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Part 3 of The Marketplace Story
• Marisa Sellman

Part 3 of The Marketplace Story

March 2010, I knew I had to take my research to the next level. I took a 3 week trip to Senegal and Ghana. I studied with Heifer International and I learned about Village Savings and Loans at a University in Ghana. I met many people from all over Africa and just listened. It’s amazing what you will learn if you will just be quiet. My goal on this trip was to see the cause and effect of different programs and truly focus on sustainability. I learned a lot about different cultures and respecting the identity of various people groups. I traveled alone and made friends along the way. I believe you learn a lot about a culture by eating their foods and I ate some crazy stuff. I ate grass cutter, which is like an oversized guinea pig and tastes like greasy pork. I also had fufu, imagine eating raw biscuit dough. Then there was kenkay which is cassava fermented in a banana leaf. What did it taste like? Eating cassava that tastes like a banana leaf.  God put so many people in my path on this trip. I met a woman in a small village who taught me the true meaning of forgiveness. I met Abulla. He is disabled but puts sandals on his hands so he can walk. He was tired of begging and wanted a way to provide for himself. Today he is a successful cobbler. I met Joseph and Comfort a sweet married couple. He is bucking the tradition by helping his wife with household duties and including her in all decisions for the family. That’s a big thing in Africa. As Americans, we want to go in and “be the change.” FYI for lasting change, you must have the locals be the change agent. This is Part 3 of #tmpHIStory. People thought we just threw up some ladders, pallets, and said “Welcome to The Marketplace.” Here is the shocking news. I never set out to open a store. Stay tuned to hear about that!!

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