Freedom to Create

The first girls came to the Pearl House on a Saturday night in July. After church that next day the older girls helped Tina and Rita in the kitchen preparing lunch. That left 3 Americans with 7 Ghanaian girls that speak no English. After several attempts at learning one other's names, we spent a few minutes just staring at one another. It did not take long to realize that we had to figure out something to do. I went to get paper and crayons and set them on the floor. The staring was then transferred to the paper and the crayons.

So I picked up a crayon and drew a rainbow. The girls picked up a crayon and did the same. We continued on like this for a while. For weeks the girls would only color or draw if they were copying Clara or I's artwork. If given a coloring sheet, the whole page would end up one color.

Recently one of the girls brought this piece of artwork to show me. It stopped me in my tracks and brought me to tears. In July this child did not speak English. She did not know how to write her letters. She had never picked up a crayon and colored before. And now it is eight months later. Now she is writing full sentences, expressing gratitude, and creating beautiful artwork all on her own.

Day by day I am in awe as I witness the transformation of 20 beautiful girls as they are nurtured in a safe Christ-centered environment. May God be praised! 

Keep to the Old Roads

"So keep to the old roads

Keep to the old roads

And you’ll find your way."

I did not drive at all during my first six months in Ghana. We had no car and I was learning my way around. Anytime we wanted to go somewhere it meant a 10 minute walk down the road to catch a cab. It was all part of the experience, but I must admit it was not my favorite part. So you can easily imagine that when I set foot on American soil last November, I was elated to get behind the wheel of a car. I felt a sense of freedom in driving that reminded me of the months just after I turned 16. In Memphis I drove on familiar roads that led me to people and places I cherish. I drove across Tennessee a couple of times and it reminded me of the trips I took home during college. While in East TN I was able to drive up in the mountains a bit and experience the joy that only mountain scenery can provide. Going back to those familiar places filled me with peace and comfort.

I am finding my "roads" here in Ghana. At first we were strangers in Winneba, stumbling in how to accomplish simple tasks. But now we have gotten to know many friends and neighbors in our community. A trip down the street is filled with greetings to familiar faces. We know where to buy the good bread. We know who has the best stock of phone minutes. We have found a good seamstress. We have our drivers that we call when transportation is needed. These small steps help so much in feeling settled and comfortable. 

Comfort and familiarity in our community is a blessing. But I am learning, for the 15,438th time in my life, that our true comfort and familiarity is found in God alone. You see, I am convinced that Satan likes to keep to the familiar as well. He uses the same tricks over and over again to mess me up. He knows my weaknesses, the lies I believe and he goes for them every single time. In the US, I knew how to cope with this. I would spend time with dear friends and mentors that speak the Truth to me or I would go for a long drive and listen to music that is filled with God's Truth. In a new place with new relationships and no car (until recently!) I have had a hard time figuring out how to process the battle in my mind and stand up to fight back. But then I remember, the thing that always brings me back is the Truth. 

The other day I was listening to music and a familiar song came on. It was Andrew Peterson's "You'll Find Your Way." In this song written to his son he sends the reminder that no matter where you find yourself, you keep to the old roads.

So every day, I go back. I go back to what I know is True. I keep to the old roads until I find my way to the Truth. And then I hold fast. 

May we all be found holding fast to the Truth.

From the Inside Out

Spiritual formation in teenagers has been my heart and passion for many years now. It was what I was hungry for as a teenager and I don't think I ever grew out of it. I love watching God transform someone's identity from an awkward and uncomfortable child to a stumbling, yet beautiful creation of the King. 

The story is no different here in Ghana. The stresses and the drama are different, but the heart is still the same. I would venture to say that the heart of all creation is the same. We want to be known and we want to be loved. Even Jesus received those words from His Father. The voice of God shouted affirmation over the God man as He was buried in baptism. God said, "This is my son, I love him and I am super happy with what He just did." If Jesus was blessed by that affirmation, how much more do we need that encouragement as children of God?

