The Ladner Archives: Week of 20240609 - Ghana Week 13: Lessons; Back Way Help; Hawaiian Pizza; Clinics

Week of 20240609 - Ghana Week 13: Lessons; Back Way Help; Hawaiian Pizza; Clinics

= Sunday, we arrived late even though we no longer had to stop at Aponsem Square to pick up missionaries. Fortunately, the service started late to let Elders carry a member in his wheelchair from the road to the meeting. One speaker quoted Matthew 7:21 - Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
= Steph, with no preparation, was asked to lead a discussion of this week’s scriptures. I had seen her lead Cub Scout Pack meetings. I don’t think I realized until today just how good a teacher she is. The class discussed, she covered main points, and if felt right.
= Before starting the next temple preparation lesson, I led a discussion of the things that have to happen in order to go to the temple to do live ordinances (interviews, appointments, transportation/clothing). Once we had discussed that topic, I moved forward to today’s lesson: how symbols help us learn. Steph says I did well.

= Monday, an Elder who is a member of a District here, not a Stake, came to the Mission President to be set apart as a missionary. Then I dropped him off at Pedu Junction so he could catch a bus to Accra for his training. Steph and I went to DIS Clinic to help a Sister missionary and learned that an Elder was there on IV but had not let the mission know! (Yes, he needed it.)

= Tuesday, the Bishop of the nearby Ward came to the mission office and on my laptop with Windows Recorder on walked me through the procedures for obtaining a temple recommend renewal and two types of limited-use recommends; President Morgan had asked me to produce a PowerPoint to train Branch and Ward leaders. Steph and I went to DIS Clinic to pay a bill, then brought medication to an Elder in Asebu, beyond Yamonransa but not quite as far as the trip to Abakrampa a couple of weeks ago.

= Wednesday, Back to DIS to have an Elder released from there. Then to Oak Tree Medical Services to pay for a Sister missionary's treatment there. Later, an Elder told us of a dentist who spent most of his appointment today trying to convince him that the church was horrible, a cult, and then told him not to discuss their conversation. The mission won't refer missionaries to that dentist again.

= Thursday, the Elders next door needed a miracle and received it, and it helped us, too. The “road” between the new construction and the paved road was thigh-deep in water. But someone associated with the small store within sight of our compound took pity on them, loaded them into their back seat, and then waited for us as we approached and they saw our predicament. We followed them on a circuitous route to the main highway. Had we left a few minutes earlier or later, we would not have met up with them and would have returned to our compound.
= As arranged, we ate pizza with those Elders at Lemon Lounge, a second-floor restaurant across from Melcom: Hawaiian pizza. Home, I transcribed every comment from apartment inspections and responded to each one or queued it for action: 358 items and counting.

= Friday, we worked from home. I collected photos of apartment issues into Word documents and then converted those files to PDFs to view more easily on phones. I leveled the washer so it wouldn't shake cleaning items onto the floor. Steph made a cheese and cracker board and assembled other snacks. We watched Sherlock Holmes set in modern times until almost midnight.

= Saturday, calls started to arrive before 0930. I did catch a nap at one point, but we worked most of the day. In pricing replacement mosquito nets, one oddity worth mentioning is that big companies tally prices for individual items in 100ths, but the smallest coin is a tenth of a cedi. It is as if our smallest coin was a dime. For street purchases, a fifth of a cedi - think 20 cents - is as small as people are willing to go. I worked on the blog until nearly midnight.

Navigating Jukwa Road near Abura chapel..

Objects to be carried don't need to be stiff; a bag will do.

But it doesn't hurt when they are.

This is an unusual KK, smaller than most.

Huddle for football {soccer} game.

Walking to church

This is a sawmill on the way back from church.

This abboyo has been stripped down for special loads.

A Volkswagon Beetle

Poles hold the ceiling during construction

God's Favour Cold Store

Adom Nyame {God's Grace} Ventures

The new building on our "road" is looking fine. It would be nice if the "road" and drain met.

Salad in a can. I should have added salad dressing.

Kabob meat removed from the and embellished with canned tomatoes and frozen broccoli

The result

The proud chef

Served

Team city graphics; Grace Factor Enterprise

We dance and make it through.

Men also carry loads this way.

Women do it with grace.

And even carry firewood.

We had hopes for this hand-me-down, but it has electrical problems in addition to its other problems.

Yes, corn and "Spam" with rice

In our bookshelf at eye level near the front door, we have photos of activity and wedding day and family. To the right of the Savior, you see Stephanie and Mary-Lorraine, then Quinton and granddaughter Lana. Drop down and see son-in-law Joshua and Vincent, Michelle, and Brianna.

The Great Provider

School's out

Plates and bowls

And plantains

Coconut milk directly from the source

Not so easy to get the meat through that tiny flip-top hole

Push carts have a role here

A sewing machine in the case! (Usually, they're carried without the case.)

I lately have sometimes slipped and enabled a filter.

Wɔ ye de adɔfo. One translation is They are good dear ones.

This man is carrying three pieces of luggage.

Well-earned rest at the Colonel's.

A goat is getting a ride with a view.

I successfully used part of a knee patch to repair a hole in my computer bag.

Going home from school. There's a school on a branch of our "road".

Some loads are larger than others.

They are filling this truck with flattened vehicles, and they're doing it by hand.

A portable store

boafo nye nyame: God is a helper.

Older students getting out

Visitors from next door

Spring rolls

Frying ramen! It provides a crunchy snack.

When the mud flows, Steph makes a K-turn coming out of the compound so we can be lined up for the "slide for life" going downhill. Of course, the K-turn has its own difficulties.

The ruts are gone: a bad sign. This is a sea of mud, and we have to line up with the road beyond to cross the ditch that separates the mud from the grass beyond.

This individual removed his slacks to trek through the puddle that the "road" becomes not far from the paved road. He is actually at the most shallow point in this photo; the water was thigh-high at its deepest and would have been well above our tailpipe.

We followed neighbors who were giving our missionaries a ride that avoided the deep water.

Businesses often try to make a connection with God in their names.

Where's the pharmacy?

Same place, different angle: Cape Coast Pharmacy

Our first visit to Lemon Lounge

Hawaiian pizza and frosty concoctions

With a window view of Melcom [variety store] and of a hill that overlooks Cape Coast

Cheese and crackers arranged by Steph for Date Night at home

The full spread

Proof that you can make almost anything edible if you add fig jam and balsamic vinegar. Beef pate. We didn't use pomegranate molasses again; it has strange not-so-sweet flavor.

Eggs become hard-boiled, steaming in the rice cooker.