Co-tutor Dinner and Salamatu's Story

Me, Gershon, Cindy, Philomena, Barb and Salamatu

Thursday July 17^th

This morning Lyle started the morning with a version of Jeopardy based on Canadian facts in four categories: Culture, Sports, General and Politics. Once they caught on they loved it.

Barb and Salamatu lead a session on read-a-louds and how to guide children through a book using questioning. Lyle has been putting up two riddles every day for them to think about and offering prizes to anyone who could solve them.

When we got back to the hotel Owen, Angela, Barb and I decided to go for a walk to stretch our legs and see if we could see the port. Walking along the street we stuck out like sore thumbs. We saw a number of wicker workers and took photos. Back to the hotel for a short dip in the pool to cool off before a shower and our evening dinner with our co-tutors, Salamatu, Gershon and Philomena. Very pleasant dinner and good time.

Salamatu told us her life story. She was born into a Muslim family in the north of Ghana. Her father was a dedicated Muslim, an Imam. At the age of 14, Salamatu's father offered her to an older uncle in marriage. Salamatu did not wish to marry and wanted to go to school. Salamatu's mother was upset.  Her mother was illiterate and wanted her daughter to go to school and be what she herself could never be. This created serious marital issues in the family.  Salamatu decided to leave the home and work in order to pay for her schooling and to pay for a new place to live for her mother, so that she could move her away from her father. In time and through hard work, this occurred and the two woman left.

All through her junior and senior schooling Salamatu read the Bible, despite being a Muslim.  Every time she read Samuel 1.2.1 she received good marks at school.  She began to believe in the Bible and converted to Christianity.  She no longer has any contact with her father's side of the family and she recently buried her mother who no longer practised the Muslim religion, but was buried according to Islamic tradition.

Salamatu's father took a new wife with 5 children before he passed away. Salamatu was invited to and attended his burial.

Back in the rooms I showed Barb and Angela my Kilimanjaro photos and then off to bed.