The day had finally arrived. We had been trying to plan a trip with the Owusus to visit the Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary for weeks. We were so excited that we would be able to see some kind of African wildlife as opposed to goats and chickens. Lucy managed to get a day off work and we cleared our schedules so everything was set. We had to leave Sunyani by 5:00 a.m. in order to arrive in the little village of Fiema by 8:30 a.m., because the monkeys come out of the bush early each morning, then leave and go back into the jungle and return in the late afternoon. We weren't sure exactly how to get there so we wanted to leave early.
The day before we were to leave, the electrician (I use the term loosely) who was working on some of the apartments in our complex, crossed two wires or something, and blew up a transformer box and started a fire. He and David managed to get the fire out but it blew the entire complex. No power. They all think that's OK for us since we do have a back-up generator, but they don't realize you can't leave the generator going 24/7. Of course, no African male can ever admit he messed up, so they tried to blame the explosion on the food plant down the road. The food plant still had power and there were no problems there, so we were all pretty sure what truly happened. Long story short--no power--and it was hotter than blazes! We figured maybe they could get it fixed while we were gone to see the monkeys, so we just sweltered through that night.
About 1 in the morning I woke up to a weird noise. I went into the bathroom and one of the shower faucets in our walk-in shower had burst at the seam and was spewing water all over. Typical Africa. I woke Gary and we went out and turned off the water main to the apartment. No water. We were lucky we had showered and gotten somewhat ready the night before, because we had to leave by 4:30 a.m. to pickup Owusus by 5. We didn't want to wake everyone up at that hour so we just figured we'd go anyway and worry about it when we got back. Typical Africa.
We awoke to a really dense fog over the whole valley. Yaki was on Gatekeeper duty and he can't hear, so we just let ourselves out the gate and inched our way toward the Owusu home. The fog was so thick you could barely see the front of the truck, but we made it. Owusus brought along their grandson Chris, who is 12 and had never seen a monkey, so our adventure began.
We headed north and then had to turn off the main road. It was then over dirt roads and through little villages. Sometimes it was 4 wheel drive trauma and the fog and rain made it quite the ordeal. Owusu would ask at every village (in Twi) if we were headed right and the people directed us from one little town to the next. We would have never found it if Gary and I had tried it alone. We finally arrived at about 8:15 at a makeshift visitors' center. I don't think they really get many visitors. There was a rustic little gazebo and it wasn't time to leave yet, so Lucy pulled out breakfast. The lady is amazing. We had rice porridge, which tastes a lot like Cream-O-Wheat and Lucy pulled mangoes off the trees for us to eat. While we were waiting, we met a group of students from the US who are doing graduate and PhD work and staying at the sanctuary for 3 to 6 months.
A few monkeys began wandering through the center and around the gazebo. The sanctuary has two different kinds of monkeys; the mona monkeys who are usually shy but here they were quite friendly, and the black and white colobus monkeys who are much more timid and stay pretty much in the trees. The monkeys in these two little villages are considered sacred. In fact, it is the death penalty for anyone hurting a monkey. Because they have been so protected they have florished here. We had expected to see only a handful--boy, were we surprised!
After I fed one of the mona monkeys a mango, we were assigned a funny little guide named Edmund and we started our journey into the jungle. It was a narrow trail, through thick foilage, and all of a sudden, Edmund stopped, and pointed up. There were dozens of the most beautiful colobus monkeys in the trees right above our heads. They have the longest feathery white tails and they live in families. We were fortunate to be able to see them this close as Edmund explained that this was one of the largest families and that they usually hang out further in the trees.
The jungle trail was amazing and we passed huge ficus trees, some over 150 years old. We finally arrived in the little village. It was as if time had passed it by. There was so sign of any modern conveniences at all--only mud huts and village people working and monkeys EVERYWHERE! These were the mona monkeys and they scurried about, in and out of the huts, and around us and up trees. It was incredible!
Edmund explained that whenever a monkey (colobus or mona) is about to die, it goes into the village and dies there. The village people regard the monkeys' death like that of humans. They make a little casket, and have a funeral service and bury the monkey in the cemetary with the townsfolk. They even have little headstones. Edmund took us to the cemetary. He told us another strange occurance that takes place in Fiemo. Sometimes, the colobus monkeys come closer to the town and they howl from midnight until 4 every morning for seven days. At the end of the seventh day they quit and a person in the village dies. He says it happens every time someone dies and when the monkeys begin to howl, all the villagers look around and wonder who's going to expire.
Gary bought me a carved wooden rhino and Lucy a wooden beaded necklace and earrings from the only craftsperson in the whole town. I love it and it will always bring memories of this incredible day. The monkeys began going back into the jungle, so we decided to head back. As we were leaving we met a group of students, on the trail--young adults--who were on a retreat to the sanctuary. They immediately began swarming around me asking to have their photo with the obruni. At first I smiled and motioned it was alright. Then it got out of hand. I was literally mobbed! Dozens of young people pushing, shoving, trying to get in the picture. Now I know what J-Lo goes through on a small scale. The only difference is I don't get the big bucks that go along with the celebrity status. I learned that President Thayne was being mobbed as well. We finally were able to break away and retreated back to our truck and the Owusus.
The town of Kintampo was just about 30 minutes further north and they have a beautiful waterfall so we decided as long as we were this far, we ought to visit the falls. The Kintampo Falls are a series of three waterfalls, deep in the center of Ghana. They are really lovely and the third one has 152 steps that lead steeply down to where the water deposits at the bottom. I considered not attempting the descent (due to bad knees and a questionable hip), but I figured we were only going to be here once, so we went for it. It was beautiful and worth the steps, both down and back up. We stopped and ate lunch at some little chop bar. Lucy had fish fufu--what an experience. We made it back to Sunyani in time for a baptism--two young girls, 10 and 13. The electrician had jerry-rigged the power cables, so we have temporary power and we taped the faucet (Africa-style) until it can be replaced next week. All is well in Africa and our trip to the monkey sanctuary will always be fondly remembered and cherished.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Life is Good . . . Sometimes
We try to be positive and we really do have a lot to be thankful for. If you can look past the basic ramifications of living in a third world country, we truly are blessed and can find simple joys in simple things:
1. Our new apartment, though relatively small, is probably the nicest living quarters in all of Sunyani. It's brand new, has lovely marble tile floors throughout, a very large dining-living area, an office, a walk-in shower, and we even have a washer and dryer. We have hot water most of the time, not only in the shower, but in the kitchen as well (unheard of in Sunyani), and we have 3 air conditioners.
