Happy Thursday from Ghana!!!
Despite the storm that was loud a good part of the night I really feel like I got some good rest last night which was very helpful! I had breakfast at the hotel and was grateful for eggs as most of the Ghana premade dishes were not ones I was ready to choose - so scrambled eggs & toast was perfect! An Op Smile Volunteer sat down & said hello Nancy? she apparently knew we were both at the hotel Her name is Clover from South Africa & she is the Anesthesia team leader - she was very nice & became my first team friend :) I also recognized a man in an Op Smile shirt & he came over - his name was Mark & he was from Cairo where we had been on a mission together & he is the dentist for this mission. Another friend!
We were supposed to be ready in the lobby at 9:30 to leave and poor Elvis the bellboy was working again & got to help carry my bags down 6 flights of stairs :) Clover & I had decided that we would be on Op Smile time & even thought it was a 3 hour drive it would probably take 4...we were fooled it took 8 hours! We started on time from our hotel in a small 24 passenger van/ & bus & 6 of us in it. We then began to pick up others on the way. The students Anisa from NJ & Elisa from MD & their sponsor Cherish from TX were at another hotel (more on Cherish later). There was quite a bit of traffic & we were on paved roads but the dirt roads were muddy from all the rain. We passed Black Star square & arch commemorating independence in 1957 - I'm going to have to read about that. As we got closer to downtown Accra there were larger government bldgs but still "stands" all along the road. There are LOTS of lil churches here & we also were on the coast of Ghana & saw the Atlantic Ocean. By 11ish we were 90 min into our travel time & had just arrived at Korle Bu hospital to pick up more team members & that's where we really got off schedule. We all moved over to a larger bus, but we weren't leaving...I may have dozed off a bit and when I woke up we were just getting ready to leave & it was 12:30..so 3 hours later we were still in Accra. We had been waiting for someone to finish making lunches for everyone's travel meal. That was my "mission reminder" that I am on Ghana time not USA time...and as always I just needed to "go with the Ghana flow". Lunch was rice, noodles & maybe chicken - I opted for a Trader Joes protein bar. We also picked up more locals at the Accra mall & then were finally on our way to Ho about 1 pm.
There was a big "traffic jam" of trucks & cars in this 2 lane paved road so our bus driver & lots of others just went "off roading" on the wet muddy dirt road next to the paved road -no big deal but then both were congested & again the crazy driving!!! About 45 minutes later we found the cause..a broken down "commercial truck" just sitting in the lane...it stayed congested and we at times off roaded some more - even once in the median when we got to a divided road! At times when we had 2 lanes going in our direction there were actually 3 lanes of cars going in that direction with lots of horns honking - it was an experience.
We passed a grass area where I did see 3 malnourished white cows & I have see chickens & goats off the roads. I did TOTALLY miss a photo op there were 2 Orangutaun monkeys walking on the side of a road - I do have other witnesses!!! The streets are lined with hundreds of these "stands" which may be lean-to on the dirt, just a cart, a table, or even a woman on a plastic stool with her basket of things to sell. A few back from the roads have roofs some flooring & I think are also where the people live, In the rural areas you can tell some live in the lean-to. Many are selling food - fruits, breads, grains - and some even stack the fruit for "presentation". I had to wonder are they there all day? who stops to buy and with all the stands selling the same stuff do they have "regulars" or how much do they hope to "earn" in a day $5 US. Moms with babies, men too. It's clearly the life they know but so hard it seems. There are also larger places selling, wood, wire, cement, and several selling caskets - which is also sad.
We stopped at the "famous" Adomi bridge to stretch our legs & also take a photo - it is a cool bridge & even some of the locals from Ghana had never seen it. On that stop I met Victoria - another student volunteer but she is local from Accra & had a cleft lip & palate herself. She was very quiet & sweet & since it was both of our first time over the Adomi bridge we took a photo together! There was a little boy probably 7 or 8 on the Adomi bridge who had caught fish all less than a foot long & was planning to go sell them. As we drove thru the towns kids were walking home from school - I don't know why but it made me happy to think that some of them are going to school -I don't know if it costs money or the specifics, but they were cute! ...At that point we were an hour or more away from Ho.
