Gathered for a prayer

 Someday I am really hoping I can tell you the "rest of the story". We gathered as those concerned with some property that has been bogged down by bureaucratic details and outright lies. The situation has been going on for years. Since OGC has won their cases but the situation has not improved, the decision to take it to the Lord was put forth and we all gathered to add our faith and prayers to the situation. Some of us were fasting too. It's in the Lord's hands now.

We were all masked for the prayers and conversation - then I insisted on pictures

Sharon, I, Jeffrey, Emelia, Richard, and Emmy. Esther was out because her baby had surgery

We were added to by the DTA Francis Kasi-Anfo

Only God is going to be able to solve this one as all avenues thought of have been taken.

A Gift or a Bribe?

 On Thursday I spent the day baking banana bread. Dumevi wanted to invite lots of people to the Stake Conference and we thought a little package of banana bread would sweeten the invite.

It took 6 kilos of flour, 24 eggs, 1000+ grams of butter, a large tub of Greek style yogurt, sugar, soda, salt and half a bottle of cinnamon. And lots and lots of bananas.

After the batches were all baked, I packaged them all up to take to individuals and families. I know Juliet will want some and so will the missionaries and Bobby so I froze a few packages for later. Dumevi was weighted down by two very large sacks filled with treats. 

My thought is if someone thinks a little banana bread is worth coming to church, I am all for it.

Lizzy, the gal who made my African style dress, called and said thank-you, so that tells me that Dumevi is doing his best to make all welcome. Win-win.

The Rest of the Story

Making a quilt for Dumevi from scrapes of left over fabric

 So yesterday Dumevi was picking up banana bread and stopped to tell me a story about the origins of the weigh trousers. 

In 2019 his wife came back from the clinic where a well-baby check was given to their little daughter and he saw the muslin weigh trouser that was used to weigh her. For some reason this image stuck in his mind and while he was in the temple doing work, the image of the weigh trousers with a colored fabric came into his mind. They were a little different than what his wife had used that day. 

This image was interesting and different and he talked about it with his wife and even drew it in his journal. A while later he looked it up on line and only found colored trousers outside of Ghana. He saved a YouTube of a tutorial on his phone. He had no way of making or using the information from his mind. COVID struck and nothing happened even going back to the temple for months.

In December of 2020 we were the first couple back from the states since all the missionaries had been evacuated earlier in the year. I met Dumevi the second Sunday after we arrived. He offered to be of help and aid to us in our efforts to settle in Accra. Shortly after I found he was the Elder Quorum president and the business of giving meals to families came about.

I looked into a sewing machine the first month because that is one thing (besides a camera) I can't really do without. I got one and was happy.

I'm not sure how many months it was until Dumevi first asked if I could help him make up the trousers when he saw I had a sewing machine out. He gave me the YouTube and I made it up. But it needed tweeking because it wasn't exactly what Dumevi was looking for. He gave the prameters and I did some tweeking on a pattern and ta-da! a business is born. He wanted two sturdy handles instead of the side fabric straps of the original version from the hospital clinic, he wanted it in colored children's fabric and later he made sure it was wider than the test trousers were. 

He told me there is no one else in Ghana making these kind of trousers. He wants to register his pattern for his business. All trousers in hospitals now are flour sack or muslin white and have one fabric strap coming up from the sides. His have two straps from front and back and are always made of colored fabric. 

I am amazed that the vision he had has come to be a business for him. He is getting all kinds of orders, has found people to sew for him, he and his wife are practicing and sewing up trousers, taking orders and visiting hospital clinics. He has a dream of an air-conditioned room with tables for cutting and some tables with sewing machines in it. People working for him and a successful business. Wow, God let me be a little part of it! 

Half life of Money

 Every other week or so Jeffrey will pull out money from the ATM and splits it with me. He and I look at what is happening during the week and what we have set up to give to different people. I divvy up the envelopes. 

One project is a tie for every man in the ward and a little satchel or purse for the ladies that will match. It is for a Christmas celebration planned and makes a livelihood for some seamstresses in the ward. Each week, I give a lady money to sew up a few more. Two men on the corner without the use of legs always get an apple, biscuits, and 50 cedis. Meals for ward members, enlarging my elephant herd and sometimes giving a thank-you lunch for the workers in our apartment complex. Biscuits for the children on the corner. Whenever we go shopping there will be the two men pushing our carts and the two men in the parking lot to tip. Then there will be the guy who washes the car and another who brings up the groceries to tip. We have a Christmas choir that we are collecting money for from other missionaries.

