Time?

A few weeks ago, we visited a church in a remote village. In the rainy season you can't reach the village by car. However, a little bridge has been constructed for motorbikes and bicycles so that the village is not completely isolated from the rest of the world during this period. As it’s the dry season at the moment, when we visited the water in the river had almost dried up.

'the village bridge'

After the church service was over, we were informed that the market truck which carries people from the village to the market in Yendi (every six days) had broken down two weeks ago. For the majority of people in the village who do not have any means of transportation it means that they can’t visit the market.

'market truck'

With our visit to the village and more importantly the presence of our car, the opportunity was created for people to leave the village. A group of women asked us whether we could offer them a lift to Yendi. They had come to the village for a wedding a number of days ago and had not had any opportunity to return to Yendi until now. In Ghana a car is not “easily full” and with a little pushing we were able to carry four of them. It was interesting to realise that the women didn’t seem to be bothered about the day they would return to Yendi. It was simply a case of taking the opportunity that comes and if there is no option you just stay a day longer - making it all quite relaxed!

There is an African proverb that says, 'you (the West) have a clock, but we have time.'

'crossing the river by car in the dry season'