Aaahhhh, internet that works….

Well, I didn’t keep up with the blog this trip. Our time just went so fast, getting to an internet café was not convenient, and when we were there is was too frustrating to load pictures. So, below is an array of photos illustrating this year’s trip.

We saw a few new things this year, but for the most part Ghana, to me…and now my mom even….just seems normal, normal for Ghana, that is. We’re becoming use to it, use to a different culture, sounds, smells, foods, and even a different perspective on time! You never know what might happen in Ghana, so we’ve learned to just go with it.

Not sure it is obvious from the pictures, but the kids are growing so much! Of course, as my friend Maasen pointed out to me last night, kids do that. Yes, they do and it is a good thing. It means they are getting the necessary nutrients and are hopefully developing healthy bodies….but still it makes me a little sad. Sad that they will eventually outgrow the cute, cuddly stage and sad because I miss out on much of their lives and the changes that occur between these visits. Regardless, this trip was blessed with much happiness compared to last year. While it was hard to leave again, it felt different…it was okay. Now I am hopeful for their futures and know that with the Hopkins Foundation we are on the right track to ensuring that they will no longer be forgotten about or abandoned in life.

While there are still many kids we can’t help yet this year via boarding school, the fact that seven of the orphans are enrolled and will head off on September 6 is amazing! The Hopkins Foundation hasn’t even been up and running for a year yet and already it is able to make this impact! I just have to say thank you, thank you, thank you again to everyone that has helped support these efforts so far! May God bless you! I wish each and everyone of you could see these children in person and see the impact that you are making in their lives!

I had a little pep talk/heart-to-heart with the seven kids that are enrolled this year: Peace, Noble, Elikim, Sammy, Princilla, Edem, and Emmanuel. I just wanted them to know how many people are making their schooling possible, believing in them, and showing them love. Our work to give these children better lives is far from over, so I don’t want to get a head of myself, but……..I just pray for the kids to feel the love that so many of us have for them, that this love is enough to overcome anything from their pasts, that it makes them grab a hold of the opportunity and potential school offers, leading them to successful lives, and that one day…they’ll pour that love back out to others in need.

I never got to update about the 2nd yard sale….it was also a success and helped with Elikim and Sammy’s enrollment. After the yard sale and several other donations from my friends Maasen and Amy, we raised another $500.00. Josephine also had a friend that agreed to sponsor one of the kids, getting us to the seven! THANK YOU!!!!!

Bernice's neighborhood in Sokode

Melody-Wonder's daughter (he teaches at the school I worked in). We met her last year when she was very tiny.

Our boys playing football with some local kids in Ho. Sokode versus Ho. Sokode won (6-4), whoo hoo!

Big boys playing football. That's Adaklu Mountain in the background....I climbed it, piece of cake. =)

Dora Memorial School. This is the boarding school the kids will attend.

Here are the first seven (oops, six, Princilla is missing from the photo) to enroll in boarding school. From left to right: Elikim, Emmanuel, Sammy, Noble, Peace, Edem.

This is where Bernice's mom lives in Ho. Love the tree.

On the trail to Wli Waterfalls

We crossed the river eight times using these bridges.

God's beauty.

See....my mom really did make it.

Mmmm....I just like trees.

Bernice (left) and her mom.

Huge bamboo

In the forest looking for monkeys.

Monkeys!

Noble feeding a monkey in the tree.

Elolo's turn. We had a ton of monkeys gathering near us waiting for our bananas.

Elolo worn out after a day of swimming.

We took the kids to dinner after swimming. They're enjoying a local dish called banku.

Awoenam. She is three years old, but like Elolo was malnourished and neglected and therefore is the size of a one year-old. She was brought to Bernice, who placed her with a nice woman named Pat. When we first met Awoenam she showed no emotion and wouldn't make any noises (for us nor for Pat). After a few encounters with my mom she was a laughing, happy baby! My mom fell in love!

Friends. Emmanuel and Noble. So cute.

On the way to the monkey sanctuary and waterfalls. Tro-tro with flat tire #1.

Flat tire #2 and our boys trying to lift the tro-tro. It worked.







Entertaining themselves and making me very nervous while we waited for a new tire !

My old friends, the DiVOG boys: Richard, DJ (with the wild pants), and Robert. Mypa (not pictured) and Robert took my mom and me out in Accra our last night in Ghana. It was great to see life in the capitol and all the expats!

I may be in Ghana and they may call it Maize, but looks a lot like Central Illinois to me. This is on the farm behind Bernice's house, she owns several plots.

The boys working on the farm. They are growing cassava, yams, and maize.

Sammy wasn't working too hard on the farm, he found this nice tree.

Gorgeous.

Leaving......

Elikim and Sammy

I have a wonderful update on Elikim and Sammy, the two brothers. Thanks to so many people’s generosity to the Hopkins Foundation and thanks to Josephine’s generosity, both Sammy and Elikim will be attending boarding school this September! This is great news and a big relief after our recent visit to their village. I informed Josephine of their condition and we are quickly moving forward to get them enrolled. Elikim has not been here this past week (he has been staying in Accra for a short period of time), but will be coming to Bernice’s house tomorrow morning to register for school, etc. We are all so excited to see him again and to see his reaction to this news!

The Ghana Travels of 15 kids, two yavus and a grandma

We've returned from our little jaunt to see monkeys and a waterfall (Wli Waterfalls are touted as the highest in West Africa) and everyone survived and returned in one piece! Praise the Lord! Bernice's mom came with us, so she should also be getting some praise!

What will I remember the most from this trip?

