The Last week in April

Last P-Day we decided to go for a drive and try to find Lake Volta. It is not far from where we live, but we have never been there. As we passed small villages, I wondered how these mud homes hold up with the high winds and heavy rains we've been having.
We climbed to a higher elevation and found a drier climate with less tropical plants and more grasslands.
A termite mound that was close to the road somewhere along the way. It is about six feet high.
A view of the mountain-top landscape. The highest mountain in Ghana is about 2000 feet, so these are nothing like the Rockies.
One more look at the open landscape.
I went with Cecelia to visit a couple and their new baby. Her name is Emmanuella. She is very sweet.
Emmanuella
We had a baptism on Sunday. The two men to the left of Sister Gray (yellow dress) and the two women on the right of Sister Gray were baptized. The lady just to the right of Sister Gray is 85 years old. Several of her children have been church members for years. Her other children came to join her in this special day. She was so nervous, but happy and excited.
Last week we traveled to Kade for a couple of interviews. We passed this sign and found it interesting. Diamonds are a major export here in Ghana.
Someday we may travel down this company road to see how diamonds are mined here. The elders told us the mining takes place in the river.
Elder Max told me there was a bird nest in a small tree in our back yard. He said it contained one gray egg. So I thought I'd stick my camera above and take a shot. (Leaf in the way.)

I took another shot and wasn't sure what I had taken. I'm still not, but it looks like a newly hatched baby bird. You decide. The parents are black and white, so we will have to see how the baby develops.

Nkawkaw and Konongo

We are starting to have some afternoon showers. They cool the air and make everything smell fresh. Some of the rains have been accompanied by strong winds. We hope our power and phone lines don't get blown down.
Some of the Koforidua Branch Primary children gathered with their leaders for an activity. They had some fun games outside and then went inside to learn some of the Primary songs. They love to sing.
On Saturday we traveled to Nkawkaw and Konongo to do interviews. This is the front yard of the Mattinson's home in Nkawkaw. They have an amazing view with mountains so close to them. For those who wonder, I didn't see a single snake. But I also admit I spent my time in the house and on the porch. For sure they live out in the bush.
We have laughed for six months at the gasoline trucks with the label "highly inflammable." It is a good thing I brought a dictionary back with me. I looked up the word and found it means "flammable." They were right and we were wrong.
This is the church building in Konongo. It is the farthest north building in our mission. They have a great branch president who told me the church started in this town by meeting in his living room in 1983.
These little girls saw me take a photo of the church. The children always want to pose for a photo so they can see themselves after the photo is taken. Cute children.
The view driving from Konongo into Nkawkaw. The granite hills are so beautiful in this area.
The flowering trees are coming into bloom at this time. There are reds, pinks, purples and yellows. I guess it is sort of springtime here also.
We saw the "fruit" on this tree and wondered if anyone knows what it is. It somewhat resembles a mango, but is not a mango. Maybe it has nuts inside.
Whatever it is, the tree is huge and interesting.
As we've said before, driving in Ghana is never boring. "Have ewe and lamb, will travel." At first the mother didn't look like she was tied to anything. She was very concerned about her baby, but he seemed to be fine. She should have been concerned about herself when they turned off the Kumasi highway to the side road with all the chuckholes. (We saw the tro tro being unloaded at the marketplace in Oseim. Mother and baby were just fine.)

Accra and Beyond

We were in Accra this week for Presidency meeting and couples' training. We decided to take a morning and drive up to see where the Meeks live in Nsawam. We got our first experience in having to drive through the Kumasi-Accra road construction. It is what you might generously call two lanes wide and very rough. All the cross country big rigs and such have to pass through here. It is very slow and dusty. The line behind us was just as long.
This is where both lanes of traffic have to drive. I just caught it at a time when nothing was coming the other way. This is going to be a wonderful road if it ever gets done. I haven't figured out why they have to put it up so high because it certainly makes it more expensive. Maybe it is because of the rainy season and flooding.
Much of the work was being done by hand. I think they had cement trucks, but I'm not sure. We see a lot of the work done in our area with just a small cement mixer.
I love to read the signs in Ghana. These two were some I saw as we were slowly creeping along.
We drove through a busy market area.
This parked car messed up my good photo, but you can see how the people buy their food and most everything else they need.
More marketplace selling.
The couples went out for lunch after our training. We had a great view of the ocean plus good food and company. I think all but Elder Mattinson made it in the photo.
While staying at the Ancillary Building on the Temple site, I met these ladies from Tema who were there for a reception. They were waiting for the couple to come from the temple. I told them they looked so nice that someone should take their photo. Of course they wanted me to go get my camera and do that.
Then they wanted to know how they could get a copy of the photos. We finally decided I could give it to the manager of the Ancillary building, who is their friend.
This pretty young lady wanted to be next to that tree, even if the lighting was wrong.
I love to see the sisters in their beautiful clothing. I think their dark coloring makes everything look even better.
I saw these lovely flowers on the temple grounds. I wish they would grow in Utah
A closer view.
This is a stand of bamboo we saw along the road as we traveled to Abomosu on Sunday.
The weaver birds have made good use of it for their nests. I understand the males make the nests and try to attract the females by making theirs better than the others. She will certainly have a lot to choose from here.
A closer view with a few birds in the photo also. You can click on any photo to enlarge to full screen size.

