Week of
20250615 - Ghana Week 66: Nkanfoa Ward; Power Drop; Truck Maintenance; Malaria
Shot After Midnight; Otuam Inspection and Bicycle Dropoff; Medicine Search;
Kissi Inspection; Generator Hiccup
= Sunday, we attended Nkanfoa Ward (near the mission compound) for the second time of our mission. We were there partly to experience English and partly because the Morgans were going to be there. Announcements were entirely in English, an oddity to us. The hymns and Sacrament prayer were in English, as usual for Africa West Area. The talks used some English, but I should have been sitting closer to the front to hear better. After the meeting, we were part of a going-away photo-op.
= Monday, the Morgans introduced a couple that had served in the Takoradi portion of the mission and was now visiting Ghana and other points in Africa. Missionaries accidentally locked us out of our compound until evening.
= Tuesday, I dropped off our generator battery and worked with missionaries who wanted bicycles for their teaching areas.
= Wednesday, we had no power (and no working generator). Our truck was picked up for maintenance. When I opened the windows for breeze at 1115, the power came back on. In the afternoon, our truck was returned. We learned that we'll need to bring an Elder to a clinic at 0330 for a malaria shot. Instead of sleeping, I got sucked into science posts on Facebook until 0220. [slow shake of the head]
= Thursday near 0300, we drove the Elder and his companion to Adisadel Urban Health Centre, which we had never been to before. It was locked, but someone noticed us, and the Elder received his shot. However, he needed a third shot to be given twelve hours later. At 0900, we drove the Elders to the polyclinic near their apartment in Otuam, nominally an hour and a half away. The clinic didn't have the medicine for the third shot.
= We inspected their apartment, dropped off bicycles, and checked medicine sellers and pharmacies until we reached Mankessim and found the medicine, "40 minutes" away. Then back to Otuam, where we dropped it off for them to bring to the clinic at 3:30.
= Before we got home, the Elders called to say that the bicycles we had brought were not working well; I was deflated. In the evening, we found that we were both running a slight fever.
= Friday, we drove to the Kissi apartment for an inspection. On the way back, we stopped at the Shell station in Elmina and found that it did indeed have a wide variety of products as we had been told; we bought grilled sandwiches, still warm: nice.
= After arriving home, we remembered the generator battery and drove back out. The Battery Doctor wasn't there, and his wife didn't want to guess which battery was ours.
= Home again, I napped. Steph ordered from Pizza Hut. I drove to the Battery Doctor, who still wasn't there, but I had brought a picture of our battery, his wife (Relief Society President for the Bakaano Ward) released it to me, and one of their young sons disconnected it from the charger and carried it to my truck. I picked up the pizza on the way back. We watched Star Trek - Next Generation. We relaxed.
= Saturday, I posted photos and written notes about our apartment visits to formal documentation. I tested the generator; it ran, but its power didn't reach the house! Bed by 9:30.
We attended church at Nkanfoa; this is Come, Follow Me (Sunday School).
Sister Rebecca and kids. [As a High Councilor, her husband travels to other church units and is at a different one today.]
..
Sister Dimmick with the kids and with another child who just wanted to be in the photo
President Enchi and President Davies, counselors to President Morgan in the Mission District Presidency
Steph, preparing for a photo-op
I took the opportunity to see the other rooms in the building. This is Primary.
The weight of the trucks that bring water to the mission compound messed up the parking lot; it's being redone.
In front of the mission home
In front of the office. The thing that looks like Thor's hammer is used to hold one side of the gate open (so it doesn't blow shut) while the guard holds the other side.
A busy corner. We buy spaghetti mixed with vegetables and topped with fried egg at Junction Restaurant and Lounge (the two-story building).
Working
Waving to someone; how does she balance that?
Heading home
Water is still in short supply in many areas
Mud tracks, like snow tracks
..
The mud is thick enough that the stones come with it.
The water meter was spinning..
So I checked the polytank; it was filling.
Leftover frozen rice dish and leftover frozen bean stew..
The makings of another meal
Sun still out at 5
I think this is a flying ant (magnified). They followed a light into the mission office over the weekend and died there.
New glasses
..
Refinishing the compound parking lot..
All done by hand
..
..
..
..
Personal bug spray
Time to replace these water filters
A 4-in-one gari packet, with peanut butter added, ice, and a little water
This plant is valuable to him.
The ruts above the ditch are getting deeper.
She might say: "Put a fork in me..."
"... I'm done."
If the water tanker had stopped at the ramp for the other deliveries - a long hose is used - we might not have had to re-do the parking lot.
Victory
Cedar Nyame {Cedar God}
makes no sense to me
Using the wide part of the meridian on Jukwa Road below Pedu Junction to scrub..
..
..
