10 Aug 2014 Who'll turn the lights out???

We we are finally able to take a breath. We went to church here in Accra at the Chapel next to the Temple. We are going to meet at the Patron Housing building in the am tomorrow and get some laundry done. They want $5 american here at the hotel to launder a T-Shirt...I'm afraid to ask what a white shirt would cost. Sister Barney and I have been assigned to the Ghana Kumasi Mission. It's North West of the capital, Accra, and we were talking to one of the guards at the Temple compound who said the church is growing like crazy up there. I think that is the norm for West Africa. We are putting out all kinds of feelers to see if someone can somehow help us get our luggage out of Freetown and into our needy hands. We had to leave 2/3 of our luggage in the mission home. The last chance will be when they ship President and Sister Ostlers possessions back to Virginia, our bags will be sent along with their stuff and we can get it home from there. The only problem is that there are lots of things that we can use here. We are just happy that all the missionaries made it out safe.

Enjoy the pics

 This vehicle id leaning against about a 4" sapling and hovering about

25' above a porch of the house below. It's been there for two days.

 "Kissy" zone conference. Front row on chairs: Barneys, Ostlers, Elder and Sister Vinson of the 70,

and the Kanzlers.

 A couple of inches of rain in just a few minutes.

 Kissy chapel parking lot with lots of garbage and dirt  from the rain.

 Kissy Chapel and the FJ. I'll miss it lots.

 Elder and Sister Kanzler taking pics from their slider.

 Zone Conf at the Mission Office. Ostlers and Vinsons seated.

 President Ostler has his phone in his ear around the clock these days.

Wonder why??

 The first group of 50 Elders and Sisters are arriving in the am.

The Sisters will go to a local Motel and the Elders will stay here at the Mission Office.

Elder Tucker and Elder Stanford are building an outdoor shower.

 Elder Evans and Elder Kvist getting travel packs ready.

 Jokella is a local member that does some of the "Brooking" (laundry)

 for the Elders, and grocery shopping for all the rest of us. She will 

be out of work when we leave. And extremely sad!

 Elders getting a bite to eat. Sister Barney and a couple of the Elders

kept huge pots of rice on the stove, it seems, around the clock.

Sister Barney and I with the APs would run to a local market and buy 

36 loaves of bread, 30 jars of jam, 30 jars of peanut butter, and 

laughing cow cheese to hold them between meals. 

 Sister Barney....I have a "Runny Tummy"

 We started stacking luggage in the gated entrance of the Mission Home.

We didn't want any of it to walk off. Things tend to do that here.

 More Rice.....

 A quick meeting to explain the departing schedule for this group.

4am loading for the Sea Coach.

 Still more luggage arrives. Each Elder or Sister is allowed to check one 30kg bag

and carry on one "Ghana Must Go Bag" (please google Ghana Must Go Bag) at 10kg

and their backpack.

 These are "Sachets".  And they do not do the French pronunciation. They actually say "sa chets".  A small bag of water that is sold on the

streets. People buy them to drink, then toss the bags on the ground.

I love to run over them. They make a loud pop. Oddly enough, the water is not clean. It must still go through a filter bottle. 

 Another group getting marching orders for morning.

 3:30 load up, and off to Sea Coach.

 Elder Jest and Elder Kanzler with missionaries at Sea Coach.

Elder and Sister Jest returned to England and were re-assigned to Birmingham.

About 2 and a 1/2 hours from their home.

 Catching some ZZZZ's before tackling the mighty Atlantic.

Actually he is a luggage handler waiting for the boat.

 This is one of my favorite pictures, but it doesn't really catch the real story.

We had 33 Sister Missionaries in Sierra Leone and at least 15 pair of shoes per Sister.

With the weight limit, they would load a bag with what they figured they absolutely needed, then they would stack shoes and other stuff on top and start taking shoes away until the scale dropped to the allowable weight. I thought I'd die laughing at the decisions that were being made about essential items.

 Last minute snaps with another group leaving.

 Everyone loves to pose when they see a camera.

 "PodaPoda" waiting to transport missionaries.

