Missing Milk and M&M's

We began the new pilot program on Monday and it's going very well!! I'll be updating about that in more detail and with photos sometime next week.

The last few mornings have actually been on the cooler side.  On Monday during morning devotions, I was actually cold!  I asked the workers, "I am in Africa, right??"  Mr. Ambrose said I must be turning into a Ghanaian since I was cold even though it was still what we would consider to be very warm.

Yesterday I was working in the little reception office in the front foyer.  It's so tiny but I like it, it feels very homey.  Anyway, as I was sitting there, I remembered something that blew me away.  When this building was being built over 10 years ago, my dad had come over to do a lot of the electrical work.  He took a picture of the little reception office and sent it home with the title "Laura's little office."  And now, years later, I find myself sitting in this very office!

After being here since November, I'm definitely starting to miss some things from home.  One of the things I miss the most is MILK.  Here, it's powdered and while I'm thankful for that, it just doesn't cut it.  I'm dying for a glass of cold Vitamin D milk.  I could also really go for some M&M's.

One thing that I've really enjoyed while being here is the time I've had to spend developing my relationship with God.  That is truly the most important thing for my life.  Everything I do and spend my energy for can easily mean nothing if I am not giving my heart to God and learning to hear from Him and obey his voice.  I love the scripture in John 1:11-13.  "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." 

WOW!  First of all, God chose for me to be born for a specific reason.  It wasn't by accident or simply because my parents wanted to have another child.  God himself had it for me to be born and to enter into a life with Him for a purpose.  If we receive God, we receive life and we become His children.  What does that mean?  Many don't like the idea of becoming a "child"....but I see it like this:  a child is eligible to receive their parents inheritance.  If we are children of God, which we are, we are eligible for His inheritance!  And we don't have to wait for a death to receive it...we can "collect" it right now!  This includes living a fulfilled and purposeful life, having joy, peace, and so much more.  There is nothing I can do that "qualifies" me for this...it's all through His grace and the life He gave when He died for our sins.  How exciting is THAT??  Because of His grace, I am free to enter into the plan He has for me life and that plan is so much more than I could ever imagine or dream!  The Word of God is so exciting...I love it.  There's so much more to say about this, but I'll leave it at that for now. 

I know this post was short, but we've been very busy here and tonight I have to make more books since we recently had more students sign up to start the program, so I haven't had much time or energy to blog.  I just wanted you to know I'll be giving an update sometime next week and that I'm still alive and doing well!

Hope you enjoy your day.....drink a glass of milk for me!  Until I can have my own, this will just have to do.

It's this time of day, around 5 pm, when it still blows my mind that back home it's only noon!  I'm sitting in the library working on books for the Learning & Study Skills class - the stapler is getting the best of me, so I've decided to take a quick break and update my blog.

This afternoon, I was once again reminded of how patience is a key trait to have here.  There is absolutely no rush, deadline, or time limit for anything.  If someone makes an appointment for an interview at 11, you can expect them to show up around 2.  It's just the way life is here - it fits.  I think the heat plays a large part - it is so hot that the heat literally slows you down.  They are also used to waiting for everything because things like cooking and washing take time - there are no microwaves, no refrigerators, no dishwashers.  Each day, you begin from scratch.  Many of the equipment is unreliable because it is a hodge podge of parts to begin with.  So, when something is not working, you wait until a part arrives to have it fixed...and that could be months.  As they say here when something is out of stock, "it is finished." 

The Brennan's daughter and my family sent Christmas packages at the end of November and they still haven't arrived - hopefully they come before I leave :-/  But, that is the way it goes here - you wait, wait, and then you wait some more.  It's definitely different from the fast paced-deadline oriented-instant gratification lifestyle of America!  As one of the workers said, "When I watch CNN and they show video from America, everyone is always running running running!"  I think both lifestyles have pros and cons.  I have admit that the American lifestyle works best for me...I enjoy deadlines and sticking to a schedule!  Being here definitely helps you become more flexible.

I've been making friends with an adorable little guy at the post office, he's probably around 3.  When I first came, he wasn't interested in being my friend - he just stared at me with the most serious face for such a little kid.  The second time, he gave me a high five....but still no smile.  The only word I'd heard him say was, "Bafoono."  The third and fourth times must have finally broken the shyness because today, when I pulled up in the car, he got the biggest smile on his face!  I got out and said hello and he actually said hello back to me.  Then, as we were driving away, he blew me a kiss!  It was so adorable!!  Made me miss my little niece Emma even more.

My little friend is on the left...I can't wait to see him again!

Speaking of family, I do miss them.  As the time for me to leave draws closer, I find myself thinking about them more often.  They've been so supportive and encouraging throughout this entire experience and I'm so thankful for them!  I'm also so thankful for my church family who has also been incredibly encouraging...God has truly blessed me with such a supportive family and "family."


The sweet little Christmas tree my family sent for decoration...unfortunately, I just got it in the mail.  Oh well, who says you can't still have Christmas decorations in January??

