Haatso. That's where my host family's home is located. I made it to Ghana at last and is has been an amazing experience. I began to think that the flight would never end but I became excited as I looked out the window of my plane and saw an endless view of peanut butter colored land covered in the texture of dimpes and ripples. I knew we were over north Africa and the desert! The clouds even looked "African," vast, dramatic thermals shooting thousands upon thousands of feet into the air, great plumes like white and grey heads of broccoli. As the sun set, the plane was surrounded with a seemingly impenetrable darkness like black velvet cloth was wrapped around us only broken by the rhythmic pulse of the lights on the plane's wings. Then I knew we were over Accra! Suddenly out of the darkness I began to see a little amber light, then an equally tiny sea green one. Soon, it appeared as if some giant art teacher had spilled amber and light green glitter in spiderweb-like patterns on the ground, shimmering under the moonlight. It looked as veins of copper, light green and amber, running through the black obsidian of darkness that surrounded them.
We landed on a nearly unlit airstrip and I thanked my lucky stars that the pilot was such a good shot! As we decellerated I saw in the inky darkness other planes, blacked out, unlit, sitting off the sides of the airstrip, it was a little unnerving! I got off the plane and walked down the stairs, crossed the short distance to the building and entered Kotoka International Airport. I walked down a hallway lined with big cooling fans and with a wall painted in a beautiful mural. There was a small dispute between a woman and a man about who was next in line at customs, then I went on to baggage claim, which was more than a little chaotic. People grabbed at luggage carts almost frantically and were quick to pull bags off the turnstyle that were not theirs, only to not return them, dooming them to no longer circulate for inspection and retrieval. I finally got my bags on a prized luggage cart and headed through the winding hallways and series of ramps that are so steep, I'm sure they could double as ski ramps if the weather was just right. Suffice it to say, if you don't strain back against the tug of your cart, you will lose it, it will rapidly gather momentum and something or someone is going to be the target of a heavily loaded luggage cart careening out of control down one of Kotoka Airport's now infamous ramps. The tension gets to you I guess because there was a lady and a couple men full out yelling back and forth with some security halfway down one of the ramps. I didn't pause to hear what was going on, I could only hear the late Steve Irwin's voice in my head saying, "Dannnnguh, danguh, danguh!"
My plane landed much, much earlier than was originally scheduled so there was no one at the airport to meet me. I had no phone, of course, and I also had managed to fail to write down the phone numbers for my host family. (Brilliant!) Elizabeth is a Ghanaian woman that is friends with the Owusu family and was there to save my day and my life! She stayed with me and even got other random Ghanaians to lend their mobile phones to call Pastor Charles and subsequently Dr. Odoi, my host father. Outside the airport was a fast introduction to some Ghanaian life, lots of locals eager to lay hands on my bags for any number of reasons. Most want to help you, but will be equally eager to demand payment after providing assistance. Elizabeth was right there with me and didn't leave my side until Dr. Odoi arrived. Thank God! I watched several incidents within five feet of me where there was some disagreement between men who immediately began to try physically fighting. I heard Steve Irwin's warning again and braced for the inevitable involvement in a brawl. This happened twice and dissipated twice and my heart's health has been tested and proven strong enough to survive massive adrenalin doses.
Dr. Odoi greeted me with a smile and a hug. We got into his car and drove through Accra. I was still in some denial about being in Africa, based on what I had seen so far this could be anywhere in the United States, perhaps even Atlanta. Then there was a checkpoint with regular police and military, both with automatic assault rifles, this was definitely not Atlanta. The road was bumpy and only two lanes in some places due to an incredible amount of construction going on to widen the road and improve the infrastructure. Traffic slowed to a crawl for most of the journey and it took a long time but Dr. Odoi said that under ordinary circumstances it should only be a fifteen minute trip. We stopped by the Mall, I couldn't believe there was a ShopRite! All the shops were closed but we'll go back on another day so that I can pick up some basic items like soap and a washcloth.
