Most recent lesson learned: If you think you are spelling something correctly over here, you aren't!  For example, how would you pronounce "twi?"  Go ahead, say it to yourself.  If there was a "w" in your pronunciation, that's wrong!  It's pronounced "tree."  Another example is "dangme."  Instead of "dang me," it's pronounced, "dang be."  So, this leads me to the correction of a word I used and spelled wrong.  The dear little goat in my previous post was named Quatson - instead, it's actually spelled Kwatson.  That makes a little more sense than twi, but I just assumed it was with a Q.  I guess it's kind of like our language with words like "lamb."  And speaking of goats and lambs, poor little Kwatson escaped Boxing Day but won't be so lucky for New Years.  Such is life for a little goat.  At least he was given a name and some good food for a few days of his life.

The inspiration for his name

On a side note, they pronounced "digital" as "dig-it-all.".  It always takes me a few seconds to realize what they're saying.
Well, things here have been going well - we are busy preparing lesson plans for the upcoming semester, getting closets and file folders organized and cleaned in the office/library/and other rooms, preparing the guest rooms, etc.  Amidst the business, though, I am so thankful for the time I've had to spend with God.  I never realized how vital taking the time out of my day to spend in the word and in prayer is to my life - although I was told many times and did read and pray, I never fully realized why it's so important.  And it's really so simple - make the time, take it, ask God to speak to you through His word and He will!  I think I always thought it had to be a big heavy thing, but really, all God wants is for us to make ourselves available to hear what He wants to say.  God is so good, everyday I'm continually reminded of His greatness and mercy in my life and I never want to forget it.


A few days ago, we went to Tema and Accra to make a few stops.  We ate in a KFC, believe it or not, and it was really very new.  Although the price that was listed wasn't the price we were rung up for...not sure what happened there.  But it's really amazing to see the mixture of progress versus traditional culture.  Here we sit in a posh little area eating Chicken and Fries and right outside people are selling dried fish and goats on the side of the road.  Ghana is rapidly progressing but it's interesting to see the changes as well as the things that haven't changed.

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We also visited the Cultural Center....what an experience!  It's a market with all kinds of African crafts - paintings, cloth, jewelry, wood carvings, instruments, batik, sandals, etc.  It's arranged into about 8 long rows filled with vendors, but here's the kick - they're all selling pretty much the SAME thing!  As soon as you walk in, the vendors approach you wanting you to come into their stand to look at their merchandise.  The stands are extremely small spaces but they're packed with as many things as they can fit.  They call you by saying, "Oh mama, come look - daughter, come with your mamma, come see come see, please I'm asking you to come daughter, no charge to look."  They are so sharp - if you take a second glance at something because it catches your eye, they're on it and are bringing it to you asking you for your price!  Then, as you're looking at one thing, 5 other vendors are bringing the same thing from their booth wanting you to buy theirs.  It's actually pretty overwhelming. 


I was looking at one man's paintings and I mentioned that I was looking for something with music, like drums.  I guess I used my hands to explain the pounding of drums, but somehow everyone got the impression that I wanted paintings of women pounding fufu.  So, as I walked down the aisle, they were holding up paintings of fufu pounders, telling me I should buy them. 


It's fun though, because you can bargain with them for a good price.  They tell you what they are asking for (the Abrunie price=the"white" price=3x higher than it should be) and you act dramatic and say, "ohhhhh no no no, I'll keep looking."  As you walk out of their stand, they grab you and say, "ok ok, you tell me what your price is."  So, you tell them - and THEY act dramatic and say, "ohhhhh mama, ohhhh daughter, no no no," and then suggest something higher than in the middle.  And it goes back and forth until you reach the price you are both willing to give.  It's kind of like a little game and it's pretty hilarious.  I was able to purchase a few things there, but not without much heckling.  Once again, I'm thankful I had the Brennans there to help me because I'm too much of a softie.
As we were driving, we saw a huge chicken stand on the side of the road.  As you can see in the photo below, there were chickens everywhere - and conveniently enough we saw as we continued driving that you can purchase your chicken, have it beheaded and plucked, and then cut up right there.  That was the first time I've seen a chicken being gutted - it was, to say the least.....foul.

