A Week of "First"

The first Johnston girl got engaged! Yay!   I am so happy for you both, Elizabeth and Paul.  I love you both so much - and I was so glad to be one of the "first" to know! A Christmas wedding would be so nice!! I can't wait to hear about plans - I know Deedee is already on top of this one!

I had the first successful painting project at the orphanage! I took a few of them to the school room inside the building.  We drew and painted ourselves under an umbrella with the rain - or "wata" falling around us.

We painted, and then colored our Bible verse:

"For the JOY of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10

The fourth grade earned the first "free day" in art for good behavior! We had free painting time, watched Lilo and Stitch (LOVE that movie!) and ate snacks afterwards - so much fun!

One of the kids brought this for me - made me think of Tracey!

I took the Seniors at AIS on our first field trip this week! It went well! We needed to get out of school to take pictures for inspiration for the next series of paintings and drawings we are going to be doing.  So, we went to the market nearest the school and walked around and took pictures.  We have been discussing formal elements of composition.  So we all tried to take pictures with balanced and interesting compositions.  It was really hot - but we all got some nice pictures!

Here are the three senior, from Ivory Coast, Minnesota, and Puerto Rico.

Friday, some friends had everyone over to play volleyball and wii!  Saturday we went to a flea market/bizarre put on by one of the other international school - that was fun! I got a few Christmas presents.  Saturday night I tried ethiopian food for the first time - and it was nice, a little spicy, but nice.  I would eat it again.

Today we went to a true Ghanaian church.  We went to hear a pastor preach that I have heard a ton about, Mensa Otabil.  He has several churches in Ghana and he is commonly considered the "Billy Graham of Ghana." He preaches to the spiritual and social and economic needs of the Ghanaian people.  I have read his writing about how Africans view Christianity as an "outside" religion.  That the Africans do not feel a part of the Bible, or God's plan.  This, he explains is partly because of the images the European and American missionaries brought to Africa with them; of white Jesus and white God.  Interesting.  His preaching is very biblical, and contrasts with the typical "prosperity gospel" that is preached in Ghana.  He has gone through the Bible and found places where Africa is part of God's plan - and preaches about Africa's place in God's plan.  Today the message was about "Changing what has been written." The change from the law God wrote in stone for Moses, to the new covenant brought by Christ and the Holy Spirit.  He was challenging the Ghanaians to change what is socially "written" for their lives, and instead to live by the Holy Spirit.  This encompasses many things - including changing African's role in economics, most commonly as takers or beggars of wealth, to working to provide for themselves.  He, like many preachers here, had everyone affirm their neighbors - this time instructing us to say "You will not be a beggar anymore!"  He was proud to share that his church had not had any help from foreign missionaries getting started, and that his church didn't owe any money to anyone.  It's a good sermon for anyone to hear - we don't have to live according to the "Script" society hands us - we should follow the Holy Spirit.

http://www.centralgospel.com/

I thought the picture on the back wall was interesting - today it didn't have the "Happy New Year."  To see a part of Michelangelo's painting from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, next to that warrior angel, in this huge un-airconditioned mecca of Ghanaian Christianity was quite an interesting scene.

After church, we went to a British sports bar called "Champs" for lunch.  I had a diet coke and a fajita salad, and we watched soccer. Delightful.

I heard about the Auburn game - so sorry Dad!  I hope this season will get better!  Miss everyone! Thank you for your thoughts and prayers and letters! Congrats again Bebe and Paul!