The Wisdom of Road Signs

I made this my prayer on our recent trip to the Cape Coast area and two evening meetings for a Women's Conference.

Those who travel the roads and highways of Ghana either have a genuine faith in Christ or a persistent denial of their own potential mortality.

IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE

Like a kid in the candy store I'm on an iPhoto Sugar High:)

I have no housework or shopping to do.  

We don't go to Movies, or watch TV, so I have discovered all the effects buttons in iPhoto.

I made these images from the photos of the little sayings on cars, trucks, and Roadside businesses.  

Our first stop was Accra and there we had a Saturday Seminar for former students who are now pastoring churches or ministering as evangelists. 

I met about 7 people who minister at the Liberian Refugee Camp.  It doesn't officially exist any longer, but of course that's just on paper.  The people are still there because they have nothing to return to in Liberia.  They are in a political No Man's Land.  People without home or country and not much hope.  

The next time you drive up to your home, please pray for those here and around the world who have no home, no key to a door, no place of belonging.  Many have received Christ, but the extreme hardships of their everyday lives are a tool the enemy uses to discourage them in the infancy of their faith.

Gary and I stayed that night with our good friends Mike and Rose.  

A warm welcome, more food than we can eat, and an air-conditioned room always await us as guests in their home.  They also provide us with a car and their prayers for safety and fruitful labors.  They practice New Testament hospitality and Mike has helped Gary throughout the years in matters both practical and spiritual.

Sunday we drove to Winneba where Gary taught the Sunday 

service and afterwards I spoke to the women while he shared with the men,

We made our way along the coast toward Takoradi.

The coconut palms sway in the warm breeze and boats quietly rest along the sandy beach.  Fishing is a big part of the local economy and it makes for a vibrant Fish Market in Elmina.

It all happens under the whitewashed walls of the 'Slave Castle' built originally by the Portuguese, conquered by the Dutch, and finally used by the British during the colonial era.

It is the 'Auschwitz' of the dark period of slave trading from these shores.

The men do the fishing, but the women run the Fish Market.  

The sound and the smell exceed my descriptive powers!  

It is chaotic, crowded, fascinating, revolting, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

I've been to the Fish Market in Boston, San Francisco, and even in New York City, but none of the boats had Bible names or verses painted on them and they have a lot more ice which I think keeps the aromas in check.

I found this visual reminder that even when things are upside down 

God is King and I can say, Thank U Jesus

In Takoradi we met Pastor Dele and his wife Fola.  

Their church is Horn of Salvation Community Church and they have been there 12 years.  
Our theme in these conferences is A Wise Woman and I am blessed at how open the women are to the word.  Like women the world over they sometimes struggle in their marriages and they are concerned about their children falling away.  The word is full of truth that builds our faith and I pray that these women will persevere in prayer and study.

We spent  our second night there at The Coconut Grove.  The pool is surrounded by groves of Coconut palms and the pounding surf.  The food was great and I said 

as I enjoyed 3 croissants with butter and jam at breakfast.

Have you ever heard of the Marathon des Sables?  

It's a 6 day race across the Sahara Desert.  

Getting home from Accra is a little like participating in that race.  

Parts of the roads are just large swathes of dirt deeply rutted by the huge trucks enormously overloaded with goods.

My husband has some experience racing and has MAD DRIVING SKILLS, but the rest of the pack is just crazy.

This is the highway portion and below is one of the 5 large dirt sections where the cars and trucks literally drive with no regard for oncoming traffic.  Their only concern is finding the smoothest section of road!

Mini pyramids of gravel and dirt lent a surreal feeling to the journey's end. 

Teaching repeatedly these last weeks about marriage and parenting has reminded me how important it is that as wives and mothers we each take the time to maintain our walk with Christ.  The stakes are high and a little neglect goes a long way toward eroding relationships and doing damage.  The opportunities of today will only come once with your children.  

Remember Deuteronomy 6 and the command to teach your children diligently, along with the advice about when and where to do it.

Have you begun to disciple your kids?  Are you teaching them the basic doctrines of the faith?

If not now, when?

Every wise woman builds her house.  

Strap on that tool belt & put up the Woman Working Sign.

Blessings,

Kelly