Weeks 72 & 73 - MH Day & 33 Days

A couple of weeks ago I had a unique experience. Me and some other sisters took a little field trip to watch Bernice and her husband Prince (amazing sister who is incredibly creative and talented in the sewing department and has her own shop - Bags by Bernice) give instruction to school girls and boys, all focused on personal and menstrual hygiene. 

I learned that May 28, is World Menstrual Hygiene Day, a time to spotlight the importance of menstrual health, which must be recognized as the complete physical, mental, and social well-being of women and girls in relation to the menstrual cycle.

Menstrual hygiene is the ability of women and adolescent girls to manage their menstruation in a hygienic manner, with dignity, using clean menstrual absorbents, and having access to facilities for changing in privacy, as well as for washing their bodies and hands.

The importance of menstrual health and hygiene is increasingly recognized as an integral element in the promotion of public health, the advancement of gender equality, and the safeguarding of human rights.  

However, women, particularly in low-income countries, often encounter numerous obstacles in maintaining menstrual health and hygiene.  These challenges include the lack of appropriate menstrual materials, inadequate access to private facilities for changing and handwashing, and restrictions on participation in everyday activities, such as attending school or work.

Bernice and her husband are passionate about making sure girls everywhere receive personal instruction and a free personal sanitary menstrual care kit. The pads are washable and resuable for 3 years. 

Menstrual health encompasses not only the physical well-being of women but also their right to participate fully in all facets of life—be it civil, economic, social, or political—without experiencing ostracism, constraints, discrimination, coercion, or violence due to menstrual issues.  In many African locations, more than 30% of women and girls do not participate in school, work and/or social activities during menstruation periods.

DONATIONS

Sankofa Care Initiative

ACCESS BANK PLC

LRC: 280112

SWIFT: ABNGGHAC

ACC: 1018000000266

33 DAYS

It is hard to believe we only have 33 days remaining on our mission. Our time in Ghana is coming to a close, very quickly. 

33 is considered a "master number." It radiates harmonious and caring energy, emphasizing the importance of helping others and fostering unity. 

I surely hope I can radiate caring, compassionate, and unified love to all people for the remainder of my days on earth! And especially here with the Ghanaian people before we leave! 💜

Sending much love from Ghana!! 💓💛💚

Weeks 70 & 71 - Ghanaian Songs, Tithing & Blessings

One thing about Ghana and maybe Africa in general, the music fills the air everywhere you go!

One of the things I will miss most here in Ghana is the enthusiastic nature of the singing! Whether it be worship music on Sunday, traditional wedding songs, or songs sung at school, they give it their all!

Today in church, our 1st counselor Freddie Jesse gave a beautiful talk. He first referenced a "marching song" that is sung in primay schools from a young age. They sing it as they march along to and from classes.

 

Life in this World is a Great Struggle (listen with this link)

Life in this world is a great struggle, for both the young and old.
And even those who have great riches, have troubles of their own.
Rich men envy poor men, poor men envy the rich,
therefore what is the sense in envying your neighbor.

Freddie then shared some wisdom regarding personal finances and finding Financial freedom:

1. Pay tithing - Malachi 3:10-11

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

2. Spend less than you earn

3. Learn to save

4. Honor your financial obligations

5. Teach your children about finances

We then heard from our stake High council with a similar message focused on Neil L. Andersen's Oct 2023 general conference talk: Tithing: Opening the Windows of Heaven

Even though we plan, there will be unforseen things that come. It is almost impossible to keep up with the ever increasing price of goods and services. This will not stop. We must learn to be industrious. We must be hardworking and teach our children to work hard. 

Constantly consider the many blessings bestowed upon us. The gospel of Jesus Christ refines us each day. How are we grateful unto the Lord daily?

As with members of many other faiths, Latter-day Saints believe that the payment of tithing shows gratitude to God and brings both spiritual and temporal blessings.

Prove Me Now Herewith

"All that we have and all that we are comes from God. As disciples of Christ, we willingly share with those around us.

With all the Lord gives to us, He has asked us to return to Him and His kingdom on earth 10 percent of our increase. He has promised us that as we are honest in our tithes, He will “open … the windows of heaven, and pour … out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”² He has promised us that He will protect us from evil.³ These promises are so certain,⁴ the Lord declares, “Prove me now herewith,”⁵ a phrase found nowhere else in the scriptures but when quoting Malachi.

The windows of heaven open in many ways. Some are temporal, but many are spiritual. Some are subtle and easy to overlook. Trust in the Lord’s timing; the blessings always come."

