Konkromanso continued

Next they took us to fetch some cassava, which is the root of a tree, kinda like potatoes are a root. On the way, the guys taught me how to weed with a machete so I cleared a wider path for us, ha, and then they taught me to harvest the cassava by uprooting the tree—btw they said this was man’s work in their culture. Haha When you harvest cassava, you cut off part of the trunk of branches and replant it. In about one year, the cassava is big enough to be harvested again. So Gideon and I decided that I planted a tree for Emily and next year, as long as she gets to come, he will take her and a few people to see his family and she can harvest the cassava from her tree because it will be time! We returned to the houses to discover that it was time to pound the fufu. So we all took our turn experiencing the rhythm of pounding fufu. One of the grandkids finished the process as we hung out with the family. Next came lunch which was delicious! Traditional Ghanaian cooking is incredible! I tried fufu for the first time with lye soup which had beef, and it was really good. Fufu is a little more smooth and sweet than banku. They also had beans that were cooked with corned beef, fish, tomatoes, and some spices and you put them on rice and it was amazing! The meal was topped off with plantains—my favorite! We hung out for a little longer after lunch and they gave us a cocoa to take back to the lodge with us—btw you can split open the cocoa and suck on the beans which have a citrus taste and are good as well. I was really sad to leave, and it wasn’t even my family so I can’t imagine how Gideon felt…Gideon’s 100 year old father, who still works everyday in his cocoa farm, took the 15 minute walk with us back to our car. I took possibly my favorite picture of the trip of Gideon and his dad walking through the bush and talking. (I will post it soon.) Today was my best taste of rural African life as I feel like I experienced how people have lived for years and years and continue to live without the modern conveniences. They did have a generator, which Gideon’s brother bought, and a TV, DVD player and laptop which Gideon bought for them to expose the kids to technology. (He even made a DVD of their cocoa harvesting process which was cool and the kids especially love seeing themselves on TV.) Gideon bought these things because he wants to inspire the kids to get an education and knows it will be to their advantage to at least have held a mouse and touched a keyboard while growing up. So I really enjoyed the glimpse of African rural culture and I have so much respect for these people. It’s Gideon’s mission in life to see some of the village kids get an education and go to university and improve their lives like he has, and I hope that God will open doors for me to partner with him and help him achieve his life’s mission!