12 September 2007

I’m still here and all is well. I’ll try to answer some of the questions I have been asked.
1. Where is the village? Answer: In Ghana in the rain forest region. I don’t want any bad person to have any info about my kids.
2. Can I visit the home? Answer: YES, go to the website http://www.nafofa.org/ for more information.
3. Are you out of your mind? Answer: YES!
4. Did I get the rest of my luggage? Answer: YES!
5. Did you get my emails? Answer: Yes to Beth, Marsha, Joy, Pegge, Kathryn, Kristin, Betty and Karen. I rarely reply directly but rather through the blog because it is easier. But, I do love hearing from everyone so please feel free to send more.
6. How can I help? Answer: Come to Ghana or donate to NAFofA.
7. Can I send you books for the library? Answer: Yes, but the shipping costs are outrageous! Right now we’re looking to the community to provide some fiction books. The Asanse (spelling?) spider books are stories the children will have heard from their grandma’s in Twi. We’re hoping the wealthy people from the community will purchase some of these books for the children to read. We’ve had a very favorable response from all the community leaders we have spoken with about the library. Before spending any more on funding the library, we need to see that the children will frequent it and that the community will continue the project. But, thank-you so much for the thought. Feel free to start collecting non-fiction books anywhere you can find them. I can bring them next time or you can donate them to a school near you!
8. Did the NAFofA board approve the funding for a library? (OK, this question I just made myself but I’m sure the board members are asking themselves this!) Answer: No, I never told them about it. BUT, this is NOT a NAFofA project. It is another one of those Florence got a wild hair and started something things. The good news is we’ve told the community that we are just starting and planting the seed for the community library. It will be up to the community to continue it or not. I’m providing the rented room for 3 years, the bookshelves, books, and reading benches. We really hope the community will fill it with books and then provide a larger spot. NAFofA will not be providing any future funding for the library without the board approval. I truly believe that we (NAFofA) have other more pressing needs that must be met first.
9. Have you solved the problem of the children misbehaving? Answer: We’re a work in progress! The kids were visiting their hometowns and returned on Saturday. This Sunday we had a big family discussion on “Ghanaian children” and “Family Rules”. Of course it is starting out well with a few adjustments needed here and there. The mothers are actually relieved and happy that I am the one making the changes. The children were told the mothers will be sacked (fired, dismissed, canned, let go) if the mothers do not discipline the children. The mothers will also go and get them from school if they do not do the following before leaving for school: 1) Do their morning chores 2) Bathe and 3) Eat their breakfast. No child wants to hear their classmates laugh at them if this should happen. But, you know kids one of them will test this rule also.
10. How in the world does Mark put up with you? Answer: Quit asking this damn question!!!!


A little piece of info to help you appreciate this next story, 9,000 cedis equals 1 US dollar.

Somehow, even before I speak people can tell that I am obviously not a Ghanaian. The other day when traveling alone a taxi driver quoted me a price of 100,000 cedis. I knew it should not be more than 30,000. I told him so and offered 35,000. Since other people were watching our negotiations he drove off. A second taxi driver said he’d take me for 80,000. I said no thanks, I’ll walk. (I’m carrying 2 heavy bags and it is at least 10 miles away.) He drove away, made a U-turn and said he’d take me to where I could catch a shared taxi for 7,000 cedis. No thanks, I’ll walk. Ok, 5,000 cedis. Now I get in. I’ve just argued with the man for less than 25 cents US. But, in Ghana I don’t think in terms of US money, I think in terms of Ghana money. I later learned that 5,000 cedis was the correct price for where I was going. I then got to where the shared taxi stand was. A shared taxi waits for 4 people who are going to the same location. The cost was 8,000 cedis per seat so my offer of 35,000 was very correct.

A few days later I was doing some marketing in the same town. I was wearing my last pair of clean pants. The only problem was that I had lost the drawstring that holds them up! So, I tucked them into my underwear and went to the market. About half way through the day, they started falling down as I was walking past a dress makers shop (OK, so maybe it wasn’t the first time they started to fall down.) I asked the seamstress if she would fix the pants for me. She said yes she had some elastic and I said a drawstring or elastic or whatever she had would be fine with me. She gave me a cloth to wrap in while she fixed the pants. After I had my pants back on I asked her what was the charge and she replied no charge just take the pants.

One last bit of information about the above pants story mostly for Mark but also for Pegge who is laughing hysterically while visualizing the pants around my ankles. I am wearing an East Indian man’s outfit at the time. The tunic comes down to my knees and I can tuck my pants into my underwear from the pocket in the tunic. At no time do the pants ever actually fall down. It makes the story less interesting but more accurate. I don’t want Mark to think his wife is wandering around Ghana without her pants on!!!!

