
Planning a post in the near future about "what makes me feel at home"
for the time being...
BAM
I guess I am a little worried that I will make some videos and people will see them and think (or even say to me)..."you mean this is all you can do with that fancy expensive computer?"....I have to keep telling myself that it's the devil planting that thought in my head. I know that I can make good quality pieces. I just need to have confidence in my ability. God must have some confidence in my ability or I suppose he wouldn't have provided the computer would he? I know people are expecting good things now...so maybe I'm feeling a little pressure to produce good stuff. Then again, maybe the pressure is coming from within.
I'm working on transfering files and things from my PC to my Mac....and then I want to re-vamp my newsletter and get a good looking template for it set. Presentation on Sunday at Stoneybrook...excited about that! SB is one of those congregations I think anyone can feel at home in. There are some people there (quite a few actually) that have known me nearly my whole life so I guess I feel closer to SB than to some congregations. I'm excited to tell them about Ghana in part because I know they're excited to hear about Ghana.
I feel like I have lots to get done before I leave for Ghana again. There are some things I need to buy for myself and for others. There are some things I need to get organized, luggage, mailing lists, addresses of friends etc. I have a photo journal on line that I want to get updated and completely squared away so people can look at it before I go. There's at least one trip to the beach planned in there. I would like to see my grandma and brothers again before I go. It feels like the time is flying now....at the beginning of this visit it dragged on day by day...now it seems like the days are just here and gone!
I am really ready to get back to Ghana. I sort of feel bad sometimes because of the people I know, most of them when they travel, they really miss their families and "home." But I can't really say I've missed the US that much. There are some people that I've missed....but not in the way that other people I've observed do. I've never really felt homesick or missed family and friends so much that I wanted to leave Ghana. Maybe it's because I lived alone for a couple of years before I went so I was already used to being away from people somewhat. Maybe God just designed me this way because in His infinite wisdom He knew I'd be in Africa someday and it would be better for me to be one of those kinds of people that can be at home just about anywhere. In all honesty, I feel like Ghana is home. And I feel like NC is home. I know that neither of them is REALLY home...
Planning a post in the near future about "what makes me feel at home"
for the time being...
BAM
8.14.2010
Overwhelmed...
That's what I was last Sunday morning. There was a specific event that caused this feeling...but I'll get to that after some backstory.
When I first got back to the US I sent out a quick update just to let all my friends/supporters know that I was Stateside. In that email I mentioned that I was hoping to try to purchase a new laptop this summer. Not just any laptop, a Macbook Pro. I explained that I want a Mac so that I can start doing some good quality videos for the Mission (I do have a degree in A/V production after all) but that I know Macs are very expensive and if I'm not able to get one, it's just fine.
I was at one of the congregations that I call "home" here in the US last Sunday. For Sunday School I got to hear a great message by Mr. Hammer (from Togo) about how he grew up and how his family got to Togo. In between Sunday School and the Preaching one of the elders from the congregation that I've known since I was a little kid and who was the one that organized a trip to Ghana/Togo 3 years ago that was my first trip, pulled me aside because he wanted to talk to me about something. We went into an old, un-used office and he said "did you get your new computer yet?" I told him I hadn't and he pulled a stack of credit cards out of his pocket and started explaining to me that he'd gotten them through work (freqent traveler points kind of thing) and that each one has $100 on it....there were 11 of them! Then, as if that wasn't enough, he handed me a check to take to the other congregation I call "home" to my forwarding agent. I didn't even look at it because I was too busy telling him how much I appreciate him and how he's the only one that responds to my newsletters and what an awesome, encouraging man of God he is.
O-V-E-R-W-H-E-L-M-E-D
When I sat down next to my mom I was telling her about it, and that I didn't look at the check & she said "give it to me...I'll look at it!" After she looked at it she said, "I think you need to look at this check.." It was a personal check from him for One Thousand Dollars! once again O-V-E-R-W-H-E-L-M-E-D
All during the singing and praying I was just feeling this sense of awe. I even had a hard time singing at one point because I was trying not to cry. God is so awesome....
After the service, a lady that is very supportive of my work in Ghana came up to me and handed me $25....she said "It's not much, but use it to buy yourself something....a splurge." This lady is pretty old...I'm not sure of her age but her husband is 92. She has told me more than once that she always wanted to go to Africa to work as a missionary so she really admires me. They don't have a lot of money, so that twenty-five bucks is probably actually a sacrifice for her. Then a lady, who happens to be the generous elder's daughter and was also on that first trip to Africa with me, handed me a check for $100 and said "use it for your Mac."
