Dear family and friends,An unimaginable tragedy struck my life and the heart of the Future Island School community this weekend. On Saturday, July 5th, our beloved Beatrice Addae died due to complications with her fourth pregnancy.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Future Island School (FIS), I will briefly mention here that it is a remarkable oasis of compassion situated in Offinso, Ghana, West Africa. Beatrice and her husband, Kwabena Amponsah Ababio, established FIS in October 2003 with just six students in a single rented room of a private residence. Their vision was education for all, regardless of socio-economic background, which is a major hindrance to obtaining education in Ghana. Since then the school has grown to a population that fluctuates between 350 and 400 students. FIS purchased five acres of land in 2005 and has begun construction of a two-story, 16-classroom school that will accommodate 850 students when completed. This year FIS relocated to its new school and occupies all 8 ground-floor classrooms in addition to the ground-floor storage room and two temporary classrooms. These developments reflect the unwavering commitment Bea and Ababio have for FIS, its students, and the greater Offinso-Namong community as, when I first met Bea and Ababio in summer 2004, the future of the school was unstable and a permanent school house to secure that future was only a dream. Bea was quite simply the heart of Future Island School.
In addition to teaching and keeping track of finances, Bea cooked, checked-in with parents and teachers, and knew all of the students by name. I was fortunate enough to spend two weeks in Offinso in June 2008. Bea gave me a tour of the new school. Because her pregnancy prevented her from frequenting the school, the children were eager to see her and they ran to her, calling out "Madame Bea" in excitement. We stopped by the Nursery 1 classroom, and Bea asked the students, "Are you learning hard?" Not all of the students had properly heard her question, so some answered "No!" while others shouted "Yes!" Bea and I laughed at the confusion. Bea, then, asked more slowly, "Are - you - learn - ing - hard?" In a chorus, the students shouted "Yes!" With a nod of approval she scanned the room, looking the children in the eyes, and said, "Good."
Bea was a teacher, mentor, friend, administrator, mother, and wife. Despite all of her responsibilities and the many individuals who vied for her attention, she made time for and poured her love into everyone.
She also loved apples, Malta Guinness, and fried rice. She loved television and films, especially "The Princess Diaries". She had never left the country or been on a plane, but she hoped to someday. Bea's birthday is July 11th. To my knowledge, she would have been 33.
Bea has been close to death before. She nearly died giving birth to her second born, and she suffered from chronic lower back pains after giving birth to her third-born. But Bea always bore her physical suffering without complaints, carrying on with school business, household work, and even farming. She seemed invincible.
She left behind a husband, Kwabena, and their three children: Nana, 7, Maamekwaah, 5, and Dwamena, who is not even three. I spoke with Kwabena on the phone on Sunday, and he told me that Nana has been informed of his mother's death. Nana has been crying ever since. Maamekwaah and Dwamena both think that Bea is still at the hospital delivering.
I don't know what else to say, except that I am heartbroken. I wanted to share these thoughts with you because many of you have heard me talk about Bea, Ababio, and Future Island, and have even supported them through prayers, words of encouragement, and finance. Bea, Ababio, the extended Future Island community, and I have been moved beyond words by your generosity. Your giving helped Bea to realize her dream, which was to give the gift of education.
Right now my thoughts are with the children, Ababio and Future Island School. Bea's body is being held at the mortuary of St. Patrick's Hospital in Offinso. Bea's home community of Namong (about 10 min. by car from Offinso) will meet on Friday to decide on funeral arrangements. If you would like to make a donation to the family and Future Island School in Bea's memory, please make checks payable to: Future Island Sponsorship Project. Please mail checks to:
Barbara Wuthrich#9 3870 Joyce AvePowell River BC. V8A 2Z1CANADA
Love,
Bea was such a remarkable woman, and an inspiration to me, especially as far as educational justice is concerned. The brief time I spent with her impacted me greatly. Please keep Future Island in your thoughts and prayers, as well as Bea's husband Ababio, her three children, and Glorya and Hene, all of whom this loss will be particularly hard for.
1 comment:
I am sorry to hear that, Ashley.
I am praying.
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