The internet has been down since Thursday so this is my journal entry from Saturday.

February 23, 2007

Today I had my tro tro adventure! A tro tro is the public transportation system in Ghana. They have similar ones all over Africa but in Ghana its called tro tro. It’s a 15 passenger van that a man owns and then hires someone to drive it and then someone who is the mate of the driver. The mate sits in the seat behind the driver on the passenger side and yells out the window where the tro tro is headed to and if there is room on the van for any more passengers. There has been a big change in the past few years when it comes to tro tro laws. Used to be they would cram as many people on a tro tro as humanly, and sometimes not so humanly, possible, so now the law is there can only be four across on each seat. They are older vans and do not last too long after being used as a tro tro. I am (as usual) getting ahead of myself. Let me start from the beginning of my journey.

This morning around 8:15 Dennis came and picked up Rob and I to begin our adventure into Accra. We walked about a mile to Kotoku (the village behind our little village) and then caught a taxi to Medie Junction. This is probably not that exciting to read about I know, but next time I will video tape it because everything done here in Africa is so insanely funny! This taxi ride was like none other! It was only about a 4km trip but took forever because the little taxi has to dodge all the 5000 pot holes up and down Kotoku Road because if it does not the taxi could easily be swallowed by a pot hole. So we finally made it to Medie Junction and then caught our tro tro. We were at the very back of the van which was nice because no one had to climb over us and we got a lot of air! The tro tro was actually a really nice one, we were really lucky. I have seen so many times tro tros turned over on the road on fire so I was glad that this was a newer one. You know thinking about it, I probably should not have included that last sentence, but hey that’s life in Ghana. We took the tro tro to Achimoto which took about 30-40 minutes and then caught another taxi to Shangri-La Hotel. Libby, Joy, and the other Sarah took the car into Accra and we met them at Shangri-La.

Shangri-La is my favorite hotel because of the shopping. I have so many friends there. I walk into the little art market and people walk to me saying “Oh Sarah, you have returned!” and then we talk about their weeks since I have seen them last. I have a really good friend there named Yaw and when I went to talk to him he gave me a painting that he did for me (no charge) that included all my favorite colors. It was really nice. People here in Ghana depend so much on their daily income that people do not usually give things away. It is so beautiful. I have become an art collector here. Paintings in the States never really interested me, probably because you do not ever get to meet the artist and if you do they are so aware of their talent that its disgusting, here its not like that. I love talking to people about their art and the process they go through to complete it and where they get their supplies to do it, and who buys it. I just love to talk and so do Ghanaians therefore, we get along great!

After our quick stint at Shangri-La we (Libby, Rob, Sarah, and I) took a taxi to the Arts Center in Accra. The Arts Center is a market of paintings and original cloth, jewelry, machetes, t-shirts, etc. OH MY! There is so much. Mom, its like Canton only newer things and in Ghana! People are always on you to buy something all the time and sometimes you do and sometimes you don’t. What I like to do is find a vendor that I really like and can talk to and then purchase from them because a lot of the stuff is the same as every kiosk?. When we got to the Arts Center this guy came to Rob and was all over him talking to him about being an African child and where are we from, it was really weird from the get go. Anyway Rob, Libby, and Sarah went one way and then I went to another part of the market. The guy that was all over Rob decided to follow me. He followed me and talked to me for a little. He was really short, like my height and rather gruff looking. Like I said he was a little weird and I tried to get him away from me but it was not working. Well I found a jersey stand because I wanted to buy someone a Black Stars football jersey (not saying who). I was looking at some jerseys and this guy was still talking to me. Before I knew it this swarm of men surrounded me like hippos do to their young. I was in the middle of this circle of men and they were all yelling. I was not scared just a bit confused. Finally, one man turned around to me and said, “Do you know this man?” and pointed to the guy that was following me. “No, he just followed me over here.” Then the yelling continued. Finally I saw the guy running away and fast. An older gentleman turned to me and placed his hands on my shoulder and said “That man is a hooker. He was just trying to rob you. We saw him with you and knew he was going to rob you and that’s why we were around you. We did not mean to scare you.” I thanked them all generously and then bought my jersey. I have never been nervous about my surroundings here, I watch out for myself and do not let my guard down, and that’s why. People here do not take stealing lightly and because there are very harsh punishments for those that do steal not many people do. So that was rare but I thank God that he put those men around me to protect me.