 Now it's our turn... what should we take? We each brought 4 bags. No we can each  take 2! This is crazy decisions, especially with so little sleep. Honestly this was the 4th time in a few days that we had to rethink and repack. At this point we did not know where we were even going. Home?  Another Mission? Africa?  Stateside? Medical? How can one decide under these circumstances?  3 piles: Necessary.  Nice.   Never to be seen again. 

 More snaps

 Even more rice.

 Our good friend Ali Kargbo (arm in the air) transporting missionaries in the Mission van.

Ali is a Branch President in Kossohtown and drives for the mission.

 More snaps and more tears.

 A taxi picking up Elders.

 This is the next to last group loading up for the Sea Coach.

 More tears.

 Our bags set in priority. We were told that we could take everything...

Then we were told on two checked bags, then we were told only one.

WOW

 Loading the last of us at SC.

Barneys, Ostlers, and Kanzlers.

 Crossing the bay on Sea Coach heading for Lungi Airport.

 The end of the pier.

 Walking to the bus loading to transport from Sea Coach to Airport.

 Bus load of sad / excited missionaries.

 Captain Ostler is the last to unload.

 All of us had our temp checked at the airport.

They didn't want any of those little Ebola critters to sneak out of the country.

 Here comes the jet...every one line up.

 The charter from Kenya Air

 Is that a bunch of happy campers or what...

 The airport in Ghana. Were not even sure if we can gain entrance into

the country.

 Our Hotel in Accra while we wait for more paper work.

 The mission Presidents from Sierra Leone and Liberia, and the Barneys

in the hotel dinning room. Left to right...President Kirkham going home to SLC,

President Ostler going home to Virginia, Sister Ostler, Sister Kirkham, and Sister Barney

Elder Barney is in his room rocking back and forth in the corner...NOT.

 The Ghana Accra Temple.

 Isn't it beautiful!

The Chapel on the Temple Compound.

8/4/2014 OK... Can you spell EBOLA

Things are pretty wild here. As most of you have probably heard the "E" word on the news. It is a complicated affair here in Sierra Leone. I'll file a full report after all is in order. Here are some interesting pictures for your enjoyment. Just know that all of our missionaries are safe and their little tummies are full of PBJ sandwiches. And what ever else we can dream up.

 The other day we were driving along and there were crowds of people, tents,

lots of official cars, and lots of tinny trees. It was some sort of tree holiday and there were 

thousands of these little trees planted along the side of the road.

Look in the background..they could surely use a few more trees.

 We also noticed one of Sierra Leones finest posted about every 1/8 th

of a mile for several miles. Some were sporting AK's and this one was holding

a riot shield. ?? He was more than happy to pose for a snap.

 This is a staircase rising from the road to a home on the side of the hill.

At least they have a handrail.

 A beautiful canyon just off the road to Grafton.

It is so amazing here during the rainy season.

I wish you could see the water more clearly and smell the smells.

 This is one of the local laundromats. The poles are sometime loaded

with cloths and the stream is loaded with bathers or water trucks loading up.

 This is a small residence with a generator. I say that because of the little

antenna on top of the pole...squint, you'll see it. 

 We passed this family cooking their evening meal.

Sister Barney just had to stop and meet the neighbors.

 Mom and kids

 She is cooking a huge pot of rice for her family of 11

 They are so friendly. I really have grown to love these people.

 Sister Barney has decided to re-populate our compound with these little

critters. The white is shedding skin.

 They go dark when they are feeling stressed. As soon as we put them in

a bush or tree, they immediately turn various shades and patterns of green.

 This ones name is "Spot"

 See how green he has turned. The next morning, he was lime green with 

little yellow spots all over his body. They are not shy about eating in front of 

us right off the bat. It's impossible to get a pic because they are so fast.

 These vultures like the tree across the street. I've seen as many as 8

at a time setting and waiting for something, or just drying out.

 I wonder how they get their corn to grow so high and fast????

This is "Sahr Doe", he is President Ostlers counselor. He is a real asset to the mission.

It doesn't hurt at all that he's Vice President Doe's (of Sierra Leone) nephew.