The girls of the Pearl House are learning about the heart of God - who He is and what he cares about. When they came to the house, they knew who Jesus was, but their knowledge of God did not extend much beyond that. As a staff we are working hard to lay a good foundation for the girls, but there is a lot of work ahead. They have memorized several scriptures so that Truth will be hidden in their hearts. They have memorized the 10 Commandments and are working on the books of the Bible. Every morning we study wisdom from Proverbs. We spend time in prayer and worship every morning and every night. We have several hours of prayer and fasting on Saturday mornings. We sing song after song. We teach about right and wrong. We teach the Old Testament Bible stories, all new to the girls. At times they are literally on the edge of their seats, asking questions like, "Did Pharoah's firstborn die too?" They are appalled that Joseph's brothers would sell him off and tell their father of his death. We are teaching them who Jesus is and what his life on earth was all about. We are talking about the Holy Spirit and about how with Him at work in us we can overcome the temptation to fight and cheat. 

Through these daily moments of teaching and worship, I'm reminded and the girls are learning for the first time that God's word is Truth.  I thank God for what He is doing at the Pearl House.  Please join us in praying that His mighty transformational work of grace will be done in us all. Pray that we will all be consumed completely by the heart of God and live a life that bring others to the foot of the cross. May God be made known throughout Ghana through these girls.  

Celebrating Six Months

Saturday was a particularly hard day for me. I'm the only American on the ground here right now. Things are going on well, but it gets a little lonely at times. A medical mission team from my home church was in the country and came by to visit our home for a few hours. It was a blessing to spend time talking and praying with them. After they left I was pretty sad. Then, the girls decided it was time for World War 3. They haven't fought like that since their first few days in the house. And it wasn't just one girl being moody, it had almost everyone involved. We dealt with that and moved on with our day, but it sure was a rough one for me.

On Sunday night as we sat down for devotion I informed the girls that the next day was January 13th, the 6 month anniversary of when our first Pearls moved in. I asked the girls to share some of their memories from the first days in the Pearl House. There are some stories I knew, but there were many I had not heard. Most of their stories involved being afraid of the bathroom or the white people. Both brand new things they had never been around before. 

Their bathroom has a detachable shower head with a long cord. One girl was afraid of the shower head because it looked like a snake to her. So she wouldn't put soap on her face while bathing, just to keep an eye on that shower head. Most of them would keep the door to the bathroom open so they could run out as soon as they flushed because they were scared. One of our smaller girls actually fell into the pot, it took quite a while to get her to go back in there on her own.

On the day the second group arrived there were balloons and decorations on the gate for our dedication. One girl thought all the decorations were edible, basically thinking she had come to live in Candy Land. 

We also had girls that would sleep with their flip flops under their pillow. They were not taking any chances of their shoes getting lost. 

It was encouraging to listen to all of their stories. Laughing together reminded me of how many experiences our new family has shared over the last six months. As a good friend of mine always says, "shared experiences create unity". 

We then took a few minutes to honor Tina and Rita for their hard work these past 6 months. I am so thankful for their example. They can do something I will never be able to do, and that is teach these girls how to be Christian Ghanaian women. 

Next we issued a challenge to the girls. A lot has changed in the past six months. They look healthy and they have new clothes. Their legs are no longer covered in cuts, scrapes and boils. Many of them did not know letters and sounds when they came, and now they can read. The external changes are obvious. But now it is time for internal transformation. Time for them to allow God to work on their hearts. For their words and thoughts to be seasoned by the Spirit. In honor of this goal each girl was given their very own Bible. Their faces lit up with excitement at the sight of their very own Bible. It brought great joy to my heart to see their elation.

We have a long way to go. A long way before the unity of God will overcome the differences of their individual tribes. A long way before the spirit of God tames their tongue in the midst of fighting. A long way before selflessness overcomes the instinct to do whatever it takes to survive.

But things always look better in the light of God's truth ... 

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and Godliness.

He is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ever ask or imagine.

The power that raised Christ from the dead is dwelling in us. 

I think that kind of power will do the trick! Please join us in prayer as we thank God for 6 incredible months and as we seek His presence on this journey of transformation. 

**Many thanks go to the Murphy's and the Celebrate Recovery Group at Southern Hills Baptist Church for donating the Bibles. 

