Day 16
As seems to be my style, I have totally forgotten about my wonderful blog about Ghana. If anybody asks I was trying to build suspense from the last blog until this one.
So, we move on to day 16.
Started the day with a group effort spring clean as today is our last day in Santrokofi and the last day of summer school for the children. We had bags and bags of donated clothes and football shirts that we sorted out for the different classes.
At the start of our class, Sister Zoe had brought a 2 litre bottle of coke to demonstrate how a volcano works with the build up of pressure. We took the whole class outside and got into a circle where everyone shook the bottle and passed it around. A bit like playing that game pass the parcel where everyone tries to get that extra second longer holding the parcel incase the music stops. After everyone shook it up. Zoe took the top off the coke and a stream of Cola shot into the air. The kids ran towards it trying to catch any stray droplets that they could just before the fight for the bottle.
Back in the class, we began handing out the clothes. It was like a pack of vultures fighting over a dead carcass to get the last scraps of meat. Or like a zombie movie. After a while they moved closer and closer and went slightly crazy. Even though we were giving them clothes for free it felt like we were being robbed. I remember to this day, this one little boy who must have been as tall as my shins was pulling on my shorts. I looked down to see this little face showing hatred and anger, the kind of look that I imagine would come from a coffee addict that had to wait too long for his next hit of jumbo latte, before the caffiene shakes take control. Anyways, I noticed that this kid was wearing a brand new illuminous chelsea kit with shorts. Without any changing of expression he said "Hey, I got no socks!" Cheeky so and so. I just told him to be happy that he got anything at all.
Eventually we managed to give out everything hoping that everyone got something. Then got a few class pictures and said our goodbyes to them. There was a few really intelligent children in our class and a few of them have been sponsored to go to school this year in other villages with the help of the charity.
When we got back to the compound the tro tro was ready for us. And it was time for a bit of tro tro tetris with all of our baggage, the 12 children and their baggage and all the volunteers. I think I was lucky to get one butt cheek onto a seat while the other searched for greener pastures. Just managing to shut the door with out ripping old righty off was a blessing.
Before we knew it Santrokofi became a spec in the rearview mirror. Passing by mountainous landscapes and the red African soil and occasionally the odd vodafone sponsored hut we made our way to Sogakope. Soon the sun set and we travelled in the dark. And to be honest when you're driving around bumpy dirt tracks in pitch black it's quite scary thinking about what could be lurking around. Which is about the time that a few of the children decided they needed a wee. Of course. So we pulled over and they went off to do their business. Suddenly the driver seemed a bit anxious and he then said there's some headlights coming up the track behind us and he didn't know who it was suspecting it could be armed robbers as this area was renowned for it. Now he tells us. People started getting on as the lights were getting nearer. But the children took there time wanting to be outside not knowing what was happening. Seeing as I was near to the door and the last to get back on and probably the first to get a cap in my ass I was like "Everybody on. Get on the bus". I picked up a couple of the children and passed them over the seats into the tro tro as they take too long to climb up the seats and make there own way. Eventually we were all in but then bags that were stuffed in under the seats decided to make a break for freedom by jamming the door. Eventually we were all in and on our way. We never did know what it was behind us, probably another tro tro of yavoos wondering why there was a car stopped up front, thinking we were armed robbers.
In all it took us about 6 or 7 hours to get to Sogakope and when we got there sister agnes had dinner ready for us. And we had a little look around Sogakope where we saw where Agnes used to live in a small one bed house with all the children and as luck would have it we also found a bar. Phew
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