We arrived in Accra on Wednesday May 20th after a long two-day endeavor. Though we were all extremely tired with obtaining little amounts of sleep, we were excited to finally have arrived in Ghana, West Africa. Immediately after stepping off the plane we were struck with an intense wave of heat. The weather here is constantly like Florida only hotter and more humid. We were greeted at the airport by big smiles from Senyo and his brother Seth. At the airport we quickly experienced the effects of unemployment when men helped carry our bags expecting to be paid for their service. After spending some time in Accra, we started the journey to Akatsi where we our spending the
course of our trip. After arriving at the hotel (and passing out for three hours) we visited the library where most of time and effort is being spent. The first two days were hard for all four of us to take in and we experienced heavy hearts. In Ghana we have our substitute “mom’s”, Mercy and Bene, who are taking great care of and providing traditional Ghanaian dishes for lunch and dinner. It is a great joy for us to play with Mercy’s two-year-old little boy, Jerry, who has become like a little brother to all of us. The next day we woke up and explored a little bit of Akatsi, the heat got the best of us and we returned to the hotel and ate lunch. We headed to the library and waited anxiously for the children to arrive. We were excited to meet them and begin building friendships with them. After becoming acquainted with the library we have a tentative structure of beginning each day reading or working on flashcards, then we show them a movie or show and conclude our time at the library by playing outside. After leaving the library each day we return to the hotel, which is next door and have dinner. A highlight of each day is the time we spend together each night having a devotional. In the devotionals we talk about how we are feeling and study God’s word. In these times together we learn more about each other and God. One of our first trips was to Xavi on a canoe ride to go bird watching.
When we arrived at the office no one was there, after a short time someone came and we began walking to the river. When we arrived at the bank of the river we saw several wooden canoes, all of which were partially submerged in water. Our tour guide began using a bowl to scoop water out of the canoe and used a knife and small pieces of fabric in an attempt to patch the many holes of the canoe. We enjoyed the serenity of the river and got to see several different kinds of birds. When we were at the river we saw several local women coming to collect water for use and to do their laundry. Another adventure for us has been the experience of the local market, which occurs every four days. It is hard to explain what the markets are really like
there are thousands of vendors selling anything and everything. Jake got yelled at for taking pictures. Lauren and Brittney made quite a spectacle of themselves by spraying sun block. We all bought cloth which will be made into clothing. Wherever we go we are sure to draw attention and the local people are quick to point out that we are “yavoo� which means white person. Our latest adventure has been the trip Cape Coast Slave Castle and Kakum National Forest. The journey to Kakum took about five hours, but we got to experience the rainforest from a suspended canopy walk. The canopy was a lot of fun and we enjoyed seeing the rainforest, we then headed to the slave castle. At the slave castle we received a tour of a castle that was used to hold slaves before they were shipped to the Caribbean and the Americas. It was a sobering experience to see the conditions they suffered under. In some of the rooms you can still smell the urine, which they were forced to live in. One cannot imagine the atrocities that were committed in the slave castles. It was interesting as students to experience first hand what we have learned about in our classrooms. Our tour was cut short by a rainstorm, so we headed out and began the long journey back to Akatsi. In Ghana problems are evident, but we are learning to have a positive outlook and see these problems as opportunities for positive development and change. We are learning a lot through observing a developing country and talking to Senyo about the problems that exist as well as the possible solutions. It is great to be able to learn in a handson environment about the concepts we are studying. We are all enjoying our time in Ghana. A highpoint for all of us is the time we get to spend with the children at the library. The joy they have is contagious, the children love having their pictures taken and being able to look at them immediately. We are all looking forward to the next
three weeks and the many new experiences are sure to encounter.