2. Unlike the first complex we lived in where I had to open and unlock and close the huge iron gates myself, as Gary drove the car in and out, here at our new place we have two gatekeepers. David and Yaki open the huge gate whenever we drive in and they even carry any groceries or bundles into the house for us, and they sweep our front verandah and talk "bikes" with President Thayne. They take turns staying here all night so we have 24 hour security. (Of course, Yaki is deaf, but it is comforting.)
3. We have a young man named Effah who helps us whenever needed -- and whatever is needed. He leaves work to help us and always smiles and even made an art easel for me to paint on.
4. Although we live on a dirt road, Gary has a car-boy (also named David) who washes and details our truck inside and out, like with a toothbrush. He comes every couple of days or whenever needed, spends 2-3 hours cleaning it, won't take pay, and is at Gary's beck and call. We usually try to slip him 5 cedis for food.
5. We are literally treated like celebrities wherever we go. Everyone knows us and loves it if we even say hi or acknowledge them. We are always given chairs wherever we go and are always pushed to the front of any line wherever we go.
6. Everyone always wants to say hello to the "Muh-dom" (Madame). They always inquire about how I am or say, "Give my best to Muh-dom." They truly revere and respect and love older women and me being white even seems to elevate the position.
7. President Owusu is our guardian angel. He is anywhere and everywhere. The other day when the ATM failed to give us our cash, we didn't know what to do. I turned around and there was Owusu, and we were on the other side of town. He took us into the main branch of that ATM's bank which was back in the center of Sunyani. We never would have found it. When we walked in, there were six lines of about 20 people deep behind every teller. He just marched us up to the front, introduced us to the bank manager and we had it all cleared up in just a few minutes.
8. Although there are bars and gates on all the windows and doors, we have never felt threatened or in danger at any time. The people are truly very poor, but they are loving and kind and generous and accepting in every way. It makes it easier to overlook the primitive conditions and concentrate on helping them.
1. Our new apartment, though relatively small, is probably the nicest living quarters in all of Sunyani. It's brand new, has lovely marble tile floors throughout, a very large dining-living area, an office, a walk-in shower, and we even have a washer and dryer. We have hot water most of the time, not only in the shower, but in the kitchen as well (unheard of in Sunyani), and we have 3 air conditioners.
2. Unlike the first complex we lived in where I had to open and unlock and close the huge iron gates myself, as Gary drove the car in and out, here at our new place we have two gatekeepers. David and Yaki open the huge gate whenever we drive in and they even carry any groceries or bundles into the house for us, and they sweep our front verandah and talk "bikes" with President Thayne. They take turns staying here all night so we have 24 hour security. (Of course, Yaki is deaf, but it is comforting.)
3. We have a young man named Effah who helps us whenever needed -- and whatever is needed. He leaves work to help us and always smiles and even made an art easel for me to paint on.
4. Although we live on a dirt road, Gary has a car-boy (also named David) who washes and details our truck inside and out, like with a toothbrush. He comes every couple of days or whenever needed, spends 2-3 hours cleaning it, won't take pay, and is at Gary's beck and call. We usually try to slip him 5 cedis for food.
5. We are literally treated like celebrities wherever we go. Everyone knows us and loves it if we even say hi or acknowledge them. We are always given chairs wherever we go and are always pushed to the front of any line wherever we go.
6. Everyone always wants to say hello to the "Muh-dom" (Madame). They always inquire about how I am or say, "Give my best to Muh-dom." They truly revere and respect and love older women and me being white even seems to elevate the position.
7. President Owusu is our guardian angel. He is anywhere and everywhere. The other day when the ATM failed to give us our cash, we didn't know what to do. I turned around and there was Owusu, and we were on the other side of town. He took us into the main branch of that ATM's bank which was back in the center of Sunyani. We never would have found it. When we walked in, there were six lines of about 20 people deep behind every teller. He just marched us up to the front, introduced us to the bank manager and we had it all cleared up in just a few minutes.
8. Although there are bars and gates on all the windows and doors, we have never felt threatened or in danger at any time. The people are truly very poor, but they are loving and kind and generous and accepting in every way. It makes it easier to overlook the primitive conditions and concentrate on helping them.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
A Great Day for Sunyani!
On May 6, 2012, the town of Sunyani deep in the rainforest of Ghana officially was designated a district by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Sunyani is the capital of the Brong-Ahafo Region and has about 150,000 (or more?) residents. The Church opened up Sunyani to missionaries about a year and a half ago and it now has three branches and one unit which will become a branch in the very near future. The members are very humble and dedicated and have been praying for this recognition.
The Area Conference where the announcement was made was held at the Nkwabeng Chapel. Members had been working diligently to have everything cleaned and perfect for the celebration. Four huge tents were ordered to be set up in the courtyard and parking area for shade and chairs and extra hymnbooks were hauled in from other chapels.
The day before and set up progressed as "typical Africa". The tents were supposed to arrive and be erected by 4 p.m. on Saturday. At 7 p.m. there were still no sign of the tents and no one could be reached by telephone. Then the call came that they couldn't be set up until the next morning. That was entirely not suitable as the conference started at 10 a.m. and tents and chairs would not be up in time. The Elders hopped in our truck and off we went to find out what the problem was or to possibly get another tent source. As we were on our way, they called and said they were coming after all so we turned back to Nkwabeng to wait for them. They finally arrived and the four huge tents were erected. It took until after 10:30 p.m. so it was good that we hadn't tried to get it done in the morning. We double-checked the sound system and made certain all was working perfectly. We set the chairs for the congregation under the tent canopies and had the speakers and the podium under the porch overhang. The weather was looking a little ominous but President Owusu said he thought it would be alright so we finally all locked up and went home.
