DAY 3: Sunday 18th October 2015
Today began at 6:00am, bit of a shock to the system! After a delicious breakfast of pancakes and malaria tablets, we set off along the beach towards Bantuma school accompanied by our our buddies, we had a warming introduction from the chiefs of Bantuma where we received their blessings. From here, we were split into two groups and visited two different churches and participated in traditional Ghanaian worship that included lots of powerful singing, dancing and prayers.
After the ceremonies, we congregated back at Bantuma school for a sumptuous spaghetti lunch, where we were eagerly greeted by hundreds of excited children who were amazed by our cameras and were far from camera – shy!. In the afternoon, we visited a slave fort with our buddies which was very interesting but unbelievably not! Before heading back to Stumble Inn we had a brief tour of Elmina town where we all tried a plantain and loved! After an action packed day we were all relieved to relax and cool down by the beach at Stumble Inn and enjoyed our long awaited showers!
Ellie Andrew, Ellie Goswell, Georgina Crew, Sairia Masood, Kathryn Ingram, Madelenie Arnold.
DAY 4: Monday 19th October 2015
To say Ghanaians are welcoming would be a large understatement. When we arrived at Bantuma school today we were greeted with an amazing welcoming ceremony. The chief blessed us once again, like he did previously. There was a lot of danacing which we rather badly joined in with. Unfortunately our performance of ”Shine Jesus shine” could not compare to their spectacle of a percussion band and dancing. It seemed that arriving Bantuma was equivalent to a celebrity arriving at our school. They were hugging, ‘high – fering’ us, stroking our hair, asking us lots of questions all day.
Perhaps we are being stereotypical, but Ghanaians do seem to be the most friendly accepting nationality, affectionately naming us all ‘ Bruney’ meaning ‘white’.
If we stopped to talk to one child, we were instantly surrounded by nine others excitable and inquisitive children.
It was also amazing to see our fundraising benefiting the community when we used the wood we had funded to build desks. Addittionally, we painetd the newly constructed first part of their wall that is been positioned at the front of the school premises, which we too had lso donated money towards. This provisional part of the wall if already starting to permit the school to create a barrier between themselves and surrounding of their greater community. Reducing some what the number of chickens and goats straying into their courtyard and classrooms.
Libby Mall, Sarah Phillips, Lauren Oates, Rhiannon Beddoe, Safiyya Beere