April 25, 2010 (Day 4)

Sunday In Ghana.
Today began with breakfast as we listened to the church begin above where we were eating.
We had eggs to quite the groove and clickity clack of dancing heels I presume.
Romana picked Tanner and I up and we were all off to church. It was testimony Sunday, a time where members of the church were sharing how God had made a difference in their lives. The music was awesome, I loved it! Songs were familiar and if they weren’t they were easy to pickup. 2 hours came and went.

Romana was able to obtain another water filter from a member of the church to use at the orphanage. On the way home I heard them discussing how even with this second water filter it is still approximately half the number of filters they should have at the orphanage given the number of people at the orphanage. I am going to see what I can do about that before I leave.

After church it was off to the Accra mall for some shopping, money exchange and of course lunch. Gabriel was asking, quite often, Dad what are we doing after church? I would tell him and he would say then what? So I would tell him and he would say then what? I smiled and said yes we will be going to hotel after we shop and eat.

On the way to the mall we stopped at some street vendors to buy some stuff. Some of you may be saying, did he say mall? Yes I did. In fact if you were to drop yourself into the Accra mall thru time travel (not that you could but I'm jus' saying) you would not think you weren’t in any North American mall in a large city. AC, food court, an apple store (which Tanner loved). Granted it is not real large but it has a movie theatre.
The difference here is that on the way to the mall there are the poorest of the poor approaching your car asking for food or selling something, across the street is a traditional market where you can buy some of the nicest African hand made crafts any where.

The streets near the mall are paved and much like a major city but it is not far and you are on dirt, pot hole, rutted roads. We eventually received our lunch and finished our shopping…nothing happens fast in Ghana!

As we drove you can see the build up and hype for the World Cup of Futbol (soccer) everywhere. In Ghana soccer (futbol) is king amongst sport. As you drive every spare section of dirt has a futbol field set up or a game is being played.

We got back to the hotel, just Tanner, Gabriel and I. Gabriel is quite the character. Expectedly testing boundries already. Oh how hard it is sometimes to not give in to the little adorable smile! Nothing to big just not the immediate obeying I know he can do, when it comes to going to sleep or taking a nap. I am remembering many of the habits and joys we saw with John and Victoria 2 years ago. Very respectful, not to say they don’t / didn’t test but as long as you hold a good line they obey (not too strict but not a push over either,...sounds so easy when I type it...HA)....

As I write this Gabriel is asleep in his spiderman jammies, traditional style, on his side with his head resting on his arm. No pillowsm no covers. Oh I almost forgot, we went to the pool today.

Gabriel wanted to go, had to go, was excited to go but when we got there he was not the fearless jumping beans his brother and sister were. He was happily content to sit on the side with his feet in and watched Tanner jump and swim and roll and do anything Gabriel asked.

As the day draws to a close, I am told we will have full complimentary internet beginning Monday, no more purchasing 2hrs at a time. They ran out of cards today so I have been without again but it looks as though we will have full blown access sometime on Monday for the duration of our stay.
We shall see....as anyone who comes to Ghana knows you just roll with it...
Tomorrow is a big day as we go to the orphanage for the last time and Gabriel says goodbye to his friends and teachers. It is and will be a joyous, tear filled time as the children he has grown up with and workers who have poured into him will pray for him and send him off with blessing!

It will be awesome and draining for sure. But before we go back to the orphanage we will spend the day together which I am sure will prove to be another day of adventure!