Ghana Team Journal

Quote of the day: “What I spent, is gone; what I kept, I lost; but what I gave away will be mine forever.” ~Ethel Percy Andrus

Journal by: Tracee Mendenhall

It’s our next to last day of work and the thought of going home provides some excitement, but the thought of leaving is quite upsetting. We enjoyed our breakfast of toast and eggs and chatted with Esther for a bit before heading out to our work places. Kay and George to construction where they completed about 6 bags of concrete. The library has come a long way since we arrived here about three weeks ago. Laurie went off to her class where they talked about different mammals. I headed down towards Peace Perfect. One of my students spotted me carrying a ball and ran to me with the biggest smile on his face and threw his arms around me. Of course he wanted to carry the ball, but after hearing Esther tell so many other children they are to carry the bags first, I handed him my bag. He started shouting to the other students in the class; they also tried to carry the ball but insisted I would be fine carrying it. Just seeing the smile, whether is was for the fact I remembered the ball or just because there was a ball made this whole trip so much better, getting to see those genuine smiles are rare and amazing.

We gathered for lunch, rice & beans, with a red meat sauce, and again picked Esther brain for information about the community and culture. Kay and I stuck around after lunch to sort through all the donations for the schools. I am quite excited to see the student’s faces when they receive the materials, but more excited when I go down to Peace Perfect and those students see the donations they are receiving for the first time. It was then time to head to the library and Kay and I generously accepted a ride from Esther and George and Laurie decided to walk. There was a small group of eager readers and learners for us to work with. After the library we piled into a taxi and headed to the Cedi Bead Factory for some last minute goodies. We all got a few things, including George; I can’t wait to see him in his skirts and bracelets. We arrived back about a ½ hour before dinner and Kay and I decided to begin our surveys, though we liked the idea if we didn’t fill them out we would have to stay behind with Esther. Our families might not like that, but we both would love to stay and continue to help the community.

George and Laurie received a knock and their door telling them dinner was ready, we are led to believe, but may be wrong, that maybe Esther called the kitchen staff to make sure we had safely returned from our outing and they were checking it out. Dinner was one of my favorite meals we have had; sliced carrots, peppers, cucumbers, and chicken over white rice with peas and a side of pineapple, Delicious! We chatted for a few minutes before we had to give Laurie some quick updates and reminders on how to use the laptop. Kay, George and I started a game of Uno, that was frequently interrupted by “what happened” “oh no” and “help” all coming from Laurie who was trying to type her journal entry. Bless and her daughter joined us for a game, but then had to leave. So we played until Laurie was finished typing.

As I am typing this I am watching Kay pack her suitcase, it is so hard to believe that just about three weeks ago we arrived here scared and not knowing what was in store for us. I personally can’t believe how in such a short period of time I have come to love the students, community, and our abrunifomommy. I have grown both as a person and a teacher during my time here and wouldn’t change a minute of it. There were times of concern on our weekend adventures, but we were safe and were left with funny stories to share. I don’t like saying good-bye, so I will leave you with “Till I see you again”