The Last few Days of Christmas

The last few days of our 12 days of Christmas celebration – more parties, more cultural dancing and music groups. The spirit was still there – and the energy was . . . uh, still there, but at a lower key after days of celebration.

The Kete group came to perform their dances with slower, seemingly more controlled, dignified movements. Bright quickly became the star performer of the Kete’s –

Bright's in the white trousers


and the caregivers realized he needed a wardrobe change to make it perfect.













The next day the Seventh Day Adventist brass band came to entertain us.



They’re always a hit when they come – everyone gets out dancing – Bright, of course,



and Stephen,



who was released from the hospital in time to be home for the Christmas celebrations. (To digress a bit – I don’t think one of my blog entries would be proper if I didn’t digress at some point - he stayed with us for about two weeks and then went to the rehab center to have his casts removed and an assessment of what to do next. After less than a week there, he and Leticia returned to us early one morning, after taking the night bus, with the information that he’ll be here with orthopedic shoes and a brace connecting the shoes to position the legs and then he’ll be needing another surgery in a few months.)

And then . . . the Dagare’s.

Dede, one of our newest kids, and Ntiamoah - waiting for the party


Mabel and Bright (more on Mabel in the future)


They’re a group from the north of Ghana and there’s a large population of them here in Nkoranza. They use a GREAT xylophone,



the women do the drumming, the singing is nasal-sounding – and I like them (although, I guess I could easily see someone thinking it’s awful – without understanding the words, a lot of the music can initially sound the same, I guess – and either you’ll like that sound, or you won’t – I’m happy I do). They’re the choir at the Catholic church on the hospital compound, where I usually go on Sunday. The mass is always in Twi, sometimes a bit of Dagare here and there, and occasionally some English gets chunked in – but it’s the Dagare choir that keeps me going to that mass.

Emma and his "son" Quentin, enjoying the Dagares and sharing a moment


The next night, a big New Year’s Eve bonfire – with dancing and sweating around the bonfire as Kofi Asare did his drumming. Later that night, Ineke, the volunteers, Samuel and I got together to toast in the New Year with some champagne – and bright stars all around us.

And finally, it was New Year’s Day – and a simple party, just with the community – and with new golden clothes.

Mr. Robert, in the wheelchair, giving the opening prayer


Kofi Asare, also known as Coco the Clown - dressed in gold rather than the Coco costume for the New Year's party


Zacharia, who went to the Monkey Sanctuary, pushing Innocencia for the opening dance


Our Golden Kids doing the kids' dance


The next day was a day of cleaning up and taking down decorations – and the final day of Christmas here was a day of rest.



Happy New Year

Before I move on, I need to go back to the previous posting. I never explained the Christmas Goat from the title. And, I never gave a shout out to thank Chauncy for making it possible for everyone to have a coffee/tea cup. When I moved here I was hanging some shelves – a bigger process here than it is where I’m from in the states. The walls are cement block. My tools are limited. So, it was easier to try to hang the shelves from the ceiling – and it worked fine. As long as the weight is limited, that is. So – shortly after moving here, the few coffee/tea cups and other glasses became reduced in number to a couple of each (this was how I learned about limiting the weight and about the wisdom of not putting breakables on shelves hanging from the ceiling - or under those shelves, either). That’s fine when you’re alone, but not so convenient when you have a few guests. A few months after I arrived, I got a nice package with some tea/coffee glasses – like nice-sized juice glasses, but with rubber grippers included so hot drinks can also go inside. Perfect for 3 french
visitors, one Liberian, and the American host to have their tea and coffee – and later they doubled as wine glasses. And they’ve also been known to host wee drams of scotch from time to time. Thanks again Chauncy – you helped me pull off being a not-so-bad Christmas host.

Also – thanks to Rose for the Christmas decorations, which are still taped to the door, walls and hanging from the ceiling – many at knock-your-eye-out level.

