With Friends

 

The room is silent and still with just the hum of the air-conditioner. All the plates are set on bright colored tablecloths, the silverware is shining, and the glasses are reflecting prism rays. All is in quiet expectation of the noise and laughter soon to come from a baby shower.

I am only a little acquainted with the expectant mother. She is a friend of my friend who had twin girls a few months ago. Another of her friend’s had a baby boy and we had a shower for her too. So now it is kind of a tradition to have a shower for expecting mothers who are friends at work with my friend. Most of the same ladies come from the third floor of the Africa West Area Office building where they work.

I only make the banana bread and leave all the real cooking to my friend Comfort. She makes very good Ghanaian food that is well liked. Another friend Favour is going to school to learn catering skills. Favour comes over to help me set things up so it will look good and have a good traffic flow. She is the one who polishes the glasses and silverware. She wants everything to be just right. 

We are going to have a party today; it should be fun! 

And that was the last moment of peace for about four hours…

The phone rings and it is Freeman. Freeman works at the temple but will also go shopping for fabric for me. I have found the price is much better if I do not go in person. He brought me over some fabrics just now, and I am receiving the materials to make temple bags for those who come to the temple with only a plastic shopping bag to carry their sacred clothing. Another friend will sew them up into the temple bags.

While I talk to Freeman, I am also watching the clock as I am expecting Comfort to come with food, and Eugene to come with the fruit salad his wife is making for us. Juliet calls and says she is coming over “soon” to pick up a sack I made for her on Saturday. Freeman leaves and I was relieved to see Comfort come to set up the food for the party. 

My guests all come together and walk around the workers who are doing something on the roof and 2^nd level. I was so happy to see them all again. Eugene and his wife came with the fruit salad – Yeah! This is all going to work out fine.

Juliet arrives while my guests are here, but she leaves after saying hello and congratulations to the expecting mama. Meanwhile in the kitchen, Comfort made up a plate of food for her. Comfort is feeding Eugene and his wife in the kitchen. She is also putting together two dinners for ladies who were coming but had to deal with work issues. Later I found she fed the construction workers who look at her with longing. Everybody is happy!  

It felt good to listen and watch the other mothers give advice and assurance to Jennifer, the expecting mother. I felt good about inviting them to my home and watching them in a peaceful environment chatting as good friends.

                                                                                                            Remembered to take a picture, some had left

I had a call from David, an artist from Nigeria who will be coming soon. He wants to sell his Nativities to the senior missionaries, so I bring them to Sister Scripture Study. He has a hard time getting invited to different homes to show off his work. No one can buy and sell or set up shops because we live on the Temple grounds. New missionaries arrive and the others leave, so getting his name and work shown and reputation made is difficult.

Comfort stayed until everyone was gone. She hand washed all of my dishes!!  She then helped me with the cleaning and taking down tables and chairs and pulling all the furniture back into place. What a joy she is as a good friend! 

Another knock at the door brought the construction worker returning a container. Nice. I thought it would be Sister Kaku who had called to see if I had any banana bread she could bring to a meeting. When she came, I gave her some that had been frozen and told her it was important to defrost it without a cover as it would just get soggy otherwise. 

By 3:00 pm my house was peaceful, clean, and quiet. It was a good day.

LTC

Great Answer to Prayers

 How Prayers are Answered

We got back to Ghana on Wednesday night beyond exhausted. We unpacked and fell in bed. The next morning I woke up chipper and ready to go. I asked God if I could make the most of my morning as I was going to go to the temple to work later in the afternoon. 

I accomplished so much in the few hours I had before Sister Scripture Study and several people texted, so I got even more accomplished than I had planned. I was able to give most of the goods that the missionaries ordered from Amazon. 

Sister Scripture Study was amazing and went right along with my new goal to not waste time. We talked how our focus can change when we know "why" we are fulfilling goals and aims. If we put our love of the Savior in the front of our minds, the goals or "lists" can have a focus that actually accomplishes the reason we put the goal down in the first place.

Unexpected Blessings

Shuana Braunberger made sure I had a lunch as the lunches she ordered didn't arrive in a timely manner for me to attend the temple. She wanted to make sure I had a lunch so she went downstairs with me and bought me lunch. Since my things were all in Jeffrey's office while he had a meeting that was really thoughtful of her. I was able to pay her back when his meeting was over.

