"Today I will get into a metal tube with wings that will carry me to Canada. Bizarre and wonderful. I'm coming home rested and renewed, with more learning than I can fit in my bag.
Construction of all 15 rainwater harvesting tanks is complete. We celebrated with drumming, dancing, speeches, an official ribbon cutting, and a white man dressed in traditional Ghanian cloth, beads and sandals. It's important to say that there have also been some complications and confusion in the project, which is the nature of cross-cultural development work. I've been reading stories about international development that tell in a few brief highlights how a situation of poverty and struggle was transformed and peoples’ lives were improved. Something is lost when powerful and hopeful stories don't acknowledge the stumbling and uncertainty that are also part of the story, the times when the work doesn't feel hopeful or powerful. Over the years of the project I've often thought, 'Helping people should be easier than this.' The fact is that this work is hard, and in the end it has been completely worth the ups and downs.
Above all I'm grateful for the gift of being here - knowing that it is a significant privilege, and the absolute treasure of being welcomed by name into a village. I'm also grateful to have listening ears (and reading eyes) to share with. It helps me pay attention and reflect on what is important."
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