As we drove to Ho it got more & more rural & there were hills & elevations. Less people, less cars, less stands and more people walking to wherever their destinations were, also all roundabouts no traffic signals. As we got closer to Ho there were some stands but not as congested as in the larger towns. As we drove by I saw on my side a sign for the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" in front of a small building & later down the road a few missionaries were walking that direction :) That also made me happy. We continued to climb the hills here & got to our hotel - 8 hours after leaving the other hotel this morning. I am concerned now about my travel back for my 9 am flight (have to be there 2 hours ahead) but I will ask about that later in the week no need to borrow trouble now.
This hotel appears to still be under construction in some areas. It is a typical mission hotel - same cooling as last night but no need for you room key it will stay on, 2 twin beds but having my own room mine are pushed together to be a king. There is one overhead light that might be 60 watts??? & a light in the bathroom same wattage & that's all - so the room was fairly dark since it was dusk when we arrived, I'm sure it's fine during the day - problem is I will never be here in the daytime :) You do have to turn on the water heater to get your water warm for the shower & there are only 2 outlets in the room both together & one outlet in the bathroom so I had to move a table around to maximize my plug options. I do look over the valley that we drove thru & it's a nice lil view. I was simply happy to be at the hotel - fully unpack & set myself up - stuff I take to the hospital each day in one place, my food area etc. and now I feel settled for the next 9 days.
We had dinner here at 6:30 & a team mtg at 7. I went into dinner & sat with Cherish the student sponsor since she wasn't with the students. She had been on an Op smile Mission as a high school student & went to Honduras & we talked about that as I had been on a mission there. Then she said "I also lived in Honduras for 2 years after that.....when I asked, "what brought you back there" she hesitated & said "I was doing missionary work" of course I asked "what church" and she said "The Church of Jesus Christ of LDS" a little sheepishly. I said, "That's MY Church" and she hugged me & said she was feeling a little lonely already. I said I was concerned myself & LOOK - God is in the details of our lives & sent us both here to be together - what a tender mercy!!! This is her first time as a student sponsor - she has 5 boys at home the oldest is 13 & her youngest are 4-year-old twins. She owns/runs a private Jr High/Highschool outside of Houston. I told her about my church leader contacts & she was so happy - I was too!!!
We had the standard team meeting - it was amazing to hear that this is their 4th mission in Ho & they have 3 other mission sites in Ghana. When they started missions here 12 years ago if you looked at the team photos it was 90% International volunteers & 10% Ghanaians being trained. Now this mission photo will be 90% Ghanaians & 10% internationals & they welcomed us here to continue the training. We then divided into groups so I got to meet Abigail who I will train - this is her 3rd & final training mission & it sounds like she has already had good experiences so my job should be easy. There was already a clear "Recovery Room Nurse Leader"...which also makes me happy - I just get to be a "worker/trainer nurse" and love on those babies & families. It is going to be a palate heavy mission - 60% palates & 40% lips (because they have been here & done so many lips on earlier missions) but with the volume lower on this training mission I hope there won't be too may late nights.
I came back to my room to blog & get ready for bed & my phone rang - it was the front desk - Cherish wanted my room # & they called to ask my permission. She came in & said she was a lil lonely - that the teen students were chatting themselves & she hasn't had alot of experience with teenage girls & she ran out of data on her plan for the day & couldn't call home. We talked about how to engage the girls, she was worried because they knew nothing about the church & she thought her explanation was "bad" even though she had been a missionary - I told he rot just love them & be their friend...this is day #1 & she will have great experiences with them the next 9 days & they will also have life changing experiences. We shared a prayer together & exchanged numbers & she went back to her room. While I was so excited to meet her at dinner & find our shard bond of faith...I also recognized that we seem to be here for each other & again...no coincidences -God is in the details :) Perhaps she is here for me & I am here for her...and we will all have a wonderful time serving the people of Ghana together. I also called the District President Sis Kassah - she will be working at the hospital tomorrow & will come find me at screening-I am very excited to meet her :) My water should be warm by now so ready to shower then go to bed & up at 6 am for 6:30 breakfast....let the Ho Ghana Mission begin & see what unfolds. Blessed to be here
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