Introducing the bagpipes to the kids

In this photo the kids get their first taste of "Celtic" music from the "pipes" When I finished playing it was time to let them give it a try and there was no shortage of volunteers.

My next attempt will be to add some albums to the blog so there will be a more complete history of what we accomplished.

Monday January 25, 2010

We're all back home and presumably rested. I finally got a full night's sleep and the malady many of us experienced seems to have resolved itself. This week, as I find the time, I will attempt to add more photos to the blog to give some of the descriptions more flavor.
Thanks to all of you who followed our journey and supported us. Special thanks to my teammates for their care and concern when I heard the news of my best friend going home to be with our Lord.

Wednesday January 20, 2010

We're back in the U.S.A after 27 hours of flying and hanging around airports. The trip home was uneventful compared to the trip over and we're all grateful for that. Now comes the task of sorting out all the photos and putting them in a site where they can be viewed by all who are interested. Kristen has volunteered to set that up when she returns to Pittsburgh this week so keep checking back for the links to the photo albums. Later today when I find my flash drive amongst all the luggage that is still unpacked I will post a few of my favorites from the Birthday Party. We just got too busy to post photos and the internet connection in Kumasi is very slow and unreliable.
Thanks for all the support and encouragement. Everyone of us would gather or inquire around the "laptop" each morning to see what messages we received. This blog will stay active and I will update it periodically.

Sunday January 17, 2009

Each day is full of surprises and challenges and this one offered both. We went to Pastor Kofi's church for services today and participated in the service. I was selected to do the scripture reading and then the group of us sang a medley of songs; following that I played Amazing Grace on the bagpipes followed by Barbara singing two verses of it a capella. The congregation joined in with clapping and singing along. The music by the choir and the congregation can best be described as "inspired". Even though we could not understand the words (the services are conducted in "Twi", the local dialect)it didn't take long to pick up on the message and get into the spirit of the service. Pastor Kofi gave a masterful sermon in English that was simultaneously translated into Twi by his assistant. They never missed a beat and he wove our visit into the sermon. Following the sermon there was more music and dancing. The music is infectious and before we knew it we were all up dancing with the rest of the congregation.
Following the service, which lasted several hours, we moved over to the orphanage and began setting up for the giant birthday party. Words cannot describe what this was like so I'm off to upload some of the photos and will let the pictures tell the story. But, as a teaser, picture 18 & 20 year old young men in party hats with "blow tickles" and goofy kids sunglasses having as much fun as the 6 year olds. Today was our grand finale and we did it up right.
It wasn't all fun and games, though, we did conduct some business. Through the generiosity of the FUMC congregation we provided scholarship money for 8 students to stay in high school and also provided funds to keep all the primary school students enrolled. Additionally we brought school supplies and first aid supplies for them to use.

A special message to Mallory and Emily:
Robert received his packages and is very grateful; he also gave me letters to bring to you which I will have when we arrive at the church or I can leave them for you in the church office.
Good night all;

Saturday January 16, 2010 updated again

Today turned out to be even more amazing than I thought it would be. For starters we went to the largest outdoor market I have ever seen. The ones I experienced in Viet Nam pale next to the one in Kumasi Ghana for complexity, variety of items sold and the skill and memory it takes to work your way through it. I have assumed the role of being the "banker" for our funds which are used to purchase products for the orphanage and our other projects. Therefore I have to accompany our hosts as they take us to areas where we get the best products and prices. Today we shopped for more food, personal hygiene items, footwear and other clothing items. We got it all in the open air market in conditions that have to be experienced to be believed. The cacophony of sound from all the vendors hawking their wares competes with all types of music and the sounds of horns being blown in the traffic jam that surrouds the area. But, somehow it all works and we got all we needed at prices that were very reasonable and the orphanage is now resupplied.
After the market and a brief stop for lunch we then attended a funeral for a family member of our host/guide. At the funeral we were received as "friends of the family" and afforded many courtesies. We were even asked to join in the dance with our host, Ama, who led us out to the center of a large field surrounded by the whole village, it seemed, and we danced to very lively African music. It was intimidating to say the least, for me anyway as I have very limited dancing skills, but we got into the spirit of the occasion and managed to do quite well. We then met the village elder, our host's elder brother Professor Akwabi-Ameyaw who gave us a history of the customs that under pin what we had just participated in and it became clearer the reverence for life that Ghanaians have. A very good day.

Saturday January 16, 2010

Posted by Barbara:

This is Sophia. Sophia is 13 years old. She's been at the orphanage since she was about 5 years old. She doesn't remember anything that happened before she came to the orphanage. She thinks her birthday is May 17th but she's not sure. She is extremely bright, she just finished her exams and she passed all of her classes with flying colors. She gave me a wish list of the things she needed, and it included school shoes,personal hygiene items a wash cloth and a sponge. We plan to keep in touch.

