Not goodbye, only au revoir........

So a couple of days ago, I bid farewell for now to the Kumasi Street Children project.  I have spent a few fantastic weeks with them.  Over the last four weeks, I have helped them with their budgets and analysis, as well asspending some time seeing the projecys and witnessing many of the comings and goings from the drop in centre where the children come to rest during the day.

At lunchtime, we had a small farewell gathering in the office.  Everyone was there, and as Sister Jospehine opened with a short prayer giving thanks for my time with them all and praying for my safe onward travels, I actually felt a bit choked.......to put it simply, the warmth, the welcome and simply the total goodness of the people here is something that can really be a bit overwhelming.  And to be honest, that isn't something I've always associated in my mind with accounting - it definitely wasn't in my BPP textbooks.

As a parting gift, they gave me a traditional African shirt which immediately and permanently became my favourite item of clothing.  As you will see from the pictures, I am now officially the coolest obruni in town - please take note.

And so, I caught the bus down to Accra, ready for my next trip to Cameroon.  On my last evening with YPWC, Ma Boampong baked me a farewell cake, and left me with another one to eat on the bus the following day.  And, as an extra special treat, I was given a bowl of lettuce leaves and Heinz Beanz with already substantial final breakfast.  Naturally, I ate everything.

I'm going to miss Kumasi.  It's a town with great energy and life - the markets, the street traders.  The drivers in the tro tro station who know where I need to go and wave me over to the right car as soon an I approach.  The taxi driver who still tries to persuade me to part with 10 cedis for a private car when there's a share taxi right next to him, leaving in a few minutes.

Above all, this is somewhere where I have made many good friends.  I'll be coming back to Kumasi sometime in April, and then will be going home....that will be difficult.  But for now, I'll be seeing them all again soon.