Long Time No Write

CONSTRUCTION
Hello again. No I have not fallen off of Ghana into the sea. I am still alive and doing well. First with the construction updates, the kitchen holes are filled and window is done. It is now a completed structure! There is a table and shelf on order from the carpentry class/shop at the refugee camp. I plan on buying some peach paint so the kitchen will be beautiful! The children will help me paint it. I’m sure there will be plenty of paint on the floor but such is life.

The platform for the water tank is also completed. The top is done with a whole bunch of iron inside for strength. After 21 days, the forms will be removed and the whole thing will be plastered. I heard from Pegge, that it takes 28 days for concrete to reach its full strength (even in Tucson). Who knew? Pegge and Monolo that’s who. Right now school is on break until May. So, after the plastering and the 28 days I’ll purchase the polytank. The carpentry class at the refugee camp is making the tables for the individual water cans and soap to sit upon. The children and I will paint these also.

ECLIPSE
The big news from here is the eclipse on March 29th. It was amazing, awesome, wonderful, glorious, incredible and so much more. It got dark in the morning for about 3-4 minutes. The children were in the school with all the other children in 2 classrooms. When it started to get dark I saw about 3 students run home. The teachers then stood at the doors yelling at them to stay in their seats. Anne-Christien went and got our kids out of school so they could see the eclipse on TV. I had shown the teachers how to view the eclipse with the pin hole in a piece of paper but they knew the students would look at the sun and damage their eyes. So, they kept all the children inside until it was past the zenith. They then went outside and our kids were showing them how to see the eclipse through their papers. We also viewed it by looking at the sun’s reflection in a bucket of water. It was amazing. During the full dark, Susanna came outside and was crying. She was mostly whimpering but she was truly frightened. It was not suppose to be dark in the middle of the morning and not that fast. Anne-Christien and I talked to her to calm her down. She was still scared but not too badly. When the sun came back all was well again.

The eclipse was on Wednesday. The first rain after the eclipse was on Saturday. A man from the village came to say that the radio had announced not to use the “bad rain”. The first rain after the eclipse was carrying diseases like chicken pox. So, none of the children should go out in the rain and no one should collect or use any of that water. Patience had to go and get some wet laundry from the line. She wrung out the clothes and asked me would she get chicken pox on her hands or face (she had touched her face). I assured her that she wouldn’t. I also said that there was nothing on the news about the rain being bad. She insisted that it was on the radio so it had to be true. I doubt that it was ever on the radio. But when the village has very few radios if someone says they heard something it is only polite to spread the news, especially news about something harmful. As far as I know not a single case of chicken pox has been discovered in the village so everyone must have been careful enough.

FATHER JOHN
Father John was sick and had to go to the clinic. He was given an antibiotic for the sore throat, a pain killer and a sleeping pill. I gave him one dose of the pain pill and threw the sleeping pills away. He was given the sleeping pills because he said he couldn’t sleep well the night before. Of course he couldn’t. He had a fever, sore throat and an ear ache. How could he get to sleep? I don’t know if he would have gotten anything besides the antibiotic if he hadn’t been with an Obruni. I know at home the antibiotic is all he would get. Since he was sick I made him stay home from school all week (except eclipse Wednesday). He cried because he couldn’t go to school. Anne-Christien and I agreed we never cried because we stayed home only when we had to go back. She played with him and let him eat cookies to make staying home more bearable. He even enjoyed it. All school day and all Anne-Christien’s attention for only him? He was in heaven.

