Sanitation and Illness

In a previous post, I alluded to significant challenges we will face.  I'll share one of them in this post, which I hope will not cause you to reconsider your participation, but which I do hope will help you prepare mentally and emotionally for what you will face. 

Ghana is a developing nation, and currently lacks the kind of infrastructure we take for granted every day.  First, highways are poor and far too small for the population.  Traffic jams are common and travel much slower and unpredictable than we would like.  Second, public restrooms range from rare to non-existent, and most are not in good condition.  Even those in the chapels and some city venues are not the quality that we are used to.  People in the villages completely lack running water and so toileting is a major challenge, especially for a group as large as ours.  Our bus does not have a toilet.  Third, the heat and humidity will persuade us to drink extra to stay hydrated.  And finally, should anyone get the runs…

 Can you see the challenges that this combination poses for a large group of Americans?  We will need to be prepared for any kind of restroom and no restroom.  We have tried to map out various restroom possibilities, and we are working on contingency plans to deal with illness and other problems, but I must warn you (especially you ladies) that you may need to draw on (or practice) your outdoor backpacking skills to survive some of our drives!  We will want to carry a supply of toilet paper, hand sanitizer, toilet seat covers, baby wipes, and plenty of patience and a strong spirit of adventure with us. 

On the last day of our trip, one of our number (not me) fell ill with intestinal trouble, a reminder of the care we will need to take of our health while here.  I hope our troubles of this kind are very limited.  We will pray very hard that the Lord will preserve our health and strength until we are safely home in the United States.  Dr. Staheli of the BYU Singers said that this worked very well for them on their three week tour of West Africa some 12 years ago; however, their prayers were that the Lord would keep them healthy through their final concert—and that's when the entire choir collapsed, making for a miserable journey home.  He counseled me to pray ourselves all the way home!

Otherwise, we did very well.  It took me a couple of days to adjust and rediscover some energy, but now after one week I feel terrific!  Of course, it has not been terribly hot and humid (January is the dry season) and conditions will be somewhat more difficult for us in April.  But we are trying to plan a respite midway through the tour where we can relax a bit and recover our strength for the final push.

We'll provide you with plenty of advice relative to staying safe and healthy while we are in Ghana—but later. 

A couple of funny pics here to relieve an otherwise very serious subject.

Our favorite on the subject.  Hope you don't find it offensive!

This one above and the one to the left were found in the MTC...no doubt for the benefit of missionaries from areas without good sanitation.  But maybe a few of you need some specific reminders too.