May 2018
The first week of May we see a
change in the season, it rained twice this week and today there were many
clouds. Hopefully, it will continue to rain. The dry season was very long and
hot. Sister Russell and I got caught in the rain on an extended walk and we
were soaked. Two families along the way invited us to take cover in their homes
but we were out enjoying the warm rain.
Each Saturday we clean the
chapel. Sister Russell and I are often accompanied by one or two other faithful
members of the branch. We sweep every floor after the chairs are put up and
then mop all the floors in the classrooms, chapel and offices. It takes us
about two hours to do all the work. The last thing we do is clean windows and
put chairs back for the Sunday meeting.
Missionary couples have to pay
for their expenses. Our budget includes several costs. We pay our mission
expense on-line through our ward account in the US. The expense for Ghana
Africa West mission is $650/mo which includes our vehicle and housing. We also
pay $520/mo for Aetna foreign medical insurance. We are paying half of the
mission cost for Elder Alyworth and Elder Baker (our grandsons) another
$400/mo. After tithing, FO, and food and living expenses our monthly total is
around $3000/mo.
“Lights Out” is the phrase the
local people use when there is no electricity. The rainy season brings on loss
of electricity. There is often an electrical storm which damages the power
supply. We lost power for over 12 hours
this week.
We moved the James Taylor family
this week from GMAD to an apartment across the road.
The house construction next to
our home is undergoing. The hand construction is remarkable and all without
mechanical or modern tools. We are photographing the progress of this four
bedroom home.
Olivia and Samuel Buffeo are two
children we have grown to love. Their parents live in a small one room home
with 5 people sleeping inside. Samuel recently joined the church and we see
them regularly at our place. Sister Russell and I are of the opinion the
government education system is no advantage to their education and are putting
them into private school tomorrow. It is not expensive, around $30-40/mo for
the two of them.
Next week we start the apartment
inspections, 18 in total before transfers coming up. It takes us three full
days of driving and carrying supplies to the missionary apartments.
Unfortunately, we have to travel through the suburbs of Accra and gave up our
“bush” travel to the Hills.
Lastly, I am feeling much better
from virus infection that turned into a bacterial lung infection. Fortunately,
I had 10 days supply of Ciprofloxin antibiotic on hand.
12 may 2018
Well, poor Samuel could not take
the change in schools. He was missing his friends and did not want to change
schools. So he is back into his old school. Olivia, however, is very happy to
be in a new school, so she is going to continue at the new school. She will
have such an advantage over her brother in the future.
The apartment inspection went
well, with regards to visiting all the apartments except New Weija. The elders
were not home when we could be there. The boot of our truck was completely full
of supplies needed by the elders. Even so, we did not have all the items they
needed and will have to return in the near future.
This weekend is Stake Conference.
We will go to Kasoa Stake tomorrow.
“Transfer Day” – Well, prior to
transfer day we do apartment inspections. There are 18 apartments in our three
districts which we inspect. Three days time is required to travel to all the
apartments. The roads are rough and the traffic is heavy. It takes a toll on my
back. Then following the inspections we are very busy with transferring
missionaries to their destinations or transfer stations so they can travel by
tro-tros leaving our area. On Monday we took three missionaries back to Accra
mission office. On Tuesday we moved Breku back to the Buduburam mansion and
then Elder Mashos to Bawjiase. On the way we stopped at Kasoa 1-4 , Kaso 2 and
Ashtown. We took Elders Staples, Kabaya and Bakam to the Tro terminal with all
their luggage. Back from Bawjiase we brought Elder Antwi to Ashtown. By the
time it was over we had spent 12 hours traveling the mission.
We have a new district leader,
Elder Lundquist. After today’s district meeting we took Elders Davies and
Tuatuvuki to teach Balinda in Ojobie. Then we drove to Ansufal to spray an
apartment for insects and deliver a package. On the way back we picked up Eric
at GMAD and had a birthday party for him. I had cooked goat light soup and
bought banku with birthday cake to finish the meal. After taking him home it
was way after dark.