I got to the Odoi home, which is gated and walled, and was greeted by the resident guardian, Bruno, a small but "fierce Ghanaian" dog who incidentally loves to have his belly rubbed by total strangers. Mrs. Odoi raises chickens in the backyard and as I write to you now, they have been serenading us for umpteen hours just to make sure we know they are there. Yes, yes, we know, you're a chicken and you're there! There are large lizards that pitter-pat across the roof sometimes, something that is fascinating for me but totally lost on the Odoi family who are completely acclimated to the occurrence. The home feels and looks very Morrocan, if I can say such a thing, based soley on my viewing of pictures and movies. I took a bucket bath and got settled in last night. I slept well and woke up to have a great Bible study with my host mother and host sister Dorcas. I then had a great and simple breakfast with my host mother and learned about how she and Dr. Odoi met.
I have to go but I will write more later on. I hope you will all stay in touch with me! Peace and blessings! Join the BLOG, follow me on Twitter and FaceBook and YouTube!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The Wonder of it All...
I have never been one to try to paint with a broad brush and fit everything that happens in this life neatly into the categories of fate and destiny, but there are some things in life that speak more clearly than others and as signs they will not be dismissed. Some might wonder how I know that going to Ghana is right? How do I know this is what I am called to do? I would offer up five simple, seemingly unrelated events in my life that, for me, all point to Ghana and urge me to continue on my path to Ghana. The first has to do with meeting a stranger, two are about money and two are about encouraging my heart. I consider all of them miracles and all of them have been incredibly powerful experiences for me, I hope you'll seek to see the signs in your own life. Where are they pointing you?
It was Cracker Barrel Creepy.
A few weeks ago, I was up late trying to hash out the details of my Africa trip when I realized it had been quite some time since I had last had something to eat. Growing hungry, I got in my car and drove down the road headed towards the first grouping of fast food restaurants. Now as my home church pastor, Dr. Cooper would say, in order for this story to carry water there are some details you need to know. Highway 400 is the major thoroughfare that will get you nearly anywhere from Atlanta on north to Dahlonega. I live several miles off of Exit 17 of Highway 400. Since trip details had me busy, I had gotten into the habit of ordering from the drive-through so that I could get back home to my work but also so I wouldn't have to eat alone inside the restaurant (something I rarely ever do). Just off Exit 17 near where I live there are some fast food places to eat but I drove right on past those deciding I just wasn't in the mood for those particular places or types of food. I then decided to head south from Exit 17 towards Exit 14, the next major grouping of restaurants. As I approached Exit 14 I drove on, not in the mood for any of those. In just a split second I made a choice that at the time seemed totally inconsequential but would prove to be huge. I chose to go to Cracker Barrel that night.
It was nearly eight o' clock at night, I live off of Exit 17, Cracker Barrel was all the way down to Exit 11. I hadn't gone to Cracker Barrel in ages because of the distance but that night I had decided it was what I wanted. I could go in and sit quietly by myself, something I rarely do, and read a book I had just bought about Ghana, all the while enjoying free refills on my sweet tea. I pulled up to the Cracker Barrel, parked my car, grabbed my book to take with me, went inside, was led to a table, sat down, handed a menu which I began to intently study as I prepared to place my order. As I read the menu, half hidden behind it, in the outermost edge of my vision that remained unobstructed by the menu I noticed a server approaching my table. The introduction went something like this:
"Oh my gosh! Are you going to Ghana or are you just studying about it?"
Shocked and shaken, I slowly lifted my eyes up and to the side to look at this person before I responded.
"Um, I'm going to Ghana actually, for six months to do humanitarian work."
"That is awesome! Where will you be living?"
"Adenta, just outside of Accra, the capital."
"Oh my gosh! I used to live in Accra, I lived there when I was younger. I went to school there!"
At this point you probably could have knocked me over with a feather. Her name was Jonell Finley and between the moments of waiting on the other tables in her area we spent perhaps the better part of the next thirty minutes talking about Ghana. She shared with me how much she missed Ghana, the culture, the language and the food. Before I left I made sure I had her e-mail and she had mine and I made sure I told her about Amazing Grace Baptist Church, the Ghanaian congregation I worship with in Atlanta. Since then she has not been able to get a Sunday off from work, something we have all likely experienced at some point in time, but I have faith that Jonell is going to come to Amazing Grace very soon and I know in my heart that it will change her life when she does.
