A Servant’s Heart

When our team arrived in HoHoe, Ghana we were greeted by Pastor Timothy Wilson and his wife, Fastina.  Their children, from the youngest to the oldest, welcomed us with both hugs and smiles.  Pastor Timothy is a young, energetic minister ready to plant churches and spread the Gospel through the Northern Volta Region.  He is going to be great!  His children are beautiful and innocent souls laughing, playing, and learning like all children around the world.  They reminded me so much of our children here at NorthHaven.  And Fastina, well, Fastina is a saint.

Upon settling into HoHoe we began to plan our meals for the week.  Fastina was insistent she wanted to cook breakfast for us each morning.  Not wanting to neglect a blessings for her and a bit frightened what she might do to me if I refused, I graciously accepted her offer.  Therefore, each morning we were greeted with perfectly cooked eggs, magnificently made golden brown toast, and oats that were fit for royalty.  In other words, she did a spectacular job.

Goodbye 30’s, Hello 40’s

Last night as I shut my eyes, I did so for the final time as a 30-year-old.  When I woke this morning, I realized a new personal era had begun.  I am now 40.  Therefore, with this post I want to commend the last ten years and let the next ten know I am really looking forward to what awaits.

2000

With one outstanding young man already under my roof, Missy and I welcomed Tanner to our family.  Our lives have never been the same!  We love that kid!  Cole and Tanner changed so much over the last ten years, giving their mother and I more joy and happiness than people deserve.  Thanks guys!

2001

Watching the news from my Texas bedroom on that fateful September morning, I turned to Missy and simply said, “The world just changed.”  

Not One World

In the Volta Region of Ghana, the area is bordered by the Volta River on the West and the country of Togo on the East.  This geographical landscape has enabled the Volta culture to endure through English colonization and Ghanian independence. 

When independence arrived western modernity swept through the country, but the Volta culture in many ways remained in tact. 

Now, many of the cultural traditions are wonderful expressions of a beautiful people celebrating their history and uniqueness.  However, there is one practice found in the Volta region that must be addressed and stopped.  This practice is known as “trokosi.”

Education, Education

While many of our children are bemoaning the end of summer vacation, children in Ghana, Africa relish the opportunity to walk to their classes, attend to their studies in open air classrooms, and make their teachers and parents proud by learning skills many have not been afforded before.  

During NorthHaven’s recent mission trip to Ghana, we visited a schoolhouse in the small northeastern town of Kolonue, where we were greeted with smiles, laughs, and songs.  However, we were also greeted with reality that children around the world have far less for their education than most people realize.