Peace Corps Inheritance

With a refreshing Vision Quest behind me, I returned to Bormase ready to get some work done. Moringa had been drying in my new makeshift drying apparatus (I've slung a synthetic mesh across my veranda and have leave spread over the 25' x 4' surface). Gusting winds and a leaky roof have caused small portions to mold but after sorting through the mass of leaves, Stephen and I were ready to make our first batch of Moringa powder.

Stephen brought out a mortar and pestle (normally used for fufu or other starch meals) and after maybe thirty minutes of mixing and pounding, he and I (emphasis on the former) had a large ziplock back of bright green Moringa powder. In Accra, 50g of Moringa powder sells for 5 Ghana Cedis so we've produced a good amount.

On the second day of pounding Moringa (we produced another ziplock bag, making around a kilo in total) Stephen told me about an alternation that occurred while I was sleeping the night before. While drinking Akpeteshie, two brothers started to argue and then to fight. The younger brother (also the local football coach) was being beaten by his older brother (a member of the bead group) and threatened to get a knife or cutlass. Shortly after the fight was broken up, the younger brother went to his room and indeed returned with a cutlass. He chased his brother into the bush and hit him across the face with it. Patrick (he lives next door) heard the commotion and followed the pair into the bush. He found the brothers still quarreling and took the cutlass. Patrick then ran up the road in order to use the satellite phone where I live. Dorothy helped wrap the wound and when a car arrived from Sekesua, Patrick and Samuel rushed to the hospital for stitches. Samuel's life was saved but he has a gash from above his right eyebrow to near his chin.

I went to greet Samuel after he returned from the hospital and found him sitting with his brother and some friends. The brothers acted as though nothing had happened and for the sake of tradition, we all took a shot of Akpeteshie for Samuel's health (it was 7:30am).

Stephen and I discussed how this incident should be treated. He told me that it would be best if they could send the brother to jail for two days as a deterrent. It looks as though there will be no serious repercussions for the younger brother.

After a few days, everything in Bormase was back to normal. My chest was still sore from my football collision but aside from that, everything was great.

I attended the monthly baby weighing and cut more Moringa for harvest. On Tuesday, I traveled to Apimsu with Kua and she and I paid Casey what may be a last visit at his site. The 2006-2008 Omnibus is approaching their close of service and all who are not extending will leave by the end of November. Casey and I hung out with his neighbors and sat through a monster rain storm. In the morning, he sent me off with a great bag of goodies. I've "inherited" spices, a french press and many other great additions. Taking things from another volunteer causes a strange mix of emotions. Casey has been a great neighbor and was one of my trainers when I first arrived. He's not being replaced and once he and the rest of the group has left, I'll join the ranks of the "old Omnibus." On another note, my kitchen is greatly improved and I'm approaching the last year of service. Very strange indeed.

On Thursday, Dorothy and I joined a few other volunteers for the first day of an annual polio immunization drive. I brought along a bag full of sticker (inherited from Casey) and at the end of the day, 84 children aged 5 and under were going around having received a polio immunization, a Vitamin a supplement, a de-wormer and a fine sticker.

I traveled to Accra on Friday and missed the following two days of immunizations but learned that nearly 250 more local children received immunizations and other vital supplements. Though my help was far from vital the the program, it was really nice to get out and volunteer in new communities.

I've been in Accra since Friday. I met Cheri for a very fine dinner and have since been waiting to have a chest x-ray administered. Our PCMO suggested that I have an x-ray to be sure that nothing was out of place but I missed office hours of Friday and had to wait around until Monday morning. On Monday, I arrived at the clinic at 10am to learn the machine had spoiled and I'd have to come another time. I returned to the Peace Corps office and was referred to a different hospital on the other end of Accra. I arrived and learned that I'd need to register with the hospital ID and that the referral wasn't enough. My Peace Corps ID has also spoiled (apparently you still need to empty your pockets when doing wash by hand) and I had to return to the office for a new ID. I arrived in time for the weekly office-wide meeting and and waited through the meeting and lunch hour before being issued a new ID. At around 2pm, I returned to the clinic with my new ID and learned that the registration machine was spoiled and I'd have to return the next day. That night, I received a call from a fellow volunteer and learned that she was on her way to the airport and out of Ghana. This volunteer was suspected of breaking a rule and decided to terminate her service early. She'd been Accra for two days and received notice of her departure time a mere 5 hours before she was due to check in.

I said my good-byes and will do my best to help tie up remaining loose ends. I received a negative x-ray this morning and will know more in a week. At long last, it's time to get out of Accra and back to site. I'll visit the training site on Thursday for a Moringa presentation so the whirlwind is sure to continue.

All is well despite the confusion.

Love you all