Will it be:

• Feeding wild Mona monkeys bananas from our hands?
• The glorious waterfall that appeared to fall from the sky at the end of an hour walk through a forest?
• Having my mom tell me she doesn't like camping, even though we weren't: we stayed in a two room building that had running water....the washrooms just happened to be outside in a common area.
• The mischievous laughter and smiles of my older kids sitting in the back of the tro-tro truly loving their time away from chores and the usual, being nothing but children?
• The tro-tro getting a flat tire twice and watching my tough boys try to lift the vehicle?
• Spending 30 hours with 15 children in very tight quarters? =)
• Guiding my mother for two hours through a slick forest trail fearing that she would fall and her surprising me by not falling or passing out?
• One hand holding my mom's and the other holding a small child making sure no one falls?

No, while these are all memorable moments, the thing I took away from this trip is how big of a responsibility it is to feed 15 hungry mouths!!!!! Wow, I felt that for the majority of the trip we were eating, talking about eating, searching for enough food for 15 children or negotiating food prices! It gives me a new-found respect for Bernice and McDonald's! =)

It shouldn't be a big surprise, but it has been almost impossible to get any of my pics to load. But for now, I was able to get these on here (I am behind a post on pictures, monkey and waterfall pics should be up tomorrow or Tuesday).




Right to left: Noble, Sammy, Frank (Wallasy), Ayrum, and Eyako-the last two are the twins. This is the picture I took right after we were all first reunited with Sammy in his village.








Races at the pool. Noble won every single time-he's a bit competitive.








My girls lounging pool side.








In Accra on the day of our arrival waiting for the tro-tro to fill up and take us to Bernice's. Looking great....right?

Priceless Moments

No news has meant good news.....sorry for the delay in posting, but we are alive and well. We arrived safely on Tuesday and have just been very busy with the children! I think we have not wanted to spend any time a away from them the past few days as we had just arrived! We want to soak up all the time possible!

So a quick recap from the last few days:
Our flight here went well. We did use a different airline from previous trips, Delta. The flight was cheaper and it flies direct!!!! That is huge since it cuts down on the length of time. So we flew from St. Louis to JFK and then straight into Accra, Ghana. Our whole trip was about 17 hours this time (that includes a 5 hour layover in New York-where we enjoyed people watching and margaritas=)! All I can say about Delta is that it is cheaper for a reason, but it got us here safely so I should not complain. But I will....the flight wasn't quite as enjoyable as my flights on British Airways and KLM, most of the movie monitors didn't work, they seemed to have less staff members, and the seats were much smaller. Also in the airports, their check-in and boarding systems were crazy and disorganized. Also, there were a lot more screaming children....not sure if that is the airline or just luck =). My mom and I did not sit together, which made her a little sad and relieved me a little (ha, mom-sorry). We had seats next to each other originally but gave them up for a father and small child that would have had to sit in different cabins!

Our friend Sylvester met us in Accra and traveled with us back to Ho...well actually now Bernice lives right outside of Ho in a village called Sokode. It is much quieter where she is now, which is lovely, but that also means no internet cafes there. We traveled into Ho today to use the cafe here. The ride from Sokode to Ho is a five minute taxi ride that costs us less than 50 cents. We are staying with Bernice afterall, she begged us to stay with her. We have our own room again which they have prepared for us very nicely and are once again treating us like queens! It is too much! They don't have much, but they give us everything!

As I said earlier, there are a few of the orphans that remained with Bernice and some live with her mom. So on Tuesday when we arrived in the afternoon we hung out with the five kids at Bernice's: Peace, her sister Patience, Noble, Patricia, and Ebeneazer (a new child that was brought to Bernice), plus Bernice's two grandboys- the twins. On Wednesday morning we headed to Bernice's mom's house in Ho...with Bernice and the other children in tow....all in one taxi....that is ten people in one taxi-and yes, my mom was in there! Fun! Elolo, Sika, Priscilla, and Selasie all live with Bernice's mom. After playing with the kids and spending the afternoon there we asked to bring all the children back to Bernice's. So while we are here, all of those children will be in the same house where we can play and spend time with them more easily.

There are the two brothers that we wanted to check on while here: Sammy and Elikim. They are in a small village five miles from Sokode, so yesterday my Mom, Bernice, and I took Noble, Frank, and the twins there to visit. The village is very small and somewhat desolate. Unfortunately, Elikim is away in Accra right now, but we did get to see Sammy. It was sad....in fact, even Bernice began to cry. Sammy was very dirty, his legs were covered in dirt and his clothes were also full of dirt. The women in town that welcomed us informed us that he isn't taken care of well. The women that he and Elikim live with right now doesn't have a lot and isn't around much because she spends all day out on a farm, so the boys fend for themselves. We are all considering right now what to do and what makes the most sense, but Bernice, my mom and I agree, those boys need to leave that house. There was a happy moment of the trip though: when we got to town we were greeted and just told to sit in front of this store while Sammy was located. So we did and of course my mom and I drew a little crowd. So by the time they found Sammy and he came running up, I know he was probably embarassed because everyone was looking at him and talking about his situation. So he looked very shy and wasn't smiling at all. He hugged my mom and me but looked down the entire time. But then we sent him over to Noble and Frank and I would pay a million dollars to see their reactions again! All of them, especially Sammy, had huge smiles, laughed and joked with each other. Noble pulled Sammy over to them and on their laps and they all hugged! Priceless! I did capture one picture right after, but it doesn't do justice. Sammy came to Sister Bernice's house last night and will stay with us for a while.

Yesterday was busy! After all that, we came back and took all the children to the pool at the hotel in Ho! Most have been to the pool once and a few have never been. We had a blast. There is a kiddie pool, the big pool, and inner tubes. At first only the big kids would come in the big pool with my mom and me (wearing the inner tubes of course) and we would lead them around the pool. Then they would get brave enough to swim in the inner tube by themselves. Then the smaller kids starting coming over the big pool and doing the same thing. It was a little scary for my mom and me to keep dibs on eleven kids that can't swim, but they all behaved well and no one drowned...so it was a great day! =) Two of the older kids, Patience (who has never been in a pool) and Noble are probably ready to swim without inner tubes. We tried a couple times and they are almost getting it.

