UPDATE ON SUCTION PUMP

 Support has been received and 2 suction pumps can be acquired. A very large thank you from me but more importantly from the parents of the newborns who will benefit from the machines. 

                                                             Blessings to supporters!!!

BENEDICTA AND DANIEL'S WEDDING

 Getting married is a series of events here in Ghana

The Engagement at 730 am

This is the tradition of the two familied get together to discuss the couple and them wanting to get married. In begone days this would be when the dowry was given to the bride's family, today is seems like it is gifts from the groom's family for the couple to assist them to get started as a family. There is some play acting about whether is should happen but ending with all agreed. This took place at Bishopscourt  Reception area.

The bride arrives

Then the actually asking of the bride to marry

Then there were prayers and announcing that the wedding will be in 2 hours at the cathedral.

so home for a rest and then on to the cathedral.

The bride arrives

the wedding begins, the vows are made and then pronounced  husband and wife. There is a canopy set with stately chairs for them to sit on to the side.

The service ends with the signing.

There is foods given to all and folks leave.

Next morning the Benedicta & Daniel are in church to be blessed and say thank everyone's for support.

               BLESSINGS AND PROSPERITY AND GRACE TO BENEDICTA AND DANIEL !!!!

Traditional Dress Friday

 This is my favourite fabric that Daniel designed, I love the colours and the pattern. William is washing the last of the curtains today so next week onto washing shelves. 

Not a bad pic for a selfie. 

Tomorrow is Benedicta's (secretary to the bishop) wedding at the cathedral, all the priests and two bishop should add to its auspicious nature.  So days off really do not exist here, no weekends off, no days off in the week as Saturdays are traditionally reserved for funerals and weddings. The importance of the extended family means that everyone is expected at all family funerals resulting that everyone attends many funerals each year.

SUCTION MACHINE

 As I said yesterday this suction machine will be of great benefit in the delivery room with the newborns. One has been found, it cost 1500 G Cedis = Canadian it is $333.00. All support towards buying this will be gratefully accepted. .

A SAD, SCARY INCIDENT, a lacking clinic and a very determined little boy

 A clinic that I visited last time was robbed with  the threatening included the thieves waving and shooting with machine guns. The security guard was the only one hurt; money, personal phones and a few pieces of equipment were taken. The staff involved were given a months leave to return to their homes. The staff who are working now are afraid that it will happen again. The clinic has reduced its services so it is not open in the evenings any more. I was talking with the staff today and mentioned PTSD which will more than likely play a role in their future. I wondered out loud if monthly meetings might be a help to talk about their fear to give it a voice. I hope that this happens. I am asking for prayers for the staff.

                                                                     TODAY'S STAFF

Next I visited the Bishop Aglionby Health Clinic. This centre is the major facility within its community. The staff described their services as an Out Patient Clinic/Emergency Department and a Maternity Centre. They have upwards of 500 to 600 visits /month along with 50 - 60 deliveries. The facility has minimal resources. Actually it remind me of Street Health in the last 80's when we were serving Third World medical care to the homeless on the streets of Toronto, The big difference is that if we were 'out of our depths' we could take the patient to an emergency department of the local hospital and the patient would receive First World health care. They told me today that the facility they refer to,  have refused their patient if they were full or busy.   'Talk about being between a rock and a hard place'. 

I also heard that they do not have a suction machine in the delivery room to assist to \clear the airway of the newborn. If they can not clear the airway they send the baby to the local hospital and depending on how long it takes, determines the outcome for the newborn. I am wondering out loud about raising the few hundred dollars to purchase a suction machine for them. If you would like to contribute let me know and will give the way I can receive the support.

I end this with a tale about a very determined little boy

One of the nurses had her son with her as he was ill. He was having nothing to do with this Oburoni (white person) so here he is with his arms crossed in refusal to even say hello to me. He did wave good bye enthusiastically. So I know where I stand with him.

THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE OF OWOAHENE ADWOA AHYIAH

This woman is the mother of  a Chief who had died March1, 2020 and her Celebration of Life was from Thursday to Sunday. November 21, 2021.  Her son's position  adds to the importance of respecting her and her family. The friend of the son was the Vice president of the country, Mahamudu Bawumia, who was in attendance with his security very visible. The body was laid out on a brass bed in what was the living room. The house is quite lovely and there was a cathedral ceiling in this room with a balcony on all 4 sides. Each group in attendance was led around the bed to pay their respect. Bishop Ackah led prayers with all clergy at that time.

On Saturday November 20 at the palace Bishop Ackah led the Funeral service with the local Anglican Church of St. John the Baptist choir and clergy from the local denominations present. The service was completed with the committal and the body will be interred after dark in accordance with the custom for the Royal Family. (It is a birth right to be part of a royal family)

This is the front canopy of the house where the dignitaries were seated. 

There were armed security on the second floor balcony

Before the funeral service the Women's Fellowship stood guard.

When the service was completed we drove to the church for a take away lunch (this is the same for every event. a foam clam container with rice, salad and a piece of meat or fish, and sometimes a drink, no drink in this one) Then, we went looking to buy water on our way back home.

These were the greeters when picking up lunch.

 

Out in the community

 Michael who I share the office with is part of an organization called Anglican Diocesan Development and Relief Organization, ADDRO. an organization that is empowering and liberating communities.  They established microfinance groups that collect savings and distribute loans to the group members. This is needed as poor individuals would difficulty to get a loan at a bank and there are no fees when borrowing from the group. Membership is required to use this system and you are expected to deposit money at each meeting to form the kitty from which loans can be given. Yesterday a woman trader in the market borrowed 500 Ghana Cedis (just over $100.00 Canadian) The interest is 5% and it must be paid back in 3 months. The pay back rate is 100%. This is influenced by the fact that all the members are neighbours and how to do you face your neighbour knowing they know you did not pay back. This is a system that works well to empower communities and enable individuals to establish a business. I tagged along as he met with 2 community groups.

