500 more...

If I have taught the kids as much as they have taught me, then I will have been successful in my time here.  If I could wish for anything right now (besides staying for another few months) it would be for everyone back home, kids included, to spend even one day here.  These children are grateful, they are smart, they are determined, they dream big, and yes they may argue at times, but they know that at the end of they day, they are family and they love each other.  The past few days have brought about so many emotions, and as the days wind down, I try to stay upbeat even though I feel the sadness begin to kick in. 

On Friday, we went to school, again to find that the little ones remained at the boarding house.  The class consisted of all ages again, so we had to think of something that would work for different levels.  Jess and I put together a little game with the kids, using a big world map and an atlas.  We had them try to stick the pieces with names of continents, oceans, and some countries onto the felt map.  After finding Japan over by Brazil, we decided to help fix the pieces, and then had a few kids come up one at a time.  They would close their eyes, and spin around 3 times, then point to the map.  Wherever they landed, they had to look at the atlas and read something about the place.  After a couple people, it was clear they were bored, and by then the CCS volunteers had arrived.  One of them is a music teacher and decided to take over for a while.  Fridays are short days, and most of the time is spent playing games outside.  But as our luck would have it, 5 minutes before break, the rain came pouring down.  Thinking on my feet has become a skill since being here.  We grabbed some puzzles, crayons and paper and let them chose what they wanted to do since soccer was no longer an option.  One of the other volunteers drew hop-scotch on the floor with chalk and the girls played on that for a while.  We decided to give them some music since more often then not, they are singing and dancing around.  They had us laughing so hard watching them in the middle of the room singing every song, and dancing like they were professionals.  The faces were priceless, and once they got over being shy, they all joined in. 

The afternoon was spent at the field since the weather had cleared up by 3.  The boys played soccer while the little ones chased each other, chased me, and chased the goats.  Espi, a tiny spitfire of a thing who is about 3, thinks he’s a big boy, and can be rather scrappy.  He will run up to the older boys and push them around, only to be defeated quickly after.  The boys love it though, and always play nice with him.  He began to run at me and yell “yevu” and I would pick him up above my head, throw him into the air as he giggled and returned him to the ground.  He’d then run away, turn around and do it all over again.  These kids are a work out, they always want to be picked up, saying “teacher, take me.”  After about the 5^th time of throwing him into the air my arms were tired, so when he ran and jumped into them, I would spin around 4 or 5 times.  By then I was dizzy, but watching him stand up and try to walk was priceless.  He would giggle and stumble, and kept coming back for more.  I will miss the days where we play in the field for hours, such a simple thing but where so many memories come from.  When I told Josuha we had 5 days left, he said “no, you have 500. You will stay for 500 more.”  The children can tell the time is ending, and it is clear they are just as sad.  Johannes, a boy from my class, has always been one who hangs close by my side.  But in the past couple days, he has seemed sad.  Yesterday was the worst day of all, and it doesn’t take much for me to tell when he’s down.  The normal Johannes is creeping around the corner to sneak up behind me and start a tickle war.  The sad Johannes lingers around me, head down, hands in his pockets.  I’ve sat with him and tried to figure out what is wrong, but he clams up and just shakes his head.  Saying goodbye is hard enough, but knowing me leaving might the reason for his continuing sadness breaks my heart.  An extra hug or two will be given each day, just so he knows I’d never forget him.
 

Ice cream and a movie on a rainy day!

My loves - Johannes and Shadrack :)

Some big plans we had simply didn’t work out, and weather has really stuck a wrench in things.  We had planned to bring some of the kids to Mt. Afajado, the tallest mountain in Ghana, today.  I was really interested in doing this, and Jess and I had planned to go ourselves from the start.  Initially we talked to Emmanuel about taking the kids to the waterfalls, but due to all the rain, they felt it was unsafe, and the mountain would be better.  There would be about 21 of us in all, therefore renting a tro-tro would be necessary.  Prices simply were not what we expected, and the driver said he would only do it if he stayed and waited while we climbed, and he told us a price about 70 cedi more than had been expected.  Last night we scratched the idea, and decided to do a field day today instead.  We came up with about 10 different relays, and decided that after we finished we would bring all of the kids fanmilk- their ice cream.  As soon as we got to the orphanage today, it started to rain.  I have learned to be in the moment here, and patience truly is a virtue.  I was both disappointed and frustrated because our plans were just falling apart.  I pictured the 4 movies sitting in my bag at the hotel, and was angry that I ddin’t have them with me.  By then it was 1:00, and we decided to quickly go back to the hotel, get the movies, grab some fanmilk on the way back, and do a movie day instead.  A lot of driving for us, but it was worth it when we got back.  The kids were so excited, a treat that is rare for them.  We spent the rest of the afternoon watching movies and just hanging out.  We are learning to make the best of things, and that is something these kids know well.  We will save the list of games for an afternoon this week.  As we left the kids questioned, as they do every time we leave, “will you come tomorrow?”  We simply said yes, without many details regarding time or what we had planned, because we have a big surprise.  We have asked Hilda to prepare food for us to bring to the kids for a big Sunday dinner, and they have no idea.  The menu consists of: fried chicken, jolof rice, some spaghetti, special drinks, and biscuits.  Their usual meals consist of porridge, or rice, sometimes fish or banku.  Hilda explained to us that this meal is like Christmas for these children.  We wanted to do something special before we left, and although we have been doing little things all along, these kids deserve this, and you can’t put a price on making such an impact.  We bought two big packs of pure water, each containing about 30 sachets.  It is a luxury compared to the river water they usually drink.  Tomorrow will be a big day for the kids, and I couldn’t be happier.  This is one thing that rain will not ruin, and what better way to end things then with a “family” dinner.