Week of 20251102 - Ghana Week 86: Family Chat; Cape Coast Ward; Apartment Issues Form; Recipe Book; Twi Manual; Enyanmaim; Ajumako; New Couple Zoom; Downed Powerline; Abakrampa; Breezes Beach Resort
= Sunday, a group chat strengthened our connection with family members. One has come through delicate surgery; others are affected by the U.S. congressional budget standoff.
= We attended the Cape Coast ward downtown. It was a treat to have accompaniment and so be able to sing parts without throwing off the others trying to sing A Cappella. I bore testimony in Twi; the Bishop later asked whom I was learning it from; I related that I had learned it from a book. He encouraged us to learn Fante; not enough time left for that. I received a call: One of the Office Elders had backed the van into a post.
= A takeaway from discussion of this week's scriptures regarding the creation of a city from swampland was from one of the members: Work combined with vision is destiny.
= Home, I successfully steamed leftover pasta and octopus. We broke our fast. Steph thawed sirloin, and we had that with red cabbage and apple over ramen while we watched Don't Miss This (scripture discussion). At 0445, a missionary called Steph (!) to say that someone had reached through a window and rifled through a purse; sleep was banished.
= Monday, I went to the office without Steph. I reconciled missionary rosters with teaching areas and housing. I printed bicycle repair estimates and put new numbered labels on bicycles.
= I sat with the Facility Manager until he was comfortable using the apartment issues Google sheet that was fed by a Google form. I did the same for one of the Office Elders.
= Home, I finessed a vehicle issue. Steph, monitoring Zone chats, saw that the Office Elders have distributed the links to submit apartment issues, see a recipe book, and see the Twi manual. [BIG GRIN] These are things I have been working to have happen for most of my time here!
= Tuesday, a missionary used the form to submit apartment issues: progress. I confirmed bicycle needs and asked for bicycles to be delivered to two locations. I confirmed statistics needed for a medical report.
= In the afternoon, Steph and I shopped for fruit and vegetables and nail supplies. We went to what we thought was an upstairs restaurant but learned they only serve liquor: curiosity satisfied.
= Home, Steph pan-fried the remaining sirloin, which we had with potatoes and cabbage. I lined up apartment visits for tomorrow.
= Wednesday, we went to within sight of the Enyanmaim apartment, but construction blocked the way; I walked and visited, leaving Steph with the truck.
= Then we visited Ajumako housing; missionaries were doubled up in a manner that left no common area except a shared hallway. We need more apartments.
= We arrived home in time for a Zoom call with the Milnes. They will arrive here a couple of months after we leave; it's uncertain where they'll serve in this mission but will probably be in a member-leader support role, not missionary health and logistics.
= Steph shared that the responsibility of caring for the missionaries here was starting to weigh on her: the fear that she would make a wrong decision with consequences for someone else, or simply the fear that a missionary would be hurt by not listening to her counsel.
= At 11, the power went out during a storm.
= Thursday, the power was still out and Steph was not well enough to travel. I saw a downed power line for our "road" and sent photos and a description via WhatsApp to the power company.
= Missionaries at my first intended destination said that Brother Bright had just been there yesterday; I agreed to skip visiting their apartment. So, I worked briefly at the office and then left for today’s second destination: Abakrampa. The footpath from the paved road had widened since our last visit; in an emergency, we might even be able to get the truck within sight of the apartment.
= On my return, ladders were against the affected power poles, but power had not yet returned. When I tried to start our generator, I discovered that the battery was gone, evidently stolen. The power returned shortly after 1. Long-term, I'll keep the replacement battery in the house when not in use.
= I augmented a tuna pasta recipe; the result was a "keeper". The secret is to combine the drained tuna with a little lemon juice; it cuts back on the "tuna" aroma.
= Friday, President Tachie-Menson had arranged for an overnight Senior session at Breezes Beach Resort, on the way to Accra from Mankessim. Elder Dimmick came out with me to the surf. The “push-me-pull-you” movement (waves followed by undertow) was strong. I thought of “Surfin’ USA” and could easily see that rewritten to: “Everybody’s going surfing, Surfin’ Africa!”
= The group (except Steph and President Tachie-Menson) also used the nice pool. The seniors migrated to the restaurant and talked. The food was good. President and Sister Tachie-Menson visited with the group for a bit.
= On Netflix, Steph and I watched a rewritten but powerful version of Mary Shelley's novel: Frankenstein. I liked this better than the original. Star Trek - Next Generation; we relaxed.