While I Was Out

Over the past several weeks I was blessed with the opportunity to spend time with friends and family in the US. It was a whirlwind of cities and cherished relationships, all a blessing, all exhausting! I came back to the Pearl House a week ago today. In my return I found that many things have stayed the same and some have even changed for the better. This adventure is still new, so being gone for a month is fairly significant when we have been in existence for less than six months. In my New Year's resolution attempt at being a better blogger, I thought I would go ahead and post in the moment so I don't let it pass. There is a lot to catch you up on, but that is for another day. 

Every Sunday afternoon Momma Tina hosts a neighborhood Bible club for children. Kids from our church and our neighborhood come over from 4 to 5 for a Bible story, singing, prayer and of course ... treats! In addition to our 20 girls, there are anywhere from 4 to 15 other children that come. I love this program. I love that it shares the Good News of Jesus Christ. I love that it enables us to serve our community and develop roots. When walking around our area I get to see fellow church members, school workers and store employees as we are going. It is nice to feel a sense of community in the midst of our physical community. 

While I was out, the neighborhood moved in. Before I left we would see these little friends walking down the street or at church and that was it outside of Sundays. But while school has been on holiday, the Pearl House has become the place to be. Little Kenny has been running around in our house all week. Jessica comes over to color. And for some reason the family that has six children sends at least 4 of theirs over quite regularly. At this point, all I can say, is the more the merrier. 

This is good for our girls. Many of them were surrounded by children before they came here. They don't get to see little ones as much anymore. I hope this is teaching the Pearls about hospitality. I hope they are learning the importance of sharing the gospel. I hope they are learning the importance of sharing what you have been given. 

I hope we are all learning these lessons. 

A Day Worth Celebrating

Today has been a good day. 

It has been productive. Rewarding. And filled with laughter. 

It is rare to find all of those in one day, so thankful for that gift. 

I shared a lot of laughter with these lovely co-workers in the Kingdom. 

On a whim I decided to go by the driver's license office and see what the process is for getting a license. As you know, everything is a process that takes time. I walked out the door two hours later with my very own Ghanaian driver's license and some new friends! 

I was able to share the word of God with some women at church tonight. It was a blessing to be reminded that Jesus truly is the bread of life. There is no hunger or thirst He has not already fulfilled. 

Sweet Abigail could not identify all of her letters and sounds two months ago. Tonight she walked up to me and said "Momma Courtney, listen. Z-e-r-o, zero, o-n-e, one" ... all the way to ten! 

And this was tonight's sunset. 

I find it difficult to explain the great work of God that has transpired over the past three months. Maybe a snapshot of today is a good start. 

A Day in the Life

Here's a few snapshots of life at the Pearl House ... 

 We like to relax with a movie every once in a while.

We are learning all about God, Math and Reading.

And we love to draw!

A House Full

Life in the northern part of Ghana is brutal. Resources are few and far between. Jobs do not exist. Each day is a struggle to grow enough food for your family to eat with a little left over to sell. Left on its’ own this cycle ends in one of two ways for young Ghanaian women. The first is that the girl is given away in marriage at a young age and starts having babies, thus the cycle starts all over again. The other alternative is that the girls in the family are sent to Accra. They go to the city, sleep on the streets and work during the day. They make enough money to survive each day and send a little back home to their families. Life will turn out this way for each every one of them …. Unless.

Unless something interrupts their story.

Unless something breaks the cycle of poverty.

On July 13^th at 7:28pm, a vanload of 11 girls pulled into the driveway of the Pearl House. Two weeks later, on July 28^th 10 more arrived.

Each girl brings her own story full of heartache and joy, family triumph and shame. They are from different villages and tribes. They speak more dialects than I can count. They all have one thing in common, poverty.  None of them have a father at home, most of their fathers have passed away. Most of the girls have 9 to 12 siblings in their family. The girls would wake up at 4am to work on the farm, go to school and then back to work on the farm until the sun goes down. The evening was filled with more chores and homework. Most have never slept on a mattress before. Only one had electricity before coming here. Most had to go and fetch buckets full of water each day. Their legs are covered in boils. They are underweight and malnourished. This is their story.