Events in Africa happen so strangely. During the middle of the night, President Owusu was prompted to get up and go to the Chapel which is about a block from his home. He thought he was worried about the rain and didn't know why, but he moved the speakers, sound board and all the electronic equipment from the porch into the main chapel, secured the doors, and went home and back to bed. The next morning when we arrived early, we found that the barbed wire perimeter around the compound had been cut and burglers had invaded the grounds. They tried to break into the President's office, the Chapel, as well as the clerks' office and got nothing. Had President Owusu not heeded his prompting, the sound system would have been stolen and the conference could not have gone on.
The day was incredible! The weather was just perfect--a little cooler than usual. Each of the Branch Presidents spoke and then Gary was put in and sustained as the first District President of the Sunyani Ghana District. There were over 200 people in attendance and when our ten Elders and President Shulz (Mission President) and President Thayne stood and sang "Ye Elders of Israel" there was not a dry eye. President Shulz and Sister Shulz and Gary and I all spoke and it was truly a beautiful morning. These people are so loving and humble and dedicated. Only a couple have cars so they all had to pay for taxis to transport them to the conference which is a huge deal as many don't even have enough money for dinner that night. They are truly amazing! With this new designation we can move forward with training and lessons and helping them learn the Gospel as they continue to grow.
We are now beginning to understand why we have been sent to Sunyani.
The Area Conference where the announcement was made was held at the Nkwabeng Chapel. Members had been working diligently to have everything cleaned and perfect for the celebration. Four huge tents were ordered to be set up in the courtyard and parking area for shade and chairs and extra hymnbooks were hauled in from other chapels.
The day before and set up progressed as "typical Africa". The tents were supposed to arrive and be erected by 4 p.m. on Saturday. At 7 p.m. there were still no sign of the tents and no one could be reached by telephone. Then the call came that they couldn't be set up until the next morning. That was entirely not suitable as the conference started at 10 a.m. and tents and chairs would not be up in time. The Elders hopped in our truck and off we went to find out what the problem was or to possibly get another tent source. As we were on our way, they called and said they were coming after all so we turned back to Nkwabeng to wait for them. They finally arrived and the four huge tents were erected. It took until after 10:30 p.m. so it was good that we hadn't tried to get it done in the morning. We double-checked the sound system and made certain all was working perfectly. We set the chairs for the congregation under the tent canopies and had the speakers and the podium under the porch overhang. The weather was looking a little ominous but President Owusu said he thought it would be alright so we finally all locked up and went home.
Events in Africa happen so strangely. During the middle of the night, President Owusu was prompted to get up and go to the Chapel which is about a block from his home. He thought he was worried about the rain and didn't know why, but he moved the speakers, sound board and all the electronic equipment from the porch into the main chapel, secured the doors, and went home and back to bed. The next morning when we arrived early, we found that the barbed wire perimeter around the compound had been cut and burglers had invaded the grounds. They tried to break into the President's office, the Chapel, as well as the clerks' office and got nothing. Had President Owusu not heeded his prompting, the sound system would have been stolen and the conference could not have gone on.
The day was incredible! The weather was just perfect--a little cooler than usual. Each of the Branch Presidents spoke and then Gary was put in and sustained as the first District President of the Sunyani Ghana District. There were over 200 people in attendance and when our ten Elders and President Shulz (Mission President) and President Thayne stood and sang "Ye Elders of Israel" there was not a dry eye. President Shulz and Sister Shulz and Gary and I all spoke and it was truly a beautiful morning. These people are so loving and humble and dedicated. Only a couple have cars so they all had to pay for taxis to transport them to the conference which is a huge deal as many don't even have enough money for dinner that night. They are truly amazing! With this new designation we can move forward with training and lessons and helping them learn the Gospel as they continue to grow.
We are now beginning to understand why we have been sent to Sunyani.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Kathie's Birthday
Happy Birthday, we love you!!!
Sunday, May 13, 2012
The Crazy One
Wandering the streets of Sunyani is a young man everyone refers to a "the crazy one". He is very dark, with a slight build, yet sinewy and slender. He has a wild mane of hair that resembles Bob Marley's dredlocks that have been through a windstorm. His eyes are distant and he usually carries either a small rag or a small black plastic bag. He is completely naked--not a stitch of clothes. We see him everywhere -- downtown, on the side of the road, sitting on a curb, under a tree or simply walking down the road.
I am told he was a brilliant young college student who got caught up in the drug scene and literally fried his brain. Now he wanders, homeless, naked and always alone. I immediately began a crusade to "help" the crazy one. I was discussing all of the things we needed to do with the missionaries, when our Elder McFarland from New Zealand interupted. Elder McFarland is huge, well over 6 feet, islander-looking young man , who has a quick wit, doesn't say much, but when he does, everyone listens.
"Sistuh Thayne," he began, "what is it you want to do?" I explained that we needed to get him a place to live, and make certain he has food and get him some clothes. "Sistuh Thayne", he said again. "This fella's a happy soul. All of the people give him food every day. He doesn't have to work. He doesn't care about a house."
"But we need to get him some clothes and help him," I interjected.
"Why?"
"So he won't get cold", and then I stopped and realized how absolutely stupid I sounded. It's for certain the crazy one will never freeze to death or even be cold in Sunyani. It's always 85 to 88 degrees, and not much cooler at night. He seems totally contented with his lot in life and the people on the street don't even seem to notice his nakedness. Perhaps he is happy as Elder McFarland observed. I am learning that not everyone in the world marches to the same drummer, and maybe that's OK. Now, whenever we pass the crazy one, I don't even mind the nudity, and I just smile and hope that he is truly happy today.
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I am told he was a brilliant young college student who got caught up in the drug scene and literally fried his brain. Now he wanders, homeless, naked and always alone. I immediately began a crusade to "help" the crazy one. I was discussing all of the things we needed to do with the missionaries, when our Elder McFarland from New Zealand interupted. Elder McFarland is huge, well over 6 feet, islander-looking young man , who has a quick wit, doesn't say much, but when he does, everyone listens.
"Sistuh Thayne," he began, "what is it you want to do?" I explained that we needed to get him a place to live, and make certain he has food and get him some clothes. "Sistuh Thayne", he said again. "This fella's a happy soul. All of the people give him food every day. He doesn't have to work. He doesn't care about a house."
"But we need to get him some clothes and help him," I interjected.
"Why?"
