Dinner with Kellogg Students from Ghana...

We had dinner last night with two Kellogg students from Ghana - Nana Banful and Abdul-Nasser Alidu (Nas). We really wanted to speak with them about Ghana before our trip, and ideally enjoy some traditional Ghanaian food. Nana graciously made two delicious dishes - wakye, a combination of rice, beans, and coconut milk, and a beef stew that had incredible flavor with a little bit of kick. We are now really excited about trying more Ghanaian foods, but Nana warned us that her food is better than most!

We had a wonderful evening of fellowship with eating and sharing stories. Nana and Nas told us about their families, places to visit in Ghana, and different foods to try when we are there.

One of the most interesting and funny stories was about Malaria. In the US there is a scary and deadly perception about Malaria (which can be fatal if not treated), but in Ghana, Malaria is as common as the flu (and has similar symptoms). Nas told us that when he first arrived at Kellogg he wasn't feeling very well and went to the Northwestern clinic. He told the doctor that he thought he may have Malaria. The startled doctor asked Nas if he had ever had Malaria, and Nas casually replied that he has had Malaria several times. The doctor (now very freaked) asked Nas when the last time was that he had Malaria, and Nas told him that it had been a few months. The doctor really didn't know how to respond to this, but he gave Nas the required medicine.

Nana and Nas are so fun and friendly. We're excited to meet more Ghanaians and experience their culture firsthand! They told us about a good Ghanaian restaurant in downtown Chicago called "Auntie Grace". We are going to schedule a date to visit it together. Can't wait!

Loralynne and Nana

Sam and Nas

It's official...

We purchased our airline tickets to Accra, Ghana today!! We will be leaving from Chicago on July 17 and returning on August 14. The excitement is definitely building!!

A lot of updates...

Sorry for taking so long to update our blog! We have a lot of new developments to share!

With a mere 5 weeks of business school remaining, our thoughts are increasingly turning to Ghana and the terrific mission opportunity that awaits us. We continue planning for our trip and will purchase our plane tickets early next week! We’re working on remaining “to-do’s,” like getting our Yellow Fever shots and heavy duty insect repellant, and figuring out what clothes we need to bring.

We’re also trying to learn as much as we can about Ghana through reading several books and hosting two Ghanaian business school students for dinner at our home next week. They’re going to make a traditional Ghanaian dish called fufu , a porridge made from boiled cassava and unripe plantains. We have heard it’s delicious! This will be such a great opportunity to get a first-hand perspective on Ghana and hopefully make some contacts before we travel.

Some disappointing news: Unfortunately, Rob and Malissa Albright will not be joining us. Like so many of our business school friends, Rob and Malissa’s job situation is uncertain, so traveling to Africa is not a possibility. While we are saddened to not have their company, we absolutely understand and will keep them in our prayers. We also know that this trip is just a first step and that there will be future opportunities for us to do mission work together.

Some exciting news: We are very blessed to have our Intervarsity mission advisor, Dave Ivaska, join us for the first week of our trip. Dave has worked closely with our sponsors, Femi and Affi, and will be a huge help in smoothing our transition. Dave is also a chaplain at Northwestern University and we look forward to his continued spiritual guidance. We enjoyed a great dinner at Dave's home a couple weeks ago and began working through our mission workbook. There were some very helpful exercises around embracing cultural differences and practicing patience that we’re trying to take to heart.

We greatly appreciate your ongoing support and contributions! We have received $5,716 in contributions to date. This leaves us with $2,284 to raise during the next nine weeks. Please let us know if you are interested in contributing toward this mission opportunity.