Côte d'Ivoire travels

 It wasn't like we went very far into the Ivory Coast or traveled many places. I think that the city of Abidjan has so many facets that makes you feel like you have traveled and explored much. I think there are seven districts or Plateaus that our driver could name, but ResearchGate on the internet says that are 10. It was like little cities inside of the greater whole.

 I can tell you is that each one is different from its neighbor and has a slightly different flavor as you travel between them. One is filled with gleaming tall skyscrapers, one across the lagoon has low level buildings and homes and one tall tower, going into the interior a bit is filled with residential homes and businesses that I would say was middle class. I heard there was a poor section of the city, but I did not see it. One of the first president's was a devout Catholic and made a couple of very beautiful buildings that were centered around Christ well, mostly Mary. So Catholic and Muslim live side by side and it all seems to be working out very well. The city is vibrant and beautiful. I loved our trip and enjoyed the commentary our driver and translator gave us.

Elder and Sister White dropped us off at the Accra airport.

The flight was only an hour from one gate in Accra to the other in Côte d'Ivoire.  Hopper flight. Jeffrey and I met with Zouzou Sadia while the Manwarrings were waiting for their luggage. I think they waited longer than the flight actually was.

Jeffrey and Zouzou Sadia, with another man from the office to pick up Sister Kyungu and her daughter.

Yeah! They finally made it.

Sister Kyungu and her daughter came after the Manwarrings

We drove past an interesting shaped building where the Strengthening the Family Conference was held.

It was good Esther came with us to translate - even though this menu had some English with it.

Esther and the men went to meetings all day on Wednesday while Sister Manwarring and I went on a tour of some of the highlights near us with Zousou Sadia and Linda Yapi. Zousou Sadia has worked tirelessly for the church in many capacities in government relations. Jeffrey has known him since his first mission here to Accra. Linda Yapi served a mission to Nigeria where she learned English and now is getting ready to go to school. She would love to come to America, get some schooling a job and come back to the Ivory Coast to live.  

The first place we stopped at was a religious center that the first president of the Ivory Coast had commissioned. He is staunch Catholic. This is not a Basilica or cathedral, so I'm not sure what it is called, I just know it is a place of worship. There were people inside on the pews who were praying.

The sides look dark, but actually they are all stained glass windows

Inside they are bright and vibrant. Different scenes from Christ's life are depicted.

City life is full and vibrant. Passing by neighborhoods and streets was interesting and fun. A feast for the eyes to see and comprehend.

I wondered why this man was kneeling. One leg doesn't work at all and the other one he uses a flip flop to rest on. 

This is when I learned that Notre Dame means "Our Mother" and is a reverent title for Mary the mother of Jesus. The next place we stopped was another place to worship, and Mary was at the center of it all. The same president commissioned this place too. The devout pray to Mary to intercede for them.

There is a spiraling path up to the hill where people pray at the statue of Mary. We didn't go up as we didn't want to be disrespectful.

This is right next to that last hill and on the left is an open wall that a service was going on in. I believe the spiral was a depictions of prayers ascending to Mary.

Then we went shopping. Rebecca found earrings, dried mango, and something else I've forgotten. I found some very interesting material and a slip over the head dress to relax in.

Then we all went to lunch. They had food that made Rebecca and I happy and also Zousou and Linda. We had a really great time with them.

Linda Yapi is a good translator, Rebecca Manwarring, and I

They delivered us to the last meeting with a lawyer that the others had been meeting with. 

After the meeting, we all traveled in the van to look at the progress of the Abidjan temple. I think it looks great! It looks like just some finishing work is all that is needed. But who knows.....

It was a really good trip. The next day, Jeffrey and Kipp Manwarring met with a very influential man who was a justice in the Supreme Court. He is going to help the church out of some problems that have come up. We all felt the meeting was a divine answer to some prayers. 

Off to the airport with a lunch thrown in and a short hop back to Accra.  It was a really great trip, only 48 hours and oh so fun!