So you want to go to Ghana?

My Atorkor Volunteer Experience

I can only speak from my own experience and hope that it provides you with the information and/or reassurances that you need in order to make the decision that best suits you.

When I first thought of going to Africa as a healthcare volunteer, my family was concerned. This is understandable. You see and hear many negative things on TV and unless you have opportunity to interact with someone from the region, you have nothing to provide balance. I too had concerns, more because I had never done anything like this before and I was worried about being able to make a significant contribution.

Safety - Atorkor is a rural community in southern Ghana. It is pretty quiet and stable. While it is important to be careful when travelling, as you should be wherever you go, I never felt unsafe or threatened. Of course, you should remember that compared to US standards, this is a poor region and one should not be flashy or ostentatious. I did not encounter much begging as compared to other places I have been but it can happen. If so, just politely turn them down and state that you are here to help the entire community, not just one person. I encountered one older gentleman who tried by telling me his "pocket was light." I replied "Well… that's a good thing! It is much too hot to be carrying anything heavy!" He knew that I had deliberately misunderstood him but no one lost face and the interaction ended pleasantly. This however, was an isolated incident – the only one I encountered during my time in the village.

Clothing – Cotton, cotton blends, and more COTTON! You will be miserable in anything else except perhaps for some of the special sports microfibers that are designed to wick perspiration away. I have a peasant blouse that weighs next to nothing but could not wear it for more than 5 minutes – I had not realized that it was 100% polyester. Full T-shirts and tank tops are ok, as are long shorts. (no Daisy Dukes please) Bring a swimsuit (no bikinis) just in case you go somewhere you can go swimming in a pool or salt water – but not the river. You will need long sleeves and pants or skirts for the evening to protect against mosquitos. Pack light, washable items. Please be prepared to handwash your undergarments but for the rest of your clothing there is someone who does the laundry twice a week for a reasonable fee. You don't need a huge wardrobe – bring items that can be washed easily, mixed and matched. Don't forget to bring SUNSCREEN.

Food – Sometimes the food can be spicy or hot – if you like pepper or hot sauce, you will be fine. However, the cook is very good about accommodating the Western palate and it was all good. Love the jaloff rice!! That was my favorite! When you first arrive, avoid salad and make sure all fruit is washed & peeled. I found that after a couple of weeks, salad was ok for me but by then I was more accustomed to the environment. If you have any special needs, just let them know and every effort will be made to accommodate you. They are very concerned about your comfort and well-being. Bringing some granola bars or a box of your favorite cereal is not a bad idea. There are little shops along the main road where you can purchase soft drinks and snacks. Make sure you ask about the policy regarding the bottles – many places don't charge a deposit fee and even if they do, they want the bottle back! I had someone come to the residence seeking their bottles because I had not realized that I was expected to return them.

Water – stick to bottled water for drinking. Tap water in the residence was ok for cooking – I boiled water for tea and coffee with no problem. You may have heard of Guinea worm. Fortunately this is not a problem in this part of Ghana but that does not mean you should not be cautious about the water.

Mosquitos, Malaria & miscellaneous health info – You will need to have your YELLOW FEVER CERTIFICATE to enter Ghana. There are other immunizations that are recommended for travel to developing countries. This is a good time for you to get your immunization records in order – the International Certificate of Vaccination booklet also has pages for current medical history, blood type, eye glass prescription and allergies. Refer to the US State Department's website to check for any travel or safety advisories. Also see the CDC's Travel pages for recommendations regarding vaccinations and meds to carry. You should be able to get most of this through your local Department of Health travel clinics. This is usually more economical than going to a specialist or private travel clinic. Make sure you carry adequate amounts of any required medications and copies of your prescriptions. I also brought Tylenol, Benadryl/allergy meds, Immodium-AD and the recommended antibiotics for Travellor's Diarrhea which fortunately I did not have to use.

Don't forget to bring SUNSCREEN. The more fair you are, the higher the SPF should be. Chances are however, you won't be lying around on the beach getting a tan. The beach at Atorkor is a working beach and you will see the fisherman pulling their nets. It is worth taking an early morning walk to see.

