Packed, Weighed and Ready

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

Meetings, packing, meetings… Greg and Eddie head to the Ministries section of Accra to present energy and recycling proposals at Ghana’s Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of Renewable Energy. An appointment was set up for tomorrow, Friday, January 27 at the EPA while at renewable energy they were able to meet with an official who listened to a gasification plan using garbage to generate electricity.

Doug stays home making phone calls and resting his tired back, tying up loose ends before the day of departure. Eddie and Greg build a power point presentation for the meeting at Ghana EPA tomorrow.

The wonderful meals at the Brittains continue, each one better than the last.

Friday and Saturday, January 27th and 28th, 2012

Once more Eddie and Greg head to ministries to present their ideas about gasification and recycling at the EPA this time leaving with forms to complete which in essence are environmental impact studies. In the afternoon we all meet with Sam Yeboah one last time. A TGIF celebration was held on the 1st floor with the Brittains at the end of the day.

Doug’s friend Aidan has called and meets us Saturday morning. Aidan was in charge of distributing the 2008 container which went to Tamale and the Northern Region and has successfully set up a teachers’ resource center open to all educators in the Tamale area. The computers used in this center were presented by E-quip Africa to help teachers learn about the ITC concepts they must teach. It still boggles the mind to imagine teaching computer skills with only a blackboard to help.

Aidan has many good ideas for community centers in the north and pleads with us to remember them and their needs. It is too easy to stop at the first doors in the south near the ocean instead of making the effort to travel inland. He tells us about the discussions he had with Ghana’s EPA, getting approval to use the older computers we provide. Greg and Eddie learned that the EPA is introducing legislation that would ban computers and other electronic equipment over five years of age and Aidan reports that this is negotiable when the computers are used in education as he has done.

The plan for Saturday’s departure begins with computer check-in and printing boarding passes. The Brittains are planning an early dinner so we can finish and go to the airport before 8:00 p.m. We have no idea how to properly thank these wonderful hosts. We have not only had a comfortable place to lay our heads, but also one that included fine conversations and just plain fun enjoying Ghanaian hospitality to the utmost. Our work here became possible and much easier with their gifts of food, shelter and friendship.

Since Doug is leaving this computer for Monsignor Francis Tawiah, this will be the last blog entry until he arrives at home on Sunday. So from Accra, Ghana then, thank you for caring enough to follow these updates—you give us the inspiration to work harder to meet a few of the needs of these wonderful people.

Until later, may God bless you richly and safe journeys.
Doug