We stopped at Max Mart to get some groceries, then went upstairs to the bakery to get something light to eat.  I tried hummus with olive oil and pita bread - it was delicious and didn't taste like the hummus I've had in the states.  I'll have to be sure to try my hummus with olive oil and pita when I get home.  Because there is such a large Lebanese influence here (they own half of the businesses), I've gotten to eat a lot of Lebanese food and I must say, I love it!

We left Max Mart and headed home, sitting in traffic for about an hour and a half before getting to the highway.  One thing about the traffic here is that you can almost always count on it to be insane.  At times, Madame and I will get out of the car and run to a stand on the side of the road or into a business down in OSU and by the time we are done shopping, the car has moved about 2 car spaces ahead.  It's really just an entirely different way of life over here that you just have to get used to and plan ahead as best as you can.  Sitting in traffic does give you some time to check out the scenery, so here are some everyday street shots for you to view.

Checking the news



Selling plantain chips between the cars

I guess I can't ride in this tro-tro unless I have an afro?



Selling sunglasses between the cars

Well, time to get another cup of coffee and start working on some things.  I'm thinking of everyone back home and have to admit, I've been getting kind of homesick but like I've said before, there's really nowhere else I'd rather be at this time in my life.  It helps me when I think of what an amazing opportunity I have to be there.  Enjoy your day!!

Happy Boxing Day!

Merry Christmas everyone!  I'm hoping that your Christmas was full of love, joy, and the time to spend reflecting on the blessing of Jesus's birth for all humankind!

For me, this Christmas was one I will always cherish and hold close to my heart.  Although I was miles away from my family, close friends and all I am familiar with, I felt right at home.  I was blessed to be with the Brennans (who are like family to me) and of course we had Skype! 

But even more than that, I had a reason to celebrate because of what God has done and is doing in my heart.  When God chose Mary to birth his Son, she said YES.  Even though she didn't know the complete reason behind his choosing her, she was willing.  It was her willingness that God used to bring about His plan for salvation.  Years and years and many more years later, here I am - someone that has been touched by that special occasion.  Mary most likely never knew the full extent of what she would be used for, but she simply said yes.  I want to be that way in my own life.  There is a plan and purpose that God has for each one of us...he's just waiting for us to say YES.  I am so thankful for a God that does not come to visit in my heart once a year on Christmas day.  Instead, He lives inside of me day by day and I am free to have fellowship with Him through prayer and His word - how exciting!  He is no respecter of persons - it doesn't matter who you are or what you've come through - He came to this earth as a baby for you, died for you, and rose again for you and for me.  That to me is the Christmas miracle - thank you Lord!

One of the things that I appreciated about being here in Ghana for the Christmas season was the absence of the holiday rush.  All of the things that make it feel like Christmas back home - the lights, the music, the trees and decorations - seemed not to matter here.  I loved the simplicity of being here during Christmas - it gave me time to step back and think about the true meaning of Christmas without all of the usual holiday distractions.  While those things are exciting and I enjoy them, it felt good to have a Christmas without them.  Thankfully at home, my church always emphasizes this and that no matter how busy we get, we are always encouraged to put God first in all that we do.  Being over here forced me to do this!  I guess God always knows what we need.

Friday was my birthday and it was one of the BEST birthdays I've ever had!  Again, it was nice to have a separate day to celebrate my birthday - instead of it being "the day before Christmas Eve."  The Brennans made it a very special day - including my own little breakfast on the balcony and a live band singing Happy Birthday to me at Holiday Inn.  Here are a few photo highlights.

My Coupon Book full of Birthday Surprises!

Birthday Cappucino at Labadie Beach Hotel - mmm!

