Yesterday was moving day. Our new home was finally finished and we had spent the last few days moving the little stuff. There's not really much to move. The Church in Western Ghana has hired two young, very nice, efficient and capable African men to help the missionaries and new branches take care of their physical housing needs, like moving, air-conditioning that breaks down, new apartments, and so on. (The Elders don't get the air-conditioning-just old senior missionaries.) One of them is named Prosper and the other Kwayku Cooper Dautsee. They have both been extremely helpful. Kwayku and several men he hired drove up from Kumasi to help us hook up the air, put in curtain rods, and help us move the big stuff (refrigerator, stove, couch, bed, etc.).
While some of the men stayed at our new place to hook up the generator (which we have to use 3-4 times a week because the power is always going out), Kwayku went with us to purchase a router so we can finally have internet and Gary will be able to use his Ipad. After we got that all taken care of, Kwayku headed back and we went to pick up some new drapery rods so they could get them hung before going back to Kumasi.
We were just about to leave the only department store in Sunyani named Melcom's. It's a 3-story K-Mart type place with really basic, tacky stuff and no air-conditioning and no elevators, so the higher you walk up, the hotter and smellier it gets. We purchased the rods as quickly as possible and were loading them in the car, when Prosper called from Kumasi to tell us that Kwayku had gotten arrested and we needed to go to the police station to help him. We, of course, had no idea where the police station was, so we stopped a woman on the street and asked her. She told us it was a barracks-type building just down a little way, so we headed there as Gary called his buddy, President Owusu. Owusu was already at the police station. That man knows everything that's going on and everyone in Sunyani!
Owusu and George, one of Kwayku's friends, met us in the parking lot. They quickly explained that a policeman had stopped Kwayku after going through a traffic light and told him he needed to give him 5 cedis. Kwayku told him he hadn't run the light and they got into a huge argument. I explained earlier how the Ghanaian people get very agitated, very quickly. Kwayku had NOT run the light and demanded that they go to the police station, so off they went, where they promptly took away his license and threw him in the jail. The jail is dirty, dark and just an all-around terrible place. He was beaten (smacked in the face) and told he would have to stay there for a few days.
Owusu had in the meantime called one of his friends who works at the police department, but he was out of the city. The Ghanaian people quite like and respect obrunis (white people) and especially older obrunis, so Owusu said we all needed to go in and vouch for Kwayku and see if we could get him out. What happened next is still unbelievable.
We waited for quite a while, and then along with Owusu, we were escorted into a filthy, small (about a 10 x 10 foot) room that was lined with 4 crude desks around the outer walls. It was very crowded and cramped. The walls were smudged with grime and the plaster was cracked and chipping off. A single light was hanging in the middle of the room and they pulled out two plastic chairs, placed them in the middle of the room, and told Gary and I to sit down. Three very large, intimidating police officers sat at the the desks. Most Ghanaian people are small and slightly built. These guys were all bruisers. I guess if you're a big guy in Ghana, it pays to be a policeman! The carpet was so dirty, it looked like it had never been vacuumed and resembled dirt itself, and the small window above one of the desks was so clouded with smut and dead flies, you couldn't even see out of it. A very abrasive and homely woman sat in one corner and unlike most of the people in Sunyani, who are always so neat and clean, her uniform was soiled and ragged and dirty. We waited as they yelled back and forth in Twi. I finally started talking with the big guy across the desk from me. He was one of the biggest Ghanaians I have seen and as we talked, he would lean back against the wall behind him. All across the scummy wall was a huge greasy stain where he had pressed his head. A few minutes later, another man walked in and handed him 5 cedis. He promptly put the money in his own pocket, then reached in the drawer and handed the other guy his driver's license. It was obviously a payoff.
They finally got around to talking to us and said that Kwayku was going to have to stay in jail. Gary spoke up and told them that just was not possible as he was helping us with the Church and that we needed him today. They did seem to take that into consideration and Gary speaking up for him did seem to make a difference. Then the big guy I was talking with started yelling loudly, agitated again, that Kwayku wouldn't say he was sorry or apologize. Gary and Owusu calmed him down and said we would vouch for him. They finally said we could take him out for the night, but that he would have to come back in the morning for his license, which they had abducted and were holding, and pay a fine. We quickly agreed before they could change their minds again. Kwayku was released, with his face all bruised and smashed, and we left for the evening.
The next morning we went back and they said he would have to pay 100 cedis to get his license back. Owusu made a few phone calls and then they reduced it to 50 cedis and we got the license and got out of there. The whole story is that the police are corrupt and will try to get money out of anyone they stop. Kwayku drives a nice truck so they thought he was an easy mark and an easy bribe. We are so thankful that we have never had to worry about this kind of thing in America and that most of our police officers are there to help us, not shake us down for money. Elder Thayne is driving much more carefully now, and Owusu's policeman friend got back in town and they introduced us and gave us his personal phone number just in case.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Saturday, March 24, 2012
He's Gone To A Better Place
This morning started out much as every morning in Africa--the drums and chanting, the smiling faces on the little schools kids as they smile and laugh at the weird-looking obrunis, as we take our morning walk. The air conditioning was still out and a guy was here trying to fix it (with used parts) and finally, the weed-wackers showed up to do the lawn. They don't mow; they just take machetes and whack the lawn (thick, thick grass). It's amazing to watch the strength it takes.
For no reason, Gary came in and said, "I need to call Rod right now." We went in and booted up the computer as that's the only way we have of calling until the "international barring" is lifted off Elder Thayne's cell phone. On the second call, Gary was able to reach Rod's room. Nadia answered and put the phone to his ear. Gary told him how much he loved him and that he was the best big brother ever. We knew he could hear us because he would grunt and make noises. Nadia said he understood and knew that it was Gary and that Rod had just been waiting for Gary to call. We said goodbye, hung up and cried. A very short time later Brittany emailed that he had passed. It was like Gary knew he had to call Rod right then and just a few minutes later, he was gone.
We sat down and cried together. It was so sad watching the anguish and the pain at losing an adored big brother. Then we began reminiscing and then we laughed and cried some more. We feel so isolated and lonely at times and so very far away. Gary then called His Mother--she is remarkable--nothing short of amazing. I cannot imagine the hurt it must be to lose a child--and Rod will always be her little boy. We then called more of the family. We were torn between whether to leave and fly home for the funeral, but after talking with Berniel and his sisters, Gary has decided that Rod is in a far better place, and that knowing his strong personality, it would have been awful to have him suffer one moment longer. We will stay in Africa and continue to do our work here and Gary sat right down and wrote a letter to his big brother, telling how much he meant to him and how much he loved him. We will send that letter and know that everyone understands. We know there was a great reunion in heaven as Rod is once more with so many loved ones: his Dad, Uncle Stan and Aunt JoAnn, grandparents, and so many more. Now, instead of sitting at the dining room table and making us laugh like he did just six short weeks ago, he'll be making all of them laugh. We will miss him.