O-V-E-R-W-H-E-L-M-E-D
I don't want to say that I can't belive it....because nothing that God does should surprise me...but I was shocked. Unfortunately the generosity of people is surprising sometimes. Living in Ghana and seeing the great poverty there, the real need for things that are NOT luxuries...food, clothing clean water, safe housing...then coming here....sometimes it kind of makes me sad that people are so selfish. But it's people like these 3 (and many many more that I haven't talked about here) that give me hope about America. True Christians are not selfish, they're generous....so I guess it shouldn't surprise me when they are generous to me.
I guess I'm getting a Mac :-) I'm already excited thinking about different types of videos I can shoot for the mission and yes, for fun too.
On a different note;
I'm planning on posting here more regularly. I've been thinking about schedules a lot lately and I think if I actually schedule a blog post on my calendar every 2 weeks then I will do it. I've been terrible about keeping my supporters updated it seems. I'm actually pretty ashamed of it. I feel like I have a responsiblity to let people know what they're supporting and I don't think I've done such a great job this last year. So I'm working on a schedule in my head (to be put on a calendar later). Updates, blog posts, even notes and emails are going to all have a place on it. I know that I have a hard time remembering to keep in touch with people...it's something I'm working on changing. My schedule for the next 3 weeks is going to be busy. Every Sunday and Wednesday starting this Sunday I have a presentation to do about Ghana. I'm nervous and excited about that. I hope I can get the things across in the presentations that God wants me to get across. The important things. I hope my supporters will see that their sacrifice is not in vain and I hope that maybe I'll gain some new support. Well, I gues this post is quite long enough....so I'll end it here. I hope you're doing great by God's Grace
AkoBAM
When I first got back to the US I sent out a quick update just to let all my friends/supporters know that I was Stateside. In that email I mentioned that I was hoping to try to purchase a new laptop this summer. Not just any laptop, a Macbook Pro. I explained that I want a Mac so that I can start doing some good quality videos for the Mission (I do have a degree in A/V production after all) but that I know Macs are very expensive and if I'm not able to get one, it's just fine.
I was at one of the congregations that I call "home" here in the US last Sunday. For Sunday School I got to hear a great message by Mr. Hammer (from Togo) about how he grew up and how his family got to Togo. In between Sunday School and the Preaching one of the elders from the congregation that I've known since I was a little kid and who was the one that organized a trip to Ghana/Togo 3 years ago that was my first trip, pulled me aside because he wanted to talk to me about something. We went into an old, un-used office and he said "did you get your new computer yet?" I told him I hadn't and he pulled a stack of credit cards out of his pocket and started explaining to me that he'd gotten them through work (freqent traveler points kind of thing) and that each one has $100 on it....there were 11 of them! Then, as if that wasn't enough, he handed me a check to take to the other congregation I call "home" to my forwarding agent. I didn't even look at it because I was too busy telling him how much I appreciate him and how he's the only one that responds to my newsletters and what an awesome, encouraging man of God he is.
O-V-E-R-W-H-E-L-M-E-D
When I sat down next to my mom I was telling her about it, and that I didn't look at the check & she said "give it to me...I'll look at it!" After she looked at it she said, "I think you need to look at this check.." It was a personal check from him for One Thousand Dollars! once again O-V-E-R-W-H-E-L-M-E-D
All during the singing and praying I was just feeling this sense of awe. I even had a hard time singing at one point because I was trying not to cry. God is so awesome....
After the service, a lady that is very supportive of my work in Ghana came up to me and handed me $25....she said "It's not much, but use it to buy yourself something....a splurge." This lady is pretty old...I'm not sure of her age but her husband is 92. She has told me more than once that she always wanted to go to Africa to work as a missionary so she really admires me. They don't have a lot of money, so that twenty-five bucks is probably actually a sacrifice for her. Then a lady, who happens to be the generous elder's daughter and was also on that first trip to Africa with me, handed me a check for $100 and said "use it for your Mac."
O-V-E-R-W-H-E-L-M-E-D
I don't want to say that I can't belive it....because nothing that God does should surprise me...but I was shocked. Unfortunately the generosity of people is surprising sometimes. Living in Ghana and seeing the great poverty there, the real need for things that are NOT luxuries...food, clothing clean water, safe housing...then coming here....sometimes it kind of makes me sad that people are so selfish. But it's people like these 3 (and many many more that I haven't talked about here) that give me hope about America. True Christians are not selfish, they're generous....so I guess it shouldn't surprise me when they are generous to me.
I guess I'm getting a Mac :-) I'm already excited thinking about different types of videos I can shoot for the mission and yes, for fun too.