On Christmas Eve, Madame Susie and I spent some time cooking together and then later in the evening, we all watched a movie together and played some games.  We played one of the longest rounds of Uno I've ever played - it never ended!  I don't even remember who eventually won, but it was fun.

On Christmas morning, we watched a service from our church back home, had a time of sharing, and then had the Brennan's traditional Christmas morning French Toast!

Fresh Mango slices from our Mango Trees

My Christmas gifts - I didn't realize how excited I could get for something like PRETZELS!!!

The rest of the day, we opened our gifts to each other and from our Pastor and our church back home, prepared the rest of the meal, ate together, and spent the rest of the evening relaxing.  At one point, I took some time to listen to one of my family's traditional Christmas albums - "Listen to the Joy!" with Placido Domingo.  It brought back so many great memories that we've shared as a family.  All in all, it was a really special Christmas.

Today is Boxing Day, which is somewhat the equivalent of Christmas for the Ghanaians.  They spend the day visiting each other and giving gifts.  It's really amazing to see how the people here sacrifice to give - they may not have much, but they give of what they have.  A nice Christmas meal may be the only gift a few families will share together.  It's really touching.  We've received African cakes, plantains, a special pear drink, and right now there is a goat tied up outside while a gentleman is here visiting, but I don't think it's for us!  I can't help but feel sorry for the little guy - in a few short hours he'll be Boxing Day dinner!

:-(

Well, time for me to wrap up this Christmas post (no pun intended)!

God bless all of you as you continue to celebrate God's love in your life.  Merry Christmas from the crew here in Prampram.

*****************UPDATE*****************

The little goat was actually a gift to us - the gentleman brought him all the way from his home, which is about 4 or 5 hours away, as well as a tree branch full of plantains.  He traveled with this cargo in 5 different tro-tro's.  In otherwords, it was a major sacrifice!  We named the goat Quatson and I've been taking care of him.  He wasn't too keen on letting me give him water, but after realizing he had nowhere to go, I think he finally chilled out.  This morning I fed him some bread and I think we may have one of the workers here raise him on his farm.  Little Quatson was pardoned from a Boxing Day Dinner - that was his Christmas miracle!

WARNING: Wordy Blog Post Below

I can't believe how time is flying by...it's crazy.
Today was a "lights off" day, which means no electricity. Apparently ECG is working on putting a fence around the transformer. It's kind of ironic, I had just commented on how we had consistent electricity for a few days when shortly after, it went off.

Well, there are 2 events I recently had the opportunity to attend that I'd like to share with you.

The first was the Handing Over Ceremony of the Prampram Health Clinic. A few years ago, the clinic was started by the Prampram Traditional Council. It was furthered through donations from various individuals, including Bishop Miller and OITC. Bishop Miller had the inspiration to build a wall around the clinic, as goats and other animals could wander freely throughout the wards. Our churches helped with raising the money and the wall was built! We also supplied the clinic with other donations, including an ambulance. Recently, the wife of Ghana's President Mills (who is from Prampram), Her Excellency Dr. Ernestina Naadu Mills, collaborated with Chinese company Huawei Technology to officially finish the clinic. So, the handing over ceremony was held in recognition of her part in the completion of the health clinic.

Something that's really neat about any kind of special event here is their use of fabric. They take massive pieces and drape them around poles, hang them from tents, etc., fastening them together in big knots. It looks so beautiful and I've seen all kinds of colors.  The Health Clinic was decorated with red and white fabric on many tents with seats for the guests. When we arrived, we were seated in a section with the clinic nurses and other special guests. One of the Chinese men from Huawei Technology asked me if the Brennans were ambassadors,  I think he was surprised when I said no.  At one point he also invited me to stand with the press, which simply meant standing under the shade of a big tree near the sound system.  But at least it was a little closer to the action!

It was a pretty big event - the MP of the area was there, E.T. Mensah, and the wife of the Chinese Ambassador, as well as the traditional council, which included the Mankrolo and the Chief of Prampram.

