"If the trumpet should sound right now...

...we would be the first in heaven" - William (our friend/driver/translator 

when we reached the top of Mount Gemi)

We drove hours on road that was so bumpy and in need of repair 

- this picture dosen't even do it justice.

To "Paradise Mountain" Hotel.  It was the most serene, beautiful "get-away" place.  It was simple rooms and camping grounds halfway up the mountain - with seriously nothing within miles of it on any side.  We arrived early Friday, and packed our bags and began climbing Mt. Gemi, the second tallest mountain in Ghana.

We walked past the neatest villages, everyone welcoming us.  The paths through the woods felt more like rain forrest in South America, than the Ghana we are used to!

We climbed for 2 and a half hours, ate a snack, took some pictures on top and then headed back down.  

From Mt. Gemi, our hotel is the three white buildings on the lower mountain - nothing around - awesomeness.  

It was shady when we started, sunny the entire climb, and then down poured rain almost immediately when we got back.  

It was so relaxing - this is our porch - you can see Mt. Gemi in the distance.  We rested and read, and when it was time to clean up for dinner - I realized I had a very nice tan from the day...

Can we say, "Maid of Honor in a strapless dress in one month!" - Sorry Elizabeth!  After dinner, we sat out on the porch and sang worship songs - Thank you Jesus for safety and rest!  The coolest part of the night was the African drumming and chanting we could hear from one of the villages somewhere below us.

The next morning came all too soon - I had the most organic coffee I have every had - and enjoyed it thoroughly, and then we began our drive to our next challenge, climbing up to a waterfall high on top another mountain close by.

This climb was much much harder than the previous day's journey - we endured "blood, sweat, and tears" this day.  The path was very narrow and on the side of the mountain - it is so interesting to see all the different reactions people have to a challenge like this.  It took us a little over two hours to climb the steep path - but we made it! The waterfall was beautiful - and the mist from the water was so refreshing. 

The river from the falls - meanders through the path we took - here are some of the local women and children collecting water for the day.  Talking to women here - it takes them, on average, a few hours just to get the water they need to the house for cooking, cleaning, washing clothes.  The next few hours are spent washing clothes, hanging them.  If they are to cook, they might walk an hour or more to the market to get food to cook, then the rest of the evening is spent cooking.  Can you even imagine? I complain because something small gets in the way of me checking off every detail on my "to do" list."

After the climb, we went to see some ostriches - they were kind of scary - didn't one get out of a zoo in America not that long ago and chase people? Their eyes are so big and they followed us with every move.

The village William is from is in the Volta Region, near the falls, so we were able to go with him to visit his family yesterday afternoon.  He was so grateful.  I love the way Ghanaians speak - it is always so poetic and profound: "I thank you that you have allowed me to go and visit my village, and have not denied me the right."  He was so excited - he hadn't been to see his family in over a year.  This is some of his family members - they were cooking and eating - this is my first experience in a "village" - or REAL AFRICA.

Everyone was really nice.  When we got more into his village, everyone was running out to greet us, but many of the children were crying.  I asked why they were crying, and the adults said the kids were scared of us, because we were white.  I asked if they had really never seen a white person before - and they responded, "I am sure they have seen white people before... on the tele."  I reached out my hand until one of them came to touch me - and then the others did the same - and then I think they were more comfortable. They still didn't get very close, but they followed us everywhere we went, just watching.

They ran after us, as if they had somehow heard we were arriving.

As we met different family members of William's, each one gave him some rice, or some bananas, before I knew it we had become a whole train of people and goods, walking from tiny path to another tiny path through farms or woods to get to another mud house.

These are William's twin nephews, both names Elijah.  When I asked why they were both named the same thing, they all laughed as if I had just asked them the craziest thing, like why wouldn't we name them the same thing?

It was amazing to see these people's lives.  We met the chief of the village, all the "important" people were sitting in a circle and we were invited to go in and greet each one of them.  The whole time, the children were watching and following us.  We were able to see his church and meet most of his family.  Africa is pretty cool.  I need to get out of Accra more often.