As for the Mosquitos – I was pretty lucky in that I didn't get bit. Usually I am a favorite meal for them. I brought DeepWoods OFF 98% Deet – this comes in a small, convenient travel size container and worked well for me. Unfortunately, Malaria is a major problem in this part of the world. Therefore, you must take prophylactic Malaria medications starting 1 to 2 weeks before you go and continuing for a few weeks after you return. I took the weekly medication (Larium) and did fine . Consult your doctor to see which one is best for you. Again, the CDC has information on malaria and chloroquine resistance that you should read.

Volunteering your services – Depending upon what it is you came here to do, your experience will be unique to you. Age is not a barrier as long as you are reasonably healthy. Maybe you are a nurse and will be doing basic health assessments or teaching. Or you may have construction experience and will be helping to build something. Or perhaps you will be spending time in the school, teaching a craft or conversational English. Whatever it is that you choose to do, ADF will work with you to make it an enjoyable and satisfying experience for all. I have no regrets and thank God that I was able to come here to work with these wonderful people. I made friends and some will be lasting relationships. It was the experience of a lifetime. One which I plan to repeat.

More on My African Adventure – June 2008

I am afraid I was not able to keep up with blogging as I wanted to but I do need to make special mention of all those who helped to make my trip a success.
I had solicited donations of medical supplies and was able to acquire almost $2000 worth. I had 4 large containers full of sterile dressing materials, sutures, wound care items, single use thermometers, stethoscopes, blood pressure meters, a Johnson & Johnson Medical Mission Pack which was full of over the counter meds and more. My friend Frankie Flynn purchased an autoclave/sterilizer which was on the clinic's wish list. My co-workers @ Jacobi Hospital collected $ to purchase a baby scale and make a cash donation. Stephanie Reynolds, NP was most generous and provided me with several useful nursing texts. Ms. Livermore provided a CPR book and instructional DVD. Ms. Hannah Nelson and Mr. Peter Lucey helped make it possible for me to get some additional items. Gregg Tossi deserves special thanks.

In addition to private individuals, several companies played a significant role in providing me with supplies to bring with me. 3M/Littmann Stethoscopes was very generous with providing a good number of quality stethoscopes. 3M Health Care, Nexcare, Medical Indicators, Bayer, Genentech were also generous in providing items for me to take. My apologies to anyone I may have forgotten. Please know that all you did was most appreciated by me as well as by those who were the recipients. The nurse and health care workers were thrilled with everything, especially the stethoscopes. I have always considered my stethoscope to be a personal piece of equipment and part of my uniform, but this idea was foreign to them. They never dreamed of having a quality stethoscope of their own. The healthcare workers appeared to stand taller when they were given their own to keep. The nurse was also very happy with the pocket protector loaded with pens, penlight & bandage scissors. It was nice to be able to do something to foster a sense of importance and ownership in the healthcare workers at the clinic. Shown here is Nurse Suzzy and one of her aides, Eric standing in the entrance to the clinic. I really enjoyed the time spent with them. Eric proclaimed himself to be my "son in Ghana" and would carry my bag whenever we went out into the community. However, I did promise the bag would be left for Joyce, the other healthcare worker, when I left Atokor. It was a Jacobi/NBHN tote bag and they all had their eyes on it.

I have been in communication with my friends in Ghana and ADF. I hope to be able to return in the fall. The nurse and I would like to put together some special educational outreach programs. Possibly something to coincide with the annual beach and community clean up day in late September. In the meantime, I would invite anyone reading this and interested in learning more to visit ADF's website at www.adfatorkor.org. ADF's focus on providing a solid infrastructure for the village to develop and progress. This includes a strong emphasis on healthcare and education. There is so much work to do and every little bit helps.

Finally in Ghana

March 25, 2008

Well , this is actually day 2 in Ghana and everything has been pretty amazing. The flight over was pretty good. I ended up switching to the aisle seat with my seatmate as she was trying desparately to sleep but could not get comfortable – she needed her rest more than I as she was traveling for a funeral. When I finally settled down for a nap, the lights in the cabin came back up and an announcement was made - "is there a doctor on board? Will anyone with medical experience please come to the back of the plane." I responded but there were 2 doctors and a nurse already involved, so I ended up hanging out in the rear galley talking with a young man who was enroute to Liberia for a charitable mission working in an orphanage and enjoying the "war stories" of a veteran airline stewardess who had definitely "been there and done that." So much for sleep – the adrenaline surge took care of that.