I ran to the temple to work on my afternoon shift. I asked God to help me be awake and helpful.

 Attending the preparation meeting I was surprised when I was assigned to be the veil coordinator. It was so nice to have a job that required me to think through something new to me and stay on my feet for a half hour or so at a time. I was awake and aware through the shift. I could feel the drag of sleepiness though I was able to work right through it. Two blessings, one I ate before I left which was helpful for energy rather than relying on the crackers I had with my vitamins in the morning. And two, having a job that required thinking and standing. Isn't God wonderful?!!!

Coming out of the temple I noticed a fellow temple worker was outside painting the cement on the flower borders. I can say I have never thought why the temple looks fresh and clean in a tropical climate that eats away at everything. It only takes a year or so for any paint job to look old. Mildew is very prevalent and chipping and damage from the humidity, rain, and coastal breeze is evident in many buildings here. But not at the temple - which I have always just taken for granted. But now I know.

K'Aby Emuh works in the temple and has a painting company - which he has painted in the temple for refreshing and obviously paints outside the temple also.

Finding new friends

 Eugene took me shopping just before we left for the United States. I wanted to get some food sacks and go to the little Costco before I left. So we went to the market and to Badia Spices. At the market I asked to get a picture of Eugene and the lady who always supplies my food sacks. He calls before we get there and she rounds up all the supplies - nice. I feel like I am acquiring friends every week.

This is her shop

It's complicated

After I met Baaba when we arrived in Accra, I watched her fashion clothes and make them from just measurements. I also watched and heard her frustration in her living arrangements. Some kind of construction next to her building, sent something through her roof to knock down a portion of her ceiling. Despite asking for the landlord to fix it, nothing was done. She had to live with a downed ceiling and then portions of the wiring going out. It became hazardous to live there. In October of last year she was really anxious to get into a new apartment. 

Another complication is that one of her sewing machines had gone down. She couldn't find anyone who can fix it. She comes over to use my simple machine sometimes, and brings her serger so she can go between while making clothes. I have watched her sew up many things without patterns. Only one stand-up ruffled collar gave her many problems. I watched her sew it up and take it out numerous times until she finally had success. But getting out a sustainable production of garments while working in adverse conditions is tricky. So people wait (or go to another person) because she can't always sew up the dress, shirt, pants, etc. that her clients want in a timely manner.

A great day when this collar worked!

She finally found a place and then had to wait 2 more months to move in. And then the electricity didn't work. The landlord paid the electric company for 10 units though he has 13. Getting that worked out was tricky and took a few more weeks. Then the water only comes on a few days a week. She has to be there to fill her barrel when the water is on so she has water when she needs it. Like I said, it's complicated.

The other complications come when she can't get a ride on a trotro on a Sunday morning as one or two don't show up. Another interesting thing is her kitchen is too small to house her oven so it is outside.  Running back and forth is unwieldy. Her deep freeze is in the living room with a lace cover on top. Again, unwieldy, useable, but unwieldy. 

She does love having a bigger place and room for her sewing and other items to use her talents. 

As I get closer to my friends I have found that most of them have different complications. One lady has to go get water as the tap that supplies water to the whole neighborhood is broken. Nobody can fix it as it runs through a leach field that is over-run by more homes than were expected to use it. Hauling the gunk out is complicated by politics and who is responsible for what. Meanwhile it is problematic to clean clothes and wash floors etc. for those that live downside of the broken pipe.  Drinking water has to be bought and brought in.

And then I live in Disneyland where everything is taken care of. Plenty of running water from the taps, electricity that runs everyday, garbage is picked up twice a week, lawns are mowed by someone else, the pool is cleaned weekly, someone washes our car every Tuesday. Comparisons are pretty stark.

The feeling of success!

 Erica came to visit and bring items she had made for my granddaughters. She has an oven at home. She was going to visit her family later that day. Erica asked if I would show her how to make banana bread. I asked her if she wanted muffins or a banana bread loaf. After thinking about it she opted for the muffins so there would be no problems between her siblings - just hand them their share in a muffin.

I had her make the banana dough herself. Her daughter wanted her attention so she gave her a toy and wrapped her on her back while she kept on working. 

You should have seen her face when she brought out the finished product from the oven. After setting it down, she danced around the kitchen. She triggered a memory of when I was ten and successfully baked some bread my family enjoyed. The satisfaction of a job well done. I am hoping the same success will happen in her own kitchen. 

