Day 7- Moved
You ever wake up and get that feeling like something or someone is going to ‘move’ you today? I had that all over me as I woke up this morning.
Kofi came to me in that rushed manner when something is wrong. I didn’t address it, I just kept it moving. He and Uncle Kwofi were on their way to go view the land in Ayensudo and negotiate prices with the Chief. When they left I looked at the time and saw that it was 8am. I laughed because he was supposed to be there at 8am so that we could make our other appointments and get home early today. Now I know why he came in with that energy. LOL!
I am journaling with the little bit of time I have left on the laptop since lights went out this morning. This is so ironic because we celebrated yesterday the fact that the electric company finally made it to OB to connect the last chalet with electricity and the new meters. Then lights out the very next morning in all of the surrounding villages. So, I can’t keep my laptop charged. If my laptop is not charged, then I can’t get to the internet to communicate with you all. Anyway, I finished journaling but did not have enough power to connect to the internet and send the entry. Right when the laptop shut down, Kofi and Mr. Kwofi came back. I closed my laptop as Mr. Kwofi was rushing me to be ready for their reports. I started eating my oatmeal and then said, “Alright, please come.” And did they ever?! This village is not ready for OYC. Too much money for a community development project. They are treating us like any other purchaser that wants to buy land there for commercial or residential use. So, I told them how we are going to handle this and if our next move does not work, then we will move on to the next village. We have 5 villages to visit in the next 3 days, so no problem; we will find the appropriate land deal.
Kofi rode Mr. Kwofi back to the junction on his motorcycle while I took my shower and got dressed. When he returned, it was looking dark and cloudy. DEFINITELY RAIN. I began to walk to the taxi station and Kofi says, “Oh Dad, we are taking the bike to Elmina.” I looked at the sky and said, “In the RAIN, Son?” He said, “Oh, it WON’T rain. It will just be dark today.” I smiled at him and said, “Son, rain and a motorcycle do not mix. We will be wet, stuck and pissed.” He of course insisted that we will make it to Elmina to meet the Rootman and then take a car to the DVLA in Cape Coast. I told him that I will be right back. I went in to get my rain poncho and came back out. “Not going to rain, huh Son? What is that dropping into that puddle behind you?” He looked and said, “OH! Wow…I didn’t know.” Not even 5 minutes later we were under the veranda of Chalet 3 experiencing light wind with a crazy DOWNPOUR! You know I would have CANED this guy if I was on the road on that bike in this rain. Anyway, it stopped after about 30minutes and we set off to the taxi station for a car.
First stop DVLA, for the license. I don’t want any of you passing out from laughter so I am going to spare you the play by play. But I will give you a taste. Let’s start with the day before, when the Doc brought us there to meet one of the Supervisors who assured me that the process is very simple when you have a license already from another country. It’s called a conversion. Bring a photocopy of the license, 50 cedis and you get your temporary license. The permanent one will be ready in 2 months time. The 2 months thing was a little odd but I’M GOOD. Oh Hell, Play by Play Fam! We go into my Man’s office first thing and I wait my turn and then I give him my photocopy. I’m chillin’ on the couch ready to take a photo so we can get out of here and get to the Rootman. My man asks me for my actual license. WOW…didn’t I ask this guy yesterday would I need that? Didn’t he tell me “Oh, all you will need is the photocopy.” Of course I have it, because I KNOW GHANA! He writes some things on the photocopy and sends me to the cashier. I’m like, Oh, I get it…My Man just signed off on my joint and I just have to hit the cashier and it’s a WRAP! My Man! I go to the Cashier and he tells me to take this to Room 4 so that he can itemize my requirements so that they can figure out my bill. WoooooooOOOOW! Alright, to room 4 I go where there are two men