Now they wake up each morning on a mattress and wrapped in a sheet. They take a bath in water from the tap. They eat 3 balanced meals a day. They have clean clothes to wear. They are receiving an education, tutoring and emotional support every day. They are experiencing the love of God on a daily basis. They are learning how to be a Ghanaian woman. They are learning how to be a daughter of God.

They have great value in God’s Kingdom.

They are worth a great price.

They are Pearls.  

Movin' on Down the Line

The past couple of weeks at the Pearl House have been going well. We are getting closer to kicking things off day by day. 

We have had our first few visitors come by already. On Tuesday, June 25th a mission team from White Station Church of Christ came to work on the house for a few hours. They cleaned, put together fans, set up appliances and bunk beds. They got a lot done and it was a blessing to see my Memphis family here in my new home. 

Then, on Thursday, June 27th a mission team from Harpeth Hills Church of Christ in Nashville, TN came by. In just a few months of working with this church I have been blessed and encouraged beyond belief. I am so thankful and humbled to be counted as one of their missionaries. The team put sheets on the beds, washed dishes and put together some furniture. I am so thankful they got to come by to visit, serve and pray. 

We also have our intern here with us now. Clara Brown just completed high school and comes to us from Tulsa, OK. She will be here with us through December. I can already tell she was sent here by God. Laura Myers, a sophomore at UT from Memphis is also here with us for two weeks. It has been so good to have these girls around. They have helped with the work and been an encouragement to me. 

And now for what you really want to know. The girls. This is an ever-evolving situation. We have been working with some girls from a market in Accra for several months now. I think we have built up their trust in us, but there are still a lot of other factors that cause them to hesitate in their commitment to coming to the house. We are ready to get things started, so we are pursuing other options for girls. There are plenty of girls that need assistance, so we are going to move down that path. These girls we have been working with may come around, and if they do we will take them when there is room. Until then, we are finding some new girls. I'll tell you more about them and their stories very soon. They should be arriving anytime over the next couple of days. Please pray for the girls as they transition. Pray for the staff as we work with them. And pray God's wisdom and understanding for us all. 

Thank you for your love, prayers and support. It is humbling when I sit and think about how many people are prayerfully invested in this project. May God be glorified in every step along the way. 

No Shaking

What I had planned today:

9:30 get picked up and go to the bank

9:45 get a receipt for the transfer of money due for our rent

11 meet with the lawyer, sign the lease, get keys

1pm take one load of furniture to Winneba and get back in time for church

What happened today: 

8am read Jesus Calling with the theme God lives outside of time .... Uh oh

10:45 my ride to the bank and lawyer shows up

12:10 arrive at lawyer's office, he's gone to the meeting he had scheduled at noon

12:45 receive a text from someone in Memphis that is praying for me

1:15 meet with the lawyer and then plead with the homeowner to give us house keys. Because tomorrow is the only day I have a truck 

2 homeowner agrees, lawyer prints and signs lease

3:45 get additional letter required for the money transfer typed and signed

4:30 arrive at bank after closing, security guard recognizes bishop, lets us in. See manager, hand over paperwork, transfer will be done. 

Most days here don't go according to plan. Your choices are to not make a plan, which usually results in getting nothing done, or to make a plan with full knowledge that it will change. Most days I am completely fine with adjusting along the way. Some days it is incredibly difficult. Today I was frustrated and fighting back tears from about 10am to 1pm. All I want is keys to the house. I'm ready to make a home for these sweet girls. By Gods grace it is almost done. Tomorrow morning I plan to meet the lawyer at the house. We will inspect the house and he will hand over the keys. We'll see what happens!

On the way home from the bank I was talking to bishop about a project he is working on. He said "life has never been handed to me on a silver platter, I know how to struggle. But in the end God always wins." ...I told him that my silver platters must be in in the luggage lost and found somewhere between here and the USA. 

So I am learning. I am learning what it means to rely on God in the big and the small. I am learning how to fight to get things done. I am learning when to fight and when to trust. I am learning just how powerful it is to have people all over the world praying for you. 

There will be "go slows" along the way. (That's what they call light traffic) but I am learning that in Christ, there's "no shaking". No need to get stressed out, I know who holds the future. Jehovah has the final say!