Erica is talented in many ways. I appreciate her for making clips and bows for the granddaughters. She is dedicated in all the details to make something beautiful.

Carefully placing each brilliant on the bow.

packaging with little details

When she was done, she was just as excited to have created her items. It is fun to be around a happy, creative person.

People visiting

 Jeffrey took off for Sierra Leone with the Area president to accomplish a few things - opening ground for a new temple, a humanitarian handoff to the First Lady, and a conference. Jeffrey wasn't sure exactly what his role was supposed to be but a few people in communications and his legal coordinator felt he needed to go.

Meanwhile, I asked Baaba to stay a few nights while he is away. On Wednesday night she was busy sewing as she needed to finish some dresses that had been promised. On Thursday I gave her keys to the house while she and I were in the temple and took the fob for the gate from her. She got off early as she worked the early shift and I had the afternoon shift. 

I came home that night to many cooking smells. Some were recognizable and some were a mystery. I should have taken a video or picture of the kitchen. She had many ingredients and bowls on the counter with pots boiling away on the stove. She had opened the windows and later we could see and hear the storm as it blew in. Rain, thunder, lightening, and wind - all the elements of a good storm, while we were safely secure in a leakproof roof and solid walls. 

I am glad Jeffrey was gone as I don't think he would have appreciated or enjoyed the hubbub, smells, and all that goes into making seven meals. Lots of fish involved. Baaba started around 2:30 or 3 pm and ended up going to bed around 4 am. She was up and getting dressed for work at 5:45 am. 

Bobby came to clean this morning and I had both doors opened and windows in the kitchen and back in the bathroom opened. After a few hours and while he was mopping the floors, the fish smells all died down. I took off to go shopping with Eugene and Sister Penner. I came back to a beautiful, clean home.

Comfort came, Juliet came, and Dumevi came over all before Babba came back again from working in the temple. Comfort and I discussed Relief Society things (need for new secretary and counselor), Juliet wanted to pick up supplies for the dinners I asked her to make next week, and Dumevi was looking for a pattern on new items he wants to sell along with his baby weigh pants. Life is interesting!

Baaba came back to make and cook several items, one of which is Palm nut soup (has fish in it) and other kinds of stew. I opened the windows in the front and back of the apartment and retreat to my bedroom when I get too hot or sticky. 

Baaba makes meals for three months and then stores them in small quantities in her freezer to heat quickly when needed. She says it works for her. I'll post later about complications and why my kitchen was so important to her this week.

Jeffrey comes home tomorrow (unless the president is staying until Sunday) and I am happy to anticipate seeing him again. We leave a week from Sunday to go visit home. I think that will be very interesting as we have no "home" to go to as it is rented out. Life is good, phun, interesting, and fun.

Comfort brought meals for me to put in freezer for hungry people

Palm Nut Soup

This home is for the Lord's work

 Jeffrey and I rattle around in this very spacious apartment. We have realized for a long time that this is one of the Lord's mansions. I have been especially mindful that it is to be used for the Lord's work.

On Tuesday's, Bertha comes over to take the banana muffins I make along with the sobolo her mom makes and gives it to workers in and around the area office. A little of the Lord's work if you can say acknowledgment of a good job is His work. Then a lady came over to sew. That is definitely being of service to a fellow human being as she used my machine, space, etc. Then while I am putting loaves of bread into their pans, two boys called and told me they were at my gate. They were hungry. I asked them what they wanted to eat and they thought bread would be good. I told them to come back at 5:15 pm when the bread would come out of the oven.

I sent a picture at 5:30 and they ran over to come eat. They came a little later. I had bean soup, Ramon noodles, fresh bread and cherry jam, fruit, and water ready to go.  Jeffrey came home around six to find people in his dining room and living room eating and sewing. I followed him back to the bedroom, and we talked about his day, then he retired to our back room to work at the desk and I dished him up some bean soup (Ramon noodles on the side), bread, and fruit. After the boys had left, the lady finally sat down to eat her bean soup and bread with fruit. She suddenly realized she needed to run to her friend's home, so we covered her soup, bagged up the bread and fruit and off she went. 

I felt like it was a good day of serving my fellow man as Christ would want me to do. Of course, I am not going to write up anything about time I have wasted - just know I haven't quite gotten any where near perfection yet. It was still a good day.

