Hi, all
Another day about half over. Met with Annie, Esi, and Anastasia this am in Bentil's office. Discussed many things, including all of you GCJ alums! Esi discussed the news that the government is taking over Manye JSS, but not the primary. However the problem? is that the gov't won't allow Manye to collect fees from people so they have only 30,000 cedis per child per year to work with (30,000 cedis is about $3.50 US!) What the govt does is charge for taking exams, as much as 40000 per exam, and if you don't pass, you pay again. I guess that's how they improve their revenue situation. The gov't school is providing textbooks, but Manye teachers don't like the textbooks, etc. etc. etc.
Said Hi to Bentil, too, and others who just dropped in. Then, we took off with Thani in taxi to "the site". I'd been there at 9:30--no M Biney (MB), just a few workers kind of hanging out. I was there at 11:30 and he had just come---but that's James' problem. I'm not here to supervise. Meanwhile, since Annie, Essi, and Anastasia had a "car", we of course stopped at various places, delivered 6 bags of cement to someone, etc.! But it was fun. Then we WALKED from the site to Manye, and I can vouch personally that 's a pretty good trail, needs a little weeding in places, but it is owned by Manaye, who have promised to clean it up. It took exactly 10 minutes, stopped twice to talk and also Anastasia didn't have the greatest walking shoes, so we're fine on that. It ends in a small settlement, with friendly people, a not very busy road, and there's the school. So, I'm happy about that---I think all the kids will just scamper to school in 5-10 minutes probably.
Then I came home and have been working on James' computer all pm. Have managed to update XP and Internet Explorer, but problems with the virus checker. (Windows LiveOneCare). It says it's seriously in need of updating, but I can't do it. Well, I'll try Leif now and then and see if we can't make a connection. Tomorrow I'll probably get anastasia's cmputer and bring it here to work on.
My room is fne---small, but adequate. Tomorrow I'll walk to the site. PLEASE UNDERSTAND I CAN READ YOUR EMAILS BUT CANNOT EMAIL OUT. Also, the wireless here is not working, so I'm on ethernet, which might be the problem. LEIF: DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS? The guy here is really pretty good, but on this he can't figure it out. I remember Susan had the problem before at the i-net cafes, but I don't know if it ever got resolved.
Also, Rich, I think it's fine it people just read the blog now on their own and you don't send the emails---would be better. I'll try to update pretty often.
I forgot to say yesterday that I had the program from Barbara's ordination, and the K's and I sang all the songs together---they knew all the tunes, although they were a little shaky on "ode to Joy". Also, Charles showed up, so he's still here. And I showed them the photo of the joyful Barbara---I'll try to post it.

thanks Rich for updating people, but I think they can look at the blog now, which would be better. Hope all is well there. I had a sad moment at breakfast, looking at the dining area without all my friends, and also thinking about Renee, my dear cousin. How alive and wonderful she was and how I'll miss her.
Also, I found a better spot for cell phone reception, thanks to Mike---my "place" is not good, but he showed me the "best" place.
I think we'll have rain tonight.
Good to see everyone today---a nice welcome and time to catch up, while walking and riding around town. Mahara, if you're reading this, they call Thani "Mr. Mahara"!!!
Love you all, Maryanne

To continue...
Gifty dropped in to the K's home and she and I and Justine spent a couple of hours discussing her work with the women's microlending program. Diana, we gave her what came to 690,000 cedis (James waited so I could give it to her), plus the other things you sent. She seems to be getting a handle on the whole thing. She and James have agreed that she will carry out the women's entrepreneurship part of the WCHH mission in Axim, starting with the women who met when we were there, and seeing who is really energized. She was very enthusiastic, but said it would be difficult to start at first, because she'll have to start the groups and meet with them frequently. She was about 71 groups going, at various stages. She explained the whole process, which is a bit much to type here, but it's a very interesting way of organizing where the group itself takes the risk (5-25 in a group) but loans are individual from 1M to 5M cedis. They pay back weekly at 14% interest which they thought was very low. She has a guy who has written a software program for her to track all this---a specialized program. I met him, but we had to rush and I would have liked to have talked with him a lot more. I also met one of hr staff members, in her office, which is really quite nice and modern looking.

Meanwhile, Frank was thrilled with Leif's passing one of the computers onto him. I have brought Quicken to work with Anastasia, and also a copy for Frank. He can use it himself, and also to coach her, if needed. He loved the book, Suz, on digital photography, and also the Photoshop Elements that leif had suggested. He was just bubbling over with enthusiasm and energy---good to see! His Govt' service is going well, and as a bonus he is learning the Ghanaian tax code, which can't hurt.

