Life Goes On (continued...)

September 30, 2008

After the meeting we went home to play with the children (who were waiting patiently on our stoop) before dinner. :) Jessica climbed into my lap and Grace began singing a church song for us, which prompted Jessica to leap up and start bouncing/dancing around. Their brother, Kosi (15), joined us and showed me papers from his Ewe class at school. In Ewe class they learn about the language and about Ghana. Selom (6) also showed up. I learned that Sema was married before but did not have any children so her husband left her. This is not common and he does still live in this village. After her sister died 6 years ago, Sema adopted her baby nephew, Selom, and raises him as her own son. Selom is very shy and gets upset when he doesn't feel included. I've been trying to reassure him and encourage him, especially with his drawing and counting. Jessica can be distracting with her dramatic attention-seeking spunk, but I do hope Selom comes out of his shell a bit. Kosi and Grace are very mature but probably
also used to competing for attention with Jessica, and they have about a month before their 5th sibling arrives. The family dynamics are really interesting. It's as if there are "village children," no one introduces themselves and children as their son or daughter. The older kids care for and watch over the younger ones, and some adults are also involved (if they are nearby) in watching over them and disciplining them if they have to. Definitely puts a very literal spin on "it takes a village to raise a child."

On a side note, back home I have a slight phobia of farm animals. I mean, they're great and all, but chickens especially—I don't like them near me, let alone touching me. Never in my life have I walked so close to chickens and roosters. Roosters are very aggressive animals! Ok, I know some of you are thinking—big deal, you walk next to chickens. I don't think you realize how intimately I am living with chickens, goats, sheep, and cats. Everywhere! The cats and kittens
look skinny and their fur is patchy, which makes me think they carry disease (along with chickens eating and pecking trash from the drainage ditch). I've gotten used to it though. You shoo away goats and chickens that start to go in your house, or start to eat the corn that's laying out to dry before taking it the mill for grinding. I've started not to even notice the cats and chickens under my chair when I sit outside. At any rate, I DO notice the roosters. They are unaware they should only cry out in the morning so wherever you are, whatever time of day, they are pretty hard to ignore. Hmm. It just occurred to me that I have no idea how a chicken and a rooster have sex. I would say maybe chickens can lay eggs anyway, without… bird sex… but then if you have a chicken coup for eggs… why in the hell would you ever CHOOSE to have a rooster? Someone please wikipedia this for me, thanks!