There was no car sent for Sonjelle so she didn’t end up
going to pick up the new guy, and rumor had it that Edem had picked up the kids
for the trip to the clinic very early that morning, so we didn’t have anything
planned out for us to do today.
After our ritual egg sandwiches and the kids went off to school,
Sonjelle and I went to the market in Kpando (It was actually Market Day! It’s only Market Day every three or
four days, and so far I’ve missed it.) and got some cloth. We brought it to Obey, the local
tailor. He’s going to make a men’s
shirt for me to give to JB, and the seamstress next door will make me a dress
in the same fabric. He can’t make
my dress, though—only a female tailor can make my dress, apparently. The fabric was 8 cedis for 4 yards and
each item will cost 3 cedis to make.
 |
| Obey the Tailor |
Obey’s bright, flashy patterned tunics are only outshined by
his bubbling giggles and grins.
His tailor shop, a little wooden shed barely ten feet long, is painted
bright blue and has the name “Still OBEY the BIBLE Tailoring Shop” stenciled in
white and gold above the door. His
sewing machines and fabric fit nicely inside, but he can’t be contained. Sonjelle mentioned the “friend” that Obey is often holding
hands with, and I mused that Joyce might have to retract her statement that
“there are no gays in Ghana.”
 |
| Uncle Mauwli |
The new volunteer, John, got in around 11:00am. Edem had sent his friend Mauwli to pick
up John and they came straight to the home to drop him off. There are a few people Edem can trust
to help him out with the home, and Mauwli is one of them. Mauwli takes college classes in Accra,
and comes home to Kpando on the holidays and some weekends. He looks a little older than your
typical college student with his full five o’clock shadow, wiry build, and
designer jeans, but he’s as optimistic and chatty as a freshman. He’s interested in starting his own
nonprofit, so I have the feeling he won’t always have time to help out quite as
much around the home. It’s a
shame, because the kids crawl all over Uncle Mauwli the minute he steps through
the gate.
 |
| Uncle John |
After a nap and lunch the three yavos took to the kids to
the sports stadium for something to do.
John looks like Professor Plum on vacation, with his short, dark hair
parted on the side, his stylishly nerdy glasses, and his completely nerdy
bucket hat. His own five o’clock
shadow is a bit sparse, and he says he isn’t shaving until he gets home. Ah, the benefits of volunteer
vacations.
We talked while the kids played soccer and jumped rope. He has never been to a developing
country- he’s a bit overwhelmed.
The first thing he said after being quiet for a minute was “I knew we lived
above our means… but now I KNOW we live above our means.”
He and his partner live together, above their means, in
Providence, Rhode Island. Unlike
me, it sounds like he actually did his homework before planning his trip. He chose Ghana because it is relatively
politically stable and safe, has travel and tourism infrastructures, and the
people are welcoming. Not as
welcoming as he’d like, however.
He had read that Ghanaians love to see pictures from home and hear
stories about the friends and families of travelers, but he decided it was best
to leave pictures of Frank behind.
The matrons served us dinner and we helped with homework,
read stories, sang songs, dolled out and collected dozens of kisses and hugs, and
put the babies to bed. Then we
went out on the town. The internet
wasn’t working (“internet finish,” as we were told), so John wasn’t able to
assure his poor family that he is alive and well on the other side of the
world. Mauwli had helped him
purchase a phone and some credit, so at least Frank knew he was all right and
could spread the word.
What a spectacle we were; three yavos walk into a bar. Well, a bar is called a “spot,” so I
suppose the joke would go “three yavos walk into a spot.” And then that’s it. That’d be the joke. Both Mauwli and Obey showed up and
joined us. We felt like celebrities. Or zoo animals. People staring at us, strangers coming
up to say hello. It was totally
weird.
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