Back online

Wow, we were pretty sure we would be out of cell coverage and internet coverage for our time in Kete Krachi, and we were right on. It feels so great to be back. I'm still having trouble uploading pics and video, but I'll keep trying! We didn't have power the first night in Krachi, so I journaled in the dark by laptop battery power, here's the entry:

August 27, 2007

Today we drove to Kete Krachi with Bud, Andy, George Jr., and our driver Kennedy. I wasn’t scared, but it did have a few harrowing moments:

-Karen convinced me to rent a driver and 4 wheel drive vehicle because it sounded like George Jr.’s car would be to small, and in case we had care problems. Guess what? So thankful Karen convinced me, because George Jr.’s car broke down 11 times on the way there!! ELEVEN! The first time, our driver dropped off the Americans at a rest stop (think kids lemonade stand with bricks), and then went back to get the car repaired with some mechanics. Karen and I interacted and took some pics of kids who continually flock to us, and then once the car came back the real fireworks started.

-Bud claims that he paid for our gas, but the gas salesman said no, he didn’t. Then the shouting started: Kennedy and George Jr. yelling back and forth at the gas salesman, a crowd was forming, and I felt like I was in the middle of a movie. I wish I would have filmed it, because Kennedy got us out of there with some heavy words, and Bud ended up giving the guy some more Cedi (Ghanaian dollars).

-The ferry ride wasn’t scary, but mostly because it was a short 20 minutes. Man the mass of humanity there was amazing! Everyone was all stares at us and I just couldn’t take it all in fast enough. We bought some cokes for the ride and bought our drivers the Guiness malt beverage that tastes like grape nuts.

-We got off and the rains came down. Up til now the road was just a mess, lots of potholes, lots of weaving in and out, and then we came up on a broken down car that had an anglo woman who was crying inside. I think she was scared, because it was getting dark, so we took her and her companion in the first car then continued on our drove to Krachi.

-The villages got progressively more and more rustic, and the children would often come running up at our car to get a glimpse of us. Some naked, some fully clothed. Most without electricity, although some had it.


-We got to Krachi around 7PM, so an 11 hour trip!! We were immediately escorted to see the trafficked kids, all lined up ready to greet us. Bud knew all their names, I was so impressed. He said that he prayed for them every day. We then were seated to eat, and were given white rice, and meat stew. The meat was mostly goat, but I know that I had at least one liver in there, I supplemented with the two loaves of bread we bought earlier. We literally had no lunch, but feasted on water bread and peanut butter all the way there.

-As we arrived we noticed there was no power at all!! So we ate by candlelight, then were taken to our rooms. Pouring rain, no lights, candles only, 4 buckets of water for the toilet and bucket showers. We hooked up the mosquito nets, looked for snakes, and then chatted for awhile about the day. Wow, God, I am truly thankful for this experience to see how your other children live.