We write this as we are sat in the SHCJ convent in Bolgatanga. We have been here now for just over 24 hours and have been warmly welcomed by Sister Eunice SHCJ and Sister Angela SHCJ.

We travelled from Accra to Tamale by plane, then from Tamale to Bolgatanga by road with Mark, our designated driver. Whilst talking to Mark on the 3 hour journey, we discovered that his “claim to fame” is that he played opposite Michael Essien (from Chelsea FC) in an interschool football match when they were teenagers!

This morning, we have been up bright and early to attend 6.15am Mass at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, a couple of minutes walk from the convent. After breakfast, Emma and Christine went to visit St John’s Junior High School with Sister Eunice, while Amy and Patrick visited a different school with Sister Angela.

St. Clement’s Junior High school is where Sister Angela works. We were welcomed with open arms to the school and were told that the gates were always open for us to come and visit.

The school pupils were so intuitive with their questions – they could not find out enough about England! They found it very funny that we thought it was hot in Bolgatanga when in fact they find it very cold at the moment!

It was so interesting to find out about Ghanaian schooling. The pupils were telling us that they begin their school day at 6am. At this time, they come into school and clean their classrooms before the day officially begins at 8am. They then have lessons until 2.30pm. The teachers at St. Clement’s found it fascinating that pupils in the UK do not come to school before 9am to help clean the classrooms. The pupils love being at school. They seem to really value their education.

At St. Clement’s, there is a combination of Primary and Junior High students, which goes up to the age of 14 before they go onto Senior High. They have no computers at St. Clement’s, even though they have an I.C.T. teacher, Madame Agnes, teaching them I.C.T. without a computer.

Photo of Staff at St. Clement’s Junior High (from left to right): Agnes (I.C.T), Ajara (English), Patience (Science), David (English), Daniel (Maths), Sister Angela (R.E. and Moral Studies)

We will be working with Sister Eunice and Sister Angela for the next 8 days in Bolgatanga before heading back down south to Accra, Cape Coast and Takaradi. We are being well looked after, and are looking forward to being enriched by Ghanaian culture in St. Clement’s and St. John’s school.

Until next time,

Amy and the Gappers x

After a quick touch down in Amsterdam, we arrived at the SHCJ convent in Accra, our home for the next two days, after 11pm that evening.

But all that travel was definitely worth it! The Holy Child sisters welcomed us warmly and have put us up in style! We’ve had a couple of days of fun, friendship and food and are feeling really at home here. Today, we went to the memorial for Kwame Nkruma, the man who announced the independence of the Republic of Ghana in 1959 and went on to become Ghana’s first ever Prime Minister!

( Amy, Emma, Sr Ngozi, Sr Meggie, Christine, Kofi)

We were driven around Accra by our wonderful driver, Kofi.

 (Sr Ngozi, Patrick, Kofi, Emma, Amy, Christine)

And tomorrow we move on! We are leaving at 5am (!!!) to fly to Tamale, followed by a 3 hour drive to Bolgatanga to meet a whole new community. We’ll be doing some teaching, sharing in prayer and (hopefully) having the time of our lives!

Akwaaba! Hope you are all well. I thought I would email whilst I currently have Internet!

I am currently sat in an office with air conditioning (!) in a convent in Bolgatanga. Things have gone well so far. I was up at 4am this morning in order to catch a flight from Accra to Tamale. I have to say, the flight was very smooth since I slept the whole entire way. It’s hard to believe that Accra airport where we set off, is an international airport because the departure lounge was in the same place as check in. And there are no conveyor belts for bags, but strong men attempting to lift my 18kg bag!!

We have been welcomed with open arms wherever we go. The sisters here are taking good care of us and we are being well fed and well looked after. The drivers who have been taking us everywhere are wonderful…the one from today, Mark, apparantly met Michael Essia (sp?) from Chelsea when they were playing interschool football as teenagers.

So, so far I haven’t been bitten by any mosquitos or knats, nor have I been chased by a rabies-infested animal so all is well on that front! Actually quite love sleeping under a mosquito net!

I better go, we are watching a Ghanaian movie and I want to see if the kid gets the job in Lagos! Plus, I feel tight because I am currently using the sister’s internet.

Hope you are all ok, missing you all like crazy! Be good and look after each other.

With love,

Amy x

2. Full time, live in Gap Year volunteers living in the community and working with the school and youth / sports work teams included basic volunteering costs. Subject to application, crb check and agreed programme of involvement – contact Kevin with basic details of interest to arrange a meeting and application. mr.kevin.buchanan@gmail.com Closing Date 31st March 2012

3. Full and part time, live out volunteers wanting to build their youth, school, sports and spirituality experience and take part in placements etc basic voluntary expenses are payable. Subject to application, crb check and agreed programme of involvement – contact Kevin with basic details of interest to arrange a meeting and application. mr.kevin.buchanan@gmail.com Closing Date Ongoing recruitment periods throughout year.

Do contact me if you have any queries or want some more info – Kev

I am excited to go to Ghana, but I have reservations too. It’s perfectly natural I suppose. A new country, new surroundings, new people. I have been well prepared by CAFOD (and for that I thank them very much) and feel that I am ready to go. 

