Life in Accra

Well… I have spent three weeks in Ghana now…and they have gone quickly as we are so busy and seem to require extra sleep due to the hot weather. Once again we have been having computer and internet difficulties. This time, the plug-in cord for my computer had a little mishap with a crispy outlet! So I have spent this past week trying to track down Lorenzo (the internet service guy) to see what we can do with it. He is impossible to find most of the time and when I stop at the lab I usually get, “o here was just here, he will be back later though.” So we will see. I may leave my computer to rest in peace in Africa!

We are still adjusting to life in Ghana. Communication with Ghanaians has probably been the most difficult challenge, though it has been improving. I would say that the midwives on my unit speak in Twi about 70% of the time…leaving me to continually ask, “what’s happening now?”… “what did she say?” And then there are the conversations they have in Twi when all I can pick out is …“o’bruni” (meaning white person)… “Erica”… or “Canada.” I’m learning to go with it…not to take offense and to ask a lot of questions!

A few of us went to a football game one Sunday afternoon. I'm pretty sure this was the African Premier league, which from what I've heard is not very popular in Ghana (apparently they are more interested in the European Premier league). Even so, the energy of the crowd and continuous beating of drums throughout the game was amazing!

Life with my roommate Erin has been going really well. It is so wonderful to have someone to chat with about the day’s events as we go to sleep for the night. She is also very good at sharing - lol! I think I brought just about everything but if I forgot something Erin will have it!! Also had some good conversations and found encouragement with Laurie. I am so thankful for good friends on this trip! God has provided great companionship and fellowship and it has been a lot of fun getting to know the other seven on our trip, as well as our instructor Bev. They are wonderful individuals (even though only one other farmgirl than Laurie and I!).

A Muslim shanty-town in Accra.

The power has gone out on us several times at the hostel. Thankfully, though not for very long.

Many people in Accra do not even have any access to electricity.

Water…This past week was also particularly busy as I had to do my first bit of homework!! Laurie and I were in charge of doing a presentation on safe water for our Friday seminar. So we spent every little bit of time before or after clinical working on the information.

DID YOU KNOW:
 884 million people in the world do not have access to safe water. This is roughly one in eight of the world's population. (WHO/UNICEF)
 1.4 million children die every year from diarrhea caused by unclean water and poor sanitation - 4,000 child deaths a day or one child every 20 seconds. This equates to 160 infant school classrooms lost every single day to an entirely preventable public health crisis. (WHO/WaterAid)
 Households in rural Africa spend an average of 26% of their time fetching water, and it is generally women who are burdened with the task. (UK DFID)
 The average person in African uses 10L of water per day for drinking, cooking, washing clothes and bathing. The average person in Europe uses 200L for the same purposes each day and the average person in North America (that’s you and I) uses 400L per day!!
 It is recommended that a person pee’s in the shower to save flushing the toilet one less time!!
 Seriously though, I’ve learned how incredibly important water is for the body and for overall health and even more than physical water, how desperately we need the water of life given freely and abundantly through Jesus.

“The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” Revelation 22:17