Mole National Park

            We made it safely to Mole National Park for the safari. The safari was somewhat of a let down. Growing up watching Lion King, you come to Africa expecting to see the savannah with lions, zebras, and giraffes. But we are in West Africa with more jungle, so we only saw elephants, warthogs, antelope, and baboons.  Don’t get we wrong, I’m glad I got to see Mole National Park, but for the crazy drive it wasn’t really worth it in my opinion.

            Mole National Park is more of a reserve than a park. The animals roam free and are allowed to go anywhere they wish – including the lodge. The first afternoon, one of the elephants named People’s Friend the Second came right up to the grassy area in front of our room. He was only about 20 feet away from us. Then on the morning we were leaving, we were eating breakfast outside and one of the baboons jumped up on the table next to ours and started charging at us. Luckily, a worker charged at the baboon and he or she ran away. Then we looked up and the same baboon was sitting on the edge of the roof. According to the safari guide, baboons are very aggressive animals especially towards women. Needless to say that was quite the adrenalin rush. One cool fact I learned on the safari was that elephants are actually black. We watched the elephants bathe and they are defiantly solid black. 

            On the way out of Mole National Park we stopped at the oldest Mosque in West Africa. The mosque was built in 1432. It wasn’t a very elaborate building, but it was in good condition for being in a village with thatched roofs and mud bricks. The cows outside the mosque used for sacrifices, really bothered me. They were tied up around the feet, where they couldn’t move or even stand up. The children also pulled at the heartstrings. They were dirty, lacking shoes, clothes and probably food yet, their eyes revealed innocence. They want what every child wants – food, clothes, shelter, and parents to love them. I pray for these children and their parents that they may have food to eat, clothes, and a clean place to live. Sanitation in the village and everywhere in Ghana is a major problem.