P.S. I have decided to stop sending out emails to tell you that I have updated the blog. They take forever and a day. So, please just check in every couple of weeks. Thanks!

More Updates

Here's Kelvin's smile. You can see the missing teeth.


Kweku has lately decided he's too big to nap. Unfortunately, his 3 year old body doesn't believe this. In this little chair he looked just like an old man who fell asleep in the middle of the afternoon.

This is a picture of the living room aka the sitting room.

The following entries contain pictures that will tell more than I ever could describe. When we get into the forest area I feel like I'm really in Africa. When I say this to Ghanaians they laugh. Accra and the coastal savannah regions are also really Africa. But, this is the Africa of National Geographic specials. It is also where the children live.

Two quick funny stores about the boys. Kelvin and a friend were entertaining me by singing songs they knew. These were the songs they had learned in church all about God and Jesus. In the middle of one Kelvin stopped and said, "Oh, shit! I forgot the words." It still cracks me up when I remember this.

I'll skip the parts that Kelvin had to interpret and write this as if Kweku and I were actually speaking to each other. It'll be easier to write and easier to follow. I saw Kweku using the bread knife to cut the table and told him to put it down. Instead he used the table as if he was sharpening the knife. I said, "Kweku, put that knife down!" Kweku in his biggest 3 year old voice said, "I am a MAN!" I burst out laughing and couldn't stop for a good 5 minutes. I told Grandma Emelia who also laughed and laughed.

Well that's all for now, enjoy the pictures.

Surrounding Forest Area

A really HUGE tree. It is amazingly beautiful.
This is the area with the above tree.

This is the last house on the right on the path to the water. (In the other post that was the last house on the left.) We are 3 houses up from here. The above pictures were taken from the balcony you see here.

Our neighborhood

This is the back of our house.

This is behind the bath house looking left.

This is a neighbor's house.

This is the forest just past the above neighbor's house. The kids follow this path to collect the water we use for taking our baths.

More Pictures

Here are pictures of our kitchen and the outside area that is used when the propane gas runs out. Many times there is no gas in the local area so the mothers end up cooking over charcoal quite a bit.

Only one of the refrigerators actually works. The other just is.

PICTURES!!!

Above are the boys helping to unload. I was handing the books to the kids from the box and they would put them on whichever bed I told them. When I handed books to Kweku, he would bend down for the books to go on his head. Only an obruni wouldn't know the proper way to carry things! Kweku saw the camera and turned around to smile.

To the left are the after school supplies and the books from Carolynn.

Below are the n0n-fiction children's books for a library. I had originally intended on giving them to my children but realized all the children in the community need books. So, a library has been born!


















On the top left is Kelvin very carefully sorting the library books into piles. It was very fun watching him decide which spot to place all the books. Sometimes, he couldn't help himself, he just had to open the books and look for a little while before continuing the sorting process.

On the right is Kelvin and some of his friends looking at books.

Two Weeks Already?

I've been here for two weeks and 3 days already. It seems like I just arrived and it seems like I've been here forever. All is still going well. The kids that traveled to visit their extended families are all fine. Kelvin and Kweku are also doing well. Kelvin's English is very, very good. He translates for me. Kweku's English is getting better every day.

The other day when I was going to leave to come to Accra, I asked Kelvin for a hug and he gave me a nice hug. Kweku was playing under the table at the time. I don't know if he saw the hug or heard the word, but he was crawling out as fast as he could. He reached his arms up so I could pick him up and get a nice hug too.

Kelvin's reading is very good. We ready for about 1/2 hour a day when I'm in the village. Whenever the neighborhood kids see, they come over too. They are learning English from Kelvin and trying to teach me Twi. They get alot of laughs at my pronunciation.

Today I met Sean, a missionary working in the Accra area. He works with handicapped people. He is also a photographer. So, he has agreed to come to the home and take pictures for me of the kids going about their daily routine and doing their daily things. With his work he usually has some free time the first week of the month. Hopefully, he will get to our home the first week of October. I did take pictures of the items I brought as well as my "helpers" helping me unpack them all. The pictures are doing fine inside the camera! One of these days they will make it to the internet cafe so they can make it to the blog.

Oh well, that's all for now. I'll write more later.

Arriving In Ghana

AKWAABA, You are welcome! This is the greeting I have heard many times since arriving in Ghana. It is a very warm, friendly greeting. When I reply thank-you all is good. When I reply medase (spelling?), everyone laughs. Medase is Twi for thank-you.

