Something to Think About

I am a 20 year old, bi-racial, Christian, American woman.

This interim, I was able to go traveling throughout the country of Ghana. The national census states that 17% of the population identifies as Muslim. While the overwhelming majority of the country is Christian. Being born in 1995, I have lived through the shift in Christian/Muslim relationships. I watched the towers fall on 9/11 and I've watched horrendous terrorist attacks in cities like Paris and San Bernodina California. If anyone in the United States should have tainted views of Muslims, it should be people from my generation. 

This past week I had the pleasure of touring the oldest mosque in Ghana. Our guide told us that the community surrounding the mosque is 100% Muslim. I walked around that community in complete safety. As an American, Christian woman I strolled through an entirely Muslim community without a worry in my mind. The people were so incredibly welcoming and curious about why we were in their town and their country. Why is it that when a woman wearing a burka in Walmart she's cussed out or avoided and even afraid for her life, but when I walked through a Muslim community my hands were held by young girls and the people warmly welcomed us?
It makes me sad that Christians and Americans generalize those who practice Islam. Yes, there are extremists who use their religion to justify their unthinkably horrific actions, however, that does in no way reflect upon all members of Islam or people with middle eastern roots. I hope my experience in the welcoming and joyous Muslim community can serve as a checkpoint for how Americans respond to Muslims and Arabs in our community. 

Hello from Kumasi

Well, 

Let me tell you. It has been an adventure for sure. I'm not quite sure where to start. We have been traveling around the country and listening to lectures. The trip began in Akropong where we listened to lectures at Akrofi Christaller Institute, went on daily excursions and stayed at homes in the community for a couple days. 

The family we stayed with was incredible! They were so generous and welcoming towards these two strangers coming to live with them for a couple days. Our host dad is a Pastor of the fastest growing church in Ghana, it happens to be the Pentecostal Church in Akropong. His wife Cecilia is a teacher at the local school. Together they have 4 kids Jemimah, Marc, Keszia and Peter. This was a really challenging experience. Having to constantly think about what you are doing and whether or not it would be considered offensive was exhausting. We learned a lot in a very short amount of time. 

From Akropong we traveled to Cape Coast, where we stayed at a stunning beach resort called Brenu Beach. This place was paradise on so many levels. AIR CONDITIONING & WARM WATER! Praise Jesus. These are now a luxury and no longer expected. We didn't want to leave. 

I am now in Kumasi spending the next couple days. Then we'll head up North this week. 

I'll try to blog soon! 

Prayers for health as we travel to Tamale and Bolga these places tend to wreck havoc on bodies unfortunately. 

Sorrow

As I'm stressing with finals, packing and saying goodbye, I'm overcome with a sense of conflict. As an active part of my Calvin community I'm finding it hard to leave. On Friday I will say goodbye to my closest friends after busting my butt on a final and wrapping up my packing. I will leave a house I moved into only a couple months ago that rapidly became a home. I will have to hug my incredible housemates and best friends Hannah, Ashley, Luci and Katie for what will be the last time in upwards of nine months. I'll leave KG until we meet up to go on this insane adventure together. I'm torn between wanting to stay here and wanting to go adventuring in Ghana. The fear of missing out (FOMO) is a real thing. The thought of my friends living life without me here to watch is disheartening.

It's now, when I'm faced with goodbyes, that I realize how much life I have lived, how many people I've invested in and grown to cherish, and how important this all is to me. Leaving on Friday will be difficult, hopefully no tears are shed, but that probably won't be the case. I'm oddly thankful for the sorrow that the thought of leaving brings me. That sorrowful pit in my stomach means I love this place, it's people and the time I've spent and will spend here. 

Like the great A. A. Milne once said "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." 

To all my friends I won't be able to hug goodbye, I'll see you on the flip side. 

Ghana, I'll see you in 19 days...

What Am I Doing in Ghana?

In less than two months I will heading out on a new & slightly intimidating adventure in the West African country of Ghana. This is a semester long program created, organized and ran by the Calvin College IDS (International Development Studies) department. I will be headed to Ghana on January 4th and I will not return until May 30th. For those of you who have no idea where Ghana is, here's a map:

I will enrolled as a student of the University of Ghana which is in Accra the country's capital! This means that along with classes taught by my Calvin Professor I will also be taking classes with Ghanaians and that are taught by Ghanaian professors. Our group will be living on campus in the International students dorm, hopefully we will be placed with Ghanaians roommates as well. We get the chance to travel around the country during the month of January in order to see more of Ghana's landscape.

