random photos….
a taxi and a poda poda…and an AWESOME woman (or man) carrying coal on their head!
a poda poda is a van/taxi.
he called us over to ride in his and then said "i will have it working soon…please wait" HA.
it is the size of a mini van fitted with four rows of benches in the back.
i was not happy to have to ride in one.
everyone joked with me all week about my reaction getting into one.
i couldn't believe we were doing it….i kept waiting for someone to ask me if i was ok with it.
because i wasn't.
but no one asked.
so i got in…there were already 8 people inside.
and 6 more of us got in!!!
i was in the very back…that is pam in the very front.
and you know what?
i survived.
and it became my new favorite mode of transportation…there was music and friendly people.
at one point there were 22 people inside the poda poda.
22 people in a mini van….oh my goodness.
all you could do was laugh.
one day we rode in this man's delivery truck.
i was right beside him…worrying i would knock the gear shift when we hit the bumps.
faye and shelia were to my right.
counting money all the time….
.4000 leones to one US dollar….very confusing.
this was a pic of the market where we bought fabric.
i never felt comfortable in here taking pictures…worried someone may get upset.
so this was while i was talking pretending not to be taking pictures at my hip.
this is a coal iron.
the boys told us about it while sewing…wow.
fill it with hot coal to iron your clothes.
we all tried fresh coconut.
not a favorite…but not bad.
our breakfast at the Y every morning was bread and sometimes an egg.
we were sweating already at 9 AM and she would only bring out hot tea and coffee.
one the third day another man was eating there too and he asked for Fanta.
all of our eyes grew wide.
our table all asked at the same time "May we have Fanta too?!"
she nodded.
then we asked "may we have water?"
she had that too.
we didn't know we could ask for anything else.
it was so refreshing.
your choices were Fanta, Coke, Sprite and Vitmo.
i liked the Vitmo…it was like grape soda but a little less sweet.
but the best was big bottles of cold water.
yeah….we stood out just a little bit.
dan took us to lunch.
he works for Word Made Flesh…loved his dreads.
and his heart.
he kind of looks like jesus….
this was our toilet at the Y…the seat was broken and water leaked all over the floor.
we had a bit of a shower but the girls upstairs did not.
they had a bucket.
that is how they took their showers…pouring water over their heads from the bucket.
it was all a stretching experience. 
more pics of the poda poda…
if you have seen a demo derby car…gutted on the inside…these are similar.
i get motion sickness…like really bad…i have had it my whole life.
i got very sick on this one.
i hadn't taken my Dramamine.
so i used the universal sign (that i made up) for "throw up" to kari and she said "who's smoking?"
ha ha ha.
everyone scrambled to find me a bag…but thankfully i didn't have to use it.
i was in a panic though.
when i was better and could talk and breathe…30 minutes after the poda poda ride…i told the girls
"i just didn't know what to do. if i stuck my head out the window to throw up i thought i might get
decapitated….but i couldn't talk to ask for a bag."
we all got a laugh out of it.
oh africa.
you are amazingly fabulous.
tami reed - These pics are amazing I dont know if I could survive there lol.
Julie - Really beautiful pictures! I LOVE the baby in the sling!! I get motion sickness too ~ still. Ugh! i’ve hear the magnetic bracelets work but haven’t tried one.
I have one of those irons. Can’t imagine having to use it!
Colleen Jobe - Such beautiful pictures and such an amazing experience. I can totally sympathize with your motion sickness, you poor thing! I always feel like the high-maintenance friend, who either has to drive or sit shotgun. Being crammed in the back of a poda poda would do me in!
Ashlee Archibald - I cant help but cry when I see all your pictures. I’m a little behin but catching up this morning. It makes my heart heavy. I had to get up and make some tea only to realize that I didn’t have to go fetch the water… and I started crying again. thank you meg.
Kim - oh. my. goodness. that baby in a sling. CUTEST picture ever!! you can’t help but smile at that sweet munchkin.
Melanie - I wouldn’t like the motion sickness thing either:(
kristine - ha ha love it. great pics.
Molly Pearce - I love the pictures of the babies! I am so happy to be reading this about your trip, very inspiring and Africa is in my prayers!