When the first lady arrived, everyone was cheering and calling out. "mowei mowei!!" (pronounced moo-aaaaaaaay), which means "you are very welcome!"

After she had been formally announced and seated (which took a very long time), the ceremony began (which also took a very long time). Ghana TV was there and it was kind of funny - they would come with their huge camera and put it right in my face and just stay there recording. Talk about uncomfortable! Thankfully I was able to move around and take photos/video after a while, which I will now share with you!

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The Entrance to the new Recovery Ward




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Some of the Prampram Traditional Council

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Ghana's First Lady

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Ghana TV - maybe I should apply for a job?!

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A "Cultural Display", as the program called it

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Lots of attendees - see the fabric?

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The "ambassadors" speaking with a representative from Huawei

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After a few hours in the heat, this is what I felt like doing!!


All in all, it was a great experience and I was very privileged to be there for it.  After seeing photos of events like these for years, it was neat to actually be there for one in person.

Yesterday, we went to Action Chapel International, a MASSIVE church in Accra, for service.  We arrived for the 10am service.  The worship and message were both great, it was really an awesome experience to worship God in a different way halfway across the world, yet still know that He is the same here, back home, and everywhere in the world.  I'm so thankful for a God that doesn't change or is too far away from us to hear us when we call to Him.  Archbishop Duncan Williams knows Bishop Miller and has a great respect for her, so when the Brennans come to his church, he always invites them to his office in between services and wants to know how Bishop is doing.  This time, he invited us to lunch at his house, which leads me to the second event that I want to share with you.

In this service, which was televised, a group of about 100 people from Mercy Ships were in attendance.  I had never heard of the organization Mercy Ships, but it's pretty interesting.  You can find more about it by clicking RIGHT HERE.  Action Chapel is possibly going to be an anchor church for them, so they spoke a little bit about the organization and recognized all of the people.  After service, as we were getting ready to follow the man who was to take us to the house, we realize that the Mercy Ships buses were behind us.  We were going to be eating lunch not only with Archbishop, but with the entire Mercy Ships group!  Needless to say, we chose a good Sunday to stay for lunch.

We were lead to Archbishops house, which was in a very nice section of Accra.  The house was beautiful.  We ate in the chapel located on his grounds, and then went into the house for dessert and coffee.  It was really nice to talk with some of the people who are with Mercy Ships, it's really an amazing work they do around the world.  Here's a few pictures.

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Madame Susie and I

Short story time:  That morning, I was running late and didn't have a chance to have my morning cup of coffee.  So, by the time service was over and we ate, I had a massive headache from the lack of caffeine.  When they announced coffee and desserts, Mr. Ambrose and I both got super excited at the mention of COFFEE!  So, once inside, I looked for the coffee but only found hot water.  Confused, I asked Mr. Ambrose where he had gotten his coffee.  He picked up a plastic container with instant coffee...major bummer!  But, coffee is coffee, especially when you're desperate.  So, I made my coffee with excitement knowing that my headache would soon be gone.  That is, until I put the container down and realized that it was, conveniently, DECAF!!!  I had to laugh, it was pretty funny and ironic.  The coffee tasted good anyway.  Here we are, suffering from what they call "Perk Deficiency."
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After our lunch, we went to a few places to get some groceries and then ate some chicken and found some much needed coffee.  It was a long day, but a good day.

Tomorrow I hear from the seamstress if my pieces are ready, so hopefully I'll have some new Ghanaian clothing to wear.  I want to say a special thank you to Pastor Nancy for my beautiful Global Mamas dress I wore on Sunday!

Well, thanks for reading, hopefully it wasn't information overload/boredom.  Have a great day!

Eating towards the wall PLUS a haircut

It's custom here that whenever you are eating and someone walks up to talk to you or ask you a question, you offer them some of whatever you have.  It's also considered rude to be eating while someone is around you, so to avoid hunger in these times, you can eat facing a wall.