Personal Blessings

I can honestly say, we have seen SO many blessings during our mission time over the past 16 months. Life has not been without trials for our family members back home. It is difficult to be a continent away when these struggles comes, but we have continued to do our best, stay the course, and trust in the Lord. Indeed, the windows of heaven have been open and blessings have poured through.

We know many of you also have trials, difficulties, illness, sadness and many other struggles. "Prove the Lord" and His promises. His promises are sure. Do your best and God will take care of the rest. 

I love the words of this hymn that we sang at the end of our sacrament meeting. All that we have comes from God. 

We Give Thee But Thine Own

1.We give thee but thine own,

Whate’er the gift may be,

For all we have is thine alone,

A trust, O Lord, from thee.

2.May we thy bounties thus

As stewards true receive,

And gladly, as thou blessest us,

To thee our firstfruits give.

3.To comfort and to bless,

To find a balm for woe,

To tend the lone and fatherless

Is angels’ work below.

4.And we believe thy word,

Tho dim our faith may be;

Whate’er we do for thine, O Lord,

We do it unto thee.

Text: William Walsham How, 1823–1897

Music: Anon., arr. by Lowell Mason, 1792–1872, and George J. Webb, 1803–1887

Proverbs 3:9; Matthew 25:34–40 

Sending much love from Ghana!! 💗💛💚

Week 69 - Mothers in Ghana & around the world

 

MOTHERS

Traditionally in Ghana, the moral and ethical instruction of children was and remains the responsibility of the immediate and extended family. There are rites of passage at every stage of life, each of which introduces the individual involved to his or her new social status and roles. Folk tales, proverbs and songs are also used to teach young people about their roles in the home and society.

Adults are assumed to know what is best for the young. Proverbs are frequently used to exert the supremacy of older people and command implicit respect from the young.

In almost all parts of Ghana, the general practice is for mothers and their female relatives to be responsible for the early care, training and discipline of children. From between the ages of six and 10, and certainly by the time of puberty, boys are generally expected to be brought up by their fathers – often outside the home. Girls are raised by their mothers in domestic spaces, especially the kitchen.

Girls receive profound affection from their mothers, and are taught how to serve and be submissive to their fathers, brothers and any other older person. They are equipped with the kinds of skills thought necessary to make one a good wife and mother, such as being diligent and productive.

Boys, meanwhile, drift slowly towards their fathers or uncles as they grow up. These men often treat them sternly: it is regarded as a father or uncle’s duty to prepare his son to shoulder the responsibility of looking after his mother, sisters, future wife or wives and children.

Boys participate in “female” activities such as cooking, sweeping the house or eating with a group of women when they are young, but this is increasingly discouraged as they move towards adolescence and young adulthood.

THOUGHTS

My role as a mother has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. Although it was not easy to get our children here due to many complications of fertility and pregnancy, it was absoutely worth every single difficult moment experienced. I would not trade these precious circumstances for anything in the world. I have grown and become the person I am today, and continue to become, through each and every one of these cherished moments as a mother. 

We have 3 amazing boys with beautiful wives and incredible families. Our beautiful daughter-in-laws bring such joy to our "all boy" family. We have 10 unbeliveable grandchildren that continue to bring such happiness to us all! I could not be more blessed!!!!

Happy Mother's Day to all the beautiful women in my life that have brought me such joy! I cherish your friendship, our connection and bond, our differences and opinions. You have helped me become who I am today and I am so grateful!

Women around the world continue to do the greatest work on earth! Making this world a better place by having strength and courage to stand up for and do what is right!! 💗

• “Motherhood is a choice you make everyday, to put someone else’s happiness and well-being ahead of your own, to teach the hard lessons, to do the right thing even when you’re not sure what the right thing is ... and to forgive yourself, over and over again, for doing everything wrong.” —Donna Ball
• “Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind.” —Howard W. Hunter
• “There is no greater good in all the world than motherhood. The influence of a mother in the lives of her children is beyond calculation.” —James E. Faust

• “A mother is the truest friend we have. When trials heavy and sudden fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.” —Anonymous

• 
  
  Much love from Ghana! 💓💛💚

Week 68 - Night Watch & Dogby wisdom

Our apartment building sits right next to the Accra High School. 

 

This somewhat prestigious school was founded by the late Rev. James Thomas Roberts on 17 August 1923. He arrived from Freetown, Sierra Leone on 2 August 1923, and within 2 weeks set his sights forward to accomplish what he felt called to do. 

