Obruni does it again

February 18, 2015

I made a baby cry today.  That’s not unusual, what is unusual is that it has taken me a full four days in Ghana to do so.  I can only imagine what it is like to see a bright white person (made brighter by the scorching sun) moving closer and closer to you speaking in a language you don’t understand….sorry little one.  I forgot how scary I can look.

We were at St Martin de Porres Cooperative Credit Union Ltd in Kumasi today.  I cannot believe how welcoming the Ghanaian people are.  Fred and Alfred (our intrepid protector and driver extrodinaire) arrived fashionably late and took us to the branch.  Everywhere you hear “you are most welcome,” and you think “yes, we are.”  I have no idea if the branch staff were watching through the window at the level of water in our bottles, but as soon as there was one more sip left in mine (and I was rationing because I had no idea where the bottles had come from) Monica appeared at the door with two more bottles!  I told her she saved me, it’s 32 degrees and the power is out (meaning no air con), I could have perished….she laughed.  The hospitality extends far beyond your imagination….Shakespeare, the Operations Manager, lost his father recently.  The funeral poster is up at the branch and he saw us perusing it.  Shakespeare is young, his father only 58, but he demonstrates the welcoming nature of this nation….he invited us to his father’s funeral, starting this Saturday at 4 PM and going all the way through Sunday night.  I was touched, impressed by his composure, and slightly relieved we already have weekend plans. 

Speaking of power, we met a young woman today named Deborah who participated in the CCA Women’s Mentorship Program a few years ago.  Many of you know that we hosted Alice Kosgei of Kenya in 2011, so I was intrigued and asked her about her experience and the highlights.  The highlights?  Snow in Banff.  Her experience?  The best in her life.  She carried herself like a woman beyond her 30 years, with confidence and determination.  She said that the program, and her time in Canada, gave her the ability to be confident in her decisions and gave her the motivation to continue her education.  I found it truly gratifying to hear about how she completed her MBA after being on the program, and that she recently was promoted to Credit Manager as well.  Alleviating poverty by helping people help themselves…..isn’t that what it’s all about?

Kumasi suffers from rolling power outages daily and today was no exception.  After a few good hours of gleaning information the power (and ac) was gone.  As the heat rose and it became apparent that we needed power to get to some information otherwise inaccessible, Louise and I “took lunch” with Alfred.  We had chicken.  He had rice.  Anyone out there surprised?  Louise and I have discovered a wonderful way of not leaving as much on our plates, we’ve started sharing one dinner between the two of us!  I remember vividly my mother's (and probably yours too) constant admonishment:  “eat what’s on your plate, there are starving children in Africa!”  I am IN Africa, and I dare any good reader to come here and try to finish what is on their plate.  I have determined that it is impossible.  Therefore, if it is impossible, and it makes you feel bad to not accomplish this task, improvise.  I sure hope Louise doesn’t like (and no Ghanain restaurant serves) haggis or brussel sprouts.  

Last night’s blog was sooooooo long (so was the day) and this one could be too.  Readers Digest version, visited main branch, two other branches, took an amazing drive to a meteor-created lake, toured the manager’s childhood village and his pig farm, watched how palm wine was made, wrote a report with Louise and now it’s time to sign off for the day.

Oh, Sandy, remember me promising you I would be safe?  Do you also remember that there are times you may have to step outside your “zone” because it would be an affront to not accept something being offered to you?  I tried a cocoa bean on Fredua’s farm, cut out of the shell, it was white and slimy and not that bad.  Then I tried real palm wine, right out of the plastic container under the palm tree.  Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.  And if I’m not Louise won’t be either.