Kente Cloth Making in Ghana

Kente cloth is made by a weaving process.  A few of us Sr. missionaries had a Saturday outing a few weeks ago.  The whole process was truly amazing to see!!  The owner of this little place (the yard is about 1 acre) is Bob and he keeps a staff of 16 people busy but will hire up to 40 weavers (independents) who make cloth patterns at their own place when he has a big order.

Linda checking out some of the cloth made in this yard.  But it's the process that is amazing.

Bob buys his material from China.  There, they make thread from cotton and put it on huge bolts, which Bob buys.  Here, Bob's brother and partner spins the thread onto small spools for his weavers.

This is one of Bob's weavers.  He is using hands and feet to weave the pattern.  I am trying to load a short video to demonstrate the talent these guys have developed.  Bob says each weaver develops his own style and sticks to similar patterns they have learned.

Here Bob is giving all of us Kente weaving 101 lecture around a table stacked with his product.

Weaver sewing his pattern.  Note the red and white wooden threaders he slides between the strands at blinding speeds.  You can see his pattern and in his hand you can't see he holds other threaders with the other colors.

Linda is "into" Bob's explanation.

I bought this piece of fabric from Bob and I will have 2 ties made from it.  Keep an eye out for it in all the fashion shops!!




This is the weaver that made the fabric I bought.  He is weaving more of the same fabric when I took this pic.  And Bob promised me I had the one and only piece of this design!!

20 second video showing weaver at work.

Friends move on and Wakilds take over office

Moving in from a cubicle to an office.  I would have much preferred to have my friend Elder Liljenquist stay in the office and serve our missions concurrently.  As it was, 4 months overlap was a great blessing to me; both in work experience and friendship.

Elder Liljenquist wouldn't go without a kick out the door!!  Note the sign in the window.  Liljenquist going out and Wakild coming in!

Craig and Liz Liljenquist outside the office he was vacating and I was moving into.  Great folks leaving big shoes to fill!

New residents of the office.

Tro Tros (junky private buses)  love to share their spirituality!

Toll booths are small markets...they bring Walmart to you...drive thru style!!

Saying Goodbye to Friends is Never Easy

Liz saying goodbye at Monday morning devotional.  Great lady who helped many here!

The husbands of all 3 Sisters serve as attorneys in OGC:  Wakilds, Liljenquists, and Winegardens

Elder Brent Pierce at Turkish Restaurant DNR with balloon bread.

Craig and Liz Liljenquist at the end of their 18 month mission.  Craig did Office of General Counsel mission and Ryan Richards, middle, was our boss (Area Legal Counsel)  I really miss them; great people and Craig was fun to work with OGC.

The Nays saying goodbye in devotional.  They served Humanitarian mission; their second!

The Africa West Area Goodbye Throw

Friends working in Literacy in West Africa

These are the people from Salt Lake who came to train, test, and observe the Literacy Program. They are L-R Melissa Hawkley, Linda Wakild, Joan Heckel, Gayle Heckel, Becca Peak, and Will Harvey. We had a packed few days with them. 

Elder Myers and Hayes

Evangeline, a literacy teacher with a great deal of energy and success!

Sunday literacy with Wakild's

Tro Tro spiritual message

Phyllis Baidoo and Sister Martins. Phyllis is my Literacy student and Sister Martins is visiting from Nigeria.

Nice African dress and tie!

Gospel literacy training by Heckles from Utah.

His mom is a literacy student

Literacy teacher, Lordia Aggai and her Mom, Sister Martins, visiting from Nigeria.

Common roadside market

3 missionaries chowing down on Linda's great meatloaf!!  They brought their American appetites.  Left to right, Elders Hayes, Myers and Howell.  Hayes is old friends with Sid and Tina's family.

                                                 It's always fun having the missionaries with us.