I love Bucket Showers

I love bucket showers- anyone who has ever taken one will understand.

I am embarrassed when I think of how much I complained in my last post. I should be so grateful for my old host family taking me back in without pay. There are so many people without homes or that live in the same size room with 10 kids. That was me being selfish and ungrateful. I hate when that side of me comes out.

Plus, being back in Accra with the people that I love is totally worth the living situation. I am getting to spend time every day with my best friends here and I am reminded of why I am destroyed every time I leave this place.

Even with my troubles I have at Osu Children’s Home now there are a few children that still fill me up with so much joy I forget about all the hard things. Moses is one of these kids. When I see Moses everything that has been eating away at me disappears. He always gives me the biggest hugs and tells me that he has missed not seeing me. His smile is contagious and I wish with all my heart I could bring him home with me. Another one of these kids is Yaw Bob. When I hug him I can feel how much I truly care about these kids. I need to continue to cling to those relationships I have and fight for them.

Me and Moses Yesterday:


Yaw Bob and me last May:


I have been getting up at 5:30 every morning with the girls and leaving the house by 6:15 to go to Senior training before work. But my work schedule this week has been a little screwy. Helena traveled to do training with orphanage workers but I did not go with her this week because I am still settling in and know she will be doing a lot of these over the next 6 months. So while she has been gone I have been helping out her husband.

Kwame has an organization called Our Children Africa and it has built three schools in villages outside the city. I went with him yesterday to visit those schools and see the children. He pays the schoolteachers with his own money and then relies on donations to do the actual building of the schools. Right now one of the schools is stuck halfway built because he can’t find the funding.

After we visited his schools we went to a school for the blind out in Aburi (Where the botanical gardens are located; beautiful). None of the children at the school have walking sticks, they have just memorized the geography of their school and walk free from class to class. Kwame introduced me to a boy named Daniel who is 17. Two years ago some doctors in Accra said that if he could get a cornea transplant he would no longer be blind. When Kwame heard this he raised the money to fly Daniel to Chicago and get the surgery. It was only after getting to Chicago and they did some tests that it was discovered that it was not going to work. Kwame said what a sad day that was when they found this out. But because the doctors couldn’t give him the surgery they asked him what they could do for him and he told them that he didn’t need anything but he wanted a medical team to come to Ghana to help the visually impaired; he got his wish.

Today I have been helping Kwame with the newsletter that he wants to send out to try and promote his foundation.

Other than that; everything is great. I am reminded daily of why every time people ask me what I love about Ghana, I respond “the people”.

Follow Up from Yesterday

After waiting for 3 1/2 hours in the administration office of Osu Children's Home I was told that...the man did not know he was supposed to be leaving...so sorry there is no room for me and it won't be available until March 15th...

I am being tested...

I am back to my old host family that I was with in May. I would have continued to stay with Helena but it was too far from Accra and not being able to see the boys from Cantonments or any of the kids from the home for about a month and a half more was not OK.

But my old host family is a room 12ft x 12ft...there is no fan that reaches me in my bed. I used to share the room with five other girls but 3 of them have gone to school and so I am sharing with only 2 girls now. The empty bunk I am using to stick my suitcase on since there is no floor space. I will be living out of my suitcase for the next month and a half. My bed still has a missing slat...so my hip still goes through the bunk and my 1/2 inch foam mattress seems to have bed bugs since I woke up this morning with bugs bites all over me.

The girls woke up at 4:30am for school and the light was switched on at 5am...there is no toilet paper in the bathroom so I will go out and buy some for myself tonight...there are no plugs for me to charge my things in so I will charge them at work today...I am tired and frustrated...but being able to see the boys from Cantonments makes it worth it all.

Honestly, I don't even find enjoyment at the orphanage anymore. Most of the older boys have either gone off to school or I have put into the group home. The older boys that are left there I am not supposed to speak to because there are suspicions of me having an affair with one of the older boys...why else would I make a group home for them? I still do get enjoyment from my toddlers and the younger boys but I could see them for a few hours a week and be fine. It is not the same as having the friendships with the older kids. Also, the younger boys only want to spend so much time with me and then they run off on their own, and the toddlers can't leave their house and sleep early so there is not much of a point there.

