My very wily and cunning neighbors gave me the water bill yesterday afternoon Thursday, December 15, 2022. After examining it carefully I told the caretaker’s wife when I passed her at the large iron gates this morning while proceeding through the entrance. “According to the bill, the water was disconnected on Friday, December 9, 2022.” She implored me to pay it on their behalf, promising that on Monday, December 19, she would refund me in full. She assured me that since she had already collected the other tenant’s portion of the water bill she would therefore have no difficulty fulfilling her promise. On her way home from selling Kenkey. A laborious, diurnal exercise. Several heavy burdens were being borne by her. Most of them were on her head and consisted of large aluminum pots and a variety of pans. I respectfully and courteously declined her invitation. Because I had loaned them money previously but it was never repaid. I gently advised her that on Monday when she had all of the money ready, I would be happy to take it into town and pay the bill for her.
The dry season is now here in full force. To date, I’ve been reluctant to refill my tank. Because when I fill it my cunning neighbors abuse my water. Now they have no water because they haven’t paid their water bill. It would seem that they are professional con artists. A skill that is widespread in Ghana and practiced at every socio-economic level. However, I never become angry with them; nor do I ever lose my patience or manifest any form of rudeness. Because before coming to Ghana, The Lord Almighty prepared me for this assignment. I was suddenly plunged into all kinds of financial difficulties and baptized with the experience of poverty for several years. The difficulties that I was forced to endure were a great source of mystery and perplexity to me. Until I arrived here and then I understood. My experiences were prophetic of what I would encounter while living and working in a third-world sub-Sarahan African country. Accordingly, I treat my neighbors with civility, understanding, compassion, and empathy. As we are reminded in scripture, “The Lord has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all.” Psalm 103:19. (NKJV).
Nowadays the taxi fare from Sofokyere to Berekum is considerably higher than it was three years ago when I started living here. At that time the fare was 1.25 GHS (US$0.25). Now it’s been increased to 3.00 GHS (US$0.20). Consequent to the devaluation of the Ghana Cedi and the prevailing inflationary spiral. More is less. A phenomenon keenly felt by many Ghanaians. They have to survive on extremely limited incomes or no income at all. “The Ghanaian cedi has depreciated sharply against many currencies, in particular, the U.S. dollar since the start of 2022. The cedi has declined more than 55% between January and October 2022, among the steepest declines of any currency in the world this year. When a currency falls in value, imports become more expensive…Inflation is sharply eroding the purchasing power of consumers as prices of most consumables go up almost every other week. The consequence is reduced demand for goods that cost more. A secondary effect is reduced demand for some products that average consumers now consider to be luxuries and no longer see as affordable, not necessarily because the prices of such products have gone up, but because the prices of competing basic needs have increased dramatically.” (INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION: Ghana Currency Depreciation, November 22, 2022).
Going into Berekum has its many benefits. One of them is that I can purchase coconut water and jelly. The vendor uses his sharp machete wielded by his muscular right arm. To chop the green exocarp from the nut, thus exposing its fibrous husk (mesocarp). Once he uses his tool to chop away this layer. He cuts into the endocarp (nut) exposing the white coconut flesh and the water. He hands it to me promptly, while the blazing African sun is glaring down upon my head mercilessly. I gulp down the refreshing health-enhancing water gratefully. And only at a cost of 5.00 GHS (US$0.33). I return the coconut to the vendor after consuming all of its liquid content. He then divides it into two parts. He chops a spoon from the mesocarp. Scoops the flesh from the shell and returns the coconut with its fleshy content to me. Like everyone else around me, I embrace the unresisting jelly with my unwashed fingers and deliver this delicious morsel to my waiting, salivating mouth. Some amazing benefits of eating the coconut flesh and drinking the water include:
- Aids in weight loss
- Low in calories
- Keeps your body hydrated
- Lowers blood pressure
- Controls cholesterol levels
- Encourages cell regulation and growth
- Helps with migraines.
Since the tenants who had moved out failed to pay their liability of the current water bill before their departure. Any hope of recovering that portion from them would be an exercise in futility. The caretaker’s daughter, despite her mother’s previous assurances, appeared at my back door with 100.00 GHS. That’s all they had. They were hoping and praying that I would divvy up the difference of 250.00 GHS to pay the full bill of 350.00 GHS. Such is life. A genuine need has no explanation. The only justification is its unavoidable presence and its undeniable reality. I took her money and contemplated all the ramifications thereof. The following day I went into The Town of Berekum, paid the bill in full, and along with one of the water company’s technicians. I returned to the property in a three-wheeled taxi and watched as the technician used his small tool to open the water spigot to our property. My 3000-liter water tank was in the process of being filled and my immediate neighbors had water. A simple enough solution. Furthermore, it was Christmas. By blessing them I also received a blessing.
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