My top 10 Ghana favorite memories...

It took me a long time to be able to wrap my head and heart around our time in Ghana. It was the most emotional, amazing journey of my life. I've  had some awesome and unusual experiences in my lifetime, but nothing has or will top this. I was in constant awe as I observed and participated in Lillian's homecoming.

Some of my top 10 memories were Lil's also but with a mothers twist to it! When asked about our trip I find myself describing this first, so it must be number 1.

1. Lil didn't have "culture shock," not once. I can't describe her familiarity of the sounds, smells, sights. Everything that takes me a few days, took her seconds. She breathed it in like a long lost memory. She was home.

2. Seeing and spending time with the Grandmothers. I have so much love and respect for both of them. Lillian's mother's mother (Abena)is from far Northern Ghana and had quite a long trip on a trotro to get to Luckyhill. She is 81 and, Lil says totally ripped! Her arms are beautiful from lifting baskets to her head and working on her farm. She was the one who helped bring Lillian in to the world. She is the one who held her daughter while she passed away. She is the one who loved her Granddaughter and took care of her as long as she was able to, and then entrusted her to Kingsley. Then she entrusted her to us. Incredible spirit. She shed tears at the Slave Castle, knowing she had ancestor's who stood at the very spot we stood, and would never see loved ones or their home again. She has vast knowledge of Herbs, I would love to spend hours asking her questions, with a translator! (Look at that arm)

Kingsley's mother. We have only known her as Grandma. She was a feisty lady in her day. We have video of her pounding fufu, washing laundry and baby Jean and Lillian. She could out walk me by a mile with a baby on her back and a basket on her head. A mother to all. When Kingsley and Gloria first started fostering children she and her husband, Joseph, were there to help and encourage.  She had a severe stroke a few years ago, but has made a lot of progress.  She seems stronger than last year, and more content. She now lives at the school and is happiest being in the midst of the noise, confusion and happy children. She has suffered great loss in her life as well. Children, grandchildren and her husband. Yet she has the most grateful heart.

When two of my friends, Shelley and Becky went to Luckyhill to help William and Comfort they also made Grandma more comfortable. They gave her a pedicure (African style) washing her feet in a bucket and they said she cried tears of gratitude. So did I. True service from my friends to a woman whom has spent her life serving others. How do you truly say thank you to such kindness...

3.  Shopping! I'm what Tracy gratefully calls "low maintenance". I'm not a shopper, which is a good thing since we don't even have a Walm*rt in our town. Taking a trotro to Kasoa is a must event for any Luckyhill visitor! Oh and a fan ice on the way back home.

On this particular day we bought one hundred oranges for the kids, all of them balanced beautifully on Ruth's head! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We bought fabric from the sweetest sister Gloria knows from church.  

Gloria told Lillian she should change to a skirt to go shopping. So proper, we wouldn't want to be under dressed :D

Gloria with yams. I would take a day of shopping with Gloria over a day at any mall in America any time.

4. Gloria. Kingsley was recently invited to a World Peace conference in  New Zealand. Gloria was given airline tickets as well as Kingsley but she didn't go, she didn't want to leave the children! I told her that if the opportunity to travel ever came up again that she should let me know and I would fly over and watch over them while she was gone. She said okay she would trust me and would go. Then I started thinking. I COULD NOT live her life for a day. She would arrive home from her trip and flip out. She would beat me. There wouldn't be any laundry done and there would be a HUGE pile of take out boxes from the Triple XXX.  The children would have the menu memorized! Here is her kitchen:

Her laundry room:

This is Gloria a few years ago. A print is framed and hangs in my laundry room as a gentle reminder to GET OVER the never ending laundry I'm putting in my front loader!

The sacrifices that she makes on a daily basis humble me. Thank you Gloria for your example of selflessness and love.

5. My favorite photo of our trip. Lillian and Kingsley visiting where she lived with him before we adopted her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No words can begin to describe this experience.

 

 

 

 

Thank you Father for leading us to our precious daughter...