Volta River Trip

We had a wonderful African adventure on Dec. 8. We took a trip down the Volta River, the largest river in Ghana. We rode in in a small fishing boat, known as a "pirogue," to the Atlantic Ocean, and then to a remote island inhabited by 1000 people, 600 of which are children. Along the way, we saw fishing villages, oyster farmers (fishermen), Ghanaian resorts, and lots of other fun things. It was an interesting day and a great learning experience. These pictures and captions tell the whole adventure.

This the group that went with us. They are Elder and Sister Glanfield, Redlin, Winegarden, Pothier, our guide for the day, George Thompson, and of course us.

Here is the group getting ready for the tour.

We encountered these children on our way. They enjoyed getting their picture taken.

This was our launch point and Oyster farming village called Big Adda.  The men go out in their boats and collect the oysters and bring them back to the village, where the women take them from the shells.

The women put their laundry on the piles of oyster shells to dry in the sun.

The oyster meat is then laid out on this big tarp to dry. They are then cooked in boiling oil before eating.

While we were waiting for our boat to arrive, part of a catch was being taken by wagon to the "shucking" areas.

These are the types of boats the the oyster farmers use and the type of boat in which we would take our cruise. They are called pirogues.

Our group loading into the boat.

One of the nice resort areas along the way.

Gilligan's Island??!!

Here we are at the mouth of the Volta River with the Atlantic Ocean in the background.

A boat coming in with their catch. 

Catch of small fish.

Arrival on the island of our destination. It is called Pediatorkorpe.

The island is blessed with a small health center and a full-time nurse.

This is the delivery room!! We took a video of the inside, but it doesn't work here. I wish you could see it. I'm  sure glad I didn't have to deliver my babies here! Extremely primitive and not sanitary.

We have now arrived at the school.

These are some of the 600 children on the island. The merry-go-round on which they are playing is in fact, a generator. The generator provides power to charge 40 lanterns so the children can have light in their homes to do their homework. They share the lanterns.

Some of the school children. They seemed intrigued with us.

He is telling me how old he is in answer to my question.

One of our favorite parts of the trip was interacting with the children. They were so sweet and cute!

Inside one of the classrooms.

We felt like we had gone back in time many years.

The children's morning and evening prayers.

Assembly for dismissal at the end of the day. They sang to us!

Then the children were off to their homes. These are some of the mud huts in which they live. If you have a home made of concrete blocks, you are considered to be rich.

This is an outdoor kitchen.

More mud hut homes.



A basket weaver's shop.

Waiting for our water taxi to return at the end of our island tour.

On our way back to our home destination after a wonderful trip.



Boat owner and captain for the day. The motor stalled on us once, but he managed to get it started again and get us on our way. However, we were a little leary of the motor after that

Last, but not least, George Thompson, our guide for the day. He did a great job providing a wonderful experience for us.

Christmas Program

I have participated in the Accragio International Choir since September. This is part of the group during a Christmas performance in December. This was at the Nungua Community Library. We presented 2 other concerts with the full choir, but I don't have any pictures of them.

Many of the people in this choir are connected with several of the embassies located here in Accra. The lady next to me is the 2nd in command at the U S Embassy. The lady behind her is from Australia and the lady behind me is from Sweden. Some of the other countries represented include Germany, Denmark, England, The Netherlands, Italy, and of course, Africa. It has really been a fun group with which to be connected.

As part of the program, I participated with these ladies playing the recorder. We played 4 Christmas Carols.

A close-up of Sister Wendy Eaton and me rockin' "Jingle Bells."

We had some excellent drummers accompany us on a couple of our African songs. We also had some fantastic African dancers, but the pictures would not upload to this site.

While the choir sang a beautiful rendition of "Silent Night," several kids who regularly come to the library, acted out the Manger Scene.

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.