Today was fantastic. Yes, the temperature was 106, and the humidity 70%, but the antidote to heat is being sweaty, so we drink water all day and sneak into the shade at every opportunity.

Since our Internet connection seems stable at this instant (6:00am), I’ve uploaded a bunch of pictures, and we will just tell today’s story in pictures.

Ray and Laura had a joyful reunion at the Tamale airport. Our flight from Accra was uneventful, which is just the way we like to fly in Africa. Our shouts and giggles had all the baggage handlers and security guards looking on with smirks and smiles from their shady corners of the parking lot.

The next stop, the market. A line of cement block stores sold packaged items and housewares like rice makers and fans. We bought some bottled water, crackers, and of course some Fan Ice (more on that later). The produce section was not in the store, but outside. Dozens of small tables from competing vendors sold mangos, coconuts, bananas, cloths, mobile phone credits, and much more.

After stocking up, we started the drive to Walewale, about 1.5hrs on a real road. The cement buildings gave way to farmer’s fields and finally the red dirt, short trees, and grasses of the wide open savannah.

In this area in Ghana, homes are often mud huts with thatched roofs. Some families can afford a steel roof, but thatched huts remain cooler, so often a small family compound will have a mix of both.

In Walewale, our first stop was Pastor Joseph’s house. We relaxed in the shade discussing tomorrow’s plans after a bit of formal welcome. In this area of Ghana, it is still common, especially when visiting a family’s compound to do so formally. After standing introductions and hand shakes, we sat down. Folks understood at that point, we were to get quiet, and just sit a few moments in the shade, waiting for the Patriarch to formally welcome us. Joseph extended his appreciation for our visit. Ray then responded with “Thank you, we come in peace”. Ray then spent some time introducing each of us more completely. The floor was then open for discussion.

After some relaxing conversation, we drove out of town to visit a local village chief. Visiting a chief is extremely formal, and done respectfully. Step one when approaching the chief’s shady perch was to announce oneself. We hung back as Pastor Joseph approached and asked permission to visit. The locals removed their sandals as the entered the chief’s shelter. There were some whispers, and then we were allowed to enter, leaving our shoes on.

The chief looked calm, and did not readily make eye contact with people. He looked at people and nodded. A mat was laid out before the chief and a small older man went to sit at the feet of the chief. He was the translator or linguist, and if we had been speaking anything other than English, he may have offered clarifications or interpretations for things the chief didn’t catch. However, in this case, Pastor Joseph did the translating. We took turns, doing the welcomes. The chief thanked us for our visit. Ray was introduced, and then he did his part thanking the chief for letting us visit, and his hospitality. I then did my part, and thanked them for their kindness.

Pastor Joseph explained our plans for tomorrow… we would attend a local church and then record four area church choirs as well as people’s stories of how they became Christians, and their new lives. We are in Mamprusi territory, and for the next couple of days we will be recording as our friends sing and share in the Mampruli language.

After respectfully thanking the chief for his support and kindness, we drove the dusty roads back to walewale and relaxed near the church, meeting some of the kids. White people are still pretty rare up here, and it took some time for the smaller kids to get comfortable around us. Ok, maybe that’s an understatement :-) Some of the very small kids were clearly afraid. But after some smiles and goofiness, they came around.

Eventually a group of boys realized we were not all that interesting, and decided to find a shady spot to play “Countess Ball”, a miniature soccer-like game of bottle caps for men, a ball bearing for a ball, and black pieces of plastic to flip men toward the ball. Emily VanHuis and I watched.

The game is difficult, and after about 15 minutes, one of the boys finally sends the ball bearing through the battery goal posts. For effect, I do the spanish “Goooooooooooaaaaaaalllll” to their their delight.

In the late afternoon sun we just relax, talk about tomorrow’s plans, and take pictures of the kids. Sunday will be fantastic!