Easter in Ghana

Journal Ramblings #2 – Sunday, April 4, Easter Sunday



As you all in the USA west coast are getting up and preparing for Easter worship and celebrations, we have returned to BH from an amazing experience. Mama Shelter, several other house mothers, Rachel, and I took 38 children to church.



We started the walk down the dirt road before 10a and returned to BH at 1:30. When we arrived, all but the 2 infants we brought sat obediently/quietly in their area in the back of the ‘sanctuary’ while we adults were ushered down to about the 5th row of chairs. I tried to stay with the children, but when in Ghana do as the Ghanaians do.



House Mom had warned me that they worship LOUD. It was indeed VERY LOUD. (Next time, I will take my ear plugs.) My goodness the Holy Spirit was a’movin’ in that place. There was singing, dancing, preaching, testimonying, special music, and a children’s dance group. It was wonderful. \



I am blown away at how the children, from toddlers to 10 year olds could sit for a 3 hour church service. I heard reports about a bit of hitting going on, but they all emerged relatively unscathed. They were all very hungry.



It is now after lunch nap time. I have begun typing one handed while juggling E. She is fussy, perhaps hungry, but unsure as she was passed around at church. The various house mothers will not show me how to wash and prepare bottles with water, so that I can do it myself. They just say so-and-so will do it, and I don’t get the bottles.



Some time later: I finally got the person in charge of E today to fix a couple of bottles. E is now fed and sleeping on her side … something the doctor suggested on Saturday. E has a large hernia in about the place of the navel. It protrudes greatly and the house mothers are afraid to put it back in. The doctor showed me how, so that will be one of the campaigns for Rachel and me, along with trying to keep her awake part of each day. She has developed a habit of sleeping all day and fussing all night. Rachel and I are scheduled to have her three nights per week and we need our sleep, therefore little miss E will have to learn a new pattern!!!



I was scheduled to have (another infant) each day … at least part of each day … but so far I have only occasionally helped with her. Her current ‘mother’ is leaving tomorrow, so I will probably be juggling between E and the other baby until Romana returns. At that time, we will try to clarify some duties.



On the whole things are going well and we are learning, sharing, question, listening. The children are talkative, inquisitive, and hungry for attention. We have been warned not to let them get onto our laps or cling to the point of tripping us. That could get out of hand.





Most of the food is better than I expected, although mostly carbohydrates. Starting with next week’s shopping, I will give the Ghanaian BH shopper some money to buy some veggies for us from the Ghanaian market. I am told that if I try to get the things there, they will jack up the price.



We have a list of things to discuss with Romana when she returns and finds a few minutes to conference with us. Things regarding Rachel’s teaching and discipline techniques, our baby schedule, time off for shopping excursions, etc. In the meantime, we learn by doing.





That’s all for now folks … Happy Easter … Judy