Meeting and Greeting

Joke’s father has just spent a week with us here in Ghana. Here are his impressions of his trip:

Meeting 1
In the plane, after 5 hours flying, I am addressed by my neighbour. He appears to be a Lebanese and tells me how the problems in the Middle East are caused by Israel and America. Gradually our conversation turns to Muslims and Christians. He is quite astonished when he hears that Christians and Jews have the same roots and that Jesus was a Jew. For a long time he sits bent forward as if he is trying to absorb it all. His final remark at the airport was: ‘We are still friends, eh?’

Meeting 2
There they are! Joke and Abukari, Samuel and Micah. I am so sleepy that I don’t see them at first. But then, yes! We embrace and greet each other, although the boys are more interested in the plane that is just leaving than in ‘opa’ (grandad).

'enjoying each other's company'

Meeting 3
Hanneke, Joke’s colleague, celebrates her birthday. We visit her, give her presents – and those from her mother – and strengthen our relationship.

'meeting with Hanneke'

Meeting 4
Laughing, Abukari’s father and I greet each other. Though we don’t understand each other, we have the same feelings towards our children and grandchildren. In another room Abukari’s mother is sitting. No chair, just on a mat on the floor. We cannot say much, we are just happy.

'meeting with Abukari's father'

Meeting 5
Paul (a colleague of Joke’s who visited Holland a few years ago) and his wife, Cynthia, are celebrating the birth of their second daughter. We attend the outdooring: for the first time the child comes outside to be shown to everybody. She gets her name and is dedicated to the Lord.

'meeting with Paul'

Meeting 6
Here I am in church under a tree. ‘At home’, because I am among brothers and sisters, but I don’t understand a word. Suddenly I see an old sister who is too old and tired to stand when everybody else stands. But then I see the intensity with which she joins singing and praying. It makes me glad.

'church service under a tree'

'the old blind woman'

Meeting 7
Joining Abukari , we go to the village of Sang to mark a plot of land for a Church project. On the way pastor Azindow joins us. We arrive at Sang and discuss matters with 4 men. Later another man joins us and then we hear that the man who was to arrange the matter was sent out by the chief on another mission. Come back tomorrow they say. Well, what is lost time.....?

Meeting 8
Rahman – Abukari’s brother – his wife Nelleke and their two daughters come to visit us. They are accompanied by Nelleke’s Dutch parents and a family friend. It is Joke’s birthday and we have a nice day together.

'meeting with Abukari's brother and family'