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.
No comments:
Post a Comment