News and prayer requests for the mission to Ghana and Ivory Coast in West Africa, February 18 - March 12,
sponsored by Grace For Today / New York City
2/24/10
Tuesday Afternoon
Elizabeth and I caught a taxi and went into downtown Kumasi this afternoon between meetings. We had a pizza - perhaps the only pizza in Ghana - at Vic Baboo's Cafe, the world-famous, old British hang out from the days of colonialism. Ghanaian pizza really is pretty good!
A woman carrying a load of yams on a street in Kumasi
Ghana: Where we're going
Ghana is a nation in West Africa (it is shaded in gray on the map above). It is about as big as the state of Oregon, but with 20 million people.
English is the official national language, but most people in the Kumasi area have only a limited understanding of English. Akan, the language of the Ashanti's is the main language. We preach in English, which some Ghanaians understand, with an interpreter to translate into Akan.
Ghana lies a couple of degrees above the equator so it's hot and humid year-round. We received 7 vaccinations, for Yellow Fever, malaria, Typhoid, hepatitis, meningitis, etc. We packed several bottles of mosquito spray on the US doctor's instructions, but we haven't seen a mosquito since we arrived in Ghana.
The Weather Report for Ghana
The weather forecast for Ghana is hot: High temp - 98 / Low temp - 77 Humid. UV index: 10+ 'extreme'
It's 90 here now with a blazing sun. The weather is different from our last trip. We had rain one evening -- and cloudy and misty mornings. Last time, we had nothing but sun. Also, last time Harmattan winds blew fine particles of sand from the Sahara (north of us), up into the atmosphere, which reduces the heat of the sun; this year, no Harmattan winds - apparently unusual because Pastor Peter remarked about that.
We're hoping to leave before the rainy season starts. The rain creates breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which carry tropical diseases.
Cape Coast
Fishing Boats at the end of the day in Cape Coast
Seamstress in Kumasi
School children in Patasi
A church member going home after church with her baby, all the mothers carry their babies like this
Pastor Peter got some American flag handkerchiefs and handed them out at church on Sunday in our honor (2008)
This boy at the church in Ahensan was very proud of his NYC shirt, all the children love to have their picture taken. (2008)
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