Dinners Again for the Ward

 

Dumevi packed up all those dinners and carried them on his head!

So cool

I love to see Juliet at work. She really knows what she is doing and jumps in and does a really good job. On Sunday I got another compliment on the dinners from Stephanie and I just had to tell her that Juliet did all the work and Dumevi did all the driving. That night Vera called and thanked me for a dinner and wanted to know if she could get the pictures we took on at the Boti Falls and zipline. Dumevi really gets around to lots of people and families.

The really great thing for me is that she will always make cabbage stew or jollof rice. I can always count on a meal for us too! I love Fridays.

Walking around in Socks

 So I stayed around the apartment because I had an appointment with a filter I assumed was in an air-conditioner. I found out it was a fumigator and that I had to be out of the apartment for an hour. Okay, no problem, I picked up my iPad and went down by Petra and she turned the AC on in the lobby where I sat to read.

In an hour I found I couldn't go back in because it had to be mopped. Mopped? I wonder why. About 40 minutes later I get the keys back and the floors are very wet and the windows are all open. No problem, I got some socks and did what I could to finish my laundry walking on the wet floors. Petra came by and said it was advisable to leave the windows open for awhile. 

There must have been something in that water as the floors were not dry two hours later. My laundry wasn't drying very well either. I started wondering if the humidity was the problem and that the AC would take the moisture out of the floor and laundry if I turned it back on and the windows were closed. It was a weird day where I hesitated to walk around and hesitated to stay in one place. I tried to sew up more of the trousers and finally ended up watching YouTube videos on sewing machine repair. I ended up unscrewing my bobbin in hopes the thread would stop snapping. I'm still figuring out the tension and thread breakage.

Sorry no pictures of my weird Thursday. Not that it was interesting just weird.

Anticipate or Worry - A difference?

 On Wednesday I went to work at the Area Office to write letters to the grands and do office work. I seldom take pictures there as it is just an office and the work is confidential and who wants to hear about secretarial work anyway?

But my facilitator work is complex and fascinating. The complex is frustrating roadblocks and the fascinating is when I can jump over and around the roadblocks and just get the job done. Having the PowerPoint and Zoom work at 9 am for Sister Scripture Study made me so very happy I did a little jig in my mind! Score, though of course I never say anything out loud. It wasn't my work or efforts. I merely ask the right people to be there at the right time. 

Getting everything ready IN ADVANCE for the latest Zone/Area conference is making me happy. Actually having all the moving parts working on the day in question will make me happy again. Remembering to give notice to all about upcoming events in a timely fashion makes me happy, "herding all my cats" together in a smooth fashion to get events planned and executed makes me really happy. 

This is where my anxiety works to my advantage as I try to anticipate any and all problems beforehand and do something to make it all work out. I really can't stand being on someone else's time table when I am scheduling and planning. I love things worked out a month or at least a week ahead of time. When I am asked to wait and then change the time, day, or hour three times puts me in a really bad mood.

I have been told quite a few times not to "worry". That 'worry' is how I stay on top of things, anticipate, and pull off something I  am proud of. It doesn't feel like worry, it feels like efficiency. It just looks like "worry". 

Wednesday was a good day.

It was Thursday that was.......interesting.

What would I do without the tech guys?

 I thought about what I would do with my electronics and just hoped I'd run into some young trustworthy people and so we did. The tech staff here are marvelous and can do amazing things when we need it. Sister Burton was teaching and wanted a PowerPoint to go along with the zoom for those who don't come in person yet. Angelus and Michael to the rescue!

It is amazing what these two can do!

Though Michael is currently on the computer, Angelus was instrumental in setting it up also

I have some seriously needed thank you(s) to give out. So my current idea is to give little vouchers for Juliet's drinks. I pay her and the people I want to thank are given a voucher for a drink from Juliet when they are available. Win-win. Juliet gets business and I get to give thank you gift.

Tuesday's Livelihood Day with a Surprise

 Juliet came early and started her lunches for the Senior missionaries. Since it was a holiday in Ghana, many of the seniors didn't make it to the office but she made them up for Wednesday and had me bring them from the fridge on Wednesday morning. No surprises at the first of the day.

Sporting a new apron!

The cute surprise came when Jennifer and Princella arrived with her little girl! I am still not exactly sure what her name is as they seemed to call her Lucy. When I asked Princella said she had two names. I don't know what either of them are.