The co-educational school today has more than 1500 students. From the beginning, Accra High School has been a leader and trailblazer. It was the first secondary school in the Eastern Province, the first to have a school magazine, and the first to have a motto: 

Redimentes Opportunitatem - "Make hay while the sun shines, Strike while the iron is hot." 

If you make hay while the sun shines, it means that you take advantage of the chance to do something while conditions are good. In other words, you make good use of your time or make the most of an opportunity while you have the chance. The saying has been around for hundreds of years. 

If you strike while the iron is hot, it means you take advantage of favorable circumstances while they last. The image is from a blacksmith's shop; the smith can shape iron only by striking it with his hammer when it is red hot. 

Some of the students live on-site, and others show up daily. For those fortunate enough to attend this school, some of them must sacrifice by living far away from home and residing in the dorms on campus. 

Just below us are the girl's dorms. There is always a flurry of activities going on from washing, sweeping, and gathering fallen leaves and debris to laughing and playing together as schoolmates.  

Last year the school celebrated its 100th anniversary. There was lots of loud music and what we now assume were celebration activities. Should have investigated what was right under our noses a year ago.

Of recent, the school must have acquired or been gifted a new LOUDspeaker system. There are regular loud announcements from 4:30 am to 10 pm for wake-up time, class time, lunchtime, end of day for supper time, and of course bedtime. There is always a bit of chime or musical sound associated with each announcement. We aren't too fond of the EARLY morning wake-up call that sounds like an ice cream truck. The first, second, and third time the evening bedtime announcement played, I could not quite catch all the words and had never heard the song. Every night I ran out promptly as I heard the music begin and finally caught enough words that an extensive Google search helped me find the song! I was so excited and then launched a new investigation into the life of Jim Reeves, an American singer-songwriter and "the gentleman of country music." 

He was born on 20 August 1923 in Texas. His musical style was said to be a smooth and sophisticated Nashville sound. He had a few big hits that established him as an international star (including Africa). His life and career were tragically cut short on 31 July 1964, when he died in a plane crash near Nashville. But, his legacy lives on! Here is the song:

The Night Watch

Bright stars are watching the world as it sleeps
Shepherds watch over the little white sheep
The lighthouse is shining for ships far at sea
As God keeps the night watch for you and for me.

So sleep, sleep in peace and rest
Don't be afraid of the darkness
All's well for over the land and the sea
God's keeping the night watch for you and for me.

I love walking out on the patio at night to hear this song, watch the girls scatter quickly toward their dorms, and hear, "Lights out! It's time for bed!"

I've now learned the song on my ukulele and will serenade you when I get home! ;)

I began to wonder how an American song made it all the way from Nashville to our backyard here in Accra. Apparently, Jim was a pretty popular guy in Africa also... and now I hear him send me off to bed at night! Very cool.

BISHOP DOGBY WISDOM 

Our sweet bishop here in the Trade Fair Ward shares many little tidbits of wisdom from the pulpit at the end of our meetings. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Mountains & Valleys - we all have mountains and valleys in our lives. Sometimes things are going great and we are on top of the mountain, we can see clearly and everything looks great. Other times, we are in the valley, where things look dark and our perspective is limited. The Lord in His wisdom, never leaves us too long on the top of the mountain or in the depth of the valley. Staying on top for too long, we may forget to work hard and fight for a better life. Staying in the valley for too long, we may get discouraged and want to give up. Climbing out of the valley and back up the mountain requires courage and strength and builds strong muscles in all areas of our lives. God knows how long to leave us on top and when to let us struggle and build muscle.

Overcome fear - I was recently thinking about the man who was given a talent but did not improve upon it. I believe it was because of fear. We have many gifts and talents. Trust God and do not fear man. Do all you can to overcome fear. Do what you can to build the kingdom of God and use your talents wisely. Let God prevail. Matthew 5:37 - But let your communication be ‘yea, yea’ or ‘nay, nay’... Be willing and ready to say yes, or no, and don't halt between the two on middle ground. Know what you believe and live true to those principles. Respect and love God in all you do!

We are grateful to be serving a full-time senior mission in Ghana! 

Are there difficult days? Yes! Have we learned sooooo much? Yes! Do we want to stay another 18 months? No! 

We will finish strong and see you all in 68 days!!!

Much love from Ghana! 💘💛💚

 

Weeks 65 & 67 - Reverend Peppel, Charcoal & 75 days

It is becoming more and more obvious to me that time is flying by at an alarming speed!! It was just the beginning of April and General Conference weekend! Now 3 weeks have disappeared and May is coming fast! 

