Gimme Shelter

My recent trip to Ghana has had me puzzling over how to integrate what I saw. Ghana is a very poor country and prior to my departure, I had nervous anticipation about how I would react to staying in an orphanage in Kpondo and how I would react to what would surely be serious poverty. I have been to other developing countries but usually I have traveled in high luxury- always buffered by fine hotels and yummy meals served with fine linen on elegant china. Cars with drivers would whisk me to my destination of choice- the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall ….

In fact my journey there was anything but scary. The people of Ghana and their fine young children have much to teach us here in one of the most developed countries on earth. A typical home in western Africa would have little (or no) electricity, no air conditioning, no internet, no hot water and most likely no flushing toilets. Food is prepared outdoors with lots of elbow grease to pound, roll and chop the ingredients; the meal is then cooked on a charcoal brazier.


After eating, the cleanup is done outside in a large basin, the dirty water tossed in the garden for thirsty trees. But the hospitality includes good food, friendly conversation, music and laughter, all served with dignity and pride.

We have something to learn from more simple cultures. Even as we need to share technology and medical advances with them, so too, do we need to take a page from their book of life. Have a drum circle after dinner under a full moon, turn off the gadgets, listen to the birds.
Give thanks.