I had so much fun going to the overseas region of Ghana. It was an experience like no other. This could have been one of those corporate team building exercises except the experience was real. I was supposed to go to the overseas region on my first trip to Ghana in 2003, but the river was at flood stage and it was impossible to cross. This time, we made it.
The Tamale Rotary Club, Stephen Shipes, and I made the trip from Tamale. We traveled through the Tolon District to the White Volta River. Nawuni is the river village on the southern side of the White Volta River where we had to walk to the riverside. We caught a dugout canoe from one side of the river to the other. The canoe was large enough to carry thirteen of us and two motorcycles. We topped it off with two Rotary signs that were placed in the middle of the canoe. There was one guy in the back paddling the canoe. There was one guy in the front who didn’t paddle, but looked like he was thinking about it. The passengers were left to bail, think about drowning, or enjoy the view. The canoe ride was a blast. I would have loved to hear the “Tarzan movie” music while we were crossing the river in the canoe. It would have made the moment just right.
We walked up the riverbank to the waiting tractor and wagon. The wagon was full of sand. We placed two coolers and the Rotary signs into the wagon. The Rotarians sat on the signs and the coolers. President Joe Mumuni sat on the side of the tractor on the wheel well. He had great smile on his face most of the way except when a tree would try to knock him off. The wagon wheel did not have any ball bearings. It sounded terrible. We asked the farmer about his wagon wheel. He checked it out and told us that his wheel was working perfectly. We just prayed that it would fall off after we got off of the wagon. It took almost 1.5 hours on the wagon to arrive at our destination.
The Singa mechanized water system pumps water throughout a city of about 2,500 people using solar power. A borehole is the source of the water. The water is pumped to a 10,000 liter water tank at the highest point in the city. The water takes about three hours after sunup to fill the water tank. The water is then released to four fetch points with two faucets each.
Frank Kumah is the engineer who designed and implemented the small town mechanized water system. His design document is almost as impressive as the engineering marvel in the middle of the African Bush in the overseas region of Ghana. I can’t imagine the hardships and challenges that he had to overcome to implement a water system in the most remote area I’ve ever seen in Ghana. This water system definitely could be used to promote the slogan that “Rotary goes to the ends of the earth to provide clean water!”
We celebrated Singa’s mechanized water system with their leaders, elders and children. This project was paid for with Rotary 3-H Matching Grant #57557. The leading Rotary clubs are Sherbrooke, Canada and Lebanon, New Hampshire. We’ve built a strong relationship those Rotary clubs and districts. I wish you were here to see what can be done when people care.
I preached twice in the West Mamprusi District near Walewale on Sunday morning. The villages were Bugiya and Sagadugu. We gave out food in Bugiya after the service. The chief in Bugiya asked me to pay my respects to him. He asked for prayers for himself and his village. He also gave me four doves. This represents extreme friendship. I was told that it is easy to catch a cow and give it as a gift, but it is very difficult to catch live doves to offer as a gift. This is the highest honor that can be given by the chief for my many years of coming to his village. The gift of four peace doves reminded me of a book called “Three Cups of Tea.” Perhaps I have a title for my future book now.
We also went to Nabari where the Rotary wells were dug. I met with three members of the WATSAN (Water & Sanitation Committee). I asked them to lock the concrete lid cover so that women cannot fetch water without using the pump. They told me they need more wells to provide water. We dug three wells in Nabari.
I also visited a man from Nabari who had a snake bite in August 2008. I was taken to the man in October while I was in Nabari. The man and his family were Muslims, but they asked for prayers. I prayed. We gave him our first aid kit and my bed sheets were used for bandages back in October. On Sunday, the man’s leg is healing. The family came out with a dozen eggs to thank us for showing compassion and love in October to the man. I thought that the bed sheets, a small first aid kit, a prayer, and a dozen eggs did a lot to strengthen the relationship between Christians and Muslims.
We are in Bolgatanga now. There are more wells to dedicate and work to do up in the Upper East Region. We have seven Rotary signs to install at seven of the thirteen wells. This is the fourth region or state in Ghana where we’ve done work on just this trip. We’ve changed tribes and languages just as many times. What a trip!
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