Returning the love to Ghana

Greetings My Dear Sweet Sisters,

Have you ever given thought to what we have done to our beautiful Ghana that we love so much when we remove one of its strongest trees - our men? Of course the removal was not done out of maliciousness - for we would never do anything to intentionally harm our beautiful Ghana whom we love so much. We were not alone in the process of our removal - for the tree embraced us and God blessed us. But, do you ever think about what affect this removal has on the foundation of Ghana or how the sisters in Ghana may feel to see another one of  their trees, with branches that can support and comfort them, become uprooted and non-replaced. We have seen the affects the removal and non-replacement of trees have had on forests around the world. No offense to my Caucasian sisters, but, I know how the African American sisters feel every time one of our strong trees lands in the yard of another "white girl".

So why do I think this is a relevant topic? Am I not also a tree remover which I have celebrated over and over again in this blog and in any other situation where someone will listen to me swooning over my beloved husband Ibrahim? I know that a big advantage of our husbands joining us in the US is the opportunity to  achieve and sustain a stronger economic situation that will position them to support both their family in the US along with their family in Ghana.  Hopefully, their successes with be helping some new seeds to grow and thrive in Ghana. But what about us, my sisters, what are we going to do to replace replace the tree that we have up-rooted?

Today I had a spiritually enriching experience that brought me back to my original purpose for visiting Ghana. I was blessed with an opportunity to be in the presence of about 10 spiritually enlightened women who were gathered for the purpose of discovering what more God wanted from them in their service of Him. In our society we would view these women as successful for each was thriving in a professional career that could only have occurred through years of education. One sister was a Clinical Psychologist, most were health care professionals and just about all of them were educated as ministers. The home where the meeting took place belonged to two of the women who were cousins. Their home had to be upward of 3000 square feet - just gorgeous. These women were humble in their economic accomplishments in the world. But they were vocal and proud in their spiritual relationship with God. Their voices were strong and clear as they spoke their testimonies. When they sang it was like heaven had truly anointed their voices with the power of angels. It was in the midst of their singing that God reminded me of my purpose for visiting Ghana by sending me a visual  reminder of what I saw in Ghana. As I listened to the angelic voices that graced the beautiful home where we met, I realized what I was a witness to in Ghana. I met and saw women whose voices were silenced because they were women. My reference to voice means living a life within your passion that has been revealed and is thriving.

I remember seeing so many women working what seemed to be 7 days a week from sun up to sun down - some with their babies on their backs. I am not referring to the rural areas - this is in the city of Accra. Their faces seemed warn with the realities of their life - their lips appeared closed tightly in a non-smiling manner. I remember seeing some of the same ladies late at night sleeping with their children in some of the most obscure places. I remember the young and older women in the house where I stayed - they seemed to work from sun up to sun down without a moment spent on joy. I couldn't wait for the day I was able to take them out on a shopping excursion. Even then they worked as the big strong men who accompanied us would turn over the bags with my purchases to these small but strong women to carry - now you know I corrected that situation immediately - no offense to the cultures, just some things I couldn't sit back and watch. I saw hard working, industrious women managing their own businesses - but still they seemed to have no voice. I remember one night waking up abruptly from the sounds of a thunder storm. The storm outside woke me up, but, it was the memory of my beautiful black sisters I saw over the last day that was tugging at my heart - and I wept while  sitting in the safe comfort of my room in the loving home where I stayed during my 2 week vacation.


I must add that I also saw and met women who did have a voice. I met two dynamic Ghanaian women who created and managed successful schools. I established a strong bond with another sister who had a dress making business managed in her home and to my joy upon my second visit I found her in her own dress shop. One of my sister-in-laws is in the military studying to be a doctor. But even these women at times find their voices quieted in the presence of men.

Several times in this blog I have mentioned my purpose for my initial travel to Ghana in 2008. That purpose was to understand what life was like for my sisters in Ghana. My vacation was scheduled for two weeks. I have already told you about my second week - God presented me with and to Ibrahim - the man who was to be and now is my husband.  You now have a glimpse into my second week.

If you haven't figured out yet, my tree replacement act that I would like to fulfill is being an active participant in the process of helping one or more women in Ghana find their voice and the confidence to share it with the beautiful angelic fervor of the women I met today.  Ghana has very bright future ahead as a potentially fast developing country from an economic perspective. More and more businesses are becoming interested in Ghana - I want my sisters in Ghana to be ready for the day ahead of them, not left behind. I don't know how or when but this is my commitment to my sisters I have met and left behind in Ghana. I begin with praying that their voices are revealed and that the men in Ghana who understand the need for this voice to be heard provide them with the encouragement and support needed to carry that voice far and wide.

What are you going to do to enrich Ghana after Ghana has given so much to you?