Jody's Journey in Ghana: July 2007

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Day 5

I've been here 5 days now and the people of Ghana managed to break my heart today... and not only once, but twice.

I have spent most of this week getting oriented/acquainted with my surroundings, working environment and a vague grasp on what my job will be.

My boss wants me to focus on an HIV awareness/prevention type program that I am to design that went on the backburner up to now, since they have lacked someone to follow it through.

The more days that pass with me living in this free and beautiful country, the more I am beginning to feel at ease/at home. Ghanaian's are beautiful people. Both physically and the way they treat one another. This country is safe, friendly, patriotic, people are respectful, very professional and even go out of their way to accomodate you where they can in all capacities... even in speaking english. (For those who knew of my journey in South Africa, you will know this experience is much different!)

I keep waiting for something bad to happen, as life is very easy-going and relaxed here...
no complaints.

Give me a few more weeks and that story may change!

In the beginning I mentioned being extremely touched by some Ghanaian's I met today...

the first was this woman who we approached who was living in a shack made of wood planks on stilts, and had a plastic bag on her head for warmth. She told us of the journeys she made in her youth... to USA, Canada, Europe and was living well throughout her time abroad. When she came back to Ghana to retire, her husband left her, and she is unable to locate her 2 grown children who are expected to bear the responsibility of taking care of their aged mother. No one is to be found or located.

The second woman we met in her shack which had beams from the roof coming down atop her bed and she was an amputee with only 1 leg. I remember when our host was describing her situation, our eyes met and I smiled at her- with my eyes and she did the same, then looked down right away.

The moment in time when we made eye contact- I have to say is one of those rare moments that only we as human beings can ever experience. The only way I really know how to describe it is in saying it was a very primal, raw and emotional connection but without words.

Then the elderly woman began to cry after I looked away from her. These types of human connections are so rare in our lives, but when it happens with an elderly person-- especially an elderly African person, there is something that just reaches right into your heart and takes hold.

Both of these women moved me to tears b/c of the way age has laid its heavy hands on their tiny, frail bodies in horrible living conditions without a family member in sight. They left their footprint in my heart today.

Oh Ghana... my journey has already begun.

I just wanted to share my experience today with you so that you may be able to take a moment in your busy day of challenges, annoyances and worries-- to reflect on your blessings. These women will never have a fraction of what a Canadian takes for granted daily. Please be mindful of that today as you go about your interactions with others.

I was moved today, and hope you can be reminded today of the beautiful gifts we are blessed with daily here on earth.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Arrived alive

I have officially landed again in the beloved Motherland of Africa. Though my journey wasn't as bump-free as my one to Durban in 2006, I'm hoping a rough journey makes for a better time?!

When I got to the Toronto airport, the line was so huge and they were taking forever to check people in- so because of this, I had to literally RUN to my boarding gate, which I made in the knick of time!! My stopover in Amsterdam was fine, but my arrival in Ghana was challenging.

Firstoff, the plane was 2.5 hours late, so when I got here to Accra and looked for a sign reading, 'Jody- HelpAge Ghana' by my boss and saw no one I was slightly panicking! But before I even reached that point, I waited and waited, then waited a bit more for my 2 pieces of luggage to come off the belt... my bag pack came off quickly but my suitcase was NOWHERE to be found?? So again, just slightly freaking out (and already scared then too, that my boss had given up on me) I went to one of the baggage worker's and he went looking for it. I went to go register it as 'lost' and here he came back running, 'Miss... sissy! I have! I have' He had my bag!! Turns out some crackhead had it on HIS own cart!! Though I doubt he was trying to steal it, it likely looked like his or some nonsense.

But my heart and stomach just sank when I didn't see my boss waiting for me, now 3 hours later in this foreign country. Then by the blessing of God, I was led outside to the warm Ghanaian air in pitch dark (power outage) and he recognized my shirt and called me out. WHEW!!

He told me he had been standing there waiting the whole 3 hours b/c they don't let people into the airport for security reasons (can you imagine?) and it was 'no problem'! He also insisted on carrying my heavy-ass bags for me.
He seems very, very kind & easy-going.

I was also happy to see my roomies from Ottawa and my digs are pretty nice... TOO nice for Africa!! I have my own room, my own bathroom, toilet that flushes how ours do in Canada, my own running cold water shower and of course my friends, the gecko lizards. Oh, and a few cockroaches too.
But I am also paying a pretty price for these lovely lodgings and the girls and I are going to look into something closer to where we work: Osu... closer to the other Canadians too. But for now, this is luxury and I'm living it up!
It is part of a doctor's clinic, so of course is gated as well.

And I arrived during a power outage, but our place has a generator (another luxury) so all is well.

My overall impressions of Accra are that it reminds me a lot of my days in Zambia. And the heat reminds me of what I don't miss about Durban! But I am still so new here... my adventure has just begun.

I go into the office tomorrow with the girls and may even get a cell phone soon! Let me know if you want my number.

For my family...
I am being as mindful as I can with jetlag about that water and malaria situation. I killed 2 mosquito's last night after my refreshing shower and am drinking out of purified water bags (called 'sachet's here).

I think that's about it for my update for now, as I have emails to reply to too.

I love you all and am carrying you close at heart with all your words, thoughts, prayers and well wishes for this journey of mine! Feel free to leave your comments if you have any, it's always great to hear from you.

With love from Ghana,

Jody