Saturday, December 18 After visiting the Tafi Monkey Sanctuary we next went to Wli Waterfalls in the Volta Region. Like the Boti Waterfalls, this was a very high natural wonder set back in an area not found easily. The path through the rain forest was dry and wide, and through the trees you could see beautiful views at times, and always lots of lush growth nearby. I chose the easier path to the lower falls. Christy and Brittany wanted to hike the more rugged path up to the upper falls, at least a one hour uphill trip to get there. In about 15 minutes I was enjoying a spectacular view that again could not fit in a single photo. Near the middle of the falls I could see some movement to the left I thought to be small birds in their nesting area; I later learned it was bats.
Some people had chosen to go swimming at the falls, but me who was told to brush my teeth only with filtered or bottled water wasn’t even going to touch the water! At the bottom of the falls there was a pretty rainbow that arched the splash of the water from the falls. It was so serene, and I took lots of photos.
After I’d been there about half an hour, William came to guide me back and tell me about some of the uses of the plants we passed. It was interesting to learn how some leaves and vines were used to make the roof of a hut or basic home in the country. Of course some plants were used for medicines, and some for cash crops like cola nuts or palm oil (tapped from downed trees; see photo). There were some great views through the undergrowth, but much of it reminded me of a stream in the woods back in Pennsylvania. Of course the “woods” in Ghana aren’t all tall trees fighting with each other to be the tallest; a few trees at least a hundred yards apart may be very tall, and the understory will have medium height trees also not so crowded until you get to the undergrowth. The ground wasn’t all swampy like I assumed, the path was just packed dirt with no weeds. When we got back to the van I was glad to find a place to buy some bottled water and consume about a quart in one gulp.
Brittany got tired before they reached the top, so the two of them were back before 5 p.m. I was glad I hadn’t attempted it; I was tired enough when we reached the hotel where we had reservations. Like the place at the beach, I realized quickly this was no five star lodging when I saw there was no top sheet or air conditioning. When we went to the restaurant for dinner, there was no menu, and they served no beverages (luckily there was a bar not far from the restaurant section of the hotel). William went to stay with his parents, and picked us up the next morning around 7a.m. He was surprising his wife by bringing his mother-in-law and one of her other grandchildren with him, so our van was not so empty on the way back to Accra.
We got back home around 11, and Christy started baking up a storm. She had invited the children in our neighborhood (mostly children whose parents worked for the homeowners in the neighborhood). Every other Tuesday after school Christy has a “Bible study” for little children: they sing action songs, act out a bible story we narrate, and get snacks before Christy allows them to read children’s books her church back in the states has donated. There are usually 30 to 40 children that come (I’ve sent photos in one of my first blog entries). Well, she and Brittany started baking cakes and making popcorn while I began my packing and cleaning, and honestly I hadn’t expected to go out until I heard a LOT of noise outside my window. There were over eighty kids! I did go out to help lead songs and do crowd control while Christy assigned roles for the narration of the Birth of Christ story. William came in the school’s bus to pick me up around 6:30, and it took most of the three hours to get to my gate for a 9:35 departure. It was not a simple reversal of the procedure of getting to Ghana, and the plane was packed. I froze on the twelve plus hours to Atlanta, and had a well established cold by the time I deplaned in Charlotte.
But I’m home again, and enjoyed several days of Jeremiah and Liz visiting, and Ivy joining us to make Christmas cookies and exchange gifts before the snow accumulated Christmas night. It is a white wonderland now, less than a week since I landed on American soil again. I hope to write one more time to note the adjustments I notice first. But meanwhile, Merry Christmas season lasts through the Epiphany for me, so I wish you Peace and Joy in the simple things of life, in God’s grace.
Until my next entry,
Diann
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