I walked around the market and did not find much that I could not live without but found some things that I knew other people in my life could not. Needless to say, I made some purchases. I finally met back up with the rest of the gang and we met so many interesting characters! I need to write a book about the people of Ghana. They are so amazing and so funny! One man I met was really amazing. His name was Yosef and he is 23. I met him while I was eating my coconut. He just came and stood by me and helped my figure out how to eat my coconut and we started talking. The rest of the time he followed me very closely and we talked quite a bit. We were on our last leg and he looked at me and saw my cross and said, “Sarah, do you go to church?”
“Yes, please. Every time I get a chance I go to church. Please, do you go to church?”
“No, my father is Islam.”
“Are you Islam?”
“I try not to be but my father is. I hear so many things about Jesus.”
“Yes please, Jesus is our Savior.”
“Please, white people they come here. They watch us dance and make our drums. They tell us we should follow Jesus but never tell us about him.”
“Please, I will tell you about Jesus.”
And I did. He seemed a little scared to be talking about it and I do not blame him. There are very big consequences for those Muslims who are caught talking of Jesus. We did not get to pray but I told him I would pray for him and he gave me his email to email him more about Jesus. It was so exciting but still I worry about him. If his family finds out it won’t be good for him.

On my journey with Yosef I met a woman named Felicia. She was an older woman but she was so beautiful! She was sitting under a tree on the edge of a wall looking out to a football field. I saw her profile and immediately asked her to take a snap of her. I could not resist. She was so gorgeous. Something about her really grabbed at me and made me go to her. I sat with her under her tree trying to convince her to let me take her snap. She kept saying she was ugly and old but laughing and blushing the entire time. Her family was teasing her a bit for all the attention she was drawing to her. We talked for a little and she showed me some jewelry that was gorgeous! Probably the most beautiful I have seen since being here. She asked my name and then told me I was her new daughter. She hugged me and kissed my forehead before I got up to leave. I got three beautiful photos of her. Two of just her and then one with me in it. I showed them to her and she was so amazed that I could show it to her that fast. She just kept saying, “That’s me! That’s me!” It was so cute. I have the links at the bottoms for you to look at.

After that we hopped in a taxi and went back to Shangri-La, met with Dennis and Joy. They stayed at the hotel and swam in the pool. Then we all hopped in their jeep and headed home.

This morning I said good-bye to Susan. I ran out of the house quickly after hugging her to avoid crying. Then when we got back we were happily surprised to see that she had not left yet! I got to hang with her for another hour. However, the last good-bye was not as smooth as the first. I cried big. Then when we went for dinner the kids kept asking me “Madam Sarah, where is Madam Susan?” I told them she had left and they were really sad. They knew she was leaving, they wrote her all cards, but I think knowing that she actually left was difficult for them. Then they just kept saying, “Madam Sarah, you are not leaving yet are you?” I have really grown attached to these children as you can probably tell. I’m so attached to them that its easy to get on to them. I know them well enough to tell them what to do and what not to do. At dinner Prosper looked at me and said “Madam, I really like you. Please don’t go.” I reassured him that I still have three months left so I was there for a while longer. He seemed pleased because three months to a five year old is a long time. Sad thing is that it isn’t long at all.

Well, enough of my Saturday adventures. All my love.

Sarah

Some of the pictures at this link you have already seen and some you have not. I hope you enjoy them.

http://uwyo.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2026370&l=2591d&id=45200525

Here I am sitting at the end of another week. When I’m in the midst of it it seems to go so slow but then I look at it and say “Its already Friday?!” But it is and I ain’t complaining.

This week was really difficult. My three year olds are just about impossible to handle at times. I had a few times this week that I really got discouraged because I do not feel as though I am teaching them anything except “Sit down,” “Get in the line,” “Don’t run in class,” “Please stop eating the blocks.” Maybe that’s all that a collective group of three year olds can learn, I’m not sure. All I know is that disciplining is exhausting!

