A return to Accra and the Medical Society Meeting

We arrived 4 weeks ago (Minus two days). We are so busy living the experience and working that there is no time to write, or else the electric just stops for a couple hours. And then I have learned how to hook up my computer to the network again. And so I will just try to start. . .

On Thurs, 2/21/08, we returned to Accra for the first time since our arrival. We had time to really observe things that had just been a blur on our initial journey Silvia and I went in the van with others from Matthew House. . . George, our excellent and very skilled driver, Michael Padi and Marian who work at Matthew 25, and Henry, Fr B's brother. It takes about 1 1/2 hours on narrow, winding roads lined with people, animals, markets, and potholes. Like Venezuela and similar countries, I am always amazed that VERY SMALL children (and goats and dogs and chickens) seem smarter here and know enough to stay away from the speeding traffic.

Everyone is so pleasant with us and patient with our 2 or 3 million questions. We are all understanding each other more easily, I think. It's amazing how different the English we know can sound so foreign to them, and theirs to us. It is mostly the same words with some "British" english mixed in, but all it takes is for the accent to be on a different syllable and communication becomes a challenge.

I think here is where I will try to introduce you to Henry, Fr Benson's brother. He is such a sweet man, and he has been so very kind to us. He knew Michael's brother from a previous visit so they already had a rapport. And now we are getting to know him better as well. On the trip to Accra, he pointed out many features just like a very good tour guide and answered so MANY questions. He has a very sweet disposition with us and a GREAT sense of humor. He smokes still, much to Fr B's concern (and ours), and he has a respiratory problem. But when anyone tries to tell him to stop smoking, he gets us laughing so hard that we can't scold him too much. One of his lines last night was that since his last name was Benson (like Fr Benson, of course) that he must be related to Benson & Hedges and so it was in his family to smoke. . . So it ends up to be another case that everyone gets to choose how to live (or die) and you just love them the way they are. And pray A LOT!

When we arrived in Accra, the van brought us to the hotel that was attached to the major Cathedral where Fr B had been a young priest 27 years ago. He had made the arrangements for us and was mortified that it would cost us $50 (approx 50 cedis) per night. A hotel in K'dua is $23-$26 for a private bath and A/C and 2 in a room (usually 2 twin beds side by side). After all, a nurse with the equivalent of a Master's gets about $500 per month to live on and support a family, and the average income is MUCH, MUCH LOWER THAT THAT.

At first they started putting us in a room on the fifth floor, and Silvia simply stopped on the stairs (there was NO ELEVATOR), and said "No." Poor Simon, the nice man taking us to the room, didn't quite know what to do with us next, but then he called the office and told them. Sil apologized and kept telling him it had "nothing to do with him". So we ended up going to that room for just a little while, but couldn't stay in it anyway, because they had just sprayed so heavily for mosquitoes so the Raid was quite intolerable. So Sil and I ate our first meal of a hard boiled egg and crackers sitting on the flight of stairs. Then another room was cleaned for us (and not sprayed so much).

We then took a nap for almost 2 hours, while waiting for a call from the restaurant of the hotel. They did cook lunch and dinner at request, but they needed notice. When they called we ate in a small room with 5 tables and they (or rather one lady) was cooking and serving. Everything was very clean and smelled fresh. We had a delicious meal with fish, rice and vegs. Breakfast was included in the price and consisted of 4 piece of white bread (toasted on one side only), tea, with milk if preferred, butter, jelly and sugar. We asked for eggs and they were 3 cedis ($3) for two eggs the first morning and 2 cedis for two eggs the second morning. . . someone made a little extra profit that first day. . .

After we ate we went to the main purpose of our trip-a meeting of Family Practice Medicine doctors, faculty, and prospective residents. Fam Pract is a relatively new (3 years or so) specialty here. So knowing what it has become in the US, and my having worked in 1973 for a Fam Pract MD, it was fascinating to see the beginning of something in its infancy here. The presentations were so good and the questions so many that time ran out and I was not able to speak about hospice as I had been invited. . .

HOWEVER, they introduced Sil & me, and we waved as it WAS announced that Hospice WILL BE COMING to Ghana soon and that THEY wanted to be involved as a specialty in Palliative Care. The presentations all included the philosphies of "holistic approach" and humane treatment, and considering the whole person AND family when treating "throughout the entire life span". . . It's a perfect union and a vision that these people will be some of the interested parties that will create the possibilities here.

Afterwards, our dear Dr Mawuli, who had been responsible for getting us invited, took us out to dinner and wouldn't hear otherwise of my offer to take a taxi to a restaurant ourselves. As a matter of fact, he was quite horrified and "would not be comfortable" unless he personally escorted us to eat and to home. Later, Fr B was not surprised AT ALL tht he would take such gracious care of us.

But during his evening with us, he showed us a complete business plan for a HOSPICE near Accra. He already has purchased part of the 10 ACRES, and has a colleague that was also at the meeting that they expect to work together. The plans call for a joint venture of a paying clinic that could sustain itself and then help supply funds for the adjoining hospice. Remember I wrote previously that he has (almost) a PhD in public health, as well as almost finishing his residency in Fam Pract (usually 4 years, but he has done it in less). A very sharp and determined young man that has known Fr B for a long time and considers him one of his "mentors".

And so, despite the fact that I personally did not speak at the meeting, I DO FEEL that progress is being made and that a lot of pieces and players that will be necessary to actually get things running are moving around. Some people came to me after the meeting expressing interest and the desire to know WHEN some training and education will occur. I had to tell them was as yet still undetermined, but they would be kept informed.

Well, I'm going to close for now, but I hope to continue later today. There is just so much to say! And one person did write and say she enjoyed reading the blog because she could "feel transported here". That makes it well worth while, because we are really desiring to make our experience as meaningful as possible in anyway that we can!

PS. Please go to "Cait's Blog" that we included in our links! Especially go to the bottom and read her 2 poems and the experience with "pure water". And keep in mind that this is the young lady who is ONLY 18 YEARS OLD from Canada, volunteering before she goes to start at the University. She is here with an organization called "One World" and had to raise $6,500 herself to come.

She is an incredible person already AND the makings of a FANTASTIC citizen of the world. And in additon, she is a fantastic writer. Cait was also a big help in assisting us with this blog site, which we hope to keep improving.