at two desks in a room the size of a utility closet. There are about 3 guys in there waiting for their papers and these guys are handwriting stuff, using glue to affix passport photos on the paper, ink stamping going on all OVER the papers, and of course my favorite thing to do in Ghana…DASHING. I already know that they are going to have attitude from me because they’re not getting JACK from me besides the license fee. They finally get to me and itemize and send me back to the cashier. Cashier adds it up and it is only 36 cedis. Nice, but YO what was the 50 all about from the Supervisor? Anyway, they sent me BACK to Room 4 with some papers now. I go back and they ask me for PASSPORT photos. My Man, did you tell me about the Passport photos? ‘H’ NO! Now, I go in the big room where the lady is taking the photos and giving the eye exams to have her shoot me some Passport photos. Wait, EYE EXAM?! Damn Bro…You left out a FEW things yesterday. Oh no, is this machine going to be alright? Are my eyes functioning properly right now? I haven’t had an eye exam in a minute and you know technically I am supposed to be wearing my glasses when I drive or do exams like this. Anyway, I’ll worry about that after I get these photos. She nods at me in that cool Ghanaian way to say, “What do you need?” I told her and she frowned and said, “I don’t do passport photos.” REALLY????? So, they point me OUTSIDE in the parking lot where there are photo stands. Nice hustle guys…let’s get it. I go back in to Room 4 and the man is not there. Great. Line of people and he is not here. Here he comes and I had my paper out in the air and he took them as he walked in. Cool. “Yes, I see you old man sticking your hand out every time you touch my papers. Mumbling under your breath about no money. Damn right, you’re not getting any dashes from me.” He finally gets to my papers and tells me to go do my eye test. WOW! This is comical, but I would be the ONLY one laughing here because this is their reality and norm. I don’t know if she even knows what letters are on those lines she asked me to read out. I can’t even tell you if I REALLY got them correct or not, because a brother was straining and working to tap into my ‘superhuman x-ray vision’ sight to see those little letters. She passed me anyway and sent me BACK to ROOM 4. Yes indeed, this is comical. Kofi was eating, drinking, reading my driving guide, chillin’. The Elder finally got to me and did whatever he did to my papers and sent me to Room 2, My Man. “Bro, are you serious? Back and forth?” He said, “We are working on it right now to get everything in one room and computerized. See the network box up there? It’s coming soon.” I replied, “Cool. Because this is some ancient type of business practices here.” He signed my papers and documented something and sent me back to the woman who takes the photos. Photo…Snap…”Go back to Room 2.” LOL!! This is some funny…My Man threw my papers on the floor and gave me my Temporary License and said you’re finished. Medase Peeeee, Bro. I’m OUT! So, we are off to the Rootman. He is meeting us, at all places, the house between One Africa and Kohain’s place. So, as we awaited his arrival, I went to One Africa to see Shabazz. He was at the Market so I missed him. I then went over to Mabel’s Table. I spoke with Mabel and her Sister for a minute and then the crew drove up. Kohain, Yuhanna, Rosalyn, Reuben, and another brother from Mount Vernon. Cool. I get to see everyone at one time. Reuben’s Wife, Sarah was even on the yard and I didn’t know it. She inquired about OYC and expressed a big interest in getting involved with us. She was very honest with me and said that she doesn’t want to just live in Ghana. She wants to travel around. Six months in Ghana and move around the other six. “Alright, Go Queen!” Anyway, I spent a short time with the family and then said my goodbyes to Yuhanna and the Queen. They are out tomorrow. They had just come back from reestablishing Mount Vernon as a Sister City to Elmina at the KEEA District Office. Cool runnings Mount Vernon…Finger Lickin Politickin…LOL!!! I didn’t feel like making anyone squirm today, so I didn’t ask if Yuhanna made it to Iture. Hey Fam, I gave them a pass today. You see, I don’t ALWAYS mess with people. LOL!!