For no reason, Gary came in and said, "I need to call Rod right now." We went in and booted up the computer as that's the only way we have of calling until the "international barring" is lifted off Elder Thayne's cell phone. On the second call, Gary was able to reach Rod's room. Nadia answered and put the phone to his ear. Gary told him how much he loved him and that he was the best big brother ever. We knew he could hear us because he would grunt and make noises. Nadia said he understood and knew that it was Gary and that Rod had just been waiting for Gary to call. We said goodbye, hung up and cried. A very short time later Brittany emailed that he had passed. It was like Gary knew he had to call Rod right then and just a few minutes later, he was gone.
We sat down and cried together. It was so sad watching the anguish and the pain at losing an adored big brother. Then we began reminiscing and then we laughed and cried some more. We feel so isolated and lonely at times and so very far away. Gary then called His Mother--she is remarkable--nothing short of amazing. I cannot imagine the hurt it must be to lose a child--and Rod will always be her little boy. We then called more of the family. We were torn between whether to leave and fly home for the funeral, but after talking with Berniel and his sisters, Gary has decided that Rod is in a far better place, and that knowing his strong personality, it would have been awful to have him suffer one moment longer. We will stay in Africa and continue to do our work here and Gary sat right down and wrote a letter to his big brother, telling how much he meant to him and how much he loved him. We will send that letter and know that everyone understands. We know there was a great reunion in heaven as Rod is once more with so many loved ones: his Dad, Uncle Stan and Aunt JoAnn, grandparents, and so many more. Now, instead of sitting at the dining room table and making us laugh like he did just six short weeks ago, he'll be making all of them laugh. We will miss him.
Daily Life
Just when I think I'm figuring out this country, something happens and we take two steps back. Every day is a new challenge, but it keeps it interesting. We got our missionaries' transfers which means we are losing two of our guys and will get two more to replace them tomorrow.
We are still not in our new place yet and the air conditioning is out here so we sleep with a ceiling fan going as well as a free standing fan blowing on us and it's still horribly hot. Customer service here has never been thought of. If you walk in a store, they sit there and act like you're bothering them. Lease conditions mean nothing--they are so independent. Our new landlord has decided he's not going to put in the last two ceiling fans nor the four corner lights in the Living Room and I wish you could see the workmanship on the doors. They're rough wood, not sanded, but then painted with a shiny white gloss paint, slivery hairs and all. The cabinets are almost as bad--grey formica with rough edges. But it will be new and the air conditioning will work! -- We hope! The plan is to move next week.
At our last District Meeting, when all 10 of our Elders and the two of us meet and discuss things coming up and teaching skills, we were intent on listening to a discussion, when all of a sudden our two Zone Leaders, Elder Brown (from Dallas) and Elder McFarland (from New Zealand), jumped up and ran as fast as they could out of the building! It really alarmed everyone and we thought there was maybe an accident or something. It turned out to be really exciting, as someone had left the compound gate open and an entire herd of about 40 or 50 goats wandered in to eat some of the tasty plants in the yard. The two Elders were able to herd them back out, screaming and yelling and waving their arms. If they hadn't have caught them in time, it would have taken us all day to round them up and out. Whoever thought we'd have to worry about goats in the yard!
Last Sunday, I was in Primary with the little ones and Elder Thayne stayed in Priesthood and Relief Society (combined). We were a little late getting out because we were singing "Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree". It's odd because they really love that song and there's not a one of them (Elders either) who even know that the blossoms on the apricot tree resemble popcorn because they don't have seasons here--it's just always hot! But they sing it at the top of their little voices anyway.
I walked out to find Elder Thayne and Elder Kitchen (from Bountiful) on either side of a VERY agitated, VERY large, VERY dark, VERY vocal African Lady. Elder Thayne is not extremely large and he is very white and Elder Kitchen is even shorter and smaller and every bit as white and the Native woman was very dark and stood taller than the both of them by almost a foot. They looked like two little white bookends holding up a very large black book. She was really frustrated and upset about something. I think it had to do with her ex-husband or something and the more she went on, the more agitated and vocal and upset she became. She would throw her arms in the air and yell at the top of her lungs and then fall down and then kick and then thrash her arms, and then start all over again. It was the holy-rolllers in real life! It escalated and escalated and all of the rest of us just stared in disbelief, while Elder Thayne and Elder Kitchen kept very quietly saying, "Vivian, it's all right. Calm down. It's all right." This to no avail. I was afraid one of them was going to get creamed as this was no small lady and she was getting more and more vocal and physical. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, she stopped, patted her heart, and said, "I need to calm my heart." and quietly walked out the door. We all stood there in disbelief! The Ghanaian people are a lot like that. They are very sweet, loving, kind people, but if they get excited, it seems to escalate and escalate, until they totally lose control. We are learning that it's best to just get out of the way and let them work it out.
We drove up to the Eusbett Hotel, the only nice hotel in town--much like a two-story Motel 6--but it's the only act in town and believe it or not, it actually has a swimming pool. True, it's not a lap pool, but for 5 cedis (about $3.50) a time, they will let you swim. Gary is still trying to decide if he's willing to try it and chance the water getting in his mouth, but at least he'd be able to do something more active. He's going nuts just sauntering along with me on our morning walks. He does take his "harley" out for a bike ride 3 mornings a week and now instead of working on Brittany, Candace and Melissa's bikes, he now has 10 Elders' bikes and they are truly awful and falling apart. He takes one at a time and completely goes through it and tries to make it somewhat able to ride.
We are still not in our new place yet and the air conditioning is out here so we sleep with a ceiling fan going as well as a free standing fan blowing on us and it's still horribly hot. Customer service here has never been thought of. If you walk in a store, they sit there and act like you're bothering them. Lease conditions mean nothing--they are so independent. Our new landlord has decided he's not going to put in the last two ceiling fans nor the four corner lights in the Living Room and I wish you could see the workmanship on the doors. They're rough wood, not sanded, but then painted with a shiny white gloss paint, slivery hairs and all. The cabinets are almost as bad--grey formica with rough edges. But it will be new and the air conditioning will work! -- We hope! The plan is to move next week.
At our last District Meeting, when all 10 of our Elders and the two of us meet and discuss things coming up and teaching skills, we were intent on listening to a discussion, when all of a sudden our two Zone Leaders, Elder Brown (from Dallas) and Elder McFarland (from New Zealand), jumped up and ran as fast as they could out of the building! It really alarmed everyone and we thought there was maybe an accident or something. It turned out to be really exciting, as someone had left the compound gate open and an entire herd of about 40 or 50 goats wandered in to eat some of the tasty plants in the yard. The two Elders were able to herd them back out, screaming and yelling and waving their arms. If they hadn't have caught them in time, it would have taken us all day to round them up and out. Whoever thought we'd have to worry about goats in the yard!
