5/13/2014 Day of Wonder

This was a fun day! Sister Barney grabbed the bull by the horns and got behind the wheel of our mighty FJ and ventured down the road with all the other nuts. I must say, I was impressed. She has been a little apprehensive about driving, as I was, but she shined like a trooper.
We received 8 new missionaries today. 5 Africans, 2 from the states, and 1 Tongan. What an exciting time. I think its great rubbing shoulders with these fine young worriers (Warriors).
My first attempt I typed the word "worriers"...Freudian slip, perhaps. :)

Sister Barney here.
Just an interesting note about food and shopping. It is time consuming. You can find most things at the stores, but you may need to go to multiple stores to locate what you want and remember driving anywhere is challenging.
Also, real food is so expensive. How can that be??  A cake mix $5.  A 1# jar of peanut butter $6.  We looked at a box of bran- type cereal, $9.  We passed it up!  Dairy?? not so much. Butter about $3 for a small ,maybe 1/2# package.   Meat??? not so much. We have purchased a rotisserie-type chicken , pick it off the bones and freeze to make multiple meals. But it costs $10 and they are not big!
I have made some yummy things. And when I do we eat them for many days. The process takes forever.


There are literally mangoes everywhere, and they are cheap. At the place shown below I bought 6 for $1.  I also bought a cabbage. But then the fun begins.
Take the cabbage home, cut it apart, pull off every leaf. Wash with filtered water, place in a bleach bath using filtered water. Allow to set for 2 minutes. Rinse each leaf under running filtered water and place in bag to refrigerate. And then bless it before you eat it so you won't get "runny tummy".
Also today our generator went out for hours. I pulled bottles filled with ice from the freezer and placed them in the refrigerator so the food wouldn't spoil.  Am I having fun?  Yes

                        Roadside chef and fruit-stand (7-11) Sister Barney checking it out. Recognized                                               carrots,hot peppers and fish heads. It did smell good. They use lots of spices.

                                                        My companion with clinched jaw

                                           Now she's loving it... that makes me nervous

                  Elder and Sister Seader waiting to pick up New Missionaries from the Sea Coach

                                            Assistants having fun with the deck hands

                  President Ostler always the first one off, just like Mel Gibson in "We Were Soldiers"

                                          Who is that man behind those Foster Grants

                         This is a new hotel under construction across the street from the Sea Coach

                                               Check out the workers on the scaffolding

                                          8 Brand new Elders...don't it bring a tear to your eye

                                          Heading to the apartment above the Mission Office

                                          No your Mom wont be here to make your bed...

                                          Walking to the Stake Center from the Mission Office

                                                             In this job, the paperwork is first

                                          Making your own is fun and exciting...Get use to it!

                                                       Hillside across from the Mission Office

                                         Seems to be a work location for the taxi's in the area.

                                             Waiting for the big interview before the fire

                                                   Oh yes, and right here is where you'll be.

5/11/2014 A Trip To Bo

Last Thursday we took a trip to Bo for a double Zone Conference with the missionaries. President and Sister Ostler wanted to introduce the Barneys and Sister Barrett to the missionaries. The Barneys of course are medical support and Sister Barrett is the AMHA (Area Mental Health Advisor) located in Accra Ghana. We each got to do a small presentation and President Ostler talked about the new direction the mission is taking as far as teaching is concerned. This mission is one of the highest as far as baptisms are concerned, and Pres. Ostler wants the missionaries to concentrate on families and not so much on young singles. Families will be more helpful moving the church forward in the future.
After the Zone Conf. Sister Barney and Sister Barrett set up shop in different classrooms and talked to Elders and Sisters with needs. All in all, it was a really good conference.

Here are some pics from the trip:

                                                     A street near our apartment...4X4 only!

                                           These are like military police...Do as they say! We were told to
                              " Beware of the ones in red hats" I hear they shoot and ask questions after...

                                                             Side of the road near Bo

                  This is a broken truck. They pull and throw tufts of grass on the road like we use flashers.

                                                            This is the main chapel in Bo

             Sister Ostler and supplies for the missionaries...boots, umbrellas, and of course MAIL.

                                                                    Inside the chapel

                                                     Mission nurse doing some inspiring

                                                                      More inspiring...

                                                            This is one of our closet neighbors

                      The neighbors family...Mom setting on ground, grandma in chair and children.

                                                               This is pure entertainment

                                                                            And this

                                   The local "Power Company" (I think) doing some line work.

5/10/2014 Driving Lesson

Thought I'd try and keep your attention, so I took a short video of the road in front of our apartment. Elder Kanzler and I are headed just down the road for a quick delivery.
I'll get one in town where the crowds are. Unbelievable...

5/7/2014 Hospital

We visited a Hospital just down the road from the missionhome today. Lots of fresh air.
All you nurses should like these pics.

                                                             Which way should we go?

                                           Sister Barney and Sister Balyejusa (from Uganda)

                                                                Pharmacy that way >

                                    The Pharmacy is just an open window...but no one was home today

                                                          View from the driveway

5/5/2014 Super Zone Activity

Mondays are Preparation Day (P-Day) for the missionaries her in our mission. Its the day they get to do Cleaning of their apartments, laundry, shopping, and general preparations. But today is a Super Activity Day because it's the 6th week in the transfer cycle and transfers are next Monday. So the Missionaries in each Zone are allowed to all get together for one last activity together. The Kanzlers and the Barneys picked up food (Burgers) for the missionaries and delivered it to the beach where they are playing V-Ball and Soccer.

Here are a few pics:

                                                                    The Soccer stars

                                                              Four of our Sisters

                                                             Breaking for Hydration

                                                       The Kanzlers and some Elders

                                                                 The Volley Ballers

                                            And all under the watchful eye of the mission nurse

                                            And a local cart passing by...lots of these around

                                   A quick meeting with the Senior couples and President Ostler

5/2/2014 Settling In

The last couple of days have been good days. We hung out at the Mission Office and worked with the missionaries. Sister Barney saw a couple of Elders and Sisters professionally of course and that was rewarding for her. I ran around with the Kanzlers, the housing couple, and looked at some new and old apartments to resolve some issues. That was fun to see some of the other parts of the area.

Last night we ate out with Pres and Sister Ostler, Bro & Sister Kanzler. The restaurant is called the "Bliss", it was outdoor seating and all Lebanese food. It was really good.

Today is Saturday and we are going shopping with the Kanzlers. I'll be sure and take my camera.

Here are some pics from the past couple of days:

                                                             Sister Barney's Clinic

                                           Sister Barney's Pharmacy     You would be shocked at what I can dispense

                                                   This Elder fractured #4 metatarsal end.

                        This is the X-Ray results in Chinese (if anyone can interpret please let us know)

           Mission Secretaries... Elder Tucker (L) from Ucon Idaho & Elder Flament from England

                                        Morning garbage drop of nonburnable at the mission office.
                                        We burn everything else at the mission home burn barrel.
The joke is ...just can't bring ourselves to "litter", everyone else just throws their on the ground.                       So we haul ours to the mission home, put it in the barrel, and let the local help...throw it on the ground!

                                                                 Housing off of our road.

                          The neighbors pooch that likes to lounge on the deck railing in the mornings.
                              I suppose that he's surveying his domain. We have never seen a cat (Ever)

     Just a traffic shot...motorcycle in front of us, and one passing on the left. The motorcycles haul passengers           for a small fee. They are much faster than the PodaPodas (Taxi's that can be anything on wheels).