Then Jeffrey generously gives me half and he keeps half of the money from the ATM. He goes to the office and works hard all day. I do projects, sometimes come to the office, and sometimes run around with others doing errands. I am always running into people and usually by the middle of the week I don't have any money left. Jeffrey usually asks (as he has for years) if I have any money in my wallet. If I don't have enough he splits what he has in half again. Around the end of the week, he'll ask again and gives me another half of what he has. When he feels he is empty he'll go to the bank and we start all over again. 

Have I told you how much I love the half life of money!? I feel good about helping out those around me who are wringing my heart out while Jeffrey is doing the real work of making life work for hundreds if not thousands in the church. He is making sure the lights stay on as well as making sure there is a building to meet in. Lots and lots of technical issues that make life run smoothly in the church. I concentrate more on the one to one.

This mission is different than the last in the money department. In Manila when my heart was pinched, I would work really hard to scrape around and figure out how to give money to certain people. I prayed that Jeffrey would have the means and ability to feel good about giving money away. We had some amazing investments that took off like a rocket and my prayers were answered. 

This time we both went into the mission knowing we would be giving money away for good causes. There hasn't been a hint of "what are we going to do when we get off our mission" because Jeffrey knows the Lord gives and expects us to do so also. 

One lady is out and out asking the Lord to make us prosperous and live long so we can be generous. I thought that was one of the more unique prayers I have ever heard. [They do pray with a different perspective here]

I don't go around throwing money at everything I see as no amount of money will fill in a quarter of the holes in the fabric of society here. I find my circle and support those in my circle to the best of my ability. I have to admit my circle keeps growing. Good thing the money has a half life!

Stockpiling a Herd of Elephants

 I have this desire to give all my grandkids, children, and brothers and sisters, an elephant made in Africa and from Africa. Elephants have long been my favorite animal and I've been fascinated with them since first reading about them as a young kid looking through the National Geographic that came to our house every month. Later I saw them in documentaries and fell in love.

This is Wisdom who is carefully unwrapping an old shirt that has all his work in it

Now they are on the top of my china cabinet to enjoy until I can send them home

I have a lot of elephants to get because I have nine grandchildren, 11 for my children, then 23 for my brothers and sisters and six for Jeffrey's siblings. So every few months I order another round of elephants. Till then I just enjoy them on the shelf.

Should have taken a video

 Dumevi was in a really good mood when he came over on Friday to pick up dinners for the ward members. He was singing a little Christmas Ditty and dancing around the kitchen. He and Juliet explained that children go around to different houses singing this little song and people will give them little things like plantains or snacks, and sometimes little trinkets or toys. 

I told him we need to go singing around at Christmas time and drop off little gifts for his neighbors. He thinks that is a great idea. I will not be the one dancing but I don't mind holding gifts and singing.

Juliet and Dumevi off to deliver their dinners. Dumevi to the ward, and Juliet to the Area office where someone called and asked her to bring food. Good thing she was cooking when the call came in.

Monday grab bag of hats

 I am sure there are other missionaries who wear different hats (figuratively) for different responsibilities, I just haven't met them yet. 

I sent out an email giving information with links to a Monday devotional held every week, the scripture study topic and link on Wednesday, and calendar items going into December. This is my secretarial hat - snappy beret. 

Made granola and put a load of laundry in. Personal hat - I'm picturing floppy hat with flowers. 

Sent an email asking for help for Family Home Evening tonight so the Elder could have a technical person help him out with a PowerPoint presentation. Facilitating hat - Fedora so I am taken seriously.

Then I went with Emmy Burton to look at an apartment that is getting prepared for a new couple to come on the 2nd of November. Working hat - baseball cap.

Now I am in the office to write up some reports and enter in data. Efficient co-worker - Panama straw hat with a band.

My desk's second screen and keyboard - I usually use the laptop for most everything

When I go home, I'm going to be drawing up plans for a quilt I want to make for Dumevi that has all his trouser material scraps. I'm thinking of a patchwork wheel block.  Creative and useful - that will be a bucket hat.

