Early this January I went to Ghana, and I was nervous about going. But God reassured me that He was with me, and I am here to testify that He really was. It was a great trip and not only did I learn so much about Ghana, but I learned so much about God, and how true He is to His Word. He’s so awesome. Let me tell you why!
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In my very first blog post, I talked about how I was going back and forth about whether to go to Ghana with my family, and ultimately decided to rest, which was the best decision for me at the time. Well come January, I was weighing whether to go to Ghana for my cousin’s wedding but I was uncertain about going because the omicron variant was running rampant, Ghana’s covid test fees were $200 and I wouldn’t be traveling with any of my family members. I was really nervous and feared all that could happen; so many what-ifs ran through my mind such as what if I get covid in Ghana and can’t return in time for classes or what if I die there. But God reminded me that I was not alone, and He reassured me of that.
So to help me navigate this decision, I told God that “if my covid-test comes back negative and there is space on the plane, I’ll take that as a sign from Him that it’s okay for me to go. But if any of those things don’t work, then I wouldn’t go. Simple.” Well, not only was my covid test negative and there was space on the plane (my dad works for the airline so I can fly standby—praise God), BUT I flew in the highest class from Columbus to DC, and from DC to Accra! God was with me!
My flight experience was so lovely; God showed me that He was with me there too and that He had prepared the way for me. When I was on the flight to Accra, the 2 flight attendants were also vegan, so they sympathized with my diet and helped me pick food items on the menu that accommodated my needs. Also, God woke me up 2 hours before the flight landed, so I was able to beat the post-breakfast rush, freshen up, and change my clothes. I also got to spend quality time with God before getting off the flight while it was still quiet. Isn’t He faithful!
AND ANOTHER MOMENT OF FAVOR!! My goodness! This is probably my favorite miracle on the trip—definitely the most stressful, but I left the experience so aware of God’s presence with me. LOL. So, when I arrived at Customs, I found out that my Visa expired. The worst part was that my visa had expired last August, so I was just 4 months short. I told them I had no idea it had expired and I was panicking. They said I needed to get a Visa on arrival, so I went back into some room with one of the agents. The visa was going to cost me $150 USD and I only brought $200 to spend. Before the man even finished explaining I started crying and he told me he could give it to me for $100; he asked how much I could afford, and I said $50. So the man went to go speak to someone, and when he returned to the office, he gave me the visa for $50. PRAISE THE LORD!!! I couldn’t help but laugh at just how shocking and funny and amazing that whole interaction was. God really came through!
I also experienced God’s favor in how much I enjoyed Ghana. I really got a tourist experience with insider access. I got to visit historical sights in Ghana such as Independence Square and Osu Castle (shoutout to my friend Naasey for the recommendation)! It was also really cool because I got to spend time learning about Ghana’s history and experiencing these places with my dad. God gave me the opportunity to spend quality time with my dad, and what originally started as a trip meant to attend my cousin’s wedding became a fulfilling experience reconnecting with my family’s home and my father.
And God’s presence and protection did not end in Ghana, but He carried me back to the US as well. On the flight back to the US, the flight attendants called my name on the intercom and for a moment I thought I was in trouble, but turns out they gave me the wrong seat and I was moved from economy to premium economy! God literally upgraded me! Though the flight was delayed, I enjoyed a great conversation with the person sitting next to me about the importance of enjoying life, and I got to process what I saw in Ghana.
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In Exodus 33: 14, “God said, ‘My presence will go with you. I’ll see the journey to the end” (MSG). That is exactly what God did for me on this trip to Ghana. He assured me of His presence before I left, confirmed it while I was there and reminded me of His continued presence now. It’s not that God decided to join me in my trip to Ghana, but He was always with me. This trip trained me, if you will, to see His presence. It helped me to trust Him more. And God continues to go with me.
What does God’s presence in this season of your life empower you to step out on faith and do?
Writing Song: Never Walk Alone-Live by Hillsong Worship ft. Mi-kaisha Rose
WhollyRebecca 