Journal
01-15-2002
That was a heavy thought to leave in this journal—rereading the entries and relaxing to a different culture brings thoughts of admiration for what Onyameba did to take care of his driver Amos. He needed to extricate Amos from a situation caused by a couple of drunken Ghanaian civil servants, so with his understanding of the social/political forces at work in the late night event, Onyameba did the right thing. This was obvious as the two culprits were seen slinking away from the appreciative crowd. To a foreigner, the scene was not so obvious, but review and reflection make it clearer. Onyameba—if this is how you take care of those in your employ, it would be a pleasure to work for you any day. It’s entirely possible Onyameba had a little fun with the wide-eyed obronis!
This morning at Bishop Essuah Middle School is hectic setting together old Apple IIGS computers in the headmaster’s office, finding the software, cords, plug-in parts. Kwame, from Ghana Telecom, finds all the necessary transformers, multiple outlets and two to three prong adapters... after two hurried trips to the electricals store. The old Apple sputters and comes to life! Amazing!
Kwame is excited to do the Apple IIGS tour disk, a keyboarding and math drill & practice program and wonders why Apple stopped making such marvelous machines. This from the head of computers at Ghana Telecom! Several teachers and teacher-wanna-bees assemble in the office of this middle school located within Star of the Sea Cathedral compound, happy to finally have a “teaching gadget.” Ghanaian teachers for the most part have their voice, chalk, and a blackboard, so a real functioning gadget is a wonderful thing. Teacher’s salaries are paid by the state, but that is all. The rest of the school’s furnishings come from parents or the good will of other interested people. If things go well and this ancient computer continues to function in the dusty, humid, child-infested environment, there are 30 more waiting to be sent from Willmar. (If not for an alert custodian, they would be at the bottom of the Kandiyohi County landfill by now.)
We have a wonderful lunch at “Our Lady Restaurant” situated in the north end of the parish center at Star of the Sea Cathedral complex. (Near the Ahenfie Hotel, Takoradi) The café is nice looking with high-back, red velvet chairs. Harold hears constant pounding outside and upon investigating we find the cooks making fufu. Fufu is a Ghanaian staple made by pounding cassava root and plantains into a bread-dough type gooey ball. It is eaten in stews with the fingers. A finger bowl is brought before eating—plain water. After the meal another is brought—with soap. The groundnut stew and fufu at Our Lady are great, but the amount of red pepper included requires two Star Beers instead of the usual one!
Fr. Francis leads us westward down the coast to a small village called Egyam. We purchase raw coconut from some mischievous boys and visit a grotto and grounds where outdoor Masses are celebrated by the entire Diocese of Sekondi/Takoradi. It is a pleasant hillside area with a nice view, catching the ocean breezes in the warm January sun. We continue on to Dixcove, touring the large castle there. The president of the local Catholic parish is our host on the tour of both castle and church. He has come to Dixcove just because we are there and is the “Head Fisherman” of the village, according to Fr. Francis. Both structures are beautiful; the castle affording wonderful views of the bay and village and the church featuring beautifully hand carved wood.
Fr. Francis departs for T’adi while we continue on to Ankobra Beach Resort near the village of Axim. This resort is truly paradise on earth! Individual bungalows with terrazzo floors and of modern design are lined up in a thick grove of coconut palms with pathways leading to the beach. There are very few visitors, so one can be isolated on the beach only being interrupted by the waiters bringing Star Beer and Club Sandwiches. A rock outcropping on the west end of the resort property is a beautiful place to hide to watch the surf pound away, swirling and foaming around volcanic mounds. It is truly restful sleeping to the slap of the surf!
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