= Saturday, we realized that we had not opened the laptops we had brought. We brought our things to the truck at about noon only to learn that our checkout had been extended to 2. The others had had breakfast and had planned a meal for 2. Steph was feeling weak. So, we sent our regrets and headed home.
= Steph has started in earnest to prepare to host a weekly podcast where she interviews guests about how they dealt with life challenges. I made a meal from some of Friday night's leftovers: good.
The white double spire is at the entrance to this chapel, home to Cape Coast Ward 1 and 2; we attended with Cape Coast Ward 1 today at 0900.
Here's the parking lot. Small, but almost all members walk to church; so, that's not an issue.
Kumasi House. The lions outside got my attention.
"The Asante Nation" on Facebook says a businessman built one like this in Kumasi and then built this one in his hometown: Cape Coast. Kumasi House is now a senior high school dormitory.
That introduces an interesting point. Many students stay at school during the week and go home on the weekends.
I steamed this meal to re-heat it: leftover pasta and octopus.
Darkened living room:naptime
We bought this about a year and a half ago in Takoradi; it was time to stop hoarding it and use it.
The big knife wasn't sharp enough; the small knife did the job.
Don't Miss This (scripture commentary)
Progress on the building across from the Audit agency on our "road". The bamboo holds forms filled with cement reinforced with rebar.
Rice, beans, and corn; not great, but filling
Seeing whether anyone at this gas station wants a phone case
Still Nyame yɛ obolo {God is still gracious}
Steph, buying bread at Rhabbles. I normally walk up there, but lately the bread has been different. I thought perhaps Steph might notice something I had not noticed.
Still so good that we buy extra to munch on in the truck.
ObaaSima2x is a popular hair extension by Darling. Mmienu pɛ na wo hia {You only need two of us} [two packs of the hair extension product]
Kids and Teens Haven [a clothing store on the second floor of a building]
Which is more attention-getting: his outfit or the balancing act?
Our favorite fruit stand is almost across from ABSA bank.
[Yes, the camera is reflecting off of the window.]
A grater suitable for fake spam. (We already have a grater with holes this size.)
Ɔbra wɔmmper ho {Life is not rushed}
Preoccupied by this antenna, I was almost trapped on this side street when a car parked opposite another car, not leaving much of a gap for my truck to get out.
We walked upstairs to this nice-looking facility only to learn that it was a bar, not a restaurant.
Yesu nti {Because of Jesus}
Big carrots (and good as well)
Admiring our vegetables..
Cabbage with apple, and more
Putting together a presentation for our successors to be aware of some nuances. The value of PowerZone bleach is that it has a nozzle. However, when you first open it, a red ring comes loose..
And it would be wise to remove that ring so you don't drop it in the toilet.
Our "road" dips a bit where we stop to shut the gate behind us.
Ready to sell their wares. They set their wares on a bucket or stool to select items.
You can't go any faster than the truck at the front of the line.
Jesus is Mine
On this hill, there are dozens of people selling the same things..
Glimpses of seagoing canoes
We'll fit; it doesn't matter which direction we're driving in.
Nyame n'adom {God's grace}
Adom no nti {Because of the grace}
It's unusual for a passenger to wear a helmet here.
Approaching Mankessim Roundabout
Squeezing north from the roundabout
Renovating roadway
Why the stick? Is he pushing tiny wheels?
Less-sturdy than it looks from this angle, I elected to walk from here to the top to reach the Enyanmaim apartment.
Looking back, you can see why. There isn't a wide-enough substantial dirt ramp yet.
Walking up two flights, there's a beautiful view.
Looking back up, we see doors without steps to come down from them.
It's common to dry clothes on grass or gravel.
Soil cement blocks. Up to ten percent Portland cement stabilizes them. See https://www.kviconline.gov.in
Among the livestock for sale :grasscutter
Image from Wikipedia. Grasscutter, AKA Greater Cane Rat, is not closely related to rats we would encounter and is raised in Ghana to be eaten. [Since we don't know which ones were captured in the wild and which were farm-raised, we're not eating any.]
We have some driving to do. Destination: Ajumako
Awurade Kasa {The Lord Speaks}
Why pile construction materials here?
Efie ne fie {Home is home} [the place where you have the feeling of home, as in "home is where the heart is"]
31 July 2008. Possibilities are at https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/browse.archive.php?date=20080731
Here are two:
= The Supreme Court ruled that the Electoral Commission acted properly when it declared John Agyekum Kufour of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) winner of the December 7, 2004 elections.
