THINGS ACCOMPLISHED PART 1

FINISHED SCHOOL YARD

After the hard work of all the children and teachers, the school yard is now a great place to play. The headmaster still wants grass but until that happens, I was very happy with how it turned out.

REPLACED OR REPAIRED CHALK BOARDS

Many of the Plywood boards were worn out so I replaced them. One of the plaster boards had started flaking so I had that one replastered. I had all of the remaining boards recoated so they all look great.

ENCOURAGING GIRLS

These are 2 of the first year HS students that Tomorrow's Stars Sponsors. They have promised to read one book during this break as well as coming to some review classes being held by 2 of our recent HS graduates.








While I was encouraging girls, we included some boys also from the first year group.












I spent alot of time on reading and acquiring books during my stay. I found that there are books that have stories that the African child can relate to and enjoy. They are available right in Ghana saving us dragging heavy bags of the wrong books.





MADAM KATHY'S BUSINESS CLUB

I invited these boys to the resort for a business lesson. After cokes and fries we got down to the business of costing the making of little African Spirit dolls. It involved a lot of measuring and math skills and when we were done they had a plan to make dolls to sell to the tourists. Shortly after their first sales they dissolved the partner ship due to disagreements. I guess I did not do a good job on the finer points of a partnership! But the good news is they are still friends.

THINGS ACCOMPLISHED Part 2

Now that I am home, it is easy to look back at the things I accomplished while I stayed in Elmina these last 9 weeks. I am posting them in no particular order. As I gather pictures for this posting, I am already thinking of a return visit and the things that are possible.


20 COMPUTERS FOR EDINAMAN HIGH SCHOOL

We purchased 20 computers from World Computer Exchange last December and they were received at Edinaman High School just before we arrived in May. Unfortunately there were only 13 that were working so we set about fixing them. While the computers were waiting to be fixed the carpenters got to work building tables for the new computer room and the electricians ran the cables that Tomorrow's Stars also donated. Before I left most of the computers were working. When school restarts in September both computer labs will be up and running. Enkei America donated a projector for one of the labs so I am sure there will be a rush to teach in that lab!

REPAIRS TO BROKEN COMPUTERS AND NEW TABLES AND ELECTRIC

LIBRARY OPEN UNTIL 8 PM

AFRICAN BOOKS TO CHECK OUT

SCIENCE REFERENCE BOOKS

While working at Edinaman High School with the

computers I found out that the school only had enough money to keep the library open until 3 PM. I also found it sadly lacking in books that were used in class or reading books that would appeal to young Africans. So Tomorrow's Stars is paying for a Library Prefect to keep the library

open until 8 PM and on Saturday's till noon.

We purchased over 150 novels that the students can relate to from the African writers series and will be available to check out in the new term. While I was shopping I also purchased science books to be kept in the reference section. I purchased 4 copies each of Integrated Science, Physics, Chemistry and Biology even though they were $20 each as hardly anyone can afford to purchase these books that the teachers use in class.

SPENDING 2 WEEKS WATCHING AMAZING WOMEN TEACHERS

This is my favorite picture of Nancy teaching in the Kindergarten Class. The volunteer teachers devised a short list of easily accomplished tasks and teaching methods for the teachers of the lower primary grades. What a great achievement in only a 2 week stay. I was truly impressed with the depth of understanding they achieved in such a short time. All four of the volunteers contributed so much more than their time and expertise. We are very grateful that we had them help.

Michelle was great at getting involved with the class one children.

Kellie in the middle of some nursery children.

Michelle and daughter Katie always smiling. Walking home from school.

Helping with the teaching at Sound Foundation School.

Looking great honoring recent graduates at a ceremony.

And because they still had energy and love here they are handing out treats and gifts to the children that lived near the Hut the girls stayed in.

THE WEEKEND

I tried to download this short video. It is Saturday morning at the school. The girls hostel and spend Saturday morning doing chores together. It is so Ghana. Singing while washing clothes by hand in cold water. Cooking over charcoal, having to fan the fire to keep it the right temp.

Bakatue festival started on Tuesday, the first Tuesday in July. Town was very
crowded. Music was loud. Regatta a sight. It ended on Saturday, with a parade of the chiefs and queen mothers through town to the castle park where there was a ceremony and then a few hours later a recessional back to the palace. Another day of merriment. I did not stay long, but if I had to guess, it went late, was loud and if you were a local, much fun.

On Sunday, I was invited to attend a naming ceremony at a church. I was told it started at 9 AM so that is when I got there. Now I have been here for 7 weeks and I really should have known that 9 was way too early to arrive but old habits die hard. So at 9AM I was one of 3 in the open air church. Soon there were 6 of us so we started SUNDAY SCHOOL BIBLE STUDY! Then they thought I should have my Sunday School in English so a second black board and benches were move so we could have 2 classes. By now there were probably 10 of us. I found a clock and it said 10 minutes until nine. People kept arriving and the clock continued to say 10 minutes before 9. Soon (well not really soon) Study time was over and then people really started arriving (my phone registered 10:30) .When I guess enough people had arrived (still not the people who had invited me) They removed the clock that said 10 minutes til 9 and I guess then everyone up until that point had arrived on time and only the ones who came later were late. Pretty cool unless you had been there since 9AM real world time. Of course then worship starts. You have never worshiped until you have done it African style. I find it very moving. Singing, dancing and a real feeling that it is great to be alive. Of course then the preachers start. I think that there were 3 of them. Luckily I still had many things to thank the lord for, a breeze that kept me cool, an unforgettable adventure, friends that were so glad I could bring some color to their Church service and George and Nancy and friends coming on Monday. The naming ceremony was very similar to a baptism not very African at all but by 1:15 we were done. With church that is. There was still a visit to the house where Malta and a meat pie were proudly offered. Luckily a meat pie only has a teaspoon of “meat” in it. I wonder how sick a spoonful of “meat” can make you? Anyway, Lorinda is a beautiful baby who appears healthy and happy. Her sister Liza (formally baby Liza as she is named after my daughter Liza when she was here in 2003) is growing big and is proud to be a big sister.