Grant, Celestine and Adeline-2 sweet little girls and proud Mom

The children that greeted us upon our arrival

Foo Foo-fried plantains-fried yams-red and green sauces

School building project..see Grant's "after" pictures below

"Before" school project pictures..no walls yet but see Grant's photos below.
Bricks drying under the tree

Meeting with village leader and Suodabe toast

The watchers

Wouda, a favorite--possible future president

Sister and her little brother

A few of the children that followed us to one of the churches

Grant's littlest shadows

Joshwa and his mother

Grant with the Kaminah teachers--Mattias is in the blue shirt

OUR TRIP OF A LIFETIME 

     By now we have had many opportunities to share our photos and wonderful stories about this most incredible adventure.  We, as parents could not wait to see what our son had been doing and how he had been living for the last two years.  We had a some idea of what it must be like and Grant's photo's showed us, in two dimension, what things looked like.  However, we are not sure anything could have fully prepared us for this trip.  Neither can we now truly describe these amazing countries, the wonderful people we met and the warmth and friendship that was extended to us wherever we went.


     The flights are long to Africa and with the time zone change, you lose a day but there he was, Grant waiting for us in the Accra, Ghana Airport, standing tall among all the vendors, greeters, several Muslims during their nightly prayers and those willing to carry your bags for a fee.  It was chaos. Two nights in Accra to get acclimated and catch up on our sleep, then a ride on the country wide transit bus watching very bad Nigerian soap operas, to spend two nights at an eco-lodge, about 120 miles northwest of Accra, called Safari Beach Lodge. Then to Cape Coast, one of the largest shipping centers for the shipment of slaves from Africa to all points around the world.  The castles that became slave dungeons were very depressing and a reminder of the horrors when we deal in the sale or trade of human capital.


    While in Cape Coast we had the unbelievable experience of watching the Ghana vs. USA World Cup Soccer match with 3,000+ Ghanaians at a local gas station, on a projector type image on four 4x8 sheets of plywood nailed together and painted white.  Fortunately, Ghana won the game and we were able to participate in a parade down the highway with now 6,000+  Ghanaians,  all dancing and hugging and displaying a kind of sports enthusiasm well beyond what we see after our Super Bowl of World Series.


   Then into Togo.  The border crossing is a whole other story.  Before leaving Lome', the capital of Togo, we had the pleasure of meeting several of Grant's friends, also PC volunteers and we can truly and absolutely say we were honored and believe that they are and will be some of the stars of this generation.


    In Grant's village of Kamina, it is readily apparent that these people are living a lifestyle not much different than 100 years ago.  With the exception of a few cell phones, motorcycle taxis and a generator to cool their beer and soda, his villagers are without modern conveniences. They are without electricity and have only two wells in village. They bathe using "bucket baths" and collect rain water from their roof. Their beautiful clothes are clean and very colorful.    Most are farmers and are simply trying to produce food for their table. 
    
    We have never experienced a more gentle, warm, loving and truly engaged people.  The faces of both the young and old would light a room if you simply said "bon jour" or "bon soir" or "merci".  We really were embraced when we explained in our very poor French that we were Grant's "mama" and "papa".  With great pride we participated in 4 meetings with the village notables and the school professors(teachers) from the school he is building/repairing.


    Our most amazing memories from this adventure are of the children.  They could not have been any more beautiful and happy.  They were around us all day an into the night and always with huge smiles on their faces.  Grant has a few favorites, but if we could, we would have brought back with us, any number of these children.  It is so easy to see what is possible, if we could just insure that all of these boys and girls have an inclusive education that will give them the tools to change the future of even this smallest of villages. We loved them all.


     We shared meals with Marie and Mattias who have become like parents to Grant during his stay in Togo. Marie fixed all of our meals on a simple charcoal fueled clay oven.  They are a beautiful couple and both well educated. Mattias, as a teacher, is paid by the Togo government but the individual villages are responsible for the school building and supplies.  Were we able to bring over several large duffels with school supplies, soccer balls, soccer jerseys, toothbrushes, medical supplies for the local dispensary and peanut butter for Grant.


     We ate "foo foo" and "pak" with many different and spicy red and green sauces. We bought cloth/pagneKamina.  It is certain that he has had an impact on the villagers he has met.  They will truly miss him when he leaves in November.

     At our visit, his school project was not near as complete as he now shows in his photos.  They are making the building bricks right on the school grounds.  They have to wait for access to a dump truck to bring sand in for the blocks and the cement.  As he has written, there are new concrete floors, and walls in 4 of the classrooms and a fifth is being given support posts as well as a floor and roof.  He hope to refinish blackboards and also do a landscape planting around the school before he returns home.  Basic education of the Togolese people is absolutely critical to their hopes for a better future.

