Thursday in Ghana

We started today by heading to CKO --it's another orphanage that our agency adopts out of in Teshie, a city just west of Accra. It took us about 30 minutes and the route to get there is along the ocean. Places are not all that distantly far, but the traffic is horrible and gets worse as the day goes on. Since Accra is the biggest city in Ghana, it's more commercialized and not as much poverty in view (it's all relatively speaking). As we approached Teshie it reminded my much of Juarez, Mexico in that there are "set up shops" everywhere. Actually, it's constant along the main road but I can't believe how many are situated on every road off the main one. I can seriously see why it's hard to make money because it's seems it's all people have...a shop to try and sell to someone else. Things don't ever look new to me because even if they are, the dust covers them quickly. Anyway, the orphanage kids were outside at their tables having their "last day of school party", as break starts today for one week. The party didn't seem to consist of anything other than singing and clapping. We met Emily, a missionary there for 3 months assisting with the distribution of monies/food from "Feeding the Orphans". We had only been here a few short days but it was so nice to see an American and ask her so many of the questions I've been wondering. I recognized some of the kids that are being adopted by families from facebook. One of the older girls and Emily took us to one of the shops so we could buy the kids some drinks and "biscuits" (or cookies). I thought of my Aunt and Savannah and how much they would love to be there as the kids danced, sang, and played the drums for us. It was truly the first time I felt like I was in Africa. We toured the building and it so saddened my heart to know most of these 46 kids have no prospective parents, let alone eat and sleep in those conditions.
Emmanuella did NOT sleep well the night before. Her cough had gotten worse (even with our medicines) and I know we only slept about a total of one hour with 3 minute increments hearing her cough or having her toss and kick me (not purposefully). The bed is very hard so it's difficult to get comfortable anyway, but we have air conditioning, blankets and hot water (non of which the orphanage has) so no complaining here. Anyway, she fell asleep on the way so I'm not sure if it was the combination of feeling a little yucky, being tired, get awoken, and seeing the orphanage, or if it was just the fact alone that she saw what looked like a place she had been dropped off before. Because she immediately started crying and holding onto Glenn as he carried her. This truly broke my heart. We hadn't seen her cry yet. We had one of the boys translate to her that we were just visiting, but I'm not sure she believed us. As time went on she became a little more comfortable, but never wanted to venture too many feet from us. Oh, it's gonna be so hard on Monday.
After that we went to "The Fern House". It's a crisis pregnancy center that a new Ghanaian adoptive mom friend helps collect sponsorship, etc., for. I had talked to them and they had two babies that have been sick they wanted me to look at. Thankfully I didn't think either of them were that sick but I was able to educate them on dehydration, etc. Basic stuff I totally thought they would know. They asked me to come back when they can be all together so I can do some education. I get the impression these moms stay here for a while after giving birth so postpartum stuff would come in the most handy. I learned a mother will deliver at the local hospital and they will keep the baby there like the US if it is born prematurely. These services are not throughout Ghana. In some of the more remote regions everything is still very tribal and not modernized.
On our way back into Accra we stopped at the courts as our coordinator had received a call that the decree had been released and was ready for pick up. YAY! this can sometimes take many many days or weeks but we need it to file the I600 before we leave the country. Seeing it in hand with our last name attached was truly a blessing.  I was then told I could call and attempt to make an appointment for our I600 (the visa exit paperwork). We had already been emailing them for days and I"m told you have to be incredibly persistent. I got right through (amazing, now this wouldn't happen in America) and the lady told me she only had appointments left on Monday at 2pm. This is exactly what we had wanted as we flight out that evening and they don't do appts on Fridays.
We had brought Emily with us and got dropped off at the most Americanized restaraunt in Accra. Emily had only been there once since arriving a month ago and she was truly drooling over the french fries and nachos. The kids (and she eats only with them) pretty much eat beans, rice, oats, eggs, some fish, some spicy soup and Foutou (a pasty starch). Emmanuella wanted....you guessed it, Chicken. I'm told it's not often the kids get it and if so, very small portions. She thinks it's the ultimate delicacy. She is slowly venturing to trying some other things though, she wouldn't try my chicken enchalads (chicken on the bone is how she recoginizes it) but did have one chip.  We took a taxi back to the hotel and loaded Emily up with some home favorites...chocolate, sour candy, and snack bars. She is such a gift to those kids and really sacrificing herself for the Lord.

Emmanuella loves putting her feet in the pool water. She says "brush teeth mommy" and does a great job at it. Whipped out the jump rope this evening and did it right the first time and second time and on. Scolded daddy for leaving his chocolate wrappers around. Played follow the leader with Cara the French girl, her mom, and I. Asked me, "why daddy go inside?".  Colored more on just her 5th page in her coloring book (very orderly). Continues to count everything. When she says something she has learned or does something correctly (like "mommy see me jump"), she likes for you to say good job or wants a thumbs up.
The last fun thing we did tonight is Skyped with Bryce. She immediately recognized him and did a really good job at talking to him. When another kid came into his camera (he is at the Olympic training center training this week), she pointed and said, "Logan". I didn't have the heart to tell her no. Unfortunately, we don't have a webcam so he could not see her back :(