USA v. Ghana

Here we are, the kids' final days as residents of Ghana and the USA and Ghana are matched up in the World Cup.  Who will we cheer for?  It's an interesting metaphor for the feeling of being torn between the excitement of heading back to our true home and the sadness of leaving the little country that has captured our hearts in so many ways. 

But, when it comes to football, the answer was immediately clear:  GO GHANA.  As I've writeen so many times before, football here isn't just a sport.  It's a representation of a small country that achieved independence, is advancing democratically and economically and the powerful sense of hope and possibility  that prevails here.  When the Ghanaian footballers stand for their national anthem, they can often be seen praying, nearly weeping and generally in a sense of such reverence for their country and all it means to them.  The fans are the same - while watching, it's not uncommon for someone to stand at half time and sing "God Bless our Homeland, Ghana".  A goal can move people to tears.  In the past few weeks, people everywhere have been spending their precious few cedis on a Ghanaian flag to drape across their car or a football jersey knock-off to wear proudly around town.  Young women can be seen walking around in threes - one in red, another green, the last in yellow.  The three making their own verion of the Ghanaian flag. 

So, for all that Ghana and football represents, we will be cheering GO GHANA this evening as the Black Stars put their all into beating the odds once again......

100% Ghana

My dear friend, Colleen, arrived here on Thursday night.  We are showing her Ghana - 100%.  We woke her up early Friday morning to drive about 5 hours to Axim Beach on the western coast, near Cote d'Ivoire. The kids, pups, Colleen and I had a good (albeit not very relaxing - kids and dogs on a trip are fun, but NOT relaxing) time playing on the beach in between rain storms and watching World Cup matches.  We got an early start back to Accra on Monday.  The police seemed to be out in force for both directions of the drive - there were roadblocks frequently and I was pulled over a total of 6 times - mostly, it was harmless and I even had some fun bantering with the cops, but one stop took about half an hour of negotiating with a Commander on a power trip before he gave me back my license and let me go!  Less than 45 miles outside of Accra, we found that the overpass had been flooded and the road was closed.  I assessed the situation:  2 kids, 2 dogs, fairly remote location, 1 liter of water, a handful of nuts, about 4 hours until dark and cars rapidly parking every which way, with ours soon to be blocked in on the highway.  We got back in the car, turned around and drove another hour back to a resort I knew of and decided to wait out the road closure there - in the safety of a beach front room, good food and an abundance of drinking water.  After much mixed information the following morning, we finally got on the road to Accra and had a long, hot, traffic-filled drive back.  I must say that all 6 of us (dogs included) did a great job - no barking (me or the dogs), no biting (the kids or the dogs) and general making the best of the situation all the way around.  Colleen didn't even ask to be taken straight to the airport for the next flight home - that's a true friend :)

MoTeCH is in full swing right now, launching our pilot project in the Upper East and everyone working double time.  The kids, Colleen and I are flying up there tomorrow for a durbar (community entry celebration) and for me to monitor the work and generally trouble shoot as the inevitable "launch issues" arise.  The kids are hoping to show Colleen that the crocodiles really are friendly and I hope to get her out to a few rural health clinics (Colleen is a Physician's Assistant in the US) to get a slice of the "real" Africa.  Then, the kids are back in Accra a few days before saying goodbye and heading back to the US with Colleen as chaperone.  They will no doubt be totally worn out (as will I) by the time they board that flight. 

Tonight is a big Ghana World Cup Game - they are the last real chance of an African team making it to the next round.  Everyone here is rooting for them and it is sure to be an exciting evening all over Ghana!  Another 100% Ghanaian experience for us all!

Wrapping up an Amazing Year

As some of you may have heard, our time living in Ghana is coming to an end sooner than expected. While we have loved our time here, it's also been very intense for every one of us and we all need a rest. For a variety of reasons, the kids and I decided that it's best to head back to the US this summer. I'll keep my job and will be "commuting" to work - a nearly 24 hour trip - about once every 4-6 weeks while I ensure the project is on track and a leadership transition is successful.

As usual with the "G" family, we're making the most of every moment. My project is ramping up for a launch of our service in the Upper East Region in about 2 weeks. Most of the Accra staff have temporarily moved to the north and I spent about 5 days there with the kids last week. It was an amazing experience for them - we attended "durbars" which are community entry celebrations where the project is introduced to the community and approved by the chief, Sophie photographed lots of our field work and made it out to 6 of the very rural clinics where we're working and Xavier spent a lot of time playing football. We even touched a crocodile at a crocodile pond just near the Burkina Faso border and toured an ancient village (check out the photos link on the right and see the one with Xavier and his "friend" who are both missing their front teeth!).

The kids finish school this week and are looking forward to getting back to their US classrooms. My good friend, Colleen, is arriving on Thursday for 2 weeks. While she's here, we'll head out to our favorite beach for a few days and then all of us are traveling up to the north so I can work and they can touch more crocodiles :) And, of course, we will be watching every Ghana World Cup Game!!!!!!

The kids leave for the US with Colleen on July 2nd. I'll stay behind in Ghana for a couple of weeks, continuing to work, wrap up the house and figure out how I am going to get the puppies back to the US with Delta/KLM having a general pet flying ban from May-Sept.due to heat. Somehow, we’ll all make it back to our favorite little island…….

Africa in Our Souls - Sophie's View

Some days we love Africa, some days we just want to go home.  Either way, there is no doubt that Africa has found its way into our hearts and souls.  Sophie, who celebrated her 11th birthday this week, wrote the following poems about her time here:

I cannot bear the poverty in the air; sifting in and out of my world.
The smell nothing to me but the world to somebody.

_________

I see Africa.
I see Ghana.
I see life at the most happy extent.
Where there are the poorest people come the biggest hearts.
That is the way of Ghana.
That is the way of Africa.

__________________

A lapless ocean;
I stare motionless;
A lapless ocean. 

Tomorrow, I am taking the kids to the Upper East Region, where we are about to implement our mobile phone work.  It is the poorest region in the country and is the "real" Africa.  We will be in Paga, a town just at the Burkina Faso border.  All week, we have a series of "durbars" which are ceremonies where representative from the project go to the village chiefs in each village where we'll be working, brings them gifts and asks for their permission and blessing to do our work there.  He presumably grants us this permission and my understanding is that dancing and music ensues.  We'll see how it goes, but I have no doubt there will be many more deep impressions and processing from this amazing experience.......