March 10, 2008

We have not got our computer going yet. It works down at Accra but not for us yet. We are staying busy and safe. Went Friday to Accra. We went to the Temple there. The lights went out during part of the session in the endowment room so they opened the two doors and we had enough light to to finish that part and then went into the C room and finished. Got up on Saturday at 5:00 and headed for a group mtg. at a place called Asaamankese where Sis Brockbank gave the Sisters a lesson on how to teach women that are illiterate. So the six sisters will ty to make a small dent. One sister in our group said, it's just like a huge iceburg and six of us picking away at it. It seems endless. Pres. Brockbank had the men in another room instructing them in the things they needed to do in our Branches. Mtg ended about 1:30 and we started our long journey back to Accra 2and half hours over ppoor roads under construction. These roads are basically built by human hand. It will take years to finish. In the mean time people and cars mostley tro-tro's which are passenger vans chucked full of people traveling by the side over rutty narrow streets and people walking in the way all the time. Boy it's nerve racking to drive for fear a taxi and a person in the way. Crazy is the word. Any way we were almost back and turned on a wrong way and ended way out of the way we needed to go. It took us to Center Accra, a place we hadn't been and we couldn't believe all the hundrerds, hundrereds of people cramped on the narrow dirt road and all the shack shops that are their store for blocks. It's so hard to explain and hard to take picturres to show you. There are only a few paved roads and one will go one way for miles with no way to turn around and the other side come the opposite direction. You can see the cars on the other side but there is a big island separating them. Anyway we could not get turned around and ended down by the Atlantic ocean . I took a few pictures as we could pull over to the side but not turn around. We just keep going. We were going to stop at Accra to get a few supplies to eat on but by the time we came to a place it was way past Accra and it was by the turn to go to Ho. It was already dark and we had 2-1/2 hours ahead to get home. We had not eaten but you don't just stop anywhere. Thank goodness we still had a peanut butter and jam sandwich we could eat and a small bag of African cracker-chips and of course our water bottle. We had a Baptism at the Branch on Sunday, 4 people and of course the font is outside in the dirt and were poor at U.S standards. Dad and I of course have a car and had to go and pick-up the candidates for Baptism and take them to the church and they can not speak English. I can understand the people even when they do speak English and of course they have hard time understanding us too. I got to lead the singing for three songs and did okay. We then had to go with another member to see about a referral, and then to the Pc meeting after for an hour and of course they all think we are big authorities on all things , Charles always has suggestions,and I put in my two cents whether they ask or not. Most times they try and implement what we say or they think about it. Remember they have very little here. I see no toys or paper or they literally live in 4 walls and a path. They are always sweeping the dirt and keep things as clean as they can for dirt. No grass. Some green foliage. Lots of goats and chickens all over the place . Once in on a while you will see a dog setting there itching , scratching themself to death , probably has fleas.

The shops sell mostly foodwise cabbage, onions, tomatoes, some carrots, true face baskets of small crabs still alive and the most stinky small fish already cooked, this on the streets and market street which goes for two or thre blocks behind the paved road runing in the oposite directon. Market day every 5th day and then it's busier than ever. A lot of cars but they are mostly taxi.












































































You can take a taxi for 35 cents about anywhere in town. I'm surprised there are not more wrecks, but they are polite and try to let everyone take a turn. Weather seems a litle cooler, this is the rainy season , I'm happy for the rain, but I still have a stream of water down my face and back of neck most the time. I am trying to get practiced up to help with the music. I have been helping the Primary mostly at the Branch. But we are ask to do a lot of things and are busy . Dad swears he has lost weight, maybe in the bum but not on the tum. It is stressful that we cannot get our internet going, but dad has not given up yet. We have been here to this internet cafe so many times now that the boy that runs it smiles and just helps us get started. Dad is reading while I am typing. I told him I needed at least two hours to get caught up.