      We were very sad to leave and could have stayed longer. As we returned to Lome' we stopped at a camp for AIDS orphans, sponsored and staffed by the PC volunteers.  Here again we met many of the volunteers that have been with Grant the last two years.  They are very impressive young people and as mentioned will be a force to reckon with and their voices will be heard.  It is also clear that many have formed a bond of friendship and camaraderie that will last a lifetime.

      This was truly a trip of a lifetime for us and we both have a greater appreciation about what we read about current events in Africa and especially, West Africa.  A country very different from our own but filled with people that have the same love of family and the same hopes and fears we all have for the future of our children, our schools, our communities and our nations.  The Togolese and Ghanaians are truly committed and capable of making their national contribution towards the betterment of all of us.

Ron and Terri Rhodes

COS Conference

Last week, We had our COS (close-of-service) Conference at a nice hotel on the beach in Lome. Every volunteer from my original training group attended.  What was once a group of 31 of us had been dwindled down to only 17. Almost half of us did not make it this far.

We spent three days talking about our re-adjustment to life back in the states and how we would talk about our service to friends, family, and potential employers. We also received our dates of departure from Togo. I'm leaving here November 18th.

I am eager to come home.  I have learned a lot through this experience, and in these last few months I hope to write some deep well though-out posts on my Peace Corps service. I am sorry I have not been writing more frequently lately. For now consider the following:

Two years ago I posted a picture of myself on the beach looking pensively out to sea. Here is photo of me take at our conference (sporting my hip Euro Trunks given to me by my girlfriends on my 26th birthday). If you don't know whether I will have changed when I come back, grown, matured, or whatever, do know that my taste in swim trunks has gotten a whole lot awesomer.

Highlights From My Parents Trip

These first two pictures are from the victory celebration in Ghana when they beat the USA in the world cup. I was there with my parents, watching the game on a big theater screen in a bus station parking lot. Thousands paraded up and down the street. It looked like a riot, only everyone was happy instead of angry. My camera couldn't catch the parade of people miles long, it was a pretty special moment for my family and me, and for the country of Ghana, who had never advanced that far in the world cup. Although I was slightly bummed the USA got eliminated from the tournament.

Thes pictures from Elmina castle near Cape Coast in Ghana. This castle is the oldest European building in Sub-saharan africa, built in the 1500's if I remember correctly. It was depressing to see this, but fascinating. We learned a lot about the history of the slave trade and the different countries that have occupied and used the castle in the past.

My parents took many more pictures than I did on the trip. I keep encouraging them to post photos on here and give their outlook on my life here. Hopefully that will come soon.

School Renovation Project

I am sorry I have not posted in a while. My parents keep telling me that people are asking about the school. It is going well. I would say it is about four fifths finished. There are a few steps left for one classroom, mainly reinforcing the roof supports with concrete, rather than wood. Here are a few pictures so you can see the progress. When school starts up again in September we will finish everything. Thank you all again.

Akloa Falls

Akloa Falls, Memorial Day. My buddy James and I having fun and generally looking like idiots in all these photos.

James in mid air preparing for a devastating belly flop

You really haven't lived until you've high-fived beneath a waterfall.

Picture of the year? Me jumping from a cliff, I didn't have my measuring tape, but I'd say it was good ten stories high. James, peer-pressuring me to jump/cheering on my foolishness.

Couple of real cool dudes.

In other news: My parents will be visiting me in a few days; yes, here in Africa! I'm a little nervous, but mostly excited.

On the record: It should be a very memorable experience for everyone, as a well as a nice little vacation to Ghana, where I will be be watching that country play in the World Cup and generally getting caught up in all the fandemonium of the tournament.

Off the record: This is Africa, something will happen my parents are not prepared for. In the words of Samuel L. Jackson: "Hold on to your butts."

Great Effort By Family, Friends, and Other Generous Blog Readers

Grant has asked that we post an informal thank you to the many thoughtful family, friends and blog readers that have responded to his request for donations. As his parents, Terri and I have truly enjoyed your many cards and notes of encouragement and praise that have been sent along with your generous donations. Those cards and notes have been sent on to Grant.

As he has mentioned, you all gave much more then he ever expected or anticipated (4 times what he thought). Your donations have been wired to an account in Togo and building materials are being purchased. He has already lined up the necessary masons from Kamina, his village. Materials such as sand will be obtained near his village.

Please accept this published post as a small but greatly appreciated and wholehearted "shout out" to all of you. Donations have come all the way from Richmond, Virginia to Sacramento, California; from Hoboken, New Jersey to Peoria, Arizona and from Sequim, Washington, Missoula, Montana, Portland, Oregon and Omaha, Nebraska and many places in between.

