Week 10 - Royalty, Sourdough & Bare Feet

We have heard much about the rainy season in Ghana.  Although we haven't experienced too much of it yet, we need to be ready!  Many have described it as a deluge of epic proportions!  The northern part of the country typically records one rainy season, which begins in May and lasts until September.  Here in southern Ghana there are typically two rainy seasons; a major one from April to July and a minor one from September to November.  We finally found some good umbrellas at a local shop.  Believe it or not, they were a little difficult to find!  After looking at many stores for the past several weeks while out and about, we finally scored two big and colorful umbrellas!  Watch out rainy season!  We are ready!

MONDAY DEVOTIONAL & MESSAGES 

Every Monday morning whether in person or virtual, all church employees and missionaries join together for a devotional.  When a senior missionary couple is almost ready to return home, they are the speakers.  Otherwise, there are a variety of inspriational messages shared by others.  We have also heard some amazing talks given in our weekly sacrament meetings.  Here are a couple of my favorite take-away thoughts:

3.12.23 - "As fear goes down, our faith and confidence in God goes up!  The principle to combat fear is faith." 

Bishop Darkey-Collins is the bishop of our Trade Fair Ward and we are in the Christiansborg Stake.  He shared a thought regarding fear that I loved.  In summary he said, "Please take a look at your hand.  There are two sides, the palm and the back of the hand.  They co-exist together.  Consider the palm as faith and the back of the hand as fear.  We use our palm for everything!  To eat, to bathe, to work, to shake hands with others, to lend a helping hand, etc. We rarely use the back of the hand for anything good, yet it is still there.  The two are connected just like faith and fear.  We must choose to do good and let faith in God prevail.  Follow after righteousness."

3.20.23 -  Love and Charity: Life is a journey and not a competition. How do we love God with all our heart, might, mind and strength?  How do we love our neighbors as ourselves?  Avoid hatred, jealously, negative vices, give service, love freely and be an example of Jesus Christ.  Apply the golden rule and remember that Charity never faileth.

JUBILEE HOUSE

A site we drive by quite frequently on Independence Ave/Liberation Road, a main thoroughfare here in Accra, is the Jubilee House.  It is the presidential palace that serves as a residence and office to the President of Ghana.  It stands tall and majestic with flags waving in the constant ocean breezes here.  The building is in the shape of a stool, with four legs and a seat.  

Symbol of the stool in Ghana - The Golden Stool is the royal and divine throne of kings of the Ashanti People (also spelled Asante - part of the Akan ethnic group of Ghana).  According to legend, a High Priest and one of the two chief founders, caused the stool to descend from the sky and land on the lap of the first Asante king.  Such seats were traditionally symbolic of a chieftain's leadership, but the Golden Stool is believed to house the spirit of the Asante nation—living, dead and yet to be born.  The Golden Stool is the royal throne and must never touch the ground; instead it is placed on a blanket.  During inauguration, a new king is raised and lowered over the stool without touching it.  The Golden Stool is carried to the king on a pillow, as only he is allowed to handle it.

As you might imagine, the symbol of the stool is revered and seen as a symbol of leadership, royalty, unity and importance of tradition.

SOURDOUGH 

To our great surprise, it is possible to have a little of home here with us as I have been able to figure out how to create sourdough without the usual tools (traditional mixing tool, cast iron pot, parchment paper & weight scale).  I started out by getting a "sweet type starter" from another missionary here.  It smelled totally different from what I was used to so I did a few rounds of discard and feed until it started smelling sour and perfect!  And, I finally found some "baking paper" in a random store and bought 3 packs.  My next battle was what to use to cook in.  I started by using an oven certified stock pot.  The problem was two-fold.  The stock pot bottom was a little large and the lid had a steam vent.  So after guessing at the exact measurements (I usually measure everything in grams on the weight scale), mixing it all up in a little stand mixer (I like mixing by hand with the sourdough mixing tool), then greasing up the pot and blocking the steam hole, the bread came out a little flatter than I like.

  

The bread tasted great but it wasn't quite what I wanted.  So after 2 loaves in the stock pot, I went back to the drawing board to see if there was something else I could use.  Finally, I came upon a ceramic dish with a lid.  Unfortunately, the lid was a bit inverted so when I cooked in it, the loaf raised too high and stopped at the lid, creating a flat top loaf.  Argh!  One more time, back to the store and purchased an additional deep ceramic bowl to cover the bottom pot.  Voila!  It worked!!  Jordan is a happy man when it comes out of the oven, even though I always give half away to someone in the apt building.  Great way to make friends!! And... I finally found a weight scale!!

