We have been high on the adventure scale the past few weeks. We moved back from Techiman, we helped do medical screening at a witch camp in Gambaga, and a small village called Kolinvai in the East Mamprusi District in the Northern Region of Ghana. You can Google Earth Gambaga but Kolinvai will not be shown. You can Google the "Gambaga Witch Camp" also and do some interesting reading.
The witch camp excursion was on the 21st of April. We drove to Tamale on the 20th and stayed with Elder and Sister Brink, the Tamale Senior Couple, then on to Gambaga early on the 21st with the medical team from the Tamale Teaching Hospital. After the fanfare, the team examined close to 300 witches and local residence. We stayed in Gambaga at Chesterfield Lodge B&B the night of the 21st.
The next day, the 22nd, we traveled for an hour or so to the Kolinvai community. The team examined another 300+ residence from the area. We traveled back to the Chesterfield Lodge for the night.
The 23rd the Tamale Hospital team headed back to Tamale. Sister Barney and myself, along with two of the organizers of the screening, headed to the College of Nurses and Midwifery to do some Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) teaching. When we arrived the College Administrator thanked us for coming to teach "Nutrition"?????WHAT????? Miscommunication big time. We explained that we were there to teach HBB to the instructors. No problem..... just go into the next room and teach the class that is waiting for you. WHAT....there sat 240 students waiting to be taught by the "all knowing" obruni's. After I caught Sister Barney by the apron strings as she was exiting, we put our heads together and decided to teach them how to teach people in the communities "Hand Washing" I'm just glad that Sister Barney has some experience in that area. It worked out very well.
Then we moved to another classroom to start the HBB and low and behold there sat another 120 students waiting to fire up their "Gray Matter". Well on to hand-washing a second time. Once again it turned out great.
Now, what were we here for....oh yes....HBB. We finally got 3 instructors and 6 top students cornered in an office so Sister Barney could do her intended instruction.
So altogether she taught 260 nurse/midwifes hand-washing, and 9 people HBB.
Enjoy the pics, and I'll try to be better about posting.
Enter the "Witch Camp" living area. Gambaga.
The party started and Sister Brink and Sister Barney were
invited (dragged) to the dance floor.
Branch President from Tamale, on the left, who is involved in the project.
The Dr. from the Hospital in the middle, and Jonas that did the organizing.
One of three vans from the hospital.
A nice shady spot to do screening. Kolinvai.
Two "Peace Corps" workers. The guy on the left is headed home after two years
and the girl on the right has just arrived...she is still shell-shocked. Kolinvai.
This looks like we could have Primary....
And of course the media has to get their two cents in.
"I am not good at interviews"
Kolinvai.
This was the first surprise at the college.
"Now rub your hands together like this"
Gambaga
Finally teaching some one HBB
B4 we left, the Big King wanted to thank us. He is the one in the
middle that sits the highest. He is over the Northern areas and has several
vassal kings under him.
Gambaga
The king gave us 3 guinea fowl as a gift. We gave him
de-worming meds for all 43 of his grand children.
From 6 wives I might add.
A set of twins that were a little early...
Sister Barney just happened to have here HBB stuff on hand
and was able to resuscitate the one on the right.
This delivery was at the Opoku Agyeman Hospital in Techiman.
The farther we go north in Ghana, the more of these carts we see.
This was in Gambaga
We see lots of this sort of damage.
Way too much weight on the trucks, and "snap".
Now they have two short-beds.
Apartment Tour
Our "Smartly Decorated" book shelf.
Master Bedroom
Office...in master bedroom.
Living Room
Different angle of Living Room
Kitchen and Chef....
Holding a Mango of course.
Pantry area
Spare bedroom for visiting royalty.
Gymnasium
Bathroom
Dining area
Storage room
Entrance
Limo parking
Our utility area.... generator, water pump, and the cherished poly tank.
Front courtyard
Vehicle man-gate combo
Street view
From the gate view...
The purple building, in the back, is the Landlords brothers house.
Front view. Our half is on the right, the landlord and his wife
live in the left half.
The living room and master bedroom are the only air-conditioned rooms so that's where we spent the lions share of our time when we are at home. The rest of the apartment hovers around 90 degrees most of the time. It has been cooling off a bit in the night, so we have been opening all the windows and enjoying a nice cool 75 degree breeze...
