nana mckell

Today started with a cup of Milo, and toast with eggs. My favorite Ghana breakfast. Ama made us our food again. I really think they are one of my favorite families. They have 6 kids, one is married with a baby, and that is the baby I played with the entire time. They are the happiest couple, and happiest family, and they all live together in a tiny place. They work together all day, and you can really feel their family strength. Love them. Before we left Ama gave me 15 cedi to take home so when I come next time I can bring her a present from America. I tried refusing a million times...15 cedi is a lot of money for their family to give me.

After breakfast I was swept away for the next 2 hours to get ready. So there I was in a tiny room with over 7 ladies who barely speak any english coming to help me dress for our big day. They brought 3 bags worth of fabrics etc. for me to wear. I think they wrapped me in the bottom cloth 10 times before they could decide on one. I basically held my hands in the air, and they dressed me from head to toe.

They kept looking at my skin and telling me I was beautiful over and over again. I think it might be one of the only things they knew how to say, but I appreciated it as I stood their in my bra and a skirt ha ha ha. Oh Ghana. They put on some of their makeup, and I was laughing the entire time they did it as I looked at the base they were applying...did they forget I'm white not black. I had to keep rubbing my face to make sure I didn't have streaks of dark brown base on my face. They colored in my eyebrows with a pencil. I really just couldn't stop laughing. I love them all so much. I did tone down the eyebrows when they weren't looking though. Eventually I was ready, and they brought Kenny and dressed him as well. ha ha the perk of being married to a nana in Ghana I guess.

Eventually the drumming and shouting began, and the village arrived to pick me up. They had made a palanquin for me to sit on. They tied on a chair securely with ropes to a bunch of boards for those carrying me to hold. I couldn't believe it.

They ushered me to sit on it, and the adventure began. I again felt shock as they lifted me up, and because of the chair I was much higher than last time they carried me.

 

Even more people from the village came to watch, cheer, dance, and sing. Halfway through the village someone brought a giant umbrella to hold above my head.

He would spin it as we walked, and literally I felt like nothing was real. I kept catching Kenny's eye, and I could see the same disbelief in his face. What an amazing thing to be apart of.

I didn't stop smiling for the next 2 hours.

I danced, I tried to sing their songs, I told them how much I love them, I officially gave all the things we brought to Ghana with us. The water filtration systems, the medical supplies, the solar lighting, the football, the books, and lastly their christmas present...the jerseys. They cheered, and thanked me for each and every gift as we went along.

I told them over and over again they are my family. I truly see them as my family, and I would give them the world if I could.  What they do for me is so different than we as Americans can even begin to imagine, but it is truly the greatest honor they could give me in Ghana. Sometimes I laugh at how extreme the entire idea of it all is, but in my heart it is as if they are giving me the greatest gift they could possibly give. The greatest honor a village could give someone, and for that I am so incredibly grateful. I'm grateful to be nana mckell, because it is how they have chosen to show their love. It's different than I'm used to, but I'm learning to be Ghanaian. I mean really can you imagine a greater boost in self esteem?

After everything had finished the chief said his final words of gratitude. I wish I could just pop in every person that has helped make this all possible so they could be thanked individually for their help. I told them of your donations, and your help. What a blessing it is to be apart of family and friends so willing to give. I'm so grateful. I'm grateful to know and trust that everything we give will be taken care of with such respect and grace. I have never met a better group of people in my life. I love my Antwikwaa.

Everything finished just in time for the football match to start. I got changed, and the queen gave me some of the jewelry to keep...of course it was the pretty pretty princess jewelry. Love it. We then were able to eat some of the goat our family killed earlier that day for us along with the fufu. Oh dear me, even Kenny refused to eat the squishy something in the bowl.


We rode with sammy to the football pitch to watch some of the match, and take pictures of the boys in the jerseys. What a dream. What a day.

Then we had to say goodbye. I truly hate saying goodbye to this place. Especially when goodbye means getting on the motorbike with sammy and kenneth. What a ride. We tried to make it to Kakum in time, but it closes at 330 no instead of 5. No idea why, but times have changed. Eventually we made it back to Cape after a motorcycle ride, hitchhiking with a white person, a taxi to abrah, a taxi to kotokroba, and then the walk back to the Savoy.

I can't imagine a more beautiful Christmas in the village. Truly a dream.

We ate dinner, and then went to visit the acquahs. We said our goodbyes, and told them we would give their son a giant hug when we saw him next. They are such a sweet family. We finished packing up, and then passed out from the long day.