Herbert Mensah

FEELING HUMBLED…

The Blood Bank team arrived at my premises and set up professionally to collect blood donated by theGhana Rugby Players.

I was humbled by the presence of so many of the victims of the June 3 floods and encouraged by the May 9 ladies who had travelled down from Kumasi to support, comfort and counsel. I feel so emotionally drained.

I spent most of today in the company of some truly special people who suffered extremely during and after the June 3 floods. I was not in Ghana when the floods occurred but was extremely moved and saddened by the aftermath.

It was as though May 9, 2001 was here again; and I knew the pain most who experienced that went through.

I have seen dreadful images of the June 3 tragedy and now I am sitting next to a gentleman who had not only lost his wife and 16-month-old daughter, but had also had to endure seeing the images of them together on the ground. All the other stories were equally distressing to hear.

Then as I turned around, a middle-aged gentleman appeared and told me that he lost a potential son-in-law on May 9, 2001 and that this year, he lost a son who was trapped in his vehicle and a daughter-in- aw (a rice seller).

Another who had escaped by virtue of his absence spoke of a perpetual sea of oil and fuel on the surface of water at that filling station whenever it rained. All the other stories were equally distressing to hear. When I was called on by the May 9 ladies to get involved, I did not hesitate.

I arranged for them to meet some of their “counterparts” in Accra. For me, it was so significant to have those who had experienced a tragedy of a similar magnitude to discuss, counsel and advise those who went through it on June 3.

I was once again humbled by their strength and their sense of appreciation for what we were doing in their name.

The Ghana Rugby Players donated blood and kept spirits up and then the families from Kumasi, along with some from Accra, showed real leadership by moving among the victims to counsel and comfort them. They even took over the collections and distributed them fairly.

The Rugby boys and the families humbled me and made me proud to be a Ghanaian. Herbert Mensah