A Slip of the Tongue

In the rushed confusion that was the end (~last paragraph-ish) of my last post, I realized (/Fr. Mike pointed out -- thanks lol) that I phrased something in a way that I quite shouldn't have. When I was talking about the vast generosity that Rich and Gina specifically had shown us, I said that I only hoped we could "repay them in some small way." While I didn't even mean financially, I realized looking back that even in any context this "hope" is rather ridiculous. We can't repay them. Ever. Not really. And coming from the American mindset that we do, this is kind of hard to accept. We have a you-scratch-my-back-I'll-scratch-yours philosophy, and the Ghanaians just don't even entertain this mind set. Auntie Linda is an American missionary who has been working in Ghana almost 30 years now, and she told us all something in our first days here that we have all found to be more than accurate: "You can't out-serve a Ghanaian." And you really can't. Give up. Don't even try. Instead, just be grateful, thank God, and love them back.

That's really all they're doing with us. They just live their lives with an attitude of love, and never think twice about doing whatever they can for us. What an amazing picture of the Gospel in action, of a living and breathing Christian community. As I've said, we've experienced this love and generosity to an even greater extent with Rich and Gina, who've taken us into their own home. Just getting to spend time with them has been quite a gift, and all we want to do is to be able to show them the same love that they've shown us, all to the greater glory of God. Easier said than done -- perhaps. It really doesn't even need to be that complicated. Just "wasting time together," as it is put in The Little Prince, is sufficient. Like I said, we're never going to be able to match what they've done for us anyway. We just have to be OK with showing them love in the ways we can, and just thanking God for them.

It's quite a lesson in generosity and love. They have given to us in ways we can't possibly repay, and thought nothing of it. We (or I at least) may claim to give without a second thought at times, but often we just lodge it in the back of our mind, even if unconsciously, a sort of "kindness-coupon" for us to cash in on later. My time in Ghana has definitely opened my eyes even already to this amazing attitude towards love and service. Just do it. No need to question, to think twice, or to calculate the ways in which this might come back to us. Just do it. They truly live this aspects of their lives out as Christ has called us to, and seemingly without even thinking about it. Truly inspiring.

Without cost you have received;
without cost you are to give. --Matthew 10: 8b


Also, I'd like to take a moment to again extend my most sincere thanks to everyone who has supported me both spiritually and financially for this trip. Your help and support has been invaluable, and I'm so glad you could share this experience with me. I pray for God's blessings for you as well. And also, in light of all the thankfulness I've shared about Rich and Gina, who have helped to take care of me and Andrew over the past 19+ days, I'd like to extended a disproportionately small yet heartfelt thank you to my parents, who've been taking care of me (as well as a different Andrew) for 19+ years. Thanks for everything Mom and Dad. I love you.


[P.S. Props to anyone who recognized the heading of this entry as the title of a C.S. Lewis essay. lol]