Eye Opening

June 2, 2009

Well I did not sleep well at all. As soon as I laid down, I noticed the big lump of hair that I had not gotten used to yet. Since I had just gotten the braids, my head is still sensitive. For the first time in what seems like forever I slept on my face. The travel pillow that I bought for the flight came in handy. I was able to just stick my forehead in it and still be able to breath.

Morning came too quickly. My alarm went off at five and I was to be ready by six. We had a four-hour drive ahead of us and he said that there was going to be traffic. Well he was right. There was plenty traffic. It is very different than traffic in America because we have lanes, stop signs, and stop lights. Here there are potholes, no lanes, no traffic signs, and basically you squeeze into spaces where you fit or where you have beaten someone else to the spot. This system of driving could never work in the United States. Sometimes there are close calls on whether or not someone is going to be hit. There are also herds of animals that roam the streets and they are left unharmed, which is another that I cannot say for the US.

Well as some of you know, car rides make me sleepy beyond belief. So I fell asleep for some of the ride.

I learned that Ghana has ten regions, which is the equivalent of states. Then each region has its own towns. There are places set up everywhere on the side of the road that sell fruit, candy, clothes, AND…AND SMOKED RACOON! I did not know what it was at first; I knew it was some kind of rodent. I do not know if I am more surprised that they smoke raccoons and cook them spread eagle or the fact that there are raccoons in Africa.

James told me that we were going to a castle in Cape Coast. Well as you will soon see from the pictures, it is amazing. It is one of three castles in Ghana. Here is the twist. The Swedes, originally built this castle as a trading port for ivory and gold, but it was eventually overtaken after being attacked many times. It passed through the hands of the Danish, the Dutch, and eventually landed itself into the hands of the British. We got to look in its little museum and then I realized what this castle was used for. It was a place where they kept and shipped out slabes for the Transatlantic Slave Trade. We were able to walk through the museum and see old chains and shackles along with the history. One interesting thing I learned that I did not learn in my history books was that some of the blacks that entered America were not slaves. Some of the early blacks were able to come as indentured servants. Ghana, today known for its peace, would back then capture slaves from neighboring countries.

When we finished looking through the museum, we were taken on a guided tour. Well this is the first place where I felt out of place and mildly awkward even though this experience was fascinating. The first place we went on the tour was the male dungeon for slaves. We were able to walk through the rooms where they kept 200 male slaves in each of the five rooms for three months at a time. As we were standing in one of the cells the tour guide went and turned the lights off so that we could get a feel for what it was like to be a slave during the day. The experience alone was enough to make me cry. Thirty feet or so from the ground were three small windows and that was it for ventilation. There was also line on the wall that came up about to my knee and the guide, Isaac, said that their human waste would reach that level. Oh and the church was located directly above where they kept these slaves. The slaves were able to hear every hymn the whites sang, the whites were able to hear every cry and plea for help, and yet they did nothing. We then walked up to the top by the coast and it is gorgeous. I do not understand how such controversy of scenery can be in one place. We then walked to the female holding cell. There were three rooms, larger than the males cells, and each held 150 slaves. However, there was one thing different. Just before the cells, a small room also served as a holding cell. They would specifically pick out the prettiest slaves and attempt to have sex with them. If a woman did not comply, she was put in that room with up to ten other females for a week. This room was not even as big as a closet. Then we were able to walk through “The Door of No Return.” This is where the slaves would walk through to the boat and never return, but today they changed it to “The Door of Return.” This is because they invite all generations to come back to Ghana. We then walked through the “jail.” One room was for soldiers who had committed a crime because of heavy drinking. The second room, the one in the very back, could hold up to fifty black prisoners. These men were put in there because they caused a riot or tried to escape. Isaac also turned the lights off so that we could get a feel. I cannot even put into words what I felt. In this room, there were no lights or ventilation. Then he told us that the men that were in this room never saw daylight again. They would be put in this cell and were given no food and water. So the whites waited for them to starve to death. Isaac showed us on the floor the chain marks that were put into the floor by slaves trying to escape. Also we were told that the whites did not clean the room out until all fifty of them had died. This is when you would hope you died first. The last place we went was the white governor’s living quarters. It was stunning. With windows surrounding the rooms, there was a clear view of every angle. After the tour ended, I went back to the male dungeon to take a picture. I honestly could not bring myself to take a picture while on the tour. I was the ONLY white person among eight others. Isaac referred to the slaves as their forefathers and that made me feel out of place. It was completely different hearing their side of the story. We always here white man this and white man that, but to hear about the black side brought whole new light on the subject. Even though I had nothing to do with the Transatlantic Slave trade, I still feel terrible. I mean try to imagine… no matter how much you plea or cry you are trapped into a world of fear and torture and there is no way out. The thought makes me sick to my stomach. I wonder if the circumstances would have been different if they all could speak the same language. Then there is no barrier and you are forced to make some connection.

