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Project: Painting Possibilities

SLIDE SHOW

We returned from our week in Ghana at the end of April and it has taken a good deal of time for many of us to adjust to the different pace and lifestyle here at home. There is so much to process.
 
We were 11 in all, coming from the Philadelphia and Boston areas and we worked months ahead to plan and finally execute our multi-disciplined week of classes. This was the 2nd such trip we call ”Painting Possibilities”, which takes place at the Bishop Forson School, a rural school of 250 children in grades equivalent to Nursery – 8th. The program endeavors to bridge cultures while teaching something to students and staff that is new and exciting for them.  The volunteers carried suitcases filled with cameras, books and art supplies for their classes of photography, book, doll and mask construction. (Sock puppets, games, and music were done with the youngest children.)
 
For some this was a first visit to Africa. As we left Accra, the capitol city of Ghana, and drove to the Volta Region, it didn’t take long to realize there will be no Starbucks coffee, emails  or quick trips to the supermarket. Bumpy, barely paved roads replace the well kept Interstates of home. Our senses yielded to the vision and smells of the roaming goats and chickens and to the happy faces and voices of the children and  people of Ghana. Shouts of “You are welcome”  and “Fine morning” came from the sides of the street. Meeting the people, seeing the dignity and beauty of life lived simply, permeated our bodies and minds. We were instantly humbled by the ever-present love, curiosity, and unbinding joy that spill out of these people who have so little materially but possess so much in spirit.
 
We settled in for the week and unpacked our bags at Cedes Guesthouse, a modest place to rest your body and enjoy a cold shower. Breakfast and dinner were taken at Rose's, the only restaurant in the small town.
 
Sunday we  observed church services led by the founder of the school, Mr. Forson, who is also the pastor of a church that meets at the school. We had the  privilege to get acquainted with the 13 orphans who live  at the school – all of whom are sponsored through Pagus.
 
For the children growing up in Africa simple things like needle and thread or paper and pencil don’t come easily and are rarely available for the use of pleasure and experimentation. Can you imagine not being able to write down your thoughts or draw a picture? Can you imagine never seeing a photo of yourself?
 
Monday started a full week of classes and activities. The desire from the children to learn and grow is palpable and the excitement and thirst for knowledge overwhelming. The 7th and 8th grade classes learned to use cameras and have their first experience using a computer, the primary school children crafted with their chosen materials and the preschoolers sang songs and played games with the new, simple instruments we brought along. All of the hard work was softened by the voices of the children who love to sing and who break out in song and dance at the simple instruction of the teachers to sing.

Under the shade of the mango tree we shared lunch prepared by the founder’s wife, worth savoring! Our afternoons were packed with sightseeing adventures to places like the Tafi monkey sanctuary and the women’s pottery cooperative in Fesa. A highlight of the week for all who attended was taking the orphans shopping for new shoes at the local open market and wearing them proudly back to school. Giggles and laughter filled the school van as we taught them the banana fanna song to each of their names.
 
By the end of the week the unique creations of artwork made in each class were arranged for all to see. Many of the parents and neighbors of the school gathered to see what had transpired and to watch a Cultural Celebration of song, dance, and even a fashion show, by the school children, prepared in our honor.
 
It was an exhausting and astonishing week! Much was achieved. The local teachers learned new ways to approach their teaching. The children enjoyed a week of  extraordinary exploration and discovery.  The volunteers were also transformed in ways that are hard to express. These trips create new bonds between the people who come and the community with whom we are working.
 
"Cultural exchange" is a much used catch phrase but in this program we are actually seeing the richness and complexity of such an exchange. It is transformative for all involved. The deepening of our mutual understanding through the sharing of these hands-on workshops challenges our presumptions and opens us to new, effective ways for working together. For this reason, Painting Possibilities will continue to play an important part in our future with the Bishop Forson School.