Remember what it means to volunteer.
Very briefly I want to share with you two financial miracles. As a volunteer I have no source of real or livable income, I have been living off my savings since resigning my position with the county a little over a month ago. Because "no one goes to Ghana," the ticket prices are always quite high, almost always around $1,500. I was struggling to find a ticket because travel agencies just will not book flights to Ghana, it's as simple as that. When I asked why I was given any number of variations of the theme that internal policies listed Ghana in such a way as to exclude it from the "acceptable list" of destinations available for booking by travel agencies. My friend and Christian brother Pastor Charles Owusu came to my aid, offering to arrange the booking through a friend and church member that might be able to find a good price through his travel company. Friends, I went nearly crazy waiting for a ticket to be found. As I searched on my own, I saw that tickets through any carrier were all around $1,800 with some as high as $3,000. When I purchased the ticket my Ghanaian friends found for me, it was just under $1,400, and that is a miracle.
The second money miracle is health related. Anti-malarial medication is an absolute must for travelers to Ghana or anywhere in the tropics. Why is malaria still such a killer in the world? Simple, because the medications that prevent it are exceedingly expensive and therefor out of the financial reach of a great many people. My mother is a healthcare professional and with her help we had shopped on-line for the lowest pricing possible for the anti-malaria pills my doctor had prescibed. Based on a trend we were seeing, we had ever expectation of paying around $1,800 for a six month supply. Now I'm usually hesitant to endorse any specific brand but I want to tell you we were able to get six months of anti-malaria pills at Sam's Club for just about $500. Friends, in that instant my trip became nearly $1,400 cheaper and this is where Dr.Cooper would tell you it's okay to say an "Amen."
Your needs are known.
Two Saturdays ago I was in a real bad way. I was sick to my stomach, unable to sleep, unable to eat and all the while with an exquisite headache. My anxiety and fears about the trip and the tension surrounding the final details were just too much for me. I felt like my resolve and my sanity were on a razors edge and needed but a nudge to spell disaster for me. I knew I was under attack because when I questioned myself about the fear and anxiety there were no specifics, just bland, generic fear of the unknown. Two Sundays ago I sat in church at Amazing Grace and I took out a pen and a slip of paper and I began to write a note to Pastor Charles Owusu. I was sending out a distress call with a pen and paper, asking if Amazing Grace could pray for me during the service because I was having a very difficult struggle and I believed I just might be losing the battle. I finished the note but then looked in the church program and saw that it was "Men's Day," a special day for the men of the church to run the service and also have lunch afterwards. I decided it was too busy to worry about my need, it could wait until next Sunday and I put the note away inside my Bible. Now I hadn't said a word to the pastor (Dr.Owusu) or my friend (Charles Owusu), and there was no special annotation in the program but before the service ended Dr. Owusu called me as "our brother Kwame," to come kneel at the altar and have all the men of the church lay hands on me and pray over me. As the men prayed, some in Twi and others in English, Dr. Owusu prayed and specifically asked God remove my fears and anxieties about the trip. If I hadn't been there I'd say it was unbelievable. Now friends, I'm going to be vulnerable with you for a moment and tell you free of any embarrassment I cried during that prayer. This amazing experience was followed by last Sunday, when, without my knowing or anything specially noted in the church program, Concord Baptist Church where my family attends did the same thing with the only difference being it was Sunday night and the entire church came forward and prayed over me.
Some people ask for a sign so that they can know they are going the right way. I say if you are calm, quiet and still, you will see signs all around you, pointing you to where you should go. It took me weeks before I realized that my home church in Ghana, Calvary Baptist Church, bears the same name a little church in Alabama. The Calvary Baptist Church in Alabama was built long before I was born on land donated by my mother's family and was where my grandfather preached the good news of God's love now so many years ago. How incredible that without my hand in it at all a church in Ghana where I have never been would bear the same name and that that church would choose to invite me to come serve with them. This is the second part of this story where Dr. Cooper would tell you it's okay to say an "Amen."