It seems in some areas of school things might be clicking just a bit. My fours are getting better. They are realizing what to do when and how to behave. Now its just the nit-gritty things I have to polish.

I mentioned up there that I really get discouraged here sometimes because I do not feel as though I am qualified for this and that I have no idea what I am doing most the time. I was thinking about it the other day while I was trudging home glassy eyed and half dead and all these songs and scriptures started popping in my head that really comforted me. I felt a little more at peace with everything and then I woke up this morning and school went better today than it has in two weeks! God is so great. He always speaks to me (I know everyone else too) in a way that I understand. He gives me a song to comfort me or to pep me up just when I need it. There are a lot of songs that have really spoken to me here but the one recently has been “Something Beautiful” by Natalie Grant. I am including the words here because I want to share this with anyone that I can. I think this is such an important song for anyone that is in a situation and they do not know quite what God has planned for them or why they are there and what they should be doing.

“Something Beautiful” – Natalie Grant

This is a song for anyone whose ever been
Knocked down ; can't get back again
Stuck in the corner, can't move forward
All alone and you think you're going nowhere
This is a song for anyone whose ever stood underneath the sun
And felt so small-two feet tall and so out of place
He sees you - He knows you - He loves you
And He wants you to know that

The life you've been livin, the days that you've been givin
Were made for something beautiful
Life - Don't let it pass you by
Because you were created for somethin beautiful

Heaven holds a dream that's just for you
There are things only you can do
So step by faith, put the past away
It'll take you to a better day
Seconds to minutes to hours to life
Time always seem to fly
It's on the go and before you know your days are through
But He sees you - He knows you - He loves you
And He wants you to know that


The life you've been livin, the days that you've been givin
Were made for something beautiful
Life - Don't let it pass you by
Because you were created for somethin beautiful

This has been quite an uneventful week. Nothing big or shocking has happened. Oh, wait, yes something happened! We got a new missionary couple! They are going to be here in Ghana for at least two years and they are great. Their names are Rob and Libby Seaton. Some of you in Garland might have met them when they had their reception. They are a great couple full of energy and raring to go. Libby will take over my class when I leave, maybe sooner and Rob is going to work on the grounds with construction and what not. They are staying here at the guest house until their house next door gets a new roof and they get some furniture put in. I fell in love with them the moment I met them!

My dear roommate that I love so much is leaving this weekend. I do not like to talk about it because she has been such a big part of my time here. We have “coffee dates” every night and get to share our sorrows and our joys. Its really important I’ve found to have someone that understands what’s going on. Susan is here and gets to see all the ups and downs and so its really easy to talk to her about it all. I am going to miss her terribly. Susan, if you read this I love you so much. You have been an absolute angel to me. You have been such a rock for me and I will miss our Frasier nights. I love you. (That was fun to say!)

I did get some good news this week. My scholarship was renewed for next year which is really exciting. I guess I had a funny feeling that it wouldn’t be. But God is great and it was!

This has not been the perkiest blog so long on this journey but I guess that’s the way life flows. Sometimes you’re riding the waves and other times you’re getting bit on the toe by a crab.

Wishing you more wave riding than bites!

Sarah

Prayer request:
-Mothers! We need them and quick!
-Health. Some of the missionaries are sick and there’s always a kiddo not feeling well.
-That I can find some way to teach my three year olds.
-For Rob and Libby. They’ve had some obstacles so far getting registered and getting their driver’s license.

::WARNING TO ALL READERS!::

This blog is long. Very long in fact. So much has happened and I had no time to write. Feel free to read in stages. Make a nightly reading assignment if you wish. I would. By golly I should have separated this one into volumes. Please enjoy!