Along with the two other Gappers from Lancaster and CAFOD staff member, Patrick, I will be travelling to the north of Ghana to Bolgatanga. I will be looking at education projects here. Similarly, I will be visiting a Sister of the Holy Child Jesus School on Cape Coast in the south. I really can’t describe to you my excitement to be visiting schools! I have seen pictures and videos of the school that I will be going to on Cape Coast and it looks like it is going to be a really rewarding experience going to these schools. Some of my friends have been to other parts of Africa before and have told me that visiting a school in Africa is one of the best experiences ever. Apparently, we will be so welcomed, that we will not want to leave! 

During the past couple of weeks I have not only been preparing what to take with me for myself, but also what I can take to use as resources for the young people there and the nuns that I will be staying with. At Just Youth, where I am based, there is a bag set aside for Ghana and the things I plan on taking. It is filled with papers, pictures of the UK, a Christmas tree made by the hands of the wonderful young people at our Youth Club and Frisbees for us to play with whilst we are over there. The current big debate is whether I take a picture of Manchester United FC or Liverpool FC…a debate that as the Liverpudlian based in Salford, I am fast losing! It is funny how little things that we find trivial such as a picture of the Queen or a Frisbee could be completely captivating to a child in Ghana. I can’t wait to see their faces when we tell them about what we do and what our country is like. I really do hope that they enjoy our presence.

So please, keep me in your thoughts whilst I am getting the last few things ready to go. Also, please keep myself, the two other Gappers Christine and Emma, and Patrick in your thoughts whilst we are away in Ghana. And please do keep checking the CAFOD Salford blog to see what we are doing!

 Amy x

https://catchatsalford.wordpress.com/

Please follow the link below to open the newsletter:

Newsletter Advent 2011

There are three important guides for us to listen to as we journey through Advent.

Isaiah                    John the Baptist                         Mary

Opening Prayer

In the lonely places, the wilderness where we stand forlorn, windswept and alone Your voice calls out.

R.      Prepare a way for the Lord

In the dark places, the shadows where we hide our fears, embrace our tears. Your voice calls out

R.      Prepare a way for the Lord

Where there is poverty, violence and disease. Your voice calls out

R.      Prepare a way for the Lord

First Reading Isaiah 11:1-9

From the stump of Jesse a shoot will come forth; from his roots a branch will grow and bear fruit.

The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him-a Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

A Spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.

Not by appearances will he judge, nor by what is said must he decide, but with justice he will judge the poor

And with righteousness decide for the meek. Like a rod, his word will strike the oppressor, And the breath of his lips slay the wicked.

Justice will be the girdle of his waist, Truth the girdle of his loins.

The wolf will dwell with the lamb; the leopard will rest beside the kid,

The calf and the lion cub will feed together and a little child will lead them.

Befriending each other, the cow and the bear will see their young ones lie down together.

Like cattle, the lion will eat hay. By the cobra’s den the infant will play.

The child will put his hand into the viper’s lair.

No one will harm or destroy over my holy mountain.

For as water fills the sea the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.

SILENCE                3mins                    Share

Gospel Mark 1:1-11

This is the beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is written in the book of Isaiah, the prophet, “I am sending my messenger ahead of you to prepare your way. Let the people hear the voice calling in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord, level his paths.”  So John began to baptise in the desert; he preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. All Judea and all the people from the city of Jerusalem went out to John to confess their sins and be baptised by him in the river Jordan. John was clothed in camel’s hair and wore a leather garment around his waist. His food was locusts and honey. He preached to the people saying, “After me comes one who is more powerful than I am; I have baptised you with water, but he will baptise you in the Holy Spirit. As for me, I am not worthy to bend down and untie his sandals.” At that time Jesus came from Nazareth, a town of Galilee, and was baptised by John in the Jordan. And the moment he came up out of the water, heaven opened before him and he saw the Spirit coming down on him like a dove. And these words were heard from heaven. “You are my Son, the Beloved, the One I have chosen.”

Silence                   3mins                    Share

Intercessory Prayer

R.      Come, Lord Jesus, do not delay

Closing Prayer

All       May the God who gives us peace make you completely his,

And keep your whole being, spirit, soul, and body, free from all fault,

At the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ

He who calls you will do it, for he is faithful!

1Thess 5:23-24

Monday 12^th December 2011 in Servite Parish Centre Cavendish Road, at rear of Church at 500 Bury New Rd,Salford,M7 4ND

From 7.30pm to approx. 8.30pm. Free Admission. Refreshments available.

Carols by Candlelight

The members of the Outreach to the World Group from St John the Baptist’s & St Philip’s Padiham (part of the NE Area CAT) cordially invite you to their Carols by Candlelight event to raise funds for CAFOD. The money raised will go to the Connect2 Rwanda fund. Sing your hearts out and get into the true spirit of Christmas. It takes place on Friday 16^th December at 7pm and will be held at St John the Baptist’s Church in Padiham.

The Church is situated on St John’s Road, BB12 7BN, which is reached by turning onto Green Lane at the Bridge Inn in the centre of Padiham; Green Lane becomes Hapton Road which in turn leads into St John’s Road. Tickets are priced at £3 for adults and £1 for children and include a mince pie and glass of wine after the event in the community hall next to the church. The carols will be lead by the St John’s School Choir, Pendyl (this is spelt correctly, honest!) Folk Group and Eileen the Organist. There is parking next to the hall and church and on the adjacent road.

For tickets please contact Fred Uttley: 01282 773032

Could please advertise this event in your parish newsletters and encourage people to attend. I’ve attached a poster for you to download and display on your parish notice boards or local community venues, e.g. schools or libraries.

Hope to see you there on the night.

Click on the link below to download a copy of the poster:

Carols by Candlelight – SJB Dec 11 – 4