This afternoon we are taking 16 kids and Bernice's mom to the monkey sanctuary which is an hour away. We will go there, stay over night, then tour the sanctaury in the morning, feed some mokeys and head to some waterfalls nearby. We'll return to Sokode Sat night, hopefully sane and with all 16 kids!

There is so much more to share.....like how much all the children have grown, all the silly things they remember about our time together last year, the new children we have met.....

Going, Going, …..Ghana

A lot happens and changes in a child’s life in one year. This past year has been one full of changes for our kids in Ghana: the closure of the orphanage; being separated from each other (their ‘new family’ essentially); sent off to live with any remaining family member they may have; for some, being returned to live with Bernice in a new place; and now some are preparing for boarding school. There is no doubt a lack of constants in their lives and this will remain true for a while until the Hopkins Foundation is truly well established.

At this time, there is only one small constant I’m blessed enough to provide: continuing to spend time with them, albeit a short amount of time each year. To my surprise, the kids made it clear last year just how much it meant that I came back to see them and especially that I brought my mom. They truly do hold on to those promises of ‘I will come back one day.’ I had no idea when I left them the first time when or how I would get back, but I knew I had to….one day. I had no clue that I would go back a year and half later and again a year after that!

Yes, that is right, I am going back to Ghana again!!!! YEA!!!! And so is my mom!!!! We made a last minute decision earlier this month that we couldn’t wait any longer, we had to go see them this summer! We will be there again for two weeks, leaving St. Louis August 10 and returning August 25.

Once again, this trip will be completely different from the last. We don’t have the orphanage to stay in this time and all the kids are in different locations (this is probably going to be the most difficult part for me). Our plan right now is to stay a few days with Auntie, maybe one or two with Bernice, and probably most of the time will stay at a hotel/guest house in town that is supposedly really nice. I’m leaning towards that option because it will give us our own space to use as a central location for the children. We could gather them all up in the morning and bring them to our place. We are also planning on at least one trip to the pool and a one day trip to a nearby waterfall area. We want to provide the kids with an opportunity to all hang out together but also get away from their current environments and doing something they never get to do! I have still not traveled up north to the elephant reserve, which involves a little trek on foot to get up close to wild elephants (uh, not behind fences). My mom wants to take the kids (I don’t think I have shared ALL the details with her-like the no fence part)….but if this actually happens….well, it is a day/night trip there and then back on a tro-tro on some very rocky roads with a bunch of kids and my mom! Kind of sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, but if we could pull it off, could you imagine the look own their faces when a elephant is 15 feet away from us…..could you imagine my face OR my mom’s!!!! =)

So, leaving in less than two weeks!!!!!! 2nd yard sale tomorrow and Sat!!!

A special thanks to several friends and family that have made donations since learning about our new trip. Maase, my mom's friends Gina and Pam, my aunt, and Kendra's Aunt Mary have all given or offered donations to be used for either the Foundation or for toys/clothes/food/etc for the kids while we are there! Thank You!

How Noble

Two more children will be enrolled in boarding school this year, which makes for a total of five currently!!! Oscar, who is one of volunteers my mom and I met last summer from Spain, is sponsoring one of the children and has said that he can raise enough for a second child! What incredible news! When Oscar first learned about the Foundation and the option of sponsoring the children, he asked if he would be able to indicate which child he sponsored. The answer was yes, but then internally I started quessing which child he was considering. I was betting on one of the boys because of the huge bond that was obvious between Oscar, Leo and the boys. I was right! Oscar requested that his donation be used to enroll Noble into boarding school! This makes my heart so happy!

Noble has been one the main kids that has had my heart since my first trip to Ghana. While he is behind in some of the major learning areas, he is truly such a smart boy. He would always make me think up math problems for him to solve and he rarely got them incorrect- and when he did he wasn't happy until he got it right. He dominated the dominos game my mom and I took there last summer and he LOVES football (soccer)! He is also the one who we had the birthday party for last year with the cake. Before coming to Bernice and the orphanage, Noble lived on the street by himself in one of the villages. I can't even begin to fully grasp how incredible this new attention and investment in Noble could affect him in so many ways!

The second child that Oscar will be sponsoring with the money he is raising is one of the girls, which is equally as adorable. Priscilla (really it is Princilla but my mom always say it wrong =)), the peanut-but toughie of the group, will now also be enrolled this Fall!

Thank you Oscar for impacting these children and all the SWODC kids!

Will Someone Please Buy this Goose?

The first of the two benefit yard sales occurred this weekend at Jeff’s house and raised $300 for the kids’ boarding school costs! I am definitely pleased with that amount and excited to see how much can be raised later this month!

I had this weird dream (wait, aren’t dreams always weird?) last week that we raised $300 at the sale. I happened to mention this to my mom and suddenly, $300 became our unofficial goal. Most likely, we could have raised more than that but we had serious rain nonstop Saturday morning that required the yard sale be moved from the front yard to the back alley garage! Needless to say, our sales were hurting on Saturday but some people did surprisingly come out to shop! We had over $207 the first day and then with the help a few purchases on Sat and a nice donation from one of my mom’s friends we had $260 in the end. My mom was either really set on the $300 goal or maybe just loves to make me happy (I’m thinking both), because she made her own donation to make our proceeds an even $300!

In addition to raising money to help the kids and getting rid of some old stuff, we enjoyed discovering others’ connections to Africa. One of our first customers knew a lady going on a mission trip to Ghana later this summer, one person’s neighbor was from Ghana, and there was a mom and son who knew a couple from church that recently adopted from Uganda. There were also several people that asked further about the Foundation and added a few extra dollars onto their purchases to help out!

