Hello my friends,

I thought today would be a good time to do some reflecting on my mission. I knew from the beginning of this trip that I would be on a mission and not sure what that mission would be. To be honest I still do not know what the real mission is or will be. I am just a willing vehicle for whatever it may be.

As I live this wonderful life God has blessed me with, there are moments when He smacks me upside the head to make me aware of what He intended for me to do. Yesterday I got one of those smacks and almost fell over.

I am not sure if you all notice what I wear around my neck all the time. One is a “bribe” gift from my HD man. (BTW…for those who do not know what HD is, it is Harley Davidson. If you know Sam, you know he is your typical HD man. You see him in his black HD stuff most of the time. LOL) Anyway, the gold lion head is the first gift he bought me thirty-three years ago, hoping to impress me. Did he??? HHmmmmm. LOL

The other is a slave tag on a leather string. How I acquired the tag is written in a short story I wrote called ‘The Divine Order in the Search for My Fourth Great-grandfather.’ (If you would like to read it post a comment with your email address and I will email you a copy.) I wear this tag for two reasons.

Through research it is a possibility that this may have been worn by my paternal fourth great-grandfather, March Green, or a replica of one he might have worn. (Details are in the story.) By wearing it, I believe I am allowing this person, Number Sixty-seven, to places he/she would never be able to go, meet people he/she would never meet, and do things he/she would never have done. It also keeps me grounded and humble in the life God has given me. When I put it on each day I know I am blessed, for: “There but the grace of God, go I.”

A few days ago one of my fellow students asked me what it was and as I explained God hit me upside the head again: In spirit I have brought the spirit of Number Sixty-seven back home!!!! When we stopped at the “resort” I told you about I had such a strong feeling of regret. I felt the tug at my heart for the Africans who were forced on ships from the shores of their homeland, across the Atlantic Ocean, and how terrified they must have been listening to the clash of the waves on the sides of the ship, not knowing where they were going and what to expect. Can you imagine?

I love Mom with a love that is indescribable. In my eyes she is the most courageous women I know. In her early twenties she left her homeland of Jamaica on a seaplane and made her way across the Atlantic Ocean to start a new life. She had one suitcase and the equivalence of $60 US dollars. How many of you would pack one suitcase and head to Russia with $100US???? To me she represents the Africans taken from their homeland and their courage.

So my purchase of this slave tag so many years ago has come full circle and Number Sixty-seven is back “home.” We will visit Cape Coast Castle on Saturday. I know I will be very emotional, as so many before has been; but my emotional state will be even more significant because of Number Sixty-seven. Suppose Number Sixty-seven actually passed through those doors???

So what is my mission? Is it to bring the spirit of Number Sixty-seven home? Maybe; but I believe there is more to come. I will be working with the Latter Day Saints Church director, Dr. Osei Bonsau, on their genealogical project. He told me that over the past ten years they have compiled one million genealogical Ghanaian family histories! He will take me to through the process, from the interview of the seniors in the African village to the processing of the information for the LDS in Denver. Meeting with him here in Ghana was a wonderful thing. He is as passionate about genealogy as I am and we hit it off right away. As soon as I get my class schedule we will set about arrangements. Stay tuned for that adventure. J

I am signing off now. It has been a large day for me and I wanted to share these thoughts with you. God has given you a life to live, a mission to fill. Are you doing it? What are you doing with the life He allows you to live each day? The air He allows you to breath? What is your mission? Your God-given talent?

Think about these things as you go through your day today. I would love to hear your story. My email address is: crosers@aol.com. Share with others so that you can be a missionary for Him. It seems things are going crazy all around us; but we are still His children and He has planted seeds of things to do in us all. It is up to us to recognize them and get busy about doing His work.

Ok….so much for such a deep discussion. Let's stop before the tears flow. LOL

I love you all and please remember to take care of you for us and we will take care of us for you.

Stay tuned, amazing things are about to happen. Don’t miss them!!

No pictures today. More tomorrow, just food for thought.

One love.

C