13-February-2015 What a Lucky Friday

I can hardly believe that it's been so long from our last post. We are really enjoying the people here in West Africa, Ghana to be more specific. We are still working with two branches North East of Kumasi about 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours away. Agona and Mampong for all you Google Earthers.
We have set up Libraries in both buildings and Sister Barney (they call her Sista Bonny) is showing them the fine art of organizing and maintaining.
Both of us are now a year older, and for sure wiser.
This week, for our Birthdays, we and 3 other couples went on a trip to the Mole Game Reserve here in Ghana. It was a hoot. It was just like being here in Kumasi. The power kept going off, monkeys running around on the roof, lizards kept dashing through our room just to keep us on our toes. Oh well...It's Africa.

Enjoy the pics.

 This is the "Dry Season" and red dust gets on everything.

 This is one of our neighbors. She is somewhere in the 100+ range.

She has a son that lives in the same compound that is almost 80.

She is a real joy to (try) talk to.

 The Agona Library and the Librarian.

 Sister Barney applied for keyboards, through the "Harman Music Grant"

and we received 16 keyboards to distribute to members.

If they prove that they are progressing, the keyboards become theirs to keep.

There are some pretty excited youth in the branches.

 Sister Barney teaching Relief Society Sisters how to lead music in the 

shade of the old palm tree at the Techiman Chapel.

 This is sort of a mystery, it's an outhouse of sorts positioned over a ditch.

 Sister Barney asked me to cut up the cabbage, and lo and behold,

what pops out...a sort of slug looking thing. I threw the cabbage away

and Sister Barney told me to toughen up....She finds creatures in the 

vegetables all the time.

 Even our Victronox didn't cut through the little whelp.

 Sunset at the Mole Hotel

 This is the Safari Vehicle that we road around on.

The guide is on the rear with his trusty (rusty) 375 H&H

 We stopped to check out this old tusker that the 

local villagers have named "Peoples Friend"

 Hiding in the bush...can you spot him?

 Local warthog...

 I asked these three little girls to pose for a picture, 

and they closed their eyes. Tooo Cute.

 We passed out "Smarties" and some balloons.

They didn't know what to do with either.

But they soon figured it out.

 This is the most interesting bee hive I've ever seen. 

 A troop of "Baboons" in the side of the road.

They can be a nuisance. We watched a male harassing some

little school children. The ranger said that they have to dispatch

one every once and a while if they get too aggressive.

 Sister Barney pondering and writing in her journal at the old water hole.

 Speaking of water hole. The elephants are on frolic, 

and the crocodiles scatter.

I watched a small croc take a Guinea Fowl.

 You cant see me!!!!

 This is one of 9 young bulls in a small herd that we spotted

Zoomed out.

13-January-2015 Bushmeat and other treats...

All I can say is - Good day...
We have been traveling all over the mission at the bidding of President Holmes. We have got all the missionaries back on their feet and out contacting and teaching those that have been prepared to hear the Gospel.
We do have some annual problems that are somewhat annoying. Now that we are in the middle of the dry season, and I do mean "DRY", we have lots of stuffy noses and allergy things attacking some of us. We are hearing lots of --"Sister Barney...I think I'm going to die" "Whats the matter Elder?" "My nose is stuffy"...  "Take two Tylenol and call me in a month or so".
It is most interesting listening to the "What's wrong" conversations. I'm waiting with great anticipation for the "Book" to be released that will contain some of these wild descriptions of illnesses. It really is entertaining.

Here are a few pictures of some roadside "bush-meat" marketeers and their wares.
As we drive around the roads of Ghana, we see these, mostly young men, stand on the side of the read and hold up the days catch in hopes that someone will stop and buy. I'm still looking for the "Prize of all Prizes" dried Fruit Bats.

Well enjoy:

 Guess what this young man has?

 I hope he has a large cat.

 This proud hunter is displaying what they call a "Grass Cutter"

they are a close relative of the "Rockchuck" it looks like to me.

 He is getting a little miffed because the competition

has arrived with a sort of Armadillo looking thing.

 It does not take long to gather a crowd. Even way out in the bush

they seem to appear from out of nowhere. 

 Oh yes...an even bigger one.

 I think I'll try my hand in the "Bush-Meat" trade.

 Not sure, but I think this is the scrub area for surgery...

 This is the entire dispensary for the little hospital that we are visiting.

 We had an Elder go to a OB clinic because he

thought he had Malaria. A 5 min test and an IV of ringers and

he leaves with a bag containing something for anything he might come down with

for the next few months.

