Love that grows

 Senior missions are a really great place deepen and develop a greater love for your spouse. I noticed this wonderful blessing the last time I was on a mission. That is not to say that my love for Jeffrey doesn't grow and bloom while I am at home in my regular setting as I can only tell you that love between us gets better every year. 

It is just that on a mission there is a dependence on your companion in a setting that makes it good and needful to turn together in unity. I love this dynamic of mission life. The first time I was a little apprehensive as I had watched a couple or two in the MTC who didn't look like they liked being together all the time. But that is not a fear ever again. Missions are WONDERFUL for marriages. 

Our latest "tradition" that has developed (besides the half-life of money) is the night versus early morning sleep and wake periods. Jeffrey works very hard all day and comes home eats dinner, answers some emails and drops into sleep - sometimes at 7 pm. My days are not so full and on the go, so I don't need to go to bed before 10 or 11 pm. 

Jeffrey gets some of his best work done very early in the morning like 3 or 4 pm and sometimes runs off to work by 5:30 am.  Once in awhile if he gets up really early, he will go back to bed for an hour or so. Lately, he has been at work before I get up at about 6 or 6:30 am.

I drive the car and he walks to work. Ever since the Luke's left him the clicker, he can slip through the back gate of the temple lot and into the Area office. That makes it about an eight minute walk to work.

Whenever he leaves early, he leaves me a note - a love letter. When I wake up I run over to my computer the first thing to see what he left. My heart is always full. We enjoy talking right after he gets home and he always tells me a 'story'. I love stories. He listens to my stories though I don't have one every day, and we talk about happenings, frustrations, and answers we are looking for. But these love letters are really a boost to my life.

Take a Picture......ummm

 On Sunday I walked out of church and a gentleman came up and said, "Come take a picture." He was very friendly and I had never seen him before. As a missionary I am always anxious to be open and friendly. So, I said, "Sure." I couldn't do the selfie thing right, so when another man took our picture with my camera, the man put his arm around me. Now I'm uncomfortable and Jeffrey is saying, "Linda Ann you need to come right now, we have a meeting." Oh good. Going in, the bishop was quick to tell me that the man was from the Psychiatric Hospital up the street and he wasn't sure how safe I was...... At least it was my camera not his...

Mama Portrait

 

Look at this! A young man in high school, Richard Akrong painted me this portrait style picture of a mama and baby carrying a load on her head. I have been looking for art work of a mama and her baby since I got here. There are loads of arty long skinny renditions of all kinds of mama's and babies, but I have been looking for a portrait style of life-like people. One day when Richard was visiting he said, "I can do that". I invested in his art business with supplies and he gave me this painting!

I was out with playing Emmy Burton who showed me some note cards that she bought and I immediately thought about how Richard's business could get bigger if he could paint some pictures of African life, take a picture and put them on notecards. We'll have to see how it all works!

Business Report

 I got a call yesterday from S who calls me every few months with another business proposal. His stories used to be about calmatius things like people in the hospital, or his home burning down, but now he wants money for a car license so he can get a better job, schooling so he can get a better job, and now a business plan for a better livelihood. Every time he wants about 10,000 cedis or so. He doesn't want to listen that I can only give out 200 cedis a month to him. 

So that got me thinking, approximately what do I give out a month?

Two guys on corner - 50 cedis, apple, and biscuit every Sunday

150 cedis of biscuits to children on the street every month

20  cedis for car wash tip

40 cedis a week for grocery help

300 to J for meals to ward members

100 to 500 for transportation to D

300 every two weeks for sewing services to VD

100 for banana bread to B's wife

400 to 500 for cleaning to B

200 for samosas and spring rolls to ST

200 to 500 for wood carving to W

rice, tuma, sardines to lady on the street

rice, chicken, tomato sauce, oil for lunches

100 cedi Drink Thank yous to J

            One Time investment:

Doctor care for AD - 2100 

200 for portrait supplies to R

300 investment for B's wife

Petra's Fund

Juliet's business

Dumevi's business

Dumevi's tour business

Margaret's Pay It Forward computer

Lizzy's sewing

Bernice sewing

Sister Addy's ward sewing

400 Thank you lunches (every 3 months)

My conclusion is I could give S 10,000 cedis, but then I couldn't give anything to anyone else.

I think I'll stick to my original plan. If you are in my circle (and don't ask for the world) I can help you out.

Game Time

Two and a Half Hours to Learn a Game (and take pictures)

 

If you Come, Bring Your Money

 

Pictures of my Friends

 

Elder Derr ALWAYS find someone to talk with and polish his language skills. He can carry on a conversation in Twi now.

River Cruise - Sounds Exciting - Not

 On Saturday our group headed up to the Volte Dam to get on a boat and "cruise" up the river for 2 and a half hours, visit and island and then come back. In my mind I would see villages on the way, scenery that was beautiful and then learn about culture, history, etc. on the island, then enjoy the trip back.

Nope.

We got on the boat and made our way up to the second deck with a canopy and nice river breezes. As soon as the boat left the dock we got safety directions in case of emergency, and then the band played VERY loud music that had good rhythm. One by one the seniors left the loud music. I stayed as I couldn't figure out what I should be doing. The scenery was nice but exactly the same for about an hour. I even got up with the band singer and swayed a bit. He was going from couple to couple and different persons and the alcohol was generously given. I'm slow but not stupid and realized everything was geared for the tips. I paid my obligatory tip.

When my ears were numb, I went down stairs to find the missionaries in an air-conditioned room watching a stupid movie. I think it was Monster Hunters, but was not engaged. The scenery disappeared on one side of the boat into fog or smoke and got drier and scraggly on the other side. As we got nearer to the shore, I realized we were going to land in the sparse trees and dead looking grass island. 

Here would be better....

We walked along a path and took a few pictures then just past the cages on one side it opened up to a broad place. A little boy with a monkey had a bowl in front of him. A group of boys playing on bamboo instruments had a bowl in front of them. Some girls singing had a bowl in front of them. A group of dancers with drums had a bowl in front of them. A group of boys singing had a bowl in front of them. There was no guide with explanations of what they were singing or the significance of the dance or song. We did come into a clearing that had one boy with a small horse and steps up to the saddle, and another boy holding the rope on a small camel. The camel only wanted to walk with a rider if the boy gave him some of a coconut that was opened.  He would lead the camel in a big circle and come back. The horse with a rider was lead around in a big circle. Picture opportunity was about the extent of the "ride". And of course a chance to give money. The entire endeavor was to give tips and then go back to the boat and ride back again. 

I did have the chance to take pictures of the missionaries as my entertainment. Elder Porter had a game to play on the way home. About the seventh round I finally figured out the game. We had fun connecting and learning about each other.

Not my most exciting trip. I am SO GLAD Jeffrey stayed to finish up some work. Next time someone says cruise, I will come prepared to entertain myself for hours.

Watching Seniors Efforts at CD beads

 Since my talents are more in the sewing line, I asked a man, Kudjo who was a teacher, to make my beads while I filmed him on Marco Polo for the grands. He was very meticulous and told me all about the process as he worked. I found out he has been a member of the church since 2006.

Kudjo Owusu

Note the cassava stems to place the holes for the beads

He very carefully added the different colors of ground glass

Watching my friends work through their beads was really interesting and fun. Some were very intent and focused and some wanted to fill their beads up quickly. Some wanted to try elaborate patterns and some went for the quickest fill - and everyone else in between.