"So he won't get cold", and then I stopped and realized how absolutely stupid I sounded. It's for certain the crazy one will never freeze to death or even be cold in Sunyani. It's always 85 to 88 degrees, and not much cooler at night. He seems totally contented with his lot in life and the people on the street don't even seem to notice his nakedness. Perhaps he is happy as Elder McFarland observed. I am learning that not everyone in the world marches to the same drummer, and maybe that's OK. Now, whenever we pass the crazy one, I don't even mind the nudity, and I just smile and hope that he is truly happy today.
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Sandals - A Different Perspective
My feet ached and as I sank into the chair at the side of the bed I looked down at my dirty, dusty toes engulfed in my equally dirty and dusty sandals. It had been an uneventful day -- just the usual power outages, traffic nightmares, the endless errands, and then the foraging for food for the night's meal. As I slipped those now priceless Walmart-special sandals off, I remembered reading about how Christ had washed the dirty, dusty feet of His disciples and the strangest thoughts flooded my mind.
If you could take away the hundreds of honking taxis and the cell phones (which every African, rich or poor, has) this little city of Sunyani would be very much like Israel at the time of Christ. Most of the streets are dirt and the people live for the moment, consumed with the prospect of what they are going to eat that night. The largest number of the population live in wooden shacks or unfinished cement structures much like old Jerusalem. There are no newspapers, street signs or addresses. Hundreds of little roadside shops are found on every street and corner, where they sell everything imaginable from produce to household goods to crude tools and anything else they can barter or trade for, as they probably did during the life of Jesus. There were no public restrooms in old Israel as well and the people then would have had to use the great outdoors, just like in Sunyani.
People walk everywhere and chickens and goats are found wandering on every street corner and at every intersection. Women, and some men as well, carry huge loads of anything imaginable here and there, from place to place. The Africans have never heard of flashlights (or at least they don't use them) and because it's cooler at night, adults as well as little children all come out after dark like cockroaches, scurrying about in the dark. It's terrifying to drive after the sun goes down because the town and all the streets are even busier than during the day and it's almost impossible to see them all until they're really close.
Most of the residents of Sunyani don't have electricity or indoor water. They cook outside over open firepits and haul water from wells for cooking and bathing as well. Where you live and the condition of your home is absolutely not even considered in their value system and no matter how humble your circumstances, strangers are always invited in and there's never any embarrassment. They are warm, loving and generous, and will share their fufu, even if it's the last food they have. We have never felt threatened in any way, but many do have a tendancy to steal if things are left out.
Life in Sunyani is primitive for the most part, and probably much like old Israel in many ways. The comparison was just a little too similar...and a little eerie. It was as if, just for a moment, I had slipped back in time -- back some 2,000 years. And then reality set in, and I got up and went and washed my dusty feet.
If you could take away the hundreds of honking taxis and the cell phones (which every African, rich or poor, has) this little city of Sunyani would be very much like Israel at the time of Christ. Most of the streets are dirt and the people live for the moment, consumed with the prospect of what they are going to eat that night. The largest number of the population live in wooden shacks or unfinished cement structures much like old Jerusalem. There are no newspapers, street signs or addresses. Hundreds of little roadside shops are found on every street and corner, where they sell everything imaginable from produce to household goods to crude tools and anything else they can barter or trade for, as they probably did during the life of Jesus. There were no public restrooms in old Israel as well and the people then would have had to use the great outdoors, just like in Sunyani.
People walk everywhere and chickens and goats are found wandering on every street corner and at every intersection. Women, and some men as well, carry huge loads of anything imaginable here and there, from place to place. The Africans have never heard of flashlights (or at least they don't use them) and because it's cooler at night, adults as well as little children all come out after dark like cockroaches, scurrying about in the dark. It's terrifying to drive after the sun goes down because the town and all the streets are even busier than during the day and it's almost impossible to see them all until they're really close.
Most of the residents of Sunyani don't have electricity or indoor water. They cook outside over open firepits and haul water from wells for cooking and bathing as well. Where you live and the condition of your home is absolutely not even considered in their value system and no matter how humble your circumstances, strangers are always invited in and there's never any embarrassment. They are warm, loving and generous, and will share their fufu, even if it's the last food they have. We have never felt threatened in any way, but many do have a tendancy to steal if things are left out.
Life in Sunyani is primitive for the most part, and probably much like old Israel in many ways. The comparison was just a little too similar...and a little eerie. It was as if, just for a moment, I had slipped back in time -- back some 2,000 years. And then reality set in, and I got up and went and washed my dusty feet.
Monday, May 7, 2012
The Road To Accra
We left at 6:00 a.m. to meet the Zolls in Kumasi and then make the journey to Accra. The Zolls are the senior missionary couple serving in Kumasi, 2 1/2 hours away from us and our nearest American neighbors. We really enjoy their company, have lots in common as they live in Pepperwood in Sandy in the same stake we lived in. Our children were even friends and Gary and Bud Zoll even went snowmobiling together years ago. They had two of their grandchildren, Lexie (19) and Taylor (17), flying into Accra to spend the week and experience a little of West African life. Because the road conditions are so horrific, they asked us to follow them in our car to Accra (usually from 6-8 hours away). We felt it would be good for us to learn the way and a change of scenery sounded fun. It ended up being a great adventure in many ways.
We arrived in Kumasi, the second largest city in Ghana, with a population of 1 1/2 to 2 million people, a little after 8:00 a.m. and found ourselves in the middle of their construction area. They are attempting to build several roads in Kumasi and a freeway from Kumasi to Accra, the largest city in Ghana, which has over 3 million people and is about 6-8 hours away. When they build these roads, they just plow the area for the road, usually at least 4 lanes wide, but then they don't arrange for any detours or signage or anything, so it is just anything goes. Hundreds of cars and taxis go any which way, across traffic, on the wrong side of the road, whatever. It's absolute CRAZY! Kumasi is noted for its horrific drivers and traffic, and we found this reputation to be well-deserved. It began to rain just as we hit the dirt road and when it rains in Africa, it doesn't rain in drops, but in sheets, and then to make matters worse, there are hundreds and hundreds of people walking everywhere. We finally hooked up with the Zolls and followed them out of town. They have been in Ghana and Kumasi for about a year and Bud is pretty wired on how to get around.