 These are the first flowers I've seen decorating a chapel

here in the mission. Yes they are plastic. It is the "DRY" season.

 Relief society room before Sister Barney...

 Relief Society room after Sister Barney

 Class room in Mampong

 Primary room in Mampong

 This is a "Double-Bar" hospital...I think.

 In a small village called Gyamase.

 Quite the drive to deliver two Elders to an investigators house.

 We just came from where???

Remember the track hoe that was broken down on the side of the road???

All that's left is the cab, bucket, and counter-weight.

My question is...where did it go?

26-Dec-2014 The Day after Christmas

WOW...This will be a Christmas to remember. First of all, it's 88 deg with 90% humidity.
The traffic is unbelievable. The people are "Super Friendly and Grateful" for what they have and receive. Christmas in West Africa is much different from what we are use to. Not a lot of commercialization. There is sporadic fireworks at all hours of the day and night. Not big displays, but mall "single player" outbursts. They have huge roman-candles that sound like M-80 fire crackers. So every now and then we hear a "Boom-Boom-Boom" for about 10 in a row. I wish I could get some of them home for the grand kids.... They also like to spend time with family. Hence all the traffic.
We talked to a wood carver that we met, and he said that he likes to go around his neighborhood and give useful "Hampers" to the old and needy. A "Hamper" is sort of like an Easter basket in America, it has rice, oil, fish, tomato past, etc in it that they can use for a good meal. Now that's the "Spirit of Christmas" in my book. I think we Americans need a small lesson from them.
We rounded up some of the other mission couples and regular missionaries and went to a Rehabilitation Center that Elder and Sister Dever, the humanitarian couple, are working with to get a functional septic system and well in place. The whole experience was great for us all. The students and staff had fun providing us with music and dance. All of us missionaries had fun interacting with them and showing them "Luke II" for Christmas. I'm going to try and attach a short clip of the party.
Well enjoy these pics and have a Great New Year...

 We visited a gentleman that makes "TieDie" fabric and in his absence,

the grandmother of the clan takes the money.

 While there Sister Barney found a friend.

 Elder Dever  takes a few "Snaps" and then shows them to the kids.

A big hit, as you can see.

 A Zone party on the Monday B4 Christmas. We got to attend two.

 This poor guy lost the top of his foot when he hit a taxi

while riding a motor cycle in flipflops.  We could count

all of the tendons to his toes. Nasty....

 After closing in the back of this vans window with metal, I cant

figure out the reason for leaving the wiper in tact????

 Some of Ghana's finest waiting for the call.

 We spotted this tracked hoe on it's side on the side of the road. A few days later

we passed again and it's all in pieces. Not sure if they take them apart and re-assemble

it in another location or what's going on?

 A few days later, the engine is gone and the rest has been burned.

 Here you go John Deere lovers... I found a dealership.

 A clean (semi-clean) one owner.

 Starting the Christmas baking...I get to open a couple a dozen

"laughing cow" type things so we can have enough for baking.

 The 5 star baker at work.

 Yes she IS cute.

 The finished product... 7 total for friends.

 Wrapping gifts for some of the missionaries that we we work with frequently. 

 We are in the mission office making some "He is the Gift" cards to pass out

to the neighbors that we see frequently.

 Laminating for a lasting gift.

 Two of our Elders in Agona. They were so excited. We make them

promise not to open until Christmas morning.

I think they waited!?

 This is the Mampong Chapel.

The second floor of this business is rented and converted for church.

 Sister Barney teaching one of the Sister Missionaries how to bake.

 Breakfast at Elder and Sister Preator's with the Dever's and Holmes'

 Se the Preator's have a tree and nativity.

No Christmas should be without one.

 This poor Elder was knocked down by a little bug called Typhoid.

Trust me...you never want it.

 104.5 and feeling terrible.

 This is John, the lab guy, we ended up placing 4 Book of Mormons

and talking to John, Dr. Ekow, and two nurses for a couple of hours.

John and the Dr. said they were coming to church Sunday.

 This little cutie was helping some older siblings carry water at the hospital.

 This is "Harmattan Winds" season. It looks like fog at times.

 Here is a pic of some "Hampers" on the side of the road.

 I know just how the turkey in the middle feels.

 Guinea Fowl and chickens waiting for their turn in the pot.

 This is a little place that makes great cheeseburgers.

For West Africa that is.

Typical side street here in Kumasi