~Molly P
kathy b - The baby on her momma’s back is a precious scene, the same the world around. You have captured the flavor of this country in a very respectful way. Your blog looks like a National Geographic Magazine article! Awesome photos.
Kathy b
Routhie - I love vimto! It’s British and one of the many things I miss. It is made up from currants, blackberries, and raspberries (I think), but the special secret part is herbs. That is what gives it such a distinct flavor. I rarely drank it fizzy as mu husband preferred the squash. You can really taste the herbs that way. Love, love love the photo of the baby in the sling, too. What a doll. 🙂
Rachel Ridd - great pictures. thanks for sharing as the trip goes along. your pictures are a great reminder to put my life in perspective. when I look at your pictures it’s not to easy to get frustrated bc I don’t have to money to re-do this or that!
Sally Mangham - Wow! These are incredible pictures. You are great at capturing the essence of the experience. Thank you so much for sharing!
Ruth - LOVE that happy baby!
Diana - Oh, girl, I feel for you… I’ve had that awful motion sickness all my life, too! But I can’t take anything for it because of my migraine meds. Ugh. The only way I cope is to either always be the driver {99% of the time} or beg to ride shotgun {when someone refuses to give up the steering wheel to me, LOL!}.
That was one happy, happy baby. Oh, to not know your world from any other, huh.
I’m sooooooo enjoying this trip with you.
One way or the other, Jesus was with you girls, anyway. 😉
♥
Karyn - I just have to say – I’m LOVING your photos of Africa. I spent 6 weeks in Ghana last year, and your stories and pics all are SO familiar. From the white bread for breakfast, to the bathroom pics, to the poda poda (called a ‘tro tro’ in Ghana), to the people walking with everything imaginable on their heads, to the FANTA (!!!!!), to the amazing beauty and resilience of the people, how they have nothing but so much at the same time, it all just reminds me just how ‘amazingly fabulous’ Africa is!
I also know EXACTLY how you feel when you say things like you don’t feel yourself yet, and I’ll tell you that may never feel exactly the same ‘yourself’ as you used to be. Africa is a part of my soul and I long for her. When you describe how you burst into tears in the bathtub, I’ve been exactly there, and I still am some days. When I say I know how you feel, I say it knowing that in some ways I know NOTHING about how you feel, because we all experience Africa (or anywhere) through our own life’s lens and framework of experience. But I do understand how difficult it can be to combine those new experiences with your ‘normal’ life, how to integrate and compartmentalize all that you’ve seen and heard and smelled and felt over those few short days. BLESS YOU for going and for sharing your experience with those who have been there, and those who haven’t. You’re doing an amazing job, as hard as it is, and I say thank you for sharing with all my heart. :o)
kari - still feel bad about the poda poda smoking confusion 🙂
linda lou - jesus is really good lookin’ (:(:(: forgot to tell you what part of mexico we were in it was cozamel (sp) not sure of the spelling!! its been a few yrs since we went and it was truly hot there!! for a woman like me with hot flashes not good for my personally ):
lindalou
pambuller - I am so glad you were behind the camera capturing everything! You are so good at that! Good job, Meggie, good job! 😉
Dan totally looks like Jesus. Good call.
AshleyAnn - I love this post and your commentary. The longing I have to go only gets worse with each of these posts.
Dan looks like Jesus…that was my favorite comment…I told my Hudson he needs a haircut. He told me, “Jesus had long hair and he was a boy.” Hudson is 3 and pulled the Jesus card on me.
Kirsten - Most excellent photos! And somehow it reminds me of my trip to NYC…and the frightening ride in the airport van…with the girl who (bless her soul) had traveled 26 hours from Israel and smelled up the van…I have never in my life smelled such body odor…no seat belts…and careening on and off the freeway ramps trying to beat traffic. I thought I might die.
And Megan! I had to tell you: my brother would watch these street vendors setting up their wares in the morning, taking them down at night, shoving their supplies under the shrubbery, hiding it all…and then these guys would come along and pee into the bushes….
Serious!
Never eat from a street vendor.