    

BARE FEET IN CHURCH
Our little friends that like to sit by us in church just can't handle keeping shoes on their feet.  I'm sure they run around all week barefoot and fancy free.  Then having to put on stiff and uncomfortable shoes for church is really difficult!  I remember attending a ward in Cambodia and everyone removed their shoes in the foyer before entering the chapel.  I really like that tradition and wish it would catch on everywhere!!

Ghanaian Proverb:  You must act as if it is impossible to fail!

Random photo dump... the things we see in Ghana!

    

     

      

Sending love from Ghana!!! 💓💛💚

Week 9 - Holidays, Tro-Tros & Culture

Our lives are crazy busy here in Africa.  The weeks speed by and I can hardly believe we have been here 6 weeks!  Seems like an eternity ago we arrived, but also like yesterday! 😁😎

HOLIDAY - INDEPENDENCE DAY

We recently had a 4 day work week due to a holiday!  Apparently, you never really know if there is going to be an official Ghanaian holiday until a day or so before the holiday.  The KIng is the only one that can declare it so!  So, we learned at 5 pm on Friday, March 3rd, that Monday, March 6th would be considered an official holiday with a day off from work.  Wahoo! 

The Independence Day of Ghana is a national holiday celebrated yearly. This day is an official state holiday for the citizens of Ghana to honor and celebrate the Heroes of Ghana who led the country to attain its independence.  Independence Day is celebrated on March 6th every year. This Day is a remembrance of the day that marks the declaration of Ghanaian independence from the British colonial rule. The first Prime Minister of Ghana; Kwame Nkrumah became the Head of Government from 1957 to 1960. On 6 March 1957 Kwame Nkrumah declared to the people of Ghana about their freedom that, "the African People are capable of managing their own affairs and Ghana our beloved country is free forever."

Each year, a new theme is chosen for the celebration.  I love this idea!  Here are a few of the past themes:

2013 & 2016 - Investing in The Youth for Ghana's Transformation 

2014 - Building a Better Prosperous Ghana through Patriotism and National Unity

2019 - Celebrating Peace and Unity

2020 - Consolidating our Gain

2021 - Working Together, Bouncing Back Together

2023 - Our Unity, Our Strength, Our Purpose

GHANAIAN PRIDE

Everywhere we go, we see how proud of their culture and country the Ghanaian people are.  The colors of red, yellow and green are abundant throughout the city and countryside.  Trees are painted with the colors and resemble the flag, small shops are painted in these vibrant colors as well as small taxis and trotros.

                   

TRO-TROS

In Ghana and neighboring countries, tro tro are privately owned vans/shared taxis that travel fixed routes, leaving when filled to capacity. While there are tro tro stations, these vehicles for hire can also be boarded anywhere along the route.

They are operated by a driver and a conductor (who collects money, shouts out the destination, and can also be called a "mate").  Many are decorated with slogans and religious sayings.  Fewer tro tros operate on Sundays.

The term is believed to derive from the Ga word tro, "threepence", because the conductors usually asked for "three three pence", which was the standard bus fare in the 1940s, when Ghana still used the British West African pound and later the Ghanaian pound.  

Three pence was the price per passenger in the early 1960s, when pounds/shillings/pence were still in use, including threepence coins, before the currency was changed into cedi and pesewa in 1965.

As we drive to and from the office, around and about for shopping, I always have my phone camera ready to snap a quick picture of some Tro-Tro Wisdom seen frequently.  Here are some from the last month:

      

                

                

 

CHURCH & CULTURE

There are so many things to learn from each other in differenct countries around the world.  Some of  my observations in the Ghanaian culture have surprised and delighted me. 

Relief Society

Today in church, all the women sat in the middle benches, to be honored and recognized for the celebration of the organization of the Relief Society on March 17, 1842.  Several women and men bore testimony of the power of this great organization in their lives and why they have been blessed to be a part of it. 

Women's remarks:

"We learn to be mothers."

"We should be the best women in all the world!"

We learn the doctrine of Jesus Christ."

"We provide relief in temporal and spiritual needs."

Men's remarks:

"Husbands encourage their wives to go to RS because they learn a lot!"

"A man who has grown up to be a man, must get a good woman next to him!"

"Life without women is like life without sunshine!"

"Women play a vital role in life."

"May your everlasting Charity never end!"