But what keeps me sane here is the boys from Cantonments. They are my best friends in Ghana that are just friends. There is nothing hard about being friends with them because their parents haven't emotionally damaged them to the point where they will get mad for no reason (that's how it is at the orphanage). So while I am still in love with the children at the orphanage and they are still my reason for coming back and doing what I do...they are no longer what allows me to survive in Ghana. I don't know how this all sounds to the outside viewer but to be frank at this point I am just being honest. I am so thankful for the boys at Cantonments.

On a happier note! Since I am back living near Osu I was able to go to Senior training today and see some good football as well as meet a very nice volunteer from Canada. Living closer is going to make me a lot happier. I will get used to the living situation, it is just my initial frustration with Osu Children's Home.

P.S. I am happy, I love Ghana, and I am happy I am here. This has just been a period of adjustment for me and anyone who knows me knows that my personality in general has a difficult time with change. So don't think I have lost my desire to be here or my passion for what I am doing.

So here is my new room, I tried to take a couple pictures to show you what it is like.

I have to Number my thoughts

#1 The Mormons that were here helping Helena to write the standards for orphanages took us to the La Palm Royal Hotel (one of the fanciest hotels in Ghana) for dinner on Friday night. When you are sitting at the outside restaurant next to the ocean and the night-lit pool, it is easy to forget that you are in Ghana. I was having flashbacks to when my parents came to see me two years ago and how difficult it was to try and juggle the luxury vs. poverty. But it was a nice break; I had a good full meal and got to enjoy an outdoor band next to the ocean for a few hours.

#2 I wish my nails didn’t grow here...it is a hassle to have to clip them

#3 I have started to figure out that my irrationality of being in Ghana takes over when I don’t have enough food in my stomach. I have seen a direct connection to my homesickness and my food intake. I haven’t been getting as much food as my body probably needs. Hopefully this will change once I am living on my own…speaking of which:

#4 I should be moving into the orphanage tonight! I still have my doubts because it is Ghana but I packed up all my things from Helena’s and brought them all with me. I am going to miss the company of having a family around when I get home from work but that will be replaced with the kids at the home, the boys from cantonments, reading, and hopefully new volunteer friends now that I am closer.

#5 This weekend was really laid back. I went to the home Sat. morning, then I went to see my old host family from when I was here in May, and then I went and watched a couple football matches at Cantonments. Those football boys continue to keep me sane. On Sunday I just stayed out in Adenta and visited the boys at the foster home and then we all went back to Helena’s to watch Ghana in the final match of the African Cup of Nations. Sadly, Egypt won…the mood in Ghana was very blue last night.

#6 Things with my work are good but I have my moments where I think I can’t handle all of it. Helena is in the process of making me a director of her NGO, All Hands on Deck for Africa, so that I can be more involved and then get it registered in the US to be able to apply for grants. I am really excited about this but at the same time I am torn. Right now it is important for my project to be able to get grants to continue, but my long-term plan is the desire to have a for-profit organization so that it remains sustainable and does not depend on the generosity of others. So I am struggling with the fact that now I am trying to get this registered as a non-profit. But at the same time I need to do what is best for the boys at this point in time.

#7 Kwabena Nimeche is no longer going to be a part of this project. This is the boy who is the youngest in the home and the brother of the oldest, Kwame Mensah. There has been a lot of thought put into this decision but at this point in time it is the best thing for him and the project. Kwame Mensah has been able to find a very good job in Ghana and so within the next year will be moving out of the group home to live on his own and since the point was to keep them together, Kwabena Nimeche would have to go with him. But Kwame Mensah will not be able to support him on his own and our project can’t at this time fund Kwabena while he is not living in the home. In addition, he has shown a lack of interest in the project and a desire to stay at Osu Children’s Home. Our project is not strong enough to work with kids who are not willing to participate. It makes me sad but at the same time I know that Osu Children’s Home will continue to care for him. And for those of you who are confused; the woman that we were originally trying to save them from was fired and our project has evolved with a new purpose. I will try and expand on this more later. There will be a new boy moving in to replace Kwabena and Helena and I will be discussing that over the next few weeks.