They act like lovers - Them all be susupons
Jamaican slang: su-su pon you {gossiping upon [about]} you
Twi: susupon {measure}
[Likely uncommited]
Foreman
T.I.N.A = This Is New Africa
Carrying half an oil drum
Work continues on the building across from the Audit Agency. My question: why did the water truck risk driving up onto this pad, dodging rebar for future columns, instead of just parking in front of this building to fill the polytank?
Macaroni, Jack Mackerel, mushrooms, tomato mix, brown sugar..
Driving to Pedu Junction..
To arrive at Adisadel Health Centre.
Roofing material used on most homes: cement-reinforced fiber, good for 50 years.
Ɛnyɛ m'ahoɔdɛn {It is not my strength, effort}
We sometimes stop here, in Yamoransa, for a case of soda.
The white van is positioned to look for a passing opportunity.
This not a school uniform; I'm don't know what's going on.
My best guess is that it's somehow related to the premix fuel subsidy for small-scale fishing.
Most rural people cook with wood.
An American flag is seen typically at a bar..
There is a tradition of using bitter herbs to cure ailments. Makers of alcoholic drinks market liquor with bitter extracts as being good for you. [slow shake of the head]
That's an engine on the ground. Serious work is done on vehicles right where they fail.
The Rejected Stone [Jesus Christ]
Psalms 118:22 - The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
A seagoing canoe being created..
We see canoes being rough-cut from very large logs. However, many have the appearance of having been built from small boards. We're not close enough to tell for sure.
A school through junior-high
The small truck in a passing maneuver barely misses a big truck.
As a white van passing us now has to dodge the same big truck. Consider our options. If the van doesn't have the speed to get in front of us, we could slow down and hope no one rear-ends us. Or, we could slide to the shoulder if it's available, as it seems to be at this point.
We see the side of the big truck; the van has cleared us and will probably make it. Notice also that there's another vehicle right behind that truck.
Everyone's OK, and the van is setting up to pass again as soon as possible.
And, he clears the truck in front of us.
Nsuo ase kuo {Underwater group}
[Strange to me, but the individual words fit this interpretation.]
How did they get the polytank up there?
Asor Ba {son of Asor} or {Asor comes}
Asor might be Azor, g'g'g'g'g'grandfather of Jesus [Matthew 1:13].
But why pick Asor?
Let's hope it's just routine maintenance.
This is normal. If you don't want a ride and you're just resting, eating, etc., you face away from the road.
This training institute is usually busy when we pass by. Decorating the venue is part of catering duties, but we don't see that yet today.
Trucks aren't full until they're *full*.
Fruit for sale. The stool is to set the pan on while making a selection.
This is unusual: bulky items not on the head.
Seeing this reminds me of jousting.
I think someone's sitting with the load.
Megyefo tease {Savior Lives}
Approaching the Mankessim roundabout
The roundabout
Why Not
Only God
Selling
Cooperative driving
Site for Noblerich Oil Refinery and Petrochemical Plant, Ekumfi District, Central Region, Ghana
[in Essuehyia]
Visual reminders of what is available at this location: pipe fitting [painted on the wall] and carpentry [saw hanging from the roof].
I don't know what this is about.
Ɛye Adom {It's Grace}
Boa Wo Nua {Help Your Brother} Enterprise
(The ocean is in the background.)
Wɔbisa wo dan na wommbisa wo sika
{They ask you for a room and not for money}
I wonder whether this tower is complete.
Nice enough, except that there isn't a nearby pharmacy
And the "road to get there was a little rough..
(Across the parking lot from the clinic)
I would hate to get to the top and have forgotten a tool.
An alternate take on AT&T
A discussion outside the OPD [Out-Patient Department] department..
We learned that they don't have the third shot in the series to help someone recover from a serious bout of malaria.
The road looks even worse when leaving
An over-the-counter medicine seller. Closed, regardless of the hours on the sign.
Otuam apartment. A branch used to meet here until they outgrew it. The polytank on the left is for the font (outdoors). The polytank next to the porch catches rainwater from the roof.
This polytank receives community water when it's flowing.
And a pump provides water pressure.
Leaving, for now: bicycles swapped, Elders dropped off, and apartment inspection completed.
But our day was about to get longer. We had not found a local place to get the medicine for the third shot.
Sharing the road with walkers
The van that passed us should get back in our lane soon.
(Shal' Artem is the brand name for a medicine to treat simple malaria in children.)
Air de Repos [Aire de Repos] {Rest Stop}
(In nearby countries, French predominates.)
Time for him to get back in line.
(colorful, with a statue on the steps)
Selling bush meat; the animal is small but is stretched out on a wooden frame (not visible from this direction). The smoke suggests he'll cook it for you.
[Missionaries are told to not eat bush meat.]
Sure, you may have eaten rabbit or squirrel or deer at home, but you don't know how long ago these died and how..
This medicine seller didn't have the medication.
Lithium Resources Ghana Limited.
This entrance looks less-traveled than it did a year ago.