I’ll try to tell you what has been happening. I left Tucson for Phoenix Monday afternoon 6 August around 1:00. I arrived in London with time to catch my flight to Ghana. However, after the plane sat on the tarmac for over an hour, I missed my connection. I then waited 7 hours and flew to Nairobi, Kenya. Then another 2 hour wait and I flew to Ghana arriving 8 August Wednesday around 1:00 in the afternoon. YEAH! I made it to Ghana. Big Bummer, 3 of my 4 bags did not. I had 3 checked bags and 2 carry on bags. In Nairobi one of my carry ons went into the storage area. It was the only one I got back. On 12 August Sunday one of my bags arrived. Today is 14 August Tuesday and still the other two have not come. They will turn up it’s just a matter of time. So, the promised picture of the items in Ghana will have to come another time.

There are some important things I have learned in this my first week back that follow:
1) Carryon luggage MUST have wheels! 7 hours in London lugging around two heavy bags was more than I could do. Since they didn’t have any luggage carts around, I found an unused wheelchair and used that for my bags.
2) Nairobi is in Kenya. Kenya is on the other side of Africa from Ghana. It is not the best way to get to Accra from London.
3) Ensure at least 3 hours between planes in London. Otherwise you may end up traveling for another 20 hours and going through Nairobi.
4) Never, Never, Never turn down a bath. They feel so very wonderful and if you try to go to bed without one you’ll wish you hadn’t!
5) The smallest amount of milk with my malaria pills makes me puke. Yes, I learned this the hard way a second time now. Hopefully, next time I come to Ghana I’ll remember.
6) You can wear an outfit for 2 days but on day 3 Ma Jane will tell you to change your clothes. It’s bad enough she has to train the children now she has to train me too.
7) Even in a village in the rain forest in Ghana you will hear electronic game noises. A volunteer gave the children a game that does all the beepy annoying things electronic games do.
8) Doing laundry in a rain forest is not an easy task. The washing by hand is the same. Three big bowls are used one for the first wash, another the second wash and finally for the rinse. When the rinse gets too soapy or the first wash too dirty, the first wash water is thrown out, the second wash becomes the first wash, the rinse becomes the second wash and fresh water is now used to rinse. That is no problem (especially since I sit and watch the mothers and the children do it!) The difficulty comes in getting the clothes dry. It will rain in the afternoon for sure. You leave the wash out for a small sprinkle and if a large rain comes you run out and take it all down. During the evening you bring in all the laundry. In the morning you put everything back out on the line and hope it will dry before the rains comes.
9) In Ghana to honor a welcomed guest extra oil is used in cooking their food. Ma Jane gave me about a cup of oil in my beans. I drained as much off as I could. She asked me if the oil was “spoiled” (gone bad or rotten). I told her it was very good but much more than I can have. I am still working on convincing her that I don’t need as much oil in my food as she keeps providing. This trip I may come back with 50 more pounds if I don’t get this quickly changed!
10) Almonds grow on trees and some are planted by the Junior Secondary School (JSS). The pod that is around the almond is huge. The pod is at least 10 times larger than the yellow shell I am used to seeing. Regina and Patricia found the pods, used rocks to pound off the outside pod portion and then finally cracked the final almond shell. All of that work for one small almond which would then be shared with everyone sitting there (5 of us). It was delicious. Don’t worry, there is plenty of food in the home. Finding an almond on the playground is a treat to be enjoyed and shared.

When I arrived the children sang me a song and presented me with flowers. It was very nice.

Kweku is our youngest. He is 2.5 years old and is fluent in Twi. Anything that is not Twi he will nod his head and answer yes. Luckily, he is not afraid of white people. He sat on my lap the very first day. When he gets tired he goes and lies down in the boys’ room. He puts himself down for a nap when he is tired usually in the morning but sometimes in the afternoon too. One day I thought he was asleep in the boys’ room. I looked on all the beds and didn’t see him. I started to panic until I saw he was sleeping on a mat on the floor between the beds. He can sleep through anything. The roof is corrugated metal. There was a huge storm so you had to shout to hear each other. He slept through it just fine. However, one day when his grandmother came to visit he immediately awoke. She just said hello and was talking to the Ma Jane and Grandma Emelia in a normal voice. It is Kweku’s favorite voice so he jumped up to see her. It was very cute. She visited for about an hour. He didn’t cry when she left, he just said bye-bye. He knows she’ll be back for anther visit.