Last Sunday, I was in Primary with the little ones and Elder Thayne stayed in Priesthood and Relief Society (combined). We were a little late getting out because we were singing "Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree". It's odd because they really love that song and there's not a one of them (Elders either) who even know that the blossoms on the apricot tree resemble popcorn because they don't have seasons here--it's just always hot! But they sing it at the top of their little voices anyway.
I walked out to find Elder Thayne and Elder Kitchen (from Bountiful) on either side of a VERY agitated, VERY large, VERY dark, VERY vocal African Lady. Elder Thayne is not extremely large and he is very white and Elder Kitchen is even shorter and smaller and every bit as white and the Native woman was very dark and stood taller than the both of them by almost a foot. They looked like two little white bookends holding up a very large black book. She was really frustrated and upset about something. I think it had to do with her ex-husband or something and the more she went on, the more agitated and vocal and upset she became. She would throw her arms in the air and yell at the top of her lungs and then fall down and then kick and then thrash her arms, and then start all over again. It was the holy-rolllers in real life! It escalated and escalated and all of the rest of us just stared in disbelief, while Elder Thayne and Elder Kitchen kept very quietly saying, "Vivian, it's all right. Calm down. It's all right." This to no avail. I was afraid one of them was going to get creamed as this was no small lady and she was getting more and more vocal and physical. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, she stopped, patted her heart, and said, "I need to calm my heart." and quietly walked out the door. We all stood there in disbelief! The Ghanaian people are a lot like that. They are very sweet, loving, kind people, but if they get excited, it seems to escalate and escalate, until they totally lose control. We are learning that it's best to just get out of the way and let them work it out.
We drove up to the Eusbett Hotel, the only nice hotel in town--much like a two-story Motel 6--but it's the only act in town and believe it or not, it actually has a swimming pool. True, it's not a lap pool, but for 5 cedis (about $3.50) a time, they will let you swim. Gary is still trying to decide if he's willing to try it and chance the water getting in his mouth, but at least he'd be able to do something more active. He's going nuts just sauntering along with me on our morning walks. He does take his "harley" out for a bike ride 3 mornings a week and now instead of working on Brittany, Candace and Melissa's bikes, he now has 10 Elders' bikes and they are truly awful and falling apart. He takes one at a time and completely goes through it and tries to make it somewhat able to ride.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Ya Just Gotta Laugh!
The morning started out EARLY! Even before the drums and roosters began, Elder Thayne sat straight up in bed and said, "Something's in our room!" I was still groggy and told him it was his imagination and to go back to sleep. Then we both heard a definite rustling sound and both of us were standing on top of the bed. Gary very carefully peeked over the side to the floor. Nothing in sight, but then we heard it again and up on the bed we both jumped again. Kwaycoo, the gentlemen helping us get our new house ready, had told us just yesterday that he had seen a very large snake (a Brown--very poisonous) in the ditch just outside our wall. I'm sure we were both envisioning it under our bed. We had to laugh when we realized it was just "Rylee", the largest of our house geckos. They are usually very quiet and we hardly ever see them, but she had gotten caught in the drapes behind the bed and was trying to get out. We had a good laugh and then proceeded to go for our morning walk.
In Sunyani you hardly ever see any dogs and never a cat. The dogs we do see all look the same--an ugly small mongrel type. But they have hundreds of goats, chickens and lizards--they're everywhere. Goats are outside every house and shack, climbing on little hills, butting heads, downtown wandering through traffic--everywhere. I guess they are the pet of choice because you don't have to feed them: they eat everything-garbage, whatever, and when there get to be too many of them, you just kill them, skin them, and throw the meat in the fufu stew. The chickens are much the same; they are everywhere and they find their own food, lay eggs and you can always kill them, pluck them, and throw them in the fufu stew as well.
On our walk, behind our compound on a dirt road that winds between the shacks, we passed a large tom turkey. We had seen him a few days before and it was no big deal. He looked a lot like "Mr. BoJangles", the turkey we had on Dimple Dell. For some reason, this day, he decided he hated Elder Thayne and began charging him. This created a small problem, as all of the natives were in their front areas, sweeping garbage and lighting their fufu pots. We didn't know who or if the turkey belonged to any of them. We didn't want to offend by just kicking him so we just kind of scampered out of the way. The turkey would have no part of it. He didn't mind me but he HATED Elder Thayne and kept charging. Gary was doing a funny little dance trying to stay away from him. The people were all laughing hysterically, watching this obruni getting chased by a turkey, and I nervously began laughing too. A young man who was fetching water at a nearby well, picked up a few rocks and chucked them at the turkey. It didn't help and the turkey just kept coming. Finally, an older woman walked over, picked up an empty plastic bottle that was on the ground (remember garbage is everywhere) and started smacking the turkey with it. The commotion had gathered quite a little crowd and everyone was laughing and cheering as she saved the funny obruni from the angry turkey. Come to think of it, birds have never really liked Gary. Mr. BoJangles didn't like him, the geese hated him and even Arco, our parrot, would chase him around the house pecking at his toes. Needless to say we won't be taking that route again.
After breakfast, Elder Thayne was doing the dishes (in the clorox water), while I was "trying" to make tortillas from scratch. President Owusu, the Branch President of the Branch that we share the building with, stopped by. He is an older gentlemen (probably a good 5 years younger than we are) but the average life expectancy in Ghana is only 57 years. He is great! He is Gary's little buddy, is a big whig in town, helped Gary find his bike, and takes us all around and shows us where we can find things. He took us to the Wednesday Market and is our protector. He's lived here in Sunyani for almost 50 years and everyone knows him and he always knows what we're doing and where we are. It's kind of comforting. He owns a carwash--they wash the cars (taxis and buses) on a dirt lot. He took one look at Gary doing the dishes and came unglued. "No, no!" he yelled. "That's woman's work!" We both laughed and President Owusu promised Gary faithfully he wouldn't tell anyone.
He then took us downtown to a little hole-in-the wall shop to show us where we could buy canned soup. It was really crowded and the shopkeeper and President Owusu were checking me out. In Africa everything is natural. As I said before, it's not uncommon to see people urinating on the side of the road and the young mothers just feed their little ones wherever, in church, etc. It's also very common if a guy has an itch in a private place or needs to adjust something, they just reach down and do so without even giving it a second thought. It's not sexual, just comfort. They all do it and usually I just try to pretend not to notice. However, it was so crowded in the shop and the shopkeeper must have really had an irritation because he was really "adjusting" his crtoch and then Owusu started in and Gary was at the door and now it was his turn to laugh, watching me trying so hard not to notice. Will I ever get used to Africa?
