Well, we are home. Friday was the big day of return for the 12 of us, and for me, it was bittersweet. My body was certainly ready to be back, but my heart is still very much in a remote village in West Africa. I have every belief that it will be there for quite some time, and I could not be more excited about that. I've been on quite a few mission trips/camps and experienced those 'mountaintop' moments. I know that 'spiritual high' feeling, and while part of me is feeling some of that, the majority of me knows that this journey has put to shame anything that would dare compete. When you touch a 7 year old child in slavery and have to leave him there, there's no way your life can ever be the same. Shame on me if that is ever just a 'spiritual high' moment. So, there's a lot to process, and I feel like I have yet to even begin. However, I'd hate to leave you hanging, so below are a few thoughts that I shared at Heritage this morning. Check the Heritage site later this week to listen to the entire thing, as well as thoughts from Allison, Chris and Stacey.
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The kids made countless art projects this last week. I certainly got a lot of joy watching the kids craft and create things of their very own, all so unique. The kids just loved all of it, whether they were 7 or 18, whether they could say their colors in English, or couldn’t speak a word of our language. We cut and glued construction paper, painted paper and t-shirts, made beaded jewelry and colored in coloring books. Art is one of those things that translates across culture, and I was so excited to get to share that with the kids. It was humbling to watch the children learn new things. One little boy who had never seen watercolors before couldn’t get the paint on his paper. He tried to scrape it out with just the brush to no avail. When I showed him how to add the water, he looked up at me with this priceless smile, in awe of how the water made his picture come to life. 
On the last day of camp, we had two art stations: the watercolor pictures and a yarn wrapping art, which I've heard called God’s Eyes or Dreamcatchers. Based on the previous days, I figured most of the kids would want to paint, but they all immediately went straight for the yarn and popsicle sticks and started working. This was one project they didn’t need to be taught. I was a little surprised, as I thought that would be a new craft to them, but figured they’d probably seen a lot of weaving and clothes making in the villages. A few minutes later, it occurred to me that the kids were so adept at this art because they had mended countless fishing nets in the past. At 8 and 10 years old, they were experts with string and tying and knots. It was a speechless moment for me. It struck me that these children were having the chance, many for the very first time, to turn their skills from slavery into something beautiful and colorful, something that brought them great joy instead of pain.
It was humbling to be a part of that joy and to be able to share those things with the children. That moment was one in which I really saw justice and mercy come to life. Transformations are taking place in the lives of these children. He is redeeming them and filling their futures with new life and hope. To participate in and witness that was indescribable. Our God has called me in a powerful way this week to live a life full of justice and mercy wherever I go. It’s hard to believe that he would choose me, and all of us, to partner with Him in that. But I’m grateful and excited to see what that will mean for my life.
To close, a few verses from Isaiah 42: “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations… In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged til he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope. This is what God the Lords says – he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those that walk on it: I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. I am the Lord… I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.”
I truly believe, more than ever, that God does not forsake His people, especially His very special children halfway across the world on a lake in Ghana, West Africa.
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Check back for more stories and thoughts from the trip. I assure you there are enough to fill a book. I'm frantically editing pictures and working on other various things (like finding work!), so thanks for being patient and for all your support and prayers for this trip!
LOVE the picture of the one boy. He is beautiful. Perfect creation of our Father.
Indeed... His name is Baba.
You should hear Baba sing. He will often lead out a song and the other kids will begin singing with him. He would do this when they were all coloring or just sitting around. Missing me some Baba...