After breakfast on Saturday, we were given a presentation by NEA’s Leyaata Ane Project team. The Leyaata Ane Project is funded by Global Affairs Canada to reduce maternal and newborn mortality and provide reproductive health education to the 16,000 adolescents registered in the program. Our student, Elsa Hicks, presented the project team with hockey bags full of personal hygiene packs for adolescent girls that her friends and classmates had made and donated. It was a very emotional presentation and there were not many dry eyes in the room.
We had some activities planned for the rest of Saturday, but the Chiefs of the Mo Land had something else in mind. Dr. Mensah very excitedly explained to us that a Durbar had been planned in our honour. He asked us to go and get into our best clothes and be ready to gather under the tents when the talking drums began to beat.
A Durbar is an infrequently held event to honour someone of prominence such as the President. When the drums started, we gathered as instructed and over the next 3.5 hours — yes 3.5 hours — our team was honoured for our “good work and good will” in supporting and augmenting the health care system over the pass 11 years. Chiefs, Queens and Traditional Councils from all the villages in this region arrived in a huge processional to the beat of many drums. There were speeches, cultural dances and the presentation of gifts. Our team and NEA received over 400 tubers of yams, 2 cows, 2 sheep, 5 goats and a citation. My son, Joshua, was honoured with 150 yams, a goat and a smock. We’ve never seen anything like it. Josh had a funny look on his face when goat curry was on the menu for dinner.
Dr. Hicks and I were asked to give a speech with a few minutes of warning after which we watched the Chiefs interpret and dance to the talking drums. This was most interesting and very mysterious. The event concluded with an address from Dr. Mensah who was in his full chieftaincy regalia.
He told a parable about a wolf who came across a rabbit and thought it was an easy kill. The rabbit noticed a set of deer antlers lying on the ground so he put them on. The wolf came upon this rabbit with horns and was confused so he asked him, “What kind of animal are you?”. The rabbit answered, I am “Jombalabinijombalkehgaw”. At this, the crowd went wild with laughter. There was no such thing as a jombalabinijombalkehgaw but it confused the wolf enough that he couldn’t make the kill. David explained that when he first came to the Mo land after finishing his PHD, he thought poverty would be an easy kill. But it turned out to be a jombalabinijombalkehgaw — a much more complex creature with complex problems, and he realized that he needed to find more sophisticated hunters to take its horns off. He thanked us for being those hunters who have helped remove the antlers of illness, disease and hernia off the rabbit of poverty over the past 11 years.
The Durbar was a once in a lifetime opportunity for us, and we were completely overwhelmed by the generosity of words and actions expressed. It was an incredible celebration of all that we have accomplished together over the last 11 years. I want to pass on this unforgettable story as the gratitude extends to all of the past team members, our friends and family, and of course, all of our donors.
Our day concluded with a fabulous and hilarious annual Ghana’s Got Talent show with emcee Graham, and let’s just say that it was such a fun filled, creative and fun evening together with lots of time to visit afterward. I’m hoping the pictures will tell the tale as this update is becoming a novel.
Sunday, we attended a wonderful and inspirational church service, a sold-out yoga with Bex, a baseball demonstration (Thanks to Dr. Cressey), a football match, a tour of the NEA compound, book clubs, naps and lots of good ‘ol fashion fellowship.
We are refreshed and ready for the final stretch of this mission and wait in anticipation for any jombalabinijombalkehgaw that comes our way!
Dr. Jennifer Wilson, MD, CCFP(EM), FCFP, DIMPH
Jennifer says
Wonderful to see such community and talent!
Well-deserved break and change!
A true honour to be part of this blog and see this great work through your eyes.
Love to Martha
Jennifer, Christopher & Spyro
Christine S. says
I’m so glad that I subscribed to this newsletter as it’s wonderful to read these updates. Cheering you all on from Waterloo. Way to go, Lisa, so happy to see all of the work you’ve been doing! 🙂
Judith and Ron Gooding says
Your weekend sounded wonderful, and I love the word, jombalabinijombalkehgaw. Someone should put it into a song!
God bless your upcoming week. What an amazing team and an amazing ministry.
Don Bailkowski says
A celebration which know one will ever forget followed by some well deserved down time. I hope Martha and her colleague were able to solve the puzzle!
Love Don & Riley XO
Simon Hale says
Glad to hear you all got some downtime this weekend. Although reading all about the ceremonies, church, yoga, baseball, football, fashion book club and Ghana’s got Talent, it’s not quite what I’d call downtime… The Durbar looked amazing – what an experience, love the outfits. Great pics – thanks for sharing. And congratulations to Rebecca Bex Jones on the sold out Yoga class. Yay… Mum & Dad are very proud of you as is my brother and Darren & Maria also, and all send their love. Final week now. Can’t wait for you to get home now. Wishing each and everyone of you a productive final week. Big love to you all xxx
Lindsay Cressey says
Very impressed with your hard work and donations for adolescent girls Elsa – what a fantastic project.
Very pleased that you found your baseball bat Dave Cressey!
Lots of love , Cresseys UK
Pauline Pankewich says
SOOOO Glad you had some well derserved down time and lots of laughs and fun
Margaret Weir says
You have gifted of yourselves all these years, and the Holy Spirit is being honoured each time you go. The Lord continue to bless you all and your life-saving ministry.