We have 1 or 2 baptisms every week, but we only have one makeshift font which is a big blue plastic water container, that looks like a big garbage container. We have to get it from building to building depending on where the baptism is, because most of the people don't have cars and it's hard for them to get across town. The font wouldn't fit in the back of our little truck so the Elders put it on top of the car. Two of them sat in the back and two of them sat in the back seat and they all just hung on to it as we drove. It was quite a sight--the white obrunis carrying a huge water trough on the top of the car and we had to go through the downtown which is a taxi nightmare playing bumper cars. We made it though, but I guess we'll have to do it again next week.
In Africa we have several given laws:
Everything is "Africa Time". They might tell you 2 o'clock but it can mean 2 that day, or 20 minutes after 2, or 2 tomorrow, or even next week. No one is ever on time. They just shrug and say, "Africa Time". For those who ever ran or biked with Elder Thayne, you are very familiar with the "2 Minute Rule" which means if you are more than 2 minutes late, you get left. (And sometimes, he would even start early and leave 2 minutes before the designated time.) Our time in Sunyani is proving to be a great lesson in patience as everyone is oblivious to time and it drives us absolutely nuts!
Africa directions are about the same. They will never tell you they don't know where you are talking about. They will just make up directions and they also have no concept of how far things are. It doesn't help that there are no street signs and of course no house numbers. You just have to wing it.
NIN = Nothing is New. Everything is broken, rebuilt, rewired, or redone and held together with wire or whatever. They don't even have duct tape!
Elder Thayne decided to make me an art easel so I can paint a little and perhaps make a picture for our new apartment. We gathered up a few boards, which were really rugged and not very straight, and found a bolt and nut to hold it together. We were working on the front verandah, when Effah, a young man who works in a little shop down the road came by. He asked what we were doing and when we told him, he said he could make one for us. Since we didn't have a saw or any tools, we gave him the boards and off he went. He came back in a couple of hours with two of his buddies. They had chucked the wood (given it to Auntie Mary for firewood) and made me a wonderful metal easel fom the scraps they had at their tin shop. It's really quite ingenious. They laughed and laughed and told me I was their obruni mama and they were my bibini sons. Young women in Africa are considered not much better than a work horse. A lot of the men beat their wives and the young women work very hard. However, older women are much revered and respected. It's not uncommon to have a young man stand out in the middle of the very busy downtown streets and stop traffic for an older woman to cross. It's kinda neat they way they really respect them and I guess I fit the bill now as on "older woman".
In Sunyani you hardly ever see any dogs and never a cat. The dogs we do see all look the same--an ugly small mongrel type. But they have hundreds of goats, chickens and lizards--they're everywhere. Goats are outside every house and shack, climbing on little hills, butting heads, downtown wandering through traffic--everywhere. I guess they are the pet of choice because you don't have to feed them: they eat everything-garbage, whatever, and when there get to be too many of them, you just kill them, skin them, and throw the meat in the fufu stew. The chickens are much the same; they are everywhere and they find their own food, lay eggs and you can always kill them, pluck them, and throw them in the fufu stew as well.
On our walk, behind our compound on a dirt road that winds between the shacks, we passed a large tom turkey. We had seen him a few days before and it was no big deal. He looked a lot like "Mr. BoJangles", the turkey we had on Dimple Dell. For some reason, this day, he decided he hated Elder Thayne and began charging him. This created a small problem, as all of the natives were in their front areas, sweeping garbage and lighting their fufu pots. We didn't know who or if the turkey belonged to any of them. We didn't want to offend by just kicking him so we just kind of scampered out of the way. The turkey would have no part of it. He didn't mind me but he HATED Elder Thayne and kept charging. Gary was doing a funny little dance trying to stay away from him. The people were all laughing hysterically, watching this obruni getting chased by a turkey, and I nervously began laughing too. A young man who was fetching water at a nearby well, picked up a few rocks and chucked them at the turkey. It didn't help and the turkey just kept coming. Finally, an older woman walked over, picked up an empty plastic bottle that was on the ground (remember garbage is everywhere) and started smacking the turkey with it. The commotion had gathered quite a little crowd and everyone was laughing and cheering as she saved the funny obruni from the angry turkey. Come to think of it, birds have never really liked Gary. Mr. BoJangles didn't like him, the geese hated him and even Arco, our parrot, would chase him around the house pecking at his toes. Needless to say we won't be taking that route again.
After breakfast, Elder Thayne was doing the dishes (in the clorox water), while I was "trying" to make tortillas from scratch. President Owusu, the Branch President of the Branch that we share the building with, stopped by. He is an older gentlemen (probably a good 5 years younger than we are) but the average life expectancy in Ghana is only 57 years. He is great! He is Gary's little buddy, is a big whig in town, helped Gary find his bike, and takes us all around and shows us where we can find things. He took us to the Wednesday Market and is our protector. He's lived here in Sunyani for almost 50 years and everyone knows him and he always knows what we're doing and where we are. It's kind of comforting. He owns a carwash--they wash the cars (taxis and buses) on a dirt lot. He took one look at Gary doing the dishes and came unglued. "No, no!" he yelled. "That's woman's work!" We both laughed and President Owusu promised Gary faithfully he wouldn't tell anyone.
He then took us downtown to a little hole-in-the wall shop to show us where we could buy canned soup. It was really crowded and the shopkeeper and President Owusu were checking me out. In Africa everything is natural. As I said before, it's not uncommon to see people urinating on the side of the road and the young mothers just feed their little ones wherever, in church, etc. It's also very common if a guy has an itch in a private place or needs to adjust something, they just reach down and do so without even giving it a second thought. It's not sexual, just comfort. They all do it and usually I just try to pretend not to notice. However, it was so crowded in the shop and the shopkeeper must have really had an irritation because he was really "adjusting" his crtoch and then Owusu started in and Gary was at the door and now it was his turn to laugh, watching me trying so hard not to notice. Will I ever get used to Africa?
We have 1 or 2 baptisms every week, but we only have one makeshift font which is a big blue plastic water container, that looks like a big garbage container. We have to get it from building to building depending on where the baptism is, because most of the people don't have cars and it's hard for them to get across town. The font wouldn't fit in the back of our little truck so the Elders put it on top of the car. Two of them sat in the back and two of them sat in the back seat and they all just hung on to it as we drove. It was quite a sight--the white obrunis carrying a huge water trough on the top of the car and we had to go through the downtown which is a taxi nightmare playing bumper cars. We made it though, but I guess we'll have to do it again next week.
In Africa we have several given laws:
Everything is "Africa Time". They might tell you 2 o'clock but it can mean 2 that day, or 20 minutes after 2, or 2 tomorrow, or even next week. No one is ever on time. They just shrug and say, "Africa Time". For those who ever ran or biked with Elder Thayne, you are very familiar with the "2 Minute Rule" which means if you are more than 2 minutes late, you get left. (And sometimes, he would even start early and leave 2 minutes before the designated time.) Our time in Sunyani is proving to be a great lesson in patience as everyone is oblivious to time and it drives us absolutely nuts!
