so much to say

Wow! The flooding in Wisconsin is crazy! I've been looking at all the news articles and pictures my mom has sent me and my facebook friends have been posting and I can't believe what I'm seeing! I hope everyone is alright and I'll keep you all in my prayers!

In my last post I promised something about Blakk Rasta. He is a radio DJ on Hitz FM, a Ghanaian station that plays mostly hip hop, rnb, reggae, and Ghanaian high life and hip life. He has a radio show called "Taxi Driver" during the day. He is Ghanaian but puts on a Jamaican accent and talks about politics, news, and of course Ganja (marijuana) and he's kinda controversial but Ghanaians love him! Everywhere I go between 11am and 2 pm I hear him blasting out of speakers. He has a song and music video out right now that is very popular entitled "Barack Obama!" Since most of the song is in Patuwa (Jamaican language similar to Pidgon English) I don't understand everything but basically he's supporting Obama and hopes that he will do good for Africa when he's president and that he's careful because he's concerned (as are a lot of people here) that he will be assanated if he becomes president. So, that is Blakk Rasta and "Barack Obama!"

Wednesday I went Salsa dancing in Accra! It was really fun! There were a lot of people there...Salsa is becoming very popular in Ghana and there are some great dancers!

Friday I went to Ho, the capital of the Volta Region in Eastern Ghana. It was my first time to that region. We went as a team doing CD4 counts for people living with HIV (basically it tells them how far along they are in the disease by reading their white blood cell count). It was dissappointing that only 48 people showed up when we had been promised by the arranger that there would be 500. Some of us also went to two hospitals in Ho to discuss ways to support their HIV/AIDS work with education and support for their patients.

Thursday night I moved to Fifi's house. I stay in the boy's quarters where I have a bedroom and a shower and toilet.

Saturday I played football (soccer) with the neighborhood guys. I'm not very good but it was still fun. That night Fifi and I went to Boomerang (a club) and had a good time. There was more Salsa until midnight and then "regular music".

Sunday I went to a small charismatic church in Accra where we did VCTs (Voluntary Counceleing and TEsting) for HIV. We tested about 20 people. I got tested and I'm negative (of course!).

Well, I've got to get to work...we gotta run and get the bosses dogs and take them to the vet for him...this doesn't sound like it has anythign to do with HIV/AIDS!!!! I'll try to give more details on what I'm doing later.

James