Jennifer concentrated on learning the cutting out process with a little sewing

Princella concentrated on the sewing part this day, though she did both

Dumevi and Princella's little two year old

The longer the day was, the more I realize how long it has been since I've had a child in my home. After being shy for 1/2 an hour, the rest of the day was looking up to find her into something else I hadn't thought about. 

I am so happy that last week I lost the use of my oven until I realized it had a child lock. It felt very serendipitous to be able to make sure she wouldn't get burnt while I was helping out her mom and aunt. But all the things a two year old can get into!!!!! I looked up from a sewing machine glitch and she was cancelling pictures off of my picture frame.....how did she even get into individual picture information? I remember Matthew as a 14 year-old saying, "just right click it mom." This little one could right click on anything and get somewhere. I had her safely watching Winnie-the-Pooh on my iPad and the next thing I hear is some dark music. How did she get onto the internet TV so quickly - and how? The TV which we have never turned on, was not a problem for this little one.  Of course she wanted to do whatever her mom and aunt did and we had to guard pins, scissors, and seam rippers zealously. I've gotten to understand her mischievous laugh and pay attention quickly and her happy sounds.

The paper and crayons, little truck and elephant only went so far. I need some serious grandmother toys.

Meanwhile the ladies made great strides in figuring out how the machine works, threads, and how all the cutting should happen. There were a few oops, but mostly the two ladies figured it out. 

Cool kid

Working through

Found a trouser to turn

Whatever mama does...

Mama and baby

End of the day - up on the top shelf!

Ultimately it was a long, educational, good day. I had made some rice but they didn't eat while they were here. I don't think they want Oburoni food (white people) I sent some chicken that was Ghanaian style from the store and the white rice so that supper wouldn't be a long time away for them. Since it was dark, I made sure they got a ride home with the baby. It felt odd having her in the car without a car seat. It is not mandatory or even thought about much as they don't ride in cars often.

Good day.

Jeffrey and his ideas about Isaiah

 Every other Sunday night - about 8 pm in California, we have a zoom call and someone presents an idea. Last Sunday night (Ghana Monday at 3 am) Jeffrey presented his latest study on the first chapters of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon and what he feels is the fulfillment in 3 Nephi when Christ himself comes to visit the people.

To our children he gave the presentation as if it is how it is. (He does reserve the right to change his mind in a few months as he further studies). At the Family Home Evening to the Seniors in the Area Office, his patter included the ideas that he is not a scholar, does not know Hebrew, Arabic, or Egyptian and these are his personal conclusions after studying out a question for a few months.

PowerPoint presentation to the Senior Missionaries

Audience from the right side from the front

Audience from the left side at the front

Right side from the middle

Left side from the middle

I am almost sure I could name everyone here....

Maybe another day:)

Jeffrey's message was that Israel is another name for Jesus Christ because he is ultimately the one who prevailed with the wrath of the Almighty God's judgement and was victorious. Many other prophets and people have Let God Prevail in their lives including Jacob, who was given a name similar to Christ as another who prevailed with God.

This is not even the Cliff notes of his presentation and is lacking just about everything. Ask Jeffrey about it if you are curious and he can give you a zoom meeting of your own.

My wife is coming over

 On Monday I got a call from Dumevi and he said his wife was coming over. For some reason I thought he meant he and his wife like the last time. His wife Princella and her sister Jennifer did come over! I showed them over the ropes of cutting out fabric and sewing up the trousers. I kept hopping from one and then the other with little snags and problems that are typical to the beginning sewer. I have a great appreciation for my high school teachers. I am so glad that I had a practical education.

I loved watching the sisters interact and help each other and I think they learned a lot while they were here.

Jennifer learning the sewing techniques to get the job done

Princella took on the cutting out to learn the process on that end

They often consulted and helped each other

When Princella took a trouser from cut out to sewn up was the prize!!

Job well done!!

They are great ladies to work with

Happy dance when it was done!

I had to leave for FHE

I think Princella and Jennifer would have stayed longer, but I had to go because Jeffrey was teaching in the FHE and needed to be set up and feeling comfortable. I found the sister decided to walk home! True, not too far, it is probably a mile and a half, but still a long way in the heat. I drove one way and the walked the other.....felt wrong but that is the way it is.

Wait...where did the week go?