So here we go, first from around Oregon: thanks to Bonnie in Grants Pass, Steve and Donna, The Dalles; Denise in Salem; Alexis and Bill, Milwaukie, Jim and Shelia, Eugene; Pete and Jean, Lake Oswego; Jerry and Jane, Oregon City; Patrick, Mollala; Edd and Sharon, Wilsonville; John and Mary, Eugene; Charlie and Cathy, Tualatin; Skip and Linda, West Linn.

And from Portland, Tim and Mary, Jim and Morley, Max, Jim and Christine, Ray and Denissia, Dana, Molly (formerly, Missoula), Cathy L, Dave and Peggy, Alex, Peter, Randy and Jan, Silka and Harris, Stephanie, John and Kathy, Dick and Teresa, Allison and Bill, and Ron and Terri.

From Washington, Rose and Frank, and Sally, Seattle; Peggy and Shirley, Sequim and Ken and Pam, Tacoma.

From Missoula, Kim, Forrest, Bill and Betsy, Amy, Heidi and the really awesome young people at Taco del Sol.

And finally to you from afar; Lauren and Devon, Ft. Collins, Co; Danna and Justin, Hoboken, NJ; Mariam and Paul, Honeybrook, Pa.; Conor and Katherine, Richmond, Va.; Laurie and Gerhard, Sacramento, Ca.; Judy and Mel, Peoria, Az.; Susie(formerly, Missoula)now Meridian, Ida.; Tom in Omaha, Nebraska; and Gordy and Meg, Maui, Hawaii .

Keep you eyes on his blog as he will update progress as best he can. Terri and I will be visiting him in his village in June and will also take lots of pictures.

We can not thank you enough for your caring and support of Grant.

Ron and Terri
draft

Life update

Thank you to everyone who donated to my school project. I believe my father might list all of you by first name on this blog so you may be recognized and I am planning on the students and teachers to write some kind of thank you letters as well. The support from my community so far has been outstanding. The plans are in place and budgets calculated to lay floors, add walls, improve foundations and structure, and add chalkboards, and a porch connecting the classrooms. If there is enough, we may also try to paint.



I received more money than I ever anticipated which goes to show how caring my friends and family are. I also plan on using a portion of the money, along with some of my salary, to plan field trips for certain students to Atakpame. This is a popular project for education volunteers in Togo. Many young women have never even left their village. In conjunction with my friend and closest neighbor James, we are planning a "Take Your Daughters to Work" field trip, so that the young girls in our village can see professional women in the workplace and be aware of opportunities they may not know are even available to them. Many young women in small villages like Kamina lack the opportunities for education, many drop out as teenagers or even younger, and it is shown that the strongest way to strengthen this population is to educate the women. Statistics clearly establish that with the education of women; family health improves, children become more nourished, birth rates drop, as does infant mortality. James and I are excited for the possibility to show some of the brighest girls in my village how far their education can take them.



I intend to plant trees around the school, trees that the village do not yet know about. I hope to incorporate this into a chance to educate them on the benefits of sustainable reforestation.



I am also currently applying for a small grant from the embassy to build cisternes in my village, which will be accompanied by presentations on the importance of clean water and hygiene.



I would also like to give a shout out to my friend Laura's blog, L'Afrique en Miniature, which you will find on the list of blogs on the right side of my site. She is planning an even more ambitious project, the construction of a brand new school from the ground up. I encourage you to check it out, if only because she writes much more eloquently on the importance of education than I do.



In other news:



It's hot season, I'm sleeping on the floor in front of a battery operated fan trying to keep the heat rash at bay (so far unsuccessfully). I sweat when I eat. I sweat when I read, I even sweat when I shower.



I completed my year as an editor for our Peace Corps news magazine. Now four others will take over the job. It was an awesome experience going down to the capital every few months(Although incredibly stressful, as I seemingly demonstrated when we finally finished all our work, went to a Togolese night club, and refused to share a bottle of Grant's whiskey because "it's totally got my name on it.")



Just played in a soccer tournament. Peace Corps Volunteers versus Togoles villages. We got whipped. But did score, prompting me to rip my shirt off and do the airplane all around the field.



Peace Corps recently increased their budget worldwide, thus increasing the number of volunteers. Because of this, several Peace Corps countries are encouraging "closing" volunteers to extend their service for a third year. Several volunteers I know are entertaining that option; I assure you, I am not. This has been quite an experience, something I would never trade, and I will cherish forever but lately I have felt like I am missing out on a lot of my life in the United States. I imagine that at the end of this service, I will be eager to get home to America. I miss you guys, but I'm not done with Togo quite yet. And I have a feeling my last seven months could be the most memorable and fulfilling.