Final Day in Bedaase from Todd

"I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. Where?" And so the song goes. We remarked today that most of our pictures look like a "Save The Children" advertisement. You know the ones where the sad picture is taken to guilt you into supporting the cause? But what the pictures often do not capture is the true joy that exists in the village among the men, women and children. And that is what we are experiencing firsthand. It has a small town family feel where everyone watches out for the other. Bedaase also has a vision for the future as being the hub of education for the neighboring villages. The chief of the village has his mind set on a Senior High School. Currently the village has what is called nursery and junior high school but not a place to send the older kids. As a matter of fact there is not a Sr. High School near this community which creates hardship in travel to say the least. I had a long conversation with the local Methodist caretaker (ie. lay pastor), Frank Oimsu, who shared his vision for the church and what impact the Methodst church can make in the village. One of his first concerns is a permanent place of worship which usually begins as an outdoor pavilion. Another concern is caring for the people of the village which consists of 400 adults and 200 children. At this point Frank is going door to door a few times of week getting to know the community and witnessing to them. The community has obvious social service type needs such as hygeine education, proper nutrition education, as well as economic development. But you can also see the possiblities which exist because of all the resources available to them as well as its proximity to Kumasi which is a ready market to sell goods and services. I'll say it again and again. Thank you for sending us and coming along via the internet on this journey! Keep up the prayers. Todd