So, when in Ghana, do as the Ghanaians do.  Here I am outside of Melcoms trying a Samosa (I probably butchered that spelling, but it's a delicious triangular meat pastry), eating towards the wall.

I also had my Prampram haircut today!  Madame Susie cut it and it's already easier to manage.  Much better than if I had gone to the barber down the street....

It was getting way too long...

Madame Susie's Barber Shop

Yay Madame Susie!!

I'll be posting about the event we attended today sometime tomorrow.  Sorry for the ridiculous amount of me-photos in this post...I assure you that tomorrow's post will provide photos of greater subject matter!!

The Daily Graphic

What a day! We just got back from Tema and Accra and are getting ready to work on lesson plans for the rest of the evening. I'm really surprised at how tiring going anywhere here is. Because the closest place to shop for anything is about 45 minutes away, they have to think of what they need a week in advance....this means we make quite a few stops when we go out.

We stopped at the Tema market and Madame Susie (that's what they call her here) had me go buy the vegetables myself. I was a little nervous, but it turned out to be OK. I went to the stand and the ladies must have recognized me from the other times I've been there with Madame because they all said, "ohhh how is mama doing?" I dealt with Effie, the lady who is "in charge" or, more appropriately, the one who is the bossiest. I asked for a bunch of carrots, meaning a grouping of carrots. They must not be familiar with that saying because they all started laughing and kept saying "bunch! bunch! bunch!" I guess it was a funny sounding word, haha.

The last time we were at the market, we bought little muffin cakes to eat. I was really hungry for one this time, so I went to a little bakery (a one room "store" that was about the size of a walk in closet) and bought one. I have to admit, it felt pretty cool to buy vegetables and a muffin cake all by myself! I know that probably sounds crazy, but being in a completely different culture is kind of alienating, so it felt nice to actually know what I was doing for a change without relying on the Brennans to help me out. Hope that makes sense.

I wish I spoke more of the language here, or at least understood it - it's so difficult to learn, I've heard the same phrase 5 different ways. It just depends on who is teaching you and where they are from! The other day, I walked outside to take some pictures. E-Man, one of the workers, saw me and said something in his language to Alfred, the other worker. Alfred couldn't see me from where he was working, but I heard his voice and he was asking me, "And how are you today?" So, E-Man had obviously said something to him to let him I know I was there. It was probably something like, "Oh great - there she is again with her camera!" But I guess I'll never know. I can say thank you, welcome, I'm sorry, how are you, I'm good...but i haven't been able to pick them up when someone says them to me. I guess it's the same for them when I talk super fast - they have no idea what I'm saying, even though they may know a few phrases in English.

Alfred working

As I mentioned in a previous post, the Harmattan is here. It actually feels cool in the mornings. It's so funny, though - I've seen some of the workers in coats! Last night, Willie came for his gate man shift at 11pm and he was wearing a winter coat! I didn't get to see it, but next time he wears it, I'm going to try to get a picture. To us Americans, it's still grossly hot...but to them, it's cold!

For all journalism students, if you have a taste for sensational journalism you should think about getting a job here! The headlines on their newspapers are so awful! They write in such graphic detail about things like death and they show graphic photos, too. My parents, who have both been here, told me to make sure I took a look at a newspaper to understand how they share the news. Today, the headline was "Body Parts for Sale." Three people were arrested for selling human body parts....I didn't read the rest. I decided to try to find a more positive article, so I went to the next story. To avoid being just like the Daily Graphic, I'll refrain from sharing the details of it, but it definitely wasn't positive. I finally gave up!

My hair is getting pretty long and it's driving me crazy, so Madame Susie is going to attempt at cutting it. If we actually go through with it, I'll let you know how it turns out...or not!

More students are calling and visiting with interest in the new curriculum, so that's really exciting! We are praying and believing that God will bring the right students. I'm so thankful to be part of this time here, sometimes I still can't believe how fast everything fell into place.

