Moving...

We have arrived! Sort of.

We are not in Tumu yet (but we’ve visited, more below). We’ve spent most of our time so far in Accra. The first several days working through immigration requirements and in SIM Ghana orientation, but much of the time since sorting out what we’ll be taking north (shopping), and other logistical things, including with our vehicle. We believe that God orchestrated a meeting with Troy back in October while training with Samaritan’s Purse. Troy, a physician, had been serving here for several years, and he and his family were preparing to move back to the US, so we were able to purchase their vehicle, a Nissan Patrol. It is a utilitarian vehicle similar to the Land Cruisers and Land Rovers so often seen in African documentaries and is perfectly suited for where we will be. (Thank you, Troy!) Half a day at the DVLA (the equivalent of most US DMV’s), some time getting the A/C serviced (more important than a steering wheel, according to our director), and checking off some other maintenance items, and it is ready to go.

As mentioned, we visited Tumu. We flew to Tamale, a town big enough to have air service, then drove six hours to the town of Tumu itself. We spent the next several days with our team leader, Charity, and other team members, Tijin and Merin and their daughter Besorah. It is exciting to see the work being done there, and we look forward to being part of it. Tumu is a town of about 3500(?) people, but is still rural with only small villages scattered around in any direction. It appears to be growing though, with many buildings under construction. It is the Ghana capital of the Sissala people (there are many just across the border in Burkina Faso, as well), and there are several dialects of their language spoken there. We will be learning Tumulong, which seems to be the most widely spoken in town. While visiting we also checked out the housing; we will be renting a home in town, which will meet our needs, while some of the maintenance concerns will be a good diversion from language learning for David, and making it ‘home’ will for Beth. After our visit, we drove three hours another direction to Wa, another town large enough to have recently implemented thrice weekly air service back to Accra. While the distances aren’t always too far, land travel is slowed by rough road conditions and occasional security checkpoints as well as the need for caution in the villages where there are many pedestrians, donkeys, goats, and sheep moving about.

Since writing the above we have gathered more supplies, completely packed our vehicle as well as a pickup going with us, and we will be heading out early tomorrow. Planning to spread the trip over four days, with day 1 being a long drive, and then various meetings on days 2, 3, and 4 before reaching Tumu.

All for now…