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.