My wonderful "guardians" while I'm here!  Mr. Ambrose and Madame Susie!

Well, the sun has set (it's down every night by 6 pm, no exceptions!) so I'm going to start working on lesson plans. I'm thinking of all my family and friends back home, I miss you all!

On its way down

Hodge Podge

I've taken a break from posting due to guests that were staying at the Training Centre, but now we are back to our "schedule" and I've got lots to share!

This post may not be too clearly organized, but I'm going to try. The following blurbs are random things I've been experiencing/learning here in Ghana that I want to share with you. Here goes!

- Names. From what I've observed, the names of children here can be grouped into 3 categories. There's the old British influence category with names like Henrietta, Agatha, and Henry. There are legitimate Bible names like Emmanuel, Ebeneezer, and Deborah. And then there are pop culture/made-up names like Queensabella, Prince, and Giovanni Armani. And all of these names belong to little children! My favorite is the naming of twins....2 students came here the other day named Angela and Angelina. I also know of twins named Deborah 1 and Deborah 2. I kid you not. I love it...so practical.

- There is a gecko living in my room. I wouldn't mind, but I don't particularly care for the presents he leaves me. They're just not my style. I've named him "Giovanni Armani."

Thankfully, Giovanni isn't HALF the size of this guy!  This one is named George.

- Yesterday, a wedding party came to the Training Centre asking if they could take their wedding photos in the building. As I was walking by, the groom motioned for me to come over. I knew what was going to happen, so I tried to pretend I didn't understand and walk away, but he came right over to me and pulled me into the photo with he and his bride! To make it worse, he put me in between them! Talk about awkward. I wish I could have gotten a photo to show how uncomfortable I must have looked!

- We went to a little beach outlet called PramBeach. There are little grass roofed huts set up near the ocean so that you can sit in the breeze. It was really nice, we watched some of the fishing boats go out to spend the night at sea. I also took a walk along the beach. Sadly, it was covered in trash. You can even see the trash washing in with the waves. But it was still a nice walk and the breeze feels great! It's hard to believe that when I was a kid and would go to the beach, I would look across and try to see the continent of Africa. Now, here I am on the other side! I tried to see America......but had no luck.

He had to have been very strong, those waves were really working against him!

- The dogs here, Mert and Millie, are finally warming up to me. I'd like to say it's because of some great personality characteristic I possess, some amazing dog whisperer confidence I carry that's won them over. But it's much simpler......I bring them food. And that's really the only reason. Hopefully we don't run out of food or I'm in trouble!

Millie working hard

- The mosquitoes here are killer! As soon as you step outside, they are trying to eat you alive. I keep forgetting to wear bug spray. It feels kind of strange knowing that the mosquitoes here could potentially be carrying something like Malaria!

- Today, I ate fresh fish. It wasn't a fillet like I was used to, instead I had to take it off the bone. It was a really neat experience - the fish tasted delicious and I couldn't believe how little the bones were! They looked like nylon guitar strings. I can't wait to try it again!

Finished!

- The other day, we were on our way to Tema when we were stopped by the police. Being stopped by the police here is a totally different experience than in the states. If you do something in traffic, they will come up to the car and jump in with you! Then, if you decide to argue and tell them they're wrong, they'll have you take them back to the place where the offense occurred. Sadly, there's a lot of corruption within the police force here, so many times they stop you if they think you might have some money to give them. So, after accusing you of something you most likely didn't do, in order to get out of it, they say, "So what can you do for me?" And then it's up to you to pay them off, or go to the police station and pay them off...it's a 50/50. Sometimes you can get out of it, like this last time we were stopped. The young man came up to the window and was looking in the car for something. Ambrose said, "Do you live in upper or lower Prampram?" Just the mention of the difference between the two made him loosen up a little...learning that Ambrose and Sue live here in Prampram was the clincher. He let us go, thankfully. Ambrose and Sue are so wise - they don't like to pay the bribe because that only enforces it, so they get creative - last year, they gave out little Bibles. This year, we have some LED flashlights to give the officers. At first, I didn't really understand why they always pray before driving, but between the police force and the traffic, I now understand!