How Sweet it Was!

Just another example of the wonders of technology. We were joined by up to six elders and sisters to watch conference on Saturday and Sunday. It was amazing to be sitting here in Africa watching something live from Salt Lake City. The conference was wonderful and lifted our spirits to do more and work even harder to make a difference here.
The internet worked great until the power went off before the final session on Sunday. We'll have to catch that at a later time.

Our trip to Akim-Oda and the Big Tree

Last week we traveled to Oda, which is about two hours from where we live. (The Akim means that is the name of the tribe who settled the area.) We went to have Elder and Sister Moody show us around and introduce us to the branch president there. They have a lovely new chapel with beautiful grounds.
I wanted to get a photo of the Moodys next to the chapel, but they were in the car before I got back over there. I'll get them another time.
This man is carrying a very long bamboo pole. For a long time we wondered what they did with these until we looked up one day and realized all the TV antennas are on bamboo poles. We've even seen two men around our area that carry the poles while riding their bicycles. One has it on his head at the front end. The other takes up the rear with the other end of the pole on his head. Quite a trick.
Elder Moody wanted to take us down to the river. He said he was asked to come here to see if it would be a good place for baptisms while there was no water at the chapel. He nixed the idea very quickly. It is not hard to see why when you look at the color of the water.
We just stood and watched for some time as this dugout canoe carried passengers back and forth to market. We were told we could ride across for about one dollar.
The ladies have their wares in the boat and are ready to come across.
Notice the ripple in the water on the right side. It's not a croc.
The dog didn't want to be left behind and he even made it to the shore before the passengers. The pile of "fruits" near the water is palm nuts. They are used to make the palm oil that is used here for cooking.
The ladies get loaded up and start up the river bank.
It looks like they are going to be selling firewood today. There is a lot of firewood around right now because it has been dry enough to collect it from the deeper parts of the jungle.
Off to market they go.
While Sister Moody and I were watching the river, Elder Moody and President Reynolds were talking to a man making a dugout canoe.
He said he was eighty-three years old and was making the boat to use on the river as a passenger ferry. He was going to paint it bright colors when he was finished. (We kept asking why he didn't have the young men around help him. We decided he thought they might ruin his masterpiece.)
This was the chipping tool he was using.
It has been a long, hard job to get this far. The wood is very hard and heavy. Maybe someday we'll go back and see him floating on the river.
On the way home from Oda we stopped to see what is said to be the largest tree in West Africa. Of course it is located just far enough from the road that you have to pay to see it. (And five times as much if you aren't Ghanaian.) But we decided we only live once, so we'd better go see it. These two young men were our guides. I told them they were there to be sure there were no snakes on the path. The area reminded me of walking through the Olympic Penninsula of Washington State.
This is the tree and it is indeed LARGE. It is 128 meters tall with a girth of 11 meters. It is the same kind as "my tree." I need to find out what kind it is. This one makes mine look small.
It was hard to get a photo because when I got back far enough to get the whole tree then it was hidden by other trees or I was back in the bush where I didn't want to be.
I'd like to write the tourist council and tell them it was a shame to leave wine bottles and an old table at the base of the tree. Somehow they looked out of place in this beautiful setting.
Elder Reynolds and the tree.
This was my attempt at taking a photo of the top of the tree. I almost tipped over backwards in the process. Even though we gave the young man a hard time over the price of admission, it was worth seeing the tree.
As we were walking back to our car we saw this line of ants going across the cement steps. The photo doesn't show it, but they were in a long line on either side of the steps, marching somewhere. At least they aren't in my house. Click on the photo to enlarge and see the ants.