And the Christmas Goat - - - I was lucky to catch my parents and brother and sisters on the phone at different points during Christmas day. My brother Dean was one of the last ones – and his first question was, “What’d you have for dinner? Goat?” And I stopped, and thought, “my goodness, yes, it was goat – and it was delicious.” We ended up having more mouth-watering goat throughout the festivities in the week ahead – and every time it was delicious – none of that usual rubber/leather combination that meat often tends to come in here (which has led me to explore the yumminess of fish more than I had in the past). This was melt in my mouth nice. This was not even thinking about it being goat nice – even though I saw the aftermath of the slaughter when we returned from the morning Christmas mass.

And now – onto the next day of Christmas. This posting is only about the 26th of December, because it is completely impossible to narrow the pictures down any further. (I think it was better for me before digital cameras – I had to be sure each picture was reasonably nice and a keeper each time I took one. Now, I can take something like 10 million pictures, and then face 10 million hours of narrowing down and weeding out. Ah well, I’m not really complaining. By the way, thanks again for the camera Mom, Dad, Rose, Aunt – after 3 or 4 years it’s still going strong.)


So – the highlight of Dec. 26 was the enactment of the Nativity. A pure celebration of Jesus’ birth. Visitors from near and far came to witness the performance. I’ll just kind of label the pictures as the performance goes on:

Balloon, as the Angel Gabriel (he’s the one I wrote about shortly after I arrived here, before he got his wings)




Some of the younger, less mobile kids as sheep, waiting in the manger




King Herod and some of his Court



Golden Emmanuella – a part of the King’s Court – who’s birthday was celebrated on Christmas, the day before this performance. The Dutch family that has “adopted” her was here for the birthday and Christmas celebration.



Bright (from the Bright in Kumasi blog posting), as one of King Herod’s advisors



Ayuba (from the Monkey Business posting – and who only the night before made his appearance as Father Christmas) and Ntiamoah, as a couple of the shepherds



Koo Emma and Boadu, two more of the shepherd contingent



Mary and Joseph, played by Afia and Kofi Asare, who is also frequently seen during our parties as Coco-the-Clown and who is also our Music Master, drumming and singing for days without tiring


The 3 wise guys – Kwabena, Mabel, and Amma – and the star they followed, held in place by Philomena (one of the 2 kids that went to visit Stephen in the hospital)


The shepherds with their herd of goats and sheep – or is it a flock of goats and sheep?


Kwame, a former caregiver who left here a few months ago to attend University, returned for the holidays and was the MC for the enactment (as well as for all the other parties during the holiday). He was assisted by Patrick, another caregiver.



The manger – which doubles as a donkey cart for the other 364 days of the year – with baby Jesus, played by Kwaku Chairman



The caregivers and some of the kids praising and celebrating the birth of our Savior



Suddenly, Kwaku Chairman got restless – he had been practicing his part for at least 3 weeks and decided he needed to run around somewhere. Fortunately, his understudy, Kojo (one of the newest kids we have here, and he might actually be named Kwame - hmmm, I'm suddenly confused) was ready to step up to and get tucked into the manger


Holding Jesus up to the world – truly celebrating and rejoicing in His birth.



It was a festive, energy-filled celebration of the birth of Jesus. It wasn’t the calm, reflective portrayal we in the US normally have of the nativity. People were celebrating the birth of our Savior, holding Him up, announcing His arrival, shouting, throwing confetti. I love the calm, serene representation we have in the states, but this was exactly as it should have been – it was perfect for where we are and how we are at this moment.

The 12 Days of Christmas (the first 4 of them) . . . or, The Christmas Goat

Our Christmas celebration lasted 12 days here – if you include the decorating, the clean-up days (before and after) and the day of rest following the last clean-up day. Reggae versions of our favorite (and other) Christmas Carols were played throughout each day – and they were received in varying degrees of delight and distaste. There was dancing, drumming, singing, feasting, celebrating, partying, Father Christmas, gift giving, champagne, a Nativity enactment, Christmas visitors, cheese and sausage, golden clothes . . . and the Christmas Goat. Everything and more – only no snow. (Although, it did get a little chilly in the wee hours of the night – something like 18C, which is around 65F – which is a little nippy when you wake up and the sun isn’t yet so strong, thanks to the Harmattan’s dust blocking its early morning rays.)

