Asamankese cont'd---- Radio Stars and Children

So it is friday morning in Accra, I have finished drafting both the Strategic Plan and the Monitoring Plan. Yeah !! Next step; circulate, make changes and next week write the final reports.

I want to finish my story from the other day, before the power goes off and I lose access to internet. (three days already this week).

After spending a couple hours at the market we were wandering through town when we heard voices calling "Obruni" (white person) from above. We looked up and the young man that was sitting behind us on the Tro Tro from Accra was trying to get our attention. Our curious nature led us to respond to his invitation. We quickly learned that he had a recording studio and he wanted to tape us on his radio station. Right away Meliss and Jo-Ann were in the booth to play around with recording their voices.

Jo-Ann in the recording studio, later on Melissa, myself and Dewise all gathered in the booth to record the following message:

I am Jo-Ann, Melissa and Jan and we are from Canada. We wish Ghana a peaceful election in 2012, happy voting Ghana ...... cheering,clapping sounds..........





I can't leave Ghana without expressing my absolute delight and joy I have experienced with the various children that I have met. Everywhere we go the children call out "Obruni", they come running, laughing and full of curiosity. They absolutely love having their pictures taken and get so excited to see their image on the camera screen.

Saturday afternoon we decided it was time to have a football match with the children at a school very close to the guest house. I| know what you are thinking, does Jan play football?  No, you are right I don't, but I was the photographer and cheerleader. Melissa and Jo-Ann initially started playing against about 10-13 boys, when eventually someone came along, stopped the game and recruited a few more players for the girl's team. We gathered a large crowd and it wasn't long before the girls were scoring goals, much to the surprise of the boys!

Sunday morning we went to Church with Auntie Jo, owner of the guest house. I don't have the creative writing skills to adequately describe the beautiful fabric and dresses that the women wore to church that day, and it wasn't appropriate to take pictures. Church was three hours long and included dancing, singing, group bible study and an hour long sermon; all of course in Twi. Then all of a sudden we hear that word " Obruni" again, the minister is calling us to the front of the church to introduce ourselves, again we were reluctant celebreties.

While leaving the church everyone wanted to chat with us, have their pictures taken and then I received another marriage proposal.  hahahahah!

After lunch we walked to Melissa school, and then up the side of a mountain to visit a few families that live on the hillside.

Our trek up the hillside to visit the children

He is very curious and moment by moment he walks closer. :))

 

Pure Joy !

Look at the scowl - by the way this is how they eat oranges, peel with knife, slice of top and suck the juice out, then throw away!

Melissa brought colouring books, story books and stickers everyone was colouring and having fun.

She walked with me down the hill and to the roadside.

I am so grateful that humans have the ability to store memories and that I have a camera because I never want to forget that afternoon on the hill.

Cheers to a great weekend!