Long Time No Talk

Hello everyone! I'm sorry for taking soo long to post. I have not been able to visit an internet cafe until now.
One of the quotes that our leader taught us is "Be Fexible" I'm sure you can cope as I have.
WELL... Where to start!
My first week was training at the Haven of Hope orphanage. The training was hard but the kids there are so beautiful that it kept me going strong. I tried not to have favorites with the kids but a few have captured my heart. Regina is the most beautiful little girl who always sticks by my side and was shy at first but by the end of my stay she was bringing me books to read to her, and she told me who her crush was... I cant tell you or I'd be betraying her confidence.
Anywho, I also met Immanuel who our church's childrens group is sponsoring. The other Kids call him quasy (the "s" doesn't make the "z" sound). Quasy is a leader among the kids and is very mature. He is also great on the bongo's. I saw him play while the kids were practicing their traditional dance lessons. Quasy kept wanting to hold my watch because his has not worked for some time now, and he keeps begging me to call his sponsor and tell them that he wants a new one. I told him I'd tell them.
Oh, I forgot to tell you that when I first met quasy and told him that my church was sponsoring him His eyes went huge and he gave me a bear hug. He saw the picture and was so surprised to learn that there were soo many people sponsoring him. The other kids thought that he had like 20 sponsors.
Since last sunday my group has left the orphanage and is now in Aflau. We taught for the first time yesterday and things were rough because I had not gotten much sleep. The night we came in to our hotel, there was a muslim funeral in the hotels veranda area and their music was soo loud that you could feel it. I thought the bumping was going to knock the fan off the ceiling.
I was soo discouraged my first day that I began to question the legitimacy of coming to Africa.
"How can a white man make a difference if he cannot speak the language?"
"Maybey I'm not meant to be here."
But God reminded me that this is not about me, it is about him, and I should be serving him with all of my heart no matter where I am. Whether I'm in utah or I'm in Africa I should follow him full heartedly.
Today is the second day of teaching and I felt that it went much better. When I presented salvation and Jesus through our teaching tools, the kids responded with amazed looks and furrowed brows. Some had never heard of him, and when they heard that He is the ultimate sacrifice for their sins (some are traditional worshipers and sacrifice is a big thing out here) they became soo intent on what I was saying that my heart leaped for joy.
Teaching is hard work, and I have a new appreciation for those who put up with me all through junior and senior high.
My teaching partner's name is Julius and lives here in Aflau. He is kind hearted and is always trying to buy me food and teach me songs. The only problem is that he sing soo much that my ears ring and he likes to preach to me. I had to remind him the other day that I was saved because he had been preaching to me alone about grace for nearly half the day. I love Julios and know that he has such a strong desire to serve God that he cant help but talk about him... I just get frustrated when he doesn't talk with me, but talks at me.
Things are amazingly cheap here. I bought: a loaf of bread, three bananas, three 1foot long omellete sandwiches, two soy kebabs, and a 1.5 litre bottle of water for under 20,000 cedis which is about two and a half dollars. I am also amazed by the marketplace, and roadside stands.

Not many people know this but I have thought for a very long time that "Once I'm on an international mission, that's when my relationship with God will be strongest and that's when sinners will turn from their ways!" but God has shown me a few verses.
Psalm 51: all
and Proverbs 24:11-12
the verse in proverbs says "Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say 'But we knew nothing about this,' does not he who weighs the heart percieve it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?"
and God showed me that I have a lot of work to do in Utah.


God is good, God is everlasting, and God is giving me the only strength I have. May he bless you with a heart of compassion and eyes that search for ways to help others. I also pray that you will not wait to serve God, but do it where you're at.

I have soo much more to say, but my time on the computer is almost up.
With love

Travis