Be sure to click "FOLLOW," it's that little button at the top right, just below the Ghanaian flag, that way you'll be notified by e-mail when I add a post to my blog! You can also follow me on Twitter, FaceBook and YouTube, all the links are right over there on the right hand side of your screen. Please watch my video on YouTube, it's called "Become the Change," username "Hope4Ghana."Check out the websites for Amazing Grace Baptist Church, Concord Baptist Church (Mr. Mike is an Internet wizard!), Calvary Baptist Church - Adenta and the Ghana Baptist Association. I urge you to follow me on all the networking sites I'm a part of so that you can pray with me, celebrate with me and follow my exciting journey as I serve the people of Ghana, W. Africa!
It was Cracker Barrel Creepy.
A few weeks ago, I was up late trying to hash out the details of my Africa trip when I realized it had been quite some time since I had last had something to eat. Growing hungry, I got in my car and drove down the road headed towards the first grouping of fast food restaurants. Now as my home church pastor, Dr. Cooper would say, in order for this story to carry water there are some details you need to know. Highway 400 is the major thoroughfare that will get you nearly anywhere from Atlanta on north to Dahlonega. I live several miles off of Exit 17 of Highway 400. Since trip details had me busy, I had gotten into the habit of ordering from the drive-through so that I could get back home to my work but also so I wouldn't have to eat alone inside the restaurant (something I rarely ever do). Just off Exit 17 near where I live there are some fast food places to eat but I drove right on past those deciding I just wasn't in the mood for those particular places or types of food. I then decided to head south from Exit 17 towards Exit 14, the next major grouping of restaurants. As I approached Exit 14 I drove on, not in the mood for any of those. In just a split second I made a choice that at the time seemed totally inconsequential but would prove to be huge. I chose to go to Cracker Barrel that night.
It was nearly eight o' clock at night, I live off of Exit 17, Cracker Barrel was all the way down to Exit 11. I hadn't gone to Cracker Barrel in ages because of the distance but that night I had decided it was what I wanted. I could go in and sit quietly by myself, something I rarely do, and read a book I had just bought about Ghana, all the while enjoying free refills on my sweet tea. I pulled up to the Cracker Barrel, parked my car, grabbed my book to take with me, went inside, was led to a table, sat down, handed a menu which I began to intently study as I prepared to place my order. As I read the menu, half hidden behind it, in the outermost edge of my vision that remained unobstructed by the menu I noticed a server approaching my table. The introduction went something like this:
"Oh my gosh! Are you going to Ghana or are you just studying about it?"
Shocked and shaken, I slowly lifted my eyes up and to the side to look at this person before I responded.
"Um, I'm going to Ghana actually, for six months to do humanitarian work."
"That is awesome! Where will you be living?"
"Adenta, just outside of Accra, the capital."
"Oh my gosh! I used to live in Accra, I lived there when I was younger. I went to school there!"
At this point you probably could have knocked me over with a feather. Her name was Jonell Finley and between the moments of waiting on the other tables in her area we spent perhaps the better part of the next thirty minutes talking about Ghana. She shared with me how much she missed Ghana, the culture, the language and the food. Before I left I made sure I had her e-mail and she had mine and I made sure I told her about Amazing Grace Baptist Church, the Ghanaian congregation I worship with in Atlanta. Since then she has not been able to get a Sunday off from work, something we have all likely experienced at some point in time, but I have faith that Jonell is going to come to Amazing Grace very soon and I know in my heart that it will change her life when she does.
Remember what it means to volunteer.
Very briefly I want to share with you two financial miracles. As a volunteer I have no source of real or livable income, I have been living off my savings since resigning my position with the county a little over a month ago. Because "no one goes to Ghana," the ticket prices are always quite high, almost always around $1,500. I was struggling to find a ticket because travel agencies just will not book flights to Ghana, it's as simple as that. When I asked why I was given any number of variations of the theme that internal policies listed Ghana in such a way as to exclude it from the "acceptable list" of destinations available for booking by travel agencies. My friend and Christian brother Pastor Charles Owusu came to my aid, offering to arrange the booking through a friend and church member that might be able to find a good price through his travel company. Friends, I went nearly crazy waiting for a ticket to be found. As I searched on my own, I saw that tickets through any carrier were all around $1,800 with some as high as $3,000. When I purchased the ticket my Ghanaian friends found for me, it was just under $1,400, and that is a miracle.