After the speakers, all the women stood and recited the Relief Society Declaration together (we had little cheat sheets).  It reminded me of the great purpose of RS and how blessed we are to be a part of such an amazing organization, one of the oldest and largest in the world. 

       

Sacrament Hymn

It is such a joy to sing with the Saints in Ghana.  As mentioned before, they truly sing with all their hearts!  You can't help but feel the power of the words.  Today, we sang one of the shorter hymns before the sacrament.  We finished before the priesthood was finished preparing the sacrament.  Without even a hesitation, at the end of the 3rd verse, everyone rolled right back to the 1st verse and we sang through the song again until everything was ready.  Loved it!

Birthdays & recognition

Each Sunday, the names of those having a birthday in the coming week, are read from the pulpit and everyone is wished a wonderful birthday!  

We love learning from these beautiful new friends!

Nya dapɛn a ɛyɛ anigye! Ɔdɔ pii!  (Have a wonderful week!  Love you!)

Week 8 - Visitors, Dancing-Druming & Turtles

Well, we had our first visitors to Ghana!  I can't say they came to see us specifically, but since we are here, they came and we fed them dinner, I'm going to count it as official!

VISITORS

Rochelle Sellers along with associates Betty & Jules, came to Ghana for their important work with Operation Underground Railroad, an organization commited to fighting sexual abuse and child sex trafficking. Rochelle is the Regional Aftercare Director for Africa and the Middle East.  These women work together to oversee the aftercare of rescued survivors and their healing process.  I admire them so much and the great efforts they give to make a difference in this world.  

TO MARKET, TO MARKET...

While these beautiful ladies were in town, we took them to our favorite market that happens every 1st and 3rd Saturdays called, The Green Butterfly Market. This is a local Ghanaian Artisan market supporting community businesses to ensure sustainable growth within the local economy.  There are many, many vendors selling their goods.  One vendor we make a beeline to, sells fresh bagels of every flavor including: blueberry, banana, eggplant, sesame, wheat, jalapeno and more.  They are so fresh and sell out very quickly.  We have also purchased a "real" Mancala board game, an ebony turtle (see story below), an antique window shutter, and we will likely be back to find other mementos to remind us of our time in Ghana. 

Jordan is patient and ended up sitting in the shade while we searched high and low for treasures!  While sitting in the shade of a large tree but still sweating profusely, he captured these pictures of a sweet mother and child, gathering water from the ground into used water bottles.  I'm guessing the water will be used for cleaning or bathing.  The Ghanaian women are strong and resourceful.  Jordan is also a magnet for children!  

      

         

 

CARRYING BABIES

It is very common to see women carrying their babies on their backs here in Ghana.  I'm amazed at the strength these women have in continuing their daily chores with their babies firmly secured on their back with a wrapping cloth.  Though the continent has been westernized in many ways, this artful way of carrying their babies is a dearly held custom and sets them apart from other cultures around the world.  The close bond this seems to create with mother and child is beautiful.  I hope the tradition continues for generations.

DANCING & DRUMMING 

We were fortunate to experience a local celebration of Dancing & Drumming, arranged by a senior couple (Dale & Joann Munk) who will be returning home soon.  They hired a local troupe that performs regularly in this area.  Many of the dancers and musicians are university students, and study the art of native dance and music.  These students go to local tribes and learn the artful and storytelling dancing that is native to each tribe.  It is lively and fun!  They danced their hearts out and only began sweating after about 45 min of straight performance.  Their endurance was astounding!

What a great group of energetic young people!!!

TURTLES
African culture is slow and steady.  During our first couple of weeks, Jordan joked that, "Getting anything done in Africa is like trying to push a turtle to go faster with a small stick."  

The speed at which some things are accompished here is something that takes a bit of getting used to and can create some initial angst.  But once understood and embraced, life comes more clearly into focus, and we can recognize and evaluate the most important and meaningful parts of this mortal experience.  To me, life is about connection, relationships, learning and renewal, finding the peace that comes from centering our lives in Jesus Christ and helping others find that same peace.  When we came home from work last Tuesday, Bobby (married with 2 young children) who we hired to clean for us once a week, had arranged a small herd of safari animals I bought at the market and the large ebony turtle referred to above, into this setting.  Ghanaians have a good sense of humor!

            

               Random donkeys in the middle of the road just chillin' and eating.  

Life is good!  We feel blessed to be in Africa!  We love the people SO much already!!  They teach me every day!!