Jeff and my mom deserve a HUGE THANK YOU because by default of being my family members they both got stuck doing a lot of work this weekend! Uh, I love you both….a lot! =) My mom was great because she likes to chat with people (no surprise there) and enjoyed the opportunity to talk about her kids in Ghana which helped us with more donations. Jeff’s muscles were of course a big help when it came to setting up and tearing down, but even more helpful was his willingness to entertain me on the slow, rainy day in the garage (and to ensure no one abducted me from the alley)! I may be able to obtain some of the pictures of the great outfits he pieced together from the clothes for sale! He also was great when I made him be a pretend shopper when a car would drive by! =)

The wooden goose from the picture is still left and will be waiting for a new owner at the Champaign garage sale! Really, I thought it would be a top seller when I pried it from my mom’s hands in her basement where it has sat for six years.

Cleaning House, Raising Funds

I have incredible friends and family! This isn't news to me, but it still makes me so happy every time I am reminded of it! My brother and my good friend Kendra have both been nice enough to offer up their houses (yards and driveway to be accurate) for garage sales to raise funds for my kids in Ghana! Thank you Jeff, thank you Kendra (and Jim)!

On July 3 & 4 at Jeff's and July 31 & August 1 at Kendra's we will be selling our old stuff and giving 100% of the proceeds to the Hopkins Foundation so more of the SWODC orphans can go to boarding school this Fall and have three meals a day! This should be a fabulous way to raise some more funds!

I'll be home over the Fourth of July weekend to hang with the family and conduct the St. Louis garage sale. In Champaign, we're having the garage sale at Kendra's because she lives on a very busy road, so we will hopefully attract a large crowd. I am promoting the garage sales as fundraisers for the kids and will have information about the Hopkins Foundation and pictures of the children onsite. Hopefully, some of our customers will feel extra generous when they learn our purpose. Also, their purchases are technically donations, so they are tax deductible! Friends and family can donate any items they no longer want or use. I figure everyone has stuff they want to get rid of but haven't gotten around to taking it to Goodwill yet, so why not give it to this cause! Especially, when it so easy-I am willing to pick up the items, organize, price, etc.

On another note, Josephine had an amazing trip back in May and came back from Ghana with lots of updates on the kids. She has asked to post on the blog to provide an update and I am thrilled. She had some 'make the hair on your arms stand-up' moments while there and feels even more certain of her calling in these kids' lives. So there will be another post soon to provide an update on the boarding school progress. But a quick summary for now- three children are being enrolled for August. Picking the three is definitely a difficult part and when Josephine asked my opinion it broke my heart to think about choosing. Yes, for these three it will be life-changing but for the others..... Regardless, during her trip the three presented themselves to her and the decision was easier than expected as you will read soon!

Josephine Returns to Ghana

Josephine (from the Hopkins Foundation) returned to Ghana last Sunday for a two-week visit. She has been visiting with the children that have remained with Bernice and her mother, working on the boarding school logistics, and she will also be traveling to the various villages where the other SWODC are currently living. She is there to prepare for sending the children to the boarding schools and to check in on the children that were returned to their guardians.

She sent me this beautiful email this morning to let me know about her time in Ghana thus far. Instead of recapping what she said, I thought I would just post most of the actual message here because it is so touching. It brought a huge smile to my face and maybe even some tears to my eyes (I know, I know, I am such a sap)! As I told Josephine in my email response, just hearing that she is there with the children brings such a peace and happiness to my heart. I know they are safe and are being loved right now!

Quick note on the email-'Woezo' is Welcome in Ewe and Richard is the guy that gave my mom the full African dress! =)

**************

From Josephine Hopkins (4/26/09):

Woezo sister Alicia,

I am so grateful that I am here and able to hang out with the children. They are looking great but are in need of a few things so I will be filling those needs. I have told them all that you send hugs and kisses and I wish you could have seen their smiles. They sure love and miss both you and Mama Carol.

By the way, I am at the internet cafe next to the old SWODC office and Richard told me to tell Mama Carol hello and he misses her. He is an incredible young man!!!

I have been able to spend time with Patricia, Patience, Peace, Noble (who are still living with Bernice) and Elolo, Sika and Celese (who are living with Bernice's mother). In fact I am just on my way back from visiting today. I will be headed back tomorrow with new sandals for all. I will find out how to get to Bernice's mother's home tomorrow which is in Ho so I can spend some more time with Elolo, Sika and Celese.

I have actually run into some of the other children that are still around Sokode and Ho, Gloria, Matilda and Evelyn. I am so thankful for this.We went to market on Thursday with all the children (I don't know what I was thinking) and it was CRAZY!!! We decided to just go to Freedom Hotel and have a cold drink...much calmer.

I will try to figure out what needs to be done from this point and keep you posted.There is much love for you and Mama Carol here and I will close on that note.I'll be back in touch soon.

Much love,
Mama Josephine
********************

Prior to checking my email today, I was just sitting here thinking about my blessings this week (it is amazing how many blessing we actually receive on a weekly basis, but most of us...myself included....don't normally realize this because we don't take time to stop and think about it). I was already impressed by the blessings I did receive, then I got this email and it is truly a great blessing. THANK YOU!

40 Day Journey to Generosity

I spoke briefly to Sister Bernice again the other week on the phone and have learned that another one of the children, Selasie, has been brought back to Bernice from a guardian. Selasie lived at the orphanage during my first stay in Ghana but was gone visiting her aunt when my mom and I were there. She was suppose to remain with her aunt after September's events, but now she is now back to being Bernice's responsibility. Selasie is actually staying with Bernice's mom (because of the school she is enrolled in), along with Noble and Elolo; have I mentioned before that Bernice is in her 50s and her mom is maybe late 60s/early 70s! They really are amazing.

I debated writing the remainder of this post. Know now that I'm not trying to pat myself on the back or make it seem like I want anyone’s praises. I think doing a good deed and not telling anyone about it, though very difficult, is a true sign of your heart and intention. But here’s the thing, there’s so much news about the negative things in life and not nearly enough about the good things. So I want to share what is going on in my heart in hopes it starts a rumbling in another’s. Have you ever heard of the 40 Day Journey to Generosity?

