Still in Accra…For now

We have been assigned to the Kpong (the K is silent) area of Ghana.  Until they are able to find us housing, we are staying in an apartment on the Temple grounds in Accra.  Kpong is about 1 hour and 45 minutes from Accra or 80.5 kilometers.  We've made that drive several times already.

On our way to Pkong we drive by the Shai Hills Reserve.  If it's early enough in the morning, we can see baboons on the side of the road.  Later on in the day, it's too warm for them to be out.

Just before we get to Kpong is the Cedi Beads Annex.  More beads for me to look at!

Cedi is also the name of the currency here in Ghana.  We cannot use American dollars like we did in Liberia.  Also, they have coins here which Liberia did not.  

Each American dollar is worth about 3.3 Cedis.

Downtown Kpong!  

Every time we've been to Kpong there are goats walking down the middle of the street.  We've learned that there are no grocery stores here.  We'll be able to buy our fruits and vegetables from roadside stands, but will have to do our grocery shopping in Accra.

We decided that we're not big city missionaries.  We like being 'in the bush' so, you can just call us 'bushinaries'!!

This is the chapel in Kpong

This week meetings were held in Kpong as part of our Mission Tour with Elder Dube.  The missionaries lined the walkway leading into the chapel to welcome Elder and Sister Dube. 

Elder and Sister Dube greeting the missionaries.

Elder Dube is Second Counselor in the West Africa Area Presidency.

Earlier in the week, while our husbands were busy, Sister Dever and I went with a group of Senior missionaries for a boat ride on the Volta River.  It was a perfect day for a boat ride...

…with beautiful scenery.

On shore, the ground was covered with shells embedded in the dirt.

As part of our trip, we visited a village and school.  

For a small fee, homes in the village get a battery, 2 light bulbs, 1 light socket, and a plug - to charge their cell phones!  Once their batteries run out of power, they simply trade for a new battery at this charging station.

Electrical power for the school is made when the children play on the merry-go-round or...

...swing on the swing.  

(See the yellow box on top of the swing.  There's an electrical wire that runs from the swing to the school building.)   They also have solar panels on the roof of the school.

We walked through the village,

and at the end of our walk were given fresh coconuts to drink.  My first!

***

It has been fun for us to be able to see some of the Liberia Missionaries that are serving with us in the Ghana Accra Mission.

Elder Orton

Elder Jensen and Elder Zaugg

Elders Cottrell, Anderson, and Abbott

They are all working hard and adjusting to their new areas.  We love these great young men.

Since we've been in Ghana…..

….We've been to dinner at the Movenpick Hotel - the nicest hotel in Accra - with President and Sister Kirkham and all the Senior Couples from Liberia, before everyone left for their new assignments.

…We've visited a light house in James Town

…And climbed the 97 stairs to get to the top

The view from the top of the light house.

...We've been to several markets.  Was excited to see what they had at the American Grocery Store.  Turned out it was about as big as a closet but everything in it WAS American.

…Had a fun trip to TK Beads.

The beads are actually made right there from recycled glass bottles and car windshields.  The process is fascinating.  So many beautiful beads.  I wanted some of each!

Elder Berrett and Elder Wilde enjoying the bead shopping!

…We were able to be a part of the All Africa Service Project day.  We helped the Dodowa Branch clean up the inside and outside of a building that will be used for a new police station.  

Great turn out - hard workers.

Elder Berrett helped with this rake made from rebar.

While at the service project, these boys came running by with this toy they had made.  We stopped them so we could have a closer look.

Pretty clever - a stick, some nails, and a couple of old wheels.

...We've visited several craft malls and made a few purchases.

…We've eaten the best hamburger we've had since coming to Africa.  Tasted just like at home and with french fries, too!!

L to R - Elder and Sister Watson, Elder and Sister Kirkham (not the mission president Kirkhams) Elder and Sister Berrett, Sister and Elder Wilde

…We've had dinner with President and Sister Curtis.

…We've been able to attend the temple - several times.  Something that was on our wish list, but didn't think we'd be able to do.

Since we've been in Ghana….we've been so well taken care of by Elder and Sister Wilde who are in our Stake back home.  A BIG thank you to them.

We still miss Liberia and all our friends there, but are having a great experience here in Ghana.  We are  staying in a small apartment on the temple grounds while our Mission President hunts for housing for us in the Kpong area of Ghana.  Once they find us a place to live, we'll move there and help the branches and missionaries in that area.

Farewell Liberia

July 30, 2014 

We receive word that all missionaries would be evacuated from Liberia because of the Ebola virus.

Here are some pictures as we prepare to evacuate.  

The Liberia Monrovia Missionaries gather as a group one last time at the Mission Home.

Missionaries waiting at the Mission Home to receive instruction from President Kirkham

All suitcases were gathered in the driveway at the Mission Home and weighed.  You should have seen all the re-packing as the missionaries tried to keep their suitcases under 50 pounds.

Saying their goodbyes.

This is what a porch full of missionaries looks like. 

As we looked around, it touched our hearts to realize that we know and love each one of them.

  Elder Berrett says of President Sayon, "I love him like a brother."  

He worked so hard to help us all get on our way.  It was so hard to tell him goodbye.