Rebecca - Thanks for sharing! What a beautiful place. We are so afraid of color in the U.S., and I love seeing people using the full spectrum in their lives! About the Vimto (not Vitmo:) ), I love it too. If you are looking for it in the U.S, check an Arab/Middle Eastern grocery store. My ex-husband is Saudi Arabian, and it was his favorite “home drink” that he introduced me to. I got hooked, and I still drink it. It comes in a lot of flavors, and in some countries with no alcohol (like SA), they use it in place of wine on special occasions.
Sara W - Sounds like an amazing trip! Thanks for sharing your pictures and your heart.
Ana - I found it funny that you find 4000 leones to a dollar confusing. Try living with the metric system (with all its beautiful zeroes and round numbers that are divisible by 10) for the first 25 years of your life and then coming to live in the US… now THAT’s confusing!!! 🙂
Rebekah - Fresh coconut and Vimto? *Sigh* In Senegal, where I went to school those taxis are called “car rapides.” They were our school mascot! 🙂 Definitely an experience. People often bring their animals (chickens, goats) aboard there.
Fantastic picture of the babe on mama’s back. Precious.
Jessica Reed - I love the picture of the baby on the Mama’s… hip/back. Precious. 🙂
I also get terrible motion sickness, it doesn’t matter what size the car is, or the condition of the road. If I’m driving though it doesn’t matter. Glad you didn’t throw up though, that’s awful. About being sick in Africa though… when we went on a trip to Kenya, one of my friends got so sick that she actually had to be hospitalized there, here body just couldn’t handle the food she had been eating. Sketchy. That’s about all I can say.
Heather - I am truly loving your photo-story of your adventure. Please keep them coming. It is my dream to go to Africa. Thank you so much for sharing your trip this way. How are you doing now that you are home???
natalie - wow these photos are awesome! and the commentary was great haha.thanks for sharing these!
CathyC - this post definitely had me laughing! I can see why you want to go back.
btw, I thought that guy looked like Jesus, before I even read your caption.
PaisleyJade - Such amazing photos – thanks for sharing!!
Christina - 22 people…I thought driving around town with my three kids in an air-conditioned mini-van was crazy. Ha! I have no idea, do I? I know I don’t.
That baby’s foot sticking out of the sling is perfect! Babies’ feet anywhere are just so awesome.
I love that you were walking in a line! Is that a cultural thing you had to follow?
Dan looks like he is one of the happiest people on the planet.
I would have a hard time using that toilet…you are an amazing woman. One that God used. (Woman, not toilet. haha)
I’m so glad you didn’t throw up…that is such an awful feeling.
I bet you were so glad to be home, and devastated at the same time. I cannot imagine. My husband is going to Africa later this summer with our church; I’m really nervous about it. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
julia - love, love, love the pic of the momma and baby
Georgia - Meg, your photos as always are amazing. I would love to do something like this, to help, for the experience, and to help. I still cant believe you had to fly from Kansas to London (wooo where i live!!) then to Sierra Leone! crazy long trip for you!
They guys doing the sewing look so proud, i bet you were so pleased with what you and Pam taught them!!!
I hope you can go back there, and help some more!!!
Well done you!!!! xxx
Tammy R - I love the photo of the baby with his/her foot sticking out. What a great shot you got! All of these photos and the stories with them are amazing! Thank you for sharing!
linda lou - the photos are amazing and what a neat experience you got. when we went on a cruise we saw people and children in mexico just like africa and bananas every were you went but don’t eat them green ): tummy will hurt badly..
lindalou
sarah - That baby looked so happy 🙂
I probably would have been the sick one on the poda poda too. And I can’t imagine being there in Africa, already feeling out of place and then feeling sick. I’m glad you didn’t need a bag, and that you can laugh about it now.
Your pictures are amazing. Thank you for continuing to share:)
Becky @ Farmgirl Paints - I get motion sick too! It’s just the worst feeling in the world. Poor thing! I can’t imagine 22 people in the van thingy. That driver was giving you the strangest look. I wonder if they have ever seen a camera? Loved the one with the baby in the sling. Her little feet arched up. Great pics Meg…thank you for taking me with you!