On a different note;
I'm planning on posting here more regularly. I've been thinking about schedules a lot lately and I think if I actually schedule a blog post on my calendar every 2 weeks then I will do it. I've been terrible about keeping my supporters updated it seems. I'm actually pretty ashamed of it. I feel like I have a responsiblity to let people know what they're supporting and I don't think I've done such a great job this last year. So I'm working on a schedule in my head (to be put on a calendar later). Updates, blog posts, even notes and emails are going to all have a place on it. I know that I have a hard time remembering to keep in touch with people...it's something I'm working on changing. My schedule for the next 3 weeks is going to be busy. Every Sunday and Wednesday starting this Sunday I have a presentation to do about Ghana. I'm nervous and excited about that. I hope I can get the things across in the presentations that God wants me to get across. The important things. I hope my supporters will see that their sacrifice is not in vain and I hope that maybe I'll gain some new support. Well, I gues this post is quite long enough....so I'll end it here. I hope you're doing great by God's Grace
AkoBAM
8.10.2010
Consistency...
Consistent: adjective
1.agreeing or accordant; compatible; not self-contradictory: His views and actions are consistent.
2.constantly adhering to the same principles, course, form, etc.: a consistent opponent.
3.holding firmly together; cohering.
4.Archaic . fixed; firm.
I have been thinking about consistency a lot lately. In almost every facet of life being consistent is the key, as far as I can tell. I know that personally, every time I have tried to change my eating and exercising habits, the only time I saw any real results were the times when I was really consistent. I don’t have any kids, but I’ve interacted with a lot of different kids from a lot of different backgrounds and I can see a clear difference between the kids that have had consistent discipline and those that have not. In just about anything I can think of, prayer, bible reading, memory work, learning to play an instrument ,learning a new language, learning just about anything for that matter…consistency is key. We see in the bible that Jesus and his disciples were noticeably consistent. It was Jesus’ “habit” to go out alone and pray in the early morning or late evening hours. It was the habit of the apostles to go into the temples and synagogues to teach. So why am I thinking about this? Well, I think that consistency is something that humans really struggle with. We get lazy, we get tired of doing the same thing over & over again. But this is something that have to remember is that living a consistent life, a life that is in the footsteps of Christ, is something that we CANNOT get tired of. It’s just something we have to choose to do. So whatever you’re doing…work at it as if working for the Lord! Be consistent in everything for God’s glory. He’s consistent, we should be too.
1.agreeing or accordant; compatible; not self-contradictory: His views and actions are consistent.
2.constantly adhering to the same principles, course, form, etc.: a consistent opponent.
3.holding firmly together; cohering.
4.Archaic . fixed; firm.
I have been thinking about consistency a lot lately. In almost every facet of life being consistent is the key, as far as I can tell. I know that personally, every time I have tried to change my eating and exercising habits, the only time I saw any real results were the times when I was really consistent. I don’t have any kids, but I’ve interacted with a lot of different kids from a lot of different backgrounds and I can see a clear difference between the kids that have had consistent discipline and those that have not. In just about anything I can think of, prayer, bible reading, memory work, learning to play an instrument ,learning a new language, learning just about anything for that matter…consistency is key. We see in the bible that Jesus and his disciples were noticeably consistent. It was Jesus’ “habit” to go out alone and pray in the early morning or late evening hours. It was the habit of the apostles to go into the temples and synagogues to teach. So why am I thinking about this? Well, I think that consistency is something that humans really struggle with. We get lazy, we get tired of doing the same thing over & over again. But this is something that have to remember is that living a consistent life, a life that is in the footsteps of Christ, is something that we CANNOT get tired of. It’s just something we have to choose to do. So whatever you’re doing…work at it as if working for the Lord! Be consistent in everything for God’s glory. He’s consistent, we should be too.
6.20.2010
Fathers Day...
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6: 4
“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:9
“Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” Galatians 4:7
So, today is Fathers’ Day. I have very mixed feelings about this day….earthly fathers are not all what they should be. So for me this day could easily be a reminder of some very unpleasant times in life. Since I’ve come to Ghana I’ve started to realize more and more that it doesn’t really matter what kind of father you have….God is my Father. It is good for children to have Godly, righteous, loving protective fathers that really have their priorities in order. But not all children have this. In fact it is increasingly rare to find kids that have a stable family-life and Godly parents. I’ve learned though, that a less than ideal home life is no excuse for anything.