Here we are with Naomi Johnson, the housekeeper at the Mission Home.  

As we drove away, I stuck my arm out the car window and waved to her.  There she was standing on the stairs doing the 'I love you' sign back to me. That picture will stay in my heart forever.

Naomi's baby boy is due the first part of September.  She told us that they are going to name him after President Kirkham and Elder Berrett.

Roger Denney?  Denney Roger?

Elder Berrett with President Kirkham.

President Kirkham was our calm leader.  We are so grateful for the way he handled the evacuation and that we were able to serve with him and Sister Kirkham in Liberia.

Saying good bye to the AP's

Elder Dahlin who was reassigned to Tennessee and Elder Burr who is now in the Ghana Accra Mission - with us!

At the airport.

Elders Burr, Tolar, and Bowring

When we walked into the waiting room at the airport in Liberia, one of the missionaries said, "Welcome to the Celestial Kingdom."  That's what it felt like, to enter the room and see all these missionaries that we love.

Our special friend Abraham knew something was up and stopped by our apartment to see us the night before we left.  We were able to tell him goodbye.  Early the next morning when we opened our apartment door to start loading our suitcases in the truck, there he was.  He wanted to come help us!

We flew to Ghana by way of Brussels and London.  Here are the missionaries resting during our layover in Brussels.

Sign at the Roberts International Airport in Liberia.

We hope we can "Come Again".

This is the sign we left on the back of our apartment door.

We do love Liberia and the many friends we made there.  We are praying for their good health and that they know just how much we love them.

The whole evacuation story is just too long to tell here, so when we get home we'd love to share it all with you.  We witnessed many miracles and can testify that Heavenly Father really does watch out for his missionaries.  We have been greatly blessed.

We have been reassigned to the Ghana Accra Mission and look forward to serving there for the last 7 months of our mission.  A new adventure awaits us!

Farewell to the Hezseltines and other July pictures….

Farewell good friends and mission mentors…

July 23, 2014 - Elder and Sister Hezseltine left for home. They have worked so hard to get this mission up and running.  We will miss Elder Hezseltine's expertise with the computer and Sister Hezseltine's shopping knowledge of where to go to get what you need for the best price.  In my mind I can still hear her saying, "Is that your best price?"  

All the Senior Couples went to the The Flower Chinese Restaurant for a farewell dinner.

L to R - Elder and Sister Dever, Sister and Elder Berrett, President and Sister Kirkham, 

Sister and Elder Hezseltine, Elder and Sister Miles.

                           

 ***

Salt Lake Butler West Stake - our home Stake - did several service projects as part of their yearly Women's Conference.  One of those projects included writing to some of the missionaries here in Liberia.   

The missionaries have been so pleased to receive the letters.  For some it was the first letter they'd received while on their mission.  They were so surprised when I handed it to them.  It was as much fun for us give them out as it was for the missionaries to get them.

Here are Elder Anang's, Banguara's, and Enwukweri's happy faces after reading their letters.

Elder Banguara was so excited to show us his letter because our daughter Lara had been the one to write it.  Made us happy, too.

We gave Elder Maurana -from Zimbabwe - his letter.  He immediately went into his apartment and read it, came right out and said to me , "This is the sweetest letter."  

Good job, Nathan and Brita Croft family!

I've had phone calls from other missionaries who received letters, saying thank you…so I'm passing on a BIG THANKS to all of you who took the time to write our missionaries.  

Your letters meant a lot to them.

We thought this was a great picture of 3 great missionaries as they were walking on their way to the mission office.  I love that you can see the ocean in the picture, too.  This is Elder Finau's last Sunday in Liberia.  The next day he left for his home in Tonga.

L to R - Elders Finau, Dahin, and Burr - our Mission AP's.  

We had just come from church where the Sisters in the branch told me I looked African.  That made me happy.  I bought the material and our friend Abraham (the young man that Elder Berrett baptized) sewed the outfit  for me.  

We had to have our picture taken with Elder Finau before he left for home.  We will miss that smile.

We just got a shell put on our truck this week.  It makes our deliveries to the missionaries so much easier.  We're being patriotic with the Liberian flag on our window.  

July 26th is Liberian Independence Day.  

Here is a picture of our New Kru Town Branch on the day that they were divided to create the new Lagoon Branch.  It was Elder Conner's (back row) last Sunday in the branch before he was transferred to Thinker Village.  His companion, Elder Smith, is in front.  Love these people!

In our branch is a small boy named Favor Weah.  When we first started attending church there, he would run from us - he was so afraid.  Now he runs to us.  He especially loves Elder Berrett.

We stopped at the Caldwell apartments to make a delivery.  In front of the compound was a group of children playing marbles.  Elder Berrett used to be a marble champ when he was a boy so couldn't resist giving it a try.  Some things you never forget how to do!

It was my birthday on July 18.  When we arrived at the mission office there was a group of missionaries there who were preparing to go home.  They beautifully sang 'Happy Birthday', then did an impromptu birthday rap.  They were really good!!  Love these missionaries.

(L to R. Elders Dahlin, Humpherys, Myaka, Finau, Marondera (in front), Ayim, Burr