Home Stretch

I can’t believe I really am on the home stretch! Two months has been a good amount of time to spend here, but I just can’t imagine saying goodbye to these kids. I sat in class today just looking at the prep students working and it made me want to cry, I love them all! And then there are all the younger kids I have gotten close to – it’s going to be rough. But so good at the same time, I can’t help but look forward to a comfortable bed, warm shower, a blow dryer and straightener, make-up, different clothes to wear and American food.

Last Thursday we all went to the town Koforidua to a local bead market. Tent after tent was filled with colorful beads all shapes and sizes either hung on strings or losely available to make your own jewelry. The people were not pressing to buy things which was nice so we were able to just meander around their little tables for an hour or two. It was raining all that morning but luckily cleared up by the time we got there. It really feels like every since July hit it has just been super rainy and cloudy and not much sun out which is nice but actually much cooler than I expected. I actually get the chills sometimes in the morning at school if my hair is wet. The one other downside is if I use the bucket water that has been sitting in the bathroom all night for my shower then it is extra cold – it’s quite the wake-up! Anyways, the bead market was really awesome but there were so many that it was overwhelming.

One afternoon when I went to the school in the afternoon I had my umbrella because it was raining. When we walk down this hill to get to the school the kids often see us and come running from far away to give us a big hug and walk the rest of the way down. After then ran up we sauntered our way back down with as many little girls crammed under my one man umbrella as possible. The pulled out long wood benches to sit on and we spent the afternoon stuck under the dining cover playing games of pass the animal or hand clapping rhythms. They all want your attention, some to cuddle, others grabbing at your face, others standing back acting shy, and kids asking me for band-aids. I finished all of my band-aids now so it is actually nice to be able to just say they are all finished. This weekend I started teaching the waltz and that has been a hit with a few students. The little kids hit their way into my arms so I will teach them and some of the JSS boys will stand back and watch as if they don’t want anything to do with it, but then when they think I’m not looking I see them doing the steps. It is pretty funny. There is one boy named Daniel who is in P-4 who is always the first to join in anything like dancing – ballet, waltz, and then braiding my hair J He is the best, and actually was really talented with the dancing. He makes me laugh.

One night a boy from the High School came and taught Charity and I how to play some drum rythms. He was really good and I caught on but couldn’t remember the rhythms. He expected me to play the rhythm once and then be able to do it on my own after that – it was like the girls teaching us dancing where we see it once and then are supposed to know it after that.
Saturday morning was really adventurous. As you probably heard, Obama came to Ghana last Friday and Saturday. He spent time in Accra and Cape Coast. Well I had to go to Accra to find my stolen bag of material and other things from the art district. It was just three of us, Lyndsey and Charity came with me. We were in traffic for about 2 ½ hours trying to get into the city because of Obama. They had closed some of the main roads down so everyone was taking a one way back road. When I got to the art district the man that had taken my bag was, of course, not there. Another man ended up paying for the items that were in the bag so I was able to replace the fabric. It was difficult to find what I wanted. We were in Accra for about 3 hours and then got back on a 2 hour trotro back home in the afternoon. It was a long morning! As our big yellow trotro ride home pulled out of the station one man directly in front of the mate stood and faced the car full of people. He began speaking in Twi and as I looked around noticing bowed heads and closed eyes I realized that he was praying! Then I thought he was a preacher after they said amen & he continued talking until he started pulling a variety of leaves, seeds, pepper, and plants out of his black leather bag. I then realized he was a medicine man trying to sell his various remedies. For two hours he was trying to talk up his drugs (at least I think, he was speaking in twi the whole time so who really knows) for the people to buy and I randomly heard the words Malaria, Fever, and Vomit. And a few people actually bought the stuff from him! At one point he passed around this pepper that a few stuck on their fingers and sniffed up their noses. Not long after they continuously sneezed up for the ride home – the man next to Charity sneezed on her and she had the most disguested look on her face, it was really funny. And other Ghanaians were laughing too. It was interesting.

We went to church with the Primary and Junior High students for our last Sunday here. We all wore our African clothes and jewelry and the kids loved it! During their singing time I got up their and led a song that some girls had taught me before. All of us got up and signed “As I Have Loved You”. That song was quite the different rhythm than their African songs. Sunday evening at the school Sylvia, a deaf-blind girl, asked for me to teach her some dancing. She was really strong as I pulled her back and forth. We swayed to our own rhythm and I made up some little steps. She is super smart and a very spiritual person – she likes to tease too. I was just amazed with how quickly she catches on to everything. I think she really enjoyed dancing like that.

Today I got to help in the hair school for the vocational students about a beautician. They have started to introduce the students to that salon. It is really nice inside this one room building. They have tile floor and nice countertops, desks with padded chairs and big hair dryers that hang from the wall. The walls are covered in mirrors – which is actually really funny with the students because they sign to each other all the time through them. The teachers that help know a few signs but not much so I helped explain different things for her. They also have two big sinks like in one of our salons for washing hair. I think it will be a great source for the students to learn!
Until we leave the plan is to just be at the school everyday, and we will say goodbye to them on Friday night then leave early Saturday morning.


Honestly my favorite time of the day is just being able to work one on one with any of the students or playing games with the children. I don’t think that I could ever become a teacher for real. I am excited to show you all pictures so you can see these beautiful children. This whole experience has been very spiritual for me, I know that the Lord loves all of these children so much! There are a lot of corrupt things that happen at the school with the teachers and with the whole system but there is still hope for these kids. This experience is one I will never forget.