On Monday of last week, we had scheduled for Cecilia Amankwah, the Country Director of ENA (Engage Now Africa) to come and visit with us as we will be working closely with them over the next 18 months. We had a super informative visit with her and Jeffrey Nyarko, a ENA Manager. When the opportunity was given to travel with them for the rest of the week to observe and support as they conduct a final assessment of their program that the church asked them to do in 5 areas of Ghana, we were only too happy to go with them. Little did we know what an amazing, crazy, emotional and inspiring week we were in for.
Two of the days we rode along with them. The other three we drove on our own. Scenes like this contributed to that decision. They drive much faster than we are comfortable with.
With "interesting" traffic and often 2 lane roads.
The participants in each of the 5 areas traveled to central Stake Buildings of the church coming in from smaller outlying Wards and Branches where they normally meet for classes during the week. They each received a t-shirt which they were really happy about, but I was sad to have the lady's beautiful dresses covered up.
The first part of the assessment was done with one of the teachers/facilitators then the rest was done on their own.
The lady on the front left is a teacher/facilitator, she brought her baby along and her mother is one of the students (pictured later). We've seen several multi generations involved.
This little boy was so pleased to get a pencil of his own and worked so hard on his writings in our notebook. These parents are setting such a great example.
This dear lady has become a fast friend. She was in the evening class that we visited the week before and is an absolute inspiration. She asked my age and when I told her 66, she laughed and smiled and was so pleased about that. She is just one year older. She asked to borrow Chuck's reading glasses, (more about glasses later), but his prescription is complicated and didn't help her with reading.
I never get tired of seeing the babies wrapped snugly against their mother's backs.
This little boy sat so quietly and well behaved on a chair while his mother was taking her test. He also was really pleased to receive a pencil and notebook to do what everyone else was doing.
Not now, but someday hopefully he will appreciate what his mother has done.
After the testing, we moved along to the awards ceremonies.
Cecilia Amankwah, ENA Country Director is so good with the students, encouraging, inspiring and teaching, praising them for their hard work. She's incredible at this!!
SHORT HISTORY LESSON on ENA
Started by Bob and Lynette Gay, former Senior Missionaries who served in Africa around year 2000 who had substantial means and found an opportunity to make a difference. https://engagenowafrica.org/about/
They were so excited and proud of their accomplishments and hard work.
Our favorite part was listening to them read something they chose to share, like lessons from the manual and favorite quotes.
Or reading from the Scriptures.
There were lots of testimonies about how Adult Literacy has blessed their lives. We were inspired by each one of them.
Their excitement was evident on their faces and in their appreciation expressed to their leaders and teachers for all the loving support. She had two little boys along with her who will benefit from her hard work and determination. I need to get a few toys to bring along for distraction, but the bracelet worked this time.
Then they each received a certificate. This is the grandmother mentioned earlier whose daughter is a facilitator. She came up to me afterwards and asked what more we can offer them for Literacy, so they can keep going. We're excited about that part.
Will Harvey who is here from Salt Lake. Don't you just love that smile!!
And lastly, pictures.
There were many more learners not pictured, mostly due to conflicts with the markets where they sell. It was pretty awesome that our arrival in Ghana allowed for us to attend these graduations. There couldn't be a better introduction to the Literacy efforts here than to see the fruits firsthand.
All of that AND getting to hold precious babies.
Each village was a day trip ranging from 2-4 hours outside Accra. We traveled to Asamankese, Abomosu, Assin Foso, Kpong and Teshie. Let's just say that some of the roads had lots of natural speed bumps. Out in Abomosu we met another Senior Missionary couple, there for their third, 2 year mission. He has delivered 4 babies, and no he's not a doctor. But when the roads are so bad and people don't have cars, you don't always make it to the hospital in time where they like the women to deliver. They started teaching the Literacy group there in 2012 and the success and excitement has been contagious. Aside from the Literacy, during just their first mission alone, they went with 77 families to be sealed in the Ghana Accra Temple. I can understand why they keep coming back.
One of the bore holes that we saw along the way. It so happened that during 5 days of the week we had no water in our apartment and had to carry water from other missionary apartments after we got home at night. It took a couple efforts to get it fixed right so it didn't leak. Several times we were reminded, "You are in Africa!" I commented that if we'd only known it still wasn't fixed, we would have bathed at the wells like this little boy. This gave us a greater appreciation for the Church's and other NGO (Non Government Organization's) involvement to provide bore holes and clean water to the villages and people.
On the ride back to Accra we observed more of the lives and countryside of Ghana and it's people.
We bought more mangoes at the markets, haven't tried climbing the trees yet to pick our own. These might actually be papayas.
And fed bananas to the baboons, from the safety of the car.
Saw a slave castle in the distance, such a sad part of history!
And of course, being on the road, we ate African food. Here is a "grass cutter," dinner for some in the group at the eateries, or fresh from the side of the road. We passed on that this time.
Then to finish, more little children. Have we mentioned how beautiful they and their remarkable parents are?
GLASSES FOR GHANA
The huge need for reading glasses has become very apparent since we've been here. We're talking HUNDREDS of pairs. These are adults learning Literacy, many of them over 40 and although their learning materials may have larger print, when they move into their own literature, it's too small for many of them to read. I priced reading glasses here because I lost a pair and the best I could find was equivalent to $15 where in the states in bulk they can be found for around $1.50 a pair. That cost is prohibitive to most of these people. Therefore, we are asking you to work together with your women's groups and neighbors to purchase reading glasses AT LEAST +2 and above and mail or deliver them to this address in Salt Lake where the leaders can bring them over when making trips to Ghana. It's such a small thing for us to do, but if you are near 40, you know what a struggle it can be. Then add to that the huge effort to learn to read!! Please, please spread the word and help bring Glasses to Ghana.
ADDRESS:
Will Harvey
50 East North Temple
Floor: 19, Desk: 1929D
Salt Lake City, UT 84150
