Wrapping Up Ghana

Wow. Life seems to be moving forward much faster than I am blogging. :)

I have so many family updates to make, but first I have to wrap up my Ghana posts.

A few more big things happened while we were in Ghana, and I'm going to attempt to share them all in one final flurry of posts. We'll see how this goes...

Not Your Average Travel Day...

After spending three days at Village of Hope, it was time to say goodbye to these cuties...

and to begin the "trip to the lake" that we had all heard about. This trip to Kete Krachi has been described from the many people who have gone before us. Rocky, bumpy, uncomfortable, nauseating, long, no place to pee, narrow dirt roads...we heard it all. And, have now experienced it all. (Just for reference, what should be the distance from Dallas to Austin---3 or 4 hours on the interstate---takes about 12 hours on Ghana roads. OR, as we've learned, it could take sixteen, if you're lucky enough to travel with us. :)

And, did I mention that we were PACKED to the brim with luggage, medicine, mosquito nets, and people?

This is how Mark and I rode all the way there...with luggage surrounding us in the back row. (Thanks Shannon for the great pictures!)

But, hey, the luggage wall made for good sturdy pillows. (until we would hit bumps and Mark would have to "catch" falling suitcases before they hit our heads.)

We also got to spend the trip taking care of this precious one, Teiko. She was our special little buddy for the week, and I think it was because of this day of traveling. We had quite the day of bonding. :)

And, we laughed at how many snacks she went through and how many naps she took! She was a VERY good girl.

I was also able to read for many of the travel hours (thank goodness I don't struggle with car sickness!), even though my book literally hit my face a few times because of the incredibly large pot holes. Really, really large holes.

We did get to see some beautiful scenery along the way. Ghana is more beautiful than I realized, and it was nice to get out of the big city and experience the green, rolling hills and beautiful open plains.

Of course, we also got a couple of opportunities to stretch our legs, not necessarily because we needed to. It was more because the luggage needed to be restrapped...

...Or because our bus had overheated.

Every time this happened, we all held our breath (and said plenty of prayers) that the bus would make it all the way.

When we finally arrived to the first side of the lake, it was right before dusk.

At this point, we were already a couple of hours behind schedule, and were hoping to quickly board our ferry for the other side of Lake Volta before dark. Our whole team--and the bus we rode in--were supposed to be on this little ferry ride for only a few minutes, and then we would have two hours left to drive to get to the Village of Life, where we would be staying the rest of the week.

As we waited for the ferry, we bought some bread, searched for a cold coke, and experienced the village life next to the lake.

I was blown away by how many children surrounded us, most of whom were carrying something very large and heavy on their heads. But, they were all smiles.

They were all eager to have their pictures made, and to just be close to us. And, it was fun to make little friends while we were waiting.

Rebekah and I shopped for fabric and, despite the fact that we couldn't even understand how much they were asking us to pay, we were able to get GREAT deals on some beautiful fabric.

As I turned around from purchasing our pretty stash, Kofi, one of our fearless leaders, said "Ma Chelsea, we must make a change. The ferry is locked. And, it will not carry us. We will get a boat and we will float across."

Um. Okaaaayyy. Since I wasn't exactly sure what it meant to have a "locked ferry" or to "float across" Lake Volta, I told him to find Rachel. Two minutes later, Rachel walked up and said "So, did you hear about our next adventure?! TIA!" (TIA = This is Africa. We use this phrase alot, reminding ourselves that things don't always go as planned, and that we are all okay with that. ha ha.)

And, I can honestly say, that our entire team was SO understanding about it all. I think every one of us was nervous, but it was a memory that we will never ever forget. We joked that we would tell our families about this "adventure" AFTER we arrived safely on the other side. :)

So, when we were informed of this "plan B", it looked about like this outside:

By the time we began this journey, the sun was gone completely. We (okay, the guys) loaded thousands of pounds of luggage, medical supplies, and mosquito nets into a large canoe IN THE DARK... (they have flashlights in their mouths!)

and we floated across the lake.

Did I mention that it was in the pitch black dark? (Here is Jaron, on the lake, by the light of his Mac. Another great Shannon picture. :)

As we were rowed across Lake Volta, where thousands of children spend hours as slaves, fishing and diving and mending nets, I couldn't help but look down in this murky water, lit up only by the moonlight above, and think about the children who literally begin to fish in the dead of night, just like this...and they have to jump into this water. It was more than I could imagine. We all talked about what it must be like for these children, as we experienced the eeriness of the lake at night. We knew we would be safe and that we would eventually make it to our beds, and the dinner that was waiting for us at home.

But, they don't have that reassurance. They swim in the dark of night, knowing that they will do it again tomorrow and the next day and the next week. And, that they won't be greeted warmly back at home with a bed or a meal.

We did arrive safely on the other side of the lake, and two hours later, the bus from Village of Life arrived to take us "home". Our bus was still stuck on the other side of the lake until the next morning, but apparently the ferry that was "locked" (which meant that a car was stuck on it) finally got "unstuck" and did deliver our bus the next day.

It was a long day of travel. We were weary. But, it was good team bonding time. And, it was a good day to reflect on what we were doing here. None of this was about us. And, as easy as it is to focus on your own comfort and needs, we were reminded of how little we really suffer, compared to those who live in this area. It was a good experience to ride on those roads, to float on that lake, and to be uncomfortable---if only a tiny, itty bit---so that we understood a little better what these children experience.

And, as we walked in to our sweet friends' welcoming hugs, and to the dinner that Erica had so lovingly prepared for us, at almost 11:00 at night, we received some wonderful news.

That day, while we were traveling, the other team had been on the lake.

And, they had rescued TWO boys!! After we ate and cleaned up, I asked to see the boys, who were sleeping soundly already. As Ma Paulina (the house mom) took me into her room to see the smallest boy, I had instant tears. He was so small...so skinny. He was six years old, and as of yesterday, he was a child slave. And now, he was sleeping soundly, on a soft mattress, with new clothes, dinner in his belly, and a new safe home.

What a wonderful thing to come home to. I have alot more to tell you about Gideon and Godsway, the two newest rescued Touch a Life children. AFTER I go hang out with my girls for the evening. :)