An Artist Comes to Visit

 While the brownies were baking, a knock comes at the door and David A Bolarinwa is invited in. He made a set of small animals with a ring screwed in the top so I can tie a ribbon on the animals and sew them into a Noah's Ark for children to play with at Sacrament Meeting. He also brought some of his other work for us to look at.

Notice the mama holds her baby on her back while she does her work

I thought all of his art work was very cute and interesting. Then he brought out his batik napkins and I was sold. I am looking for napkins for my napkin rings. So I bought a set. I'll only buy one set as they are so expensive. Regular cotton squares will probably happen for the rest of my napkin rings.

Brother Bolarinwa is part of our North Ridge Ward, so he knows Sister Tagoe very well. I did like these napkins and I think they will work well - for adults. For little ones, I'll get a nice print napkins.

Baking Buddy

 Sister Tagoe came to our house for Family Home Evening with her husband and daughter. This week she asked if she could come and learn how to make banana bread. It is so simple because I just use a recipe. She came over and I know you learn more from doing, so I had her just do it all while I washed up the measuring cups and made sure the ingredients were set in front of her. She did a really good job and discovered  how great baking paper or parchment paper is when you are baking. I promised to pick some up at the store for her.

Sister Tagoe came again on Thursday to make brownies and chocolate chip (chocolate dust is more accurate) cookies.

Sister Tagoe spreading the brownies in the pan

Later, Dumevi dropped by and tested the results. He said the chocolate chip (dust) cookies were too sweet. Cookies and brownies are a big treat to the kids and teenagers. Adults don't like them too sweet.

Testing out the results

Can't Stop Picking Them Up

 Wisdom dropped by with some napkin ring holders. They are wonderful! For some reason they are just the right size to hold, smooth over the wood, roll around in your fingers. They are on my coffee table and I find myself picking them up and running my fingers over them quite often.

Drove out to Swedru

 Elder and Sister Phillips asked me for a favor for their returning missionary. I missed her when she landed in Accra, so Jeffrey and I went out to Swedru to find her. The trip was a whole adventure by itself. One, Jeffrey was feeling ill and so I drove. He made a special effort because I didn't want to travel alone. Two, driving in Ghana is complicated. 

Police Checks

There were eight possibilities for police pull-overs, only two actually slowed us down and I'll bet due to fervent prayers we were not pulled over.

Road Surface

The roads are like being in a live video game. Who knows when a pothole that will sink a taxi will appear front, right or left? Roads can change names quickly and the texture of the road can change to dirt and large potholes in an instant. We had a least four or five men (some boys) who stood with shovels in the road with their hand out because they were working on filling in the potholes (I think). Due to the terrible condition of the road, I had both hands on the wheel and I didn't stop for anything. 

Pedestrians

The longest stretch of the road without dirt and potholes had busses and taxi's darting on and off the road looking for passengers. People would run across the highway and sometimes the tall grass in the meridian would hide them until they were right in front of you. Of course there are hardly any stop lights or stop signs. Fastest guy wins. On the way back, Jeffrey did not want one of the cars behind us to pass in front. "Go, go, you can go now!" "Stay behind this car, don't let that guy in." "Quick, catch up now." I just trusted Jeffrey could see and knew what he was saying and went with it.  All prayers and pleads were answered. No one was killed, no accident happened and we got home in one piece.

Swedru 5th branch was wonderful! We found the building that the church met in and our missionary Sister Dadzie was waiting out front for
us. I was able to give her the packages and took pictures with her to give to the Phillips - proof of endeavor. It was the wonderful ladies in the branch that came up to talk with me that gave me the warmest feeling. We talked about sisters that we are born with and sisters we choose to bond with. The immediate rapport I felt with these sisters told me I could be good friends if I went to church every week here. Almost persuadable......almost. That drive is good for once in a lifetime.

Sofia and the branch president's wife (I said her name but can't spell it)

I'm not very good at the selfies. Smiling, framing, and pushing the button is almost too much!