In the morning we deplaned directly onto the tarmac via huge metal stairs rolled up to the front & back doors. Until I reached the bottom of the steps, my main objective was not to fall down as they were pitched a bit steeply, my load was heavy and the woman in front of me kept stopping unexpectedly. When I reached the ground, I looked about, saw some official vehicles and a few people who had placards with names but none were for me. I went inside, again passing more individuals with names on cards, but remained unconcerned. Sam had said he would work it out and I was not to worry – so I didn't. While I was standing on the line, a slim gentleman wearing traditional style casual dress came up on my left. He was pointing at a piece of paper in his hand while saying, "is this you?" I looked down and saw that it was a black & white printout of my ONS "Vegas" picture and responded "I think so." When he paused, looking a little confused, I restated, "yes, it's me." He bent down to take my bags, "Good, come this way , the chief is waiting." So, following him, we passed everyone still waiting on line as he brought me to the window for Diplomatic visitors. While standing there, I saw a friendly looking gent looking directly at me. As I glanced back, he began to make a funny face while waving his fingers at me. I just smiled back, thinking "OK – keep smiling, he looks harmless enough." Moments later, we met face to face and I realized that my finger waggler was none other than "the chief" aka Sam but officially Togbi Akumey Geli Adjorlolo III. He introduced himself and greeted me warmly – I had failed to recognize him despite having had a picture, but then again, he had the same problem. He and his driver had been waiting on the tarmac looking to collect me with a diplomatic vehicle, but were unable to pick me out of the crowd. Perhaps if I had fallen down after all, he would have found me more quickly. J An announcement was made alerting passengers from Delta flight 166 that not all of the checked luggage had been placed on the plane and that any missing items would arrive on tomorrow's flight. I remained calm. It would all work out. I gave my passport and luggage receipts to one of his men , then Sam led me to the VIP Lounge to await retrieval of my luggage. We talked and began to get acquainted. He was very gracious, again thanking me for the efforts I had made on behalf of Atorkor Village and the health center. I was just happy to be here. I made it. I am in Africa.

While we waited, we spoke of the supplies I had brought and my initial concerns about everything getting here with me. However, I am learning to "let go" - I cannot obsess over every detail that is not under my control. It is what it is. I packed as well and securely as I could and once I left those cases with the TSA baggage checkers, it was out ot my hands. Sam assured me that all would be well and if something was left behind, he would have someone pick it up the next day. Sam's associate Kaff, whom he refers to as "Mr. Fix it" came into the lounge accompanied by a young woman in the uniform of the Ghanaian Army. He informed me that one of the Rubbermaid style storage boxes did not make it but he would make sure it arrived tomorrow and was picked up. I had a brief moment of concern and then let it go. The entourage picked up my hand baggage and we proceeded outside to get into the waiting car, already loaded with the 3 cases of supplies that had accompanied me. (I didn't have to carry a thing – I could get used to this.) We then drove through Accra to the guest house where Sam had stayed the night before so as to be able to meet me at the airport in the early morning. I was given a chance to "freshen up" and was able to take a quick shower – mindful of the warnings I had been given not to ingest any of the water, even in Accra. It felt so good, even though I did not have a fresh set of clothing out – it would have been too much trouble, once I break into one of those Space Bags, it would have been all over with. However, just being able to shower and change undergarments was wonderful. Afterwards, I rejoined my party and then had some refreshments while sitting in the chief's "favorite spot."

Me & Sam @ Mahogany Lodge, Accra, Ghana Me & Kaff, aka "Mr. Fix it"

Upon leaving, we changed vehicles – everything had been moved into an SUV while we were inside – and continued on our way. I saw the huge complex being built by the US Embassy. The homes in the surrounding neighborhood were all gated residences and quite upscale. Then we changed some money (1 USD = 0.98 GC) and went to the SHOPRITE supermarket in Accra Shopping Mall .

