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

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

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

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

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

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

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• 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.

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• Let's hear it for charcoal!!!!

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• 75 DAYS...

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

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

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