#8 The importance of this project is shown to me more and more every day. Helena and I had a long discussion about armed robbers the other night and their increasing presence in Ghana. These robbers break into houses and steal things and kill the residents. A pastor who was a close friend of Helena’s daughter was a victim of one of these robberies just last month. Helena was telling me that it is these kids in orphanages who have never been shown love that turn into these robbers. They have no concept of love and don’t care about anyone but themselves, they simply believe in survival of the fittest. She told me how the kids that were brought to the home later in life have a better chance of making it out ok but it is the children that have been there since they were toddlers that then have troubles after. It breaks my heart to think of Aquilly, Akwoko, Raymond, and Efia…my 4 toddlers who are still at the home...what does life have in store for them? But even after I have said this about the armed robbery I have to believe I am safe. I have been reading Psalm 91 multiple times a day hoping it applies to me. Yes, there are times when I am scared but I am careful and smart about the way I live here. So I will continue to pray without ceasing.

#9 I wish I was an excel expert…

#10 Sometimes I forget that I am the one making decisions. I have been writing down all of these questions/decisions that need to be answered/made and then I remember… these are all things I need to sit down, think about, and decide.

For Your Enjoyment

This morning we left Helena's house at 5:30am. On our drive in we were listening to the radio and they always do this "shout out" event where every morning you can text the radio station and they will read it out loud on the radio. This morning someone texted in "Happy Birthday to my sister Adjuwa, this year on her birthday I want to tell her that even though she walks through the valley of the shadow of death she shall fear no evil" what kind of happy birthday message is that?

Anyway this is not going to be very much writing, mostly the few pictures I have taken.

Some Pictures of my office, Helena and I share a desk:







UNICEF building for our meeting:



The Group of us in front of UNICEF after our meeting: Me with Helena (far right), two people from the church of latter day saints in assisting with the orphanage standards (the other two white people), and Helena's co-worker who also shares an office with us (far left):



This is how I wash my clothes, Ishmael washing his:



Asa (far left), me, and Charles (far left); these two boys make me so unbelievably happy, Asa's mother is an Auntie at Osu Children's Home but he also plays for Cantonments F/C with Charles:



Drodu with his new glasses!! No more headaches:



My current bed (not a very good picture):



Things found on my wall; the lizard was teeny tiny, the size of my thumb; there is my friendly spider the size of a yo-yo:

I never knew that learning could be a passion

I am so scared of my brain reaching capacity.

In the week I have been here I have learned so much. I haven’t even written about a lot of it because there is just so much to write about I don’t even know where to begin.

Driving to and from Adenta with Helena, her husband Kwame, and her daughter, I have been learning all about the inside details of Ghana. I have seen their views of the government and the ways they wish they could see improvements. We read the paper in the car and then discuss what is going on. I am constantly intellectually challenged by Helena and her family and because of that I am learning so much.

Also, now that I am on the inside Helena has been telling me things about the orphanage that I would have never known and that none of the other volunteers know. She has told me about the struggles and lies that have infested the orphanage. I learned about the different volunteers who have come in to do horrible things such as abuse, seduce, or engage the older kids in bad things such as alcohol. I never understood why they were so suspicious of volunteers but I think sometimes I forget that there are people out there that have created this suspicion. They don’t just have it for no reason.

And so because of this it makes me rethink my entire time in El Salvador and my time in Ghana. I can now see how they would be skeptical of a young white female coming in and becoming good friends with the older boys. However, I also know that my intentions are pure and that because of this nothing can stand in my way. Because as Auntie Helena says… If God be for us…who can be against us?

Now that I am a business partner with Helena she has been telling me the stories of the boys and other kids in the home. She has told me these things in confidence so I will not be repeating them but some of this is almost too much for my brain to grasp.