The market was clean and well lit with wide aisles and a fair assortment of items. However, I noted that much of the fresh produce was imported. Yet Ghana is an agricultural country. I commented to Sam that one would think that if they could bring in potatoes from South Africa, they should be able to obtain locally produced product. I saw him furrow his brow as he verbalized his agreement.

Once out of the city, the landscape took on a dry, sandy look with few trees, mostly scrub bushes and flat open space. We were driving through the Sub-Saharan savanna . I saw large red clay pinnacle shaped "structures," standing as high as 6ft. These were termite mounds and some of them were nearly as big as the scrub trees dotting the area.

The road was long and dusty with little change of scenery, yet my excitement never waivered. We crossed a small toll bridge not far from the border of Togo and were besieged by bread sellers when we paused to obtain a few loaves. Sam opened his window to make the purchase and the young boys were literally all over the vehicle, on both sides, trying to make a sale. After about 2 ½ hours travel from Accra, we crossed over the Volta Lagoon which has been made smaller due to the presence of the Volta Dam and continued down the ribbon of road until we saw some scattered dwellings ahead. We had finally reached Atorkor.

We alighted from the vehicle to be met by the crowd of people gathered at the roadside. There were men and women in traditional dress, along with a group of school children who were dancers and drummers. They greeted us with smiles, shouts and loud cries of "WEEZOO!!" which is Ewe for "Welcome." I shook many hands and tried making the appropriate response of "DYOO" and an occasional "Akpe" which means "Thanks." We began to walk in a procession up the road to the Togbi's residence. There was beating of drums, dancing and singing as we went along.

A large umbrella was brought to shield us from the sun and a young man carrying a staff walked ahead of the Togbi. This continued until we entered the courtyard of the Adjorlolo residence, where we were seated, made more handshakes, were given water and entertained.

The warmth & hospitality shown to me was unparalleled. It was an experience like no other I have ever known. However, when I called my dad later that night, I told him to start rounding up the neighborhood children so he could greet me in kind upon my return home. J

I met the Togbi's wife, Sonia and his eldest daughter. When I inquired as to the whereabouts of his little one, he said she was out getting her hair done and assured me, "Don't worry…she'll find you." How right he was. I have had a little shadow ever since she "found" me. She is a little chatterbox but quite delightful.

That evening after dinner, we discussed the next day's event – the annual Prize giving & Speech day ceremony. At that time, I thought I would be able to get away with making a simple statement requiring little preparation but that was not to be the case…

I finally was able to get to sleep around midnight. I had been up since 7:30am on Sunday and was not really able to take much of a nap. I laid down, listening to the beat of the drums and music coming through my window. The village was having their Easter Monday party on the beach, but I was too tired to even think about going. I soon drifted off to sleep. I woke up only once, shortly before sunrise and dozed off again. I was soon awakened by the crowing of the beautifully plumaged "alarm clocks" that were roaming freely outside my window.

As soon as I opened my door, there was my host's youngest daughter. She had been waiting for me to get up. (what a surprise…not!) Shortly thereafter, I was made aware that the last case had arrived and someone was picking it up. God is good, all was working out well.