Lately I have been being hit left and right it feels like with the need to reexamine my own generosity. I have made some big steps over the past six months to truly want to give cheerfully and regularly of my resources. For me after some original consideration, 10% of what I make was what felt right. I have always felt like a fairly generous person, I like good causes, a bit of a bleeding heart, etc. But, wow, when you really take a calculator out and see that 10% number, it is a bit of a reality check……I’ve been a selfish scrooge….that five bucks at church each week doesn’t really cut it (hey, I thought that was a lot and that was on a good week =))!

Since being back from Ghana, I have gotten really close to reaching my 10% goal, but not fully. There has been something kind of holding me back. Now my ‘almost’ 10% isn’t just to church, though I hope in the near future to get to giving 10% to church and all other causes be in addition. Currently, my ‘almost’ 10% is a mix of mainly church, the kids in Ghana and a couple of other local things I support on a monthly basis. As I talked about before, my mom and I have been sponsoring Elolo for quite sometime now (really in one way or another since I first went to Ghana), but I have wanted since September to sponsor another of the children for boarding school (I do wish it could be more than one) and have just been procrastinating on what the best way would be (i.e. monthly, a couple of large donations, etc). In the meantime, I’ve started to do some major saving for another major endeavor that is down the road a bit. This endeavor will take a lot of savings and a lot of faith when it comes down to it and also involves the kids in Ghana in a way (no I am not thinking about moving there….just in case that is running through your mind). But this need to save a substantial amount of money that is also for a really good cause had made me start rethinking my ability to sponsor another one of the kids for boarding school. Of course, I didn’t like this idea, but I can’t really make money magically appear so I thought that would have to be that. I have to choose.

But suddenly I have been inundated with messages about sacrificial giving and faithful giving…. and feeling like I need to make this sponsorship donation. Giving what I can now faithfully, knowing that God will provide for me in the future when its needed...its a little scary, but awesome! I have been in fear of giving the money to fully sponsor one of the kids because I fear the large sum that I need to save and not being able to do it. But what I’ve come to realize finally is that the money I have right now is not really mine; it has only been entrusted to me and I need to give back to God what is his. So, okay, I thought a lot about the donation and then I looked back at how I was doing with my 10% giving. Well, I was falling short as I knew. But then I calculated in the sponsorship donation and what that would equal out to for the year and I kid you not, it was got me right at 10%! So this week I wrote the full check, cried a little….really it was out a joy, not sadness….and took the leap of faith and it is awesome!

Now again, I don’t write this to congratulate myself or even suggest you also sponsor one of the kids (though that would be huge and help sooo much), but hope it does a little something in your heart too.

Here are just a few of the cool resources/interesting facts/verses that got me thinking….

An awesome 40 Day Journey to Generosity- www.givewithjoy.org –Very cool, you get messages to your email inbox for 40 days with brief teachings on giving with joy and viewing money totally different than what is pushed at us by society.

1 Timothy 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God.

Think that verse above doesn’t apply to you, that you are not one of those rich people?

- Did you realize that if you personally make more than $1500 per year you are richer than 75% of the world’s 6+ billion people!

-3 billion people live on less than $2 a day

-70% of the world’s wealth is concentrated in just 5% of the population (guess where most of that 5% resides)

-If you own a car, you are in the top 6% of the wealthiest people in the world

This is really cool: How rich are you? To find out how your income compares to everyone else in the world go to: www.globalrichlist.com

Calling Ghana

I called Sister Bernice today to check in on her and the children with her. Hearing their voices is always bittersweet, but mostly wonderful! Sister Bernice makes me laugh when I call because she just gets so excited and very loud when she realizes it is me (her reactions to my phone calls are nothing compared to when my mom gets on the phone....you would think she was a queen or celebrity the way Bernice reacts....screaming and hollering). She is doing well in the new house, but is still suffering from poor health which requires her to make frequent doctor's visits and travel far distances.

Patience, Patricia, and Peace were all in the house when I called so I also got to speak to them (Elolo and Noble are with Bernice's mother right now because of the long distance between their school and the new house). It is great to speak to them and hear their sweet voices, but trying to get more than a one word answer from them was like pulling teeth! Regardless, they are all well. Patience and Peace were both able to get enrolled into schools in Ho after returning in December. Unfortunately, due to the move, Patience will be repeating a grade since she missed out on some testing required to enter senior secondary school next year. I know she was very upset in January but she reassured me today that she is doing much better now and understands that this is just a minor setback. Hhmmm, she is strong.

Thanks to everyone that has donated so far to our boarding school efforts so that we can ensure that all the former-SWODC kids can once again be in safe conditions. My mom's gooey butter cake venture at work raised $75.00-AWESOME! She was hoping for more, but I think her effort and desire to raise this money is working in more ways than just fundraising.

Much, much thanks to:
My beautiful Aunt Dorles who is generously making monthly contributions
The Clarke Family-Gina, my mom and I thank you!
My mom's Generations' friends: Gloria, George (you rock), and Tom
Annette
Becky Bruno-thank you...as always, you are a wonderful, caring, giving and supportive friend
Cindy P & Steve- miss you!
Ina & William

Fundraising Update

I've been updating the section to the left as donations are received and added an area to thank those individuals that have been able to help so far. I just learned from Josephine that the fundraising event at their company's Holiday party resulted in $1800 donated! Wow!!! So cool. So far with our combined efforts, we have raised $2,050.00 It is an amazing start!

Josephine will be going to Ghana in March to visit the three potential boarding schools for the children and work out more details on enrolling the children when the time comes. This is at least her 4th or 5th trip to Ghana, I'm definitely jealous, but will be anxious to hear her updates.

FYI- My mom and I thought up another small fundraising idea that she will do at work soon. She is going to put her gooey butter cake notoriety to wonderful use by selling slices of cake in the break room and then taking orders for full cakes, with the proceeds going to the Hopkins Foundation for the kids' school! I can take orders! =)

We Need Your Help!