We loved General Conference SO much! And our new "boss" spoke! Elder Alexander Dushku's message on Pillars and Rays was phenomenal. Elder Dushku was recently assigned to fill the position of Lance Wickman, who served faithfully for 27 years, as general legal counsel for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. As such, he became our "boss" at Church Headquarters. We look forward to watching his journey.

Reverend Peppel & family

Many months ago, while going to see a movie on a Saturday afternoon, we met a sweet family from Nigeria. They were also seeing the same movie and afterwards we struck up a conversation. We learned that Reverend Faith Peppel, his wife Mary (now pregnant with 2nd child due in June) and young daughter Alaina (6 yrs old) had moved to Ghana 4 years prior, to fulfill a call that came to them from God to be missionaries in Ghana. What courage it took to leave their families and homeland and embark on an unknown journey to preach the good word of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

We exchanged contact information. Jordan kept in touch with Faith regularly, sharing messages of encouragement and brotherly love. Faith responded with his own testimonies of the work and his love of God and his family. Jordan invited him to join us at the Area Offices if they ever found themselves in Accra or close by again (they live only 20 miles outside of Accra in Kasoa). 

Finally, that day arrived and we were able to meet the Peppel family again. Because of horrible traffic, it took them 3.5 hrs by taxi to come to the Area Office compound. We had prearranged for them to have a little tour of the Area Office, the Family History Center (where 40 million African names have already been processed), the local chapel, and of course the temple. The full-time sister missionaries and a senior mission couple (Gallands) whose focus is bringing new converts and members to the temple all joined us and shared beautiful messages along the way. The crowning portion of the tour was when we entered the temple and joined together in the waiting room while a senior mission couple (Deshlers) shared a message about the temple, including the sealing power for time and all eternity.

We then took them to lunch and talked about their experience. They were amazed at the concept of eternal marriage and sealing of children to parents for eternity. They loved their time learning more about the church and our practices. They were excited to learn that visitors are welcome and anyone can visit the chapel on Sundays and attend the meetings. They thanked us and then made the long journey back home. 

We have loved getting to interact with this beautiful family.

CHARCOAL

When packing for this adventure almost 16 months ago, we had no idea of what to expect when buying supplies in a foreign country. We all have our "must have" items (mini Reese's Peanut Butter cups for Jordan), and toothpaste was one of mine. Unfortunately, I didn't pack enough to last 18 months. Reluctantly, I tried a few brands of toothpaste here. Not being very satisfied with the strength or flavor of any, I hesitantly decided to try a brand that is usually front and center in all markets... Charcoal.

 

Surprisingly, it was thick and flavorful! It has also become one of my favorite toothpastes! At least while here in Ghana. 😁

While talking with a local friend here and asking him about charcoal toothpaste, he shared his upbringing experience. He said he always brushed his teeth with just charcoal powder and never minded the non-flavored, gritty powder. Whoa! Not sure I'd like that at all. 

While researching a bit more about charcoal uses, here is what I found:

"Since ancient times, charcoal has been used mainly to generate energy for cooking and heating purposes. Up to 17% of the wood used in the world is turned into charcoal. The booming charcoal trade is actually boosting the economies of many African countries. This fundamental approach to energy production has evolved from a simple cooking method into a cost-effective source of energy and empowerment."

Highlights

• •

  Charcoal is the second-most important source of rural household income after crops in a hot-spot producing area in Ghana.

• •

  On average, charcoal accounts for 17% of total rural household income in our sample of both producers and non-producers.

• •

  Reliance on charcoal increases with increasing income and some households earn higher income from charcoal trading.

• •

  Both low- and high-income households use charcoal to fill seasonal income gaps, but with different motivations.

• •

  Charcoal production appears to be the dominant coping strategy against economic shocks.

• 
  

• Everywhere you look in Ghana, there are piles of discarded coconut shells. Coconut charcoal is made from the shells of coconut nuts. The shells are first carbonized in the absence of air, which produces high-quality charcoal that is free of additives. Regular charcoal is typically made from a blend of wood scraps, sawdust, and additives.

•                                                  

                              
  
  
  
  

  
  
  

• 
  

• Let's hear it for charcoal!!!!

• 
  

• 75 DAYS...

• 
  

• You may have lost track of time and forgotten what we look like... but just so ya know, here is our countdown clock!!!!

• 
  

•                                       
  
  
  

  
  

• 
  

• • "The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is." – C.S. Lewis.
  
  
• 
  
• Make the most of every day! We will do the same!!!
• 
  

• Sending much love and anticipation of seeing you again... soon!

• 💖💛💚

•