Who know what else will happen today? - it is only 2:20 pm!

Missionaries eat with Juliet every Tuesday

 Juliet has been serving meals in the Area Cafeteria for years until COVID hit. Then she was out of a livelihood. She was back in the auxiliary building one day serving a few lunches again as patrons came back to the temple when it opened. The woman who makes the dinners started sending a few and Juliet used the Auxiliary building for the temple going patrons but the cafeteria for the Area workers is still not opened for general use, just personal use at the tables.

Some of the senior missionaries were exploring one day and found Juliet serving meals and wondered if they could get meals too. The woman who makes the meals made them some, but the missionaries said they were too spicy hot. Juliet told them she could make meals for them that were not spicy. Just like that new business opportunity for Juliet.

But...the only snag is that the US missionaries like the Jollof Rice and Cabbage Stew, but are not especially fond of groundnut stew or other Ghanaian dishes that she makes very well. Every once in awhile she will bring something for them to try. They like the fried plantains and a few other things - but not much.

Fried Rice, plantains, and a little salad with fried chicken

Cabbage Stew - delicious!

Jollof Rice (another favorite of mine) with chicken, salad, and plantains

 Some of the missionaries enjoy the beans and salad. I can eat chili but I'm not a fan of too many bean dishes from anywhere. Black beans in a taco or burrito or nicely disguised in tortilla soup - yes.

Salad pieces and fried plantains

Happening on Our Street

 At the sound of big machinery, I looked out the sliding door and noted the street was being paved! This is so great as one of the potholes in our street was so large across, little taxis would dip all the way in and then climb out. I recorded Marco Polos as I knew at least two of my grandsons would have wanted to be there. Lots and lots of big earth moving machines.

A very wide machine that gravel coated with tar was dumped by a huge dump truck in the front - the tar would smoke and it was all evenly dropped down out of the back onto the street. 

A tar slurry was laid down, and then this large load of gravel and tar

This machine would even out the gravel and tar by scooping places too high and backing back over places to low and pushing more gravel in. He followed the big wide machine dropping the gravel and tar out the back.

Lots and lots of men were shoveling, and hauling, while others were guiding and directing the machine operators. Holes and edges were hand shoveled in and around the edges were tapped down by other men.

This rolling machine has three or four flat surface wheels on both ends of the machine that rolled back and forth, back and forth leveling out the road till it was smooth.

This machine may look smaller but actually it is just as big as the last machine, just taken from farther away. It has a long big wheel on the front and back that packs down the road and makes it all smooth. They drove back and forth, back and forth, for a long time that day.

Many men were working in the hot sun with the hot gravel and tar shoveling and raking the gravel and tar with that nose pinching smell all day long until the road was all done.

All the streets going north and south are done in this area. Soon I expect the east and west streets to get done too. Wow!!! Won't that be great?! Traveling on smooth roads to and from the temple area.

Rain Hat

 Juliet showed up today while thunder and lightening were going off in the rain storm today. I just started laughing when I saw her rain hat. There is so much creativity that goes on here.

Little purple plastic sack makes a great rain bonnet!

Thunder, lighting and a great down pour of rain. I am told this is usually earlier in the year.

Hey Guess who came to Our Church Meetings?

It was so cool to see President and Sister Buah after meeting them during the week, show up at our church on Sunday morning. Their grandson and his mom came too.

Bishop Addy and the Buah's

 

After Church

 

Dumevi talking with some friends

First the bishop was sitting on the fence in the background and by the time I'd gotten over to take pictures, quite a few others had gathered around.

What a nice fun group of saints and friends!

I love the easy comradery that is felt and shown by the ward members especially after church. They sit or stand and talk with each other in a fellowship that is wonderful.

Who Is Part Of Your Family?

 

The Addy Family was taking pictures with Elder and Sister Martinez. Bobbi was trying to get his son out of the pictures, but the little guy knew he was part of this family. I have to admit whenever I see him (or his baby sister)  he is being held or played with by one member or another and I'll bet he knows he is part of this family too.

Sunday Visiting

Elder and Sister Martinez stop to talk to members

Those members just happen to be a great family that I personally know. I wonder if the Martinez's life have intersected with the Dumevi's or if they were just saying hello. I found out that Mrs. Dumevi is not a member of the church, so for her to show up on Sunday was a really nice thing for her to do.

