Before I get too far into the stories, I recently realized that I haven't actually explained what I am doing here in Ghana.
As part of a Global Health Internship, I am traveling to remote areas in Ghana to help people living in extreme poverty gain access to eye health care. As interns, we participate in outreaches to rural areas and perform eye screening exams, assist patients in purchasing eye drops and refer them for cataract - and other opthalmic- surgeries. We also observe the Optometrist's and Ophthalmologist's examinations and surgeries. It has been a life-changing experience being able to interact with so many people from different parts of the world. I am inspired daily by the work of the local eye care team, and the beauty, resilience and warmth of the Ghanian people.
Today we traveled to a village called Pepiasi, about 3.5 hours north of Accra. It was one of the most one beautiful places I have ever been to. It reminded me of the the scenery depicted in the 23rd Psalm of David. There were rolling hills of green pastures, gently framing a scene of lambs and their mothers meandering about the homemade gardens. Mother hens strutted around with their newborn chicks neatly in tow and the goats sang a beautiful song of... just kidding. The goats' screams were so cacophonous at times they sounded like angry donkeys giving birth. But anyways...
The dirt roads were well maintained and led to well-kempt tile and cement houses with clean clothes hanging on clotheslines. The children ran around with each other, laughed and played on their walk home from school in their school uniforms. They climbed the mango trees, cut down branches, ate the fruit and played until we left. The mothers, dressed in vibrant homemade dresses and head scarves sat together and talked. Multiple generations of humans, animals and nature all coexisted in a beautiful way. It was so simple, yet so compete.
Even though we only saw 250 patients directly, there were hundreds of people around the village- whether they were there with a family member or a child returning home from school, the community was so interconnected. I loved that community aspect. I started bringing stickers to the outreach to give to the kids but it's so hot here, that most of the time the stickers slide off- even if we stick them on clothes. So the kids and I just try to make the best of it and try to stick them on anyways.
About halfway through the outreach, I met a woman and a baby. I always get excited when I see a woman walking towards me and I can see little feet sticking out in front of her; because that means there is a baby on her back!! The women here use a sarong or other long pieces of fabric to hold their babies on their backs. One of my internship friends affectionately calls this practice "the baby backpack." So when this woman approached me, I was immediately excited to meet them both.
He was shy at first, but after a few minutes, came out of his shell and had a blast throwing leaves on the ground and hysterically laughing while trying to throw a rock at me. His mom was at work, so a lady from the village was watching him and told me his name: Kendrick Lamar. But actually. (I asked another lady in the village about it later and she knew exactly who I was talking about.)
(Real footage of him smacking me with a rock 😂)
The people in the villages have been so warm to us. They consistently check on us, offer us water and home-cooked meals. In my relatively limited experience, I've noticed that the people here are happy to talk about their lives and their families and love to learn about where you are from. I am so grateful to be welcomed as a guest into their culture and accepted as a friend.