VT College of Science Quarterly August 2014 Vol. 2 No. 1 | Page 14

Ghana, Africa

Reflections on service

1
4

child on the student’s back. It felt as if they
were a swarm of bees and we were covered
in honey. The children were an absolute joy
and loved being around us. I particularly fell
in love with one little boy whom I spent all
day hanging out with every time we came to
the village. His name is Oben (oh-bit) and he
is four. We couldn’t communicate with each
other verbally outside of saying our names but
Akwaaba
we said a lot to each other with body language,
A trip to a developing country, keeping me
pointing at objects, and dancing. He had creout of reach from family and friends during a
time of personal pain and hardship developed ated his own sign language for me with words
such as; “water, camera, phone, play, hold me,
into a life changing experience.
Just a month after the passing of my mother, and take me here,” while I developed words
such as; “yes, no, and hold on.” As a younger
I boarded a plane for Ghana with a mission
child, Oben had many friends who followed
to help and love others, and to live for my
him everywhere. All the elders knew him, and
mother. During my journey, I experienced
he was the best dancer in the community.
sadness, hopefulness, contentment, confuThe people of Ghana h fRfW'