Last Saturday I wrote about hearing the drummers off in the distance. African drumming is so amazing me to even more amazing is the dancing! On Sunday some of the kids, Aunty Barbra, and me went on a walk to a village that is a ways away from Rafiki. I was walking through with one little girl on one arm and another on the other. We walked through the entire village and talked to people, watched some people pound fufu, ground gari, fun stuff like that when all of a sudden my heart stopped. I heard drumming! I followed the sound until I came upon four men playing the drums and singing! There were children all around them dancing and singing. I held my camera up to ask if I could take a snap and/or film them. They more than agreed and so I did. I filmed for a little bit and took a snap. There were these two young ladies that kept jumping up in my videos. They were amazing dancers and seemed to be dying for some attention. As the rest of my group was watching the football match across the street I stayed and watched the drummers. I met the young ladies and there names are Regina and Christiana. It was amazing! Almost everything has been checked of my to do list in life and I am not even half way through here.

I was sick on Wednesday. I woke up vomiting and just plain not feeling well. I stayed home from school so they cancelled pre-school because there’s just no one to take my place, and you would have thought I had died! All the kids in the village picked flowers for me and sent them home with Susan. Susan said in every class she went in the kids wanted to pray for me because they missed me. This was really just one day that I was sick. On Thursday I walked up to school and was in the street talking to Barbra and this roar went up “Madam Sarah is here!” from every cottage. It was really funny. I told Barbra that they were acting like I had been gone from months or that I was lying in my death bed. When I walked to the flag pole kids, not just mine, came running up touching me, kissing me, telling me they prayed for me all night and wanted me back. It was really sweet. I guess I did not realize that they liked as much as I love them. It was a little upper got to admit it.

On Saturday we, Susan, Sarah (the new roommate), and me all went to Cape Coast. It was such a blast! We got picked up at 6:15 in the morning and started our journey. Our driver’s name was Patrick (he was born on March 17th) and he was fabulous! He even taught me a little Twi while we were driving. It was so funny, we listened to country music the entire time and not Dixie Chicks or Tim McGraw, it was Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson and Allen Jackson. So, it was real country. Finally we asked him, “Patrick, do you enjoy country music?” He told us that his father listens to country music and always has so that’s how he got into it. He said with their accents he does not hear all the words but he understands most of it but mostly he likes the music and the tone of the voices. It was so funny though, here we were driving through the hills of Ghana, driving in and out of small villages listening to country music!

Our journey to Cape Coast was just over three hours. Our first stop was the Cape Coast Slave Castle. It reminded me a bit of the Alamo. It was originally a fort for the British that turned into a monstrosity of human trade. But that’s not why it reminds me of the Alamo. It was just there in the middle of the city. No big deal really to the people that past it everyday. The thing that was different about this from the Alamo was that it did not seem to have that huge tourist feel to it. It seemed more real. The dungeons that the slaves were held in were not air conditioned for the comfort of the tourist or lit properly for the safety of the tourist, it was what it was in the 1700-1800s.

Words can not describe the emotions that I felt for this place. If anyone has been to the Killing Fields in Cambodia or to Rwanda or Concentration Camps I can imagine the feeling would be the same. It was pretty intense. We walked in the dungeon where the male slaves were held and it was complete darkness. The room was no bigger than an average master bedroom that was house to over 200 men. They were chained to the walls and to each other. No ventilation, no light, barley any food, just men. They urinated there, defecated there, vomited there (mostly out of fear), slept there, they lived in that room with all that. It was sobering to say the least. I believe the number that they gave was something close to 3 out of 10 did not survive five weeks in the dungeons. The women’s dungeon was just the same as the males but they had two rooms that held over 150 women each. I think the most barbaric thing was that over the male dungeon is where the first British Church in all of Africa was built. Right above where they were holding innocent people in conditions that now a days people would get arrested for keeping dogs in they were reading the same Bible that I read today. They were singing songs, praying, and listening to sermons of Jesus’ love while the people below them were literally killing themselves for freedom. The oppression was still very much in the air of that place. There was one room that the tour guide said no one is allowed to go in. The horror that occurred there they said it is beyond speakable and the feeling of the room is still so frightening that they stopped letting visitors in. All this below a church.

We walked through the door that countless slaves did when they were boarding the ships to start a whole new journey of pain and endless grief. They called the door “the door of no return” because obviously when someone exited that door they were never to return to the life that they had lead before this. Walking through wasn’t easy. All I could do was think to myself, “this is the door that was the gateway to so much pain for hundreds of years for these people.” The ship that they boarded was named “Good Ship Jesus.” It makes me so sad that these wonderful people’s first impression of Christianity was being chained, beaten, raped and ultimately killed. What's worse is that it was not the first time that impression was made around the world.

