Days out of order again!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Deb McNally
Our familiar routine was shaken up a bit as our alarm clocks rang earlier than usual. We were out the door at 6:30 to make our way to the palace, where we were invited to join the Queen Mother and the Chiefs in a traditional prayer ceremony scheduled to begin at 7am. Two things caught my attention on the walk to the village – the coolness in the air that felt refreshing and the beauty of the sun glowing a deep orange behind the haze of the sky,
I think it is fair to say that we all felt honored to be invited to witness this sacred prayer ceremony. A ritual that happens every 40 days, performed by the Chiefs and Queen Mother, who are all dressed in their royal robes and sandals. The purpose of this ceremony is to call on their Gods and ancestors to assist them with their prayer requests. Money was offered as each prayer request was made known. One of the requests involved asking for assistance in a legal matter. Another involved a desire to be blessed with money to continue with key projects that are currently underway. The second part of the ceremony was private and we were asked to wait in the palace. This special morning gathering ended with an interesting discussion about the role, responsibilities, and selection process for a Head Chief. As much as we wanted to stay engaged in this fascinating lesson in Ghanaian culture – our work projects beckoned us. Sarah and Bobbi Jo had patients longing for their compassionate care; Jane, Pam, Haley and Ellie off to stretch the minds of eager learners, Kathleen and Bonnie off for an important meeting, and Ed, Sandy, John and I geared up for another morning of construction bliss. Today’s agenda was starting to put the windows in, building the window support for the hallway ceiling, and of course ~ the never ending task of making mortar. John had a personal success today ~ he was allowed to try his luck at “the mortar against the wall” toss. He was famously successful. Today I found myself not as engaged in being physically productive with the tasks at hand. I found myself quite reflective and in the space of simply observing the sights, sounds, and smells around me. My heart warmed as I watched in awe the laughter, the cooperation, the dedication and the strength of these Ghanaian workers who I feel privileged to call my friends. As I observed the activity around me I became aware of this intense feeling of gratitude for everything these men have done this past year and continue to do each day. I have no idea how to adequately communicate to them my appreciation and respect for what they have done and who they are as people. How can I ever help them to understand how much it has meant to me that they are hugely responsible for helping me realize my dream. “Thank you” just doesn’t seem adequate.
The afternoon was like a smorgasbord of activities. The seamstress was here helping everyone design their perfect Ghanaian outfit. Half of us decided to contribute to the economic stability of the country by shopping at a fabulous wood craft market. The treasures found were priceless to our hearts but not so much to our wallets. A few diligent workers stayed to experience one more afternoon reading with the children. Unfortunately, Bobbi Jo was put on bed rest and ordered to drink tons of water to help her bounce back from a bout of dehydration.
As I end another day here in Ghana, I feel blessed to be sharing these experiences with such a fabulous group of people. I feel grateful for the lessons I continue to learn along the path and I look forward to what lies ahead.