About 2 hours from Kumasi, the inevitible happened. Zoll's car overheated in a small village in the rain. Immediately about 8 helpful Africans swarmed the car to give their "expert" help, all saying they were all mechanics. We let it cool off and then the Africans filled the radiator with rain water. Zoll had recently had his air conditioning fixed and they had forgotten to refill the water. Typical Africa! We were almost ready to pull back out onto the road, when a car and truck collided in a huge crash. Luckily, we don't think anyone was hurt and the crash was just behind where we were pulled off, so we were able to continue. If it had been a few hundred feet the other way, we would have been stuck there for hours.
The roads are generally 2 lane, connecting one little village with another. We would drive 100 miles per hour and then find ourselves stopped dead in our tracks for up to an hour. Every little village has speed bumps and the cars have to slow down when they go through the towns--not a bad idea. To make things worse, it was a Wednesday, which is market day in Ghana and EVERYONE for miles around each little town goes to market day and buys, sells, or just hangs out. Zoll led us up over the mountains and not through the freeway construction which goes on for some 50 miles and takes literally hours longer, though it covers a much shorter distance. Some of the country in the mountains was absolutely beautiful and the little villages and their market days were quite interesting and quaint.
We finally arrived in Accra, to more construction and chaos and it took another 1 1/2 hours to inch our way through the city to the temple grounds. We ended up staying right on the temple grounds in these little dorms they have for people coming to go to the temple. The grounds are absolutely gorgeous and it seems like an island of peace just off the busy streets. The dorms have 3 bunkbeds in a room, but they each have their own bathroom and the price is right -- 6 cedis per night (about $4.20). It was great to see some white people and be able to actually converse with them without asking them to repeat everything. Everyone was so gracious and we actually ran into several of the General Authorites who were there in Accra for a conference. In fact, we actually saaw the Elder Evans and his wife, who live in our ward in St. George--it was great but made us homesick!
We spent the next day shopping for American food and things we can't buy in Sunyani. Accra is quite modern and they have a few shopping malls and even a KFC (which we ate at twice!). We visited the "Pit", a crafty type place and Elder Thayne ordered and purchase a few hand-carved wooden items. Their little workshops are amazing and their tools are something out of the dark ages. Friday morning we went to the temple, met the Temple President and had a short tour. The spirit of the people and the building were incredible and the workmanship was beautiful.
Just a little way down the road from the temple, the street is lined with huge trees. Hanging from the tops of these trees are the "vampire bats." They are brown in color and about the size of a large cat or small dog. They hang and sleep all day (very visable) and at 6 p.m. every night they take off in in swarms like a large brown cloud to go out looking for bugs. It's an amazing sight and a little eerie to say the least!
We met up with Dr. Fife and his wife (delightful people from Montana). They are here to handle the medical needs for all the missionaries in West Africa which is a super-human job. She is a hair-dresser and cut Bonnie's hair and evened up Gary's hair where I had somewhat scalped him the week before. We went with them to the Mall for dinner that night.
The next morning, it was off to the airport to pick up the grandkids. Zoll is such a crazy guy. He slipped the cop at the airport 5 cedis to pretend to arrest his grandkids as they got off the plane (after a 20 hour flight!). Bonnie and I didn't think it was a bit funny, but it turned out that the kids were so tired, they didn't even get the implications and just stared at him. It was exciting seeing them hug the kids; I certainly miss our grandkids SOOO much, but of course they are much too little to make a trip like that, let alone understand or appreciate the experience. We ate KFC again in the car and started our journey back. The kids were in shock as we sped through the countryside. Taylor couldn't get over seeing everyone just going to the bathroom anywhere and everywhere. The markets were entertaining and we even bought a few bananas as we were stopped in traffic.
The trip home was pure anxiety! The traffic was terrible--white knuckle the whole way--barely missing people and cars for a full 10 sweaty hours! It got dark as we entered Kumasi (nightmare city) and to make matters even worse, lots of the Africans don't turn on their car lights at night. I guess they think it's going to wear them out or something. You'll be going along or passing a car and all of a sudden, a car looms in front of you with no headlights. It's terrifying! We left Zolls and inched our way in the dark back to Sunyani and got home a little after 10:30 p.m. It took over 10 hours to drive 300 miles (like going to Las Vegas and back from St. George)! Gary said as we were driving back, "I can't wait to get back to our little Sunyani!"
The next day, Zolls took their grandkids to a little town named Bibioni where they baptised 42 people again in a little river behind the church. Taylor got to perform a few of the baptisms. What a great experience for that young man!
We arrived in Kumasi, the second largest city in Ghana, with a population of 1 1/2 to 2 million people, a little after 8:00 a.m. and found ourselves in the middle of their construction area. They are attempting to build several roads in Kumasi and a freeway from Kumasi to Accra, the largest city in Ghana, which has over 3 million people and is about 6-8 hours away. When they build these roads, they just plow the area for the road, usually at least 4 lanes wide, but then they don't arrange for any detours or signage or anything, so it is just anything goes. Hundreds of cars and taxis go any which way, across traffic, on the wrong side of the road, whatever. It's absolute CRAZY! Kumasi is noted for its horrific drivers and traffic, and we found this reputation to be well-deserved. It began to rain just as we hit the dirt road and when it rains in Africa, it doesn't rain in drops, but in sheets, and then to make matters worse, there are hundreds and hundreds of people walking everywhere. We finally hooked up with the Zolls and followed them out of town. They have been in Ghana and Kumasi for about a year and Bud is pretty wired on how to get around.
About 2 hours from Kumasi, the inevitible happened. Zoll's car overheated in a small village in the rain. Immediately about 8 helpful Africans swarmed the car to give their "expert" help, all saying they were all mechanics. We let it cool off and then the Africans filled the radiator with rain water. Zoll had recently had his air conditioning fixed and they had forgotten to refill the water. Typical Africa! We were almost ready to pull back out onto the road, when a car and truck collided in a huge crash. Luckily, we don't think anyone was hurt and the crash was just behind where we were pulled off, so we were able to continue. If it had been a few hundred feet the other way, we would have been stuck there for hours.
