Countdown to Ghana: Fear of the Unknown

While I would certainly use words like 'nervous' and 'anxious' to describe some of the emotions I am feeling about going to Ghana, I am not feeling any 'fear'.  My kids, however, are not really certain what to expect and they are somewhat fearful of the unknown.  So, I've been trying to share pictures, videos, and stories I find or are shared with me in an effort to help them visualize and understand a bit more about the place and people of Teshie and the surrounding area.

Below are a couple videos from a 2010 Northview GO Trip in case anyone else is interested.

Ghana Medical Clinic March 2010 from Northview Church on Vimeo.

Ghana Team Medical Mission Trip from Northview Church on Vimeo.

Countdown to Ghana: A Life Changing Experience? I Hope so.

I can't tell you how encouraged and appreciative I am of the positive feedback and comments regarding my upcoming trip to Ghana.   Over the past couple weeks as I have shared the news of the Ghana trip, the overwhelming response back is some sort of statement about the trip being potentially life changing.  People have shared stories about friends/family or themselves having the experience of an international mission trip as a mountaintop moment in their lives.  Awesome stuff!

I have mixed feelings about hearing this and tend to over analyze some of these comments - part of me even wants to reject them, if I'm honest.  I mean, I want to have expectations of how I can grow personally and spiritually from this trip, but at the same time this trip isn't about me.  Is it selfish to hope to have some personal growth from a service/mission experience?  Maybe this is my naiveté showing itself in relation to mission work.  What I know is that I want to go and serve and help in any way that I can, and am avoiding setting any expectations as much as possible.  I am also, extremely humbled to even have this opportunity to reach so far beyond my bubble to be part of building meaningful relationships between my church and Manna Mission.  So when I hear about mission trips being life changing events, I am processing those comments as the experience of serving others in a part of the world very different than my own and building relationships with those people that will last far beyond 12 days in March has the potential of being life changing. I get excited about that potential.

The other lives that I pray are changed through this experience are within my own home.  This trip has been topic for great conversation in our home.  I want this to be a mile marker in my kids' lives that they can point to and say "Well, Dad has gone on mission trips so I should really consider it as well."  I think every parent wants to set that positive example for their children, so I hope this experience will be a good example for them.  My challenge through it all will be helping them to really experience it, even though they won't physically be there with me.  I anticipate lots of journaling, pictures, and videos but if anyone else has some ideas I would love to hear them.

I am going to Africa!

Ok, I guess it's safe to say that I've jumped in the deep end here...  I have been writing the past few days about my resolution to do more for others and I am taking a serious step in faith to follow what I believe is a calling.  I have never been on a mission trip before and my only travel outside the country has been a cruise to the Bahamas (even then I was probably only off the ship for a couple hours).  Nothing like *starting small* when venturing out into something new! ;-)  Seriously though, this has been a trip that has been on my heart for almost a year.  I'll explain more about how and why this trip in a future post, but here are the details....

Just in case you didn't know where Ghana is

I am heading to Ghana, West Africa on March 8th until March 19th as part of a Global Outreach Team from Northview Church.  The GO Team consists of 15 people - physicians, nurses, students, social workers, therapists, business professionals, and out Outreach Pastor will also be joining us.

We are in the process of planning some medical clinics, teaching and educational seminars, business seminars, and other outreach events. I am not certain where or even what exactly I will be doing there yet, but I am going with an open heart and mind to do whatever I am called to do.

Northview Church has a great relationship with Manna Mission in Teshie, a suburb of the capital, Accra.  I am really looking forward to this opportunity to go serve and help to continue to grow the relationship between Northview and Manna.

So, that's my big news for the day! My goal is to blog leading up to the trip so those following can go through the experience with me and know how they can be praying for me and the rest of the GO Team.  So, if you haven't done so already, sign up to follow the blog with either option on the left side of the page or follow me on twitter where I will post links back to this blog.  MUCH more to come....

I Will Follow

This song has been part of the worship list each of the past couple weeks.  I have heard it dozens of times before, but it is speaking to me in new ways recently.

Pillow Pets

This weekend I had the privilege of serving in an outreach activity at Northview that was focused on the Super Baskets of Hope program.  7000 baskets are being prepared for hospitalized children in each of the NFL's 32 cities.  Our part in this was bagging and tagging 7000 Pillow Pets to go in each basket. It was a very cool experience to write notes to these children and package them with these Pillow Pets, knowing that a sick child will receive it as a form of comfort and encouragement.

The most amazing part of the experience for me was the connection to Jake McConohay, a little boy from our church who passed away last year after his own battle with cancer.  Jake's aunt gave him a Pillow Pet that became a source of comfort during his treatment and thinking bigger than himself he thought other sick kids would benefit from having their own Pillow Pet.  Jake had a vision of giving children in the hospital their own Pillow Pet and he worked toward that vision and goal as a 7/8 yr old.  Months after his passing he continues to make an impact in children's lives through this effort.  It was shared with us this weekend that over 500,000 Pillow Pets have been donated and distributed, as part of Jake's goal, on a global level!

My heart breaks for his parents for their loss of a child, but they must be incredibly proud to see their little boy's vision continue and see the legacy he has left behind.  I saw some kids wearing t-shirts this weekend that said "Jake's My Hero" and I couldn't help but think I need to get one in Adult XL.

Reaching Beyond my Bubble

Those close to me know that for the past year I have really been wrestling with some strong feelings that I need to be taking a more active role in acts of service for others.  When we moved to Carmel a little over five years ago it was a goal of mine to get our family actively involved in service activities and/or outreach events through our church.  We've done a decent job, but there is so much more we could be doing and this has been pulling on my heart with increasing weight over the past year.  As a father, I want my kids to realize how blessed and fortunate we are and be willing to turn around and bless others.  My hope and prayer is that this would become engrained into them as kids and teens so that as adults they will have this trait wired into their character.

I also realize, that as their father, it is up to me to make sure I am modeling this behavior for them.  So, as I mentioned in my previous post, one of my resolutions for this year is to Do More for Others.  I am not sure exactly how this will manifest itself, but I have a few ideas and look forward to sharing in this journey and effort as I work toward this goal.  I am willing to serve and pray that God will continue to provide opportunities that I can do so in my personal and professional life.  If you're interested in coming along in this resolution, I'd love to have you join me!

The year of MORE

I have made a few resolutions as part of this new year that are important for me to follow through on this year.  Before we get too far into 2012, I want to make sure I get them down and share them with others so I can have others helping to encourage and hold me accountable to make certain I complete them:

• Take more pictures.  This one may seem crazy, knowing how many pictures I already take, but I slowed down this past year - mostly because of camera problems.  Now that I have an iPhone, I don't know that I have an excuse.
• Be more grateful.  I was inspired by a friend who resolved last year to post as a Facebook status everyday something she was thankful for each day.  While I am not making mine public yet, I have been writing each day about those things - big and small - that I am thankful for. 
• Spend more time with my kids. Primarily, I mean one-on-one time.  The two oldest are getting to the point where I can see my time with them slipping away faster and faster.  I want to spend more time growing our relationships and staying in touch with who they are and are growing to become.
• Do more for others. This past year I began to feel a real tugging on my heart to do more for others, to get involved in more service and outreach programs.  I want to make sure that I am actively serving at least once a month.  Perhaps even combine this time with my time spent with my kids and make an even bigger impact!

So apparently, 2012 will be all about MORE!  These four resolutions all represent areas of my life that I am already active in, but I am not satisfied with the level of activity or engagement I have had in these areas.  This will be the year that I focus on growing in these specific areas.  Stay tuned for stories and updates as I venture through the year.