When we exited the door it lead of course to the ocean. There was a sea of faces and people there. I know I talked about the market having so many people but the market has nothing on the Cape Coast beach. I don’t know how they put their boats in the water or pulled them out, there was no where for them to go! There were fishermen knitting nets and women selling water and carrying fish to be sold. There were children running on the sandy beach playing football in the water. It was so much to take in. I felt I was in a movie. My mind still is having a hard time grasping the thought of all those people.

The tunnel that lead from the dungeons to the slave ships no longer exists because when the slave trade was abolished in 1844 the people of Ghana sealed it with stone so that it could never be used again! That made me proud. Proud that they would seal it so that not one person tourist or otherwise would have to walk that trail that lead to the demise of so many.

(Sorry about the change in mood, I thought for a long time how to transition here but just couldn’t come up with anything.)

Next we went to the rainforest. It was beautiful. I had never been in a rainforest before. The thing that I did not like about the rainforest so much was I had to watch the trail so close that all I really saw were my feet. That was until we walked above the canopy of the forest. They have a “bridge” thing that swings 30 meters above the ground over the trees. Looking down on the beauty was undescribable, but you know me, I’m going to try. Everything was fresh looking. Like the produce department of Central Market or Whole Foods. Everything was misted just enough to make it shine. The tops of the trees were impeccably lush. I felt like a was flying above God’s easel of green paint. There was dark green, lime green and everything that goes in between. Can you imagine God’s paint collection? What a thought. After the 15 minute hike in mid-air we hiked back down and that was even more incredible. The day was so bright but the canopy was so heavy that the ground was dark. There were pockets of light that shown down on the sea of green. The plants were so unusual and I am so sick that the batteries in my camera died while walking across the bridge. I think the camera was nervous that I was going to drop it when the bridge shook so it saved itself by dying. They say that they have elephants there but I didn’t see any. They also said that they had six different species of monkeys but I didn’t see any. They didn’t say anything about ants but that I saw in plenty.

It was about 3:00 when we packed in our Toyota Carola that started out silver but by this time was a nice shade of terra cotta. We were a little hungry by now. We had not eaten since around 5:45 or there about. Patrick took us to the most beautiful hotel to eat. We ate outside on the beach! It was flawless. The hotel was called Coconut Grove. The food was scrumptious beyond measure. I had snapper with paw paw sauce and sauteed potatoes with a tomato and onion salad. I ate and ate and ate! It was so delicious.

I had heard that Cape Coast had some of the best pineapple and kenkey around so you know I had to have some. The pineapple here is so amazing you can eat the core! That’s how good it is. And kenkey is my favorite Ghanaian food of all time! Patrick took me to the stand where he buys his kenkey and loaded me up. I bought eight balls of kenkey for 15,000 cedis. That’s just over $1.50. Then I bought six pineapples for 20,000 cedis! About .25 cents each. Isn’t that insane! Oh, how I love Ghana.

Well that is enough. Whew! I’m exhausted!

Love you tons!

Sarah

Prayer Request:
-We need mothers desperately!
-The children that they will be calm this next week and willing to learn.
-The health of everyone.

Today I had a first. It was quite a big first to me. I was walking home from talking to Barbra and all of a sudden off in the distance I heard drumming. At first I thought it was just a truck harvesting some sand. Then I realized it was not. I went back and got Barbra to ask her what it was. She said it was probably a funeral procession. It was the most beautiful sound I have heard since I have arrived in Africa. Drumming, real African drumming! It was somber and deep. The beats were slow at first and then started to grow with intensity and speed. Eventually there was a sound of horns that joined the drums. I sat on the step of my house for a while just listening to it. I have heard African drummers before but it was in a university setting, never before in actual Africa. I had the thought for a second to run out the gates and follow the sound. However, I did not. Still it was amazingly magical!

