steve stories and updates: 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