Final Post

Saturday, August 13

I’m now back in Calgary, and posting my final blog.  As I reflect on the past month I am astounded at how much I experienced in thirty days.  I met many dedicated individuals who work tirelessly to improve the situation in Northern Ghana.  I met teachers who work with few resources, limited training and in challenging conditions.  I met Chalice staff who identify children and families in need and fill out sponsorship requests with the hope that someone will step forward to sponsor.  There are currently over 200 children in the Upper West Region of Ghana waiting for a sponsor to choose them.  Will you be that sponsor?   

  

Trip Home

Friday, August 12

I started my journey back to Canada by riding this bus from Wa to Kumasi.  We stopped halfway for a washroom and food break.  Vendors quickly set up shop beside the bus.  Fifteen minutes later the bus driver honked the horn, and everyone piled back on the bus for the remaining three hour trip.  Despite being completely full it was surprisingly quiet on the bus, with only the occasional ringing of a cell phone. 

Computer In-servicing

Thursday, August 11

For the past two weeks I have been working with seventeen Chalice Field workers and Office staff teaching basic Microsoft Picture Manager, Powerpoint, Word, and Excel.  There were even a few times when the Internet was strong enough and we were able to Skype my family.  It was eight days of intense learning, with the keenest learners I have ever taught.  They were sponges; eager and excited about their new learning and discoveries.  A few of them have written a short autobiography for this blog, to offer a glimpse of their life.   

From left to right: Francis, Thomas, Bright, Joseph and Samuel.  I couldn’t have done the eight days of in-servicing without Samuel’s help.  In addition to taking care of computer problems, Samuel would translate when someone didn’t understand my accent or explanation, and help people individually.

Donlaara Samuel Mireni

As the last born of the first of his three wives, the late Mr. Naa-Imah Donlaara Laatu chose me at the age of 11 to go to school, to accomplish whatever he was denied the opportunity to in the early 1930s.  He told me “Mireni I want you to go to school and find whatever I was denied, when I was rejected, after been chosen to attend school in my childhood”

I, Naa-Imah Donlaara Samuel Mireni started my basic education at Jeyiri Local Authority Primary School.  I was transferred to the then Wa Catholic Primary School, now St. John`s Catholic School in Wa to continue from class 3.  Wa is the capital town of the youngest region in Ghana, the Upper West Region.  There at Wa Catholic School I acquired my basic education certificate in 1999, and continued with the second cycle education (senior high school) at the then Lassia-Tuolu Senior Secondary school, now St. Ignatius Senior High school.  I acquired my secondary school certificate in General Arts to proceed to the tertiary level.

Where and how at all could this poor farmer`s son get about GH¢30.00 to buy a university application form to apply to go to the university?  I had to go to the Southern part of Ghana to labour for money.  From there I had some amount with which I supported my family to buy a Polytechnic application form at GH¢15.00.  I gained admission into Wa Polytechnic in November, 2003 to pursue a Higher National Diploma in Secretaryship and Management Studies.  I graduated in 2006 and after I had done my mandatory national service in August 2007, I was appointed to serve as a Sub Site Director in Chalice Lassia-Tuolu Parish of the Wa Sponsor Site in Ghana.

I owe Chalice a lot of thanks.  But for the kind support of the sponor site, I wouldn`t have been able to pursue my course at the Polytechnic. Many thanks and may God richly bless Chalice.  After working with Chalice for about 2 yrs I was supported once more to study an IT (information technology) course for 15 months.  Now I work as a Sub Site Director and IT support in the Lassia-Tuolu Parish Chalice.

I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to Chalice, sponsors, donors and all who are affiliated with Chalice everywhere.  I humbly implore everybody to help me thank and ask the good Lord our Ever merciful Father to bless and reward Chalice, sponsors, donors and you for joining hands to make me what I am today. May we all be granted long and prosperous lives. I am serving Chalice with all my heart and thus shall I continue to serve. 

Francis

I am Arah Francis, born on the 25^th February, 1984.  I am a native of Lassia Tuolu, in the Wa west District in the upper west region of Ghana.  I started my schooling in 1987.  I completed my basic education in 1995 and was not able to go to Senior high school.  My Father said that I should be helping him at his farm work.  I helped my father from the year 1995-2001.  One day I called my father and said to him that I will go back to school.  I went to Junior high school in the year 2002-2004 which I successfully completed.  I gained admission to the Senior High school which I attended from 2004 to May 2007.  When I completed and passed all my papers I was appointed as a people teacher in the Lassia Tuolu Primary School till I was appointed a field worker under the Lassia Tuolu Parish Chalice, for the LPA sub-site in the year 2008.