Slapped by Reality

Anticipate beginnings 

Working for the YSA of the Area office is one of my jobs. It was explained to me that this is an experimental endeavor to see what can be done and what will be of most help to returning missionaries. There are huge numbers of returned missionaries who don't stay active in the church as they transition to a "normal" life and (in Africa) just try to survive.

I received and put together a list of links for: loans (PEF) for trade school or new businesses that the recipient will pay back, education in Pathways leading to a degree from BYUI, leadership skills, self-reliance classes and education for starting a business, etc.

Then I got the contact information of the point person in the mission - Elder and Sister Whitaker from the Ghana Accra mission and off I went. 

Reality check;

My young missionary who will soon to be regular member does not have a place to stay when he gets "home". He will have no job and not a good chance of having one soon. The internet is very limited and most members (who are not wealthy) have internet at the church which works three out of every four or five weeks. He will not have a computer because that is a few thousand cedis (cheapest computer in Ghana is $400 to $450 US) and then if he does he will need data which can take up to a third of what he earns. The scary thing is all the well educated single adults in our ward are still looking for a job.

So I am sitting around with links to computers they don't have, education that may or probably won't find them a job from, leadership links for someone who will have to start his own "company" or means of support, added to the fact that life is difficult without things like washers and appliances I take for granted that make life easier and less complicated. Many of the people I know do not have anything like insurance or any kind of cushion in case of trouble.

And so -

But what I do have to offer is a deep abiding knowledge that God will answer each person's prayer and create miracles and blessings in that person's life. 

I know that those who read the Book of Mormon daily and offer up sincere daily prayers can have all the answers they need, a little here and a little there.