The roads are generally 2 lane, connecting one little village with another. We would drive 100 miles per hour and then find ourselves stopped dead in our tracks for up to an hour. Every little village has speed bumps and the cars have to slow down when they go through the towns--not a bad idea. To make things worse, it was a Wednesday, which is market day in Ghana and EVERYONE for miles around each little town goes to market day and buys, sells, or just hangs out. Zoll led us up over the mountains and not through the freeway construction which goes on for some 50 miles and takes literally hours longer, though it covers a much shorter distance. Some of the country in the mountains was absolutely beautiful and the little villages and their market days were quite interesting and quaint.
We finally arrived in Accra, to more construction and chaos and it took another 1 1/2 hours to inch our way through the city to the temple grounds. We ended up staying right on the temple grounds in these little dorms they have for people coming to go to the temple. The grounds are absolutely gorgeous and it seems like an island of peace just off the busy streets. The dorms have 3 bunkbeds in a room, but they each have their own bathroom and the price is right -- 6 cedis per night (about $4.20). It was great to see some white people and be able to actually converse with them without asking them to repeat everything. Everyone was so gracious and we actually ran into several of the General Authorites who were there in Accra for a conference. In fact, we actually saaw the Elder Evans and his wife, who live in our ward in St. George--it was great but made us homesick!
We spent the next day shopping for American food and things we can't buy in Sunyani. Accra is quite modern and they have a few shopping malls and even a KFC (which we ate at twice!). We visited the "Pit", a crafty type place and Elder Thayne ordered and purchase a few hand-carved wooden items. Their little workshops are amazing and their tools are something out of the dark ages. Friday morning we went to the temple, met the Temple President and had a short tour. The spirit of the people and the building were incredible and the workmanship was beautiful.
Just a little way down the road from the temple, the street is lined with huge trees. Hanging from the tops of these trees are the "vampire bats." They are brown in color and about the size of a large cat or small dog. They hang and sleep all day (very visable) and at 6 p.m. every night they take off in in swarms like a large brown cloud to go out looking for bugs. It's an amazing sight and a little eerie to say the least!
We met up with Dr. Fife and his wife (delightful people from Montana). They are here to handle the medical needs for all the missionaries in West Africa which is a super-human job. She is a hair-dresser and cut Bonnie's hair and evened up Gary's hair where I had somewhat scalped him the week before. We went with them to the Mall for dinner that night.
The next morning, it was off to the airport to pick up the grandkids. Zoll is such a crazy guy. He slipped the cop at the airport 5 cedis to pretend to arrest his grandkids as they got off the plane (after a 20 hour flight!). Bonnie and I didn't think it was a bit funny, but it turned out that the kids were so tired, they didn't even get the implications and just stared at him. It was exciting seeing them hug the kids; I certainly miss our grandkids SOOO much, but of course they are much too little to make a trip like that, let alone understand or appreciate the experience. We ate KFC again in the car and started our journey back. The kids were in shock as we sped through the countryside. Taylor couldn't get over seeing everyone just going to the bathroom anywhere and everywhere. The markets were entertaining and we even bought a few bananas as we were stopped in traffic.
The trip home was pure anxiety! The traffic was terrible--white knuckle the whole way--barely missing people and cars for a full 10 sweaty hours! It got dark as we entered Kumasi (nightmare city) and to make matters even worse, lots of the Africans don't turn on their car lights at night. I guess they think it's going to wear them out or something. You'll be going along or passing a car and all of a sudden, a car looms in front of you with no headlights. It's terrifying! We left Zolls and inched our way in the dark back to Sunyani and got home a little after 10:30 p.m. It took over 10 hours to drive 300 miles (like going to Las Vegas and back from St. George)! Gary said as we were driving back, "I can't wait to get back to our little Sunyani!"
The next day, Zolls took their grandkids to a little town named Bibioni where they baptised 42 people again in a little river behind the church. Taylor got to perform a few of the baptisms. What a great experience for that young man!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
HAPPINESS IS........
1. Not having your garments stick to your skin at the end of the day!
2. Having one of the African Elders say thank you!
3. Watching the little African children play!
4. Not finding any bugs in our running shoes before our morning walk!
5. Living in Sunyani instead of Accra or Kumasi!
6. Watching Elder Thayne's face light up and his entire attitude change as soon as his boy David finishes cleaning his car!
7. Listening to the rain fall on our tin roof!
8. Having the wind blow the charcoal lady's smoke away from our house instead of toward it!
9. Listening to President Owusu laugh!
10. Going even one day without the power failing!
11. A sweet, ripe Ghanaian pineapple!
12. Dora, the egg lady, bringing us eggs!
13. Driving into town and just once, not seeing anyone going to the bathroom on the side of the road!
14. Not having to wash EVERYTHING that comes into the house in clorox!
15. Not sharing our bathroom with bugs!
16. Talking with our grandkids on the phone!
17. Watching the goats play "King of the Hill" on dirt piles, logs, fences or anything they can climb up on!
18. Watching Elder Thayne rediscover his amazing artistic talents!
19. Driving all the way to, around, and back from Accra and then through Kumasi without a single scrape or fender-bender! (a MIRACLE in itself!)
20. Having healthy, happy, and exhausted Elders!
21. Watching every baptism and feeling that incredible spirit as they emerge from the water!
and.................
Going to bed every night knowing that perhaps today, we might have made a small difference for the better in some African person's life!
2. Having one of the African Elders say thank you!
3. Watching the little African children play!
4. Not finding any bugs in our running shoes before our morning walk!
5. Living in Sunyani instead of Accra or Kumasi!
6. Watching Elder Thayne's face light up and his entire attitude change as soon as his boy David finishes cleaning his car!
7. Listening to the rain fall on our tin roof!
8. Having the wind blow the charcoal lady's smoke away from our house instead of toward it!
9. Listening to President Owusu laugh!
10. Going even one day without the power failing!
11. A sweet, ripe Ghanaian pineapple!
12. Dora, the egg lady, bringing us eggs!
13. Driving into town and just once, not seeing anyone going to the bathroom on the side of the road!
14. Not having to wash EVERYTHING that comes into the house in clorox!
15. Not sharing our bathroom with bugs!
16. Talking with our grandkids on the phone!
17. Watching the goats play "King of the Hill" on dirt piles, logs, fences or anything they can climb up on!
18. Watching Elder Thayne rediscover his amazing artistic talents!
19. Driving all the way to, around, and back from Accra and then through Kumasi without a single scrape or fender-bender! (a MIRACLE in itself!)
