After the Child Center closed we took the rice to the school and presented it to the head master (that is what the British call the principal). Major is the name of the guy that runs the school. He has multiple handicaps; he has severe curvature of the spine, he is seriously underweight, he has a speech impediment, one of his legs is longer than the other one so he has a strange gate, his hands are crippled and withered. He is a very intelligent man; he has lots of energy and knows how to get things done. He is the chairman for the disabled in Yendi. He has been a school teacher all of his life; he is now retired and is running his own private school. Naturally, he has a soft spot for disabled children. Presently there are 5 enrolled at his school. He allows them to attend freely. While we were visiting the school we saw Abdulai, the little boy that has no elbows, and his brother. There is nothing wrong with his brother but his brother is Abdulai’s support system so Major allowed both of them to attend the school at no charge. Abdulai could not attend school without his brother’s help. While they are at school Abdulai’s brother feeds him and helps him when he has to go to the toilet. Their sister is the one that is crippled and we are helping with surgery and braces. She is still too young to attend nursery school. The other handicapped children there had different problems; one had a club foot, one was microcephalic, one could not speak and drooled all the time. I am not sure what was wrong with the other child. Major loves to talk; he wanted us to wait for the Assemblyman to come and also the PTA president. While we were waiting, we decided to teach the children a couple songs that had lots of actions. We taught them “If you’re happy and you know it!” and “I am in the Lord’s army.” They thought it was great fun! Steve said that seeing the handicapped children interacting with the songs pulled at his heart strings! Seventy-five children are enrolled in the school. They were happy with the gift of rice; one of the cooks came out of the little cook shack and said that they did not have enough bowls if all of the children came to school on the same day. Steve gave her money for 20 plastic bowls and a little extra in case she needed something else.
After we left the school, we stopped in the market and bought empty flour sacks; I am going to use them to back the quilt I am working on.
The man that collects the property tax came around noon. He accessed the mission property as 1st class which naturally carries a higher tax. We had to pay 500 Cedis for the year (about 50 dollars). Zorash’s house was accessed as a 3rd class so her taxes should have been 50 Cedis but he is the brother of Red so he came down to 30 Cedis. Isn’t that strange? They can just charge what they like to charge. We used to pay about 200 Cedis for the property tax; he said that if we wanted him to, he could continue with the 200 Cedis because that was what we were expecting to pay. We told him that we did not want any trouble in the future for either him or us so we told him we would pay the price we were supposed to pay.
Take care, have a great day!
In HIS Service,
Steve, Kandie and Skeeter
The Monkeyshines
Amama and Meri are both afraid of me and I love it! It thrills me to see them jump and screech when I scare them. This morning Mom and I were sitting in the easy chair in the living room minding our own business; we were resting because we had just finished hauling water to wash the clothes and we were tired. Amama found an ink pen; she wanted to show it to Mom. Mom said, “Don’t worry, just put it on the table and I will look at it later.” The ink was bleeding out of it because it had gone through the spin cycle. I think Amama was afraid that if she did not show it to Mom she would be in trouble and someone would think she had broken the pen. I’m just happy that this time Amama was holding the broken item and not me!!! Amama kept getting closer and closer trying to give Mom the pen. I was on a leash so I just sat and waited for her to get close enough so I could lunge at her. Mom said, “Don’t come any closer; I am afraid Skeeter will bite you; just put the pen on the table.” Amama held the pen out to Mom and I saw my chance! I lunged at her; I did not get her but I came so close! Amama hollered and jumped back; she can move pretty quick for a big lady! Mom said, “I told you he would try to get you!” Some people have to learn the hard way!
You better listen to your mom!
Love, Skeeter
