My parents arrived on Weds., Nov. 14th. They came with 7 bags and all arrived at the airport the same time they did! PTL. My roommate, Margaret, has a friend who works at the airport in security so he came with us and helped us to get into the baggage claim area to meet them. God went before us and all the bags were there and we went through customs without any difficulty. (Normally we have to wait outside the terminal for people who are arriving). We were all so excited that instead of going to bed and unpacking on Thurs. we did it all that very night - until about midnight! They brought so many wonderful things. Movies, clothes, food items, stationery, stuff for the kitchen from my storage unit, etc. etc. It was quite an ordeal for them to pack but they did it and got it all here. Oh yes and even a 22# turkey for Thanksgiving!! Still mostly frozen. We will be eating that today.
Friday morning we got up and after a slow start took off for Kumasi which is a large city about 5 hours northwest of Accra - over the hills. We made several stops and picked up 2 other people and headed to the wedding that was the purpose of the trip. We thank the Lord for Margaret's Mitsubishi spacewagon as it held all of 6 of us plus luggage fairly comfortably. We took the scenic view through the hills and it was just wonderful. (They call them mountains here and compared to sea level maybe they are but after being in Colorado they really are just hills). Very beautiful nonetheless. We made good time to Kumasi and stayed at the home of a missionary we know who uses it as a guest house. The price was so great and the accommodations just fine.
Saturday we were up very early to get ready and leave for the wedding. It was about 2 hours away - if you take the direct route. We now had 7 people in the car but no luggage so still doing ok. Quite a loud car but we were all jazzed up for a road trip and wedding. The wedding was scheduled for 10am and we found out later actually started on time. Rare for Africa. But we missed the first 1.5 hours of the wedding b/c of some seriously faulty directions that took us in almost the opposite direction of where we should have been. We got to this little church after stopping to ask directions about 5 times only to find out that there wasn't a soul in it. After a few phone calls we finally found someone who told us where the wedding really was being held so we piled back in the car and took off at NASCAR speed. (yes I have to refer to NASCAR at least once on most entries). While we retrace our steps we are frequently calling b/c nobody seems to be able to tell us exactly where the church is. We have the name of the church and the town it is in but that is it. And really we didn't have the right town until after we had driven past it by 30minutes and then had to turn around and go back. If you could have been in the car you would either have laughed hysterically or completely lost your temper (and sanctification:)) Gifty and Michael are Ghanaians and supposedly knew where we were going. So they are "yelling" at each other in Twi, Margaret is driving so fast I have to hang on to the seats to keep from smashing Gifty or my dad and we keep calling the people at the wedding to try and find out where we should be. After all is said and done we were 1.5 hours late for the wedding and missed the actual marriage ceremony but did make it for the next 1.5 hours of singing, dancing and prayers. Yes, I am not exaggerating. The wedding was over 3 hours long. I personally think it was a blessing to be a bit late:)
The people were so kind to us. We were the only "obronis" in attendance and they insisted on showing us great deference. We danced up and down the aisles with everyone and prayed for the bride and groom. It was great. I hope to have a video that gives you a small taste of it. The reception was just outside the church where we were moved from the back row to just behind the bride and groom. They didn't want us sitting in the sun and also showed us great honor and hospitality. It was very touching.
We had to leave a bit early as we still had a long drive home and didn't want to be driving too much in the dark. We came to the church with 7 in the car and left with 12 crammed in. Fortunately 4 alighted just down the road so it was only 8 going all the way to Kumasi. Everyone was pretty jazzed up but I was getting extremely tired. My dad and I were pretty quiet most of the way home while all the extroverts in the car sang and carried on. After making what seemed like 14 stops on the way back we finally arrived at the guest house. I made a bee line for my room as I was in desperate need of some quiet and solitude. (No, I am not always like that - just when I am really, really tired and have been around people - loud people - all day:))
Sunday Margaret, my parents and I go to the Methodist Church nearby. We couldn't quite follow the directions given to us and so stopped to ask a young man how to get there. He so kindly offered to take us and instead of going to his church, he just joined us at the one we were going to. It was a very formal service and in Twi. Kwasi - our helper - was good enough to give us an idea of what was going on. It was a nice ceremony with lots of singing and dancing and a strong sermon (of what I could get from the occasional English he spoke). Again we were the only obronis in the crowd and were shown great honor by being formally introduced at the front of the church to the congregation. Everyone was really so very kind.