Picture I texted so the boys knew dinner was ready.

Leading a discussion

 I actually lead the same discussion twice. Once for sister scripture study and then in an emergency last minute Relief Society class. 

The sister scripture study went well. We focused on how we get nearer to God. I had twelve PowerPoint slides of Elder Eyring's talk, "Draw Near unto Me".  Then we went around and shared experiences of when we felt close to the Savior or what were practicalities of doing things that brought us closer to the Savior. It was a good class.

On Sunday I had the same twelve slides but I skipped from showing it on the table to the TV to the table and then the TV stayed on. I didn't get flustered, I just continued on with my discussion despite what kind of technical difficulties went on. When we got to the discussion part the answers were very different.

The one that touched my heart was Sister Asante telling....well showing us....

She picked up two chairs and put them in front of the women and said there was a time when she was having extreme difficulties. She sat in one chair and invited God to come sit with her in the facing chair. She described having her scriptures there and then she sang, "Be Still my Soul" (third verse)* to God. While she was singing a cappella for us,  my heart clenched. Sister Asante said after her song she got two calls almost immediately that eased her difficulties. 

I felt that was the crux of my message, so we sang the closing song and had the closing prayer.

I and Sister Asante

* The notes don't seem to go with the tune I am familiar with, so it may be a different rendition. The words are the same.

Amazing children’s appreciation night

 It was a terrific night watching the children show their parents their appreciation. They came marching and singing into the room. All the girls were in the same dress, the adults were in the same dress, both with necklaces and black shoes. The little girls wore frilly ankle socks. The boys came in with white shirts and yellow ties. Adorable! 

The presentation was really great. The children sang with gusto and all those who had parts were not shy, they were bold and stepped right up to the mic. Even if they were not in tune all of the time, they knew their parts and all the words to all the songs. 

Luckily for me, one of the mothers needed pictures of her girl. So I have many pictures of Peggy. Nothing like a good time when there is a mission to perform. I loved the night and performance. 

The decorations were so cute and there was a place to take pictures just before you went into the cultural hall.

It was so nice of Comfort to bring food for all. It was a well rounded and well attended program. 

They are gone.....never forgotten

 

Last night we took Amberlee and Ashley to the airport. It is one of those bittersweet things. Sad to see them go, happy that they got the adventure!

Jeffrey and I will definitely be watching for Amberlee in the future as she has initiative, drive, and is a kind, nice person. She is going to do something great in the future. I am sure her sister Ashley is just like her though we didn't get to know her as well. 

The drop-off was nerve racking as the rain had caused a jam with lots of clumped up passenger drop off. Amberlee and Ashley took initiative by walking in from the far side walk. Since we didn't get to see them walk in the building, it was a great relief to get a text saying they made it to the gate. Then in the morning another text saying they both made their flight changes! YES. Alls well that ends well. 😁

Home Dedicated

 Baaba asked if Jeffrey could come by her apartment to dedicate it and give blessings on her home. Eugene was kind enough to bring us over. Her home has a good feel and is just what she wanted.  There were sooo many struggles and battles to fight before it has all come together.  

Baaba surprised Jeffrey and I with this excellent repast. It was a shame that I had just eaten a late breakfast. Since Jeffrey wasn't hungry either, she packed it all up and sent it home with us. Late afternoon we enjoyed it immensely. 

Spray oil

 I ran out of spray oil and grumped a little about the mess of spreading oil or butter around pans. Eugene came up with this great spray bottle that shoots the oil around the pan just as well as the can. Have I told you how creative and ingenious these Ghanaians are? They can find a solution for everything  --

 except poverty.

We have a "little Costco" which is actually Badia Spices that sells Kirtland brand items. It is so nice to see familiar ingredients, one of which is the spray oil cans. But sometimes they are available and sometimes not. So it was really great that Eugene could figure out a solution that works - and can be refilled.

The Girls came!

 Last Sunday, Amberlee's sister arrived and Eugene took them on a short sight-seeing trip around the city. They came back with the car in the afternoon. When they said what they had been doing, I realized that they had not had lunch. I told them the three options they could have and we set out a lovely dinner settings. Baaba came before we had finished so she joined us also. She opted for the spring rolls so we added that to the lunch. 

