Last Shipment to Blessing Baskets for Me

When I first came to live in my village I was involved in a

shipment of baskets for Blessing Baskets.  We had a scanner

and new tags to try and make sense of for all those that work

here in Ghana.

Now two years later and it is my last one. 

We worked 7 am to 7 pm (okay the guys spent

the night finishing up the leather while I slept and

I went home when they started loading the truck)

but I was there and working!!!

The leather men were

working hard to get the handles finished on the bags as

I got there that morning.

Here is a beautiful

basket, scanner in hand and look at all those behind me I

still have to scan (oh alright I had a helper).

As we were going

through the baskets a SECOND TIME I thought if I scanned

myself it could just quit, did not work.  When I complained

that we were scanning a second time to find missing baskets

Abdulai the director said hey you white people made the computer

and we can’t help it if it does not work.  Oh what can you say when

he is right he is right!!!

It is dark outside

and we have scanned all of these.  The truck is outside

but to dark to take pictures.  I was so tired, dirty and hungry

but I knew it was another last for me. 

30 more Days!!!!

My last Feast in Ghana

 

My last Feast in Ghana

Mercy and JaLem making rice balls for the ground nut soupl

 

Papee  is making the ground nut soup.

 

Field has just been picked and

corn dropped off so the men get together and shuck the corn.  That is

my bedroom window where the green leaves and ground nuts are stacked.

My room smelled good when I went inside.

Corn corn they will dry it in the sun

then they will push the kernels off then it will go to mill to make flour.

Parents are busy so we will take water

sachets fill our mouths full of water and spit at you.  See the cooler in the back

that will be full of food for the feast when they finish cooking.

Everyone in the kitchen waiting to

eat and sneaking bites.  Sounds like Thanksgiving at home.

Kids waiting for dinner

to be ready.  Peter in back got food somewhere but they did

not want him to share they were waiting……

Everyone had a wonderful Sallah and my last. 

Keeping Busy until the day of departure!!!

   What do you do when you only have 40 days left in Country.

Paint Maps on School walls sooo… Olivia and I started She lead, I was “gofer” since she has done

this so many time.  This is at one of our JHS in our village.                                                                             

 

Here is the primary school on the complete other side of the village.  Master

James has helped us get this together.  Our work platform did not show so here we are getting Olivia safely up into the

air..but since she could only reach so far we were not able to make as big of a map as we wanted.  This is Ghana also.

 

Getting lots of volunteers to help paint at JHS.  Did I mention it was

unbelievably hot today.  I know we were in the 100’s with humidity at 96 we sweated and were so hot that

we just ate a kind bar until we quit for the day and had a bath. 

          

Master James younger brother wanted to help

so we got a chair for each of them and they started going.  We ask him to take off his shirt

because he has just come from Church and we did not want it to get ruined.  He helped with

the WHOLE Map of Ghana.

 

 

This young boy came up.  He had made himself

a hat out of liquor sachets.  I was laughing so hard he started to leave but I told him I

was not laughing at him and the older kids told him it was okay that I take a picture.  Nothing

goes to waste it is either made into a toy, tool, or something to read!!!

 

We have another couple days of work especially on the world map.  If you do Facebook you

can see the beginnings. 

Oktober Fest

Won’t write much as you can see it was a very successful day.  Face paint took a while to get started

so I did it too.  Peace Corps girls were so wonderful in doing this.  Baskets, kente cloth from the kids
vocational class at the Deaf School in Volta Region where Kyndra volunteered at booth,

Food, (Allison and Dwayne my wonderful friends and family in Accra),  drummers, David with small
coin purses I bought, children learning how to play African

instruments.  My baskets craft men were very pleased with the days work, Scott from the School for the deaf, and Allison were very pleased with the turn out.

400+ people showed up.  Was well worth all the work they did and I was so pleased to be involved in the setting up.  We are all tired but very happy. 

Hey What have you been up to Barbara?

Walking to Craft Center to get a ride and here is Cullen

on his first day of school so proud!!!

Started working.  Here is the basket Leslie designed

and Tahiru had made for her.  It is huge sort of square and really beautiful.

 

        

2nd Stop we went to see Sofia.  She has started

helping women learn to weave with Junk that she has cleaned disinfected and they make

these beautiful baskets.  Hopefully we can find her a market.

Now this is a basket I think a baby could sleep in it.

Here is 3rd stop of day at a women’s group having a

meeting and we were invited.  They greeted Leslie told a little about herself, then ask them to

ask her questions.  They wanted to know why Americans buy their baskets!!! Same question always!!!

Oh yes I have to go to work with Mom and yes she makes me

sit in a box so I will stay put.

Because it is growing season there is no dance, or singing but

in our honor they did not get to loud but they clapped and sang for us.  So sweet so risk their crops just

to say good bye to us!!

School Time

New Uniforms, new books thanks to a wonderful donation from American,

Time to clean the school, sweep the dirt to get all the trash out

and sweep the porches to get animal deposits off, park you bike in the shade, and get set for the day.

 

                                                                         

Friends of Barbara’s have sent paper to write and keep up with the school work

 

                                

With paper the need of a new pencil with a good eraser!! That

is for all the primary students, pens for the JHS students.

 

 

                                                                                                              

Big Brother and Sister get new uniforms so….I get a new hair due

which probably took 2 hrs. and a new dress.  Am I cute or What!!

                                                           

Its Official

Our close of service was this past week.  Some ways so hard to believe 2 years have passed.  I have about 10 more weeks and with all the plans I hope I get them all done.

Lisa has already set me up with appts. so I will look good for Thanksgiving.  My one regret is I did not get to come home for Erika’s and Justin’s Birthdays!!! I will be able to give the a belated birthday hug though.

Went to lunch with friends the start of saying good bye.

Mary, Suzanne, Emma (third year PCV going home), Chase and Rob

 

The whole gang is here, except for a few we lost during the two years for different reasons.

Here we are leaving Chances Hotel after 4 days of good food, air conditioning, swimming, interesting and meaningful meetings, and a real live wireless internet that worked!!

    Megan, Suzanne and I leaving.

Pizza night – owner of Chances treated us to a beer.

Dennis, Caitlin, Suzanne                                              Diana, Terri, Ran

 

 

Chase, Dawn, Rob, Mary                                        Josh, Van, Jeannette , Megan

  

 

Grace, Nicco, Driver from our training group    Danny, Richie, Chris

    

 

Cara, Brittney, Kendra (my first roommate)      Playing games in the wonderful pool

   

Suzanne and Kendra enjoying the pool        Our panel of judges

           

 

Must Answer all the questions Suzanne, Dennis and me.

  Fun time and good memories of two years.  Just a few weeks to go and so many things we want to get finished.  As we do things I will post our last weeks.  Thanks for all the support from family and friends.