Week 7 - Oasis in the Desert

ACCIDENT REPORT

I'm happy to announce we have had no major or minor accidents our first month in country!  That luck however, does not apply to many other situations at work we have been dealing with! Here is a little rundown of church employees & missionaries written reports on vehicle accidents for February:

1. Auto collision with a bike - a bike rode alongside a vehicle in motion (there are lots of bikers on the road) and scratched the vehicle. Driver stopped the vehicle and chased after the bike perpetrator.  Unable to catch the perpetrator, driver returned to his vehicle where he promptly realized he had lost his wallet and keys on the chase. In the wallet were his ID cards, credit cards, driver license and money.  This employee will be trained on "why you should not chase after bikes if they hit or scratch your vehicle."

2.  Auto collision with a tricycle - a "tricycle" (a 3-wheeled vehicle that carries HUGE loads around town - all tied on with ropes) sped past the vehicle and in doing so, took off the bumper of the vehicle. The driver caught up to the tricycle and said they paid for the damage. 

3.  Auto collision with a cow - while driving one day, out of nowhere a cow ran across my truck.  The cow was killed instantly.  Truck sustained a LOT of damage!  The family that owned the cow did not press charges because they were afraid of the liability to them for having their cow roaming outside a fenced area. (Side note: Remember the vehicle we saw the very first day we arrived and received our own truck? This was the one that hit the cow!)

I did have to wonder, will this cow be food for the family for many months? Where will they store all the meat?  Will they share it with the village so nothing is wasted?  I have so many questions!

KENTE CLOTH

Kente refers to a Ghanaian textile, made of handwoven cloth, strips of silk and cotton.  Historically the fabric was worn in a toga-like fashion by royalty among the Akan. It originated from Bonwire in the Ashanti region of Ghana. In modern day Ghana, the wearing of kente cloth has become widespread to commemorate special occasions, with highly sought-after kente brands led by master weavers.

There are many different styles, colors and patterns of kente cloth. I have purchased some ties for Jordan made in these beautiful African colors! Emmanuel is a young man who comes around selling these ties.  In asking about the process I discovered it takes 3 days to make enough material to make 2 ties.  The weaving process is facinating as shown in this video below:

At first I thought the video was sped up, but it is the actual speed at which they work to create this beautiful fabric. 

STEPS

Our glutes and quads are going to be in tip top shape while we are here.  Stairs, stairs and more stairs wherever we go.  Going to the 4th floor in our office building we do 76 steps.  Since we regularly need to go to other departments during the day, up and down, up and down we go. Its a good workout and keeps us from dying by sitting at the desk all day!  We also have about 40 steps to get to our apartment from the garage.  We could take the elevator, but why? The elevators here are confusing!  Here is the overview:

P = Garage level

G = Lobby level and First floor (apts 101, 102, etc)

1 = Second floor (our apt 206)

2 = 3rd floor, 3 = 4th floor, 4 = 5th floor.... you get the picture.  So, many times we end up on the wrong floor in stores if we take the elevator.  Better just to hike the stairs!

TRAVELER PALMS (the rest of the story I finally learned)
A magnificent row of “Travelers Palms” leads the way to the Ghana Accra Temple.

They were so named because of their readiness to quench thirst. Each leaf stalk can hold as much as a quart of rainwater for parched travelers. Hence, the name “Travelers Palms”.

The palms grow in an intricate overlapping pattern into a beautiful flat fan. Anyone who has spent time in Western Africa knows the comforting relief from the heat of the day that comes from a fan.

One of the folk legends about these palms claims that if you stand in front of one and make a wish “in good spirit”, the wish will come true.

These gorgeous specimens grow in what some call an oasis in the bustle of Accra. Although the literal meaning of oasis is "a green spot in the desert," it can also be used to describe a peaceful area in our everyday lives.

Just as the travelers palms provide water, symbolically, but in a very literal sense, the Gospel of Jesus Christ provides living water for thirsty travelers on their sojourn through mortality. As the Savior taught the women at the well:

"...whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.” (John 4:14)

The teachings within the temple quench a thirst for truth. Those who come, partake of living water, and receive comforting relief from the heat of the day, and all who return often to make and keep sacred covenants “in good spirit” will be richly blessed. (reposted from Africa West Area Seniors Blog - Marsha Burdick)

As you can tell, we are having rich and awesome experiences in this part of the world!  We are loving the difficult but incredible work that crosses our paths each day.  We take time to "sharpen the saw" with exercise, excursions and meeting new friends!  Life is good in Accra!

 Happy Jordan for "real" food! LOL!     A little blue sky is beginning to appear!!

                                 Neighborhood buzzard we see regularly!

Much love from Ghana!