On top of being incredibly excited and thrilled to spend 5 months in Africa, I'm finding that I am extraordinarily nervous due to the fact that is it five months in Africa. The thought of creating life long friendships with people from the half way around the world is amazing. I know I will be sad to be missing things at home including my 21st birthday, The Superbowl and of course my friends and family but when else would I have the incredible privilege to study and live abroad?

Farther & Farther

As I get farther and farther from my time in Dominican Republic I am more wrapped up in trying to remember the little things. The kid whose smile warmed your heart. The poverty that makes you cringe. The 6:45 a.m coffee must haves. The moments spent in the car with Ramon when we were laughing uncontrollably. Staying up way too late girl talking, discussing political issues or explaining why in the world I chose to spend my summer in Dominican Republic. Of course recounting the overwhelming fear of sweat marks covering the entirety of my back. No matter how busy I find myself getting with homework, working to earn money, extracurriculars and maintaining/creating friendships the memories and love of DR never seems to fade to the back of my mind. While I had to leave the country, the country and the people and the memories and the love have yet to leave me.

Time is Winding Down

I have less than three days remaining in the place that holds my heart. I'm not quite sure what to call what I am feeling right now. I love this place and I love the people and I love the way of life so to leave after becoming so comfortable and growing so much will be extremely hard. I have left even more of my heart throughout this island than I had left behind previously. I'll probably be left feeling empty and depressed. On the other hand I have been working constantly for the past 5 weeks and am looking forward to sleeping in past 7 o'clock and being able to relax a little bit.
This experience has been incredible and so life changing. It has affirmed the calling God has placed on my life. I am meant to be here in this place working as the hands and feet of Christ that is now undeniable. I thrive when I am in Dominican Republic. One of the most rewarding parts of being here was the interaction I had with the team members. I met older people, people from Texas and Colorado, people I would have never met if it wasn't for this common interest. Listening to testimonies and stories from adults about how God has been faithful to them taught me so much about life. I learned that despite crappy life circumstances keeping hope in God is the best way to get through it. I learned that prayer is truly powerful. I was able to witness the strength and healing power of prayer in so many ways. I was able to be a part of anointing a newly built house with oil and praying for no ill will to fall upon the house or it's inhabitants. I learned that I am actually quite a patient person. I am able to handle anything that kids can dish out with relative ease and grace which I experienced not all people can. This patience extends to adults as well. I worked with many types of people, whether they were type A personalities or childish I was able to communicate effectively and remain merciful.
I played Dominican baseball, explored underground caves, surfed Dominican waves, laid hands on people, watched a wedding, got tickled endlessly, snuggled adorable kids, ate rice and beans, had my fill of chicken and served this country with ALL that I had.
I can't wait to see what next summer has to offer!
Dios te Bendiga

Sports

So, most of you know that sports + Kin = a hot mess. I can't do sports. Sports of any kind are not for me. In Dominican the biggest sport is baseball which all of the boys play from the time they can walk. There's a man in Brisas named Jose Luis who coaches baseball and is involved with the school that VT works with.  A couple of the guys from the team will go watch and play baseball with the kids or Jose's team. Jose has a two year old son named Justin who is the cutest and most ornery little boy. Naturally I gravitate towards him and end up holding or playing with him. This afternoon I was holding Justin and Jose Luis points to Justin and says to me, you and him come to the baseball field. Before I knew it I was walking down the road with a group of Dominican guys towards the baseball diamond. Here is where the sports come in. I figured I would babysit Justin while watching from the dugout to enjoy the game. A mitt was shoved into my hands and next thing I knew I was catching pop ups thrown by Jose Luis. Slightly intimidating considering I was the only girl and I was surrounded by a bunch of experienced and extremely talented boys. Jose Luis began rounding up the boys and splitting them into teams, by this time I was taking a calming deep breath because I thought my ordeal with sports was over, until Jose Luis told me to join his team. Guys, let me tell you, I was stressing out. I have never played baseball before. Let that sink in. I have never played baseball before. I don't even watch baseball. Of course Jose Luis told me to bat first...that went just swimmingly. Actually, it could have been worse. I struck out once but the rest of my times on the plate I hit the ball but they were both caught so I never made a base. When it was our turn to take the field Jose Luis asked me to be catcher. Seriously man, give me a break. Jose Luis was the pitcher and multiple times he decided to throw fancy pitches like curve balls and whatever else you could possible do. Basically, I do not have a career in the MLB to look forward to but I also didn't make a complete fool of myself. After a month in DR I can finally say I've played Dominican baseball!