Togo Trail Times Two

Since my arrival, the amount of dust and dirt on everything, in everything, under everything has never ceased to amaze me. What was truly amazing today was the amount of dust and dirt that ended up on yours truly. Today was a double trickle shower day. These were not comfort showers. They were out of necessity, and I am pretty sure there’s enough silt in that shower pipe to make a whole city of round huts.

6:00 am. Bob hacking… it must be time to get up. I took the Togo trail this morning while it was still cool It felt so good to be outside running in the “cool” of the morning. Boom- reality check. Heaven forbid I feel too good about myself. There’s no reason a retired athlete like myself should feel this good after weeks off from anything cardiovascular, and that’s when it hit me. There’s only thousands of feet difference in elevation. Darn.

On the way to the river, there is a compound that sits just off the road, and is home to the happiest five kids in Saboba. They always greet me with such excessive waving I worry their little arms are going to pop out of their socket and smiles screaming “Father! Father!” at the top of their lungs as they run to the road. Again- people here associate white skin with Catholic priests, so this is a common occurrence. I have mentioned them before. The first time Dr. Nick, Bryn and I went to “Togo and Back,” they were the kids have a dance party on the side of the road. I will visit them sometime. Why not get to know them?!

New Cast members:

I’m going to bring up Joe again, just because he is so fun to look at. I don’t know a darn thing about him. I really think I should be a professional model scout. It would make all this staring so much less objectifying as it would be strictly professional. He’s so cute, prettiest baby in the world (see below) couldn’t help crawling towards him! Clarification- I can say this because I can marvel at God’s creation ok? There is no canoodling going on in Ghana, so I want no questions or inferences about anything of this sort. Kapeesh? Kapeesh.

Prettiest baby in the world: her name is PRECIOUS!!!!!! Finding this out totally made my day! She is the baby whose mom helped me tie on and the one I am kidnapping when I leave. I played with her today for about a half hour while her mom, whose name is Patience, worked in the maternity ward. I am in love.

Sarah- Bryn introduced us before she left. She is a VERY talented seamstress, and I refuse to do business with anyone else because I like her so much. Her English is ok… we do fine with small talk, but there is somewhat of a language barrier, so we have to have her friends help us sometimes. Sarah is giving me an experience I have always wanted- feeling an instant connection and friendship with someone that goes beyond the realm of spoken words. I like Sarah so much because a) she is BEA-U-TIFUL. As I have mentioned before, this culture recognizes that happiness and beauty from the inside makes you beautiful on the outside. Her kind eyes and warm smile made me automatically like her. My good friend Brian Campbell wants a woman with a “sparkle” in her eye, and Sarah definitely has that (Brian… not quite your type though;). b) She has the chunkiest baby I have seen in Ghana and he is so cute! Butterballs for cheeks and thighs, but considering his food source, it makes sinceJ She has a great eye and a true talent. Though I knew what I wanted out of this material, I was quite content to leave it her capable hands and walk away. c) I know I will have a great friend in her.

Solomon- we call him Solo, and I know I didn’t mention much of him before, but he has become one of my dearest. He is the oldest of 16 and is happily married with one bright-eyed beauty of a girl. I mention that he is first born because it is a well-respected place in this society but comes along with U-Hauls of responsibility. He has to get all 16 of his siblings through school in addition to meeting the needs of his own family. I felt 16 pounds heavier after he told met his and it’s only grown since then. Solo is a brilliant and classy guy with a GREAT laugh (not a distinguishing characteristic here). He has only completed high school and was smart enough to become Dr. Jean’s right hand man in surgery without any kind of formal training. The thing I find most captivating about Solo is his regard for education and disregard for mediocrity. Though he is good at what he does, he knows there’s more and wants to get it. He asked me today what I knew about OR tech programs from the U.S. that could be done in Ghana. Nothing of course, but I am going to investigate this. This is important. Solo is important and people like him, given the right tools, change their world.

 Please welcome, Precious, Sarah and Solo to the stage…

I took two of the high school boys I really like from the MOCA team to the river this afternoon so they too could have the satisfaction of throwing a rock into Togo. We went at the most magical time of day, and strolled through the countryside in the warm glow of the evening sun. It was the kind of sun, though it was setting and not rising, that made me want to bust out the Lion King song that I still don’t know the right words to.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH SVEN YAAAA ABA BISIBABO!

Oh my. Written out, it sounds like a name tag on the desk of a Scandinavian Muslim African banker.

Anyway- the happy dance kids were out in the corn field by their house, and when the boys and I waved to them from the road, they did what they do best from the field: the happy dance, of which I got on film. I cannot tell you how funny it is, and that’s why I must visit sometime! The Uti River (spelling??) has worked its way into the earth’s crust, so I’m sure it’s where all the Ghanaian boys take Ghanaian girls on dates… Lover’s Lookout. Well lover’s look out indeed! One of boys I was with said he saw two snakes!!! I can’t deal with this kind of talk so I kindly shut him up.

There was a small boy fishing from a canoe and a few people fetching water. Others were loading children and two bicycles into long canoe. The sound of tranquility hovered over the river and softly made its way to me. A few distant birds sang as drums from a faraway funeral kept the time. The sound of water running over a stroking paddle and the drip drop of droplets falling as the oars come up for air. Quiet laugher and smiles from the family crossing back to Togo. The whisper of the nim tree as a small breeze lightly touches its leaves…… shhh. Africa speaks.

I stood there in silence for a few minutes. God is here.

THIS is what contentment feels like. Peace. Simplicity. Happiness.  This is it. This is what you bottle up and give away to everyone you know.

Rocks stretch out into the middle of the river so the boys skipped, hopped and jumped to the middle so they could “theoretically” say we were in Ghana and Togo at the same time. You know I did it too.

I took so many great photos on this little outing. I have yet to look back through them but I’m really hoping my camera saw what I felt.

I mentioned earlier I have an adventure brewing… details tomorrow as some of them still need to be hammer out. It’s the place I wanted to go second most in Ghana with an amazing pit stop along the way!

Please keep praying for opportunities and the eyes to see the world as God does, the hands to do His work and for miracles.

Thank you. I’m so very thankful for your prayers. They are working so keep them coming.  

P.S. My Valentine’s Day mini Romeo came looking for me again yesterday, according to the lab guys who think this is hilarious. This is not good here, folks- we’re dealing with the need to fulfill not only grandpa’s dying wish but “God’s calling” as well. I don’t have the heart to give my anti-short guy speech to a Ghanaian. HOWEVER, if I am pushed, I will deliver it.