Annual Prize Giving and Speech Giving Day in Atorkor Village

The day broke hot & sunny with a few grey skies in the distance but nothing to worry about. Before proceeding to the ceremony, I came downstairs to meet the Queen Mother of the village – Mrs. Lois A. Okudzeto, M.A. It was then that I realized I probably should have prepared a few formal words as she was to officially introduce me to the community. They were really emphasizing that I had come "all the way from New York City" to help the village so as to give the villagers a sense of importance with regards to the efforts being made on their behalf. Again, we had a formal procession (no drums but still some calling out from onlookers) with Tobgi and his wife, followed by the Queen Mother, myself and the rest fo the entourage. Fortunately they had canopied areas for everyone to sit – the sun was fierce. The formalities went on for hours but the Master of Ceremonies had a quick wit and a dramatic flair that kept things interesting. At one point, when he realized that this was going on long enough, he announced that "there seem to have been changes in the program but it would appear that I have the Master Copy so that's alright then…" The children's dance routines were very good, some were better than others. As one group of girls were enjoying their fifteen minutes of fame and were not going to give up one nano-second of it, even as the Master of Ceremonies tried to get them to finish up by talking over their performance. They just kept on until the end. It was during the ceremony that I discovered that I was the "Guest Speaker" – when the MC told Mama that she was to introduce me before I made my speech, she replied, "does she know about that?" Well I do now… After the Queen Mother made her remarks which were insightful and supportive about the school's progress and where it needs to go, she introduced me. I managed to make some brief comments regarding how I was impressed before I arrived when I had heard about the village and the work that ADF is trying to achieve, however, now that I have been so warmly received and seen the efforts of the children and everyone for myself, I was truly impressed. The MC translated my remarks into Ewe and it appeared to be well received. I then continued to state the purpose of my trip was bring as much medical equipment as possible and to see what I can do to make a difference. I called the Nurse of the Health Clinic, Ms. Susan Sabadu forward and gave her a donation of $300 for the Health Clinic on behalf of my coworkers who had contributed towards my mission. We then walked over to where the medical supplies were on display at the end of the table with the prizes. I spoke briefly and gratefully returned the microphone. The MC finished translating and turned to me to state that "the people of Atorkor are most grateful for your efforts and will do everything in their power to make your stay here an unforgettable one and you will have the best time of your life."

After all of that was said and done, we finally got to the point of the entire exercise which was to give the students their awards. The Queen mother started things off and then I and Mrs. Adjorlolo helped give out the awards.

Afterwards, the donated supplies were put on display in the tent with the childrens' artwork and handicrafts, some of which were quite good. If they continue to do so well, it is possible that the school may soon be able to sell some of their crafts to help raise funds.

Much thanks is due to the wonderful people who helped make this possible for me to do – my coworkers @ Jacobi Medical Center on Unit 5D Oncology, especially Cheryl Drayton for her efforts at collecting funds and everyone who was kind enough to contribute; Ms. Livermore for donating the CPR instructional supplies; Mr. Peter Lucey, Ms. Hannah Nelson, Greg Tossi, who made sure I had something to bring over; MAP, International and Johnson & Johnson; Dana Sawyer @ LITTMAN Stethoscopes; John Cromwell @ 3M Health Care; Frankie Flynn for his generosity in purchasing a STERILIZER/Autoclave and for transporting me to JFK; my family – Sarita & Jasmine, I could not have done the airport thing without your help; the nice people @ BAYER who made sure I was able to contact the local rep, Scott Blum who was kind enough to send me glucometer strips to take along.

Wednesday, March 27, 2007

Today is baby clinic day for Atorkor Village. Each Tuesday is a well baby clinic day for one of the 4 villages in the region. Since yesterday was taken up at the ceremonies, the clinic was postponed until today. I am still trying to learn the system, not being an outpatient clinic person, it is a little bit more difficult for me to get the process but I am trying. The Togbi's desire to get all of the data on the people in the region onto the computer and to have the nurse/staff use that system for entering physical and immunization information relating to each visit. The women come in with their children on their backs. Everyone appears to be in their best clothing and many are sporting smart little cases for their infants' items – much neater looking than our traditional diaper bags. The digital baby scale will come in handy for the newborn infants and smallest of babies but the majority of infants are weighed in a sling attached to a hanging scale. They seem to tolerate it pretty well. Each mom comes in with her own sling for her baby – this is done to cut down on risk of cross contamination.

The one shown here is made out of a flour/grain sack. Unfortunately the part that says "Product of Ghana" doesn't show up well in this photo. The slings are all homemade and some are quite fancy, including one that was crocheted.

Through the nurse, who is named Susan, I asked the women for permission to take photographs of them and their children. They assented and much to their amusement, I managed to use one of my few Ewe words "Akpbe" (Thank you) .

People wait to be seen with their babies.

Nurse Susan is busy long after clinic is done.

