Advertisement
Published: January 20th 2008
Edit Blog Post
Sun Rise
No comment needed here! Ahh … the beach …
Just the right mix of people. Our oldest, Agnes, and I laughed and laughed. All “the boys” played and played. It was great! A time we will surely all remember and we all needed.
School reopened this past week. We are hoping for two part time teachers to join us this semester. Now for the exciting news; the new school building is complete! We had all hope it would be complete by … January, and it is! Construction began during your Fall Season of 2006. The original time estimated to complete the project was … well … that doesn’t really matter anymore. Now built, it only needs a little “make up”. Money has already been donated for paint. We have a painter in mind but no way to contact him.
“Peter the Painter” is one of Kirk’s former students and usually contacts Kirk each month. So we’re eagerly waiting for his next, “Hello”.
Classroom posters, mounted pencil sharpeners, cabinets, etc are all standing by awaiting their “school enrollment” which will take place after the painting is complete. January 2009? Oh Lord! I sure hope not. But …?
Something I personally find even more
The Morning Commute
Area women carrying pineapples from their farm and home made brooms to sell in the market. Also a fisherman in his canoe letting out the nets. exciting then that; one of my dreams for the school is to equip it with a computer lab and introduce the students to the computer era. After his Christmas visit, our director graciously offered to supply the school/town with a small generator. I tossed in my list of pros & cons regarding Solar Power vs. Generators. My insides jumped up and down when he agreed Solar Power is the better way to go! So, on our next trip to the capitol city of Accra (later this year), he will accompany us to the “solar power store” and write the check! Computer classes here we come! It just makes me laugh to envision these students, many of whom have never seen a paved road, working on computers! City and town people can keep their huff and stuff. We’ll just stay here, secluded, “under our rock” and also enter the computer era!
On that note: I’d like to toss out an opportunity for you and/or your friends, work colleagues, etc. … Donate a laptop to the school. Of course new is the most prized but we would also be tickled with used (providing there are no known glitches along with it).
The Kids
L to R. Kwabena (14yrs), Praise (4yrs), Agnes (24yrs). The perfect mix of people. No fussing or fighting just fun in the sun! Windows is the program we will use. So, if you or someone you know would like to donate a new or used laptop please send me a “Message” at the bottom of this entry or any future entry. Kirk is hoping to make a quick trip to North Dakota in April (his mother turns 80! WeeHoo!). I’m sure he can find room in his return luggage for a laptop or two. There may even be a way to get a tax deduction on the donation. I just need to think thru the logistics a bit.
This was the week of falling trees in the village of Apebouso. Tues 9pm the town was quiet, Praise was sleeping and I was sitting in the "livingroom". I heard "crrrrrack" ... and a small "boom". A cocoa tree had fallen somewhere near where I park the car. No damage done, other then to the tree itself. The next day/evening I had a few students (Cynthia, Ophilia and Ernest) come and cut up the remaining portions of an old tree. While they were cutting it up, a branch just fell off of a tree on the other side of the house. THEN my third
Pull Agnes!
Heav-Hoe Agnes! and last night in Apebouso four of the older girls were in the house playing concentration when we heard "CRRRRRRRRAAAAAAACK!" .... and a big "BOOM". It was very slow in happening. Ophilia panicked and ran out of the house while Cynthia is shouting for her to come back. Praise was in his bed sleeping. I was somehow processing, "We can't be in too much danger because the trees can't reach the house but this is one BIG tree falling toward us from somewhere!???"
Most of the people from the town were at the house within moments. While inspecting the yard and forrest by flashlight it seemed that a tree, not really so very big, had fallen in the bush just behind the house. The next morning (student) Robert came to greet me "good morning". I asked Robert to accompany me to see the fallen tree. OH HO! It was not only one tree that fell. It was one BIG tree that fell and on it's way down it toppled another tree. The town women all said they are calling the man with the chainsaw to cut all of the big trees in the area. I must say, it was
Our Catch
Just like Christmas ... you don't know what you have until it's unwrapped. The catch will be devided among those who helped put out the nets and pull them in. We declined our share as we didn't have a kitchen to prepare them in. a very strange feeling for me while it was happening. I knew we couldn't possibly be in danger but it WAS a very dangerous thing that was happening! Very odd feeling indeed.
The hamattan is still heavy. The beautiful, lush green tropics are transforming into brown, dry and a very dusty land. No worries, for this too shall pass.
ps. There are many more pictures I’d love to share, mostly from our trip, but the upload time is just too long.
Have a Great Week!
Christine & Co
Advertisement
Tot: 0.235s; Tpl: 0.02s; cc: 7; qc: 46; dbt: 0.1372s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb