Team Journal, November 19 ~ The Final Day

Team Journal ~ New Akrade, Ghana

Friday, November 19, 2010

First thing this a.m., we had a ceremony where we presented the Mayor of New Akrade with the donations of school supplies and outdoor equipment. Everyone was delighted!

In my honor, the Jr High held a “quiz show”. I was the scorekeeper. Each grade picked 3 of its best students. Jemima was the emcee with Sydney keeping time and sounding the “buzzer” which was the school bell. He was so cute and funny because he was very serious about it and would cut students’ responses off very quickly with the bell. The students and I really enjoyed his performance! Such fun! Each team had a different cheer! The “Warriors” won with the other 2 teams doing a great job too.

After the game, I was presented with several certificates of thanks and a play by a Ghanaian author.

My leaving is bittersweet as it’s time to get back to my family but I also regretted having to leave all the wonderful friends and students.

A few quotes in honor of our experience in Ghana:

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember that you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. ~ Harriet Tubman

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. ~ Mahatma Ghandi

It’s never too late to be what you might have been. ~ George Eliot

Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough; money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So spread your love everywhere you go. ~ Mother Teresa

Vote for Global Volunteers!

Global Volunteers is engaged in a contest entitled 'Full Page Project' - put on by the Star Tribune newspaper in the Twin Cities - through November 21 amongst Minnesota non-profits and the winner will receive a free full page ad in an upcoming addition of the Sunday paper!

Please vote for us this week ~ you can vote once per hour!

Here is the link where you can register and then vote for Global Volunteers (please copy and paste the link): http://startribune.upickem.net/engine/Registration.aspx?contestid=22815

We would also encourage you to pass this link along to your family and friends, colleagues, classmates or students, and post it on your personal Facebook page or blog if you are able. Let us know if you have any questions, and remember voting goes until 5 p.m. Sunday!

Thank you for your support.

Team Journal, November 15 & 17

Team Journal ~ New Akrade, Ghana

Monday, November 15, 2010

The students began working on their pen pal letters today. We had a slow start as I had to explain the concept to them. Many great letters were written. More letters will be written at the primary school tomorrow. I also organized school donations and labeled boxes for Esther. ~ Kem



Wednesday, November 17, 2010

I spent the day helping with math and visiting the primary school. The 4th grade teacher, Susie, graciously agreed to assist with the pen pal letters. ~ Kem

Team Journal, November 12

Team Journal ~ New Akrade, Ghana

Friday, November 12, 2010

Colleen and Kinjil came back to the Jr High today to play BINGO with the 8th graders. Early in the day, a woman came by selling cloth. Christian’s wife is a seamstress. I loved some green fabric. So, Joseph and I walked to Mavis’s shop where she measured me for a skirt. Well, when I got back Colleen and Kinjil wanted one! So, we made several trips to the seamstress.

The three of us showed the teachers the Electric Slide. Also, they hear the children having so much fun with BINGO, now, they want to play. Friday is a short school day as they have “game day.” I took 3 frisbees for the students to use.

All of the team except for Yvonne and me are leaving in the morning, so we had a ceremony tonight. We were so pleased to see many of the teachers and construction workers! Bless prepared a delicious dinner consisting of rice, fried chicken, and salad. Bless is a great cook - the food is all organic, no preservatives, and tasty.

Team Journal, November 8

Team Journal ~ New Akrade, Ghana

Monday, November 8, 2010


We were cheered to see Esther at breakfast. She always has a way of making us laugh.

Five of us (Colleen, Carolyn, Diane, Kate, and Kinjil) headed for construction. They are all excited to see the progress made-the first floor of the school addition is completed along the perimeter and the inner walls are now being constructed. Our “construction crew” is anxious to make more progress before Friday as no more work will be done until new volunteers arrive.

Nancy and Jasmine had a wonderful time in the second grade class. Nancy felt having Jasmine in the class was a big positive as the children received more attention. The students were more focused.

Angie and Travis were in the 4th grade class. Angie is moving from the combative and ferocious 5 year olds! The new class is more structured and the students more disciplined. Angie will be teaching math and English tomorrow and is glad to be able to relate better with the students.

Fred and I were back at the Jr High. Fred enjoyed sitting with the students during classes. We both listened to lectures on chastity and commitment.

Day Six

Today was hot, first instance of going outside the sun and the humidity just struck us heavily. We headed to work in the morning. It was a hard day for us all of us were just drained. After lunch it was pouring outside so we weren’t able to tutor the children. When the rain let up we headed out to the chief’s museum in New Akrade. There wasn’t much compared to museums at home, BUT when you saw the pride in the coordinators face it was uplifting. When we got back a lady had dropped off some of her crafts which included fabrics, clothing, wallets, and other goods. I was preparing for bed when a question struck me…”How do you feel connected with the team?” I think it’s like an energy that draws us to this one instance. We’re all here with many goals and purposes BUT were here as people, humans. We’ve done so much in so little time. I honestly want to say….I don’t want to lose contact with these amazing people. TODAY was a good day!

-Travis

Today was amazing had a good night sleep. So in the morning I was chipper and ready for the day. Worked at the construction site which was hard work a lot of lifting and carrying things like water, soil, and rocks. It was great everyone missed Carolyn (aka trouble that’s the nickname they gave her). joked and laughed a lot today. After work went to the arts and crafts market it was great got a lot of stuff for people back at home and for myself. Had an early dinner because of our early morning to Cape Coast 5:00 am sharp. Ready for the emotional part of it to see where it all began and ended until tomorrow.

-Jasmine

Angie, Kem, Fred & I rode in the taxi to the school this morning. We arrived earlier than usual and saw all of the children, Kindergarten through Junior High, standing in lines on the field listening to the headmaster. This is their student assembly that happens every Thursday morning and it is a sea of royal blue uniforms in the middle of the brown field. Then the drumming started and one class at a time they started singing Ghana’s national anthem and marched to their classrooms. I love hearing them sing – it is a beautiful, rich sound.

The Kindergarten classroom was as chaotic as usual. With 63 children ages 4-9 in one small room, it is difficult for them to keep their hands to themselves. Angie & I refereed as best we could. We had brought Kem’s ipod and player for the children to hear the “Apples & Bananas” song they learned yesterday. The children love that song! We also taught them “This Little Light of Mine” and “BINGO” (which the kids also loved). Their bright smiles are priceless.

It was very hot and humid today so the whole team seemed to be dragging a bit as we walked back for lunch. The tutoring was cancelled for the afternoon because of a thunder storm (the tutoring is outside under a tree) so we had some time to rest in the afternoon.

At 4:00 we walked to the Chief’s History Museum at the Palace. We unintentionally gathered children as we walked along and as we waited at the Palace for the Mayor to show us around the museum, we heard the children singing the Apples & Bananas song! Angie, Jasmine & I were so surprised to hear them singing our song. We had actually taught them something!!

The museum was small but interesting. The highlights were: two big buckets that the ancestors used to descend from heaven, the chief’s warrior coat with little mirrors all over it so he can see his enemies from all angles and a contraption that looked like a large baby cradle that the Chief sits in to ride to the annual festival. Four men carry him; two on each side.
After another nice dinner, some team members played “name that tune” with the songs on Travis’s phone. Listening to their laughter, I feel very grateful for the wonderful people on this team.

- Colleen