The Drive North:
Our trip to the north was exhausting, gut wrenching, exhilarating, and inspiring all at the same time. Thursday and Saturday were 12 hour days of driving on roads that ranged from good surface two lane hiways to muddy, rutted, pothole filled dirt ‘hiways’ and Friday found us on things that looked like cow paths with no indication where to go. Even our local navigator got lost.
Mama Laddie’s Foster Home:
Mama Laddie runs a clean, very efficient foster home for some very eager, happy children. They all held one of the many items that we brought (meds and other supplies) for a big group photo.
VEA Village:
Pastor John (a Ghanaian) proudly showed us his village, the school, library, church, and cultural center. There is great poverty here, but they work hard to give their children all the spiritual, cultural, and educational guidance they can muster.
John took us to meet with the village chief … a stately man who, at first, conversed through Pastor John as interpreter, then asked if he could address us. He spoke in good English about his dreams for his village and people. He hopes westerners will not ‘give them fish’, but ‘help their children to learn to fish’, then return them to the village.
Pastor John showed us his home. I was delighted to see inside one of the compounds that are so unique in their architecture. John also showed us the photo album that included pictures of his niece and nephew who are now living with their adoptive family in the Pacific Northwest. We also saw the small plot of land that he tries to farm … a very hard task in such rocky soil.
We visited Granddaughter Lydia’s tiny grandmother. Rachel showed her the album she brought for her and also showed her the video clips of Lydia playing the piano and showing off her bedroom. The reactions of ‘grandmother’ and all the various relatives was a delight. We bought many baskets that ‘grandmother’ and the other women wove. ‘Grandmother’ was a bit puzzled with the solar/crank lantern we took to her, but hopefully the younger crowd will help her use it. While there, we became acquainted with Bonga the donkey Rachel bought a year or so ago along with a cart.
Nurse Bertilda and the Presbyterian Clinic:
Nurse Bertilda’s clinic is amazing, considering its small size, no electricity, and no running water. There was one woman in labor, one woman who had given birth to a baby boy, and a man with a large gash in his leg caused by an axe. We were asked to name the baby; we decided Matthew … blessing from God … would be perfect. We gave the name Zoe, Greek for life, to the child waiting to be born.
(Sorry for the side ways photos...just a mom doing her best :)Bertilda gratefully received the many items we had brought … medications, gloves, dressings, infant clothing, and a solar/crank lantern.
After our tour we were each given a cold Sprite … what a luxury! After taking a few sips ourselves and showing great appreciation, we shared the sodas with the many wide-eyed children. We are reasonably sure they had never tasted such a thing.
People in need:
There is so much need in the north, but there were five situations that were specially brought to our attention … folks for whom Romana, Mama Laddie, and Nurse Bertilda are hoping we can find sponsorship …
1) A blind grandmother with three beautiful little boys who must beg to find food. The older two have obviously been to school before and would love to continue their education
2) A sixteen year old boy has lost family and local sponsor due to death and wants to continue his schooling in a boarding school
3) A very unusual couple … she is deaf and he is blind. They have two small children and are hoping for startup materials to sell in the ‘market’
4) A single mother with three children, who has completed beauty school under the sponsorship of an American who then disappeared, needs temporary sponsorship for her and the children until she can start up a ‘beauty salon’. The alternative to sponsorship is that Romana take her three children and find an adoptive family for them.
5) A teenage girl is deaf, can write English, and uses American Sign Language to communicate. She is bright, obviously motivated, and very eager to get back to school this week. With my minimal signing skills, we carried on quite a conversation.
Sunday/Monday: Eggs, sausage, and toast for breakfast. What a treat! We spent Sunday and Monday (a local holiday) with Nurse Debby and husband Ron. They took us to the Accra Arts and Craft Museum, the Cultural Center (an area with many stalls for buying/selling), two great restaurants, and lots of wonderful hospitality. Rachel and I want to take Debby out for lunch or dinner next week for a belated Mother’s Day … she is our ‘mother’ here in Ghana.
Hospital trips:
I have now been to the hospital/clinic several times with children. I have tagged along because I wanted to experience the process. I will never again complain about having to wait in a medical waiting room in the US. We don’t know the meaning of having to wait … and wait, etc. One of the trips was just to pick up the refill of meds for one of the HIV positive children. We were gone from BH for 3 ½ hours! The latest trip was the initial visit for three children. It took all morning and the doctor spent maybe ten minutes with us. On the way home, we dropped off Nurse Debby at her compound and I held two infants in my arms. Fortunately they both slept most of the way. Infant car seats or any other car seats are unknown here. When we arrived at BH, I had the 6 year old get out and ring the bell so someone could take one of the babies and some of the accouterments.
Tuesday 4th:
We had Hungarian Goulash at Dr. Julia’s … yummmm. Rachel really enjoys the time on the piano. Dr. J would like to host a benefit concert at her house. Rachel thinks she would embarrass herself due to lack of preparation. She doesn’t know how good she is, even at her worst.
Thursday 6th
Rachel is a young woman of great courage. She is teaching all 20+ children all morning this week; she is doing what no adult, including me, would do. The teacher is on vacation, the substitute teacher is ‘flaking of’, none of the regular volunteers will do it, so Rachel stepped up to the plate. She is doing a great job, is firm with the children, and the kids love her. In the afternoons she plays football (soccer) until she is red in the face. Yesterday she came into our room to clean up before dinner and proudly announced "the girls won a football game for the first time in Beacon House history". She is amazing!
Peace and Joy,
Judy
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