Nantu Yei...Goodbye from Ghana!

Memoaha....Fante "good afternoon" for the final time from Ghana!

I have arrived safely in the capital city of Accra by Metro bus, after a 3 hour ride from Adjeikrom in the cool, hilly, lush Eastern Region. I have had the most remarkable adventure for 7 weeks and have 1300 photos that only begin to capture the wonder of Ghana and its people. We will meet again I am confident!!

Since last I wrote so much has happened....last Wednesday we were invited to meet with the chief of Besease, a village of approximately 3,000. About 12 elders joined the chief, seated on an Akan sacred stool with a furskin, on a stage surrounded by interested villagers who were in the audience in an open air thatched community center. We were invited as guests and treated with great curiosity and respect. Asked to introduce ourselves at the beginning gave us the perfect opportunity to share our appreciation of the Ghanaians and their efforts to foster education in the villages. Later that day I modeled some teaching for our volunteer counterparts from the UK who have little or no experience teaching. We have met many young adults from all over the world who are here with NGOs trying to make a difference. It is extremely humbling.

On Thursday morning we personalized bucket hats with the KG2 kids in our village which was simply adorable. The idea was Tiffany's, and it was priceless! We found ourselves wandering the village with the sheep trying to capture pictures of the sights which we have grown to love and perhaps take for granted. Especially the children of the village who have endeared themselves to us. I even learned of the vacant ghost house which is visited only by the priest. I peeked inside but witnesses no ghosts. Ghanaians are very superstitious, as I learned on the school day when I arrived at 8 in the morning to the exorcizing of spirits in the JHS 3 class caused by the appearance of the white owl. It was said to have no point of entry in a room which had many that I could see. The kids proceeded to empty the room of all furnishings so they would not be influenced by the evil forces. Sorry if I have alrady shared this stor y, but it made a great impression on me.

Friday was the most tearful day of our stay; the final full day at Brenu. The 350 Primary and JHS students gathered in the heat of the day, but that's every day, to thank us in song and celebration. The Headmaster presented us with small gifts and shared with the students our intent to establish a scholarship fund to assist graduating students to further their education. He spoke of David Cudjoe, their alumnus from last spring, who had the highest aggregate examination score of all children in the Ayensudo Circuit. He has begun his studies to become a doctor but has 2 farmers for parents who make little or nothing.

Saturday early morning we packed and headed off in a taxi for Cape Coast. From their we traveled on 3 tro-tros, jam packed vans, to Aburi in the Eastern Region. It is a village with a magnificent Botanical Garden which was establish over 100 years ago by the British when Ghana was a colony. Acres and acres of exotic plants and trees requiring 2 days to see it all. Informative signs with scientific names, medicinal uses, and countries of origin made the experiece richer. In addition, we stayed at the delapidated guest whcih was used as a sanatorium for the British officers in the late 1800's. The town of Aburi is also known for its wood carvers, so we visited the stalls with a young escort, enjoying the crude studios behind the stalls where the artists were at work. It was so memorable, and we bought a few select items.

Sunday afternoon we taxied farther north to the village of Adjeikrom, where my friends from Western Kentucky University hail. We stayed with a loving family who took us in as their own teaching us their language, Crobo, and preparing local cuisine with plants from their farm. We visited the 2 room schoolhouse, called Kentucky Academy, which my friends were responsible for building. Our 16 year old hostess brought us around the village to meet her curious friends and to the mountain stream where the children gather their water in aluminium bowls and plastic buckets. Wow, we were awed by the dramatic change of scenery away from the coast, where we have lived for 7 weeks. Yesterday we spent most of the day touring WACRI, West Africa Cacao Research Institute, learning about the 5 departments of the enormous modern facility which explores the economy, fermentation, growing conditions, interbreeding, cloning, pesticides, distribution, shade con ditions, pathology of cacao, coffee, cashews, and more. The amount of information was at times daunting, but our young guide was very patient in answering our questions.

We started our day today at 4 am and have settled in for a clean shower and good night's sleep before our international trip back to America. I will need months to digest all that we have done and to sort and cull my collection of photos. My perception on life has been changed in innumerable ways just by knowing the people of Ghana. They are truly remarkable, resilient, and loving. The conditions in which they live make this difficult at times to understand. I go home with so many new friends, and have received far more than I could ever have given. Thank you again to all of the support you have given me. Your love and prayers have surrounded me on this journey.

Keep Ghana's peace and prosperity in your prayers as well. Their election is in December, and they need a forward thinking and moving leader.

Lots of love, Akua Linda