A day of classes

Another busy day here in Africa. We started out by going to the school. Today, our lesson was on oral hygiene. It didn’t last as long as we wanted it to, but it was still good. The kids were really engaged and interested in what we were talking about which makes all the difference. I brought model with me from work and we showed the kids the proper way to brush and floss, and then we gave them all a toothbrush and a thing of floss. They were so excited to receive it, and almost each child said, “God bless you” after we gave it to them. It was so sweet. After our short lesson, we needed some time fillers, so we taught them some more songs. Luckily, Anne Marie just went to girls camp with here dad a few weeks before we got here, and she remembered the “Rigabamboo” song with all the actions. The kids absolutely LOVED it. They pretty much love any song we sing that has hand actions. We also taught them “Do as I’m doing” and it was also a hit because we got to jump, hop on one foot, wave our hands in the air along with a myriad of other things as we were singing depending on who the leader was.

After we were all sung out, we headed out to play games with the kids. They love when we play with them. They have lots of games, and we play almost all of them by standing in a circle and clapping. Their games are really a lot of fun, and almost all of them have a song that goes with them. I hope to remember them and teach them to my kids someday. They are so much fun. I had my hair curly today, and the kids loved it. They kept touching it, and a few of them said, "Next time you come, bring your hair like that, I love it, it is beautiful" These kids really know how to boost your self esteem!

Hate to be biased, but these two boys are my favorite. They are so cute and always want to participate. The top one is named Isaac, and the bottom is Richard

This is me playing "There's a fire on the mountain" It is kind of like our "Duck, duck, goose"

After we got home, we headed out to Manya Krobo to do our AIDS classes. We are working with the women this week and it has been a really eye opening experience. We ask a question that says, “Is what a woman has to say just as important as what a man has to say?” and almost every single one of them said “No” It breaks my heart to know that these women here are so bright and so intelligent and yet they have no opportunity to show it because they are viewed as second class. One of the lessons that I teach is how HIV and AIDS relate to women. We talk about rape, and how it’s not ok at any time in life for a man to force a woman to have sex, and when we say it they are all shocked. They kept asking, “not even if they are married?” or “What if they are engaged?” When we told them that if they do not want to have sex, they don’t have to, and if someone forces them it is rape and they can report it. It is a really hard lesson to teach, but I think one of the most rewarding. I feel like I am giving them a voice, or at least one small chance to make a change in the way things are.

This is Manya Krobo. It is a very poor town.

There was a pastor there today who was helping us out and acting a little bit as a translator, and when we said that it’s not ok for a husband to force a wife to have sex, he looked at me and said, “Are we taking about in America, or here in Africa, because in Africa if a woman reports to the police that her husband forced her to have sex they won’t do anything about it because it is his right.” I was appalled. He didn’t agree with much of what we said, and so I just hope that as he was translating, he didn’t taint what I said. He also told us that we were wrong when we said that men and women are equal, he said, “in everything except sex, men and women are not equal, men are greater” I wanted to punch him in the face for being such an arrogant chauvinistic pig. Keeping the women how they are is not going to help their country get out of poverty or make any progress. It is only when we all work together as equals that w can make any real progression. It was a very frustrating lesson, and just made me very grateful that I live in America. I would probably be dead if I lived here because I would be out picketing for women’s rights. It is a hard life they live here and every day I gain a stronger respect for what the women of this country have to deal with.

PS) We are heading out on another weekend excursion and won't be back till late Sunday, so this will be my last post until then! We are going on a safari, so pray that I don't get eaten!!