After church we go and change and get lunch and then head down the road to the coast. It is just the 4 of us and I am glad for that. We had some great conversations, enjoyed laughing at getting lost, enjoyed God's creation and sang all the way to the coast. The highways up in this area are paved and pretty much in really good condition but they are not labeled with a name or number like the highways in the states. The main road we wanted to be on took a left - we discovered later - that we should have taken but didn't b/c there weren't any signs. Margaret had an inkling we should turn but when we stopped to ask if we were headed to "Cape Coast", the man said yes. Well we were technically headed to Cape Coast - we were just taking the extra long albeit very scenic way:) We continue down the road frequently asking for directions and getting mixed messages galore. "Go left, go straight, no go right, wait you should go back and turn" - all from the same group of people. Fortunately we are all very relaxed and know that we are at least heading south and will hit the ocean sooner or later. Finally at a police barrier we ask an officer if he can tell us exactly where we are and where we are heading. We are well west of the road we actually wanted to be on but at least now we can see on the map where we are. Before there were names on the map and names on city signs but none of them seemed to match up.
We do drive through a town called Tarkwa where they have lots of gold mines, etc. It is a cute little place that I wouldn't mind visiting again. And I have to say that I am thankful for going down the wrong road. We drove through some amazing scenery in rubber tree plantations and rain forests. It was absolutely beautiful. Pictures cannot do it credit b/c you can't feel the moisture and smell the rain. Just wonderful.
Now that we know the road we are on we see that we are nowhere near the place we had anticipated spending the night. But we are headed directly for the place on the coast that I had stayed with Lee and Michelle back in July. It was a fantastic place and so we head there. My parents gave Margaret and I a most wonderful gift. They paid for two nights for all of us at this beach resort with oceanview rooms. It was just lovely. I especially enjoyed getting up and sitting on the porch with my tea and Bible and watching and listening to the ocean. Just perfect.
My mother loves the ocean and was thrilled to be there. After spending 7 years in Liberia on the beach, it was so great for us all to be there again.
One challenging thing though was when Margaret got caught by the undertow and needed help getting back in . I know the Lord was with us b/c I am not a strong swimmer at all but I was able to grab her hand and pull while the Lord sent a wave to push and it was enough to get her moving towards shore. Of course, as the wave pushed her she landed on me and I got a good dunking but we all ended up fine and stayed much closer to shore after that. A similar thing had happened to me when I was there before so I understood how scared she was. It is really quite shallow in the area where we were so it appears that a person can go out quite far without a problem. But the undertow is strong and deceptive.
My parents roamed around a bit by themselves and were perfectly at home back in Africa. They went to a village nearby and talked with the kids and others and enjoyed it thoroughly. I am so glad they are here and enjoying Ghana. We stopped at Elmina slave castle on the way home and took an abbreviated tour. It is good for visitors to see this tour spot but I have to confess that next time I may not go inside. Even though this is only my second visit to this specific castle it just wears me out emotionally. I have toured castles 4 times and each time I find it so difficult. It is still hard to comprehend how horrible we human beings can be to each other. We did watch the movie "Amazing Grace" last night which is a fantastic movie despite also being about slavery. It gives new perspective to see the slave castles and hear about that part and then to watch this movie and hear about what happened after they left the castles. Really pulls it together but still so hard to hear and comprehend.
Yesterday we rested and did laundry and started getting ready for Thanksgiving. And today is Thanksgiving Day. We are looking forward to spending time with Lee and Michelle and several others. Next week my dad and mom will get to go golfing, we will go to my favorite market for souvenirs and we will take a day trip up to the Volta region to go to a bead factory and see the dam (new for me as well as my parents). In the middle of it all I will do some work and I will introduce my parents to my friends here. (I am thankful for the internet at the house where I am able to do quite a bit of my work after my parents are in bed:)) It is so hard to believe that they leave next week. The time sure has flown by. I have enjoyed getting to see parts of Ghana I have not been to before and to share that with my parents has been a real blessing. What a precious gift to have them here.
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