October 5

Set off after breakfast, through terrible Kumasi traffic, to drop Margot at Dr. Annie's clinic to spend the day. We were to go on and return to the clinic by 1 PM. Late dropping her off and heavy traffic got us to the village of Krapa far behind schedule.


At Krapa, the Kiphart's school was augmented by a school farming project run by an NGO established by the head of the Agricultural School, a Ghanaian named Joe and his Lebanese/American and Iranian-born wife, Ida, who met one another at Ohio State University. We spent considerable time in the fields seeing and hearing about the agricultural development spear-headed by two agriculture students and helped by the students in the Krapa school. The farming also included 400 newly-born chicks. Great progress had been made since the Kiphart's last visit, both in the field and in completing the school building.

I had brought 15 cameras from Evanston, which I distributed to the "chosen" students, after they had recited a pledge to Susie. The original plan, for the pictures to be taken and developed while I was here was unrealistic, so follow-up was left in the hands of teachers and Dr. Addai, who gave a rather scary introduction to the children. I intervened with a much softer description, in which I emphasized that the project should primarily be fun for them.


Unfortunately, I did not have time to do interviews with either the local chief or the 80-plus year old higher chief, who had known Kwame Nkruma, Ghana's first president. Susie and Carol had left for the clinic with Peter. Dick and I were driven by Joe and Ida, once I'd finished with the camera explanation. This gave me time to learn about their interesting background and about agriculture in Ghana, and to record that interview.


We arrived at the clinic after the day's bustle had subsided, which was too bad. We did get a full tour of the miraculously-reconstructed (confirmed by Susie and Dick, who were tremendously impressed and surprised with the outcome of the work they'd financed) maternity facility and then the rest of the children's clinic run by Annie.


We wound up in Annie's office, where she explained with great enthusiasm the work she was doing, including work with orphans and prisoners that she'd added on her own. She told, with the help of Peter's architect/son, Alex, of what she still needed, most of which will almost certainly be provided by the Kipharts.

After our meeting, the Kipharts, Margot and we went to the huge, crowded and teeming market near the clinic, one of the largest markets in West Africa. Led by Jonathan, we moved swiftly through the narrow, bustling streets and soon it began to rain. We turned around and headed back to the car, the rain-drenching being rather pleasantly cooling. While it would have been nice to experience the market under lass rushed and drier circumstances, and to have the chance to photograph it, we at least got a taste of the colorful spectacle.


We drove back to the hotel, managed to check the Internet very slowly and dried and washed up, prior to being picked up for a short ride to a nearby hotel for what turned out to be a larger than expected (over 30) gathering of well diggers, contractors, architects, doctors, chiefs, prophets and assorted other friends of the Kipharts. Everyone introduced himself and told what they were up to, heaping uniform, lavish and deserved praise on the Kipharts for their efforts and support. It was a wonderful tribute that they received humbly and in which we were privileged to participate. Their deep involvement and dedication is apparent at every turn. At the end, the prophet, who was something of a surprise guest, blessed everyone in language I could not understand. It turns out (we discovered the next day from Peter), that nobody else could understand him either, since he was speaking in tongues.


I was encourage by Dick to show the photos I'd downloaded to my iPad, which were enjoyed greatly by prophet, chief, dean and lesser beings.


Back to the hotel, after another most full and interesting day.