IT'S JUST WHAT WE DO!  (Part A)

We've had a lot of people ask us what we do here in Ghana. Well, we do a lot of different things, so we'll portray in pictures most of the things that occupy our time. This is not a comprehensive list, but we hope you get a better idea of what we're doing with our time.

Elders Affy, Ntlhaakgosi, and Cowan learn how to clean the stove.

Every transfer (6 weeks) we do "Apartment Checks", going to each of the 14 apartments in the Western Region and check to makes sure they are clean and well kept.

Elder Nielsen being "taught"

We have taken a little different approach, asking the missionaries to rate their cleanliness, and then taking time to teach
them the "doctrine" and the "principles" of cleanliness.

Elders Joseph, Barlow, Tu'akoi, & Nielsen

Then we commit them to improve in some areas.

Elder Price showing his "clean" bedroom to the skeptical Sister Julander.

 There are, of course, consequences if the missionaries don't comply. Resistance is futile.

Elder Pearmain assisting Elder Julander, or vice versa.

 The missionaries cook with propane, 
so we have been delivering tanks to the apartments when they are "finished"
(empty).

Sister Fani assisting Elder J. She's stronger than I am.

Since most of the couples in the mission are leaving soon, this part of our job will be done by an individual in the area. We will not be sad to give up carting these cylinders around.

Elders Joseph & Tu'akoi can see themselves now.

We mix exercise with delivering items to the closer apts.

Installing a new countertop at Mpintsin apt.

Painting Shama apt. kitchen. It was the dark blue visible at the edge.

We occasionally get to do a major project in an apartment. We get to see the drastic change and enjoy making things nicer for these great missionaries we serve.





Word got out that Sister J cuts hair. These are some of her victims........

Elder Stoddard

Elder Nielsen

                                                                                                             

Elder McGuire

Elder Wasden

Elder Halterman

Elder Price

Elder Kaiser

She hasn't cut any of the sister missionaries hair. They have lots of wigs and weaves and such, and they have theirs done locally. Only one African elder has let her cut his hair. They like it done by the local barbers. The local barbers don't know what to do with the fine, straight hair of the Americans and Europeans, so Sister J is in demand with them.







Elder J. is a counselor in the mission presidency, and meets with the five branches in the Western Region. The branches don't get together for pictures very often, but here are two.

Last years picture of the Agona branch just before the Shulz's left to come home.

The Nkroful branch. The center couple (girl in blue) was just married.

                          Elder J gets to attend meetings, help solve problems, oversee audits, and other things, but his favorite is interviewing prospective missionaries, and members for temple recommends.

These are members of the Agona Nkwanta Branch going home after the Sunday meetings. We love the bright colors.










                                                                                      

In every branch, there are wonderful missionaries. Here are six that served in the Axim Branch. Elders Thipe, Quaisie, Ofordeme, Labrum, Godvindsamy, and Hartman.

Agona primary.

We love the kids here. The branches have many, and primary is well attended. Often there are only two primary workers and kids range in age from 18 months to 11 years. In Axim they had 2 primary workers and over 35 kids. We were left alone with them for a few minutes, and it solicited feelings of abject fear.

Axim primary, where they all meet together in the same room for 2 hours.. Go ahead and count them. There were more lurking in the shadows, washrooms and asleep on the floor at the back. And only TWO adults! They have since divided them into the junior and senior primary with two adults each. We love these cute kids.

Elder J with the Relief Society president and two of the Laurels of the Axim Branch.

Sister & Elder Tetteh & Sister & Elder Adjei

 These two wonderful couples were called to serve as special missionaries in the Axim Branch. Both men have been bishops, and both still serve on the Takoradi Stake high council. Sister Adjei continues to serve as Relief Society president in her ward. They are a great strength to Axim with their unselfish service.

Quarterly training meeting with branch leadership

Elder J. handing Arthur Young his mission call. He is the 5th member of the Agona branch currently serving.
Number six is waiting for his call.

Sisters Kasim & Asare with their investigators after the baptismal interviews. Elder Baldwin did one, and I did the other.

Sisters Udoh & Fani with their investigator after a wonderful baptismal interview. The brother was interpreting for Elder J.

Elder J. with Sister Pricilla after she had opened her mission call. She's the first missionary called from the Axim branch

Elder J couldn't resist taking this picture. These are primary kids outside a home where he was interviewing. He labeled it "the future bishopric".

Elders Hanneman & Dearing with their baptismal candidate. He gave us these huge bananas from his tree.






Baptisms are such a joy, and they are plentiful here in Ghana.

Baptisms are sometimes difficult. The water was not flowing in Sekondi, and the font in the chapel had to be filled by hand from the cistern. Elder Williams and Elder Boamah are hard at work getting water to fill the font. A member was the only one willing to go into the cistern.










Elders Joseph, Halterman & Nielsen assist in filling the font. Even Elder J carried in buckets.