MY VACATION
Ok, I know you think that I am on vacation just being in Ghana and you would be right. But, this last week I went on a real vacation away from the orphanage home. Anne-Christien and I went to Kumasi. It is a very beautiful city with a wonderful cultural center. We were scheduled to go to Yeji for a boat trip on Tuesday night. However, the boat was sailing a day early because of Easter. Evans called with this information and Anne-Christien and I had no problem making the change. However, Rico was also planning on going with us. She got to the STC (bus) station at 10:00am and bought a ticket for the 10:30 bus. When the bus arrived at 11:00 the people from the scheduled 9:30 trip took all the seats. She then called about 1:30 saying she didn’t think she would be in Kumasi in time. The STC wouldn’t refund her ticket price because the bus would run later or much later that day so no refunds. I told her to call Brother Evans to see what he can do. She called back to say that she was on board and would hopefully make it to Kumasi on time. If it was too late we should just leave without her. Brother Evans arrived and said let’s go to the taxi that’s waiting. We got to the tro-tro station to find that the last tro to Yeji was full. There was a tro to a place only 47 miles away from Yeji that we could take. “But what about Rico,” I asked. She hadn’t contacted Evans since her tro did arrive so he didn’t know she wasn’t yet in Kumasi. The tro-tro was almost full and had a big load of lumber to transport also. I said let’s buy tickets for 5 seats so we have a place for our luggage. The station manager said if we purchased 5 tickets the tro would be full and would need to leave. He agreed to wait 15 minutes for the STC but that’s the best he could do since all the other passengers in the tro-tro wanted to get home. So, I asked if I could hire another tro and pay for the whole van provided it would wait for Rico. The manager then talked to a driver and said if I purchased 14 seats the driver would wait for the STC. So it cost me 390,000 cedis or $44 US to charter the van. Evans called and told Rico we had a ride and were waiting for her. When her bus was close, the driver took us to the STC station. Rico was not on the bus that arrived from Accra. Luckily only 10-20 minutes later a second bus arrived from Accra and Rico was there. We then had a 3 hour ride to Yeji. Yes, boys and girls you heard me correctly, it was only $44 US for a 3 hour ride that started at 10:00 pm and was 147 miles. On the road Rico said that Tuesday was her birthday. She was glad she didn’t spend it waiting for a tro-tro back to Accra, then 6 hours on a bus after missing her trip. I spent the money thinking a volunteer should not miss this trip. After hearing it was her birthday I was really glad I had!

The boat was docked and waiting until dawn to start off. We got to bed and slept. When I woke up the morning was beautiful. The sun was up and the water was sparkling. I stayed awake all day staring at the lake and the passing vegetation. I tried to stay awake that night but was too tired. I went to bed at 7:30 pm just like at the orphanage home at bedtime. I woke up to another beautiful morning. There were a lot more people on board. I decided that I’d watch the water from lying down in the top bunk bed. I got in and out of the bed 2 or 3 times and then when I tried to get up I slipped and fell and bruised my side and my foot. I’m not seriously hurt just bruised. I was mad and got up on the bed. I looked out the window and enjoyed the sights. With the boat rocking and my relaxing, next thing I knew I was sound asleep. I woke up in time for lunch though. I didn’t get back on the bunk, no I wasn’t afraid I’d biff it again, I didn’t want to fall back asleep. I sat up talking with Rico, Anne-Christien and Evans. The last leg of the journey was beautiful and enjoyable. Right before we got off the boat we took pictures. Anne-Christien, Rico and I do not like having our pictures taken. I laughed and said I’m the only one who didn’t bring a camera. I wanted a picture to prove to everyone that I was on Lake Volta and so were they. You’ll see from the picture that we had a wonderful time.

The extra good news was not one baby cried when seeing me this whole vacation. Most babies stared, I’m sure I’m the first Obruni many had ever seen, but not one cried!!

NEXT UP
I am planning on shopping on Thursday for more material for dresses and pants outfits. (Anne-Christien thinks I’m really funny buying work clothes for a job I don’t have.) After this, I’ll go back to the home. I better buy some paint while I’m still in Accra. I’ll be at the home for Easter. In Ghana Easter Monday is a big family day. Families go on picnics and to the beach etc.. A friend’s church is having a big party and I’m going to that. It will be my first Easter Monday event. In Ghana both Friday and Monday are national holidays. I’m going to church on Easter Sunday also. The children’s church is so loud that I can hear it from the home. Since it is not only loud but also in Twi, I stay home. On Easter I’m going to wear my one dress from home and go to church.

During the 2 week break from school, I want to bring the children and mothers to Accra to see the memorial of the first president of Ghana. I need to talk and ask “Madame” first for her permission. I’m sure she’ll agree since school is on vacation and the trip will be a good educational experience. We’ll see the monument, the museum, the fountains and the garden. I was there with SYTO during my orientation week. It is very beautiful. We’ll also have a picnic. I told Patience this secret, so I expect all the children have heard by now. I wanted them to know that I was planning something fun and special for just them.