Saturday June 18

The day started off with rain, but luckily it stopped in time for our 7am hike.  It is about 2-3 hours to the upper falls.  We had a guide and the walk started off slowly and easy.  I was able to enjoy the beautiful variety of butterflies and dragonflies.  The path wove through the forest and across a brook.  There were little bridges across the water.  It seemed easy enough until we came to a small fork and Rudy told me, "now we climb." The guide handed me a walking stick and we started hiking straight up.  The small path was just wide enough to go single file.  We got 1/4 of the way and I had to stop.  I didn't know if I'd be able to do it.  It was like climbing hundreds of slippery stairs. 

We finally made it to the top.  I could see the town down in the valley. 

Then we had to climb down a ways to where the waterfall was.  The waterfall is breathtaking.  I wanted to stay there all day (partly because I was terrified of going down the way we had come up!)

We finally started the journey back down.  It was slippery and gravity wanted me off my feet, but we made it to flat land.  We went a little further into the forest to the lower falls.  This is far more public, but interesting because the cliffs beside the falls are home to thousands of bats! 

Look closely on the left. All the dots are bats!

We rested and returned to the guest house.  The walk back somehow seeming much longer!

Friday June 17

This weekend I'm traveling to Ho Hoe (pronounced Ho Hway) with Rudy to go to a monkey sanctuary and to hike to see some waterfalls. 

Rudy came to pick me up at 9 and we got into one of the rickety vans, called a Trotro. (Side note, each trotro ride was 3+ hours long) We rode to Ho, switched vans and went to the sanctuary on a moterbike.  I'm secretly loving moterbikes, they're dangerous but so fun!

I HELD SO MANY MONKEYS! They are called Mona Monkeys.  They were worshiped by the local tribes and followed when they migrated.  I fed them bananas.  They climbed all over me and got me really dirty.  We took another trotro to Ho Hoe and a cab to the secluded falls.  We stayed in a guest house at the base of the mountain and decided to start hiking in the morning.

Wednesday June 15

Antibiotics are working.  I went to work today.  I did baby and office stuff in the morning then went to the high school.  They wanted to ask me questions about the US.  They asked about Osama Bin Laden, the economy, Obama's popularity..It was an intense sociological discussion.  The teachers were just as involved as the students. 

After lunch I had to help Ms. Ester attend to a government worker who was inquiring about the home because the US Embassy will be providing mosquito nets for everyone.

I went home at 3 but came back for church at 7. It was much better than my Evangelical experience.  I think I'm a baptist in Ghana!!

Tuesday June 14

I am sick!  Last night the neighbors were burning trash and ths smoke came right into my room.  I feel miserable.  I'm taking antbiotics, but I'm not able to work today.

Monday June 13

Back to work today! :) I was excited to see the kids again.  I got to the nursery/office and the babies swarmed me.  I was covered in babies! They'd missed me!  We got them cleaned, fed and put down for their nap.  I went down to the level 3 kids because they wanted to show me that they'd been working on their complex multiplication.  I love the way the kids work together.  When one is at the board it's like the Price is Right!  The kid at the board does what he can, and when he gets stuck he turns around and the others yell out the answers or the next step. 

School was held in the multipurpose area because the school building was flooded.  There was even a turtle swinning around in there.  After lunch I went back to Ms. Ester and talked about the new building.  Ms. Ester explained to me who Jesse Brooks was.  The orphanage is sponsered by the Jesse Brooks Foundation.  Ms. Tammy and Pastor Chris had a daughter Jesse who dreamed becoming a missionary and creating the home.  She was 11 when she died in a car accident.  Her parents took it upon themselves to make her dream come true.  They lost a child, but in that loss they've given a second chance to over 40 children. 

Sunday June 12

Today I went to church with my neighbor Paul.  I went downstairs at 6:30 and  Paul was still sleeping.  I was overjoyed! I was ready to go back to bed, but Paul emerged and rushed to get ready.  He pulled himself together and explained that he'd been in the hospial with his pastor whose wifehad a baby.  I listened as we left.  We took motorbikes because we were late, which was an interesting experience since I was wearing a skirt...We arrived to a structure that was open with a roof. 

We were late and I was ushered to a seat by a woman.  Paul went over to the music section.  He failed to mention that he was not going to be with me!  I will quickly summarize 3 hours of Evangelical ( yes the same as Jesus Camp) service.
-Songs as long as the spirit moved the singers to sing them
-3 ministers with three seperate messages, all yelled in a voice similar to Grover from sesame street and translated into Ewe. 
-Welcoming the newcomers (me) to be prayed over then wisked away to a seperate building.
When I was taken away with the others another preacher told us that we should join the church.  I told them I was visiting and had a church in the US and asked if I could leave. The minister told me that I could wait.  As soon as I had the chance I left. 

I was solicited for funds, asked to bring people to the US and host people in the church.  I felt like everyone wanted something from me.  I just wanted to leave.  Paul however was enjoing showing me off.  He asked me to go to the hospital to take pictures of the baby of the minister who tried to convert me...It was pouring and I started walking home. 

Paul finally got the picture and got us a cab home.

Tonight I met up with Rudy and we went to the beach.  There's always a beach party on Sundays.  We had a good time but went home early.  I'd had a long day!!

Saturday!

I cannot believe it's been a week already.  I am settling in, getting used to the sites and sounds, and feeling welcomed and accepted. 

I was supposed to go hiking at this waterfall with Rudy today, but it was rainy this morning and we didn't feel like hiking in mud.  Instead we went to the beach and played cards.  It was a really quiet and mellow day.  Rudy laughed at my sunburn and taught me a crazy German dice game his wife Julia taught him.  I can't wait to teach everyone at home.  It's way cooler than Yatzee.

This is a baby pig in front of a fishing boat at the beach.

I have been invited to church in the morning, and I cannot say no, even though I really want to.  It starts ay 6:30 am and goes until 12:30 pm.  Seriously.  I love the Lord more than anything, but 6 hours seems a little intense to me. 

I will be sure to let everyone know how it goes.