The first person we met when we arrived in Sunyani was Ellen. She is a thirteen year-old little girl (although she is much smaller, about stature of a nine year-old). She came over to Nkwabeng meetinghouse, where we lived, every afternoon to fetch water. We had running water and our place was much closer than the borehole several blocks away where she would have to carry it from if we were not home. She carried the water in five-gallon buckets and would return time and time again to get enough water for the entire household to use. The buckets of water are immensely heavy and she would lift them to the top of her head and carry them, always with the biggest smile. No one seems to know where Ellen came from or who her parents were. She lives with Auntie Mary in a crude shack next to the chapel with Mawbena, Auntie Mary's granddaughter, and several others. We all assumed that Ellen had been baptized long ago as she always attends all of the meetings with Auntie Mary but we recently found out that she had just slipped between the cracks and had never been baptized. Ellen's big day was scheduled!
Leticia is one of four children who came to Sunyani when her mother was about to give birth to a fifth child and needed help from her sister. She and her baby both died during the childbirth and the aunt took over raising the two smaller girls. We're not sure what happened to the two older children. The two girls always attended Church and the younger sister was baptized shortly after we arrived in Sunyani. The missionaries had been giving Leticia the lessons and her baptism date was also set, but the week before, one of our well-meaning sister missionaries from Nigeria found that often, on Sunday, Leticia was being sent by her aunt (who is not a member of the Church) to the corner little shop to buy bread. She felt that Leticia was not keeping the Sabbath Day holy and therefore could not be baptized. Feelings were hurt and even members of the branch were offended and it took some gentle finessing but we were able to work things out.
When we first moved from Nkwabeng to our little apartment in the country, our complex had two gatekeepers. The younger of the two was named David and Gary immediately befriended him. We helped him when his little boy got malaria and he couldn't afford medicine and then after discovering his living conditions--they were deplorable--we leased him a better room and helped move their little family into a more suitable place. We arranged for the missionaries to do a service project and line his new room with sheets of plywood to help keep out the rain and mosquitoes. David got "sacked" (fired) when he left the gate to go get medicine for his kids. He lives on the other side of Sunyani, some 10 miles away. Gary had given him a Book of Mormon and the missionaries in Fiapre began teaching him. This last Sunday, David and his little nephew Gideon, who lives with them, were ready for baptism. David's brother Frances has set his baptismal date in two weeks and David's wife Ophelia is expecting their third child any day now and will finish taking the lessons after the baby comes.
Last Sunday, Robert, the young boy who studies at our home almost every evening, asked if he could go to Church with us. We of course said yes, and we attended Nkwabeng Branch. We were so surprised to see Lydia, one of our other neighbors clear out in Abesim, there attending also. She had taken a taxi and had come on her own. After the service, we all went to Penkwase Branch where the most amazing Baptismal service was held. Ellen, Leticia, David and his nephew Gideon, and several others were all baptized by Emmanuel, who will be the very first missionary sent from Sunyani. He just received his call and will be going to Nigeria in April. It was so exciting to be a part of such an incredible and spiritual day! It was like all the hard work finally came together and it was pay day!
ADDED NOTE: We did find out later that since Robert attends Saint James Catholic School, that the students are all required to attend the Church there or they are severely beaten. When the headmaster asked Robert why he wasn't at Church, Robert simply told him he attended another Church. The headmaster assumed, I guess, that Robert meant one of the other Catholic churches in town and he wasn't beaten after all, but we certainly do not want to cause problems with him and his schooling.
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