There are times when I can tell Helena is nervous and when I ask her what is wrong she normally tells me a challenge we are having with our foster home. I think she is still scared that if things get to hard I am going to back out and leave her. I am constantly reminding her that I am in this all the way and I realize that sometimes it is going to get messy and things are going to arise that we didn’t plan for but I am not backing out. I think she likes that reassurance. Something tells me that she has been betrayed before…. I will not do that to her.

So I have finally learned more about where I have been etc. The office that I work at with Auntie Helena is actually part of the Ministries of Ghana. There are ministries for every issue…water, finance, education, social welfare etc. So the office I have been working in is actually the Department of Social Welfare Office. This is a part of the government. So while I am in this office I have been doing things for All Hands on Deck for Africa (her NGO that Mawuli Apeme runs through) and for Department of Social Welfare.

Because I am seeing the government and NGO (non-governmental organization) side of it I am learning an obscene amount. This past week we have been working with some people from Church of the Latter Day Saints who specialize in adoption and they have been coming up with a standard that they will hold all orphanages to as well as looking at the adoption requirements in Ghana. They have been dealing a lot with The Hague Convention as well as the many child protection laws in Ghana---this is all for Department of Social Welfare…not Mawuli Apeme.

This morning we had a meeting with UNICEF…yes with UNICEF…I went to their office in Ghana. I met the Chief of Child Protection in Ghana and learned about all the ways they are working with Department of Social Welfare to get some new laws passed etc. They are also working on getting Ghanaians to promote in-country adoption so that the culture can be preserved etc.

I am so excited for the next 5 months. I thought that it was going to be mostly me being in charge of myself and only working on Mawuli Apeme but after seeing the amount I have learned in one week I can’t imagine what is ahead of me. Helena lets me go everywhere with her, into every meeting. She tells me everything she is working on because she believes that I will be able to learn enough to do great things in my life. She is so much bigger than I knew.

Helena has all the details down. We were discussing some of the things she wished she could have changed while she was in the orphanage such as…the kids having their own clothes so they would feel ownership and the ways in which she was helping the development of the other kids. I am sorry if my thoughts are all over the place, I am just learning so much.

Aside from all of this here are a few random things:

1) I haven’t taken many pictures yet but when I do I will make sure to post them

2) Efia is Helena’s 4-year-old daughter and she is absolutely hysterical. She speaks so fast in twi and in English mixed so I am learning a lot more language because of her…who knows how. She is an angel, but sometimes a little much. I have been making her run in the driveway every night to try and make her tired…..it never works.

3) Even though my mosquito net is mesh I am convinced that it blocks my fan.

4) Kwame-Helena’s husband- is having me help him start up a volunteering program that is cheaper so more volunteers who just want to volunteer will be able to come- I will speak more about this later

5) The past two days there are times when I have felt down and like there is something dark looming over me but I have worked past it. I don’t know how to describe it to those of you who haven’t been here. Sometimes there is just a feeling in Ghana, a feeling of helplessness and that something is working against you. It is a horrible feeling but I also believe that spiritually I am able to work past it. It is nothing like I have ever felt in America.

So this is all for now…extremely long post but oh well. I see so much potential in what I am doing here. So even when I miss my old friends I remember why I am here and what my goal is. I can’t believe the opportunities that are in front of me.

Change in Role

As I approach my one-week mark in Ghana I am finding myself more frequently homesick than I have ever been before in my life. I am not someone who easily gets homesick. I started going away for a week at a time at age 6 and never once was I the kid at summer camp wishing I was at home. In fact, I have been known for being the one that cries once I am home because I want to go back to wherever I was.

Yet for some reason I am missing home. I think it has to do with the fact that I am not at Osu Children’s Home with the kids and I am not at Cantonments F/C either.My role in Ghana has changed and that is hard for me. I love Ghana because of the people and so it is difficult when I am not with the ones I love and care about most. I was fine this weekend, I spent the weekend with the kids at the home and with the footballers at Cantonments and I was so happy. But today I am just feeling really down.

I am also finding it hard without my good Obruni friends. The past two times I have been in Ghana I have had amazing friends and I just haven’t made those connections yet and I know I will and its only a week in but its just harder than it was before because I am missing the kids too.