Last Sunday Susan and I joined the Madisons for church. I am constantly surprised by church. I had been to this church before so I thought I would not be as overwhelmed but no. It was completely different than the first time. It was communion Sunday. Susan and I were excited to partake in our first African communion. When they passed the bread it was the wafer thing that I always associated with the Catholic Church. White, flat, round, kinda like a crushed packing peanut and tastes just about the same. Then the drink came around. I have been involved in some very unusual communions in my travels (Remember Missouri mom?) and this was one of them. When they passed the tray with the cups in it I noticed it was a brownish color and I had no idea what to expect. Even when I took my cup I still did not know what it was. Then it was time to take it. Susan and I shared a look of “here we go!” It was coke! They served coke in symbolism of Christ’s blood! I thought that was so cool. I mean, I don’t drink coke and haven’t in about six years or so but it was different for sure. Church was fun because I have met some people at different churches while visiting with other missionaries and some of them were there at Accra Chapel on Sunday. During the greeting part of the service I walked around like it was home hugging and kissing people. I got back to my seat and Joy and Dennis looked at me and said “do you know them?” “Oh yeah, we go way back” I said. We all shared a laugh.

For a more serious tone, we got some bad news last week. One of our mothers is leaving. Mama Elizabeth is leaving in about four days. I don’t know the details of why or where but she is for sure leaving. She has been here for four and a half years and her oldest child is nine years old. About five of my students are her’s and I’m really worried about them. They aren’t telling the children yet either. I actually cried yesterday for the first time for these kids. Not like a single tear trickled down my cheek, I’m talking seriously cried. Adwoa Mary, who is four and one of Ma Elizabeth’s children, is one of the toughest little girls I have ever met and smarter than anyone at least three years older than her. She is a little fireball but very rarely disobeys me in class. Well yesterday I was reading an alphabet book to my class and out of no where Adwoa Mary stands up and walks over to me. I told her to sit down, thinking she had to use the restroom, but she just kept coming. Then she sat next to me, put her head in my lap and just started crying. Like I mentioned above they haven’t told the children but Adwoa is so smart and she knows that something is going on. After a couple of minutes I let the other children color and I took her and put her in my lap and asked her, “Adwoa, what is it sweety?” All she could say is “I don’t know. I don’t know.” But the thing is, she does. The only mother she has ever known is leaving her and she can feel it. It tore me apart completely. My heart breaks for these children because I truly love them. I love these children more than anyone will ever know. I would clean the entire compound with a toothbrush if that meant that I could play and talk with these kids when I was done. Their joy and excitment for life is intoxicating.

when I went to visit Barbra she showed me pictures of the kids when they first showed up to Rafiki. Most of them were pretty skinny and then some were pretty round, just because of eating the wrong types of foods, but when I saw Agbeko’s picture I literally got nauseous. He had these white spots all over his skin, his hair had fallen out, he was 18 months old and barley 13 pounds. I came home and compared it to the pictures IIf you have looked at my pictures that I have posted you will notice that there are a lot of pictures of Agbeko in there. He is four years old and just like Adwoa Mary he is off the charts smart. However, because of the malnutrition he suffered as baby he barely has any muscles in his hands and therefore he can’t write, tie his shoes, button a button, nothing. This makes him very frustrated in class very often. It is even difficult for him to hold a crayon just to scribble. Also he has a little bit, I think, of a social disorder. Whenever we have our one on one time he’s great and outgoing but as soon as he gets to school he withdraws a bit. He gets very nervous with big sounds (that are not of his own making). Any way I have labeled him my hero. Today have taken of him and the difference is spectacular! I just thanked God over and over.

With a full heart and a stomach full of rice and fish I wish you a fine night!

All my love!

Sarah

Prayer Request:
-For Mama Elizabeth as she goes and for her children.
-That we can find a mother to take Ma Elizabeth’s spot. We thought we had one but she called yesterday and said she was not coming.
-We are getting a new roommate on Tuesday. Her name is Sarah as well. She has already been in Kenya for a month and now she is coming here. Pray that she comes smoothly and safely.

These are the links to all my albums.
http://uwyo.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2026370&l=2591d&id=45200525

http://uwyo.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2025428&l=a1cd1&id=45200525

http://uwyo.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2025226&l=20e4d&id=45200525
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