THE BRAVE LITTLE DIRECTOR
Thursday, July 15, 2010 at 1:50PM One, two, three…four, five…six, seven…eight…does anyone remember The Brave Little Tailor? He slew seven flies with one blow and the story grew beyond imagination until he was credited with slaying seven grown men? Well, I am no tailor, but I did slay three tiny little mosquitoes last night and one more this morning! Of course, the last one was well satisfied and replete with my blood and as I mentioned, I counted eight welts on myself—how many “bites” can one mosquito take before they blow themselves up?
No worries, a refreshing shower and I will go forth and do great things! One, two, three…minutes go by and the slow trickle of cold water stops completely and I hope I got the last of the shampoo out of my hair. I do have electricity, however, so I plugged in my stateside phone to charge for the day…just in case my luck holds and I run out of minutes (again) on the cell phone we purchased here in Ghana. Am I crazy, you ask? Am I not concerned the phone will self-destruct with the power surge sure to occur in the course of the outlet blowing out (reminiscent of a certain friend’s hairdryer on the last trip)? Ah-hah! Need you have further evidence? I have a hope that springs eternal!
It is not so difficult to have this hope. The inner joy reflected in bright smiles amidst hardship I see every day around me here at the camp, in the streets, everywhere, it is contagious and uplifting. So when I go downstairs and ask if the entire hotel is out of water or if it is just my room and I am told they just started the pump for the water, but they are very sorry I wasn’t able to finish my shower, Patience is so sincere as she informs me with a very sweet smile. Just as sincerely sorry as she is about the fact that after they sprayed my room for mosquitoes yesterday, they left the windows open to “air it out”, not considering they were also allowing mosquitoes in—aha, this explains the swarm I found when I arrived back yesterday evening.
Mr. Chris delivered his lecture to the hotel reception about proper protocol with guests and how they shouldn’t wait to pump the water until after it runs dry and no, do not open windows when the mosquitoes are breeding in the grass just outside the windows, and we drive back out to the camp. First order of business for the day was teaching volunteer Amy how to batik—designing patterns and dying cloth. The Sierra Leonean and Liberian women Point Hope has trained in this skill take her under their wing and I start documenting via photograph when I feel a sharp pain in my left palm. Has the camera pinched me? No, some unknown relative of a flattened mosquito or spider has taken its revenge and the welt is immediate and growing; perhaps also related to the monster that just left a red mark on my right shin which is now grown to almost the size of a dime in the last 5 minutes. But I hardly notice because Amy is as fascinated by this craft and as charmed by the ladies as I am and a couple of hours fly away for both of us.
Amy went to help at the clinic, she is a pre-med student, and I stayed to take more pictures as the material for tooth fairy pillows is stamped and dyed. (See http://www.sorrisidecor.com/ and look for the Buduburam pillow!) In between trips to a fantastic, newly constructed computer lab training center, the maternity ward, the batik center and the PointHope Ghana office, the rest of the day passed as quickly as the first half. On to dinner with friends to have Octopus in Fried Rice at an infamous hotel where I was stuck in the loo for over 45 minutes (the lock hasn’t been fixed, by the way—just removed, so I had to hold the stall door closed as I completed my business), then set up a taxi for a trip into Accra tomorrow (where I will meet Chris at the courthouse while he tries yet again to get a travel visa for a recently adopted child whose parents await him in the U.S.) and home-again-home-again jiggity-jig!
I entered my room which smelled of insect repellant spray, saw no mosquitoes and turned on the air conditioner, no problem. I went into the washroom and pulled up the sink faucet handle to dispense water, problem. No water. I went back downstairs and asked how long it takes to pump water to the second floor, as they had started pumping this morning. The nice young man behind the counter said he would check. In no time at all he called my room, “The pump is on, the water should reach your room shortly.” I asked if he were sure, because they had told me the same thing this morning. He said “the water has made it to some of the hotel, so it should reach your room soon.” I thanked him, hung up the phone and swatted a mosquito. It kind of hurt the bug bite on my left palm, but I’ll get through it.
Am I insane? Nope! Because the air conditioner does work, the refrigerator is chilling my bottled water, I do have windows that close (most of the way), my belly is full and I will only be here a few weeks. There are children and their families at the settlement and in the homes between the hotel and the settlement and beyond who do not have cool air, running water or refrigerated bottled water, no windows or bug spray to keep the mosquitoes at bay (many don’t have mosquito nets to sleep under, either), scant food supplies and they have nowhere else to go, they are never done “roughing it.” Yet I see trust, joy, and the love of God in them. They inspire me. I want to be a part of the plan God has for them to become self-sufficient, educated, healthy, and moving confidently into their future. Yes, there are children who need help elsewhere in the world, even in the U.S. I’m hearing His plan there also and will be working toward the goals He has for us. But at this very moment? As my mother used to say, “bloom where you are planted” and right now I’m transplanted in blooming Ghana.
Oh wait…nine…the itch in my left index finger’s knuckle tells me I messed up the count…ten, eleven, twelve…those are definitely from the batik zone, thirteen… If you hear a faucet dripping, it’s not mine, there’s still no water. Thing is…I know I’m blessed!
Reader Comments (3)
Thats is truly God speaking through you, because what person under your circumstance that doesn't have the love of Christ, be as tolerable as you are as you deal with the bugs, no water, etc.!
It is a blessing that Amy was there to experience the first hand batiking process, that must have been such a wonderful adventure for her!
I Literally was complain to myself (okay and maybe others) about how my two or three mosquitoes bites were so bad, and I am not in a country or in a hotel where there are mosquitoes breeding outside my window. Complaining right now sounds and seem pretty ridiculous. However, I am glad you shared that because my outlook about my life situation and current situation is changed through your and of course God's inspiring words.
One day I would love to go over there and give those children that are less fortune a hug and a helping hand, and even though I won't be staying forever, I would love to let a child know that they are being thought about and how much God loves them.
P.S. You are a amazing writer, I love being able to visualize your description as I read! Thanks for sharing!!!
pRAYING FOR YOU ... I WRITE LESS CAUSE I CARE MORE! .. LOVE YOU AND IS GREAT TO HEAR OF THE GREAT THINGS GOD IS DOING WITH YOU AS HIS HANDS AND FEET!
Okay, this trip seems more like a adventure then when we were their together, I love you and miss you. God is working for you and point hope. God bless you, tell the mosquitoes I'm the only one who should be bitting you.
Love Ya GGH