This has been an interesting
week, especially since we also had to arrange for Samuel to be put back into
the better school. His parents insisted he go to a better school. We purchased
shoes, backpacks and notebooks for him and his sister Olivia.
The month of May is full of
events as usual. Eric from GMAD had a birthday. I took him to Yoo Marta to buy
drinks and biscuits for the kids at the orphanage. Then I picked him up on
Thursday to celebrate his birthday here at our home. I cooked his favorite food
of goat stew and banko. Eric is a paralyzed from waist down from a car accident
when he was 3 years old. A missionary
couple (Woods) ,have cared for him on their mission.
Kwime and Belinda from Ojobi are
our good friends have had us to their farm several time while the family sat
for missionary discussion. There is rift with him and the stake president. He
claims to have never been married to the mother of 3 children before he civilly
married Belinda. We have been in the middle of the debate. Ghanaian laws and
traditions make or brake marriages.
Sister Russell and I have been to
Swedru on several occasions from assignments from Pres. Simpson. Any time there
is a serious sin we have to do a special interview to determine the worthiness
for baptism. There have been very special and spiritual meeting with those
wanting to be baptized.
Last week was inspection week and
transfer day. Wow, busy times! We inspect three districts: Buduburam, Kasoa and
Kaneshie. There are 18 apartments so it takes us three full days. Also we
arrange to supply them with necessities. Transfer day was sun up to sun down
work! We had to move companions in and out of apartments. We had to take
missionaries to bus terminals. We had to
drive back and forth to and from apartments.
In the middle of inspections and
transfer was Kasoa Stake Conference. The meetings are always an opportunity to
haul members to Kasoa. We had a load of people in and in the back of our
vehicle. There was standing room only. (A lady said this week that our church
was a “white man’s” church. Well among the 2000 at conference I counted 7 white
people. Every meeting was officiated by our black leaders.
Then on Monday, 21 May 2018 we
met with Elder Nash and Elder Soares (our new apostle). We met in the
auditorium of the new MTC. All three hundred missionaries (Accra and Accra West
Ghana missions) shook their hands. The messages were profound with spirit.
Elder Nash was so inspired to speak about Truth-Agency-Integrity and how they
connect. Elder Soares spoke about the mission handbook and obedience. It was
all very wonderful.
The temple trip this month was a
disaster! We were expecting to take two of our friends (sister Linda and
brother Daniel) have collected their family members to take to the temple. We
prepared indome and egg meals for 50 people. Then Pres. Sackety called the
night before to tell us it was primary kids not adults going to the temple.
Wow, switch! We ended up taking 9 primary kids to the temple. Five young girls
in the back seat and 4 boys in the boot, it was stop to urinate, stop to get
food, stop to throw-up. The traffic was heavy and we were late. The meeting
with the kids was a walk around the temple, a couple of short talks and then
drawing paper to sketch the temple. We were so glad to get home and I had to
take the truck down to get it cleaned up.
Our district meeting are in
Buduburam every Wednesday at 11:00am. In our district there are two groups. We
rotate the two groups of missionaries to dinner each Sunday evening.
This week I had invited the
children to cook chicken and vegetables on the cook pot charcoal stove. Then a
couple of other kids show up and it ended up in a fist fight and I had to send
three boys home.
Samuel and Dennis had hair cuts
costing me 3 CDs each. Then I bought an extra two flashlights for children
walking home after dark. I also bought notebooks for Dennis and Ivy.
Lastly, I am in the snail farming business. Linda (our friend) has given me a number of snails to raise so we can have a feast. I had to build a box to keep them in and feed them so they will get FAT!
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| Elder Soares |
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| Cooking |
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| Building new house |
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| Temple Trip with Primary |
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| Linda |
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| Rain!! |
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| Senya Castle |
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| Spider bite! |
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| Snail farm |