Of course I had to take a picture!

After talking, visiting, and downloading videos for the young single adults, we took the Dumevi's and the neighbor children home. I am still not used to the fact that car seats are rare and not used very often. But it has been a long time since I've seen a car so full as our back seat was on the ride home!

 

Accomplishing things

 Starting early this morning, I have been updating matters for the OGC office on my computer. I didn't go into the Area office today because some men were going to come over to fix the AC (it has been dripping water off the ceiling-not good probably). It feels good to have a considerable chunk of work done before noon. Cut and past variety, but still work that needs to get done.

There are some holiday plans for the Area office I need to organize....and some meetings to set.....

But now the power tools are going off and I'm wondering what else I should do while they are here. Which brings me to sitting down again to update this blog.

Luckily my son Michael does not get on this blog and notice what I write. If he did, he'd tell me to quit dancing around the edges and deal with reality. Have you noticed how much easier it is to talk about the prereferral things in life instead of the ones that wrench out your heart?

I'm trying to come to grips with the poverty and its horrible, horrible consequences.....

One of my jobs is to help missionaries transition into a regular life without leaving the church. The Area presidency is very concerned about the young single adults in the Africa West Area. The rumor is that the brethren are VERY concerned about all the young single adults. They are coming up against pressures that can break a person spiritually, emotionally, and socially. Back to my missionaries...

I have gotten very frustrated with the fact that I basically have nothing to offer that they actually need when they get home. Usually the requests are simple, accommodations, food, and a computer. What I have been given for my tools are links to Pathway, an online degree, SRS classes on finance, emotional well-being, and starting your own company, PEF loan application (which just happens to be VERY complicated, limited, and not endorsed here), and some leadership classes.  I came home one day and just cried when Jeffrey asked how I was doing. 

He took action and said, "What kind of money are you looking for?" He decided to pull money out of our 401K and help out missionaries because he didn't want to see his wife cry every month on this mission. Nice guy, wimpy wife.

So we are going to ask the mission president and actually help one missionary per batch with exactly what they need, not just promises of good things to come.

I haven't actually "dealt" with the reality of poverty, but I can throw a cup of water on the raging forest fire for today.

The Good moments

 

Last night I could smell the apple crisp in the air and was reflecting on all the good things of the last week. Of course conference was uplifting and answered some hidden feelings I had in my heart, people I had met, and some really nice conversations with some ward members. 

The one moment that sticks out in my memory, was coming out of the Area office walking to my car, I noticed a row of saints all in white just outside the doors of the temple. My heart had an uplift of joy and gladness and I just felt I had to capture the moment. Anyone who knows me realizes that taking a picture is second nature and I feel these compulsions quite often. So I hurried (not ran) over and asked if I could take their picture. (Lots of people do not care for a moment being captured) The older gentleman was gracious and said yes even though two had gone back in the temple doors. I snapped a few and the other two came back out! Nice, now I had the whole row. I stepped up to show them the pictures and ask for a WhatsApp number to send them to and the older gentleman said he'd give me an email address. 

That is when I noticed their name tags. This was the new temple presidency all together in white!! How awesome is that?! I don't know if they come out everyday or if I just captured a moment for myself. Life is good.

President John Bauh, the matron Augustina Bauh, with the assistants and their wives.

Since there were outside, we were able to get an unmasked photo too!

My heart is full.

Country trait?

 Dumevi is so talented! It is not only the women who can balance weights on their heads. I keep asking myself how they do this so readily. It seems to be a country wide trait. Usually the women are carrying heavy loads. I have noticed this trait in other countries in West Africa so I'm wondering if it extends to Central and South Africa too?

While in the Philippines, I noted most of the people had a perfect squat down pat and would sit and talk and discuss things in a squat. For long periods of time. I watched babies as young as two in the squat. Here the neck muscles are so strong they can balance, walk, talk, and carry other stuff with weight on their heads. Sometime uneven weight. Do all people have country wide traits? What trait do the US citizens have in common? What does England have as a country wide trait? Or Australia?

Walker

 Walker came for dinner and we had a terrific night with him. He has promised to bring his girl to visit sometime. He has great dreams and desires with ideas and enthusiasm for life. What a treat to know him. 

This is the moment......

 This is the moment you know that apple crisp is on the agenda tonight.