A Challenge and a New Face to Meet

So, because of the busyness of my last week with the school starting up, losing some staff members, and gaining a new teacher (YES, we hired one yesterday), and getting all kinds of wonderful surprises in the mail, I wasn't able to make my normal weekly postings. So, two new ones for you today:

First, I wanted to tell you about one of the kids at the Freedom Center. His name is Benard and he is a funny kid. He is so playful and kinda sneaky--like he tries to tickle people and then pretends that it wasn't him.

Since day 1 that I arrived, he loves stealing my camera to take a few pictures.

He also is obsessed with my skin. He's told me several times that since I'm in Africa, my freckles will begin to spread out and my skin will turn black. Or, he'll rub my arms trying to get to the layer of skin underneath that will be black. Or, he pokes my arms and likes that my skin looks white underneath his pokes. I keep reminding him that it hurts my skin just like it would hurt his skin, but I think he's ultimately still trying to poke through my skin to the "black skin" underneath.

Benard loves to play soccer.

He enjoys school and tries really hard, even though it doesn't come easy for him.

His newest thing is trying to convince me to do his work for him by saying "Please, I beg you". It's too funny for me to take serious, even though he is pretty serious! He doesn't enjoy spelling, so this is when he usually asks me (or begs me) to please do his work for him.

For some reason, my uploader isn't working on this program today, but here is a picture of Ben from facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=110400634#!/photo.php?pid=5316439&id=552826775&ref=fbx_album

As for YOUR GHANAIAN CHALLENGE for the week, this one is a fun one.
One thing that I quickly learned about John is that he calls everyone "Charlie". People at the market when he's trying to purchase something, people that he's passing along the road, when he's trying to get someone's attention, or even with people he does know, he'll joke around with them and call them Charlie.

Stacy says that it means "friend" here in Ghana. So, your challenge this week is to call people "Charlie". Shout out the window of your car at a stranger, "Hey Charlie!" to get their attention or wish them a good morning. Make a few jokes with friends and refer to them as "Charlie". I am looking forward to hearing the responses you get! Have fun!