= Basic schools collecting fees must stop; their Directors will be held responsible for such fees. Basic schools are funded to give free education.
I have to outlive Steph, or at least stick around until she can collect social security.
Nice roadway; a little dusty in this phase of construction
Strategic location?
Graves
Seems like a callous act: to pile building supplies here
Why didn't the sheep cross the road?
[Not ready to die.]
Thought given to safe access
Legs to be added later? Cushions indoors to keep passersby from flopping down on them?
He might or might not be adding dirt to potholes. There's no indication of a pile to get dirt from and no pan or wheelbarrow to carry it. He might be looking for donations without doing the work to back them up. (Happens often.)
Seen in side-view mirror. She's carrying plants.
Road being mended by hand
Great Jehovah Agro Chemicals
Adwen da ho {There is no thought}
Still driving
Peace and Joy (hearse service)
Football {soccer}
Borbor Mfantse Amanse Afahye 2025
Afahye {one year has met another year}
Work hard and be nice to people
Muslim women usually wear a scarf that covers their head and shoulders; the face is not covered.
This person is selling ice cream. Brand: FanIce.
New Generation Over the Counter and Medicine Seller
Ewuradze Nye Boafo {The Lord is my helper}
..
We're squeezing into the roundabout
Ɔkyɛso Nyame {God who shares with everyone}
Leaving the roundabout, squeezing onto the bridge
The Mankessim Melcom is a two-story department store
A clearer portion of N1 {national highway 1}
[a housing development]
The town sign is sponsored by a Football club.
Ye study {Do study}
Something to shoot for
Hope for the Hopeless Guest House
Sure the road will clear in time.
[Adding "Still" to themes is common.]
Seagoing canoe
You can see through some windows to the outside, yet this home has architectural flourishes, swirls on the right.
Probably having this sheep for dinner this week.
Walking
Adom ooo {Grace oh!}
Seeking a glimpse of the sea but finding a glimpse of life
Nhyira Nka Boafɔ {Blessed Be the Helper}
The 100 says you shouldn't try to pass unless you're doing 100 kph. [Bragging]
A substantial store building
Approaching squid sales in Egyaa
First of many on this short stretch
The squid is shielded from flies, and the vendors put thin plastic bags over their hands, grab the squid, and reverse the bag so it encloses the squid they're handing to you. The squid is caught at this stretch of shoreline and is cooked and seasoned at the roadside.
This one's tiny. I give most of my tentacles to Steph (chewy) and eat the rest. Research tells me these are technically cuttlefish.
Glimpse of the ocean and seagoing canoes..
..
'Tros carry
Substantial balance
Photographer
A storm knocked a plantain stalk into our "road".
..
Walking back to close the gate, I found it a little muddy; notice the vehicle has sunk in a bit.
..
The bottom forms have been removed. Another layer of cement is curing.
And cement stairs are curing.
A power line is down; that's why our street lacks power. (I sent a WhatsApp to the power company; it was fixed by afternoon.)
Some men wear a full-length outfit.
Stick in one hand to lean on, cutlass in the other to cut.
Kɛse Wɔ Kan {Greater Days Ahead}
Notice passing in the shoulder. Anything that slows down traffic is an opportunity to pass.
Their gravestones make ours look feeble.
We park here and walk down to the Abakrampa apartment.
Missionaries enter a door on the left near the back of the building. The fancy front has another tenant.
It looks steeper coming out. This used to be narrower, motorcycle width, with overhead growth. It has been broadened as construction proceeds near the apartment.
ɔdɔ bɛn nye {What kind of love is it?}
This often refers to Jesus' love for us.
School cleanup, by students, with cutlasses
Cattle stir up bugs that birds - see the one on the right? - eat.
Obaapanyin {princess}
All friends and sympathizers are cordially invited.
Pizza Hut - Chops for all
This man is heading away from the tire repair nearby; here's hoping his vehicle isn't far.
People wanting to look lighter. Dr Seuss lampooned this brilliantly in The Sneeches, where a marketer convinced Sneeches without stars that they needed them and convinced Sneeches with stars to remove them.
Downed power line retrieved
Ladder but no workers in sight
Looking back at the ladder, we also see a flap suspended by hot air from the exhaust of the Audit agency's diesel generator; no power yet.
But when I went to start our generator, the battery was gone. Presumably taken.
The power came back on a few minutes later.
The next battery will live in the house except when in use.
I'm grating garlic. (I use the outside of the grater; it's just in this position so you can see what I'm holding.)
The photographer is back.
The flap on the Audit agency diesel exhaust is down; the generator is not running (because there's commercial power).
