Reflective Thankfulness: Day 3

Our day got started at about 3am your time, so needless to say, we got an early start. Breakfast was a choice of eggs, baked beans, sausage, and fruit. I had eggs and fruit. I did some devotions, but I kind of fit it in and then headed out which I’m kind of disappointed in myself about. God deserves so much more than I shell out and I'm realizing that more and more. At that point we set out to Elmina Castle, which is…and was the largest slave castle in Cape Coast.

Please keep note, they weren’t always called castles…there were referred to as barracks and other names. We walked through the dungeons where thousands of men and women were kept. It was pretty intense. We had a tour guide the entire time who gave us plenty of facts on the slave trade. It’s difficult to hear the conditions they were in. Hundreds were kept there and those that died because of the conditions were just dumped in the ocean. We’ve all read the books and heard the stories, but to visit is an entirely different experience. We then headed to the Cape Coast Castle. This was the one that President Obama and his family visited in July. Again, there are pictures of him everywhere.

The fact that Obama was there, will no doubt bring tourism into the area, which it already has. At Cape Coast we had a similar tour. We were able to walk through “The door of no return” where men and and women were escorted to the smaller boats to take them to the larger ship that would carry them for 3 months to Jamaica, Europe and America. They would not return.

Less than half would survive the trip. After hearing these stories we walked back through “the door of no return.” We called it “the door of return” to symbolize how generations later we could walk back through those doors that our ancestors once walked through and reclaim our heritage. Powerful stuff huh? Anyway, altogether there were over 70 forts and castles here that held and traded slaves. There are about 17 or 18 left. We then ate…or shall I say, they ate. Wasn’t really feeling the tuna sandwich, but enjoyed the entertainment we received from the man with the guitar that played songs for us while we ate. Well, I had some pineapple.

After we toured through Cape Town traveling on bus, because we were on our way to the office of the Regional Minister of agriculture, trade and…something, I forget. She’s basically the governor of the Central Region in Ghana. Cape Coast is the capital. There’s about 1.6 million people in population here. There, she thanked us for coming and a presentation was made to us about the Central Region. Then she gave us Ghanaian scarves…each one of us too and shook out hands. Victoria, who was one of our guides today, said that she was excited to meet her because she’s always on tv with all the male politicians doing her thing. Then when she met her I asked her what she thought…she said, “She looked old.” Lol. Victoria is about 24…so we clicked. She’s in her last year of school training to be a midwife and psychologist. She lives in Accra and hopefully we can hang the last week I’m here after everyone leaves. For some reason it is very clear to Ghanaians that I am not from here at all. Chocolate skin and all. They don’t even ask…from down the street they can tell I’m American. Jamaica was different though…I got mistaken for Jamaican track runners and I’m not even that thin. Oh well.

This day was very informative and I really think it’s an experience everyone should have. It’s our history. We’re going to have dinner at 7…3pm your time…and then I think that’s it, though Reginald (out tour guide for the entire week) wants to head back out to the restaurant for entertainment and stuff. You think these old folks are going back out for entertainment? Lol. I don’t think so, but some of the older ones may surprise me. I was thinking, should I go out for entertainment? Nah, I think I’ll finish reading The SHACK. (it’ll change your life I promise!)

(p.s-click here for the rest of the pics on facebook. )