One year, Ten Lessons:

Julia and I have been in Africa for one year! That’s right, a year ago today we arrived in Africa. For those of you wondering, “has it really been that long?” I assure you it has. We’ve felt every minute of it. And we’ve learned a lot-about culture, about ourselves, and about grace. God is stretching us and teaching us new lessons everyday. These lessons are applicable in Ghana as well as in our future ministry. Below are ten lessons which we have learned during our year in Africa.

10) Start every morning with a good cup of coffee: Life is too short to drink bad coffee. Every day is a new adventure. We never quite know what our day will entail. Starting every morning with a good cup of coffee ensures that we will begin everyday on a high note.

9) Open your home and your life to others: Hospitality is very important in Northern Ghana. When an individual arrives at your house, it is expected that you will invite them in and share a cup of water with them. We are learning that opening our home and having individuals over for a meal, movie/game night, or to talk deepens our relationships with individuals in the community. Hospitality has led to numerous Gospel conversations with volunteers and Africans.

8) Patience, patience, patience: Patience, the one trait everyone wants but no one wants to pay the price. God has moved us to Northern Ghana to teach us patience. We are amazed everyday how quickly the seemingly simplest tasks can suddenly become very complicated and test our patience. God is teaching us patience in our work with Africans, putting together a crib, flat tires, internet, and other wonderful (sarcasm intended) activities.

7) Maintain your vehicle: We are learning to always maintain our vehicles. In Nalerigu, our vehicles are our lifeline to civilization. Every month we must check tire pressure, oil, and other fluids. We are learning the simple truth that monthly/bimonthly car maintenance saves time, money and energy.

6) Ministry is about relationships: We are learning that ministry is about relationships. We are learning that it takes time and energy to forge a strong relationship with others. We must spend time getting to know members in the community. We are learning to sit with people, ask questions, enjoy a meal, laugh, cry, listen, and pray with individuals. In the same sense that we can not lock ourselves in our house and expect to be effective in ministry; in the future I will not be able to lock myself in my office and expect to be effective in pastoral ministry. Ministry is about relationships.

5) We must press on to fulfill our ministry: God has called us to serve in Nalerigu, Ghana for two years. There are days where we want to pack our bags and go home. Sometimes the only thing which keeps us on the field is a holy stubbornness. We persevere through the hard days, trusting that God is faithful to His Word and there will be better days in the future. God is teaching us perseverance and as we learn perseverance in a two year commitment, we will be able to persevere in pastoral ministry. We will not throw in the towel and abandon a church when ministry become hard but we will persevere through the hard days, trusting God to be faithful to His Word and His church.

4) Lead with the Gospel: Ministry is about relationships but you do NOT need a relationship with someone to share the Gospel. We are learning to take every opportunity which the Lord brings us to share the Gospel. We are not promised tomorrow; the people whom we meet are not promised tomorrow, therefore, we must take every opportunity to share the Gospel. We are learning to always lead with the Gospel.

3) Helping can hurt: We have the privilege of working with a lot of short-term volunteers. For the majority of the volunteers their time in Nalerigu is the first time they have encountered poverty. Most are driven to give and we are learning that giving without knowing how a culture works usually brings more harm than good. We are learning that handing out money to anyone who asks creates a wake of dependency which destroys culture, relationships, churches, and prayer. We are learning how to help the poorest of the poor in culturally appropriate ways.

2) Encourage missionaries: The biggest fear of every missionary is that they will be forgotten. Our biggest fear is that we will be forgotten. We are learning first-hand how great it feels to receive an email from someone informing us that they are praying and holding the rope for us. We are learning first-hand how much motivation we receive from others when we know they are praying for us. When we return to America and I become a Pastor, we will hold the rope for others. We will not forget those who are on the front-lines, sharing the Gospel in hard places. We are learning the importance of encouraging our missionaries.

1) Be in the Word: We cannot pour into others what we do not have in us. Every morning we must spend time with our Heavenly Father. We are learning to serve God, we must know God, and to know God we must be in His Word. The Bible says, “And He appointed them, so that they would be with Him and He could send them out to preach.” God has appointed us first to be with Him and after we have been with Him, then and only then can He send us out to preach.