Africa directions are about the same. They will never tell you they don't know where you are talking about. They will just make up directions and they also have no concept of how far things are. It doesn't help that there are no street signs and of course no house numbers. You just have to wing it.
NIN = Nothing is New. Everything is broken, rebuilt, rewired, or redone and held together with wire or whatever. They don't even have duct tape!
Elder Thayne decided to make me an art easel so I can paint a little and perhaps make a picture for our new apartment. We gathered up a few boards, which were really rugged and not very straight, and found a bolt and nut to hold it together. We were working on the front verandah, when Effah, a young man who works in a little shop down the road came by. He asked what we were doing and when we told him, he said he could make one for us. Since we didn't have a saw or any tools, we gave him the boards and off he went. He came back in a couple of hours with two of his buddies. They had chucked the wood (given it to Auntie Mary for firewood) and made me a wonderful metal easel fom the scraps they had at their tin shop. It's really quite ingenious. They laughed and laughed and told me I was their obruni mama and they were my bibini sons. Young women in Africa are considered not much better than a work horse. A lot of the men beat their wives and the young women work very hard. However, older women are much revered and respected. It's not uncommon to have a young man stand out in the middle of the very busy downtown streets and stop traffic for an older woman to cross. It's kinda neat they way they really respect them and I guess I fit the bill now as on "older woman".
Saturday, March 10, 2012
The Dreadful Day
The morning began earlier than usual. The roosters began crowing about 3 am and the drums and chanting began early as well. The power had gone off (again) which meant no air conditioning. It had been raining heavily all night and it was muggy and hot when we left for our morning walk. Both of us seemed to have trouble with our hips. Mine was aching and Gary's new hip was fine but his old one was sore. We finished and came home only to find that the power was still off. We were still without hot water so it was another cold shower.
After breakfast and our morning study, we decided to take a drive and try to get a little more familiar with the area. We randomly headed in a northeasternly direction and travelled into some of the suburbs of Sunyani. Actually they are like little spots on the road where the natives' little huts and houses seem to cluster and they put up their little roadside shops and sell to each other and passersby. It was an uneventful trip and we returned home.
The power was back on so we decided to call home. The news from home was devastating to say the least. We found that Gary's older brother Rod had been diagnosed with cancer and that the prognosis was terminal with less than a year to live. After Gary talked with Shauna in St. George, he called Rod direct in Phoenix. It was heartbreaking. They both told each other how much they loved each other and that they thought they each had the best brother ever. We both cried a lot. Rod said it was going quick--maybe days or weeks and that he was already on hospice care. We feel so helpless being here in Africa and not being able to help. Then we talked about it and realized that it isn't much different being here or in St. George. It was like a dark blanket loomed over our apartment.
Then the phone rang and it was one of the Elders we are working with here in Sunyani. Until we got here there were 10 elders assigned to this town. They were totally on their own with no car, only bicycles, and the nearest help almost 3 hours away. Elder Brown, one of our Zone Leaders, who is from Texas, had been to dinner and teaching at a member's house when he got violently ill and began throwing up blood. His companion, Elder MacFarland from New Zealand, called us and needed us to come and pick them up right away. It was already dark and we had no idea where they were. We don't like to drive or go out at night. The African people move around at night but they all wear dark clothing and do not have flashlights and it's very hard to see them, plus it's dangerous, plus the dreaded malaria mosquitoes are out at night. Elder MacFarland said they were in Odamase, which meant absolutely nothing to us. He said, "It's easy. It's where you drove this morning." Some of the people had seen us driving and because we are the only white people in the whole town everyone knows where we are going and what we are doing at all times. He told us to just drive the same way and then look for a little kid in a striped shirt when there seemed to be more houses. We finally saw him, pulled over and he jumped in, and then directed us through back dirt roads through a network of little huts until we finally came to where they were. We would have never found it. We loaded their bikes into the back of our little truck, got the elders in the car and phoned Sister Shulz, the mission president's wife, and she called the area doctor, Doctor Fife who is in Accra, some 12 -13 hours away. He told us to get some medication and off to a pharmacy we went. You don't need prescriptions here; you can get any medication you need at these little corner huts. The first one we went to was already closed for the evening but the second one was still open and we got his pills. We took him home and told his companion to watch him closely all night and to call us if there was any change. By mornng the medication had kicked in and he was doing fine.
In restrospect, we now know why we are here. We know the Lord directed us to take our drive in that direction that morning so that we would know where to go. It is amazing that these young men have been here for over 4 months totally on their own. They never would have been able to get back home and get the help they needed. We know we will make a difference and truly be able to help the people of Sunyani and these elders. We went to bed still with heavy hearts but knowing we are in the right place. And as usual, we fell asleep to the chanting and drums.
After breakfast and our morning study, we decided to take a drive and try to get a little more familiar with the area. We randomly headed in a northeasternly direction and travelled into some of the suburbs of Sunyani. Actually they are like little spots on the road where the natives' little huts and houses seem to cluster and they put up their little roadside shops and sell to each other and passersby. It was an uneventful trip and we returned home.
The power was back on so we decided to call home. The news from home was devastating to say the least. We found that Gary's older brother Rod had been diagnosed with cancer and that the prognosis was terminal with less than a year to live. After Gary talked with Shauna in St. George, he called Rod direct in Phoenix. It was heartbreaking. They both told each other how much they loved each other and that they thought they each had the best brother ever. We both cried a lot. Rod said it was going quick--maybe days or weeks and that he was already on hospice care. We feel so helpless being here in Africa and not being able to help. Then we talked about it and realized that it isn't much different being here or in St. George. It was like a dark blanket loomed over our apartment.
Then the phone rang and it was one of the Elders we are working with here in Sunyani. Until we got here there were 10 elders assigned to this town. They were totally on their own with no car, only bicycles, and the nearest help almost 3 hours away. Elder Brown, one of our Zone Leaders, who is from Texas, had been to dinner and teaching at a member's house when he got violently ill and began throwing up blood. His companion, Elder MacFarland from New Zealand, called us and needed us to come and pick them up right away. It was already dark and we had no idea where they were. We don't like to drive or go out at night. The African people move around at night but they all wear dark clothing and do not have flashlights and it's very hard to see them, plus it's dangerous, plus the dreaded malaria mosquitoes are out at night. Elder MacFarland said they were in Odamase, which meant absolutely nothing to us. He said, "It's easy. It's where you drove this morning." Some of the people had seen us driving and because we are the only white people in the whole town everyone knows where we are going and what we are doing at all times. He told us to just drive the same way and then look for a little kid in a striped shirt when there seemed to be more houses. We finally saw him, pulled over and he jumped in, and then directed us through back dirt roads through a network of little huts until we finally came to where they were. We would have never found it. We loaded their bikes into the back of our little truck, got the elders in the car and phoned Sister Shulz, the mission president's wife, and she called the area doctor, Doctor Fife who is in Accra, some 12 -13 hours away. He told us to get some medication and off to a pharmacy we went. You don't need prescriptions here; you can get any medication you need at these little corner huts. The first one we went to was already closed for the evening but the second one was still open and we got his pills. We took him home and told his companion to watch him closely all night and to call us if there was any change. By mornng the medication had kicked in and he was doing fine.
