Waves crash on the seawall as the sun sets at Lemon Beach Resort

Gift of the Butterfly

Every moment is a gift. Every experience an adventure. Follow our life in Accra and our journey around Ghana, West Africa and the world. Scroll down to read articles from the blog or follow the link to find out more about our charitable works. 

Charitable Works
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About Gift of the Butterfly

Widening Horizons and Seeing Different Perspectives

When we moved to Ghana two years ago, I wanted a way to connect with our friends and family back home–an easy way to share our experiences and stay connected. That’s why I started the blog. I call it the Gift of the Butterfly in memory of our daughter Yara Ani, whose name means “beautiful butterfly.” Her gift to us is the drive to experience life to the fullest and do good where we can.

Sunrise from Roça Saudade in the mountains of São Tomé with tropical trees and the sea in the distance.
Sunrise from Roça Saudade in the mountains of São Tomé

Traveling in Africa

Living on the Continent provides opportunities to visit places we never thought we could reach or didn’t know existed. It’s not always easier to get to some of these places, but even that provides a lesson in how the world sees Africa, how Africans see the world, and how they see themselves.

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A picture of the beach and the natural rock foundations with Osu Castle rising above under a gloomy sky.
Osu Castle built on natural rock. Osu, Greater Accra, Ghana

Exploring Accra

Always be a tourist in the place you live. Easy words to say, and difficult to achieve at times. It is easy to get wrapped up in daily life and forget to explore your own back yard. We have made a concerted effort to see what we can see in Accra and in Ghana. We could do better for sure.

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Isaiah stands silohuetted at the Door of No Return at Elmina Castle, Ghana
Door of No Return at Elmina.

Learning About our Own Past

The history of the United States is deeply entwined with the history of West Africa. Centuries of trade in humans provided the labor force that drove the economies in European empires and in the later independent nations of the Western Hemisphere – including the U. S. We are lucky to be able to encounter this part of our history and learn about it from a different perspective.

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Gift of the Butterfly Charitable Works

We have always tried to find ways to support the local community. Not long after our arrival, we found an orphanage in need of support. St. Bakhita Foundation Orphanage cares for thirty-two girls and young women. Their staff of two dedicates themselves to providing a safe place to live and a good education so the girls can grow to be productive members of their communities. They need more support than we can provide, so I created the Gift of the Butterfly Charitable Works. The Gift of the Butterfly is that small actions can create big change. You know, the Butterfly Effect.

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St Bakhita Foundation Orphanage celebrated 10 years.
Some of the girls celebrating Christmas and the New Year at their Beach Party.

Recent Posts

  • Living in Accra

    Living in Accra

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    We’ve been in Ghana for more than two years now. I want to capture the dust and the sun and the music and food of Accra and Ghana. I want to tell about the people and the places. The challenges and the victories. So many things are jumbled in my…

  • How Does a Butterfly Eat an Elephant?

    How Does a Butterfly Eat an Elephant?

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    The truth is, butterflies don’t eat elephants, but they do catch our eye and our imagination. When we started our project to support St. Bakhita Foundation Orphanage, we had a very minimal understanding of their operating budget. We couldn’t see the whole elephant but we felt that the need required…

  • The Feast of St. Bakhita

    The Feast of St. Bakhita

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    Eleven years ago on the Feast Day of St. Bakhita (8 February), Peter founded the St. Bakhita Foundation Orphanage. His goal was to protect vulnerable girls from becoming victims of prostitution, child marriage, and other dangers. The girls celebrated the anniversary on the weekend of the 10th. So, who was…