A while back we mentioned that the Welfare Missionaries, the Germanes had contacted us asking if we could provide Literacy Classes for one of their upcoming projects.
The Queen of Ekumfi Ekrawfo, (3 1/2 hours from Accra) asked for assistance with a 6 week vocational training for single women in their village. Their training is now underway and the Germanes invited us to come along to visit the Queen and observe their progress.
We've never met a real live Queen before, and we found her to be the real deal in every way.
70 women in their area are receiving training in various trades that can enable them to become more self-reliant, such as fabric design, sewing and making items from bamboo.
We watched as they added decorative beading to sandals to sell while a breadmaking class went on in another room.
There were babies to be held also :-)
We helped get them connected with ENA, Engage Now Africa who is teaching the literacy classes 3 days each week since they are better able to work with such a large group.
ENA trained 10 "facilitators" who live in the area. (The lady on the right is one of them.) There has been such enthusiasm for the classes that they run over their allotted time slot. They have asked for the literacy classes to continue on after the 6 weeks vocational training.
Queen Ninsin also made arrangements for us to visit the community primary school.
We received a warm welcome from the beautiful children.
We are always so impressed how Muslims, Christians, all denomination get along so well together here.
The older students were busy taking a test.
So we shared a "story time" with the pre-schoolers and left a stack of books with instructions for their teachers to continue reading to the students each day.
Story time with these bright eyed, adorable children is absolutely delightful!!
These women are "super women!"
Notice the little foot and face to her right.
Geoff Germane and Chuck, our engineers, estimate that their cassava weighed about 35-40 pounds.
This remarkable Queen mother of her village joined the church 2 years ago and is a "minister" in every sense of the word. That has become the buzz word in the church since General Conference in April, but she already understands.
We weren't aware that she had contacted the Branch President until he showed up, on the left, so that we could meet him and share the teacher and student literacy manuals so they can get a class started for their members. He was all over it and plans to talk with the Stake President about moving literacy forward in their area of 14 wards and branches.
Aside from meeting the Queen, Sunday Gospel Literacy classes continue somewhere every week.
Two Wards in the Ofankor Stake, Nsawam
and the Media Branch
It's never too early to start.
The Buduburam 1st Ward class with members from the Liberian Refugee Camp that we visited a few weeks back who asked us to return and help get their Gospel Literacy Class started.
New Sr. Missionaries who we introduced to the Goethe (German) Market. The size of our suitcases fortunately keeps us from buying giraffes taller than we are. Elder and Sister McCullough/Christensen
Another group of new missionaries at the MTC, (Mission Training Center) where we help with "intake" each three weeks.
The ones from the USA were pleasantly surprised at how cool the temperatures are here right now. That will change!
Today we came in the back way to church it appears, although we weren't the only ones. We had to walk the rest of the way.
This is the ward of Faustina who is my seamstress and the Chantan Ward Relief Society President, awesome lady!
We held literacy class outdoors in the gazebo :-)
The blue tarp sided building is where their chapel is located. Faustina said that when it rains hard, they have to cancel Sacrament Mtg. because the rain is too loud on the tin roof for them to hear.
This group started with the Gospel Literacy manual today. We are so touched each week at how grateful they are. We feel very much the same way that we get to be here with them!
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