In restrospect, we now know why we are here. We know the Lord directed us to take our drive in that direction that morning so that we would know where to go. It is amazing that these young men have been here for over 4 months totally on their own. They never would have been able to get back home and get the help they needed. We know we will make a difference and truly be able to help the people of Sunyani and these elders. We went to bed still with heavy hearts but knowing we are in the right place. And as usual, we fell asleep to the chanting and drums.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Daily Home Life
After our morning walk, we get back to our apartment and begin the new day. We share the building, a large cement-type structure with the Nkwabeng Chapel. It is surrounded by a huge 7 foot cement wall with another 2 feet of barbed wire on top. A huge iron gate opens to the street and it is padlocked at all times. All of the windows and doors have bars on them, and as soon as it gets dark, we have to turn on big floodlights that light up the entire exterior courtyard. I now know what it feels like to be in prison--not quite, but almost.
The food situation in Sunyani has taken a while to get used to. There is no meat or poultry that is edible for "obrunis", and eggs are the only dairy product. No milk or butter or cheese, but we do use soy milk for cereal in the morning. We were given some frozen chicken by the Mission President's wife, Sister Shulz, when we arrived and we are almost out. Hopefully, she can bring us more next week, as they have to make the trek up here for some interviews. The produce is wonderful. Pineapples are the best, and bananas and cucumbers, tomatoes, and avocados are fabulous and everywhere. You just stop at any of the little shops along the street. We have found our favorites and have developed a relationship with some of them. They all remember us because we're the only white people in town. Felicia is our bread lady and Nicolas our veggie guy and so on. The only downside is that everything--EVERYTHING--that comes in the apartment, as well as the dishes every day, has to be washed in a clorox solution. There is one rule in Ghana when it comes to food: PEEL IT, BOIL IT, COOK IT, OR FORGET IT! Food spoils quickly here so it seems that every afternoon, or at least every other day, we find ourselves out foraging for food. The only trick is playing bumper cars with all of the taxis.
The power goes out almost every day--sometimes for just a few minutes, sometimes for several hours. We do have a generator but we are careful not to overuse it.
We share our apartment with 3 little household geckos, endearing, bug-eyed, translucent white lizards, who scamper up the walls and across the ceilings in pursuit of pesky bugs and mosquitoes. We like them for that but Elder Thayne didn't appreciate one on the window above his head this morning.
Elder Thayne has purchased a bicycle because he doesn't think he's getting enough exercise. Boy did he get his wish! We have affectionately named the bike "Harley" because it weighs about that much but you have to pedal it. He has to stand up to pump even on level ground. I just keep telling him that it's not a bike, it's an exercise machine.
We will be moving to a new apartment in a couple of weeks, as the church is growing so fast that they need all of the rooms we are using for classrooms. Our new place is a ways out of town, in the country. It is quite a bit smaller but is brand new and has a gate guy 24 hours a day. We have already met Yaki and David and it will be comforting to have them around.
The food situation in Sunyani has taken a while to get used to. There is no meat or poultry that is edible for "obrunis", and eggs are the only dairy product. No milk or butter or cheese, but we do use soy milk for cereal in the morning. We were given some frozen chicken by the Mission President's wife, Sister Shulz, when we arrived and we are almost out. Hopefully, she can bring us more next week, as they have to make the trek up here for some interviews. The produce is wonderful. Pineapples are the best, and bananas and cucumbers, tomatoes, and avocados are fabulous and everywhere. You just stop at any of the little shops along the street. We have found our favorites and have developed a relationship with some of them. They all remember us because we're the only white people in town. Felicia is our bread lady and Nicolas our veggie guy and so on. The only downside is that everything--EVERYTHING--that comes in the apartment, as well as the dishes every day, has to be washed in a clorox solution. There is one rule in Ghana when it comes to food: PEEL IT, BOIL IT, COOK IT, OR FORGET IT! Food spoils quickly here so it seems that every afternoon, or at least every other day, we find ourselves out foraging for food. The only trick is playing bumper cars with all of the taxis.
The power goes out almost every day--sometimes for just a few minutes, sometimes for several hours. We do have a generator but we are careful not to overuse it.
We share our apartment with 3 little household geckos, endearing, bug-eyed, translucent white lizards, who scamper up the walls and across the ceilings in pursuit of pesky bugs and mosquitoes. We like them for that but Elder Thayne didn't appreciate one on the window above his head this morning.
Elder Thayne has purchased a bicycle because he doesn't think he's getting enough exercise. Boy did he get his wish! We have affectionately named the bike "Harley" because it weighs about that much but you have to pedal it. He has to stand up to pump even on level ground. I just keep telling him that it's not a bike, it's an exercise machine.
We will be moving to a new apartment in a couple of weeks, as the church is growing so fast that they need all of the rooms we are using for classrooms. Our new place is a ways out of town, in the country. It is quite a bit smaller but is brand new and has a gate guy 24 hours a day. We have already met Yaki and David and it will be comforting to have them around.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Native Life in Sunyani
In Sunyani, Africa, the sun rises at 6 a.m. and the sun sets at 6 p.m., day in, day out, every day of the year. The cocks start crowing about 5 a.m. and then the drums and chanting begin. Everyone rises early. By the time Elder Thayne and I are out for our morning walk (about 6:15), the women are outside of their huts and shacks, sweeping the areas around them with a makeshift wisk broom. It is made of a bunch of stiff reeds, tied together with a leather thong and they bend over and sweep up everything on the ground from fallen leaves to all of the garbage thrown there from the day before. No one uses garbage cans -- they just throw everything on the ground. Their little homes are made of wooden scraps, mud, or sometimes they will live in the bottom part of unfinished buildings. There are no nice parts of town, or really any nice houses. Our apartment is on the side of the chapel and our nearest neighbor is Aunt Mary, a very sweet older lady who lives in a wooden shed with a cloth for a front door. She has several people from extended family living with her: grandchildren, aunts, and who knows who else. Many of the families in Sunyani have this type of living arrangements.