  We visited the school that some of our workers children attend to get pictures of the ones sponsored by some of our people from back home.  We gave 4 of the boys a ride home...I have a feeling they weren't sure what to think of riding in the backseat with a white girl!

Henry, Daniel, and Patrick

On our way home, we stopped at an Internet cafe to ask the manager a question for my photography class.  Although we intended to talk to only him, we ended up addressing the entire place since they went silent and stared at us while we talked.  Another awkward moment for the books!

In more exciting news, Mr. Emmanuel caught another snake!  Apparently there are 2 cobras hanging out in our other plot of land so we're to be on the lookout.

This snake was poisonous...good thing he didn't find me first!

Well, it's time for dinner.  Only a few more days until classes begin....please keep the upcoming pilot semester in your prayers!  Goodbye from Prampram!

Children's Class

We just finished our monthly Saturday children's class and I am dead tired! Today we had around 100 children from Prampram and Ningo areas. The class is held the first Saturday of each month and this was my second one to part of...sadly, I'll be leaving for home right before next month's. But, I hope to be back for more!

Some of the children walk, but we normally send the bongo truck to pick up the kids. It takes about 3 runs to get all of the kids to the Centre, so as the children arrive in groups, the Brennans play music or games to keep them occupied. Currently, the bongo truck is in the process of being repaired, so today we rented a tro-tro for the children. While waiting for the others, I sang a few songs with my guitar and had them sing along....it's so cute to hear their accents when they sing, I love it.

Tro-tro!

Singing "Love the Lord Your God" with the children

Once all of the children arrived, we began with some worship songs. The children LOVE these songs - they know all of the words and motions.

Today's subject was "The One Thing." We talked about how it is important to give God everything and not hold anything back - there cannot be "one thing" that we refuse to give up that keeps us separated from God. We used the example of an old calendar with different events listed throughout the months, both good and bad. Then, we showed a new calendar with no events listed. We explained that in God, as we give up the old He can give us a new and fresh start! We then told the story from the Bible of the young rich ruler who asked what he must do to follow Jesus. When Jesus told him he must give up his earthly riches, the young man was sad because he did not want to give them up! To help illustrate this, Mathias and Mr. Ambrose portrayed a skit. Mr. Ambrose had a brand new shirt to give to Mathias, but in order to receive the shirt, Mathias had to give up his old, raggedy shirt. Mathias wanted to keep the old and have the new, but Mr. Ambrose explained that we MUST give up the old in order to receive the NEW! Unfortunately, Mathias decided to keep his old shirt and miss out on the new one!

What if I keep the old one AND take the new one?

I then gave an object lesson about how Jesus can take our hearts and make them new, soft, and clean. I used a hard boiled egg and asked the children about sin. As they gave me examples, I wrote them in permanent marker on the egg until it was covered in black lettering. The egg did not look very good - just as our hearts are hard and dirty before Jesus lives in them. I explained to the children that only God can change our hearts, and I began peeling the egg. What was left was, of course, the white, smooth, soft egg white. We then prayed and closed the class.

"Madame!  Madame!  Picture!"

I really admire the way that the Brennans and Ms. Diane work so hard to get these lessons together and to teach the children in the area about God's love. It's so important because planting a seed at a young age will help them as they grow. Although there are so many children and you wonder if they are even hearing what you are saying, I know that they are hearing SOMETHING, even if it is simply that God loves them. It's really an amazing outreach and I was so thankful to be part of it for 2 classes!
There is an age limit for the children, but some of the children bring their younger siblings. Today, a little girl showed up with her 2 year old brother on her back. She wasn't much bigger than he was, but I know she carried him the entire way from either Prampram or Ningo, both a sizable distance from the Centre. Throughout the lesson he was starting to get fussy, so another sister took him and put him to sleep. During the rest of the class, the little guy was passed from sister to sister, all of them taking the "motherly" role. I've seen so many small children taking care of smaller children. Just the other day in Prampram I saw a little girl with a baby strapped to her back. These children, in a sense, raise themselves. This is not for lack of good parenting, but simply because many of the parents have to work to support the family, so the children are in charge of each other. Many of these children act like young adults, even though they are still so young.

It seems that the way of living here is based mostly on survival. In a way, it's like survival of the fittest (without the Darwinian spin). In order to survive, these children learn at a very young age to take what they need and to fight to protect it. I've noticed that the way the children speak to each other and interact to each other is very rough. I don't think it's because they don't like each other, but I think it's simply their way of communicating based on their lifestyle. There is little room for convenience here - even something like Advil isn't common. So, in order to survive, you learn to push through and deal with whatever life brings. Even the vegetables are tough - in order to survive in this type of weather and soil, they have to be.

