Sorry we missed a week as we were in Koforidua last week-end, more about that later.
So we pick back up a week ago Tuesday with Senior Missionary Zone Conference, the last for President Vinson and his wife, from Australia (front on the left) who will be leaving to serve in the presidency of the seventy in Salt Lake. Elder Nash with his wife (front right) will be the new area President. We've quickly grown to love these delightful, wonderful people. They truly are the "salt of the earth."
We missed our students at the library that day and when we returned on Thursday, they presented me with sweet Mother's Day letters that they had written, almost made me cry. To top that off, we met sweet Emma on our way out, the little girl who comes to the library for reading classes, and got an awesome hug. Two more hugs from little ones that day on the temple grounds and I felt like I had received Mother's Day by proxy. Such tender mercies as the Lord knows our hearts desires!
This wonderful man, Sadia from Ivory Coast showed up at our office asking about our Literacy materials. He has a love for teaching Literacy and has been teaching adults in his home since 2005 to anyone who wanted to learn. He said he has taught about 500 students in that time, French is the national language there. The exciting part is that we have been asked to be on the lookout for the right French speakers to help with reviewing the Gospel Literacy manuals that are being translated into French, and he shows up at our door. He was speaking perfect English, so we were confused at first until he explained. He wanted to use the English manuals we have just for ideas for now. (He asked for a picture so he could show the people in Ivory Coast that "Literacy" is coming).
We really love this scripture:
"For I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you to bear you up." Doctrine and Covenants 84:88
Things happen daily when we pay attention and remind us that the Lord is guiding this work.
Saturday morning, we left for Koforidua, about 2 1/2 hours north east of Accra. The Haglunds are the MLS, Member Leader Support Missionaries there and invited us to come in support of the Literacy efforts in this area. It's "out in the bush."
We went out to view Bodi Falls and Umbrella rock, (in their 4 wheel drive vehicle).
Past a rural cemetery.
And then to the market for groceries. There are no stores as we know them here in Koforidua.
Can't pass up a fabric store without taking a look.
It's actually quite overwhelming!
The Haglunds just have a couple weeks left so we went with them on a few visits to say their goodbyes. One particularly hard one was an elderly lady in the hospital. The hospitals here don't provide food or laundry service. So if your family can't get there to help, you are out of luck. She hadn't had a meal in two days.
We picked avocados from the trees.
On Sunday we visited a new Literacy class that the Haglunds helped get started because of two young men who are new members and want to learn English. They were "street boys" having no family when a member friend of theirs invited them to church. We didn't get pictures, but they have a teacher and good members who are helping them along. Two more students have joined the class as well. Isaac and Godson used to peddle scrap metal but are now learning welding. They are really special young men!! Wish we had their picture, we get involved and forget.
We also visited Beatrice that afternoon who is a new Gospel Literacy teacher for another Branch. She has been studying the manuals and will start teaching her new class next Sunday.
Then we stopped to talk with Beatrice's newly called Branch President, a member of just barely one year. He asked us to pray for him. Amazing people of faith!!
And I really can't pass up an opportunity to hold babies when offered the chance.
The Haglunds had arranged for us to meet with their Stake President and his Council and answer a few questions about the Gospel Literacy Organization in the church and offer encouragement and support, "planting seeds."
Sunday night we stopped with them to visit two more older ladies who are having vision problems because of the new supply of glasses that you have provided. One of the ladies has been the "reader" in church but can't see well enough anymore.We hoped that the stronger glasses might help. With questionable results, Sister Haglund decided to take them to see an eye Dr. they know on Monday morning and discovered that one of them has cataracts and the other has glaucoma. They accepted the diagnosis as most people here do, with trust and faith that God loves them and all will be well one day.
Before we left to go back to Accra, Elder Haglund worked with the man who takes care of their yard as he has been learning to ride a bike with one arm.
He is a member who walks 45 minutes to get to the church. He is delightful and so pleased about his new skill.
Saturday morning, we left for Koforidua, about 2 1/2 hours north east of Accra. The Haglunds are the MLS, Member Leader Support Missionaries there and invited us to come in support of the Literacy efforts in this area. It's "out in the bush."
We went out to view Bodi Falls and Umbrella rock, (in their 4 wheel drive vehicle).
And then to the market for groceries. There are no stores as we know them here in Koforidua.
It's actually quite overwhelming!
The Haglunds just have a couple weeks left so we went with them on a few visits to say their goodbyes. One particularly hard one was an elderly lady in the hospital. The hospitals here don't provide food or laundry service. So if your family can't get there to help, you are out of luck. She hadn't had a meal in two days.
We picked avocados from the trees.
On Sunday we visited a new Literacy class that the Haglunds helped get started because of two young men who are new members and want to learn English. They were "street boys" having no family when a member friend of theirs invited them to church. We didn't get pictures, but they have a teacher and good members who are helping them along. Two more students have joined the class as well. Isaac and Godson used to peddle scrap metal but are now learning welding. They are really special young men!! Wish we had their picture, we get involved and forget.
We also visited Beatrice that afternoon who is a new Gospel Literacy teacher for another Branch. She has been studying the manuals and will start teaching her new class next Sunday.
Then we stopped to talk with Beatrice's newly called Branch President, a member of just barely one year. He asked us to pray for him. Amazing people of faith!!
And I really can't pass up an opportunity to hold babies when offered the chance.
Sunday night we stopped with them to visit two more older ladies who are having vision problems because of the new supply of glasses that you have provided. One of the ladies has been the "reader" in church but can't see well enough anymore.We hoped that the stronger glasses might help. With questionable results, Sister Haglund decided to take them to see an eye Dr. they know on Monday morning and discovered that one of them has cataracts and the other has glaucoma. They accepted the diagnosis as most people here do, with trust and faith that God loves them and all will be well one day.
Before we left to go back to Accra, Elder Haglund worked with the man who takes care of their yard as he has been learning to ride a bike with one arm.
He is a member who walks 45 minutes to get to the church. He is delightful and so pleased about his new skill.
Back at the library on Thursday we got hit with a downpour and had to move inside the containers.
We pulled out a Dr. Seuss book and read "Are you my mother." Since their language skills have improved so much we spent some time just talking which we couldn't really do a lot of before. We learned that Mary, on the right travels 4 plus hours each way by tro tro, to get the the library. Bertha travels 2 hours each way. They have never mentioned it before or complained about it. Our small sacrifice pales in comparison.
Sunday, today we decided to go back to our "home ward" to see how their class is coming along and found that it was Stake Conference where 10-12 wards get together in one location. We usually try to avoid these as we want to spend time in the Literacy classes which aren't held at Stake Conference.
Members met here and traveled to the Stake Center by tro tro. It turned out that they had more people than space, so we packed our car full, and along with another missionary couple who showed up because they didn't realize either, managed to get everyone a ride who needed one. Once again, the Lord is on our right hand and on our left, Divine Design.
Following the tro tro through the narrow streets.
We sat about half way back and the place was packed. It was wonderful and we were so glad to be there!!
Their choir was fabulous!! Ahhh, great way to start the week.
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