One day a little girl came walking into the yard. Kweku ran over and greeted her with a hug. They were so cute. We were all going to the school yard to play. The little girl held Kweku’s hand and was coming along. I said, “Wait, wait, who is her mother? We can’t take her with us without permission.” “Don’t worry Madam Florence, it is OK. She is Grandma’s daughter’s child,” replied Patience. Emelia smiled and said that it was fine for her to go with us. Thus started our trip to the school where the almonds were found, football (soccer) was played and two young children made me laugh.

Kweku and Mami were like kids anywhere. They saw all the open grass and ran, fell down and laughed. Mami called me Obruni (white person), she’d run and fall. I thought it was hysterical to hear such a small girl call me Obruni that I laughed. Big mistake. Now both Mami and Kweku would say Obruni and I’d watch them run and fall or roll around or jump and do all the things 2.5 year old children do. The mistake was in encouraging them to call me Obruni. That is fine for people who don’t know me but when you know me I should be either Madam Florence or Ma or Auntie (to someone of my same generation I would be sister). So I told the kids to call me Ma and when they said Obruni I wouldn’t look. When they said Ma I would. Kweku and Mami kept calling Obruni, Obruni, Obruni and I kept ignoring them. Finally Mami said, “Ma Twi Twi Twi Twi” and I responded. Patience was laughing. She told me what Mami said was “Ma we’ve been calling you.” It was hysterical. This little girl getting frustrated because I am too stupid to realize that I am the only Obruni around.

The older children have now gone to visit their extended families in their hometowns. Kelvin who is 6.5 (not 5.5) started crying. He was upset that his brothers and sisters were going away and that he had to stay. Evans told him that they would return in time for school and that Kelvin would get a trip to Accra. This made things a little better, not a lot better but a little.

Kelvin speaks English very, very well. He is a very sweet young boy with a big smile. His whole face lights up with his smile. The only thing missing is his two front teeth. I’ll get a picture posted one of these days. I have invited him to sit on my lap and he has shyly declined. But, when hugs are being given out he is ready for his also. When Anne-Christien had visited Kelvin was still adjusting to his new environment. He now is doing very well. He laughs and plays and acts like any other happy child.

That is all for this time around. It’s mostly about Kweku and Kelvin because these are the 2 I have just met. Also, the other kids were only with me for 2 days before they traveled to their hometowns. I have a whole list of pictures that I plan to take that I will place on this blog later.

Thanks for reading. Love to all my family and friends.

Start of Trip 2! Ghana 2007

Nyame Adom Foundation of America (NAFofA) is up and running thanks to many generous supporters. Please click on the link at the side to read more about this organization or click on the url here http://www.nafofa.org/

I'm once again "unemployed". I can't say retired any more because with 10 children to feed, I'll be working for quite a while. Luckily, I am out of work for my trip to Ghana. This time I will be there for 3.5 months. My plans are to live with the children and encourage them in their reading and writing. When I get everything together, I'll post a picture of all the books and school supplies I'll be bringing. Thanks to everyone who donated used books and an extra big thanks to Carolynn for donating all her teaching supplies!

I am the third NAFofA board member to go visit and inspect our orphanage, tiny (2.5 acre) farm and after school program in Ghana. Just like all the rest, I must pay for the trip myself. When people donate to NAFofA, all funds are spent for the Ghanaian programs. Hopefully, we'll get a grant from a larger organization and include the airline travel for inspections. Until then, we'll keep paying our own way. (If anybody out there knows of a grant giving organization that we should apply to, please let me know.) ( Also, if Oprah, Bill, Melinda, Warren, Jimmy, Sting or any of their close personal friends should happen to be reading, drop me a line. Have I got a great program for you!)

My plans for this trip are as follows:

• to inspect the Nyame Adom Foundation
• to meet with the teachers of our kids to see how their studies are progressing
• to talk with the school headmaster and the teachers in the after school program to see what else is needed
• to live with the children again!!!! (Note: I will call them "the children", "our children", "the kids", "our kids", "my kids" and "my children". In my heart they're MY children.)
• to spend some time at other orphanages I'd like to see how other programs are run to see what ideas we should incorporate.
• to find a way to help the orphanage become self-sustaining
• to determine what it would take to open a high school / vocational school and to see whether this is feasible
• to investigate what high schools / vocational schools are available for our kids to attend
• to meet the people of the community where our kids live
• to visit with old friends that I haven't seen in over a year
• to spend time staring at the ocean!

Thanks for reading this and if you have any questions, please drop me a line.