Well, all of this was thrown together without any real rhyme or reason. I hope some of this is giving you a glimpse of my life here in Prampram, it's really been an interesting experience so far. I'm loving every moment of it.

Have a wonderful day to all back home, stay warm!

Harmattan, the Tema Market, and NO SNOW!

Today is a beautiful day!  Actually, every day here is beautiful...it feels so nice to have the sun shining so brightly and to know that there is no cold weather coming!  Normally, I can see the ocean clearly from where I'm staying.  But that changes when the Harmattan (pronounced haw-ma-tawn) comes to town.  It usually begins in December and is a dry, dusty wind that blows from the Sahara.  Already I've noticed that the ocean is hard to see because the sky is covered in a thick cloud...another way I know it's here is that by mid afternoon I'm ready to scratch my eyes out of my head!  Apparently the dust settles in your throat, too...I guess that's why I woke up this morning with hardly a voice.


Every morning at 7:15 (save Sundays), we have devotions outside with the workers.  We sing a few songs and then read from the same small bible each worker was given.  It's been  an adjustment for me...I prefer to ease into my mornings with a cup of coffee, and usually sometime AFTER 8 am!  But I'm learning here that first, it's good to give thanks to God in the morning before doing anything else or rushing into the day (which I sometimes do without even stopping to thank God for the day).  Second, many people here start work very early because by midday, it's extremely hot so to them, 7:15 isn't that early.  And third, it's amazing how many things I can get done before 9:30 in the morning!


I've been to the Tema Market twice.  This market is built in what would be considered a courtyard type of area and is surrounded by larger buildings.  Once you enter the market, you're basically a mouse in a maze.  So many ins and outs - when you come around a corner, you swear you've been there before but then you realize you haven't!  Underneath these slipshod awnings and structures you will find EVERYTHING - from hair salons to fish drying in the sun...next door to each other!  At one of the openings, I saw an old beat up car with tons of chickens inside, walking all over each other.  You can buy fabric, meat, vegetables, electronic appliances, childrens toys, alcohol...you name it, it's there.  It's visiual overstimulation.  At one point, we passed through the Muslim exchange.  Then, we walked through a section of the meat market.  The smell was......pungent.  One man tried to get me to buy a goat whose insides were gone and was simply an empty carcass.  Although tempting, I passed.  Maybe I should have gotten a hoof or tongue instead?


The second time I went to the market was much less of an ordeal.  I actually enjoyed walking around and seeing the different people, the sights, and the way of life they lived.  I was able to find 2 different kinds of fabric that I will take to the seamstress in Prampram to have somethnig made.  And, I actually knew where we were at one point  (emphasize one point and no others).  It's really an amazing place of goods exchange.

On a random side not, the food here has been great.  It's funny, though, when you order something thinking that it will be the same as in America...and it's anything but!

A meat pocket.  Can  you see the meat??

Well, today we have guests arriving to stay at the center, so I have to go help to get some things ready!


There is no snow in the forecast for Prampram...and I don't mind it one bit!

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

Like every place, there are some good things and some bad things.  Here is my comprehensive list so far.

THE GOOD
-  The people here are very friendly, always willing to share with you what they have
-  The ocean breeze in Prampram...even when it is hot, there is almost always a consistent breeze blowing
-  Our generator.  When ECG (Electric Company of Ghana) is off, the generator is great for the night time.  What a blessing!
-  The fruit.  It's so juicy and sweet!  (But be careful, fruit can wreak havoic on your stomach until you are adjusted...which I'm not yet)
-  The ability to bargain about prices!
-  So many beautiful handmade crafts - beads, jewelry, baskets, rugs etc
-  Batik fabric
-  Interesting food
-  The slow pace
-  Geckos!
-  Matching school uniforms for the kids - they always look so sharp!
-  The beautiful fabrics in the markets
-  The ability to buy plantain chips from the car window for 1 Ghana cedi!

