Osu Castle Visit

This is the old main living quarters of Osu Castle (1635).  It sits on  the  Gulf of Guinea and is  the first  British establishment.  Slaves were brought to an outside basement entrance and stowed in horrible dungeons in basement until taken out onto the beach and onto waiting ships for transport to England.  I was able to walk in basement but my pics of the old, ugly cement walls and crawl areas were people were held and died did not turn out.

Dignitaries walked the "red carpet" to enter the center steps (note it is roped off for us !).

Me sitting at the President's desk.  Do I not look presidential?

Calabash tree in the gardens of palace.  Calabash is like a gourd in that it is used as a container rather than an edible fruit.

Chris' First Round of African Golf

There is one course in Accra and it was built by the British when they settled the area.  You must use a caddie.  "John" is on left and "David" on right.
The course will help me keep some sort of swing while we are here.  The greens are in good shape but very slow compared to USA.  Fairways have a Bermuda type grass with big patches of clay.  I rate the course as a below average condition municipal course but I am grateful to be able to play it.

Elder Jones getting instructions for his second shot from John.

Caddies

Elder Wayne Jones, a retired Canadian engineer, is an avid golfer and was glad to include me in my first round of African golf!

My hat was given to me by my good friends and golfing buddies at GlenOaks in Louisville, KY.  They all signed it and I am grateful for such good friends (who I know are building their handicaps while I am here!).

Chris and "David", the first caddie I have ever had!  A very nice guy who can really read a green.

This is a termite hill around the trunk of this tree on the 16th fairway.

Friends and Literacy Class Pics

Sr. Missionary friends eating dinner on a Friday night after we had attended the Temple.

Linda and the lady who runs one of the local "American" stores.  Its a tiny shop that carries American branded items of all varieties.  It is no wider than what you see and maybe 20' deep.

On Sunday 13 Aug 2017 Linda and I helped Sister Ama Souse in the "Gospel Literacy" Sunday School class.  She was the first person I have had the privilege of helping; Linda has helped many others.  She could not have been more grateful for the little help we gave her.

Sr. Missionary friends who gather for Monday night potluck and a spiritual message we call Family Home Evening.

Sun setting off our balcony and over smoky Accra.

Linda and I helped these Sisters with literacy class on 20 Aug 2017.  Next to Linda is  Fanny Rose Dankey and  next to me is Florence Holmes.  Again, the ladies appreciate the assistance in reading to a point of joyful tears.

Esther and James

A group of us were treated to a nice Chinese dinner for assisting at the MTC Open House mentioned earlier in the blog.  Esther, the birthday girl, is the Legal Assistant for our office and her husband James joined the fun.  Esther is making her first trip to the US in a week for Church legal training.  She is bright and very capable and very excited to see the US.

Fun Miscellaneous Photos

African mango is FANTASTIC!  Linda played around with the "proper" way to cut it.

Linda at her desk at the Area Office.

Chris at his desk at Area Office Legal.  He is working in a cubicle until an office becomes available.

Chris and two other missionaries walk about 3 miles at 5:30 am most week days.  This lady is there every day preparing food which she sells on the roadside.  A common sight in the area.

The 1st Saturday of each month, local artists have a local craft show called Goethe.  Here, a lady proudly displays her wares!

Volunteering at the Libraries.

This is Sister Wendy Eaton and me outside the Nungua Library. We have become very good friends.
I am distantly related to her sister-in-law, Tina Hough. Tina's mother is Ruth Elliot and she was a Slinker. 

These are my friends who go to the Nungua Library every Tuesday. We help students and adults
with reading and we have also taught them to play the recorder. We have had a lot of fun with that.
The ladies are L-R Pauline Kacher. Her husband is the 2nd counselor to the Area President.
Shelley Nash, whose husband is the 1st Counselor to the Area President. Mary Richards, whose husband
is Chris' boss. He is the head of the Legal Department here. Myself and Wendy Eaton. She and her husband
are Senior Missionaries serving as the Area Auditors.

These are children at the Osu Library where I volunteer every Wednesday.
They love to have their pictures taken.

GHANA MTC OPEN HOUSE August 7-12, 2017

There has been a "MTC" in Ghana almost 20 years at a location about an hour outside of Accra.  It could accommodate  about 200 missionaries.  This new facility will provide for almost 400.  Missionaries will be trained here in how to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Those missionaries will stay here about 2 weeks and then go to their assigned area within Africa.  Those also receiving language training will be here about 9 weeks.

MTC from across the street.  The dormitories are on left and classrooms on right.

Sr. Wakild visiting with other missionaries in the foyer of MTC.

This is my favorite art piece I have seen in Africa so far and it has a great back-story.  This is a painting done from a photo.    The person portraying the Savior was in town for a photo shoot and he was on the MTC grounds.  He walked outside the gated area and young children, thinking he was the real Savior, flocked to him and hugged him.  A timely photo was taken of the event and the result hangs in a hallway of the MTC.

Chris and fellow Sr. missionaries visiting in foyer of MTC.

There is an LDS scripture that is known as "Lehi's Dream" or "The Tree of Life".   In it, the prophet Lehi sees the people of the earth struggling to return to the love of their Heavenly Father (the fruit of the tree).  The way back is to hold to the "iron rod", which is the word of God (scriptures).  This is a local wood carver's rendition of that scripture.  It is about 8' long and 3' tall and hangs on a wall in a stairway at MTC.  It is all carved from one piece of wood!  The picture doesn't do the detail justice.

Linda with a visitor.

Temple from across the street. 

President and Sr. Brubaker.  This couple is the first to preside over the new MTC.   

The LDS Church officially brought missionaries to Ghana in 1978.  Before that date, many people had heard of the Church and were in fact holding Sunday services in much the same manner as LDS churches do. The Gospel message was received so well that by the time the LDS missionaries came to baptize the people, hundreds lined up to receive the ordinance.  This artist's rendition of the historic event hangs in the MTC.

A local governmental authority visits the MTC Open House.

Local visitor.

Local dignitary visits.

This is Abel and his family.He is the man who carved the  "Tree of Life" carving
that hangs in the MTC.

Local dignitaries and friends.

Who is that hot couple?

Is he cute or what?  He is 2!!

His sister.

African Sister missionary companions.  Africans love to dress alike as they make  many of their clothes.

The missionaries are with their friend, Esther, who is  the legal secretary for  Chris and the rest of the legal department.

"Mom, this MTC is FABULOUS!!  Can I come here someday?"

"Ok, you can take my picture, but HURRY UP!!"

Mom and daughters

The man, although not a natural-born son, was "raised on her knee".  The young girl is the lady's daughter.

Hanging out in parking lot.

Barbershop

10 second video of a multi-purpose room in MTC

What crazy guy drove this van 1.5 hours to visit the MTC?