Michael having a conversation with a member.

Road in is like a dirt 'cow path' that has deep ruts formed by rain runoff.

Group in session

You will notice more women than men and children runaround waiting for their Mom.

Across the road from the meeting place was a grove of cocoa trees (Chocolate in the raw)

            Pod ripe and ready to pick

Cocoa bean, white are fresh from the pod and the                                                                                        brown ones had the outer covering removed

                                                                                   

ELUO FESTIVAL Sunday afternoon

 A gathering at the palace of Karakyle Kwasi Bumangama II who welcomed hundreds. The festival marks the beginning of the harvest and the way traditional leaders distributed among the people to prevent hunger. It was lead by the clergy of the area including prayers, scripture and a sermon. Dancing and singing, drumming, and choirs singing were part of the program. This scene is the centre of the palace with buildings with housing forming a court yard.

Me dancing at the request of the Precentor Rev. Fr. Benjamin 

(who now claims me as Grandma being my second grandson with this name)

Ordained to the deaconate

 I was asked to be at the office at 7am to catch the bus to the ordination. Well we left at 745 with everyone smiling loudly  that I had been there since 7. I know people come later but I can not figure out how late to be so I arrive on time. oh hum such is life here. One was being ordained to the deaconate PRINCE BENNIEH. It was very moving as I remembered  my ordination to being ordained a deacon, 30 years ago last week on the 3rd. Time does move on. So much seen and so much done and still work to do. 

Prince approaches the chancellor carrying a cross for scrutiny.

. 

After answering questions he then is lead to the bishop where the chancellor declares his appropriateness to become a deacon.  Please note I realize it is hard to see, 

 the white wig the chancellor is wearing.

Then on his knees in front of the bishop. They usually lay prostate in front of the bishop but today just knelt. After the laying on of hands Rev. Prince Bennieh was dressed as a deacon 

with stole and dalmatic (white and with blue trim)

The service continues  with dancing before the sermon. Maybe if we had folks get up before the sermon in Canada they might feel refreshed to hear the sermon better/ lol

Men dance too

dancing with baby on board

 the congregation, looking to the back of the church

I was back home by 330pm, had a shower and a nap :)

traditional cloth

 many companies have staff wear traditional cloth clothes on Friday, somewhat like dress down Friday in Canada. so I joined this tradition today, here I am in the mirror

the Anglo-Catholic tradition is alive and well here, I am one who when I was ordained I wanted the plainest of plain stoles, robes etc, I was not going to acquire the fancy accoutrements attached to high church and then I get drawn to Africa and guess what I am acquiring, the above accoutrements  omg

so today My Mozetta arrived, I now need to learn when it is worn along with my Biretta  Life here is never dull and always evolving for me, I guess that is part of the draw.

'returning after 18 months' clean out

 clothes smell musty, boxes have stuff that needs to be turfed as I moved last time and did not sort before I moved. I am finding things that I had forgotten about and now need to figure out what to do with them. I have been coming to stay since 2013, gee 8 years of collecting to be dealt with. William is doing laundry every day, I am sure he thinks I am mad but he is always willing, wait until next week when we tackle the curtains.   While  walking to and fro to the office on the hard red earth path, I am accompanied by chickens, goats and school kids yelling ;obroni'  (white person) from the Akan language. 

put up Chinese paper lanterns that I brought with Canadian maple leaf on them,  

on the dining room windows.  My Canadian corner so to speak

NOTHING IN THE UNIVERSE CHANGES

 It is a universal task in churches all over the world ..... 

 FOLDING BULLETINS

Michael is  getting them all organized

getting into the groove

 Met 4 little girls on the way to the office, they needed me to know that they were going to buy food, it is very common here for students to buy a snack at break time, often you see kids wandering to the store, I have no idea how the teachers keep track of their students this way but it seems to work. 

Notices for events here consist of large posters stuck on buildings and posts rather than ads in newspaper or individual cards. This system is used for marriages, funerals and important church events like the consecration of a new bishop. Below is the notice for Bishop Kwame Kyem-Ampomah, former Dean of the Cathedral Church of Ascension here in Wiawso.

The additional draw besides the actual consecration was the attendance of the President of the Republic of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo who presented the new bishop with a new car.

SETTLING IN

 Service Sunday at cathedral, 

Offertory includes goods of which each priest receives a portion, I got eggs, toilet paper, oranges, apples and many bars of soap

the drumming was balm to my soul

had a visit from Ebenezer's family; 2 girls and a boy on the way

Arrived finally

 process at Accra airport well done.picked up by Ebenezer and off to hotel but got chix nuggets, fries and coke at Burger King on route as I had missed the meal on plane. I scored on the flight from Amsterdam to Accra, I was in the middle seat of three and either side were empty. I put the arms  up and crawled under a blanket to lay down to sleep for a couple of hours. drive to Wiawso nine hours but in new Bishops new care... very nice Exhausted and slept like a log. Today Saturday getting unpacked and resting between each task, I guess naps are in order

lets try this again

without Tanya I would never be able to get here, oopsy today in that she took my phone as I need it for info, so had a stranger call my phone and she brought it back      

very empty at the moment, my flight is at 715pm    but I am attending a zoom class from 3 to 5  

three bags with two carry on,       each hopefully under weight, according to my scale anyway

 

Airport arrival. Can’t add photo. Change to computer