And on the Seventh Day I Rested

It's hard to believe how much I've crammed into one week - this time last week I was working at least twelve hours each day and then going home to organize and pack for this trip, flew half way across the world, partied 'til the wee hours of the morning, took in some of that hot Ghana sun and on the seventh day...I rested!


Today I woke up at 6:30 a.m. (with the help of the roosters outside my window) to get to a 7:45 a.m. church service with Agnes, a good grad school friend of my friend Thenera who is back here in her homeland of Ghana after spending some time in NYC.  Yes, folks, I woke up at 6:30 in the morning...and so we're clear, that was only for the Lord so don't get any bright ideas.  HA!

After going all the way across town with the taxi driver asking a few different people where the church was and then the last guy just hopping in the front seat and going all the way there with us, I finally made it.  Sidenote: Keysha and Dashe, I saw a Kingdom Hall on the way to church - same set up, square building with a gate around it.

So I get in the church (late because we got turned around a few times) and I can't concentrate for a few reasons. 1) The church ladies in the states ain't got nothing on Ghana.  I was so in awe of the fashion of the Ghanaian ladies that I had a hard time concentrating because I was staring at every single beautiful outfit that walked past. I literally wanted to pull out my camera during offering time and have each one of them stop so I could snap a pic. 2) There was a pastor speaking English (with an accent) and an interpreter right next to him speaking Twi, the native tongue most dominant here in Ghana.

Even though I caught every third word, it was a great sermon about experiencing the totality of God's blessings and how obedience and belief allows you to experience his grace.  Good stuff!  After a good sermon followed by Bible study, I was off in another cab heading back toward my hotel.  My cab driver this time around, Sir Jonas Pra of Cape Coast, took me on the scenic route and it was awesome.  After snapping lots of good pictures out the window, we finally landed back at the hotel - but not before we had decided that we would marry and have lots of children!  HA!  He gave me an African name Aku Pra...I snapped a pic of my new husband and he was off.  I later found out that since I'm the second daughter my name can't be Aku, but it has to be Korkor (pronounced CoCo).  So Keniesha, Lakiesha, Dashe and Denise, your name is Aku; Keysha, you are Korkor like me; and Mama, I didn't get the name for the third daughter...I'll let you know about that!  =)

Since I arrived in Ghana, I'd been ok as far as the nausea from the malaria meds goes, but today I took it wrong and found myself with an icky tummy all day.  And plus, I think all the fatigue from this week came crashing down today.  I slept soundly by the pool until Michael came to retrieve the cell phones his Auntie Evelyn sent with me to bring to him in Ghana to fix.  Evelyn is a woman I met a few weeks ago at the Children of Uganda fundraiser who was so kind as to put me in touch with her nephew and nieces here in the country to hang out with (in the last blog, I mentioned that she works at the IMF and was acquainted with the other woman here at my hotel).

Michael is a young baby-faced man child of almost 31 who is soft-spoken, very into technology and fixing things, mannerable and was raised by a host of relatives as he lost his mother at the young age of 5.  So when I mentioned my cell phone doesn't work over here, he set out on an all-day mission to fix it...I mean ALL day!  I had to DRAG him away to walk down to the ocean and through the neighborhood on a nice stroll at dusk.  I have decided that I am so in love with the children of Ghana - they are sturdy, resourceful, care-free, active and cute.  I mean, who knew they still made kids like these?!

All in all, good day, lots of dozing in the cabana while Michael plotted and schemed new ways of getting my phone to recognize the networks in Ghana and for the SIM card to work.  Michael, Kate and I were supposed to go out partying tonight but yours truly is pooped.  Also at the hotel, Petra (a Slovenian woman who has been here for a couple months trying to adopt a little Ghanaian three-year old boy named Kofi) is stuck here for another few days because of the crazy snowing in Europe (they're making London home).  She wasn't phased because as she said "Kofi was born for me", so she has her boy and couldn't care less where they are just as long as they are together...and they're blessed to have each other.

So looks like for one reason or another, we're all chilling out today.  Phone update: Still not working, Michael left feeling defeated...I blame Verizon and will be giving them a piece of my mind when I get back.  I might buy a cheap phone over here to have when I get on the road to Cape Coast and Kumasi and then I might continue to rough it.  More to come on that front.

Night night ya'll, sorry these are getting longer and longer, but thanks for keeping up with me.

Kate and I showing love before I head off to church.  By the smile on my face, you wouldn't even know that it's VERY early in the morning.

My favorite buddy Nenekwame and I snap pics before church.

Awwww, my love Jonas Pra.  He kinda looks like my Uncle Calvin, so somehow I feel like I just married my cousin!  HA!

Look at that face!  I love the kids here in Ghana, he was leading the horses down to the ocean to take baths, one by one.

Oh dear, sweet, determined Michael.  He was really working on my phone...and lo and behold, still doesn't work.

 

 

 

 

Petra and Kofi - he's just too cute for words and they are so in love with each other.