It's Harmattan Time

Are you wondering "What is Harmattan?"  Well, let me tell you…….

Harmattan is a hot, dry, dusty wind from the Sahara Desert that blows over West Africa from late November to mid-March.  The wind carries large amounts of fine dust and sand which lowers humidity, prevents rainfall, and creates a haze that limits visibility and blocks the sun."  AND it's yucky! 

Here's what it lookes like driving into Adoagyiri before Harmattan.

I think it's a beautiful drive.  But then when Harmattan arrives….

This is what the view looks like.

It looks like it's foggy, but it's not - it's hot and dry.  Everything is covered with a fine sand.  It hasn't been really bad till this week.  We can't wait for March to get here and Harmattan to leave!!  

Oh. Wait. That's when we leave, too!

This week we attended Nsawam's District Meeting.

L to R - Elders Bianucci, Bass, Beacom, Peterson

As we were taking pictures out front of the Nsawam Chapel, we hear the ding-ding of the FanIce guy's bell as he walks by pushing his little blue and white cart.  Off ran the missionaries to get their strawberry FanIce for 1 Cedi - about $.30.  They were pretty excited and seemed to really enjoy it.

After District Meeting, Elder Berrett and I went with Elders Beacom and Peterson to teach a lesson to Celestina and her son Felix.  Here are the Elders walking into Celestina's.

When Celestina saw that Elder Berrett and I had come with the Elders, she was so excited and pleased.  She called me 'Mommy' and Elder Berrett 'Grandpa'.

The Elders asked Celestina how she had enjoyed church last Sunday.  She said, "The love of God was there. Where love is, God is."  She is right.

It was a sweet experience for us to watch the Elders teach her and Felix that day.

I so much enjoyed our visit with Celestina, that I just had to have my picture taken with her.  She has such a sweet spirit about her. She and Felix will be baptized towards the end of January

Here's Elder Berrett and I leaving Celestina's

Wednesday was transfer day. 

This is Elder Hales with his new companion Elder Obasogie.  Elder Hales is new to our area.  He is the grandson of our former Stake President, President Hales AND his cousin Elder Christensen served with us in Liberia.  In fact, Elder Hales was also scheduled to come to Liberia before we were all evacuated.  Then we both ended up in the Ghana Accra West Mission.  I told him, I think we were just meant to serve together.

Guess who came back to pay us a visit!  

Even though I have stuffed a towel into the gap under my front door, our New Year's Eve mouse still found a way to get in.  Luckily our next door Elders were home and came to our rescue.  It was quite comical to watch Elders Cartwright, Berrett, and Snyder chase that mouse all around our little kitchen.  I watched from the couch with my feet drawn up off the floor.  Guess he won't be bothering us again.  Thanks Elder Snyder - My Hero!!

Can I tell you how happy we were to find a bag - a very small bag - of corn chips at the store.  It's only about 200 grams (close to 7 ounces) and cost a little over 20 Cedis (about $7) BUT so worth it!!  

Chips and Salsa - What could be better?

This week, we were able to attend the Temple (which we love to do), got our truck back almost fully repaired (still needs to be repainted), and spent time with many of the young missionaries (which is the best).  So all in all, it was a great week!