We’re sitting in the DFW airport waiting on our last flight that will take us to Tulsa. It’s always an odd feeling to come home. Everything in the U.S. seems so excessive and sterile. The feeling doesn’t last long though and I always get used to the excessiveness and sterility quicker than I should. After almost 36 hours, I’m ready for a shower, clean clothes, and my bed. And I’m ready to see Kyle and Alison. Erin is still in Colombia, teaching English, learning Spanish, and navigating the city of Medellin.
I’m continuing to process our time in Ghana. Coming home is both wonderful and sad. We do have more good news about Kadri. One night before we left, his mother came by the Mission House to pick up the medicine Peter had purchased. In Ghana, when the hospital decides to do a procedure, the patient’s family often has to purchase the medicine and bring it to the hospital. The doctors decided to use a blood thinner to release the blood from around his brain, so Peter went to three different pharmacists to gather three different medicines. When Kadri’s mother came to pick them up, she gave us a report on him. Earlier that day he told her wanted to get up and walk to the bathroom, which is exactly what he did. This a huge praise since we were concerned that he might have some mobility damage. He didn’t want anyone to hold on to him – typical stubborn boy. But we were so glad to hear that he was determined. He knows there are many people in the U.S. and in Ghana who are praying for him. Those prayers are being answered, so please keep lifting them. He will finish the medication in seven days and should be coming home to Ankaase. It was one week ago today when Peter arranged for the ambulance and accompanied Kadri from Ankaase to the Kumasi hospital. The boy we saw the day before did not look like he was going to make it. Now, we are trusting that he will heal completely. I did not get to deliver his books to him since he stayed in the hospital in Kumasi while we were there, but Daniel will make sure he gets the bag of books and the Kansas basketball jersey.
The photo below was taken last October. The last image I have of Kadri was a wiry boy riding his bike down the hill on the main road in Ankaase. He was circling me and asking questions about the U.S. He’s fascinated by it and always hounds me about what it is like “in America.” When I return, I’m counting on seeing that boy peddling down the road again with that precocious smile. Thank you so much for all your prayers for Kadri. God has done great things.
We’ve taken hours of video and hundreds of photos so that we can share stories of our time in Ghana, but we promise we’ll condense the photos and videos. There is just so much that takes our breath away while we are there, and we can’t help but want to show it to everyone.
Thank you for praying for our team and for all your support, gifts, and funds that made it possible for us to bless our friends in Ankaase. And now, it’s time to board the American Airlines flight to Tulsa. We’re almost home!
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