Fundraising Efforts:

As stated above and throughout this blog, my Mom and I have felt moved to help the children from the Save Widows and Orphans Development Center (SWODC) orphanage in Ghana. They are in great need of help as they no longer have the security of SWODC, which was forced to close its doors in September 2008. Since that time, sixteen of the twenty-one orphans were sent back their small villages and to the guardians/relatives that brought them to the orphanage originally. These are the same people who could not afford to care for them originally and most likely can’t do so now. Their daily safety, nourishment, and education is of concern to us.
Fortunately, an amazing American volunteer I met back in 2007 has established a US-based foundation to help the children. Josephine Hopkins and her husband Randy (also met him during first trip) established the Hopkins Foundation just this past summer to guarantee that the orphans from SWODC are fully cared for now and in the future. The Hopkins Foundation’s mission (http://www.hopkinsfoundation.org/) is to enroll each of the SWODC orphans into a local boarding school and support the children throughout their education (through high school and beyond). We feel boarding school is the best option for the children given Ghana’s poor public education system and their current lack of a permanent home or orphanage. Our hope is to raise the necessary funds for the children to return from their villages and enroll into a boarding school next September. Boarding school will not only provide them with the best education as possible in Ghana, but also a roof over their heads and three meals a day. The cost to enroll one child into boarding school for the entire year is around $800.00. This breaks down to less than $67.00 dollars a month, less than $2.25 a day. Yes, they can live safely and well for less than $2.25 a day! Can you help us make this a reality? Can you make a contribution (of any amount) to help these children return to a safe environment and give them a real opportunity in life?

If you can support my mom's and my efforts in placing the SWODC children into boarding schools and providing them with a safe home, please make a tax-deductible donation to the Hopkins Foundation (http://www.hopkinsfoundation.org/) by mailing a check to Hopkins Foundation, PO Box 190192 Boise, ID 83719 (checks should be made out to Hopkins Foundation and include SWODC in the memo). *The option of donating online may be added to the website in the future. Again, any contribution amount would help and be appreciated greatly. Donations to the Hopkins Foundation can be made as one-time contributions, monthly donations, or you can choose to fully sponsor one of the children (call Hopkins Foundation, 208-890-1296, my mom, or me for more information).

These children have touched our hearts. We have held their hands, listened to their sweet singing, felt their loving hugs, and dried their tears. My mom and I can’t turn our backs on them. They are great children, they are real and they need our help and your help! This is an opportunity to drastically change lives AND be able to see the impact of your giving. We will follow (and hopefully visit) these children throughout their journeys and provide updates on their progress here. We understand firsthand that times are uncertain. But we ask that you look deep into your heart and ask God for guidance to determine if this is an endeavor you can support now or in the future. Any contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference. There are so many good causes and charities, so many lives we can touch. Whether you are able to support us in this one or not, we hope that you are finding your own way to show your love and give. Most importantly, even if you aren’t able to help these children financially, your prayers can help tremendously. Please take a few minutes to pray that Bernice and these children be blessed with safety, happiness and love.

SWODC Background:

SWODC was formed in 2000 by Bernice Nunyuie, a local Ghanaian widow with a huge heart and faith in God. After losing her husband in an automobile accident, Bernice recognized the need to assist other widows in learning pertinent work skills in order for them to gain independence and care for their families. As Bernice began to help widows form co-ops for the local crafts they produced, she also became the community go-to person for widows needing assistance for their children. They would come to her asking for help with school fees, food, clothes or if really in need, they would ask her to take the children into her home. One-by-one, Bernice began to take in children that other women could no longer care for, as well as orphans that had been being taken care of by aunts, uncles, older siblings, and grandparents that needed her help.

Eventually, SWODC officially formed. Over the past six years, Bernice has taken care of more than twenty children with minimal outside assistance. Bernice not only provided shelter for these children, but also ensured they received adequate meals, enrolled them into school, paid their school fees and made sure they were clothed. She also reached out to volunteer organizations in the area to have volunteers come to the orphanage to help mentor and play with the children, which is how Alicia came to meet this wonderful woman and the children. Bernice has been a tremendously selfless person, giving up her life and taking in these children. Over the past six years, she has struggled daily with the stress and concern over where the money will come from to continue to care for the kids. Sadly, after years of putting others’ needs before her own and struggling to make ends meet, the burden has become too great and Bernice is no longer able to financially care for these children. In addition, she has developed several chronic health conditions. While we were in Ghana this past August/Sept, a number of major and unforeseen obstacles were presented to Bernice in a very short time-frame and unfortunately SWODC’s security quickly evaporated. Due to decreasing finances and the end of her lease, Bernice had no other option than relocate to a smaller home and send the children back to their guardians if they had any. Five of the children have remained with Bernice because they have no where else to go. Bernice is trying to stay updated on the other sixteen children, but they are spread far out and due to her current health issues she is unable to travel much.

Bernice has done it on her own for quite a while, but now she and these twenty-one children are in need of help. My mom and I can only do so much on our own as well, we don't have enough to give them all the security and safety they so deserve. So that is why we have humbled ourselves and are reaching out to you to ask for help. Please consider contributing to the Hopkins Foundation at http://www.hopkinsfoundation.org/ If you are interested in supporting Bernice in her current efforts to care for the children in her house, please contact me directly.

Much love and thanks!
Alicia (and Carol)

Update on Peace and Patience

On Christmas Day my mom, brother, and I called some of our friends in Ghana to wish them a Merry Christmas. We of course have been keeping in close touch with Sister Bernice from the orphanage to stay updated on the children since our return, but usually through email, we don't get to speak on the phone a whole lot. But on Christmas, we spoke to Sister Bernice and two of the children that have remained with her since the orphanage closed, Noble and Patricia. It was wonderful to hear all of their voices and they were very excited to hear from us. Elolo was out of the house with Bernice's mom at the time, so we didn't get to talk to him unfortunately.

