"Ama is a bosschic" or The ABCs of Grandchildren and Grownups

We became grandparents for the first time at 60. That's a long time to wait for the experience that is talked about as the reason why you have children in the first place. 

Charlie, now 7, but pictured here with a family of dinosaurs a few years ago, was the one to give me the name of "Ama." It rocked my world just to hear him say it. The grandchildren who followed thereafter continued the name and I was not about to change it. 

 Once in a while people look a bit puzzled by the name, but I have met other Amas who keep the name for the same reason that I do, and they aren't about to change it either. 

In Ghana, however, it appears it's not unusual.

In fact, Ama is very smart and Ama is a bosschic!!

We often think about our little grandchildren as we work with adults who are learning their letters, reading and writing, and reading Dr. Seuss books. It creates lots of tender feelings about literacy.

My heart goes all soft each time we pass children on the street who are in their uniforms heading to school. (There is a tiny baby on this mother's back, under the veil.) The mothers seem to take turns walking groups of children to school.

Their parents make great sacrifices for their children to get an education which varies tremendously!

Charlie can't imagine a world without books.

C is for "Charlie." 

 We have 3, 4 year old grandchildren, each learning to write and sound out their letters. We have a whole choir that sings the ABCs.

I love how Ben has extended the E to be longer.

B is for "Ben."

And B is for "Ben Bear," how he currently signs his name.

 G is for "Grant." 

J is for "Jane."

Jane saw a picture of our new friends at the library and told her mother that she wants to be friends with them also.  We decided they could be Pen Pals. Ayisha asked about Jane a bit later and I told her that she had the flu. Ayisha and Samira carefully wrote her a get well letter. 

Cooper and Hannah watch their older siblings and won't be left behind.  

C is for "Cooper."

 H is for "Hannah." 

And brand new this week, Lucy Jo born to daughter Liz and husband Cory.

                     L is for "Lucy" and "Love," and J is for "Joy."

B will always be for "Brooke" and "Blessings" of Eternal Families.

And W is for the "Wonder" of it all!!!

On the other side of the world, adult learners are working even harder.  The Bortianor Branch met with their new Gospel Literacy class this past Sunday. 

Many of their leaders were at a recent stake training and they have started a class with 9 students. They were absolutely the BEST!!  On the left is the Branch President who stepped in to see how things were going.  He eventually took the baby you see on the back of the young mother in red because he was fussing, others there would have done the same. On the far right in orange and pink are the Relief Society President and the Stake Literacy Specialist. The teacher taught his first class the day after the training so this was his second lesson and they completed a gospel discussion as well as 3 more letters to add to last week's. It was soo awesome, we were dancing a jig as we left this amazing group! It was so great to see how well it can work as everyone pulls together and takes part in the learner's success.

We were smiling all the way home.  All for the love of good leaders!

  "And if any man among you be strong in the Spirit, let him take with him him that is weak, that he may be edified in all meekness, that he may become strong also." Doctrine and Covenants 84:106

This is what we witnessed with this group of saints. 

And what should we strive to do as adults? 

"become as little children." Matthew 18:3