Hint of an underwater ridge
Compound with guard shack
We hope the cover doesn't blow off.
The arch is a stylized boat
Still Medaase {Still Thank You}
Nyimpa nyɛ {Man is not [just one thing, but is complex]}
Linking Nkusukum citizens and government for development
Dwene Adwnepa {Think Positively}
[or Think Soundly]
A nice Mankessim restaurant
This will remain a mystery to us: a very large facility, but seemingly only accessed by big trucks.
The last leg of a journey to the resort chosen for a seniors' overnight
Confusion reigns; ignore the sign to Breezes and keep straight.
The building in the background is a palace.
Amoana {Princess} Kusubentsir Bamuhen Palace
..
A sign in the right direction.
Ignoring GPS for a moment
Doesn't look much better, but we're committed. Following this sign to the left.
Employees carrying our luggage
It had been a long drive.
The circle on the mirror is a hint that its light is adjustable by touch.
Landscaping is in progress.
Mirror on the bathroom door. The door you can see a hint of leads to the outside: a back door to the room.
A second story might be finished someday.
I found posts on which to balance the camera; the timer did the rest.
..
The undertow threatens to take you off of your feet as you enter.
We may leave, but the waves will remain.
Elder Dimmick kindly consented to get back into the water so I could try the waves.
Waves breaking over my head
..
I'm under there somewhere.
His technique is to dive into the wave. We could rewrite a famous refrain as...
Everybody's goin' surfin' - Surfin' Africa
Elder Campbell, President Tachie-Menson, and Steph
Because his young missionaries can't go swimming, President chose not to swim either.
Family
Setting up for a private buffet
Sister Campbell and the Dimmicks
Elder Campbell showing off his sandal tan, created in the spaces between the straps.
The Tachie-Mensons sat with us briefly.
..
Victor Frankenstein, retelling his saga on an ice-bound ship
The facility he ruined after creating a monster for whom he had no compassion.
Star Trek - Next Generation
We had not seen the message that management had agreed to let us sleep in until 1 and that the other seniors had arranged for a meal at 2. So we had already packed by the time we caught up with the Campbells.
Steph wasn't feeling great; so, we left.
Leaving
Drying clothes
Something odd: it's not a fence, but there's no provision I can see for a roof.
[too deep for me]
Increasing the distance one has to carry water
Probably doing hair weave
There was a funeral not long ago.
Still Ɔkyɛso Nyame {God who shares with everyone}
Or is there a grave I don't see?
I don't know why this tree was flagged.
Same trunks, different view
Rougher decaying pavement
It's common for the first floor to be storage and the other floors to be living quarters. For this building, the concept is to have two floors of storage and only the top floor as living quarters.
When you were a kid, did your toy truck look like this?
I have to be careful not to run him off the road.
Aseda bɛn! {What kind of thanksgiving!}
Approaching the Mankessim Roundabout
Yes, that's a KK in the graveyard.
How many oil drums can you get on this truck?
And no to adolescent pregnancy
I wonder what the top floor is used for.
Dirt is a resource, but don't undermine the building.
Another view of Hope for the Hopeless Guest House, rebranded as the Hope Guest Lodge.
The Blankson ICT [Information and Communication Technology] Centre
It's at the edge of a school but likely serves the community as well. See https://blanksons.com/our-charitable-work
Unknown function in the shadow of the fort
Maybe they teach decoration and catering
Sales
Royal "Transition". When one king dies, another takes his place.
This could have ended badly.
Hard Work Pays Metal Works
This seagoing canoe is pulled up much farther up the bank than usual.
The one in front of us may not have finished passing us yet.
The one passing him might find it hard to duck back into line.
He made it, but an oncoming vehicle wasn't happy about it.
Peeking past buildings to glimpse seagoing canoes from the road
Boafo Ne Nyame (Helper and God)
Carrying firewood. The length is no barrier; because, you keep feeding one end into the stove as it burns.
Shiny soil: mica and quartz pieces
Nyame Tsease {God of Understanding}
Okyeso Nyame
Technically
Ɔkyeso Nyame {Exalted God}
(though Okyeso Nyame is seen popularly)
We're all behind the same slow truck.
(usually Suro Nyipa}
Local sales and service for HP printers
Now oncoming traffic has the delay.
Kebab: fast food not far from us; worth trying.
Probably won't fall off, but doesn't inspire confidence.
Leftover chicken and calamari
With rice, sweet chili sauce, balsamic vinegar, and fig jam
Activity
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