morning time here in ghana

it's 7:10am.  the familiar sounds which fill the air -- pavers being swept by the gardener with a handmade straw broom, heavy trucks with squeaky breaks and bundles that rattle, roosters cockadoodle-dooing, and ghanaian music from a small handheld radio at the guards' area in our compound -- are dulled a bit by the fan of the air conditioning as i sit, for the first time in many months, on my bed (instead of downstairs at my desk) to capture a moment of mama time before being on call as a mama for the rest of the day.  i awoke at 4:35 this morning for the fast, wanting to wake up earlier than usual so i could peruse the Ocean of Baha'u'llah's Revelation in a relaxed manner while eating a variety of small portions of food before the sun rose.  now that it has risen, the neighborhood is very alive with people walking or riding bicycles along dirt and paved roads.  taxis are beeping all along the roads in the hope of getting business, and my neighbors are outside brushing their teeth, washing their clothes and preparing for the day of selling smoked fish, sachets of water and a variety of convenience foodstuffs.  last, but far from least, i hear the door handles of my boys' bedroom open and close as quietly as they can as they leave and enter their room -- they go downstairs to pray, read stories, take their supplements, turn on the computer (only during a non-school day like today) and sometimes go outside to play ball or ride their bicycles.  ayana, age 13, is still sleeping with all of the curtains closed as much as possible to prevent the sunlight from entering her room..

Gideon, our young friend next door, is planning on coming by at 8:30 -- he will be on time because he doesn't want to miss going to the market with us.  yesterday he came over with a sullen face.  when i asked him if he wanted to talk, he nodded his head and we left the living room (where everyone was starting to watch Karate Kid) to talk in the kitchen.  as i sat on the floor with him, he whispered to me that he heard that the jr. youth went swimming in the ocean that day.  he wishes he was a jr. youth and part of the group (he's only 9).  i told him i understood and that since today was a public holiday, perhaps he could hang out all day with some of the jr. youth.  his face lit up with anticipation of hanging out with us.  when i said his sisters would come after i went to the market in the morning, he asked if he could come with us.. of course i said yes!

5 of the jr. youth weren't able to make it to the outing yesterday so today they will come to hang out.  we'll work on the keyhole garden now that everyone is eager and ready to begin the work.  i'm grateful that they are interested in this kind of service and pray that we can sustain it so that it may serve as a model for other youth and families in this area to begin their own.  i'm looking forward to just being with the jr. youth, some of whom are shy and are gradually coming out of their shell through these moments of being together..

it's time to help the boys with breakfast.  i can hear them in the kitchen, making all kinds of clanging sounds. :)

counsels of Baha'u'llah that guide us through each day:

"Let him do some good to every person whose path he crosseth and be of some benefit to him."

"Ye live to do good and to bring hapiness to others."

"The betterment of the world can be accomplished through pure and goodly deeds, through commendable and seemly conduct."
"Ye must show forth tenderness and love to every human being, even to your enemies."