The second money miracle is health related. Anti-malarial medication is an absolute must for travelers to Ghana or anywhere in the tropics. Why is malaria still such a killer in the world? Simple, because the medications that prevent it are exceedingly expensive and therefor out of the financial reach of a great many people. My mother is a healthcare professional and with her help we had shopped on-line for the lowest pricing possible for the anti-malaria pills my doctor had prescibed. Based on a trend we were seeing, we had ever expectation of paying around $1,800 for a six month supply. Now I'm usually hesitant to endorse any specific brand but I want to tell you we were able to get six months of anti-malaria pills at Sam's Club for just about $500. Friends, in that instant my trip became nearly $1,400 cheaper and this is where Dr.Cooper would tell you it's okay to say an "Amen."
Your needs are known.
Two Saturdays ago I was in a real bad way. I was sick to my stomach, unable to sleep, unable to eat and all the while with an exquisite headache. My anxiety and fears about the trip and the tension surrounding the final details were just too much for me. I felt like my resolve and my sanity were on a razors edge and needed but a nudge to spell disaster for me. I knew I was under attack because when I questioned myself about the fear and anxiety there were no specifics, just bland, generic fear of the unknown. Two Sundays ago I sat in church at Amazing Grace and I took out a pen and a slip of paper and I began to write a note to Pastor Charles Owusu. I was sending out a distress call with a pen and paper, asking if Amazing Grace could pray for me during the service because I was having a very difficult struggle and I believed I just might be losing the battle. I finished the note but then looked in the church program and saw that it was "Men's Day," a special day for the men of the church to run the service and also have lunch afterwards. I decided it was too busy to worry about my need, it could wait until next Sunday and I put the note away inside my Bible. Now I hadn't said a word to the pastor (Dr.Owusu) or my friend (Charles Owusu), and there was no special annotation in the program but before the service ended Dr. Owusu called me as "our brother Kwame," to come kneel at the altar and have all the men of the church lay hands on me and pray over me. As the men prayed, some in Twi and others in English, Dr. Owusu prayed and specifically asked God remove my fears and anxieties about the trip. If I hadn't been there I'd say it was unbelievable. Now friends, I'm going to be vulnerable with you for a moment and tell you free of any embarrassment I cried during that prayer. This amazing experience was followed by last Sunday, when, without my knowing or anything specially noted in the church program, Concord Baptist Church where my family attends did the same thing with the only difference being it was Sunday night and the entire church came forward and prayed over me.
Some people ask for a sign so that they can know they are going the right way. I say if you are calm, quiet and still, you will see signs all around you, pointing you to where you should go. It took me weeks before I realized that my home church in Ghana, Calvary Baptist Church, bears the same name a little church in Alabama. The Calvary Baptist Church in Alabama was built long before I was born on land donated by my mother's family and was where my grandfather preached the good news of God's love now so many years ago. How incredible that without my hand in it at all a church in Ghana where I have never been would bear the same name and that that church would choose to invite me to come serve with them. This is the second part of this story where Dr. Cooper would tell you it's okay to say an "Amen."
Be sure to click "FOLLOW," it's that little button at the top right, just below the Ghanaian flag, that way you'll be notified by e-mail when I add a post to my blog! You can also follow me on Twitter, FaceBook and YouTube, all the links are right over there on the right hand side of your screen. Please watch my video on YouTube, it's called "Become the Change," username "Hope4Ghana."Check out the websites for Amazing Grace Baptist Church, Concord Baptist Church (Mr. Mike is an Internet wizard!), Calvary Baptist Church - Adenta and the Ghana Baptist Association. I urge you to follow me on all the networking sites I'm a part of so that you can pray with me, celebrate with me and follow my exciting journey as I serve the people of Ghana, W. Africa!
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