All of that to say, it makes me think of the many things I have been blessed with in life...and it also makes me think of the many things I take for granted and so easily think of as "important" when really, they pale in comparison to the situations the people here face on a daily basis. Humans are humans, so we all go through emotional experiences. But the other things, like my phone not working fast enough or my Internet connection being down for a day, truly aren't that important when compared to a young person my age with no money to attend senior high school, so they must drop out at the junior high level and work to help support the family. America is a very blessed nation, so I don't believe that we should condemn the way we live, but I do feel that there are areas we could be more conscious of when it comes to certain issues. Ok, stepping off my soap box.

In other news, I am getting so excited for classes! In one week, we'll be having our first class!! We've gotten some text books made and I'm in the process of making the rest. Tomorrow Ms. Diane comes back from the U.S., so tonight I will have to move out of her desk area that I've completely invaded and move to my 3rd "desk" that I'll have used while being here.

Last night, I met one of the students named Frieda. She's 17 - I asked her if she had ever used a camera and she said no. When I told her she would have the opportunity to use a camera and to see the pictures she will take, she was so excited. I realized I'm going to have to start from scratch with my photography course...I was completely naive in assuming that these students have all used a camera. It will be a learning curve for them as well as myself! Freida is really sweet and I'm so looking forward to her being in the new program.

Well, once again I've rambled far past what I originally intended to...if you found yourself skimming through this post, don't feel badly.

Enjoy the day, I hear it's been freezing cold one day and warm the next back home....here it's been very consistently HOT! So from warm Ghana I'm wishing you a "fine morning!"

The New Year, Cast-uls, and Goat Meat

Wow - I haven't updated this blog since last year.....(sorry, but the new years jokes like that are just too fun not to make)

Hope everyone had a great New Year's celebration!  We spent ours eating some homemade pizzas, pita bread and hummus, rice krispies, and a cheese ball with chips!  When the clock struck midnight, we celebrated and watched all the many firework displays around the world on CNN.  Afterwards, we had a good time of reflection and sharing about God's blessings in 2011 and what we are looking forward to in 2012.  And I have to admit, for the first time in my life, I was in bed by 1 am on New Years!

Our delicious New Years snack

We spent Saturday un-decorating from Christmas and now we are in full work mode as we continue to work on the lesson plans. making copies, binding books, typing homework pages, etc.  As I was making copies yesterday, Mathias (one of the workers here) asked me if I had been to the "cast-ul" yet.  I said, "the what?"  He said it again, this time slower..."cast-ul."  I still had not idea what he was asking, so after about 3 times repeating it he spelled it.  Here, he was asking if I had been to the CASTLE yet, as in the slave castle here in Prampram.  Oi ve - it's funny how even the simplest word can be completely misunderstood.  We got a good laugh out of that.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this yet or not, but I have recently had the opportunity to try some Ghananain dishes.  Salome, a friend of OITC for many years, brought fufu and peanut soup for me to try the other week.  Yesterday, Janet (a previous OITC worker) brought some fufu and light soup with goat meat.  Then, last night Salome came again, this time with Chicken stew!  I was very touched at their thoughtfulness and I know that it was a sacrifice for them since meat and vegetables are a speciality here.  Thankfully, I have Mr. Ambrose here to help me eat the massive quantities they make!  The balls of fufu are so large - but, it makes sense because they fill the stomach.  I have to be honest in that I didn't particularly care for the fufu or the goat meat, but the rest of the dishes were better.  There's something different tasting about their food that I can't get used to - I think it may be the palm nut oil?  One thing that I really enjoy are the plantain chips.  Just writing that made me hungry for some!

Light Soup with Goat Meat (bones still intact)



Fufu with peanut soup and chicken



Eat Up!

Now that Christmas and New Years are over, the Ghananains are starting to head back to work.  Because of the fact that Christmas fell on a weekend this year and people already have the weekends off, they decided to celebrate Christmas and Boxing Day for the entire week after Christmas!  We went to pay our electric bill and were told to come back in a week or so because they were on holiday.  And, ironically enough, during the entire Christmas and New Years break we've had consistent electricty.  It makes me wonder if they don't just enjoy turning ECG on and off for entertainment when it's not a holiday.

I've really enjoyed meeting some of the people that Bishop Miller knew from her first trips here - it's been such a great privilege!  We visited a lady named Josephine who helped Bishop Miller when she would come back to visit.  Josephine is in her 90's and she spends her days outside on a little porch built for her at her home in lower Prampram.  We brought her a Christmas present and she kept saying, "oh, many thanks, many thanks."  It was a neat experience and she still asks about and prays for Bishop Miller.  She calls her "my sister."

Madame Susie visiting with Josephie

Well, I have to keep working on typing up outlines, so I'll sign off for now and leave you with a few snapshots from Ghana!

Adorable group of kids at the preschool located by the post office.



We are so blessed in America - this little guy's mom works at the vegetable stand in the Tema market and this is where she keeps him during the work day.  And people complain about not having enough maternity leave back home!

Christmas goats for sale alongside the motorway.

Getting measured by Rebecca, a local seamstress, to have some pieces made from the fabric I bought at the Tema Market.

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.

VS

 

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!