In addition to the babies, there was a young girl who came in with her Dad complaining of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea x 2 days. In this climate, with the heat, this is a serious event requiring intervention – dehydration is a life threatening event. Fortunately, she did not look too bad although she was visibly tired and miserable. Susan prepared a bowl of ORS & water – Oral Rehydration Salts – something similar to Pedialyte as a replacement for fluids & electrolytes lost. The girl was allowed to rest in the Albert Stanton Ward – a room set up with a couple hospital style cots for the purpose of treating short stay or stabilizing a seriously ill person for transport to the hospital. Her skin turgor was satisfactory and we showed her parent how to check for dehydration. After she consumed the ORS and rested, she still vomited one more time but felt adequately improved to go home with her father.Later that afternoon, we unpacked and cataloged the supplies. Eric Doe, one of the healthcare workers assigned to the clinic was delighted when he was given his own stethoscope to care for and keep as his own. I also gave him a Metro Plus shirt which he immediately put on and began posing for pictures. He is a sweetie with a flashing smile, good looks and he knows it… gee, who does that remind me of?

Later, the Togbi came by with his IT Tech person. He is serious about this clinic becoming a state of the art facility. I am gaining insight into the problems to be dealt with and where I may be of assistance. After he left to attend yet another meeting, his wife, a few of his people and I took a walk on the beach prior to returning to the residence. Atorkor is primarily a fishing village and this is still done pretty much the same way as they have done it for hundreds of years. As we passed the lagoon to take the path to the beach, we passed the remains of an old boat that was carved out of one tree – it was huge! Mrs. Adjorlolo stands next to the old fishing boat to give the viewer some perspective on it's size.

When we returned home, I could smell dinner and it was good. Up until now, they had been taking it "very easy" on the seasoning as per the chief's instructions. The food was good but I was starting to think that the Ghanaian diet was a little bland. Today I let it be known that I wanted to taste the "real cooking of Ghana." Tonight we had fufu and stew - wonderful but still could go a little more on the pepper. I don't think they believe me when I say I can handle it. But, I really have no complaints. I am being treated very well and could not ask for better hosts. Ghanaian hospitality is wonderful.

17 days to go...

I continue to prepare for my trip. My only quandry is how I will manage to get all of my suitcases/boxes into the airport & checked in @ Delta. Ernest told me to let him know if I will be taking a 4th case so he can send me a check for the fees, so fortunately cost is not a factor. I will need about 2 extra pair of hands and a strong back to go with it! Cheryl has been busy advocating on my behalf, trying to make a collection to raise funds for a baby scale and a cash donation to the clinic. I have never been good at "blowing my own horn" so I am glad to have her on the case! Today she spoke to the head of the Oncology Department and he was very interested in what I was doing. We shall see what fruit that tree bears. Additionally, I continue to await word on what supplies, if any, my hospital is willing to donate. My greatest hope is that I will be so successful that getting it all to the airport will be my greatest problem.

I am very thankful to all of those individuals who have helped me so far. I am touched by the responses I have received. I am confident that this is a good thing. I can only do my best and leave the rest to God.

Happy Leap Day!!

It seems somehow appropriate that LEAP YEAR is the year I jump into something totally new for me. 24 days to go...but who's counting? I am, that's who! I continue to prepare for my next adventure. At work, support has come from unexpected directions. I am confident that I will be able to meet my goal of having at least 3 full cases of supplies to bring to Ghana.

Before I go any further, perhaps I should explain how this all started. I have a friend from Ghana who brought this about for me. Ernest is a truly wonderful person - kind, intelligent, honorable, hardworking - I feel most fortunate to have met him. Inasmuch as he is a paramedic/EMT and I am a RN, we spoke about going to his homeland to do a medical mission involving his village, Atorkor. Unfortunately, he was called up for active military duty with the US Navy and those plans were put on hold. Before leaving, he initiated a process with his cousin who is the head of an NGO that was formed to help develop Atorkor village. Basically, his cousin Sam invited me to come to Ghana and arranged for me to participate as a healthcare volunteer in their new health centre. Thus began a flurry of emails back and forth, making plans & preparations for my arrival. I cannot remember the last time so much courtesy has been extended to me. Everything from my housing to weekend excursions and even a cell phone for my use has been provided for. In return, I have been working to acquire a number of items which will be needed for the clinic. Littmann, 3M, Nexcare and Bayer have all been kind enough to send me donations, including stethoscopes, bandage tape, single use thermometers and glucometer strips. The combined value of these items must be well over $800. My friend, Frankie Flynn, purchased a sterilizer/autoclave for me to bring. My co-workers are taking up a collection.(Cheryl Drayton deserves a word of thanks for that) I hope to receive some additional sterile dressing supplies from my hospital, Jacobi Medical Center. My biggest concern at this point is getting to the airport & checking all my excess baggagge. Once I get on the plane, I can no longer worry - it's in God's hands. Sam assured me that he will be able to meet me and help get me through customs, so that's it.

