BY GOD'S HUGELY ABUNDANT, MAGNIFICENTLY INCOMPREHENSIBLE, YET, EVER-PRESENT GRACE

After a few emails, phone calls and text messages, I realize that people were more worried than I thought they would be. I wrote about the experience just to share with everyone what I was exposed to.

In all honestly, I am feeling much better (though I could REALLY use a shoulder massage). The latest issue was an infection in two veins in my arm, but the swelling and brusing are nearly gone. After seeing a doctor today, he gave me the go-ahead to travel back to Tamale.

Upon leaving the hospital, we headed to the STC Station where I picked up my bus ticket for Thursday morning to Kumasi. After that purchase, we headed to Areeba (the cell phone network) and paid a visit to Emmanuel. We ate lunch in their cafeteria and I was given a tour of the floor that he works on. I really enjoyed meeting everyone. We then went to pick up Micheal from school, and I fell asleep after watching George Bush address the General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

After a month in Accra, I am feeling excited about going back to the north. Life is slower up there, and I will enjoy having more time to think and to write. I have a lot that I want to write. I have also been getting check-up calls from Razak, Ramadan, Layata, Masumi, Mr. Fresh, Sister Saphora and Jenifer. It will be nice to see them all, to be back in my room, and to be in amidst a different set of scenery.

I know that I will miss Accra though. Being with the Ackerson's has been amazing. Yesterday, Mama Ackerson was having some pain in her arms and I felt so bad, I wanted to get something to make her feel better, and at the adivce of Micheal, I bought her some tropical punch. It wasn't medicine, but she could feel the love. Irene and I have really bonded too; she is like the little sister that I never had. She loves to make fun of me and has a new nick-name for me every couple of days: Chris Brown, Mr. Brown, Monster (because of her two year old cousin crying when he sees me), Old Man (because I have been taking so much medication and going to the doctor so often), Sleeping Handsome (instead of sleeping beauty for the amount of rest I have been getting). As much as she makes fun of me, I always find a way to turn her mocking back to her. Just yesterday, she was in a really bad mood and did not want to talk to everyone, but after awhile (and my lip sinking of Kirk Franklin's "Lean on Me"), I got her smiling and joining me on back-up vocals.

I have also got to see how intelligent Kwaku is. My first impression of him was that he drives insanely fast and brakes a little too late for comfort, and that I did not know what he was saying. As I got to understand what he is saying, and as he began to get what I was saying, we had a lot more conversations. He tutors Micheal, he has a nice girlfriend at the University of Ghana that he intends to marry (God bless them!!!), and he knows Accra inside out. I have also got used to his driving too (it's funny, because some people think that I drive kind of crazy...believe me, my boldest driving does not compare).

Adowa and Idressa arriving also is a reason that I would like to spend more time in Accra. Adowa brought me some peppermint tea (two boxes) so that establishes a lot from the beginning. They both seem like really interesting people and I really enjoyed spending time with them when we met up a few days ago.

It may seem late, but my friend Nana from Toronto has sent me a few contacts of friends and her Dad (who lives here), and they all want to meet up. I don't know how I am going to see everyone before I leave Accra.

Oh, I am also meeting with TJ tomorrow about doing some work with the record label that he works with. I will see what becomes of that.

All of that said, I will be leaving on Thursday morning to stop in Kumasi. I will stay there for two days on my way back to Tamale. The purpose of the stop is to see Nuri-Haque and Jayme. Nuri-Haque is my brother! I really miss him, and just talking and chilling. Even though I have known him for a short time, I really value his friendship. It will be nice to see him. I will also visit Jayme, who is placed in Kumasi for JHR. She had been going through a bit of a hard time lately, so I want to see her and just cheer her up. I think she is doing better now, but I still want to make sure.

When I go back to Tamale, I will also be meeting with Masumi (the Japanese woman that I met who is working on bringing Ghanian shea butter to Japan).

One thing that is unrelated, but I have to add is that the little two year old, Sammy, who was scared of me, has had a turn around. I saw him on the street with his Mother. When he saw me, he was a little shy at first, but then he gave me a warm smile and a wave as he said, "hi". That was a major breakthrough from his crying and hiding. That really blessed my heart.

Well, take care of yourselves, and now that - by God's hugely abundant, magnificently incomprehensible, yet ever-present grace - I am doing the same (and I have many others also doing such).