THE BAD
-  Traffic.  It's pretty scary when hardly anyone follows the "traffic laws."
-  ECG is frequently off.  Without warning.  Even though they sometimes plan the outages and are supposed to tell you.
-  Things like shampoo, laundry detergent, and other things are EXTREMELY expensive.  For example, a box of detergent was 90 Ghana cedis...which equals to be about 55 American dollars!
-  When you buy vegetables, washing them takes a long time in order for them to be edible
-  Seeing young children who aren't in school uniform - this usually means they are too poor to foord schooling
-  Seeing young children having to beg in the streets with an elderly relative
-  The inability to care for the elderly and disabled.  There are very few nursing homes, let alone policies to protect and provide for the disabled.
-  Being white.  Somehow, prices go up when you are white.  I just can't figure it out...
-  Gecko poo on the walls, window sills, etc.  If you let them, they will take over!
-  So you want to learn to speak their language?  Ok.  Be ready to hear the same word pronounced 5 different ways, depending on who is teaching you!  There are so many dialects around here, it makes it difficult to learn!

THE UGLY
-  There's really only 1 thing I've reserved for this part...the TOILET PAPER!  Imagine tissue paper mixed with old newspaper.....something like that.

So, these are a few things I've come up with - even though there are some inconveniences here, I am so thankful for the conveniences we DO have!  And about the toilet paper...I'm thankful that we at least have it.  Otherwise, that would be a major adjustment.

Have a great day!

An Introduction

My name is Laura and in September of this year, I decided to come to Ghana, West Africa to live for 3 months at the Oasis International Training Centre school in Prampram.  After graduating from University in May and not knowing what to expect next, I decided to put off intense job searching until the fall and use the summer to help each day at my church.  I thought that towards the end of the summer, I would have a few job prospects and enter the work force.  Little did I know that God had a much different and better plan for me!

After an amazing summer full of learning and growing closer to God, my pastor, and my friends, I started to wonder what I was going to do about finding a job.  After all, I had school loans coming due very soon!  Yet, as the summer came to a close, I still didn't feel any clear direction about what to do.  The jobs I had pursued hadn't worked out and I really didn't know which direction to take.  I did know, however, that I have wanted to go to Africa.  My church built a training center founded by our now 94 year old Bishop Elvina Miller, which was dedicated in 2000.  Since then, many from our church have traveled there to help build and teach.  After hearing the stories of those who had gone and come home, I too wanted to experience it!

After talking with my pastor, we decided that both she and I would travel together to Ghana!  I could hardly believe it...I was actually going to see the Training Centre!  My pastor would stay for a while and then leave for home, and I would stay until February.  I was so excited and knew that God was directing my steps!  For the first time since the end of the summer, I felt clear about what I should do next.

Preparation for the trip began and after receiving my shots (aahh!), I was good to go!  The closer I got to leaving, the more things were falling into order - including my loan payments.  God supplied the amounts I needed to cover my payments at the right time.  I am truly amazed at how God can supply all of our needs if we simply say "yes" to His direction in our life.   I was privileged to travel with my amazing pastor, Pastor Nancy.  While here together, she was able to help me to learn things about myself and about life, and I am very thankful for the time I had with here here in Ghana.  I have been under the care of 2 amazing people who are also helping me to grow and acclimate to the Ghanaian way of life!

So, that's a brief explanation of how I came to be here in the little village of Prampram, the village I have heard about since the time I was a young child.  I have been here 3 weeks now and I am LOVING it...so many things to see and learn!  It still blows my mind when I think of how God has clearly ordered my steps...I know that He has a plan for my life.  Although I miss my family and friends, especially during the holiday season, I wouldn't choose to be anywhere but here.  I hope this blog helps to relay some of my experiences while here in Ghana!