Sofia and I

I really felt a warm welcome in this branch.

Sister Dadzie and I

Surprise Visitor

 Brent made plans and came to visit Accra, Ghana because the Bonner Family was coming to Accra - and Africa -  for the very first time to showcase a movie that one of the Bonner's wrote the screenplay for. 

"My Name is Green Flake" is a YouTube movie (I think it is only by a subscription that you can open it), and the Bonners have plans to visit a lot of stakes to sing and show their movie. They are excellent singers that harmonize well with or without accompaniment. 

The movie is based on the story of Green Flake a slave that was owned by people who became members of the church. The movie has a lot more in it than the stories I looked up online about him, but probably because there wasn't a whole lot of information from those stories. Maybe they had journals or something more personal than what I could find. I am not sure whether the intent of the story is for an LDS audience to educate and enlighten or for general audiences. I am figuring it wouldn't be understood very well without an LDS background - but who knows? For me I was shocked to find out that saints even owned slaves. I have always believed the gospel of Christ doesn't have any part of slavery. So if that was the intent - well covered! The Bonners are excellent singers and I was touched and moved by their songs.

Ok, back to the reason for this post!

Brent left on his birthday which was November 4th and arrived on the 5th. He had given us a little over a week's warning that he was coming and asked if we wanted anything from the states. A good cutting pair of scissors for all the fabric I'm doing was first on my list. It was like Christmas came early when Brent arrived here. He brought Jeffrey some Arabic books and I got vitamins and sewing materials. I am so happy!

Happy Birthday Brent!

The Burton's hosted a birthday celebration. It was odd having Brent not take charge and order the events - of course it was the Burton's home now. Just different.

Brent talking to all the guests who came for his birthday

The really cool part for me was the fact that he asked if I wanted him to take something back. He said he had room in his suitcases. 

So just like that my herd of elephants are now in Utah in Susie's house!

Having Fun with a Friend

 Sherri Despain travels around West Africa with her husband picking up Church History stories by interviewing and taking pictures of the people who are left from the earliest members of the church. She has gotten to be friends and loves the people she interacts with. 

Sherri wanted to have her hair braided African Style to honor those she associates with and just because it would be fun. She asked if I wanted to go with her, so off we went to the hair dresser's salon. I met Antoinette and Irene. Irene was really, really quick with the braiding, but there were so many it took almost three hours. Antoinette asked if I wanted anything done and on the spur of the moment I said yes, I'd like to be blond again and have my hair cut. I was actually done before Sherri was. 

About six months into my time here in Accra, I got frustrated with my hair and took the front part and whacked it off. Antoinette was kind enough to even it out. 

We had fun talking, laughing and getting to know one another. There is something really nice about having someone in your hair while chatting.

 

So much fun!

This was a good morning!

Can you imagine braiding each of those tiny long braids?!

Stumble

 I have to confess, I had a melt-down last week. It was over something as stupid as the printer not printing. My computer said the printer was offline, so I turned on some buttons and a bit later saw some other people picking up their print jobs. Good, I put mine in again and it wouldn't print mine and said the printer was offline. I was so frustrated I cried. Stupid. I know. When Jeffrey comes over I told him it was just hormones (right - since I've already gone through the change-of-life years ago!) and hurried out the door and drove home. Of course it wasn't just this one instance, but a pile of frustrations and anxiety about lots of little things. At home I slept for two hours and woke up feeling a bit better and sheepish. 

Rachel called out of the blue! It was a nice chat. Another missionary said she was thinking about me and just called to chat. Jeffrey came home early and worked from home and then a few days later my friend Debbie Penovich wrote an email and said she had been thinking about me lately. Nice. I ordered some vitamin B complex to help with my moods. Brent Belnap was coming to Accra and offered to bring some things in his suitcase.

I felt wrapped in love and knew angels were on my side in this little thing. They nudged some people to think about me. Thanks. I know if I have a big thing I'll have the same care.