There is a lot of "boy" at The Father's House!
Eight boys live there, and the soccer field out front is full of even more boys every afternoon. Then there is Pappa Jake and Christian, our watchman. Jeremiah Banini comes home and stays there during his breaks from college in Accra.
It FEELS like a house full of boys! They are making swords out of cardboard and sticks, bow and arrows out of sticks and the elastic bands from underwear. They have built a go-cart out of wood, wooden wheels and the works, and an elaborate drum set out of cans. They build forts out of sticks and palm fronds. They build soccer trophies out of coffee cans and cardboard.
I laughed about this with Momma Chanda. You know, some girls have got it, some don't. Chanda Crout has got "it." She is the perfect house Momma for a bunch of pre-teen boys. I believe it is safe to say she MAY have been a bit of a tom-boy back in the day. O my goodness, those boys love her!
Jake is the perfect Pappa for them: quiet, kind, firm when he has to be. Just what Heaven ordered! Christian has them helping in the garden. He is so good with them.
When we were all there--myself, Paul, Teddy, Trea, and Jeremiah it was pretty funny. Jake and Chanda had gone back to the U.S. for a break, and poor Julie (the boys' cook) was the only girl in the house most of the time! Jeremiah and the young men with me had to lock the door to their room at night because the boys--all early risers--were "attacking" them at dawn, bursting into their rooms with pillows and the like to pummel them while they slept. I, of course, was immune to these attacks as I had sided with the boys.
Like I said, lots of testosterone!
I wonder what a house full of girls will feel like. As much laughter I am sure, but I can't picture the bow and arrows. Especially the bow with the elastic waistband string!
by Jeff Miller, Father's House Co-founder
