In January, I went on a training trip to Ghana, Africa, with mPower Approach. It was one of the most powerful and life-changing times I’ve ever experienced. However, if I’m being honest, I always feel that way when I return from a mission trip.
Several months earlier, I started a project with refugee women. These women did not have any sewing skills. I began by teaching them to make tote bags. It took several weeks of my summer. I quickly realized I was a little irritated with God because I didn’t want to lead yet another project teaching them yet another skill. For 6 years I had been teaching them other skills and I felt it was time for someone else to “step up!”
Little did I know that this experience was preparing me for this mission trip to Ghana with mPower Approach. I had always dreamed of traveling to Africa and the January trip seemed to be a perfect fit for me. The team needed two people to teach sewing skills. I admit I was hoping to see lions, giraffes and hippos; instead I met some of the most amazing people in the world.
The Ghanian people are an inspiration to me. They have so little in the way of material things, but they love the Lord so much. Our goal was to teach our students to make a skirt, a pair of pants, and a shirt. Each student did a great job mastering these skills. On the last day, we had extra time so I was able to teach the students how to make a tote bag. A tote bag very similar to the one I taught the refugee women to make.
God had it planned all along!
