One of the initial thoughts I had the first day we visited the village of Ekumfi Techiman was, what are these people going to think of us? We are a large group of Americans intruding on their quiet community. Are they going to think we are entitled, rich Americas? ‘Well to do?’ Better than them? The fears I had went away quickly upon meeting the villagers. Although Illich may think differently, I do not think I am better or more ‘well off’ than the community members of Ekumfi Techiman because I helped provide them with medical care. In fact, I think I am worse than them. As mentioned in my first reflection, I learned during my 11 days in Ghana that while the people of Ekumfi lack proper health care, their lives are much better than most lives of Americans because it is filled with happiness, family and acceptance. Although the brigade group was and still is very lucky to have the privilege of modern medicine, we lack certain privileges that the Ekumfi community has. This ties into the idea of power very nicely. Many believe that Americans (Americans in particular believe this) have large power in the world because of the things we have. In my opinion, we lack the most important power to have. The power of love and giving. I beliebe the modern conception of what power is is associate with bad things. Many believe that people with ‘power’, (whether is be political, social, etc.) are privileged. They have the all of the goods and services in the world. Because of this power, their relationships suffer. People are scared because the ‘power’ can be used to hurt them. After my trip to Ghana, my conception of power has changed. Power, to me, now embodies strength, love and intelligence.

I have already touched upon love in my previous reflection. This love is the love the villagers are able to foster because of the absence of modern technology. Even in our own country, there are power struggles that go on every day, every minute, and every second. Whether it be something as small as a student government election, a big business or even something as important as our government, many people try to gain as much power as they can. People want, no LOVE, to control others. They love to have power. In Ekumfi, I observed something completely different. There were no power struggles because they all care about each other. On one door-to-door visit, I asked a man if he liked the chiefs of his area. He said that he loved him, as did much of the community.  Because the villagers do not try to gain power, their relationships are much stronger.

I saw so much strength throughout the community of Ekumfi; strength which was exhibited physically and psychologically. First off, the villagers are medically strong. Their living conditions put them in a position for susceptibility to many diseases. Although some end up contracting the diseases, and others do not, they continue to live their lives. Many Americans that have access to proper health care will put their lives on hold and act as though they are dying when they contract something as small as the common cold. Their strength also ties into their intelligence. The conditions they live in pose a challenge every day. The villagers have to figure out how to get food, water, and clothing with less than $5 a week as well as sources of water, food, and clothing that are located miles away. They do not have transportation readily available, so they must use their intelligence to figure out ways to use the materials available to them. They must also their physical strength to farm all day long and carry pounds of resources from miles away (As side note, we watched an elderly man and woman, most likely in their 80s, have a dance off—Do you really think Americans in their 80s would be strong enough to do that?).

Because the villagers have strength, love and intelligence that we lack, it is really they who have the power. Their power gives them privileges that most of us will never experience. All of this together creates sincere and life long relationships. While the things that make us ‘powerful’ may run out or dissolve, the things that make the villagers powerful will remain with them forever and for years to come. 

The image I used for this reflection embodies the different ways in which the villagers of Ekumfi exhibited power. The left hand corner shows a picture of a villager during a tooth extraction: physical and mental power. The right hand corner shows a picture of a woman carrying loaves of bread on her head: physical and intellectual power. The picture on the bottom shows a child in front of a village common area: this exhibits the intelligence the villagers have because they use the resources available to maintain their life styles.