Most of the people have no electricity and no indoor water. So after they sweep the garbage into a pile, they start it on fire to burn it away. They usually bathe twice daily in a little bucket or pan, filled with water they have hauled from the nearest water source. We've watched them brush their teeth over the bucket and we will often see the mothers bathing their little ones in these buckets first thing in the morning. Again, it's not uncommon to see everyone, male and female going to the bathroom outside, anywhere. The children all go to school in their little uniforms that all match, spotlessly clean, and they leave very early--usually before 7 a.m. Then the women start their dinner by lighting a fire under a pile of rocks, on which they place a large pot filled with water. "Fufu" is the main meal, and it is made of plantain (green banana type stuff), cassava root, or yams which they pound to a pulp with little round mallets in wooden bowls. They pound it until the starch breaks down and forms a gooey, doughy ball. At dinner time, after the pot of water has been cooking all day and they have thrown everything and anything edible into the pot, it makes a stew. The fufu is then placed in the middle of the stew, uncooked, and the family sits around, and using two fingers, they scoop up a blob of the fufu and slop up the stew and eat it without chewing. We have not tried it yet, and I don't know if I will. The thoughts of sharing a stew with everyone's fingers in the same bowl doesn't quite set well, but all of the Elders love the stuff.
Elder Thayne has had to make quite an adjustment as he is left-handed and it is considered very offensive and rude to use your left hand to pass or receive anything or when shaking hands or eating. The left hand is reserved for going to the bathroom. Sometimes if you can find a public bathroom, few and far between, there is a little basket at the side of the toilet, and everyone throws their used toilet paper in the basket instead of flushing it.
Ghana is a very friendly place and it is considered rude not to address and say "Hello, how are you?" to everyone you encounter. Even in the market, one must greet the shopkeeper before asking any thing about an item or product. Many of the children have never seen a white person and just stare or are afraid. Now we know how handicapped people feel in the states -- the older people hurriedly look away, young people tend to ignore you, and the little children stare and giggle and laugh. We smile and talk to them all. Since we are about the only "obrunis" (white people) in town, everyone knows us and they all seem to know what we are doing and where we are going at any given time.
We are having a little trouble with the language. We thought it was English speaking but most Ghananian people in this part of the country speak Twi (pronounced Chwee). Their English is really broken and most of the time we get a combination of the two, with an English word thrown in every now and then. So far, we just have them slow down and repeat over and over again or use sign language until we understand.
The entire city is like one big swap meet, with little shops lining all the streets, selling whatever they can get their hands on for the day. Many times, they live in these little shacks. It's like a mini Dickens all over the city but their booths aren't quite as nice. Wednesdays are Market Day and it is an absolute zoo if you go anywhere near the market. There seem to be two main occupations: mini-shopkeeper and taxi driver. There are hundreds of taxis, everywhere, going every direction and honking incessantly. They break down often and then they just leave them in the middle of the road, or wherever, and other cars have to go around. The driving is CRAZY and Elder Thayne has done a remarkable job of figuring it out. We have only had one crash when he backed into a gate and smashed the rear tail-light.
Wash day is something to behold. They all wash in the little buckets and then hang the clothes on lines or wherever. It is amazing how clean and spotless they all look coming out of the little houses. Their clothing and appearance is very important and they all wear lovely gowns, some traditional African and some modern. Homes are not important, but the people are always spiffy and clean and well-groomed in the appearances.
Most of the people have no electricity and no indoor water. So after they sweep the garbage into a pile, they start it on fire to burn it away. They usually bathe twice daily in a little bucket or pan, filled with water they have hauled from the nearest water source. We've watched them brush their teeth over the bucket and we will often see the mothers bathing their little ones in these buckets first thing in the morning. Again, it's not uncommon to see everyone, male and female going to the bathroom outside, anywhere. The children all go to school in their little uniforms that all match, spotlessly clean, and they leave very early--usually before 7 a.m. Then the women start their dinner by lighting a fire under a pile of rocks, on which they place a large pot filled with water. "Fufu" is the main meal, and it is made of plantain (green banana type stuff), cassava root, or yams which they pound to a pulp with little round mallets in wooden bowls. They pound it until the starch breaks down and forms a gooey, doughy ball. At dinner time, after the pot of water has been cooking all day and they have thrown everything and anything edible into the pot, it makes a stew. The fufu is then placed in the middle of the stew, uncooked, and the family sits around, and using two fingers, they scoop up a blob of the fufu and slop up the stew and eat it without chewing. We have not tried it yet, and I don't know if I will. The thoughts of sharing a stew with everyone's fingers in the same bowl doesn't quite set well, but all of the Elders love the stuff.
Elder Thayne has had to make quite an adjustment as he is left-handed and it is considered very offensive and rude to use your left hand to pass or receive anything or when shaking hands or eating. The left hand is reserved for going to the bathroom. Sometimes if you can find a public bathroom, few and far between, there is a little basket at the side of the toilet, and everyone throws their used toilet paper in the basket instead of flushing it.
Ghana is a very friendly place and it is considered rude not to address and say "Hello, how are you?" to everyone you encounter. Even in the market, one must greet the shopkeeper before asking any thing about an item or product. Many of the children have never seen a white person and just stare or are afraid. Now we know how handicapped people feel in the states -- the older people hurriedly look away, young people tend to ignore you, and the little children stare and giggle and laugh. We smile and talk to them all. Since we are about the only "obrunis" (white people) in town, everyone knows us and they all seem to know what we are doing and where we are going at any given time.
We are having a little trouble with the language. We thought it was English speaking but most Ghananian people in this part of the country speak Twi (pronounced Chwee). Their English is really broken and most of the time we get a combination of the two, with an English word thrown in every now and then. So far, we just have them slow down and repeat over and over again or use sign language until we understand.
The entire city is like one big swap meet, with little shops lining all the streets, selling whatever they can get their hands on for the day. Many times, they live in these little shacks. It's like a mini Dickens all over the city but their booths aren't quite as nice. Wednesdays are Market Day and it is an absolute zoo if you go anywhere near the market. There seem to be two main occupations: mini-shopkeeper and taxi driver. There are hundreds of taxis, everywhere, going every direction and honking incessantly. They break down often and then they just leave them in the middle of the road, or wherever, and other cars have to go around. The driving is CRAZY and Elder Thayne has done a remarkable job of figuring it out. We have only had one crash when he backed into a gate and smashed the rear tail-light.
Wash day is something to behold. They all wash in the little buckets and then hang the clothes on lines or wherever. It is amazing how clean and spotless they all look coming out of the little houses. Their clothing and appearance is very important and they all wear lovely gowns, some traditional African and some modern. Homes are not important, but the people are always spiffy and clean and well-groomed in the appearances.
Friday, March 2, 2012
The Road to Sunyani - Culture Shock!
We awoke in the mission home to our first morning in Africa. After a quick breakfast, we loaded the little white truck we will be using for the next few months, and began the long journey into the heart of Africa. We will be serving in Ghana, in the little town of Sunyani, 8 hours from the mission home. We followed President and Sister Shulz as they led the way. Words cannot express the culture shock we were about to experience.
