Coping With Pain

Disabled Ghanaian

Over the many days and months that we were in Ghana this is a picture that we would see in most of the major cities across the country.  These people, men, women, children, and  elderly, would be on street corners wanting a handout from passerbys.  Most of the time, they would not pester, but ask and move on.  I saw some look at these people with disgust;  disgust for the person or disgust for the country for not taking better care of its indigent.  Some looked at them with apathy.  Some never even looked.

But for me (Alan) I saw them differently.  I saw them clothed with perseverance.  Here are people who have any number of ailments but continue to press.  They would be on crutches or in a wheelchair, like this man pictured to the left, out in brutally hot weather trying to make a living.  They might not have been doing something that seemed worthy, but their worthiness came in their tenacity and perservance.

Now that we are back in the U.S. and I am dealing with back pain to varying degrees, I often think of these Ghanaians.  I look to them for encouragement to press on towards the mark.  I love counseling missionaries and their children, even though I am in pain.  God has called us to this place, and humbled I sit ready and willing to persevere.

Haitians Need Land? Huh?

Many of you remember I traveled to the beautiful country of Senegal last year.  I was in its capital, Dakkar, for about 10 days facilitating a workshop for expats.  It was a place that would be very nice to live in.

The president of Senegal has decided that he should offer some of this prime property to the poor Haitians who are doing everything they can to stay alive right now.  I do appreciate this gesture of kindness on the president’s part, but I have a healthy skepticism about its helpfulness.

Do ya’ll have any thoughts?

Uproar in Jos

Many of you remember that I traveled to Nigeria last year to do some counseling and help facilitate a crisis workshop.  While there in Jos, many of the Nigerians and missionaries still were experiencing the effects (emotional) of the last ethnic and religious conflict that happened in 2008.

Now, another conflict has happened, very similar to the one in 2008.  Here’s the story on the BBC.

Please pray for the Nigerians and missionaries who are living amongst this strife.  This has turned an already tough place to live into a boiling kettle.

A Pause (in this journey)

Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday finds Tywonn and I in a very similar position that we were in last year.  I (Alan) have started back with Wycliffe in Orlando counseling missionaries who are on furlough or who live in the Orlando area.  It is good to get back to counseling missionaries as this is what I feel I am meant to do.

Tywonn, on the other hand, is back to working at a local hospital.  She is doing this for two reasons.  The first is make up the shortfall in our missionary income.  Many of you have supported us abundantly, even more than abundantly.  But even with your gracious giving, we cannot live in the U.S. on our missionary salary alone.  The second reason for Tywonn working is keep up to date with the new advances in the medical technology.  Even in the short time we’ve been gone, Tywonn will have some catching up to do.

Many of you have been asking about and praying for my back.  I have been going to a chiropractor for about a month now.  I’m still not seeing much change in the level of pain.  I will continue going to see the chiropractor, but am going to look into an MD soon.  Please continue to pray for us in this.

Three Weeks

I was watching the John Adam’s HBO miniseries while we were in Ghana.  (If you haven’t taken the time to check it out, do so.)  During one of the episodes, the character playing Thomas Jefferson was asked what he thought of Paris, France, since he was the U.S. delegate to France and had been living there a little while.  Jefferson replied that only when he returned to the U.S. (home) would he know how France had effected him.

We’ve been home a little over three weeks and I (Alan) am beginning to see how Africa has changed me.

• It might sound trite to say this, but living in the U.S. is easy.  The infrastructure in the U.S. makes life pretty simple.
• But…I’m even more careful to compare the suffering in the U.S. to the suffering in Africa.  We all suffer on one level or another.
• Experiencing life with friends and family is something to be cherished.
• There are many things I miss about Ghana, but maybe the biggest thing is the slow-paced nature of life.

With the new year upon us, we look forward with anticipation to the happenings ahead.  And we look forward to taking you with us on this crazy journey of ours.

Future Plans

Greeting from this side of the pond!!

We made it safely home from Ghana late Friday evening.  We have been trying to get caught up, but, honestly, it is all a bit of overload at times.  But God has been and is good in how He sustains us.

I (Alan) visited the chiropractor yesterday.  With the regular amount of time needed for chiropractic treatment (and hoping it does work) and the start of language school, it seems that we will not return to overseas at least until June/July.  I will continue as a missionary counseling with Wycliffe in Orlando and Tywonn will do per diem work with Orlando Regional, as our missionary salary will not sustain the cost of living in Orlando.

We continue to need your partnership with our financial support.  One person has graciously given $50 per month of the $200 per month needed.  So, we need $150 per month to make up for our shortfall this year.

Thank you for your continued prayers and partnership!!

10 Things We Learned in Ghana–#1

There is no place like home.  There is no place like home.  There is no place like home.  (Alan)

10 Things We Learned in Ghana–#2

Plantains are good no matter how they are cooked: fried, grilled, mashed, spiced, or baked.  (Tywonn)

10 Things We Learned in Ghana–#3

Things might not be as they seem to be in a foreign country (or your own).  (Alan)

10 Things We Learned in Ghana–#4

Ghanaians are entrepreneurial and innovative.  (Tywonn)