If you had/have a bad dad, remember that you’re not the only person that has to deal with this problem. BUT also remember that if you’re a Christian then you have been adopted and GOD is your real Father. And HE is the perfect father in every possible use of the word. He will protect you, discipline you, provide for you, comfort you, give you gifts, encourage you….anything you will ever need, He will give you if you ask with the right motive. He will never leave you. He will never let you down.
If you are a father, please remember that the way you treat your wife and your kids really will have a significant impact on them. A father that is too critical or judgmental or argumentative will cause a child to be scared to try anything new for fear of failure. A father that wants to be a “friend” to his kids instead of a parent will most likely have kids that are spoiled, undisciplined brats. So, dads, step up and be the fathers your kids need you to be. Don’t give them everything they want…give them what they need.
“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:9
“Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” Galatians 4:7
So, today is Fathers’ Day. I have very mixed feelings about this day….earthly fathers are not all what they should be. So for me this day could easily be a reminder of some very unpleasant times in life. Since I’ve come to Ghana I’ve started to realize more and more that it doesn’t really matter what kind of father you have….God is my Father. It is good for children to have Godly, righteous, loving protective fathers that really have their priorities in order. But not all children have this. In fact it is increasingly rare to find kids that have a stable family-life and Godly parents. I’ve learned though, that a less than ideal home life is no excuse for anything.
If you had/have a bad dad, remember that you’re not the only person that has to deal with this problem. BUT also remember that if you’re a Christian then you have been adopted and GOD is your real Father. And HE is the perfect father in every possible use of the word. He will protect you, discipline you, provide for you, comfort you, give you gifts, encourage you….anything you will ever need, He will give you if you ask with the right motive. He will never leave you. He will never let you down.
If you are a father, please remember that the way you treat your wife and your kids really will have a significant impact on them. A father that is too critical or judgmental or argumentative will cause a child to be scared to try anything new for fear of failure. A father that wants to be a “friend” to his kids instead of a parent will most likely have kids that are spoiled, undisciplined brats. So, dads, step up and be the fathers your kids need you to be. Don’t give them everything they want…give them what they need.
5.30.2010
Leaving on a jet plane....
yeah, I know it's not a very original title for a blog about traveling....but I've been busy this week so give me a little grace this time. So, as you can figure out from the title, I'll be traveling this summer. I'm planning on leaving Ghana on July 19th to come to the US for a visit. Then I'm planning on coming back to Ghana before school starts back sometime in mid-September. I havne't been very good in the communication department lately...sorry about that. I had my latest report ready to send out and my computer did something crazy and the whole thing got erased. So I have to redo it from scratch and I haven't had a lot of time to do it yet. I will get it sent out this week though, I promise. Things are going well here though. We're in the 4th quarter of school. 4 of my students moved up to the next class level and I got 3 new students that have never been in an ACE school before. We (my monitors and I) have been busy making sure that they know the rules and all the correct procedures for how we do things in the class room. I hope you're all doing great in the Lord as we are here. can't wait to see you in July and catch up & let you know how things are going here in Kumasi.
In Christ
BA
In Christ
BA
5.04.2010
normalcy
So, things are pretty normal around here lately for me. I had Malaria about a month ago...but got some medicine pretty fast and was feeling better within a few days. We had a great ladies' retreat where we talked/learned all about time management and being good stewards of the things we have. This is the last week of the quarter for school here so my students are busy working like crazy (some of them at least) to try to get as many PACES completed as they can. I got two new students last week....since the ACE school system is self-paced it doesn't really matter that they're coming into class the last week of the quarter. They're doing ok I think....I have started the process of applying for my Ghana Residency Visa. That means instead of a tourist visa that I have to renew every couple of months (and pay every couple of months) I'll only have to pay once a year. It will probably save a lot of money in the long-run because the last 2 or 3 times I've renewed my visa there has been some sort of problem and I've had to pay the renewal fee AND an overstay fee which is more than the yearly cost of the Residency Visa. So, I'm excited about that. My nephew's 14th birthday was yesterday...I called him to wish him happy b-day and he said he'd been waiting for my call all day...I guess having an aunt that lives in Africa is pretty cool. Anyway, I can't believe he's 14. I was 14 when he was born...he'll be learning how to drive soon! My niece is starting school next fall and my other nephew is going to be 10 in December. They make me feel old sometimes. I'm planning on traveling to the US this summer...I'm in the process of getting my ticket changed so I can be there for my friend Sara's wedding in July. I'm a little excited and a little nervous about going back "home" again this summer....it's complicated. I know that I will miss Ghana A LOT!! I'm at home here now. Well, that's about all I can think of for now so until I see you all again.....
Peace & Love
Peace & Love
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