            Members in Agona survey the font prior to a baptism. The black tank in back stores water.

Elders Lucas & Omokoh with baptismal candidate

Elders Boama & Nielsen with Candidate

                 This is part A. Part B will follow as soon as we get a few moments.

Welcome to the final chapter of our "Kids Visit to Ghana" (finally!)

These pictures were taken at Monkey Hill, right in Takoradi, after several attempts over the past two weeks to see and photograph the monkeys. It was raining and Sis. J. stayed home. After JD, Kate & Elder J. arrived, Kate felt ill and Elder J. brought her home. JD stalked these elusive creatures and ended up in the middle of a troupe of them, capturing them on film, and getting screamed at and scolded by them.                    
                                                                                                                   

No, this is not a "spider monkey." It's just a very large and cool spider we found on Monkey Hill.

 

Another cool spider waiting.....waiting.....waiting.....
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JD had a great time photographing in Market Circle. The colors, the people, the culture were all subjects of his pictures. Kate also had a camera and was responsible for some really good shots.

JD and Kate posing on the street after some shopping

                                      

Shop keepers and vendors line the streets. If you are looking for something specific that they don't have, they are so willing to direct you, and will even send someone to show you where to find what you're looking for.

Beautiful bead display - all manufactured in Ghana. They are world famous for their beads

Beans, lentils, rice and popcorn are measured out and sold by the "tin can" full.

      Palm fruit nuts which they use to make oil....filled with trans-fat, but used by the locals, and exported around the world.

Young girl selling a local home-made drink.
















    

                                                                         Love this display of hot peppers.

Kate in front of a coconut vendor. They sell them, chop off the top and drink the water inside.

                       

                                    There are two stories of shops all the way around the outside of Market Circle.

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There is supposed to be just one lane of traffic around the circle, but that never seems to stop people from creating as many lanes as possible.

Another day brought us downtown to eat.                                 

Kate, JD and Sis. J. eating "Fufu" and light soup at a "chop bar" the missionaries like to refer to as McDonald's because the front is painted red & yellow. Notice the soap and water to wash in the green basin. The fufu & other food is typically eaten with the fingers out of a communally shared bowl. They kindly provided us with our very own spoons.

                                                        

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As we left, the rain continued. JD & Kate had a little different experience since it rained quite a bit while they were here.




                                                                                             




We took one final trip to Kakum Rain Forest to show our last two kids this incredible place. It is another rainy day.......but hey, it's a rain forest.

Kate getting ready for the hike.

JD, ready as always, for another adventure.

                                      We encountered some critters on our trip. Either this is an extremely long
                                                   millipede or Kate has extremely small feet....maybe both.

         

The forest canopy is well over 100 feet below the walkways. The trees are much larger than they appear.

                               




              




          This is not a place to be if you are afraid of heights.

                                                          

This pic, taken next to an isolated (and amazingly huge) anchor tree looks straight down. The treetops below are about the height of our tallest trees in Utah.

                                           

                                                          

                                                             

                                              I suppose, for some, it may be a matter of survival, but we loved it.

On our way home from Kakum, we stopped off at Han Palace Resort.....complete with crocodiles and birds.

 

JD captured this little Weaver bird in the act of weaving himself a home. 

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                     We spent yet another rainy day walking around Sekondi (where we live) and Kweikuma.

Some of the poorer people living here use just about anything they can find to build a home.

                                                                        Train track very close to our house.

Very cool set of stairs leading up from a lower to a higher road. They are all over in the cities here.

Love the little guy on the right!

When Elder J. takes pictures of kids, they usually get pretty serious, but JD has a talent for getting more natural poses. To the right and below are some pictures of the locals on a rainy day (when people just may be a bit cranky).












                                                                                                         

Many of the younger people can't find jobs. They are very friendly and happy to pose.

                                            

This little girl has such a beautiful smile...and great eyes.

Most of the kids were happy to pose for JD and Kate. Here are a few young boys wanting to get their picture taken.

                                                                          

                                                 Just a few of the "cool" guys we see when we walk to Kweikuma.

                             This desperate little chick got separated from his mom and siblings, who escaped
                            the rain by jumping into the culvert beside him. Guess he somehow missed the cue.

Typical muddy rain....creating a waterfall of the stairs.

                                       
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    All too soon our week with JD and Kate was over ..... and we found ourselves on the long road to  Accra, once again, to say goodbye at the airport.

We stopped just outside of Cape Coast at this vendors booth, taking a pic of another Kate.

We passed this huge Muslim mosque under construction in Accra on the way to the airport.  About 15% of the population here is Muslim. They are quite a peaceful, laid back sect who do not like to have their pictures taken.

The long road back to an empty and lonely apartment ... after saying goodbye to the kids we won't see for another 9 months. We have so much gratitude in our hearts for their visits and the sacrifice they made to come. What great memories!!!