The road, the only road to Sunyani, is a small, two lane highway, sometimes pavement, sometimes dirt. All along, the road is filled with potholes, not the kind we are used to, but giant potholes, some the size of Volkswagen's. The cars all swerve to miss the potholes and it's really tricky if another car is coming the other way. There are no lanes -- everyone just drives where they want to go. Elder Thayne was very successful at playing "dodg'ems", but it was really scary at times. The road winds through the tropical rainforest and every now and then a little village appears. Small wooden or dirt shacks line the road and the people really stare as two cars with "obrunis" (white people) drive by.
There are no public restrooms in Ghana. It is very common, in fact a daily occurrence, to see men and even women, going to the bathroom at the side of the road. There are no garbage cans so litter is everywhere and when people are through using something, they just throw it on the ground. As we passed through each little village, we would notice the schools--open barack-type structures with no windows or doors, and all the children dressed alike. The boys as well as the girls have their hair buzzed and the only way to tell them apart is that the boys wear long shorts and the girls wear skirts.
The villages are truly dirty, but every person, adults and kids, are dressed immaculately and clean. I don't know how they emerge from a dirt shack, almost no bigger than a doghouse, and still look so clean. Everyone we saw as we drove along was spotlessly dressed.
The women in this country are incredible! They are always working. A typical Ghanaian woman wears a long, brightly colored and printed African robe, with her hair wrapped in a color-coordinated cloth. She has a small baby tied around her back with another long cloth and she is carrying a huge bundle of a variety of things (big things) on her head--and she is usually pregnant. Everyone carries everything on the head, from huge baskets of bananas, to almost the kitchen stove. They are truly a beautiful people with fine features and smooth skin. The way they carry their babies is truly ingenious. It allows both of their hands to be free, and the baby is comforted and happy on mommy's back. The US has really missed the boat not picking up on this invention! They can whip them on and off at a moment's notice. -- and the men -- they sit around and seem to do nothing.
We passed through countless little villages and finally arrived in Fumasi about 6 hours later and then met up with the Zolls who are the senior couple serving there. They are from the Pepperwood area in Salt Lake and the guys had even been snowmobiling together years ago. They will be our nearest American neighbors. We shopped a bit, because Sunyani has no meat or chicken that is edible and then began the last 2-3 hours of our journey. When we arrived at our compound that will be our home for the next few moths, all of the missionaries serving in Sunyani (10 of them) were there to welcome us. They have been in this little town with no support for the past 4 months, with just their bicycles and each other to rely on. The compound is surrounded with a 7 foot cement wall, topped with a 2 foot roll of barbed wire. You enter through a huge gate, that is locked at all times. The structure where we live is also cement, with iron bars covering all the windows and doors. Our living quarters are on one side and the chapel and classrooms are on the other. It's kind of like living in prison, but it is clean and we have air conditioning in two of the rooms.
We will be coordinating all of the missionary work in Sunyani and will be dealing with 3 Branches and one Group Unit and 10 Elders. Three of those missionaries are from the US, one from New Zealand, and the rest are from different countries in Africa. They said it would English-speaking, but we can't understand a word that's said and rely a lot on the American missionaries to translate.
The countryside is beautiful--much like Hawaii. The people are so poor, much poorer than anything we have seen in Mexico or other third-world counties, but they are happy and always smiling. The children are truly beautiful and everyone stares at us because there are no other white people here, but they are really friendly and try to make us feel welcome.
The road, the only road to Sunyani, is a small, two lane highway, sometimes pavement, sometimes dirt. All along, the road is filled with potholes, not the kind we are used to, but giant potholes, some the size of Volkswagen's. The cars all swerve to miss the potholes and it's really tricky if another car is coming the other way. There are no lanes -- everyone just drives where they want to go. Elder Thayne was very successful at playing "dodg'ems", but it was really scary at times. The road winds through the tropical rainforest and every now and then a little village appears. Small wooden or dirt shacks line the road and the people really stare as two cars with "obrunis" (white people) drive by.
There are no public restrooms in Ghana. It is very common, in fact a daily occurrence, to see men and even women, going to the bathroom at the side of the road. There are no garbage cans so litter is everywhere and when people are through using something, they just throw it on the ground. As we passed through each little village, we would notice the schools--open barack-type structures with no windows or doors, and all the children dressed alike. The boys as well as the girls have their hair buzzed and the only way to tell them apart is that the boys wear long shorts and the girls wear skirts.
The villages are truly dirty, but every person, adults and kids, are dressed immaculately and clean. I don't know how they emerge from a dirt shack, almost no bigger than a doghouse, and still look so clean. Everyone we saw as we drove along was spotlessly dressed.
The women in this country are incredible! They are always working. A typical Ghanaian woman wears a long, brightly colored and printed African robe, with her hair wrapped in a color-coordinated cloth. She has a small baby tied around her back with another long cloth and she is carrying a huge bundle of a variety of things (big things) on her head--and she is usually pregnant. Everyone carries everything on the head, from huge baskets of bananas, to almost the kitchen stove. They are truly a beautiful people with fine features and smooth skin. The way they carry their babies is truly ingenious. It allows both of their hands to be free, and the baby is comforted and happy on mommy's back. The US has really missed the boat not picking up on this invention! They can whip them on and off at a moment's notice. -- and the men -- they sit around and seem to do nothing.
We passed through countless little villages and finally arrived in Fumasi about 6 hours later and then met up with the Zolls who are the senior couple serving there. They are from the Pepperwood area in Salt Lake and the guys had even been snowmobiling together years ago. They will be our nearest American neighbors. We shopped a bit, because Sunyani has no meat or chicken that is edible and then began the last 2-3 hours of our journey. When we arrived at our compound that will be our home for the next few moths, all of the missionaries serving in Sunyani (10 of them) were there to welcome us. They have been in this little town with no support for the past 4 months, with just their bicycles and each other to rely on. The compound is surrounded with a 7 foot cement wall, topped with a 2 foot roll of barbed wire. You enter through a huge gate, that is locked at all times. The structure where we live is also cement, with iron bars covering all the windows and doors. Our living quarters are on one side and the chapel and classrooms are on the other. It's kind of like living in prison, but it is clean and we have air conditioning in two of the rooms.
We will be coordinating all of the missionary work in Sunyani and will be dealing with 3 Branches and one Group Unit and 10 Elders. Three of those missionaries are from the US, one from New Zealand, and the rest are from different countries in Africa. They said it would English-speaking, but we can't understand a word that's said and rely a lot on the American missionaries to translate.
The countryside is beautiful--much like Hawaii. The people are so poor, much poorer than anything we have seen in Mexico or other third-world counties, but they are happy and always smiling. The children are truly beautiful and everyone stares at us because there are no other white people here, but they are really friendly and try to make us feel welcome.
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