Abena Nyamekye

Incase you were wondering that is my Ghanaian name! It has taken me this entire week to recognize it when people are calling me, but now I have finally gotten the hang of it. I have also picked up some other essential phrases such as “Wo din de sen?” (what is your name?) and many more. I think it would be almost impossible not to feel at home here in Kasei. There are so many things both big and small, like falling asleep to the sound of the rain and exploring the market in Ejura with friends for the first time, that remind me of how precious each moment is here. Some times this first week I felt like I was potentially more of a burden than a help to the workers at the hospital. However, thanks to their incredible patience with me in almost everything, including my feeble attempts to communicate to the patients in their language (Twi), I started to fit in at the hospital. I felt like by the end of last week they possibly actually enjoyed having me around in the out patient department where I was stationed this week. If nothing else I think they appreciated my smile and my dedication to try to record as many sets of vitals as possible from when I came to work at 7 until I left at 2. Lee would be happy to know that my soccer skills are steadily improving here. After the boys at school found out that I had a soccer ball and was willing to play I have been consistently recruited to join in on their pick up games in the afternoons. Another highlight of this week was enjoying a wide variety of new cuisine. Although the fresh mangos, pineapple, avocados, and watermelon that we get at the market or in the village are decidedly some of my favorites, my dad would be proud to know that this past week I have also tried sardines with yams and fufu (which is eaten by hand with fish stew, you will have to look that one up if you are curious about it J ). These are only a few of the details from this past week, and sometimes amidst all this I still cannot believe that I am actually here. The time is already flying by and I just hope that I can soak up every minute of it. Coming to Ghana and being here even a week I cannot help but realize that this world is so much bigger than the world I live in on a day to day basis, I am finding out that this is quite an exciting and awe inspiring thing. I feel like it has become so clear to me here that the world does not revolve around me even though I often think, and live, like it does. When I take the focus off of myself I can instead seek to discover how my struggles and decisions might become an opportunity for me to live for God’s glory. As I read through 1 John and worked in the busy hospital waiting room this week I began to see a connection between learning to live for God’s glory and practicing loving others. Not necessarily with words (especially here since I can’t really speak Twi yet J) but with actions and not with my own imperfect love but with Christ’s love and not because of who I am but because He first loved me and because I want to walk in His ways. I am praying that God will teach me how use my life as an opportunity to live for His glory starting simply by loving my brothers and sisters. Romans 11:36, 1 John 3:18, 4:10-21