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HOME AGAIN
Yesterday, because we weren’t sure how bad the traffic might get later in the day, I arrived at the airport 6 hours early for my flight out of Accra, Ghana. At 10 pm we left for New York. That flight was 11 hours and I got very little sleep. That put us at JFK at just after 4 am Eastern time. And because of delays, I had a full 10 hours to wander that airport. I walked off the plane in Indianapolis at about 4 pm. Now it is almost 11 pm – which feels like 3 am to me…
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BLACK PANTHER EFFECT?
As I packed my suitcases this morning, I was reflecting on a video segment from Good Morning America that was posted a couple of days ago on YouTube. In the video, entitled “The ‘Black Panther’ Effect in Ghana”, host Robin Roberts explains how the Marvel movie has brought positive attention to the African continent and how Ghana in particular embodies the spirit of the fictional kingdom of Wakanda. Roberts gushes that ever since it gained independence from colonial rule 65 years ago, Ghana has been “leading the charge in innovation and development”. It’s the definition of a “puff piece”, featuring,…
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THE LAST NIGHT
This is my last night in Ghana and I am feeling a jumble of emotions. I woke up this morning quite ready to get home to Melissa and the kids in Indiana. And even ready to jump into fundraising for the future of Mission Resource. I had missed family time at a friend’s wedding over the weekend and now I was 6,000 miles away for Samuel’s 19th birthday. Plus, we didn’t have much on the agenda for today – just hitting a tourist market in Accra for some souvenirs and then out to a property Mission Resource purchased a few…
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GRASSCUTTERS
Here’s a business opportunity you may be interested in investing in through Mission Resource: raising grasscutters. When you think of African wildlife, you tend to picture lions, giraffes, hippos and monkeys. If you’re like me, you are not so familiar with the grasscutter. The scientific name of the animal is Thryonomys swinderianus. Also known as a cane rat. They can reach 2 feet in length and 11 pounds in weight. So why raise giant rats? For food, of course. Grasscutter meat is considered a delicacy. And when it comes to nutrition, it is a healthier alternative to other meats: low in…
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DANCE
It can be humbling. And eye-opening. Going to church this morning in Gbetsile, Ghana was like that for me. American Christians could learn a few things from the Ghanaian church: Do we in the U.S. really need to be so staid, formal, and formulaic in our approach to God each Sunday morning? Isn’t our rather fastidious approach bound to limit the Spirit’s movement? Is it possible to break free? Can we dance?
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RAINY DAY
We had some relatively lowkey plans for the day, but Emmanuel called this morning to say he needed some extra rest. He has been fighting a suspected bout of malaria. (He says he gets malaria about twice a year.) He first started feeling poorly a few days ago but I think he soldiered through and held the disease at bay by sheer willpower while he drove me all over the country. So when he got back to his family yesterday after being gone since Sunday morning, he finally gave himself permission to feel sick. Emmanuel’s illness and a gray blanket…
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COUNTRY ROADS
Tonight I have two big projects due for my doctorate classes. For a while, I seriously thought I was going to be able to complete them while I was in Ghana. If nothing else, I reasoned, we would have hours of travel in Emmanuel’s pick up truck. It just goes to show I had no idea what to expect out of this trip. Even with all my years in Haiti. I made an attempt! A couple of days ago, I pulled my laptop out as Emmanuel was driving us from one village to the next. My fingers bounced all over…
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ANSWERED
Today Emmanuel and I crossed Lake Volta on a ferry a bit too late in the day to continue traveling on. (The sun sets by 6:30 and then it’s too dark to navigate the potholes in the road safely.) So we are spending the night at a guesthouse in Dambai, a scenic little town. I will try to post some photos of the town and my room at the bottom. (The owner of the guesthouse must have gotten a good deal on tile!) I have limited internet, so I thought I better get back in the saddle, but I will…
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48 HOURS
Last night I slept in a village called Akplale, and, as I suspected, I had no way to connect to internet. Emmanuel and I did have a great dinner and a great breakfast and running water and electricity, so no complaints! It didn’t bother me (too much) to break my daily writing and posting streak. Although I didn’t post, I DID write plenty throughout the day – taking notes on various clients of Mission Resource across several villages. I haven’t had a chance to edit any of my photos yet, but I wanted to give my wife and kids a…
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TRANSITION
Today I crossed from Elmina, back through the capital, Accra, and then down the coast to the East to an area called Tema. The traffic took it out of me today. I spent at least six hours in a car but probably traveled only 120 miles or so. And I am beat! The drivers we shared the road with this evening would have felt right at home on Haitian roads! A little crazy. I am now under the care of Emmanuel, Mission Resource’s main man in Ghana. In the next two weeks we are going to cover a lot of…