 I was just asking Jeffrey if we had to be anywhere.....no? Wow, really. Nice I think.

Last Sunday we went to dinner at the Burton's place. I think it was the first time I toured that Temple View apartment and they really do have a view of the temple! They can see into the soccer field of the MTC and have excellent views all around their place. They are on the top floor and can see over the fences. They probably have better views than the President and his wife.

Emmy had a wonderful white bean chili dish with all the trimmings added - Yummy!

Emmy Burton hostess

Richard Burton the host

Sharon Kwaw the legal coordinator from OGC

Chatting and looking at all the window views

After dinner and just before dessert - double decker chocolate brownie with ice-cream!

Bunso Eco Park (Bunso Arboretum)

 Arriving at Bunso Arboretum

After our trip was over and I was looking online, I found that this Arboretum that I had just visited was the site of some rare and famous trees. Evidently when you are playing on the canopy walk, you should be looking around at the rare trees. Ok maybe next time....

We arrived at Buso Arboretum and Walker negotiated the prices again. Luckily you pay for the zipline after you go on the zipline, but we started out with the canopy walk. We went past a children's park and people getting on horses for a horse ride and past the zipline that we would go to later.

Canopy Walk

On the stairs up to the first platform

First platform

Unlike the canopy walk earlier in the year, this walkway curved like a U

Sometimes you slid down and sometimes you climbed up

One of our group (Vera) was terrified of heights. Emmanuel stuck very close and she made it through the whole course - all five walkways (very slowly)

I loved the whole experience

For Moses, it was a cake walk:)

Zip-line

I got the distinct impression that this was a new experience for most if not all of our group. Jeffrey and I stayed on the platform where they ended up and took video shots of each of their runs. Interestingly Vera was the first to try it out and made it across. She had to sit down for a bit and process it through till she stopped shaking but was laughing too. What a fun time I had. Shouting encouragement which they probably could not hear, and watching how they all dealt with fear and excitement.

This is the zip line course. If you widen the picture, you will see the platform they jump into the air from. There is a little box they stand on before going forward

Emmanuel didn't go himself but helped some of the others

This horse was completely unfazed by people zipping above him. He was placid even when group of kids would surround him and pat on him. I was very surprised when he didn't even budge when kids went behind him and slapped him on the rear. 

Ended up with another great meal

When everyone who wanted to go on the zipline went, we gathered in a little pavilion and the girls served up another fantastic meal from Prince's mom. Jeffrey and I are old and were still full from the previous lunch so we just took ours home. I got a meat filled waffle they had for breakfast to try the next day too.  I was not the 'mother' at all as these young adults were all very self sufficient and took care of everything.  

My heart was touched as each person at some time or another during the day thanked Jeffrey and I separately for giving them the opportunity to come. It sure made me want to do this kind of thing again.

Tender Mercy from the Lord

Just as we piled into the cars, it started raining. How serendipitous was that! I felt the Lord was giving us a little more grace. He definitely kept us in His watchful care on the trip home zipping in and out of trucks and long lines of cars. But the added bonus of Emmanuel's car making it all the way home was a witness to me of His care of each of us and answers to prayer.

Jeffrey even got home in time to have his missionaries come over for a scripture discussion.

Life is good.

Umbrella Rock - Hike from Boti Falls Resort

Walk through the Woods

Jeffrey, with Walker, Prince, Margaret, Moses, Emmanuel, Vera, and Adepa went off hiking in the woods (or jungle in parts) to see the famous Umbrella Rock. Just as the hike started going up instead of straight, Jeffrey started to slow down. He figured he'd just sit and rest for a bit and then head back to the compound while the others went on to the rock, took pictures and then caught up with him on the return trip. 

Not so. These young adults all elected to stay with him and go back if he couldn't go on. Of course, he elected to go on with them...stopping every little while until he could muster strength to go on.

The famous Umbrella Rock

Taking Care

Taking pictures....always!

Every rest stop - take more pictures

Laughing

talking

Enjoying life

Getting Elder Adams up the hill

Made it to the Rock - Getting under the shade

Prince, Moses, Walker, Emmanuel, Jeffrey, Margaret, Adepa, and Vera

After the Boti Falls and Umbrella Rock adventure, we jumped into our cars for another bumpy ride to Bunso Eco Arboretum - naturalist study there but its mostly a fun place to go.