James and Justine loved the fabric we sent---I'll pass out the rest as I see people.
Yesterday, J and J and I spent about 6 hours in a meeting about WCHH, where we are going, getting me up to date, etc. It was an excellent session. Justine is getting very involved, and has good insights, esp. as to staff, and children. Very helpful. I can't type it all out, but I'm taking lots of notes on my computr and will give the GCJ alums a "report" when I return.

So, here I am. I think I'll close off now. I just found out via email that one of my very favorite cousins has just passed away unexpectedly---kind of hard when you're sitting here so far away. But I have a lot to do here. Tomorrow, I'll start. By the way, Mr. Elimah (sp?) called James one day and James told him I was there. He asked to speak to me and was very cordial and asked me to meet with him. So that's a good Town Hall followup place to start, probably. The Dist. Social Welfare man wants to see me, too. Also, Chamsou is coming on May 10 for three days! So, that's great news. And according to what Patrick told James, "two white ladies" showed up at the site last week!! Who, I wonder? I'm curious. I asked James if Patrick had asked where they were from, but evidently he was too flumoxed by this unlikely event to get any facts.

So, James has turned over to me all receipts, account books, etc., and tomorrow pm i will start to work on that, and hopefully in a few days, when I've figured out things, I'll start to work with Anastasia. WCHH Board will probably meet soon, before Chamsou comes.
Enough for now. Thank goodness I've connected. I admit to feeling a little guilty about enjoying water and electricty---gifts from God. I did kind of go back to my early farm days, when we carried all out water, etc., but it takes a while.
Did I mention it's HOT here?? Yes, it is, but it's good to be here, to connect again, and feel so much support for our project from the King to all I meet. So, next time. Love you each and all, whoever is reading this! Maryanne

To resume...
James and Justine were upbeat, positive, and their usual optimistic selves. This in spite of nearly no electricity going on for months now, and no tap water at all for the last nearly 4 weeks. Daughters Elfrieda, and Maureen, and nieces Edna and Linda, carried water from the tap across the street into the house for 2-3 hours day---on the head pans. The amount of work created by this situation is really daunting. Ravyn's headlamp and wind-up flashlight were an ENORMOUS hit. I wish I had brough a dozen. They immediately put them to use. Justine is baking 100 loaves a day about in her gas oven downstairs, but when it's dark, she can't, but last night she baked them with the headlamp on. I helped some. She is making a delicious "tea bread" that she's able to sell readily. We delivered them around to shops and they were gone in minutes. So that's going well, as is her mining uniform business.
James can get internet in spite of all this, if his battery is charged, but there's something wrong with his computer. We tried to run the virus checker, etc., but no luck. I took it with me to Axim. The wireless is down here (I'm on ethernet now), but when it's up I'll start plugging away at it, proably with Leif's help.
On Friday I was surprised to learn that we were going to a durbar! It seems the vice president of Ghana himself, a Muslim by the way, was coming to Nkroful to dedicate a development project---turning Nkforful SS into a science and technology high school!! Much investment! Gifty's husband is THE HEADMASTEr, so this was great. Anyway, our lower Axim Trad. Council people were there and I was very warmly welcomed. I was invited to wear "the cloth", but I declined because it was so terribly hot, and I didn't want to draw a lot of attention to myself, either. There was not only our own little group, of the King and council of elders and thier wives, etc., but also about 12 other trad. councils plus all the elccted officials from Mr. Elimah on up to the VP himself. AND, Marcus Garvey, the son of Marcus Garvey was honored. A good day of lots of pomp and circumstance, warm welcomes, dancing, drumming, etc. I'm going to post so I won't lose this.

Hi all.
Whew. Finally I'm at an internet connection, but it's none too good, so we'll see. I arrived in Ghana almost a week ago, and was met by Frank and James. Went to Quass Hotel, and next morning headed for Sekondi. I've been with James and Justine in their home until this morning, when we came to Axim, and I'm now in the NEW internet/business center at the ABH. Sadly all the staff we knew, but Mike, are gone. I think there's a story, but Mike won't tell me---all new people--nice but new. Michael Biney, James, and Sammy the carpenter just left. They spent the morning with the king, Mr. and Mrs. Abbey, and worked out the rest of the contract with Mr. Biney taking over. The touchy business of finishing off the roof, etc. is left, and Biney is an expert, as his carpenter in roof joining, etc., so it's for the best. He is very enthuastic about the building. I hosted a lunch at the ABH hotel just now for Michael, James, and Sammy, as a way to welcome the new contract, etc.
The hotel now has solar hot water panels next to many of the huts. Anyway, I'm going to post this, to make sure I don't lose it, and then I'll go back to other news.
Maryanne