Kakuma National Park

After visiting the Slave Castle we got in the van and headed out to Kakuma National Park where we:   

 Did the canopy walk 300 feet above the forest floor.  

 Swung on trees

Attempted to climb bamboo trees

Seeing it on an episode of Lost doesn't mean it is possible.  It is in fact, impossible to climb bamboo and will result in a gift of over 100 splinters :(

Used the restroom inside of the tree

 And bought the most delicious pineapples from the side of the road.  These pineapples are amazing.  They are so sweet and don't have any of the bitterness that pineapples in the U.S. have. 

Slave Castle

Cape Coast Castle was originally used for timber and gold trader but later was used in the trans-Atlantic slave trade.  A very somber building.  Incredibly sad that people were selling people, that countrymen were selling countrymen.  As sad as the building itself it, it has amazing architecture.

 During the middle of the tour I was off taking pictures and came back to find Kassie in a corner by herself trying to get our attention to show us...

A cave of bats. 

Cape Coast

Cape Coast Sunset and Gators

After we left Rebecca's home we drove in Accra where we spent the night.  The following day we attended a church meeting where we only stuck out a little.  Took a family picture by the LDS Temple, and headed off to Cape Coast.  Yao had been telling us all week about the alligators that are at the hotel in Cape Coast.  Kassie and I went to check out the gators and were...unimpressed.  We found about 7 gators but we were positive they were statues.  Their mouths were wide open and even after "someone" threw a stick at them, they still didn't move.  We decided to give Yao a second chance and went back to the gator pond the following morning.  ok ok.   Apparently alligators sleep with their mouths wide open...to catch some free food???  Who knows, but my jaw hurts just thinking about gator TMJ.  The sunset at Cape Coast was amazing.

Rebecca

On our way from Abomosu to Accra we stopped by a small village to see some good friends that Dr. Thueson had met when he lived in Ghana.  Dr. Thueson and his wife were medical missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints a few years back.  If I remember the story correctly there were other missionaries that were visiting villages to assess wheelchair needs.  The missionaries found Rebecca and her family.  I believe at the time Rebecca was about 8 or 9 with feet so severely clubbed that she couldn't walk.  That didn't deter her though.  Rebecca was so motivated to go to school that she would walk on her hands to get to school.  Such an amazing girl.  The missionaries got in contact with Dr. Thueson and being the amazing doctor that he is, he was able to set up the surgeries through a local Catholic hospital to have a round of surgeries on her feet and hips.  She was away from her family from months while she recovered.

As we were driving down the dirt road to Rebecca's house, the mother, Rosalind was so excited to see Dr. Thueson that she came running down the road to see him.

 Tim knocking on the door.  The whole family came outside to greet us but Rebecca was inside for awhile (we later found out she was trying to hurry to put on her pretty dress)

 Baby Daniel

Rebecca

 The kids don't care about doctor talk.  They loved playing with the balloons though

 The laundry room.  The blue tub in the middle is the wash basin.  

The family

Rebecca needs another round of surgeries now to address a shortened achilles tendon, recurring inversion and flexion contracture of her hip.  If you are looking for a good cause to donate to, this would be a good one.  This money will be going directly to the missionaries who are currently in Ghana doing the job that Dr. Thueson did when he lived there.  3214 N. University Ave. #501, Provo UT 84604.

 

Farmer's Market Ghana Style

 Would anyone like some boots?

 Or maybe some shirts?  I would like the shirt Stephen is wearing.  When Viridian came to Ghana earlier in the year to build a World Joy School they brought some shirts with them.  Ghana flag colors, outline of the African continents.  They Viridian employees know how to build schools and shirts!

 If clothing doesn't fancy you, maybe some bananas or other produce?  I believe the root is....Karo (I might have made that up...it actually sounds like a Corn Syrup brand...)  Anyway, I believe it is the root they make fufu from.  

The Cutlass maker

One of my favorite stories.  When we went to the Abomosu school Danette found a homemade broom in one of the classrooms.  While going around the market she asked Stephen where they could find the brooms to buy.  Stephen took a couple of turns down some side roads and they ended up at a school and took some brooms.  Apparently you don't buy brooms, you make them yourself.  

The Reader

A lot of books were read on the trip but Kellie wins The Reader award.  I think 80% of the time that I saw Kellie she was reading.  Kellie is an amazing and beautiful woman.  I am so happy she came with us.  The Good Good Africa Life would not have been quite as good without her quick and hilarious comments.  

Apparently good conversation is a good enough reason to put her book down.  

Abomosu Clinic

Originally we went to the Abomosu Clinic to observe and volunteer but after we arrived we quickly realized they had everything well under control and the 6 of us would just be in the way and would take away their precious time training us in their protocol.  Next time.    

 One of our midwives proudly showing off her station and the supplies she received at the training--which she used to deliver two babies earlier that morning.  

 Delivery room

 One of the babies born earlier in the morning.  

 Grandmothers and babies

Outside the delivery unit there was a woman giving blessings to the mothers before birth.  

Jungle Fever

We took shots for the yellow fever, pills for malaria, but nothing for jungle fever.  Luckily jungle fever consists of only bright red spots and nothing else.  

Abreyna!!!

Best day.  Early one morning we set out to visit the children at the school in Abreyna, a small village in the district that you can't reach by car.    

 Luckily Stephen was with us because we were literally trekking through the jungle.  Yaw dropped us off the main road and the trail started us off through some houses.  

 We crossed bridges

 Saw beautiful scenery

 Crossed more bridges

 Learned about the local foliage from Stephen

 Crossed some more bridges

 Saw fire trees

 Walked through a chocolate forest

 And over a river... a chocolate river perhaps?

 And after about an hour we could see the school

 Every school needs a soccer field

 The view from the school--the soccer field and jungle

 This guys deserves the educator of the year award.  I don't know what he is like in the classroom but he was great with all the children.  You could tell that they loved him but also respected him.  The kids all gathered around to sing to us.  On the last song they were singing and suddenly all the kids ran at us and "attack hugged" us.  One of the most amazing experiences of my life.  

 The water fountain.  One cup for everyone.  Just dip the cup in and enjoy.  

 I had some extra balloons left so I gave them to the teacher to distribute later and they all attacked him.  

 At first they didn't know really know what to do with the balloons.  I taught one guy how to blow one up and it went from there.  

 The amazing Danette brought hair clips for the girls but all the girls in school have to cut their hair short so this kind teacher decided to model one.  

 Compound near school.

 Toy and tool in one.  The merry-go-round generates electricity to light the school so the kids have fun and get exercise while also providing light.  Love it. 

 What kid doesn't love bubbles?  These kids didn't at first but then they loved popping the bubbles

 The 'Don't Touch me!" plant.  It looks like a normal fern but if you touch it, it curls up.  

 Best Surgeon.  Checking out one of the kids with club feet even after an exhausting journey.