Since Last Time

This blog will encompass moments, memories, and favorite things, "since last time". It has no rules, no structure. It is merely a post of my thoughts and my days. For the simple things are what make each day here so beautiful...


Wednesday morning, Maggie, Kenz, and I met Thomas and Issac, at "The Guest House" (our favorite little breakfast place on campus that is a once-a-week or so treat). We met to say goodbye, to say thank you, and to wish them well in their next few years in London. They each received scholarships to pursue a master's degree at very prestigious universities in England. Both Thomas and Issac helped our group to get acquainted with life in Ghana, and I will have sweet memories of them forever. I will remember their spirits and their laughter, their perpetual enthusiasm. I will miss bumping into them at Afro Net and on campus, yet know that London has so many wonderful things in store for them.


Above is a photo of Thomas and me. He has such a sweet Ghanaian smile and is always saying, "Hello, darling." or "Hello, ba-by. How are you do-ing?" I will definitely miss that.


On Wednesday afternoon, McKenzie and I went to Osu, seeking "Osu Children's Home", a local children's home that our missionary friend Claire had highly recommended to us. It is one of the few places we could navigate ourselves to, so we left hoping the home could put us to work as volunteers for the afternoon.

To much dismay, we weren't greeted with the friendliest of Ghanaian greetings upon arriving. It seemed like the woman in charge wanted to ward us off, rather than welcome us. She hastily questioned us--Where were we from? How long would we be here (in Ghana)? What organization were we with? Did we go through a formal introduction with paperwork from an outside reference? McKenzie and I were befuddled, slightly dazed and confused, wondering how this place could so easily turn away much needed help.

As we were talking, simply trying to get our "foot-in-the-door", as willing volunteers, a mute girl (age 11 or so) latched onto McKenzie and me. I couldn't believe that she did not know sign language. She seemed so helpless and so eager to communicate. After further Q&As, I realized that there would be a lot of red tape, so I simply asked for a tour of the premises, before leaving.

A fragile, handicapped woman led us into the "baby wing" of the facility. I was overwhelmed. There were at least 30 wandering babies, all crying out so desperately to be held. If you picked one up, it would peacefully calm down, until you went to set it back down on the floor...the babies threw fits and tantrums those unlike any I had ever seen. They were so restless, so eager to be held, and loved. They were starving for human touch. Kenz and I held as many as we could, for as long as we could, with 4 or 5 babies/toddlers climbing on us at once. Each one was diaper-less, with bare bottoms, dressed in nothing more than ragged t-shirts.

As we were leaving the wing, I asked the woman what they needed the most. "Pampers." she said, or "Cloth and safety pins." I couldn't believe the simple request. The need for something so basic, so common in America. I also cannot believe the red tape we would have to go through to work at the Children's Home. I was very frustrated with the system, as it simply seems so inefficient to me. I have to realize that this isn't America and that Ghana definitely places value on other things. Just because I define efficiency by timeliness, in America, doesn't mean that Ghana's definition of efficiency is also defined by timeliness (which it's not). Jesus calls us to love the poor, the needy, the broken, the orphans. I want so badly to do just that.


Mom, Miss Jane LOVED the thread that you sent her! She started dancing and singing when I gave it to her. She held the four spools in her hands, marveling at the elegant jewel-tone colors. She thanks you, and she also LOVES her Fiskar scissors! She brings them with her every time she comes to the hostel, using them to cut yards of fabric and to snip away loose threads (she said that they are the most beautiful scissors she has ever owned). I wish you could meet her and that the two of you could sew for a day...


This photo was from Wednesday night, taken as Maggie, Kenz, and I waited at Nicole's house, our heads between the front gate guarding her house. Nicole came up with a "Girl's night" idea, inviting us, and Rebecca, an intern from California, to hangout at her place for a few hours. We ate cookie dough out of the mixing bowl (hey, it was all Nicole's idea!), had an amazing dinner-Gifty's moist jolof rice, fresh pineapple, SALAD (I crave ANYTHING green here, as we mainly intake carbohydrates all day), and delicious fried chicken. After dinner, Gifty hooked up the projector, and we watched Sweet Home Alabama , each secretly pining for a reminder of Southern culture. It was so wonderful, and the night was made complete by Rebecca's relaxing head, neck, and foot massages (whoops--I forgot to mention that she's a certified masseuse!). It was the most perfect girl's night I've had in a long, long time.


