I had a good week in Gushegu. My posititive self would like to say it was great but it seems when it has to do with language learning...(sigh) it cannot be great. Every time I think I may be getting the hang of it I talk to someone else and cannot understand a single thing! Keeps me humble, I guess. I am becoming a more confident bicycle rider though :)
I went to visit a compound that has so many people. There has to be at least 40 adults. And the children! I cannot even count. They are all over the place. The place is organized chaos. I don't know how they all live like that but they know how it works and I guess, for them, it works. There is an old lady who I sit with. There is a younger old lady who also sits with us sometimes. They do not speak English so our conversations only go so far.
There is an older lady to the first old lady I mentioned. I am not sure how they are related or maybe they are wives of one husband? Or maybe their husbands were brothers? I don't know. Anyways, the oldest one was sick. (I would call them by their names but I do not know them because in Dagbani they call them "old lady" too.) They told me to go and greet her. As I went in to greet her, her daughter was putting a clean shirt on her. I happened to notice her very extended belly. Also her legs were very swollen. Her cheeks were sunken in and and her arms were so thin. I was so sad. She was still eating and I was thankful for that. I greeted her and went back to the middle old lady.
I asked the middle old lady what is wrong with the oldest lady. She said they do not know. She has visited many hospitals. Doctors do not really give a clear diagnosis to their patients and if a patient is dying they will not tell the patient that either. HUGE No-No in this culture. To me, it seems, her time may be short unless there is a miracle. I knew I needed to go and pray for the oldest. I went back into the oldest's room. Her daughter was still there. I asked if I could pray for her mom. I prayed a very choppy Psalm 23 in Dagbani and then a prayer in English praying that God would give her time to know him. They thanked me and I left.
I asked a couple Christian people about praying in a home that does not believe in Jesus. Would they be angry? Would they kick me out? I was assured that being a visitor allows me a few gestures of kindness. Also, when people are sick they are willing to listen to anyone with any idea on how to be healed. So, I learned a prayer in Dagbani for healing. I also learned how to ask someone if they would like to follow Jesus and pray with them.
Two days later, I went back to the old lady and talked with her a bit. Then I asked where the oldest lady is. She told me, but I didn't understand the words she used. I wrote them down. I went to a friend and asked, "What does this mean?" She told me it says, "She went to the juju man." So, my oldest lady friend went to the witch doctor for healing. That is sad. She was not back before I left for Tamale. I don't know if she will be here when I come back in a month. Let's pray. Let's pray she gets the opportunity to know Jesus.
In Tamale, I will be meeting with a language helper. She is a Dagbani woman who is a Christian. I don't really know how to move forward. I hope this woman can push me!
Love you. Thanks for praying.