Last weekend was a three day weekend as it was the firt presiden'ts 100th birthday. He helped Ghana gain their independence fro Britain in 1952 so of course he is a prideful symbol in Ghana even though he has died. Naturally, with an extra day, I took this opportunity to rest and stay in bed all weekend.
Hold on, if you know me at all, you will know that this is not true in the least so don't wory I haven't changed to much. Yes, the smart thing would have been to rest up from the past weeks an the weeks to come but that isn't any fun so I took the opportunity to travel outside of Accra. Two teachers and myself boarded a bus Sunday mornin and headed for Cape Coast which was about 2.5 hours. Cape Coast is the home of one of the oldest castles in Ghana and also the location where slaves were kept and then taken to the Americas. Learning about the triangular slave trade through history books in America is one thing but actually experiencing the sights and smells of where 60 million Africans were taken from their lives causes hair to stand straight up on my getting tan arms.
The Africans were kept in dark, wet, and very crowded cells for up to 6 weeks with hardly any food. They were then moved like cattle out the door of no return to face their fate of being shipped to the Americas if they survived the journey. This happened for hundreds of years and actually picturing this in my mind was too much to endure. The tour guide explained the situation well as he didn't blame it all on the Europeans but also on the Africans who were selling their own children for guns. These were inhumane actions on everyone's part.
After the tour of the castle, we discovered that the hotel in which we were suppose to stay in gave away our room so we didn't have anywhere to stay. We called around as was told to go to a place called Coconut Grove. We went sight unseen, not knowing much but we had no choice as we had to stay somewhere. We were not disappointed as Coconut Grove happens to be a very nice place a little above our price range but worth it since we had no other choice. The resort was away from everything else and right on the ocean. I have now touched the Atlantic Ocean on the other side, how crazy is that! It has been cold here for Ghana standards so we did not go in by took a nice long walk along the shore. Waves are so soothing as they bring in the new unexpected water and take away the dirt left behind. The waves were powerful, crashing against the rocks and shores and then gracefully moving out again. I could look at waves for hours, just contemplating life and basking in God's beatiful handiwork. I guess we all need a nice break once and awhile.
The next day, we reluctantly said goodbye to the wide open sea and traveled towards Kakum National Forest which is a small Rainforest still found in West Africa. We could get into conservation but we can skip that for later conversations. Leave your fear of sights behind on this trip because to experience the Rainforest, you must go across the canopy on a bridge made of rope, ladders, and boards tacked down on the ladders. Don't worry, they change the ropes every 6 months! I must admit that I was even a little nervous at times as I could have easily fallen off but the chance to feel free as a bird up by the canopy of a rainforest allowed me to relax. It was a beautiful sight that only God could have designed. I can't wait to take Cathy when she comes in December! Supposedly there are elephants in the area but all we saw were ants, spiders, and butterflies. I know you can see these in Indiana but not in a rainforest up by the canopy.
On the way back to the bus station, our taxi driver was stopped by the police which randomly make stops anywhere they want. Supposedly, our driver did not have a license so we had to get out of the car and wait for a new taxi as our old one was going to get arrested. Then, they allowed our driver to go and he took us the rest of the way, vowing he had a license but he kept it somewhere else! Oops! Rule of thumb, if you want to be extra careful, ask your driver if he has a license before allowing him to take you. Who knew you would have to do this?
Our trip proved to be a wonderful time of fellowship with fellow teachers and friends. It was also good to experience a new place on our own as none of us had any experience in Ghana. I don't want to be a tourist but a resident of Ghana and this only occurs by getting out there and seeing Ghana for who it really is. One hard part of Cape Coast was the poverty witnessed. Boys on the beach, families living in shacks make out of straw, and small children asking for money is hard to see all the time because I do not want to be blinded to the needs of the country. I do live in a nice house and teach at a good school but I am still balancing how I can reach out to the least of these. I know I can't save the whole country by myself but I am learning how I can love those in the darkest moments even if it is through praying or buying souvenirs from someone. As long as I am focused on the one, he will not allow me to stray from his path.
No comments:
Post a Comment