It is so nice to be around young adults! They are lively and think of lots of things to converse and talk about. Nice lunch, a nice chat, and then they all went home. I could feel the quiet.

The next day they ran over to Abri in the morning. I decided not to go as I had too many things planned to get ready for. I am so grateful I did not go! They got stopped by rain and had to make a few extra trips as they forgot something and didn't get back till late. But they looked like they had a ton of fun - so that is good! They went to Asante's home and rode a trotro - it's all great.

Monday travel!

Starting off to Abri

Solera Family - All doing well

 The Solera family have had many things happen this year. It started out with the marriage of their oldest son John Michael. John Kyle got ready and went on a mission. Ernesto got a new job. And now they are looking forward to being grandparents. Princess is in school, and John Andre is so tall it's unbelievable!

Ernesto, Princess, Christy, Andre, Michael, and Kyle - look how tall those boys are. Even Princess is shooting up there. I probably look very old to them.

Caitlin and Michael Solera married on January 18, 2025

Princess had a birthday in February 

Kyle - Elder Solera in the MTC by May 29

Wonderful things happening for their family.

New job and new grandchild!

I am Hungry

 Coming out of the temple one day this week, I heard a child call to me. I turned around and stopped and saw a 7 to 9 year-old boy. He came up to me and said, "I am hungry." My heart clenched so I said, "if you wait here, I will go home and bring you some food." He said he would be there.

As I went home and picked up muffins, apples, and a food sack, I wondered about his mother and who took care of him. When I got back to the low wall outside of the temple, there he was sitting with an older girl that I presumed was his sister - good for the taking care of part of the question. After handing him the muffins and apples, I gave the food sack to the young women and told her that was for their mom.

I asked if they were in the patron house waiting for people in the temple or somewhere else. The boy replied that he belonged to that (pointing to the stake house) ward. I was surprised and said, "I'm in that ward too!" He replied, "I know, I see you every week." I found out their names, Sando and Rebecca, and said I'd look for them on Sunday. I was relieved to find they weren't desperate kids, but knew who I was. 

Sando, I, and Rebecca

Some days are very quiet - some are not

 I have fallen into a routine. Sundays have church meetings and Patriarchal Blessings to uplift and sustain. Mondays and Tuesdays are either adventures or doing projects, Wednesdays and Thursdays are working in the temple. Fridays usually are filled with people. Going shopping, having Bobby come for cleaning, Comfort coming to cook and discuss Relief Society issues. Saturday is always quiet for Jeffrey as he catches up on everything and sometimes I'm off with others for adventures and sometimes I am finishing up too.

Yesterday's Friday was filled with people! 

Wisdom came very early to pick up his cedis for his work.

Small Ebony Nativity

Bobby came to clean and Juliet came to collect cedis to make treats for chapel cleaners.

Eugene came and picked me up to go shopping. It was a holiday -- Eid al-Adha [Festival of Sacrifice - a day that Muslims celebrate and remember that Ibrahim was willing to sacrifice his son Ismael to God] so the streets were open and mostly clear. The stores also were uncrowded. Baaba came to sew. I got back in plenty of time to greet Comfort and Bertha who came with sobolo and fresh produce from the market for me. Nice! 

Bobby meanwhile had run over to the church store to get supplies for his ward. I was meeting him at the gate with a cart as he had dropped off a few boxes at the gate and went back for more supplies, when Comfort and Bertha came with their supplies and used the cart to bring them up to the apartment and then ran the cart back down to carry Bobby's supplies. It is all about timing.

My kitchen was getting full. But the next visitor was Maame Huston from our Cantonments ward. She and Bertha were planning for an event for Young Single Adults that day. There is nothing like the vibe, energy, creativity, and unlimited possibilities that exist in young adults!

The girls wanted to win in a contest with the stake. Cantonments ward had the color red and decided to make a sobolo smoothie and they came to my house to look for ways to present their table. I wanted them to win the contest also.

Two creative girls having fun. Maame Houston and Bertha Ofoli-Quaye.

They collected all kinds of odds and ends and came up with a plan.

Here is the result! Beautiful presentation

Ariel view of the table

Here are the two winners of the contest. They came to put all the items back.

I had a nice full day with lots of chatting and talking, then watching the girls create and plan. The last person to come was Baaba after working in the temple. She came to pick up her laundry and bags. I felt good feeding her and sending her off with supplies. It was not a quiet day but is was great.