20. Having healthy, happy, and exhausted Elders!
21. Watching every baptism and feeling that incredible spirit as they emerge from the water!
and.................
Going to bed every night knowing that perhaps today, we might have made a small difference for the better in some African person's life!
Sunyani Hospital
One of our Elders, a very strong, Nigerian young man named Obasi, has been suffering from a very sore knee for several weeks. He didn't want us to think he was wimpy (unlike most of the African Elders who whine and are wimpy about any little ailment), so he didn't tell us until it was really apparent that it was affecting his work. After consulting with the area doctor in Accra, Dr. Fife, we decided to take him to the Sunyani hospital for X-Rays and tests. Dr. Fife warned me that this would be a full day or even full two days.
Lucky for us, President Owusu's wife Lucy, has worked at the hospital for over 40 years. We truly know how connected that man is and how blessed we are to have him as our earthly African guardian angel. Lucy went with us to the hospital, early on Monday morning. I was not prepared for what we encountered. The hospital is very large, clean, and single story, much like about 14 army barracks hooked together with walkways. The main entry hall is huge, filled with hundreds of chairs for waiting, and when we arrived at 7:30 am, EVERY chair was taken and hundreds of people were standing as well, waiting to be seen, even out in the parking lot. It was unbelievable! Of course we were the only obrunis in the whole hospital, but Lucy marched us right up to the front desk and checked in Elder Obasi. Because Ghana is a cash only society, everyone must pay for their service before anything happens. On the average, you go to pay before each station, sometimes 5 or 6 times. Every barracks-type buidling is for a different department or service, so you pay again. Lucy streamlined us through the entire myriad of departments. If we had gone alone, I'm certain we would have still been waiting in the parking lot.
The entire scene was heartbreaking: Young mothers holding their sick little babies; old men barely walking with canes; young pregnant mothers; it went on and on. While we were waiting for the X-Ray, we couldn't help but notice a young boy, maybe 12 or 13, who had perhaps been in a serious accident some time ago. His entire left side was disfigured and his left arm was scraped away to the bone and was in a filthy cast. His left leg was about the size of a five-year old's, and was horribly deformed. His older brother was helping him and was so kind and gentle. It was humbling to say at the least. It made us feel terribly guilty as we looked around and saw so many others who needed treatment so much more urgently than we did, and yet we were being shuffled through ahead of them all.
They decided to try some prescriptions and physical therapy on Elder Obasi instead of surgery, which we were truly grateful for, and as we waited for his first consultation, we watched them work with a tiny girl, maybe five, who had had some kind of brain operation, as she had a huge scar across her head. They were encouraging her to push a walker, to make her use her legs, and she did not want any part of it. She would scream at the top of her lungs, and her grandmother, who was with her was so patient and loving, and they just kept working and encouraging her amidst the screams.
Lucy took us on a tour of the hospital while Elder Obasi waited for his prescriptions to be filled. It was amazing to see how well it was laid out and how clean it was. And yet......Elder Thayne and I both said, if we have to go to the hospital, it's on a plane and back to the USA and Dr. Lambert we go. As we left the hospital, in record time, several hours later, we couldn't help but notice that there were still hundreds of people waiting in that first area.
Lucky for us, President Owusu's wife Lucy, has worked at the hospital for over 40 years. We truly know how connected that man is and how blessed we are to have him as our earthly African guardian angel. Lucy went with us to the hospital, early on Monday morning. I was not prepared for what we encountered. The hospital is very large, clean, and single story, much like about 14 army barracks hooked together with walkways. The main entry hall is huge, filled with hundreds of chairs for waiting, and when we arrived at 7:30 am, EVERY chair was taken and hundreds of people were standing as well, waiting to be seen, even out in the parking lot. It was unbelievable! Of course we were the only obrunis in the whole hospital, but Lucy marched us right up to the front desk and checked in Elder Obasi. Because Ghana is a cash only society, everyone must pay for their service before anything happens. On the average, you go to pay before each station, sometimes 5 or 6 times. Every barracks-type buidling is for a different department or service, so you pay again. Lucy streamlined us through the entire myriad of departments. If we had gone alone, I'm certain we would have still been waiting in the parking lot.
The entire scene was heartbreaking: Young mothers holding their sick little babies; old men barely walking with canes; young pregnant mothers; it went on and on. While we were waiting for the X-Ray, we couldn't help but notice a young boy, maybe 12 or 13, who had perhaps been in a serious accident some time ago. His entire left side was disfigured and his left arm was scraped away to the bone and was in a filthy cast. His left leg was about the size of a five-year old's, and was horribly deformed. His older brother was helping him and was so kind and gentle. It was humbling to say at the least. It made us feel terribly guilty as we looked around and saw so many others who needed treatment so much more urgently than we did, and yet we were being shuffled through ahead of them all.
They decided to try some prescriptions and physical therapy on Elder Obasi instead of surgery, which we were truly grateful for, and as we waited for his first consultation, we watched them work with a tiny girl, maybe five, who had had some kind of brain operation, as she had a huge scar across her head. They were encouraging her to push a walker, to make her use her legs, and she did not want any part of it. She would scream at the top of her lungs, and her grandmother, who was with her was so patient and loving, and they just kept working and encouraging her amidst the screams.
Lucy took us on a tour of the hospital while Elder Obasi waited for his prescriptions to be filled. It was amazing to see how well it was laid out and how clean it was. And yet......Elder Thayne and I both said, if we have to go to the hospital, it's on a plane and back to the USA and Dr. Lambert we go. As we left the hospital, in record time, several hours later, we couldn't help but notice that there were still hundreds of people waiting in that first area.
A Tale of Two Gatekeepers
Our two gatekeepers are the security at our compound around the clock. They monitor who comes and goes and open and shut the gates when we leave.