I also received a call from Patience and Peace, the two sisters who went to live with the wealthy family in Accra. It seems that, unfortunately, their place in Accra wasn't as good of an opportunity as we all thought. I don't know many details, other than that the family in Accra is sending both Peace and Patience back to Ho to Sister Bernice. After speaking to Sister Bernice, it seems that the family underestimated the time and resources it would take to care for the girls???? Honestly, it all seems very bizarre to me. I am disappointed for the girls and they both said they were sad to be leaving and just two days after Christmas! Nevertheless, Sister Bernice is the fallback person as usual. She will go pick up Peace and Patience tomorrow from Accra and bring them back to her two bedroom house to stay with her and the other three children. While Bernice is very upset with the family, she didn't seem too stressed about the girls coming back to her. She simply told me there was no other choice, they have nowhere else to go, so they will come back with her and she will wait on The Lord to determine what she is to do! I love that lady!

Even though the news from Peace and Patience was disappointing/disturbing, it was so wonderful to talk with them! Even Jeff (Brother Jeff) talked with them both and now I am sure they will never stop asking about him! Jeff asked Peace what she was eating for dinner (rice and stew, I believe) and he told her he was jealous because he was hungry and was still waiting for his dinner, so she told him she would send her food to him through the phone!!! So kind and funny!

Pictures from August 08 trip

Who needs a stroller?









Bernice's new house









Football








Mom and the kids










Village life








Dirt road in Ho







Dinner time!











Eating with the right hand









Elolo's new bike












Reading







The boys' room










The kids' restroom area











Mom's new African dress










Our last night out with Wonder and Robert







Oscar and Leo, the volunteers from Spain









Peace and me getting ready to leave for Accra and her new home









At her new home








Peace and her sister, Patience, reunited









The life is how you make it store








Ladies carrying items for sale on their head; baby on back; scene from the tro tro station at Ho's market











Elolo and me










Buying fish at market (we weren't)







Dried fish, upclose and personal (and that's why we weren't buying any)







Elolo blowing bubbles at Amaya (niece of one of the workers)

From the road....

While we have a layover in Detroit......

We spent our last evening in Ghana out with my teacher friend Wonder and Robert, one of the DiVOG volunteer coordinators. My mom was pleased to learn this past week that Schmirnoff Ice is actually sold in Ghana; it made up for the fact that she couldn’t get Bud Light! She didn’t take to Ghanian beer quite like I did, but she did take to their cheap prices! We didn’t stay out too late because we also wanted to enjoy our last night with the kids and they were going to be doing their drumming and dancing for two other volunteers we met...two boys...finally, some guys that are volunteering (where were they when I spent three months there?). Oscar and Leo are from Spain and aren’t only a novelty because they are male volunteers, but they also were a little older. I’m not sure how old exactly (maybe late 20s????) but over 21 or 22 is old for volunteers....yes, I was ancient. They too have already been in careers, but have a little extra time right now while in between jobs. They were a lot of fun and were wonderful with the children. Oscar spends nearly four hours straight each day Mon-Sat teaching the kids in different classes and then each day they would take the kids out to a large soccer field in town to play. My mom and I were both very impressed with them, oh yeah and they were quite cute.

Earlier in the afternoon on Monday we went with Sister Bernice to see her new place in a nearby town...more like a village really. It is only about a ten minute taxi ride from Ho, but the rent there is cheaper. It is a nice place (I will post pictures of it next) with two bedrooms, a kitchen, self-contained restroom (indoors) and a large hall which is the Ghanian version of a living room....just think plastic chairs everywhere instead of real furniture. The area around the house is the best part, they have a bit of a yard for the kids that are staying with her to play in and a big shade tree. Once we got back to town my mom and I went out for a little last minute shopping and took Elolo with us..We all had a blast. Momma Carol played her role of spoiling him very well when we passed by a small shop that had two tricycles parked outside. She saw those and immediately I could tell what she was thinking. We debated for a minute if we should because of the other children and didn’t know what they would try to charge us. But the look on Elolo’s face when he realized we were talking about that bike and getting it for him was PRICELESS! We had to do it. We bargained for it and got- what we were told later by friends was- a very good deal! He was so excited! We still had places to walk to for our shopping, so just imagine it, two yevus walking down the street carrying Elolo and a tricycle. We were quite the sight! Elolo hasn’t quite grasped the whole peddling concept on his own yet, but does well when someone is pushing him.

On Tuesday morning we had a few hours before we headed to Accra for our flight. It was a busy morning with lots of visitors stopping by to say goodbye. Mom had a special visitor. We got to know the guy that runs the internet café next to the orphanage a bit just from chatting with him while we were there updating this blog. He is fairly young. But he told me last week that he had a surprise for Mom. Sure enough, that morning he dropped off a full African outfit that he had made for her! It is beautiful and actually fits which was amazing given he didn’t have her measurements. Wait till you see the pics of her, she looks wonderful in it. Oscar told her it was very sexy! Oh no, oh no....weird! Anyways we both were shocked that he did all that for her!
More to come, we are about to board our plane to St. Louis!!!



These ladies were at Wonder's house. Look how stoic they look and note they are sitting on the rocky ground. They were so exited to see their pic on my camera!







One of the thatched houses.









Frank doing his 'wash' at the orphanage.








Like how it gets laid on the dirty ground to dry!








Scene from town.








Banana trees.











Mom getting down with the kids!









I couldn't let her show me up. I had to demonstrate my African dance skills too!








Town, a typical store.








The boys giving us some music with the drums.








Sleepy Elolo.













The girls dancing.

Coming to an end

Today is our last full day in Ho. We will leave here for Accra and the airport tomorrow after lunch. Even though our flight is not until 9pm and the trip is about 2 1/2-3 hours we have to make sure we allow enough time in case we have any tro tro breakdowns or if our tro tro takes a while to leave. Tro tros don't leave at a designated time....unfortunately, they leave for their destination only when the vehicle is completely (crammed) full of people. This means that we could wait several hours in the tro tro before it fills with enough people or it could leave five minutes after we board. It is all about luck! When I left last time for the airport I waited over three hours and was convinced I would miss my flight (I didn't). If we our lucky and do get to Accra early we plan to check out their cultural market for some last minute reminders of Ghana.