Early Saturday Morning

It's one of those too hot to sleep mornings. The air conditioning is acting strange and the water pump is turned off so there is no water in my room. So, I'm here in the hotel lobby trying to think of pithy things to write. Internet is sporadic so I don't want to waste the connection.
Today will be another round of buying supplies for the orphanage and another school we have learned of. The needs here are many and we are fortunate enough to be able to provide some assistance in each area.
We will be attending a funeral later in the day and we are told it is more a celebration of life than the mourning of a death. This will be an opportunity to experience a cultural difference that will be enlightening.

Friday January 15, 2010

Mixie writes:
Today we became children all over again. We visited the King Jesus Orphanage this morning, promising to return after we did their shopping. They met our bus with their usual euphoria, grabbing at our hands the minute we disembarked. Jill Monahan from Pittsburgh made a few phone calls at home and got 15 soccer balls donated and my son, Geoff Hockman made 50 uniforms available for an extremely nominal fee. The adrenaline was beginning to hit a feverish pitch and then we brought out the uniforms. The children were beside themselves. Teams were selected by Pastor Kofi,the boys ran to their rooms to put on the uniforms. Fred's special guy Isaac was holding his hand so solidly fearful that we would run out of uniforms before he got his; when they called his name he had a smile that lit up the courtyard. I've never seen a kid so happy over receiving something he never dreamed he would have.
Eventually there was the team in white and the team in green. They stood in the courtyard, double file lines. Each child was holding the hand of their "Rival". The adrenaline was measurable. Then the Piece de resistance was when Pastor Kofi came running out in his green uniform. Every one cheered and the children began to file to the soccer "Football" field. They began to sing a song and I believe every one of us, got their breath caught in their heart. The children played their hearts out and we all sat relaxed and watching this miracle unfold. They have not had soccer balls in a very long time and they have never had uniforms. It was an image that is burned in my heart forever. Eventually the game was over and the children ran in and exchanged their uniforms with others and the fun began all over again. As if this was not enough for one day, we were all over the orphanage grounds when we heard this sound and the look on the childrens faces was incredulous. We all ran to the front by the gates and Fred had begun playing his bagpipes. He started out with the 92nd Gordon Highlanders and the children stood with rapt attention. We all rushed to take pictures of the wonder on their faces. Fred invited a little guy to play the notes while Fred inflated the bag and kept the drones going.
Don't know how you could have ever had a more wonderful day, but then who knows what tomorrow will bring.
We are being blessed by "God moments" at every turn. It is something special,this land of Ghana.

Thursday January 14 2010

Today was another amazing day. We visited the ladies who make the batik cloth and I was able to learn how to do it; step by step from the initial preparation of the cloth to the final dying. It was great fun and the women were very patient with my lack of knowledge with the process. We also went to visit the school where the students we sponsor attend. We met them and the school administrators and they are outstanding young men and women that will be part of the fabric that has a positive impact on this country. We also went to the cultural center where we did some shopping; for the "Ghana Shanty" back at church which generates revenue to support future projects as well as getting some personal souvenirs and gifts for back home.
The most compelling moment of the day, for me, was the little walk through the village to meet with the families who have taken HIV positive orphans into their homes. They are people with tremendous compassion and their only request is assistance in helping to educate these young boys and girls.
Throughout this trip, thus far, I am taken with the industriousness, and warmth of the Ghanaian people. Everyone is genuinely glad to see us, very appreciative of what we are doing and willing to be a part of this mission. It truly reinforces my belief that amongst all the lunacy that exists in the world that there are good people working hard every day to make their little piece of the world better; I'm proud to play whatever role I can in that.
I will add photos later, or in the morning. Right now it's late and I'm pleasantl exhausted. Tomorrow we return to the orphanage and I'm going to introduce the young children to the "skirl of the pipes"
G'night

Wednesday Post

I'm a little late on the post because we had no internet connection last night.
It was a very busy day with a trip to the Assaske Hospital (not sure of the spelling)for a very emotional meeting with the director, physicians and staff. It is quite a place and they do great work. Then we went to visit Rita and met her husband Steve and then it was off to the orphanage. The kids were extremely happy to meet us and we were happy to be with them. I'm going to let others write about the hospital visit because they will do a better job of describing the significance of the visit.

Notes from Mixie:
A few reflections on our visit to the Ankaase Hospital. Our Penny Project money our church youth raised offered $12,000 to this hospital last year. They have begun a building project to increase the size of the hospital. We brought bed sheets for them as our gift. We were so moved by our visit we wished wo had more to offer. They took us into a room with rows of chairs. All the officers of the hospital were there and they told about their needs and how they have become the biggest hospital facility in use by many of the surrounding areas as well. The picture I want to download is of the people waiting in an open air inside location that was there outpatient area. You'll notice a chicken walking through the area. The most memorable story was when a young doctor told us of their need for a maternity ward as right now a person can be giving birth in one bed and the person in the next bed can have pneumonia or malaria. Many of us were moved to tears as we discussed this situation. It is present throughout the world but when you witness it personally it changes your perspective on your life and what you can do to impact an injustice.Wewere incrediblly moved by this. After we finished our meeting with the "elders" we stood up, Sally offered a prayer as did they and then they began to sing a song to us. It was a powerful moment.