Crazy how we had to come all the way to Africa to discover the beauty of Indian food, but we managed to do it! I think it is becoming a weekly ritual of ours to get Indian food one night each week. Our favorite Indian restaurant here is called Heritage Indian Restaurant, which is in Osu (of course, as Osu is allegedly the Rodeo Drive, or "small America" of Accra/Ghana). I cannot even begin to describe how amazing it is (I think American culture has given it sort of a bad rap--just think Along Came Polly, or yellow curry rice, for example.) Try it, and I bet you'll love it. Nan + steamed rice + a main dish (such as Chicken Tikki Masala or Paneer Matar) = Heavenly.


This is Mike, from Massachusetts. He is one of the artsiest American students I've met here. He reminds me a lot of my friend Griffin, from home. Mike has a unique style, he is a music major (thus he's fulfilling college requirements by taking classes here such as xylophone, African drumming, etc.), he loves headbands or any eclectic accessory, he loves beats and he appreciates the origin and history of various African music, and he's going to help make a xylophone with one of his professors, about the size of a small coffin, and ship it back home to take a piece of Ghana with him.


On Saturday, we went on a "field trip" with our African drumming professor, "Johnson". He has the biggest, most beautiful smile that I have ever seen. It just dances across his face. He organized a day-trip to the Voltic region for us to participate in a drumming durbar. "Durbar" is the Ghanaian term for festival (and yes, they celebrate anything and everything here--that's the beauty of it).

Above is a photo of two men carrying the chief of the village we visited. All of us danced and celebrated as we paraded through the streets, surrounding the chief in the front and the back. It was so joyful. Men jumped as they played their drums, women waved their handkerchiefs in the air, and children laughed and clapped, as we all celebrated the day.


The festival was to celebrate "Deza", which simply means the "palm tree". This little boy made a crown out of (what looks like) used notebook paper, wearing it proudly as he paraded through the streets.


I couldn't help but take a photo of this beautiful girl. After I asked to take her photo, she seemed unsure of what to do. Shells so beautifully adorned her body, winding so intricately around her neck, arms, and legs.


I LOVED his hair. Wish I could pull off dreads.


I am so thankful for Maggie. She is one of the most jubilant people I've ever met, and someone that I have thankfully been able to spend a lot of time with. It's crazy to think that we might not have met (although we both go to UNC-Chapel Hill), had it not been for Africa. She makes me laugh, makes me smile, and makes me think...she inspires me to read more, to journal more, and to worry less. She finds so much joy in each day and takes every moment to embrace what is beautiful. She keeps a journal with "infinite moments"--moments that she wants to remember forever, that she wishes she could experience forever, and that she wishes ever person in eternity could experience. Last night, we (Kenz, Maggie, Sammy, and I) spontaneously jumped out of our cab to watch the sunset from the highest stand in an unfinished cement stadium (on-campus). It was a moment like that one, she said, that made it into her book (thank you for Maggie, Mr. & Mrs. Lentz, and thanks for being avid readers!).


Everywhere I go, it seems, Carolina is there. When I was in Asia last summer, I ran into UNC and Tarheel paraphernalia in markets, on the street, sometimes in the most unexpected places. Whether it's Philly or Costa Rica, Carolina blue catches my eye. I was just explaining this to Maggie the other day, and how I had not yet seen anything or anyone with "Carolina" or "Tarheels" on it. But yesterday, when we were eating at Papaye, I spotted it across the restaurant. I'd like to think it's one of God's little ways of reminding me that even though I'm miles apart, there's always a piece of home right here with me.