Dawda, the mason finished bath house # 4. It looks good; the ramps might be a little steep but usually those in wheelchairs have someone that follows along behind them and helps push them over the rough terrain. We are happy to have this project behind us. Of course Dawda wants to continue on. He gave us a price to dig the soakaways which was about 5 times the amount that it should have been. We dickered a little bit but he would not come down to what I wanted to pay so we are at an impasse. He said that he would not be doing the work alone so he needed to talk to whoever was going to be helping him. At least this time around we are not on a deadline and desperate to get the job done. We really want to give the work to Donkey because we know he needs the money. Dawda said that he would call me after he talks to his cohort! Ha! We also need platforms made to hold poly tanks so each of the buildings will have a water source. Dawda wanted to know if he could start that project. We told him no because the blocks were not fully cured and we don’t have the gravel for the project because the rains have made it difficult to haul gravel. Besides, we are tired of building! One building project each time we come to Ghana is all we can stand!
Steve met up with Mr. Hayes the pharmacist this afternoon and paid him for the medicine he is ordering for the Child Center. Mr. Hayes would not mind selling it to us on credit but we don’t want to do that unless it is an emergency!
Kenneth, the guy that drives the truck for the Nestles Company that we buy the formula from called as we were leaving the compound this afternoon to let us know he found 10 cases of formula and we could have it if we wanted it. It does not expire until February of 2026. Steve was pleased to get it. Kenneth said that sometimes it is hard to find; it is something that we do not want to run out of because the Nestles formula is much cheaper than some of the other formulas. We have to save a penny where we can!
Tichak, one of the night watchmen called this afternoon and said that his waist was paining him and he could not come to work tonight. Usually when they say their waist is paining them it really means that their back is hurting. It is no wonder their backs hurt the way they work with that short hoe and are all stooped over when they work. My back hurts just looking at them.
Amama did not come to work today because she said that 2 of her neighbors died and they were doing the burials today. She said that one lived directly behind her house and the other just down the lane. We do not know if the people who died were men or women. I asked Zorash what she was going to do and she said that she will just sit with the family and sympathize. I wondered if she had to cook for the family; today is not a cooking day.
Enjoy your day!
In HIS Service,
Steve, Kandie and Skeeter
The Monkeyshines
Did I tell you that I like Donkey a lot? Mr. Iddrisu is growing on me just because he feeds me when Donkey is not around. I really enjoy biting Donkey! When I see him I run and grab hold of his pant leg and start biting him! Then I jump up on his arm and continue biting him! I do not bite hard enough to bring the blood; more like pinches than real bites! I have teeth and if I wanted to bite him hard I could. Mom calls them monkey kisses! Donkey told Mom that when I get a little bigger she has to take me to the vet and get me injected! What! I thought he was my friend! Injected! I have already been injected 2 times and that was no fun! Mom was quick to tell him that I had already had my shots. He said that he was afraid that I would get rabies! Well, really where would I get rabies from? There are no other animals in the compound! Maybe Donkey has rabies and he is going to give them to me! If Donkey wants someone to be injected he should get himself injected! The whole discussion put me in a bad mood!
I have decided that I like to chew on Dad’s shoes! When I was little I used to sit on Dad’s feet and chew on his shoe strings. I especially like it when his feet are not in the shoes; it is dark and scary inside the shoe! My head will fit completely inside his shoe and it is great fun to jump around stuck in the shoes; I actually think the shoe is attacking me which makes me want to attack it right back!
NO MORE SHOTS!
Love, Skeeter