Tuesday Night - Late

Sally and Kristen arrived safely along with all our luggage. The team is back together and will be leaving early tomorrow morning for Kumasi.

Special message to Jeff from Mixie: "All is well; love to you and the family"

That's all for tonight; lots to do tomorrow

First day of sightseeing

Today we spent the day seeing the local sites and experiencing the local culture here in Accra. Tonight our final two team members will arrive and early tomorrow morning we will head up to the orphanage at Kumasi. A slight change in plans but if you can't be adaptable over here then you're not going to enjoy it.
We went to the open air market and learned the fine art of barter; I have much to learn. Then we went to the Kwame Nkruhma Memorial Park and learned some of the history of this country. Kwame Nkruhma was the first president of Ghana when it obtained its independence from Britain in 1957.
From there we went to the beach to see the Atlantic Ocean from this side and then off to have some lunch. Dining in Ghana is much more formal than in the U.S. and we had real plates and silverware in what would be considered a "Fast Food" restaurant. The food was tasty and the service was very good.
We had some interesting experiences with the street vendors who are everywhere in this city selling every imaginable item. I ended up buying a replacement of reading glasses from guy in the street while our driver never stopped the van. This guy should be in the Olympics. He kept up with the van, sold me the right strength glasses and made change without ever stopping. We also bought some plantains and I discovered that they are delicious; I'll be keeping some in my room as a late night snack.

If anyone thinks travel is glamorous . . . .

Hi Jan, You ask why the plane didn't wait for us? Good question and one Kristen and I tried to get answered in London. We think we finally got to the bottom of it. Our BA flight from London to Accra was oversold and since Kristen and I were the last to arrive at the gate-sorry Charlie-no seats. One of the BA agents tried desperately to get us on the flight so we were grateful for our angel who made us feel cared for in spite of the outcome. And, if you know anything about Heathrow, you know it is as big as a country so running to catch a flight is like a marathon. No it wasn't because I was the old slow poke, or Kristen. American Airlines screwed up our boarding passes and we had to make an extra stop. Travel is so glamorous. xo, sally
January 12, 2010 2:51 AM

Greetings from the 9 who made the flight

Thanks Sally for updating us; please bring our luggage with you. When we arrived in Accra we discovered that we made the flight but our luggage did not. But, God prevailed and Amah and Victor were waiting for us after we cleared customs and we are in the Crystal Palm Hotel enjoying a fine breakfast and laughing at what looked like a disaster turning into just another memory.

London Layover

Following was posted by Sally:

So, what is the worst thing that can happen for a mission trip leader? You got it! Your group gets seperated while running through Heathrow due to a severely delayed flight out ofChicago and nine out of eleven of us make it on our flight to Accra leaving the last two stranded in London overnight. Thank God I am one of the stragglers and have the company of dear Kristen. We are enjoying this luxurious airport hotel while the others are still en route to Accra. What tomorrow may bring is anyone's guess when it comes to travel these days. Fortunaltely the group going into Accra is in the capable hands of PatGardner and Edee Gutowski who have been through the Accra airport drill before, and I again marvel at how God works. And now that the worst has happened we can all relax and go with the flow.

Hey Ghana Group, hope to see you tomorrow night at the hotel in Accra, unless you have make the executive decision to go ahead to Kumasi wihtout us. It's ok, (sinff, sniff) Kristen and I can handle anything at this point.

Added a local time feature

I added a local time feature so our family and friends will understand why we call them so early in the morning. Ghana is 5 hours ahead of us and I selected the 24 hour clock common to the military and also most European countries. I'm not sure what they use in Ghana but most train/bus schedules in the countries I've traveled to use the 24 hour clock. Anyway, for me, it's fun to tell time in this fashion.

Last minute details

This is the weather we are leaving for the warm climate in Ghana; just checked the weather in Kumasi and it's 93F during the day and 71F over night. Today the banking project and final packing will be completed. Our daughter arrived safely so our "house sitter" is safely ensconced with our Scottie resting comfortably on her lap. Those two are inseparable. I solved the mystery of bypassing the photo software for my camera and learned how to upload photos directly. The above photo is a test. The blog is now open to anyone who wants to read it and I will help those of you who couldn't access as "authors/readers" while we are on the trip.
I think that completes all the little details that need attending to; if not I'm sure Pat will remind me.

See all of you tomorrow.

Final Preparations

I returned from Wisconsin today just before a major snowstorm was to hit. Final preparations are being made and I'm making this post from the FUMC laptop to make sure it will work while we're travelling. So far it looks like a go. I'm really looking forward to going from 6F in Wisconsin to 90F in Ghana. Hope all the rest of you are packed and ready to go on Sunday. I also hope airport security doesn't have a problem with bagpipes.