Labor Day Weekend 2017

Elder Hadley demonstrates how we "Obrunies" (slang, but not derogatory, for non-African) stand out at the mall on a muslim holiday.

This young girl looked to be babysitting with one sister on her back  and  a second by her side.  She is following the example of many mothers seen toting their children.

I think this group of elders had finished their mission in this area and had just made their final visit to the Ghana Temple before traveling home.

In Ghana, the Friday of our Labor Day Weekend is a muslim holiday and our offices were closed.  Good friends, Elder Doug Hadley and Sister Marie Hadley, were kind enough to take us about  an hour car ride to "West Mall" and then to Accra Mall that day.  Here are a few pictures of some muslim families dressed for their holiday.

Brothers sitting on bench in mall.

Elder Doug Hadley and new found friends in mall!

These pics were taken by a friend  in James Town  and sent to me after our blog was up.  The kids loved Linda and loved having their picture taken.

Sunday August 27th, 2017 James Town Ward visit

From our apartment we heard a crowd and music.  From the balcony we watched a group of young runners enjoying their morning run.  I tried to load a 20 second video below that is fun to see. 

We went to the James Town Ward for Sunday services; about 25 minute drive from our apartment.  We parked on street about 200 yards from the meetinghouse and this pic was taken next to where we parked.  Yes, this is the neighborhood.  The meetinghouse is located behind me when I took this pic.

The church leases space on 1st and 2nd floor in a building behind us and across the street.  Note the church sign which has a black background and above and to right of the "walk" light on street corner.

Hallway outside of classrooms.  Note barbed wire at top of walls.

Primary children celebrating someone's birthday!

Aburi Excursion

Arrival of a group of Senior Missionaries on a Saturday visit to a small town that has an arts and crafts venue. It had 20 to 30 different craftsmen, including mostly woodcarvers.  

In front of an artist's front with the carver's sons.

A young upstart wood carver who asked me to take his pic.

A young carver who is a member of our church and carves to his audience.  Here, he proudly displays  his rendition of the Ghana Temple.  This item sells well to a bunch of Sr. missionaries!!

Samuel tried his best to sell this fold up table to me.  It displays 4 important symbols of the Ghanians.  From top left clockwise:  (beginning with circle with solid arrow pointer)  1.  Symbol of justice.  Knife used in executions.  It is plunged through the throat of the victim to prevent him from invoking a curse on the king.  2.  Symbol of commitment.  It means I shall marry you.  The 4 clocks say that no one rushes into the mixing the concrete for building the house of marriage.  3.  The heart is a symbol of patience and tolerance.  4.  Symbol of the supremacy of God.  We see this symbol everywhere from  buses to billboards.  It is seen as reflecting the deeply religious character of the Ghanaian people.

African xylophone with a very cute demonstrator!  We resisted the sales pitch so far!

These two signs hung in the local restaurant where our group had a great local lunch.  I couldn't resist!

Read closely you parents of teens and pass it on!

We stopped at a local botanical garden area and we got photo bombed!

Huge hollow tree.

Looking up from middle of tree.

These palm trees reminded us of royal palms in Florida.

Friends, Warren and Wendy Tolley from Canada/Montana.

James Town Visit (We would call this a suburb of Accra.)

James Town is a small fishing community, which is located at Accra's waterfront on the Gulf of Guinea.  About 5,000 of the poorest of the poor live and work within a 3 mile beach area.  Friends of ours were taking their visiting niece to see this area and invited us to go.  The pics you will see have us walking through their living areas and we dare not do this walk without our local guide, Humprey.

The guide explains that he grew up here but managed to learn to read and get to school outside of James Town.  He came back to live and open a small school (pics below).  He walks through the maze of huts and tents at 6:00 am, Monday - Friday and calls for the young children to come to school and promises them a meal.  About 150 elementary school age kids join him most of the time.

Humprey, our friends (Elder Doug Hadley and niece in background.) and my hot wife!

Humprey and 3 of his students

Boys playing

He wouldn't let go of my leg!  What a cute boy!

Fish being smoked.  They stack 4-5 screens on top of each other over a small smoky fire for a couple of hours and it's smoke fish.

Fish in foreground with fire in background.  Note the trays of fish stacked over the fire you can see.

I think he is wondering how the Obrunie (non-African) got into his space.  Linda and friends in background inspecting a fishing boat being carved.

Inside of a fishing boat....it looks like a boat from biblical times.

A new boat recently carved.

Our friends and Linda listening to guide Humprey.

More James Town

Moving their fish to market.

We interrupted breakfast.

Frying fish.  Note baby getting bath in background.

Pot of some sort of maize that is not very appetizing!

Tubs of fish headed to market.

Fish being dried in the sun...thousands of them spread to dry.  On the beach fish are smoked, dried or fried.  

People are stacked next to people.

At the water's edge where the fish are unloaded.

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Look close and see huge snail.  They would have caught this by accident.

Lunch

New boats get carved on the beach

Homes

An old hull that is to be firewood.  Humprey says the hulls last about 25 years.

Typical homes in the area.

Typical walk area

The Ghanians love life and are always quick to thank God for their lives.  We can all learn something  in that regard.

Goats are all over Accra.

Hawking his wares!

Free at Last!  This building was built about 1650 and originally held slaves that were eventually moved out to  the piers and loaded onto British ships.  When slavery stopped the building became a prison that was just closed about 10 years ago.

Looking back on James Town as we depart.  This was an English settlement.  Other countries had their share of the beach and slave trade area just down from here.

On the edge of James Town

At the beach on one end of the fishing village.

Very heavy load of bananas

We will never forget the kids!