A BUNCH OF KIDS TAUGHT ME....

*maram*-"madam" Edna with her children

It was not my wish at all to be posted to a faraway village, a place where I had never been before, nor really heard off.

Yes, Nangodi village is within the upper east region of Ghana, where I am proudly a daughter of the land, but I had never heard of it, probably because I had not spent my early years back home, taking that excuse out, just maybe ...because I had not put in enough efforts to know much about the region I hail from and all its districts and villages.

I was scared, I had spent a whole day among others laughing, teasing, and making so much fun of my colleagues who were posted to "very uncomfortable places", as we thought of them. Then it was my turn to check my place of placement, my family and friends kept asking where and in which institution I was posted to, but, I did not have the balls to enter in my Registration number to see where I belonged. (Did I say balls, I guess the ones on my chest).

I had selected Bolgatanga as my place of interest, in fact, I did

not know the system so well I typed in Bolgatanga thrice, but the system corrected me that I had just one chance per region. Well, it did not go down well with me because I really wanted to emphasis so much on how I needed to go back home and serve my beloved people, the People of the Savannah.

 Let me not even detail you on the amount of laughter, tease, mockery and questioning I received from

(the three musketeers)

friends and family, every single person I forwarded my information to had almost the same reaction, first came the uncontrollable laughter, and then after, came the "words of consolation " ..."Take heart", "it is well", "try to change it" and so on and so forth. (As if I was being posted to the valley of the shadows of death). I even acquired the nickname A for apple, B for ball (in the voice of silencer from the movie “three idiots).

I did feel bad, somehow I thought I would be posted to a media house in the capital, Bolgatanga, or maybe a satisfying organization, but no, God wanted me to serve...and Service is what I rendered.

After I entered my options that particular day, I did not leave the cafe without a word of prayer, "Lord, send me where you want me to go" So I had no reason to question the results if my faith was right but at that particular time, as I saw my place of posting, I thought it was the devil playing "the Jobs game on me", So I questioned a little.

During that period, I did have the opportunity to change to a place I felt could be better, but then, on a second thought,  I decided to take a stand and to believe that, by faith, God had placed me where He wanted, not the system..

But God........

Eleven months down the line, and I survived, I worked and now, I have a Testimony.....

Sometimes when someone says they have a testimony, thoughts go wild, and people start to assume all the material things that are considered a blessing when acquired, yes I have a testimony/testimonies, I can’t show them to you, but I feel them, and that’s all there is.

There was so much to learn from these children, (though it was not the easiest of tasks, I decided to take what good I could from it and bury the bad) children who had little or nothing at all, children deprived of their childhood because they had responsibilities, children who were thankful for the little they received and showed more gratitude than I thought was necessary. There was just so much to learn.

A bunch of kids, I was supposed to be teaching, in return taught me to love more (without looking for love back), to be thankful, (even for the little things), to be patient (whoosh I ,must say this was the hardest subject), to be strong, to give, to be happy with life (they sure were a happy lot unless when hungry).…. I just learnt to live. Life can’t be that hard!

   

(they could be friends when they wanted to be )

Two years later, I just found this document titled “a bunch of kids taught me”, I curiously opened it and I am wondering why I never shared it. Two years now and my testimonies can both be seen and felt. I look back and I am thankful for all the experiences/sacrifices, all the daily journeying on a dusty ruined road to meet kids who were excited to see you, was worth it. I am grateful for the lessons, the people I met and the impact I made-hopefully.

Other Lessons

-          Be driven by passion, its satisfying, and rewarding.

-          When the opportunity arises for you to serve, do it, and do it wholeheartedly.

-          It doesn’t matter the environment you find yourself in or the people you are surrounded with, you can always learn something, improve yourself.

-          Sometimes, it takes ten years to get that one year that will change your life…keep on