Yaki:
Yaki is 70 years old (which is ancient for a Ghanaian) and rides a dilapitated old bike to work. He is very skinny, has no teeth, speaks little, if any English, and is deaf as a doornail. A few days after we moved in, the pump to our polytank broke. Most homes have a large black water tank (called a polytank) where the water is pumped up and stored 'til needed. When the brand new pump failed, the water ran out and drained the tank. The owner of our compound is a young, fairly wealthy man from Kumasi named Christopher, and he happened to be here at the time. He was furious with Yaki because the he had not been walking behind our home to notice that it was malfunctioning. He began yelling loudly, "I'll sack you old man; I'll sack you! It was awful. Poor Yaki kept bowing and apologizing. Gary finally smoothed it over and told Christopher that we really like our gatekeepers and that they help us a lot. Yaki is poor as a church mouse, doesn't even have enough money to eat and really needs the job. Christopher pays the gatekeepers 100 cedis a month which is about $70.00. The other tenant here, Enoch, doesn't like Yaki to work the night shift because he can't hear and isn't much security at night. We agree and prefer Yaki works days.
David:
David is a nice-looking African man, about 35, who has a wife and two little kids, a girl who is 4 years old and a little boy who is 2. David also rides a decrepit old bike that's literally falling apart. One day, he told Gary that he had seen us at the Fiapre Branch House cleaning the weeds and "wacking" the lawn. David speaks a little English. Gary asked him how he saw us because Fiapre is clear on the other side of town--miles away. David told him that he lives over there and that his wife had even been taught by the missionaries and that they are very interested in the Church. It took him over two hours to ride the old bike every day to our compound so he was leaving before 5 am so he could be here by 7. Our Elders here all have bikes and Elder Thayne has made it his personal mission to repair, clean and keep all of them in good order. They take a terrific beating daily with the dirt roads and potholes, so we are into the bike repair shop almost daily. Someone in Accra or Cape Coast decided that they were getting a fantastic deal on a bunch of bikes and bought several new ones and shipped them up to us. It was quite the joke. Kumasi (Elder Zoll) got a little girl's pink bike with flowers. We got two big heavy, one gear, beach-type Schwinns that are just not suitable for the Elders. One of our African Elders liked one of them, however, and traded his in for the new one, but none of the other Elders would even consider riding the other one. Gary was feeling really sorry for David, so he has loaned him the Elder's old bike and it has made about an hour's difference to David for getting here. He cleans it every day and has been very appreciative. A few days ago, Gary went up to David and he was crying. His little 2 year-old boy has malaria and he doesn't have the money to buy medicine. Try feeding a family of four on $2.10 a day. Malaria is the biggest killer in West Africa, but it is treatable. The problem is the little kids get bitten so often and the parents can't afford the medicine. That's why the death rate is so high for little children. It is heartbreaking to see a father crying for his little son and not be able to do anything. David told Gary that they live in a wooden cow shed and they can't keep the mosquitos out. I had about a half a dosage of coartem, the medicine for malaria, left in the medicine box. We read up on what the dosage for a two year-old would be and believe it or not, it was a half dose. We gave David the medicine, and the little boy is getting better (this time) so our goal is to find David a better day job, have him keep working the night shift here and try to get them a better place to live. It's a tall order, but we're determined to help this little family. They are meeting us at Church this weekend. We only hope and pray we can help to make a difference in their lives.
Yaki:
Yaki is 70 years old (which is ancient for a Ghanaian) and rides a dilapitated old bike to work. He is very skinny, has no teeth, speaks little, if any English, and is deaf as a doornail. A few days after we moved in, the pump to our polytank broke. Most homes have a large black water tank (called a polytank) where the water is pumped up and stored 'til needed. When the brand new pump failed, the water ran out and drained the tank. The owner of our compound is a young, fairly wealthy man from Kumasi named Christopher, and he happened to be here at the time. He was furious with Yaki because the he had not been walking behind our home to notice that it was malfunctioning. He began yelling loudly, "I'll sack you old man; I'll sack you! It was awful. Poor Yaki kept bowing and apologizing. Gary finally smoothed it over and told Christopher that we really like our gatekeepers and that they help us a lot. Yaki is poor as a church mouse, doesn't even have enough money to eat and really needs the job. Christopher pays the gatekeepers 100 cedis a month which is about $70.00. The other tenant here, Enoch, doesn't like Yaki to work the night shift because he can't hear and isn't much security at night. We agree and prefer Yaki works days.
David:
David is a nice-looking African man, about 35, who has a wife and two little kids, a girl who is 4 years old and a little boy who is 2. David also rides a decrepit old bike that's literally falling apart. One day, he told Gary that he had seen us at the Fiapre Branch House cleaning the weeds and "wacking" the lawn. David speaks a little English. Gary asked him how he saw us because Fiapre is clear on the other side of town--miles away. David told him that he lives over there and that his wife had even been taught by the missionaries and that they are very interested in the Church. It took him over two hours to ride the old bike every day to our compound so he was leaving before 5 am so he could be here by 7. Our Elders here all have bikes and Elder Thayne has made it his personal mission to repair, clean and keep all of them in good order. They take a terrific beating daily with the dirt roads and potholes, so we are into the bike repair shop almost daily. Someone in Accra or Cape Coast decided that they were getting a fantastic deal on a bunch of bikes and bought several new ones and shipped them up to us. It was quite the joke. Kumasi (Elder Zoll) got a little girl's pink bike with flowers. We got two big heavy, one gear, beach-type Schwinns that are just not suitable for the Elders. One of our African Elders liked one of them, however, and traded his in for the new one, but none of the other Elders would even consider riding the other one. Gary was feeling really sorry for David, so he has loaned him the Elder's old bike and it has made about an hour's difference to David for getting here. He cleans it every day and has been very appreciative. A few days ago, Gary went up to David and he was crying. His little 2 year-old boy has malaria and he doesn't have the money to buy medicine. Try feeding a family of four on $2.10 a day. Malaria is the biggest killer in West Africa, but it is treatable. The problem is the little kids get bitten so often and the parents can't afford the medicine. That's why the death rate is so high for little children. It is heartbreaking to see a father crying for his little son and not be able to do anything. David told Gary that they live in a wooden cow shed and they can't keep the mosquitos out. I had about a half a dosage of coartem, the medicine for malaria, left in the medicine box. We read up on what the dosage for a two year-old would be and believe it or not, it was a half dose. We gave David the medicine, and the little boy is getting better (this time) so our goal is to find David a better day job, have him keep working the night shift here and try to get them a better place to live. It's a tall order, but we're determined to help this little family. They are meeting us at Church this weekend. We only hope and pray we can help to make a difference in their lives.
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