Sam Cunningham says
Another inspirational blog! So happy to see Elsa presenting her packs, all that hard work paid off, well done lovely girl we are all very proud of you! Love the “name that tune picture too” hopefully Pete’s hairbrush microphone made up for his singing ability. I hope the rest of the weeks work goes well and looking forward to having you home safely on Sunday. Sending love to you all xx
Megan Baker says
What an amazing experience! I can only imagine the drumming and celebration – hope someone took a video! Can’t wait to hear all about it in person when you return to all this snow!
Praying for health, safety, energy, and wisdom for the team.
A special shout out to my Southlake peeps and my old roomie.
Dale Heywood says
Wow, what an amazing honour for the team. It reminds me of our very first trip and how we had so much faith that God was in this as we stepped into the unknown.
Your updates are eagerly awaited each day and my heart is with you all as you work so hard, sweat so much and are away from your family and all of the comforts of home.
Shout out to my UHC family, Jenn, Carlye and alumni John. Love you all and think of you so often as you make the final push through those last clinic days to the finish line. So proud of you all!
Wendy says
How wonderful to celebrate 11 years of life changing work and great to see you all relaxing after a hard week. It has been so lovely reading your updates and I have tried to message but somehow I have not got through, so fingers crossed this one works! Good luck this week – you are all doing such an amazing job out there and you make your families and loved ones so very proud.
Big shout out to Dan the piano man – miss you and love you heaps
Love to all from all the Higgies xxx
Linda Smethurst says
Dear All
Thank you for more amazing photos what an amazing time you are having and so good you could all relax a little over the weekend!
Well done Elsa ! So pleased all your hard work has paid off!!
Praying for you all and you start your second week.
Blessings
Linda Smethurst
Christine Harding says
Nice new threads, Joshua. Did you really eat the goat curry? I am printing the photo of you and Elsa and all the beautiful children to put on our frig. Praying for the whole team daily. Thank you for the wonderful photos. Love, your Baba
Colleen Landry says
The Durbar sounds amazing! I can imagine it was very moving and well deserved! I got teary just reading about it. What an experience! The Chiefs and Queens celebration outfits are stunning!!
Good job Mom, being the social director! I’m sure all your hard work paid off.
Be well all of you and keep changing and saving lives!
xo
Andrea Baynton says
What an amazing welcome and honouring your wonderful and dedicated work over the years. What a difference you all have made for the people of Ghana. The photos were fantastic to look at. So love following the blogs. Hi Leslie and have a great two weeks. Andrea
Jo says
The Durbar was a well deserved honour for you all,have a good week.,looking forward to having you back.
Sara and Henry says
Thankyou for another amazing update and congratulations to you all for all that you do and the lives that you change. Special love to Elsa for achieving something so special – we are proud of you, gorgeous girl. Much love to you all.
Kate Inchley says
What an amazing weekend you have all enjoyed we are so proud of our wonderful granddaughter Elsa, who worked hard to get her project going but had great results .You are all doing tremendous work in Ghana and all that has been achieved over the last years has been overwhelming . Into your second week now, we look forward to Rob .Jo and Elsa coming home .Our prayer for last Sunday in church is
Merciful God teach us to be faithful in change and uncertainty ,that trusting in your word and obeying your will we may enter the unfailing joy of Jesus Christ our Lord Amen.
Lots of love
Kate xxxx
Sarah Davies says
Well done Elsa, I’m glad all your hygiene packs have finally been distributed after all the hard work you have put in to organising this project. It looks like you are having loads of fun and you’re doing an amazing job, your mum and dad aren’t doing too badly either!
Keep up the good work everyone, your commitment and dedication is an example to us all.
Sarah x
Jennifer Simpson says
Wow what an amazing experience. The pictures are so great. Calum wondered about the goat curry as well and thought Josh looked cool in his outfit. Great work everyone!
The Simpsons
Helen says
Hello everyone!
We just wanted to say how proud we are of you Elsa!
We are of course super proud of all the team and the wonderful work you do.
Love & payers for you all with special love to all the Hicks from all the Gavins xxxxx
Donna McKenney says
Thank you for sharing stories and pictures from your day of rest. What an amazing story of Elsa and her friends gathering together to provide the personal care packs.
Tom and Julie says
Such a fitting Ghanaian tribute. Thank you Dr. Jenn for your acknowledgement of all your team members past and present, who over the last11 years have dedicated themselves to this important mission. You are all heroes.
Much love to our over dearest Nurse Leslie. ZigZag has arrived!! Pickup next Monday!!
Paul Cheeseman says
You folks are amazing great to see you all so warm while we are freezing..lol hope your second week is as successful and fulfilling as the first ..just a little blurb for val everything is good at home and gus is growing like a weed callie is missing her ..wish you all a great 2nd week love from the cheeseman..
Grace Cunningham says
Hi Elsa,
We all hope you are having a brilliant time in Ghana, we have loved reading the updates! We all miss you and can’t wait to hear from you when you get back.
Love Immy, Grace, Sophie & Sophie Xx
Tiara Folkes says
Happy to hear about the wonderful weekend you had. Everyone looks in good spirits as you head into your last week.
Very glad to see Josh got a soccer game in.