But despite my missing home my brain is still ticking (if that is the right way to describe it?) Everyone I talk to has a different problem and my brain remembers each problem and tries to solve each one at the same time. I know I should focus on one at a time but I can’t help it, its just who I am, I will constantly try to take on more than I can handle.

My latest idea is to research micro-finance in Ghana and see if there is an organization like Kiva.org involved here. One of the footballers from Cantonments is a very talented artist and has been making these t-shirts upon request with fabric paint and stencils. They are extremely elaborate designs and he has his own label called WUNIs Wear. But the problem is he doesn’t have enough money to make enough of them to make a profit off of them.

He actually made me a simple t-shirt last time I was here. I want to think of a way to get his t-shirts online because people from the US would definitely wear them. If any of you are interested in these t-shirts let me know and I can possibly bring them back for you if you would want to pay me so I could pay him…they would be around $30 for him to make a $5 profit.

I just finished typing up the Juvenile Justice Act of 2003 because Ghana doesn’t not have it in soft copy…..only hard copy. So I typed up 30 pages.

Ghana beat Angola yesterday in the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations. I was getting off the tro tro in Adenta when the match finished and Ghanaians were running onto the “highway” dancing and jumping up and down.

I found out some difficult news the other day. The housefather prevented Victor from getting a blood transfusion at first when he was sick. The house was a Jehovah’s Witness and I guess they don’t believe in blood transfusions. So there is the possibility that Victor would have been able to recover if he would have gotten the blood transfusion earlier.

The house-father at Osu Children’s Home quit about a month ago; thank god.

The Boys from Mawuli Apeme are doing great. I have seen them a couple of times and they are doing wonderful. I haven’t been over to the house yet but I am going to go in the next couple of days. Hope all is well in back home.

"Ahhh You are Back in GHANA!!!!"

Ok So I am actually unsure about if the followers get an e-mail notification every time I post, I thought the did but maybe I was wrong...can someone let me know?

It is my first weekend back in Ghana and I am taking it easy. Since Adenta is so far away I have to leave Osu by 5 to get back before all the insane traffic hits and I am stuck in the tro for 3 hours.

I love Auntie Helena's family. If it weren't for Adenta being so far away I would love to live with her for the entire 6 months. Her husband is hysterical and she has a 4 year old daughter who runs in circles around me jumping up and down when I get home. Helena also has two other children but her son is schooling in California and her daughter is old enough to live on her own. But to replace those 2 children she took in her sisters children since her sister could no longer take care of them.

It is so nice to have them to come home to at night and tell me stories about when they traveled to the US. Both Helena and her husband have spent a decent amount of time in the US and Chicago was their favorite city :) They told me all about their adventures in the city and about how they used to just get on the bus and ride it in circles until they felt like getting off. I heard all about how they have gotten lost and the best places to buy cheap phones.

Next Wednesday, Kwame (Helena's husband) is going to take me to see some of his projects out in the villages. He works on building schools in rural villages so that the kids don't have to walk 15 miles to get to school. He also does a sex education class for middle aged women and explains to them that if they don't want to have a kid....they don't have to!

Then Helena has talked about us possibly traveling north of Kumasi (another big city north of Accra) to hold a training for orphanage workers in that area.

I read in the newspaper yesterday that Ghana gave money to Haiti....how amazing. In the article it explained that they gave $3,000,000 to start off with beacause that is all they could afford but they would continue to provide aid as their budget allowed for it. It even told people that they should donate at least 1 cedi (1 dollar) even if it meant they couldn't eat that day...and that not eating for one day would make a difference in the lives of the people of Haiti. What if every American didn't eat for one day and instead used that money towards Haiti?

I love being back in my area of Accra. All week people have been calling my name saying "ahhhh you are back in GHANA!!!!" one of the best feelings ever.

I am now on my way to Osu Children's Home to spend the day with the kids. I fixed the comment box so that anyone can comment now. I love hearing from you guys, so please continue to e-mail me etc.

oh p.s. my yo-yo sized spider has a wife....she is fatter and likes to run