Pajama Parties and Pedicures!

Teaching the girls that one can NEVER have too much glitter in their life!

My brother Aaron had to leave for Burkina Faso on Sunday morning so we missed church, but church came to us!  I stayed in my pjs all day and had one big party with the kids. . .glitter, paint, makeup, popcorn, dancing, singing (okay some yelling and screaming too) and a little Mary Poppins!

Church members who took a taxi to visit us since we didn't show up!

I did Natalie's makeup, then she did mine.  Eli did Maddy's - both Maddy and I ended up looking hilarious as you can probably imagine!

Monday arrived and I met the nanny, Sarah, and the housekeeper/cook, Helen, for the first time.  They are soooo sweet and quite frankly I don't know how Amy survived without them pre-Ghana-with 5 kids and especially now with this huge house!!!  So, I've had 2 dinners by Helen so far and I have to say that she is a fabulous cook- who needs a restaurant when you have a fabulous cook!

Sarah with little Isaiah.

Today we had a driver take us to the Ambassador's house for tea with his wife and other wive's of embassy members.  We also had two Ghanian women, Patience and God Willing (yes, these are their given names!), come over to the house and give us manicures and pedicures (my first!).  Obviously, the fact that we live very privileged lives is even more accentuated here in Africa- not only by the poverty but by the fact that we can live even more extravagantly-  afford help etc.  Honestly, it makes me feel uncomfortable at times.. .. like who am I to deserve this, really.  I have been so blessed- just by being born in the US!.  I have been "given much" and I believe it is my responsibility because of this to give much.  I am very conscious of this especially being here.  Amy is too and she is so generous with her help- these past two nights she has tried to get Sarah and Helen to sit down and eat dinner with us- last night they didn't-she begged them again tonight.  They told her they didn't feel comfortable sitting down and eating with their "boss"- she insisted and they finally joined us but ate little and didn't stay at the table long before they were cleaning up after us!  Amy also pays them more than average.

May I be an instrument of the divine, helping to facilitate transformation on the earth, creating more balance, bringing more joy, love and peace!! This is my prayer.

My sister-in-law, Amy getting a pedicure and manicure from God Willing and Patience!!

Arriving here - back in Africa after years of holding the intention,  there was a feeling of coming home not just to Ghana or Africa but to the world- to all of humanity.   I have not travelled overseas in 7 years and to Africa in about 30- far too long for me!  For me, being in the US can sometimes feel too sterile, too comfortable, too disconnected from the rest of the world- from the reality of how many people live with less resources and usually with much deeper, rich community.  Traveling to places like this sparks something in me- I become even more alive and awake to so many things including the need to continue to strive for more balance in this world of extremes.

Just one part of the market!

My brother practicing his Twi (one of the main local languages) to the amusement of the women at the market.

My sister in law, Amy, buying yummy roasted peanuts. . . two beautiful women!!

Yours truly!  
Thank goodness for the water bottle pouch- the weather reminds me of Atlanta in the summer.

Speaking of Atlanta...home of Coca Cola!  I tried to tell this woman that I came from the place of Coke's origin.  I don't think she understood me!

Yesterday, we visited a very large- vast marketplace in Accra - we travelled as a bunch of Americans from the Embassy in a bus and brought a Ghanian guide with us- so we were buffered from some of the chaotic nature of the experience- especially as an "obruni"(white person) traveling alone in a place like this.  So many sights, sounds, smells- I found it intoxicating being in the midst of so much of  humanity so up close and unadulterated!  I am fully alive!

I bet you can't tell this is my brother!  So loving being here with him and his beautiful family!

First day in Ghana

 After arriving last night and getting a good night's sleep, I've jumped right into my Ghanaian adventure.  It's been pretty nonstop especially since there are 5 kids (I am staying with my brother and his family for the first week.  He is an engineer with US AID)!!! LOVING it!  Accra, Ghana is tropical (lots of palm trees- coconuts- had some fresh coconut juice straight out of the coconut this morning) and the majority of buildings are stone, stucco- the streets are relatively clean - lots of vendors set up on the roadside.  The thing that I loved was every time we stopped on one of the main roads there were people walking between the cars peddling snacks, water, fruit- so we bought plantain chips to snack on a few times- these were YUMMY.  This afternoon we drove to a smaller city just outside Accra where there was a bead "factory"(made out of recycled glass).  Driving outside the city, I witnessed much more poverty and trash etc.  I was reminded of my days in Khartoum.  The people in general are very warm and friendly- their levels of English vary dramatically.  It actually surprised me that in general their English is not as good as I thought it would be since English is the national language (it was a British colony).  I'm looking forward to going to the big market tomorrow- but alas, no pictures as taking cameras there is not such a good idea.  I'm exhausted now and leaving you with this:

"Be the cheese you want to see in the world" Gouda (actually Maddy Bennett-my 15 year old niece)