We decorated – lights, paper decorations made by the kids and caregivers and palm branches were tied together, strung up, and spread throughout the compound. It was a big decorating party – the caregivers and kids who were helping to decorate had a good time hanging things up, playing around, etc. – as Christmas preparations should be.

















Then the Frafras came to dance and sing (another Frafra link here)– but I didn’t have my camera that night so you’ll have to take my word for it. It was the first real party of the season here, everyone was full of energy and excitement.

On Christmas Eve, another SMA lay missionary from Buduburam, Claire, came up for a visit. She’s French, and her brother and his wife had just arrived in Ghana a couple of days prior, with the plan to spend Christmas here in Nkoranza. They drove up in the truck I used to use – the one that has my butt cheeks sculpted into the driver seat (it seemed like I was in that truck so often – going to this doctor, that hospital, this orthopedist, that other audiologist, etc. – and maybe the beach once or twice – while I was on the camp). And they came with Samuel – a Liberian friend I’ve known for almost 16 years (I've written about him before). He’s just completed his Bachelor’s degree (thanks to all those who helped in this process), his wife and baby boy had just left for Liberia, and Samuel’s plan was to be here for Christmas and New Year, before going back to Accra to make arrangements for the shipping to Liberia of irreplaceable items, and also for arrangements of school records and credentials to be carried.

It's kind of like a "Where's Waldo" Nativity scene - I like it


Christmas day came, along with an 8:00 mass at the “outstation” – the Catholic Church on the hospital compound – just next to PCC grounds. The music is done by the Dagare choir (more on that in the 3rd Christmas blog entry in the near future) – it’s got a nasally tone to the singing, women doing the drumming, and a beautiful xylophone. I so much want to get a xylophone like that – HUGE and with a beautiful sound. Most of the mass is in a language or two that I don’t understand, so mostly I enjoy the music and the daydreaming as my eyes wander outside the window.

Ah, but Christmas day, the French visitors, Samuel and I all went to mass in the morning. And it was nice – a beautiful spirit going on. After communion, men and women started to do a spontaneous dance up to and around the altar area as the Dagare choir sang, drummed and xylophoned. Such a rich feeling.

Then home to a nice Christmas breakfast - complete with french cheeses and sausage, nice coffee with Amarula (a Bailey's type of pleasure), if desired, eggs mixed with yams, some veggies, Laughing Cow - and a small mountain of garlic. Even a few gifts were exchanged. It was great to have visitors - we ended up only being 5 at the table, but it's more than I usually have. And it was as breakfast (or any meal) should be (at least in my mind) - plenty of food, talking, and lingering for 2 1/2 hours.

Christmas Night was another party. A lot of visitors end up coming to PCC over Christmas - so there were extra people at the party. Every party opens with Coco the Clown;

it's an open secret that it's Kofi Asare, one of the older kids here who's dressed up as Coco. He comes out in costume, and starts off the singing and dancing - the opening song is always:

"I am Coco -

Coco, the clown.

I am Coco -

the best clown in town."

And the party continues with Coco the Clown taking on Kofi's role as the Music Master. He's a drumming natural - knows songs by heart and drums and sings them with spirit after only listening once. The rest of us do a shuffle dance in a circle - pushing kids in wheelchairs, carrying kids, or just moving in the spirit.

Evans, who went to the monkey sancutary with me, always ends up pushing Paa Yaw for every dance

And then Father Christmas showed up. He made the rounds of the crowd, greeting everyone. After that, he took his seat, surrounded by three of his favorite elves.

I didn't recognize him at first, but Ayuba, who also went to the monkey sanctuary, was a great Father Christmas

After dinner, Father Christmas called the names of every kid, visitor, caregiver, worker, guest - even Ayuba's name was called - who was there to come up for a gift.



(My favorite gift was the one Ayuba received. I don't have a picture of it yet - but it's a plastic, toy phone - pretty sweet with hidden compartments, magnifying glasses - you name it. Since I've been here, he's frequently been on the "phone" - a small piece of wood, about the size of a cell phone. Now, he's not often far from his new phone.)

Then, more dancing. And Santa rocked.


For me, Claire, her brother and his wife, and Samuel - we ended up back at my place for more wine, french cheese, foie gras and more conversation.