Today I woke to Sunshine pouring into my guest room at the guesthouse. I dressed in my traditional Ghana outfit (it is tye-dyed) and I went to meet Juliana to go to Children's church. When we arrived I watched Juliana a headmistress, teach the children. There were some 200 but they were on their best behavior. When Juliana spoke they listened. They learned a song about taking one step at a time and the lord will lead you. The instructor in the front would sing the words and point to them as she sang them. The students followed along. Next, they practiced. One side of the room would sing the song, then the other side. Finally, individual children sang and represented their side of the room. A girl on one side struggled, and some other children giggled and snickered, all the adults reprimanded those children. The little girl continud and finished successfully. I thought the adults maintained a very encouraging environment. In Ghana, often children are threatenend, abused, and made to fear adults, they are timid and rebellious because of this. But I could see tha Juliana and her teaching staff during children's church take a different approach they encourage the children and try to empower them by making them feel worth. At the end of the church, Juliana gave out candy to every child and gave piles of candy to each of her teachers. I think she is a very good leader.
After church she took me to her house to have breakfast. I had 7 small bananas and some pinapple juice. We then went to see a girl from her school, Sarah. Sarah was at Juliana's house last night and helped to make my fu fu. Juliana said that Sarah has lost both her parents and her older sister is all she has left but that her older sister is now pregant and wants Sarah to go to Accra and earn money via prostitution. Juliana didn't want this for Sarah. She wants her to stay in school. So she hired Sarah as cooking and cleaning help in the evenings and pays her so she makes some money. Part of the agreement between Juliana and Sarah is that Juliana must know her family, so Juliana, her husband, and I called on Sarah's family today. Her sister was not home, she had left for
Accra for the day. But while we were at Sarah's house, she practiced my Krobo language with me. I am learning to say, "My name is..." and "How are you?" in Krobo. I am excited to get to know Sarah more. She is one of the students who writes letters to my students.
After we left Sarah's, I went back to Juliana's and her Samuel and I had coconut juice and of course we ate the meat inside. I love the fresh foods here in Ghana. I love the friendly people and what a big heart Juliana has for the children. I can't wait to go to her school tomorrow and see what I can do to help her school. I can't wait to see what projects my students and I can work on this fall to give back to Krobo all the it has given me in kindness and insight thus far.
I must go now to meet the elders in the town. The Kono(king), my old advisor from my research days is in the U.S., so I must call on the elders to tell them I am here and my mission in Odumase for the next week. According to my old translator, Juliana's husband, Samuel, I'll need 3 bottles of schapps and 30 cedis to do this. It is going to be an interesting evening.
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