Life continues to get busier. I don't think that it is a bad thing. Our trip to Accra went very well! We were able to rest and get many things done- including the pizza :)
Two more Ghanaian dresses have found their way into
my collection, which I am very excited about!

Last week we were also able to take a cultural trip with our teacher to Kumasi, a city that I will be living in in about a month. We visited the Ashanti King's Palace, and also the cultural center there. It was a very informative day, but seemed to go by too quickly. Probably didn't help that we spent 6 hours on the road.

Last weekend had to have been the highlight of my time here in Africa so far. We spent Saturday attending a funeral. How can a funeral be a highlight? Well, funerals are different here than in the States, they last for three days. The mother of my seamstress had passed away, and she had invited us to attend the funeral. I had been asked to take pictures and document a funeral at some point for SIM, so I asked her if I could take pictures. She graciously agreed and treated me like a queen! Her and her family were so incredibly nice, personally making sure that I was in the perfect spot for everything that was going on, and even including me in the events that only the immediate family members see and do. Most of the day I was literally shaking, probably a mixture of being so close to death and the excitement and adrenaline of being able to experience it!

When I arrived home that evening, I wrote down some of my thoughts:

"The whole experience was quite exhilarating!  I was shocked and pleasantly surprised at how the family accepted me, and allowed me to be apart of this day, amidst their grief and loss.  Their kindness meant so much to me.  They made sure I was standing in the best spot for all parts of the day, making sure I was getting the pictures I needed, to do my job.  And this all from a family I had never met before.  I had met the seamstress once, but that was all.  I pray that my pictures will touch them, and will be something that they will be able to remember the funeral of their dear mother.  I found myself shaking throughout the day, given this opportunity to be so close and near to death, and to see firsthand and backstage what families go through in this African culture.

It was quite a cultural day in Ghana, attending this funeral.  God once again blessed me with the opportunity to document, so that I may bring Africa alive to the United States.  I pray that Africans would see the promise of eternal life through Christ, allowing them not to be a slave to death and all that it includes.  Heavenly Father, continue to work in this nation!"

See pictures and more information in the Photo Gallery!