Day 6 of the Ghana trip began with some awesome sleep. Coming off of several days filled with sickness, a good night's sleep was just what the doctor ordered. All three of us (Claiborne, Hunter, and Collin) were feeling much better and ready to get the trip back on track after recovering from our various ailments. For breakfast the team enjoyed an omelette, some fruit, and toast before heading to day three of construction in Ayeldu.
Along the way the boys listed to a carefully curated playlist that included classics like Nicki Minaj's Starships, Zach Bryan's Pink Skies, and Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline (a favorite for Ms. Williams 😉).The guys arrived at Ayeldu and assessed the situation. Having worked hard during the first two days of construction, only two tasks remained: computer set-up and paint finishing touches. Led by day three foreman, Collin O'Neal, the boys divided up and set out to conquer the remaining tasks. For the painters, tasks included jobs like sanding, scraping and sweeping. For the IT workers, tasks included testing old keyboards, cleaning hard drives, and transporting the PC's to new locations. The work day continued, and the building came into its final form. It was a wonderful experience to see all of the hard work flourish into a newly built, high quality classroom resource.
Another highlight of the work day came with the Queen Mother visited the worksite and officially welcomed the boys to her town. In Ghana, the Queen Mother is one of the most powerful individuals in the community. She often plays a major role in selecting the next chief and in many key decisions. It was both informative and insightful to have the chance to meet and talk with the Queen Mother of Ayeldu.
After wrapping up most of the jobs on the worksite, the boys had an extremely poignant conversation with Ms. Williams, Ms. Byrnes, and Reggie (Mr. Ford) about the importance of respect back at MBA. We discussed things that certain grades seemed to succeed at while also highlighting areas where people were continuing to fall short. We concluded with a brainstorm focused on bringing the lessons of Ghana back to MBA, sharing the diverse, open perspective that many of us have been able to form while here.
After work, we headed back to the compound for the staple lunch of chicken and rice. We regrouped quickly with our swimsuits and towels as we got ready for the next piece of our day: beach time. Based on various opinions and reflections, it is easy for us to say that our time on the beach was one of our favorite moments of our time in Africa. As we frolicked in the waves and climbed the nearby rock formations, we enjoyed the views of nature and beauty around us.
Then we set that nature and beauty aside for a serious game of pick-up soccer. After setting up some goals with sticks, teams were drafted with Hunter and Sam (our amazing Ghanaian friend who has accompanied us throughout the trip) as captains. The game quickly got underway and it was clear that Sam was levels above the rest of us, as he put together an amazing hat trick in route to a 4-1 victory for his team. Sam continued to show off when he effortlessly scaled a palm tree, quickly shimmying up the trunk in order to retrieve the lodged soccer ball. As the boys left the beach, they took the opportunity to take some pictures with both their old and new friends.
Back at the lodge, dinner was served and the boys settled in to relax. The day was capped off by an evening of reflection and thoughts about the trip. Ways things could be done better were proposed and constructive feedback was offered. Then the group, led by Reggie, took the opportunity to go around the circle, saying one kind thing to every single member of the group. This was one of the most meaningful and positive moments that we have ever been a part of. It was clear that the group of travelers who had previously not know each other had congealed into a tight knit group. Overall, the day was filled with, joy, and kindness, and it will not be forgotten by the boys anytime soon.
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