Wednesday, July 1, 2015

1-July-2015 African Experiences

This has been a great stretch of time. We now have a new Mission President from Highlands Utah.
President and Sister Cosgrave. President and Sister Holmes have returned home to South Africa.

Some changes in our assignments as well. Over the past 10 months, we have been attending two small branches, Agona and Mampong,  about an hour and a half North East of Kumasi. President Holmes created a District there two weeks ago, and so we now turn the branch training over to the District and we, Sister Barney and I, will find another branch to assist for the remaining three months of our mission.

Can you believe it's already July........

See how time flies when you are having fun and working hard.


Here are some pics for your entertainment and enlightenment.

       
 This is a picture from Bongo, the village I talked about last time. 
 Nothing grows here. Our question..what do they eat? 

 Sista Barney teaching midwives in Bongo
 This is in front of the Regional Health Department

 A market on the side of the road near Bongo.
Notice all they have are onions and some small squash they call "garden eggs"
They are yellow and in the foreground.
Market after market has only onions.

 We made a sort of emergency stop along the roadway
for Sista Barney...Great landscaping.

 We are heading to a District meeting in Agona, we stopped to pick up the missionaries
and ended up with a packed vehicle. Can I go? Can I go?

 Sunday Best!
 Preparing the Sacrament. None of these new priesthood holders
have never seen more that two trays used at a time.

 The new Agona District Presidency.
Left to right...Clerk, 2nd Counselor, President, 1st Counselor.
I'd tell you their names, but I don't have a clue about the spelling.

 We had to rent a pavilion from the Seventh Day Adventists.
The official count was 262 attending.
 I snapped this picture of an elementary class at a private school
Notice they are mostly blurs....I never did see a teacher.
 Another class at the same school.

 We held a small Farewell open house for the President and Sister Holmes at
our apartment. This is Frances (white shirt and tie) the grounds keeper
and all around handyman at the mission home, with his wife and 3 children.

 A groupe picture of the missionaries that attended.
Three senior couples, office Elders, the Ap's and of course
the guests of honor.

 President and Sister Holmes.
See the BIG smiles.....

 Turning over the Phone and Keys and see you later....

 Change of subject. 
This is a small (12 member) branch near Sunyani that we attended last Sunday.

 The Relief Society at the Abesim Branch
(This is Sista talking) It is just the 2 of them. I taught them how to care for one another. 
I explained that one day they will be official Visiting Teachers, but for now keep it simple. 
A phone call   or  visit when they pass by at the market or hug when they see one another at church.

 These are straw baskets made in Bolgatanga.
They are amazing.

 Fans made in Bolgatanga.


FOOD SECTION
 Mangos from a street vendor. all six for 5 Ghana Cedi...or $1.25 US


 Butter chicken and rice at a local (Trusted) cafe.

 Baked a cake one day, but had to wait for the "weevil" to float to the top
before baking. They are easily removed.

 The street that we live on.
For all you googlers.

 Yes, bananas do grow "upside down"

 Gotta have TV to keep up on the Soaps.

 A sign on the side of the road to Sunyani.
At least they are trying.

When the power is off, Sista Barney runs for the battery powered fan.
We have slept many a night with it between us trying to share the breeze.