Other views of the church we passed on our way out to Otuam the first time
Getting to this point wasn't easy, and this is our second pass in this direction.
Nevertheless, there are very nice buildings long these not-so-nice roads.
Speak softly and carry a cutlass.
So many unanswered questions.
[Taking something from a stranger; I can't confirm what.]
Waiting
(And yes, he's in our lane against traffic flow, nothing unusual.)
At a gas station pharmacy just short of the roundabout, we found what we needed. This time (on the way home, finally) I took a picture. Notice that there's a Pizzaman/ Chickenman franchise across the street. Mankessim is a big place.
The roundabout is in the distance.
Nice view of the elephant statue
Sanford Health is part of a chain of [pricey] private clinics.
We stop here whenever we're in Mankessim, but it's looking more and more deserted. At one time, I thought it was moving next to us, but another firm took the building I had considered the likely candidate.
They do have some unusual items.
A KK with doors to the passenger compartment.
(I think KKs without doors make more sense. They can carry more, and the doors make it harder to get in and out.)
OK, I could have been driving faster.
Not something you see from the road in the States
Notice the oncoming truck.
The leapfrog resumes.
A bumper will find a new home.
Work on the building across from the Audit building near us continues.
Water is flowing into the polytank for our compound. (A pump will move it to the overhead tanks, one for each house.)
And the ditch is looking good. (The gravel pile is for new construction.)
This man has set up a table to do business. Changing coins to bills, perhaps?
Here's the context: Pedu Junction, where many sales of food and other small items are made.
But then why are these men sitting nearby?
(The poster is an ad for Kakum National Park. GHCT: Ghana Heritage Conservation Trust)
The vehicle window says Humble.
The battle is the Lord's.
Young David, in 1 Samuel 17:47 when confronting Goliath - And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands.
Some loads are more difficult than others.
(though we have seen bamboo used instead at some outlying locations)
At a walkers' entrance to the University Cape Coast complex
Seagoing canoes in context
The blue objects are nets. The nets are usually placed by canoe by men and then pulled to shore by many people at once, men and women.
I'm still uncertain - we drive by quickly - whether he's selling clams or snails.
A second breakwater is being added, parallel to the first.
Ka dza wo pɛ {Say what you want}
Nyame Ne Hene {God and King}
The Lord is my Strength - Unisex Salon
God is in charge. The colors of this image are the colors of the Ghanaian flag.
On the back of the same truck, Samson is shown tearing apart a young lion. (Judges 14:5-6)
If U Do Good
This building might be useful someday.
Cold snack, anyone?
Together
Ghana has very nice apartments.
(It took a while for me to understand that most of these are not single-family mansions but multi-family apartments.)
Adzekyee Nyɛ Wodze {The Night Is Not Yours}
[I wonder, why isn't the night yours? Is it because of evil deeds done in the dark?]
Exceed 75 KPH to pass this truck.
The turn for the Kissi apartment is less-crowded with vehicles being repaired than usual..
A nice-looking apartment, but our missionaries don't access this porch. They live in a few rooms at the right-hand end of the building..
The church has enclosed the side porch to provide a drying room; this is the missionaries' entrance.
These cement blocks outside their door imply we may see a building there someday.
Something you don't see every day
The Goodwill logo doesn't seem to mean here what it does in the States.
Metal building constructed instead of modified from a shipping container
See them
Using a wheelbarrow to carry a wheelbarrow
Nyame Bekyere {God Will Show}
Imagine sitting on these rocks, trying to sell a little food.
Large prows are made from separate wood, not carved from the same log as the rest of the canoe.
Waves are breaking over the new breakwater.
(Potential for a tight squeeze.)
From the Shell gas station in Elmina, like a grilled cheese sandwich but probably potted meat. Good.
Psalm 35:1-7 - Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.... For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
True God's Power Bridal Centre
Christ in you - The Hope of Glory
Literally {Great at first} but used colloquially as {Better days ahead}
We took a "short cut" through a school at the wrong time.
Cattle in the meridian of Residential Road
Progress across from the Audit building near us
A bird is trying to eat the frog, and the frog is choking the bird to avoid that.
Colorful way to advertise a bar; that's a shipping container.
Creative way to draw attention to a restaurant
Subtitle: Empathy in Action, Progress for All..
Good food (but spicy, as is all Ghanaian food). When the announcer is active, the music and announcements give this the feel of a cruise ship.
Perhaps Awurade na Ɛvɛ {Lord of the Sword}
(This is not Eve as in Adam and Eve; that would be Hawa.)
Stark Trek - The Next Generation
The usual leak over the living room back window affects the paint but doesn't represent much water.
The wind blew rainwater under the back door.
And some blew in around the front door.
Fake spam, not ready to flip yet
Ready to test the generator
The generator put out 220 Volts, but testing, it did not reach the house.
A good prepaid balance for power
And water has been flowing (60 cubic meters since the 15th)
A seagoing canoe being created..
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