Day 10 Homeward Bound with Joyful Hearts

1 Corinthians 13: 1-3
And now I will show you the most excellent way.  If I speak in tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophesy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 

We arrived in Frankfurt in the wee hours of the morning.  Facing a 7 hr. layover, we hoped we could use the extra time to take a little excursion into the city.  Not deterred by the early hour or by the fact that almost every business would be closed Sunday morning, we exchanged some dollars for euros to buy a group ticket for the train.  Thanks to the Dan S. & Dan G., we successfully navigated through the public train system. An independent walking tour proved to be both a pleasant and refreshing way to see Frankfurt.  We walked along the Main River, over a couple bridges(one of the bridges was featured in the movie "Now You See Me" and has hundreds of combination and key locks hooked onto the bridge), around several cathedrals/churches (one cathedral was named OFFNUNGSZEITEN)and through a very German-like town center with cobblestone walkways and cottage looking buildings. We enjoyed the mix of contemporary and traditional buildings of the city.  We stopped at the La Perla Caffe to partake of some warm drinks of coffee, cappuccino, and hot chocolate. The drinks depleted our supply of euros so we just sat and talked and watched the city as it slowly came to life.  Making our way back to the train station, we traveled back to the airport with a little more confidence.  After a cushion of 2 hours, we loaded the plane for Washington, D.C. 

I would like to pause for a moment and talk a bit about our short term mission team.  An eclectic group of 2 moms, 2-16 year old teenage girls, 2 midshipmen, and Pastor Casely.  We even laughed about the combination ourselves!  The truth is we acknowledge that only God could have orchestrated a team like ours.  Each of us brought our own life experiences, talents, failures, brokenness, abilities and love for Jesus along on this trip. As we worked together with a common purpose, we grew to love and appreciate each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.  It was an honor to be a part of a team where we accepted each other, enjoyed each others differences, and respected each other as we traveled at different points along our faith journeys.

Ghana team after Sunday worship at Wesley Cathedral in Kumasi



Delaine ministering to students of Bechem Senior High

I appreciated the friendship of Delaine and the desire to learn more about the Bible and memorize scripture.  She was very helpful with her knowledge of traveling-sharing with us ways to maneuver most efficiently.  I love her passion and enthusiasm as she danced with the students during one of the morning worship services. I know this is not the last mission trip for Delaine. 

Dan S. talking to student about starting their walk with Christ.

Dan S. was a rock for our team.  Wise beyond his years because he has a teachable spirit, Dan S. is a servant leader-sensitive to the needs of our team, helping in anyway necessary whether it be lifting luggage, praying with and for team members or having a conversations with others that encourage their walk with Christ.  If Dan S. was quiet, it was probably because he was reading his Bible. 







It was a blessing to watch Kiki interact with others as well.  She is comfortable in different countries

Kiki on the Canopy Walkway!

and environments so it seemed effortless for her to let her light for Jesus shine when she ministered to the Ghanian students.  Kiki is asking tough questions, searching for truth and looking in the Bible for answers. She is a sweet, compassionate girl and I love to hear her laugh! 












Dan G. playing catch with some students.

I am thankful for Dan G. and enjoyed watching him grow stronger in his faith and confidence to share the gospel with the students. Besides being an intelligent young man, has a gentle spirit and a strong desire to honor God with every aspect of his life. I appreciate his unselfish attitude and willingness to help the team.  He was an exceptional prayer coordinator and one evening lead us in devotions that was one of the sweetest moments we experienced together as a team.





It was a joy to see Sidney's smile each day as she talked with the students.  Her excitement was contagious as she talked with them about Jesus. Sidney touched us with her testimony-victory over


Sidney with the youth of SU Community fellowship Center

brokenness by accepting Jesus. Like the other "youngsters" on the trip, Sidney's commentary and
humor made the van trips interesting and enjoyable!  I love the way Sidney was eager to pitch in to help others, she was flexible, polite, unselfish and caring...bearing fruits of the spirit.  She is already talking and planning her next mission trip.






Finally, Pastor Casely.  Our fearless leader and quite honestly, the most popular member of our team!  Working fervently behind the scenes, he coordinated logistics, meetings, meals, and activities of our team. He was the cement that held the mission team together and the spiritual leader who


Osofo(Pastor) Casely holding the SU 50 year plaque.

always was encouraging, flexible, and supportive to all those around him.  We love Osofo Casely's sense of humor, and laughed (a lot)along with him as we briefly lived life on the mission field. We are so thankful that we were able to experience this trip with him and appreciate the special bond he has with Ghana where his faith journey began. 





Now back to the Homeward bound...
Although the plane rides were long and tiresome, we are grateful for the skill and talent of the pilots and crews that make plane travel safe.  All the way home, we had mixed feelings...sad to leave our new friends of Ghana but excited and happy to be reunited with loved ones at home.  We are thankful for the friendships we've formed on our team and friendships we formed with those in Ghana/SU. 

We arrived in Dulles a little behind schedule, to a Welcome Home banner made by Lacey and Sugar (two family members and team supporters).  The banner was a tangible reminder of those of you who were faithful in praying for us, reading about our experiences, and discovering treasures along with us during our mission trip.  Thank you again for your prayers.

We will forever cherish our experience in Ghana! We pray for each and every person that we saw and spoke with about Jesus. We pray that they will fix their eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of their faith. (Hebrews 12:2) We are thankful for the privilege of coming along side of God as he does amazing work in his children.

In Him,

BACC Ghana Team 2013