Books for Africa Library Project, Inc.Establishing libraries in rural areas of West Africa |
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Subject: lights back on Hi friends, I thought I'd finish the story. I signed off e-mail at ten of 6 and hurried back to my brother-in-law's house. Most "lights out" black outs go from 6 to 6 and the sun sets around 6:30 PM year round. My sister-in-law had dinner ready very soon after I arrived and we rushed to eat and brush our teeth before lights out. They surprised us yesterday. It wasn't turned off until 7:35 PM; we had a little reprieve and then DARK! It comes down like death. No warning; just dark. They are working on the conditions; certainly it is unacceptable for business in the country. Ghana is making so much progress with the economy in other areas...infrastructure like new roads, streamlined port clearance, improved bureaucracy in the government, social security, national health insurance to name a few. Today's headlines announced the government's plan to split the national electrical company into government and private power providers; private enterprize would finance some of the power companies as in the USA.
Another area I wanted to share on is the danger on the highway. I have spoken about it in a round about way before. We pray every time we take to the highways; it is very dangerous. The cars on the road have increased from 135,000 in 1996 to over 700,000 in 2004. By now there are probably over one and a quarter million cars, an increase of over 900% in ten years. And most of the new drivers are under 25 and receive very little training. Many have bribed officials to get their licenses. Drivers pass on hills and around corners. Some drivers just make a third lane out of a two lane road passing in the face of an on-coming car. Each long trip has some such incident. One has to be alert always. It is safer in rural areas because most of the new cars are in the urban areas. To make matters worse the police have very few mobile units so no one is checking moving violations. They may stand at the side of the road and check driver's licenses and car registrations but speeding and dangerous driving are not ticketed. The situation is untenable really, but in a country of many priorities such things come down on the list. Many of the police are corrupt as well. I have been stopped at road check points for licenses. My papers are in order and a policeman approached and asked what I had for him that day. I told him, "Nothing". Most Ghanaians are very gracious and he didn't take offense, but one can't respect corrupt police.
So when I spoke yesterday of doing things by prayer and service with love, it includes driving on the road. One is cut off by rude drivers and patience grows thin. Driving involves a lot of prayer. Letting go and keeping charity is the best way to respond. I know cause I've tried righteous anger in an effort to change their behaviour. It doesn't work; I get myself upset for no purpose. Charity and letting go of insults are better purposes; it brings me serenity.
Another sensitive area which I have not shared very much is the very popular attitude among Ghanaians that my economic interest comes first. "Me first" is the attitude in driving. "What can I get from you" is the attitude when many approach me. Ironically, it was prevalent when I began the AA meetings in Kukurantumi. Because a white man was behind it, many men thought there was "money inside for me." I focused on the AA program and teaching how to work the program; the men wanted something else. One man kept asking me for jersies to start a soccer team! Some of the men wanted to do volunteer labor to clear some of the weeds from the Treatment Center. I told them I would not pay them; they kept on insisting that they wanted to give back to the program. I let it go; I went out with the men and we spent about three hours clearing some of the brush around the treatment center. Of course, I didn't pay them. Some of them didn't come to anymore meetings. Because AA is being presented by a foreigner the common attitude is still, "how can it bring me money." I emphasize how it can save their lives. This is part of the growing pains.
I want to mention something of the faithful few. Isn't it so in most societies? There are a few honest and charitable individuals on whom one can rely to selflessly serve the greater interest. Mr. Ohene-Gyan is a retired Twi teacher in Kukurantumi. I was referred to him only three weeks ago. Up until that time I had three different people translate the 14 pages of Chapter 5 of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. The problem is that each of these first translators used a slightly different dialect. When I asked Mr. Ohene-Gyan to clean up the Twi, he conscientiously did so. You should have seen the red marks on all the pages. He practically re-wrote the piece. He did the same for five other pamphlets. I paid him for his work but there came a time when he said no more. "You have given me enough. I want to do this to help." How many people do work for free in Ghana? Hilda and I found very few. Papa Kwaku is a share cropper on lands that Hilda inherited from her mother. He is so faithful with the work, and he works hard. While we are back in the States he will be weeding around the Treatment Center and taking care of some fruit trees we planted. He is so honest and humble. I offered to leave money for him while he took care of the land. "No," he said, "pay me when you return." The attitudes shown above are more typical of Ghana in the past. Today, cash talks. There has been a change in values that is more typical of western economies. Still there are a faithful few who value work, honesty and care for other people. God is at work changing our hard and selfish hearts. May we listen to His voice. We leave for the U.S. in a few hours. Our love to you all. Kirt and Hilda |
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