After that we went to go eat. I wanted to go to the beach but James and Immanuel do not know how to swim so…also I cannot get my hair wet. I just wanted to touch the water, but I think we will wait for a beach in Accra.

I never knew really, where I stood on homosexuality until I talked with Immanuel. I did not even mean to stumble upon this conversation with anyone. All I can remember is arguing this topic in Human Sexuality in the fall. I was unsure how I felt about it, but after watching Milk on the plane I feel like I now know. I also think that being away from every influence I have ever had in my life being absent, I have time to figure out where I stand on certain issues. Either way, this debate of me believing it is not wrong made him say that he likes me. Oh Lord! No way! I am not in Africa to get a boyfriend; God knows that I do not need that, especially since there is so much I am still figuring out about myself. Then some lady made a comment about if he was going to marry a white girl and he said yes. I looked at him, laughed, and said, “Good luck finding one here.”

I feel asleep again on the way home with my arm out of the window. I was wearing Amanda’s band, so now I have a white mark part way up my forearm since the wind had pushed up. Note to self, do not fall asleep with your arm out of the window on a sunny day in Africa.

When we were driving I witnessed two things that took me by compete surprise. First, when we finished our breakfast, which consisted of crackers and pop, the remnants were thrown out the window. I was in complete shock because there is a heavy fine for littering on the high ways in the States. The second thing was that Pastor James was pulled over for going 65km/h in a 50km zone. His speedometer does not work so I was surprised he was in a close range. Anyways he and the police officer start talking and then laughing. Then we went on our merry way. There was no ticket, no nothing. The officer was just showing James that he was speeding. This would never happen in the United States.

When we got back Immanuel asked if I was tired and I said a little. We got back to the hotel and Solomon was there. I suddenly got this burst of energy because I did not see him yesterday. He commented on my hair and we started laughing. He used to work at the hotel in the city so he is used to white people English so we communicate well. He and I can talk for hours. I think it is because I am all alone here and have no form of communication so I am thankful for him

When I return to Africa I will be bringing someone with me. Not only because I want someone to experience this, but it does get a little lonely.

Pastor James and I started talking about the details of how we met and how each of us felt looking for the other at the airport. It was quite humorous. He said that before he even knew me he was praying that if it be God’s will that I would come. He and I are meeting tomorrow to go over something big and important. He wants to me find churches in the states to partner with his church. So the churches would help support his church and as a result this would become a place where the church’s congregation can do mission trips. I will be the middle man. I will be arranging flights, details and be the mediator. This seems like a lot because it is. So I am going to pray and pray and see what God has to say. If I can get this thing off the ground this could be a potential job, I mean it is a job, but a paying job. If it grows I can use churches to support the new churches that will be going up on Ghana with his newly trained pastors. We will see what happens. We could call it Adopt a Church, or Reach Out. We are also looking at recruiting colleges, basically any individual or group of Christians that want to come. We will see where it all goes. It is all just in my head. I have a feeling that my desire to do good will over rides my sanity. It always seems to. If I take this on full force, I might have to give up something, but I do know that it is not school.