We flew to Kumasi to close out some very old projects from 2008, and to view the new eye building on the campus of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). The eye clinic was in full use, but the operating area is still not in use yet. This new facility is a wonderful addition to the hospital campus. Jesse is developing another project for Ghana. The Moran Eye Center and University of Utah has also been instrumental in donating to this eye center.
We loved spending time with the Cosgraves from Highland. They took us around Accra and Aburi for one day while they were in the city getting supplies. In the evening, we were treated to dinner at a Chinese restaurant by Dr. Thomas Baah and his wife. Dr. Baah received a table top from us because the table we left on the previous project arrived with no top! He is a true champion for eye care in Ghana! He reported to us that his clinic performed over 2000 cases last year. He sends a van into the villages to assess needs and bring the patients back to his clinic in Accra. He then performs the surgery and has the patients stay over night on the floor of his clinic. Dinner and breakfast are provided for the patients. After checking each patient the following morning, they are sent back to the village on his van. The patients usually pay a small fee and are provided with National Health insurance which helps to cover some costs. Dr. Baah and his wife both go beyond the second mile in their efforts to prevent blindness in Ghana!
I love looking into the eyes of the people of Africa, wanting to know their story. I especially looked into the eyes of the hawkers on the streets, who would come to your car door windows trying to sell something. Usually I try not to look them in the face because I don't want to buy anything, but this time we stopped twice to buy banana chips (which are very good!) and a tie for Elder Cosgrave. You can buy a wide variety of goods. I looked them in the face and saw beautiful people. Some were handicapped with no use of legs, getting around on a skate boards in between the traffic, which is frightening to me. Others are very young, 9,10, or fifteen. Boys, girls, men, women and children are trying to make a living. Each has a story to tell. Maybe some day I can record their stories.
The Cosgraves took us to artisan shops in Aburi and then to the Lighthouse in Accra where we could view the coastline area where the slaves were imprisoned and then loaded on the ships.
Below is a soccer field.