I have been meeting all kinds of people with a Ghana connection. It is all coincidental? I tend to think not. Too much has happened to be just chance. I cannot help but feel that it is all simply a sign that I am on the right track in the greater scheme of things. I had been contacting Delta to ensure that all of my bags will be able to travel with me - I cannot imagine getting there to find that some of my supplies/luggage would be arriving on a later flight. A very nice woman named Shelley called me to allay my concerns. It turns out she has inlaws living in Accra and gave me her extension to call if I have any additional issues. She even called again to alert me to a change in the price of extra luggage. Very nice. On this past Monday, I had a chance encounter with a young lady from a surgical supply company who turned out to be originally from Ghana. She was quick to give me some tips on where to do the best shopping and where to find the best American style cheeseburger & fries in Accra. That last bit might really come in handy after about 3 weeks in country. She is also affiliated with the Organisation for International Development. I will be getting in touch with her at some point in the future.

Even my patients are excited about what I am doing. I had one gentleman I was caring for who is from Ghana. In attempt to draw him out, I told him of my plans and asked questions about where he comes from. Sometimes when he has visitors, I overhear him say with pride, "Thats MY nurse...she's going to Ghana." It's funny how people make a fuss about me doing something special but I am the one who feels blessed in being able to do this. God is good and I hope that I will be able to act as His instrument for positive change. We shall see where it all takes me.

Hindu Wedding Sept. 07

In Septemer 2007, I was invited to the wedding of my good friend's daughter. It was an experience unlike any other I have had thus far. I was priviledged to participate with the family in preparation celebrations and witnessed up close a culture so unlike yet like my own. I am blessed to know such a wide variety of people. My life has been enriched by good people from all walks of life.

This is a test and only a test...

...if this were an actual life, you would have been provided with further instructions.

So here goes. My test run as it were in setting up a blog. This is in preparation for the my trip of a lifetime (thus far) as I am going to Ghana as a healthcare volunteer. My father is very concerned that I keep an accurate record of all that takes place up to and during that event. So, this one's for you Dad!

We are only passing through... thoughts on life, great song (Earl Skaggs & friends, reading by the late, great Johnny Cash who made my life miserable with his hit song, "A Boy Named Sue" but I digress), a philosphy on life. We are only passing through so lets do some good along the way. I have travelled a bit - not really into the typical, all inclusive resort, tourist thing. I like to sample the real life, real environment of the places and people I visit. When in Jamaica, I was fortunate enough to make some friends who showed me both sides of that coin. Now, when I go, I have someplace I love to stay (yardie style) and be at home, spending my time with regular folks and getting a taste of what I call Paradise. But I can appreciate the hardships that go along with that life. Politics, economy, realities of the living situation of many folks - it is not the idyllic island paradise that the tourists see. But life is good and so many of the people I met proved to me that money is not everything when it comes to living well and being happy - however, it doesn't hurt to have some either. Jennifer James and her family @ Greenleaf Cabins made me feel very much at home - I recommend them to anyone that wants to visit Negril and live simple. Nothing is more relaxing to me than the warm tropical climate, clear skies and beautiful beaches of Jamaica. I will be going back again.

Now I am passing through into a different phase of my travel life. I am currently preparing for a trip to Ghana, not as a tourist but to go as a healthcare volunteer and try to do some good. This is something that I have wanted to do for some time now, but this particular opportunity just fell right into my lap like a gift too good to let pass.