The Rootman is in and for the next 2 hours, we were entertained with some pretty amazing healing stories. He has done something for ALL of our peeps that are here in Ghana. He works at the University as the main Gardener. He is also the Manager of that house in between the two family yards. This Healer has known Kofi since he was born and remembers me from coming and going over the years. Neither Kofi or I knew his skills. I LOVE IT! He gave Kofi some roots for me for the anti-malaria and Manpower. The roots were kind of dry for me, so I wanted some fresh ones. I like to chew them and the dry ones are better for grinding and adding to water. The anti-malaria was made with regular pipe water…you already know family. I needed to get the meds so that I could mix it with my Voltic water. He kept pulling more and more herbs, roots, and medicine out of his bag and explaining what each did. He had at least 3 stories to go with each medicine that he put on the table. Stories with people in them that we could go to today and get their testimonials. He was giving up names and houses if we doubted him. I LOVE THIS GUY!!
I noticed that he has those outlined eyes…GONJA people. My people up in SALAGA. I didn’t give it away that I knew his people until he made me aware that he is Muslim with the last name Ali. That’s when I told him that I know his people. I named all of those major towns and villages around his area in the Northern region. He was impressed and was even happier when I told him how close I am to Elkhana (Donald Williams). Crazy, huh? He treated Elkhana and stayed in touch with him over the years. What was even more intriguing was the fact that he didn’t speak English that well. That was another giveaway for where he is really from. How are you down in Fante land for over 35 years and you can’t speak English that well? GONJA man. So he gave me a bunch of medicine to try while I am here and has agreed to be my Medicine Man for as long as we will have him. And then it was time for the REAL TEST. “How much for all of this, Uncle?” He gave a long story about his experience with charging for his meds and work and told us that he recognizes my spirit and intentions. He remembers us both very well and knows my family. He said, he cannot charge me for this stuff. He wants me to try it all out and let him know what I feel from them. But he would like ANYTHING small from my heart for transportation or whatever. NO PROBLEM. We hit him harder than “something small” and then took some flicks. I kept noticing a caretaker walking around the property…in and out of the house. Short, older man in his 50s. Before we were about to leave, the Rootman told one more healing story. It was about this man. He said that he made medicine to help the man with his eye problem. I thought it was maybe a weak eye or vision issue. The man got closer and then I noticed his left eye. He has one of those eyes that looked like someone performed some torture treatment on it. He told the man to go get something to show us about this eye. I was wondering, what is this man about to bring back in this house to show us about the condition his eye USED TO be in? WHEW! He came back with OLD OLD photos and some of the Rootman’s medicine. Nice. I was so glad he didn’t come back with a popped out eye or something. Anyway, this man showed us photos of him in Togo on the Togo National Futbol team. He was Togo’s number one Goal keeper in the 80s. WHAT?!!! This man traveled the world playing Futbol and was offered deals from at least 4 Countries at his prime. He showed us a photo of his team in Gabon where they were playing a playoff quarterfinals game and as the teams walked in, there was an old man that led the Gabon team and this gentleman, Ahmed Kweku led the Togo team. He said, “The old man walked up to me with something in his hand and blew it in my eye.” He said it bothered him, but he was able to play. His team won that game against Gabon, but after that game he was not able to play futbol anymore because the Juju acted like acid in that eye. The tears swelled up in my eyes family as this GIANT told his story. He told me that “You can go ANYWHERE in Togo and tell people that you know Ahmed Kweku and watch what they do and say.” I was just writing this man off as an old man working on the grounds at this house. He had his dreams shut down on him from one breath of an old man. I hugged him strong and long and told him that “I am honored to know him and thank you so much for sharing your story with me.” We all had glassy eyes as we let go of each other. Then we took flicks and we gave him a couple Cedis. He was so appreciative. I just thought. This man was probably on his way to becoming a rich man in his country and he is thanking me with such appreciation for a couple of Cedis. I guess when I woke up this morning; The Most High was preparing me for this MOVING encounter. It was one of the most touching moments I have experienced with my peeps over here. If I had not been prepared with that feeling when I rose in the am, then I probably would have lost it while that man was telling his story. Thank You Most High for sparing me by preparing me. LOL!!
“I’m awake, I have worked, and I’ve been blessed. It’s Time to Take Me Home!”
Love Family.
