From the Spiritual Renewal Center

Getting up by 6 and taking a walk is wonderful.  So cool and pleasant.  We are on the road each day by 8 to go to a hands on class of some sort.  We have been learning about bee keeping, and rabbit rearing so next step is to build the cages.  We went to a lumber yard.  The trainees thought it was to pick up the specific parts but noooo we actually had to plan the cages with information we had received.  We gave measurements  and they cut the wood for us, then we got all the parts we needed to put it together and even though this sounds simple it was not.  However, we finally were ready to put together and the Ghanaians wanted to help and sort of took over – did not make PC Trainees very happy. 

We were under a tree learning about where to put the bee hives and what they needed to have out in the open, like facing east so they would get up early and start to work, make sure rain and wind would not bother them.  The group that went the night before to get into a hive asked lot of questions.  I am just not going to be able to put on a suit and run around with the bees.  If my community wants to do this they will have to send someone to show them I am way to uncomfortable with it.

Today we went to learn about dry season farming.  It was cool because they had gotten help to build a irrigation ditch from the dam so they can water once a week from the ditch.  We went out to the farm and each farmer is using a plot for different vegetables, peppers, tomatoes, onions and a seasoning I did not know.  It looked so pretty because everything around is so brown.  They have a natural fence on one side with a marshy water area, but they have to watch the other side so the animals (which none are penned) won’t come in at night to eat what is green. 

We then stopped at a couple of places to get things we needed for Thanksgiving dinner.  Two of the girls, Janette and Caitlin have worked to get us all involved but they did all the planning.  It will be fun no matter what the actual out come is.  Suzanne and I went to get the wine and volunteered for helping clean up.  So that will be in the next blog.

I will try and post some pictures from today:

 

Making an A frame to get contour  of land. Starting the bee hive.

 

Look how he is holding the saw.  The movement is like a machete chop.

 

Mike carrying our Turkey purchased in the market for 90 Gh cedis ($55.00)

 

Helping plant onions Don’t see me? Surprise I take the pictures. Ha!!!

Learning to make Pito Beer.Tasters

 

Don’t think I liked it.Smile for the picture.

Niko was telling us stories about the village. It is at bottom of hill where there are gold mines.  Many big mines used to be there but got all the big gold and now gone.  Lot of people try to find gold in the fields and are leaving big holes and unusable land.  He grew up in the village so he had lots of stories.  We looked around the market and bought a little.  Don’t think I will be drinking beer again but it was interesting including drinking out of the gourd. Good afternoon had by all.