There really aren't a lot of places in Ho to get gifts or 'souvenirs' (not your typical tourist trap...but Mom is still looking for a shot glass that says Ghana on it for a coworker???? Good luck!). We shopped a bit at the market here which is huge on market day. Market day occurs every four days, on that day people from the surrounding villages in the region travel to Ho to sell and buy goods (on the off days there are still some vendors from this area). At least 99 percent of the items for sale at market are just your basic necessities: produce, fish, soap, fabric, clothes, etc. Then there are a few stands that sell Ghanaian beads (I brought some of these home last year) and that is about the only souvenir thing you can get. Today we are going to the two other shops in town that have wood carvings and jewelry hoping will find some other fun things (by the way Hilary, if you are reading this, we got ripped off in Jamaica on those wood carvings!). While shopping at market I got to test out my bargaining skills and had some good luck! For most items in Ghana you can bargain a price especially for yevus because the person selling the item always quotes a more expensive price when we ask! Mom did well in the market though it is a very busy, crazy place with tons of people carrying heavy items on their heads, narrow aisles, and rocky dirt paths. I did have to hold her hand through many places which got us even more looks than normal but she held her own and we actually got to shop for about an hour or so with out her freaking out (which is what I was expecting!).

Yesterday I traveled to Accra and back to take little Peace to her new home (that is six hours spent in a tro tro for one day!!!!). It ended up just being Peace and me traveling (Mom volunteered the two of us to go and then immediately started making excuses why she shouldn't go....she is a little scared of the tro tros I think). But it all ended up working really well and made Peace's leaving much easier (I think) on everyone. For her I think it was a little exciting to be traveling just with me, for the kids they got to watch her leave with me knowing that I was coming back, and for me it eased my mind greatly to see where she will be living and to get to spend that time with her. I definitely felt like a mom taking her (I had snacks for us on the tro tro [only thanks to MY mom for packing them with me], I carried her heavy bag, made sure her dress looked nice when we got there, etc). She and I just happened to get off the tro tro at the airport junction and when the driver was getting her suitcase down he asked if we were leaving Ghana today, which Peace just loved. Afterwards she said 'he thought we were both going to America together!' I wish! Her new home though really is incredible. The whole time I kept thinking in my head, Peace just may end up as a little Ghanaian Annie! The little orphan that is being taken in my Daddy Warbucks! I met the man and talked with him for a while. His wife in the US right now for business. They have a house in Washington DC and both worked there for over 20 years. He was the Director of the Smithsonian and now works for the World Bank; she works for IMF and was one of the first women in Ghana's parliament. There house is gated with security and just beautiful. They have drivers and two cars. I got to ride around yesterday in a air conditioned Lexus SUV (it didn't seem right)!!! Let me just tell you, Ghana looks a whole lot different when you are riding in a Lexus! I also got to see Peace's sister Patience and spent several hours with both girls in the house. It was just the three of us so I was able to ask Patience a lot of questions (she has been with this family since May) and really do feel like this is a good family and amazing opportunity for both of them. She seemed very happy. They both will start boarding school this week and Patience has been told by the woman that is she receives good marks (grades) she will get to travel to the US with them! I am so excited, I already told the woman and the girls that Patience and Peace can come stay with us anytime they come to the US on their breaks from school! Just like camp....camp in the US! I do hope that they both are happy and the opportunity with this family really is as good as it seems. They deserve to finally have this security and bright future. With names like Peace and Patience, just imagine what they may be able to do in and for this world one day!

I will be posting some more pictures soon (maybe after we get back).

My mom also has an update!!!!

Hello everyone,

Today is our last full day here in this wonderful place and we have still so much to do. I have had an awesome time having my daughter share this experience with me and wanting me to be here with her. This has been everything I expected and more; I should say better than I expected. Most of you that I talked to before I left knows of my concerns of adapting; such as the heat, sleeping, the food, and of course my appearance. Just to let you know the update: the weather has been surprisingly cooler (oh yes, I have had my sweating days; thank God for my fans that I brought.) My bed has been very comfortable (of course, the ceiling fan has helped immensely.) The food: the ladies have been so gracious to us, preparing lovely dishes without all of the spices (my stomach is so appreciative.) And finally, my appearance: okay I brought a big straw hat (thank God I have not had to wear it; my hair as actually behaved itself, and I have been able to wear
my make-up (thank God otherwise I would have scared these poor little children.)
So other than my little episode of not feeling well, I have felt great and have been able to keep up with Alicia (although she has had to hold my hand every once in awhile when walking in the evening). It is very dark here and the sidewalks or streets are not all very smooth. My worst thought would be falling and not being able to go back to work. Everyone here wants to know if I will be coming back sometime; I tell them possibly but right now I have to go back to work, so I can save more money. Of course, they think I am so wealthy because I am a yevu (white girl). Oh and let me tell you just how white I am here; these little white legs have never been so white!!!

As you have read in the blog, the children have been leaving this past week and it has been very hard to witness. I asked myself the other day when the fist boy left, if maybe I would rather have not come knowing I would see this; now I know that we were meant to be here at this time. The kids are so innocent and loving here. I have loved all of the hugs and yes sometimes little kisses; and know in my heart that I will never forget them. One of the older girls told us that we are the only volunteers that have every brought so many things for them; maybe all of these toys and clothes helped them keep their little minds off of the changes that are going on here at least for a little while; I pray it did. And I hope they also never forget Sister Alicia and Momma Carol and our love for them all.

I will see and talk to you all when I get back. Pray for a safe journey for my Alicia and me. Thank you for all of your support and prays. My last request from all of you is to please keep these children in your prayers. God bless all of you.

Carol