"Be not weary"

When we first arrived and were wondering what we were really doing in West Africa, one night a couple scriptures came to mind as an answer to prayers.  

How's this for a meetinghouse?

Initially, the scriptures felt like they were for us alone, but very quickly we realized they were for everyone involved in literacy from the leaders, to the teachers and the students themselves.

 And even for their bright, delightful children, blessed by their examples of courage and faith.

"Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great."  D&C 64:33

The last few weeks this has applied on an even deeper level as the Sunday Meeting Schedule changed to two hours and bumped the Gospel Literacy classes out of their spot. Although we had been hearing that the units were counseling and working to find a good time to meet, it turns out that they were actually really floundering. 

To further complicate things, the notice that was sent out was interpreted by most to mean that they needed to find a time during the week to meet for their classes. (Communication can be so challenging!) In many cases, it is hard to get to the meetinghouse once a week, let along more.

By this month, it was clear that the classes weren't happening in most cases.  Quickly regrouping, everyone was working to notify the units that they could indeed meet on Sunday after the 2 hour block. 

It was a rather discouraging couple of weeks and the scripture came to mind again as a reminder.  "Be not weary..."  

Then we got a sweet picture from a newly formed Stake where we trained a few weeks ago.

The note read: "Assin Edubiase in Assin Foso South Stake started their classes yesterday."  

Then two MLS couples (member leader support senior missionaries) out in the villages that attended a training earlier called and said they are ready to get started in their areas. One of the couples came to the office and we send a couple hundred books to take out with them.

Justice, who works at the area office and was at a training, came and asked for his own teacher's manual because he wants to work "one on one" with a man in his ward who wants to learn to read. And others have stepped forward wanting to help support the classes.

We heard of a class nearby that had continued undaunted on Sunday after church, amidst the changes, and went to pay a visit. 

Awesome Margaret has a very successful group of learners. Without any support from the Stake Literacy Specialist, who didn't even know about Margaret. She has just been going ahead reading the teacher's manual and doing her calling. 

 She wasn't aware that other classes were having problems. 

Take away: Try to be more like Margaret and just keep going, "putting our brick in the wall." (Thanks for the inspiration brother Scott) 

Tema Stake Training

"By small and simple things are great things brought to pass." 

Alma 37:6

"And the seasons, they go round and round."

"And the seasons, they go round and round" but are marked very differently here in Africa. 

Instead of thinking snow in December, you think about Harmattan and hazy skies carrying sand from the Sahara that blocks the sun.  

Instead of going skiing, we go the the market and wear silly hats and brightly colored shirts.

The women drool over beautiful beadwork, and contemplate how much weight they have left in their luggage to get the items home.

One thing that's universal at the holidays though is FOOD.

Thanksgiving!!  It would take a whole blog post just to tell about the effort it took to get a turkey, delivered hours late because they gave ours to someone else. It arrived on the back of a motorcycle after everyone had left the office. Fortunately the guard helped out and found a refrigerator to put it in.

In between eating, there are classes to be held and babies too.

More manuals arrive, which would be a problem, except they seem to be going out as soon as they arrive.

Christmas came quickly on the heels of Thanksgiving.

There was a special program for the Area Employees including singing and a dinner. The Area Choir was much more lively and fun than the Sr. Missionary Choir.  But it gave us front row seats next to them.

More great food was involved, but no turkeys this time!

Teams were formed and "football" games ensued. 

Back at the library, word games and more food. 

We made some of Ryan Emmett's "green death" Mexican dip, but didn't tell them what it was called.  It was a huge hit.

Minata, who just started coming to the library, was so excited to tell us about her progress and about sharing what she has learned with her children at home.

With January approaching and decisions to be made about implementing Gospel Literacy with the change in the Sunday schedule in 2019, meetings near and far took place 

in order to council together. 

This group with the Area Presidency, Elders Nash, Dube' and Martinez, met to view a video clip from the filming here just before the Salt Lake group left for home.  They also let us know, after talking with church leaders, that the Gospel Literacy classes could not take place during the 2 hour Sunday meeting time in 2019. There were other meetings with various Stake Presidents throughout West Africa to get their thoughts about when to meet. We have so grown to love the power and tremendous inspiration that comes by meeting in "councils!!"

Come what may, the Gospel Literacy Program was officially announced on Dec. 14th with a Notice, Implementation Guide and Rollout Phase 1, 2 and 3. No longer in pilot phase!!!! 

Back on the road to Takoradi and a Stake Training there.

With follow up in classes on Sunday.

Such lovely, dear ladies!

They express their gratitude with such love.

Out to Assin Foso for what we thought would be "two units," meaning Wards in our minds. Turned out to be two Stakes!  

                  We won't complain, except we ran out of manuals.

                    Traveling outside of Accra has it's hazards.        
          We can't imagine how this truck ended up clear off the road.

We and another missionary couple with our brand new cars, and we have no idea when we got these "shiners" in town. There are so many opportunities, really!!

Sunday transportation! 

Early morning water crew at the stand pipe.

  Community created speed bump. 

Near or far, wherever your roads take you, watch out for the speed bumps.  And may the Holy Ghost be your guide. 

"For behold..if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.|" 
2 Nephi 32:5

"Afehyia pa"   

Meaning: "The New Year has met us. Let's thank God." 

Movie stars and "Opposition in ALL things"

Of the many things we never envisioned ourselves doing on our 40th wedding anniversary, being movie stars in West Africa would certainly have been at the top of the list!!

Nevertheless, here we are, but don't expect it to be showing on the big screen anytime soon.

The videos are being produced as part of the literacy training materials for all church units in the Africa West Area in 2019. 

(French manuals are still being written, so about 100 English speaking stakes will start out.)

It's hard to decide if the "real stars" are the teachers and leaders who give of their time, efforts and love to provide an opportunity for others to learn to read. 

Or is it the students who take the leap of faith and try?

(Here a student in her home setting where she is sharing with her family what she learned in class.) 

If it's neither of those, it must surely be the "budding stars" who follow the examples they see around them. 

 But as with anything worthwhile, there is "opposition in all things. If not so, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad." 

2 Nephi 2:11

In preparation for the film crew coming over, we had been asked to look for exceptional teachers who could be in the films.  Evangeline on the left was one of them. The week before filming, she dropped her phone in the toilet. Then while working in her shop where she is a seamstress, the owner came and put a lock on her door so she couldn't get out in order to force her landlord to pay his taxes on the property. She had no phone to call for help. She finally was able to get someone's attention who tried to help, but the owner refused to open until he was paid. She spent 3 days locked inside and couldn't get in touch with us. Fortunately people handed her food through the openings.

 Because the AC units and fans created too much noise, those had to be turned off during filming. The noise outside was also too loud, so the window louvers were closed. We called the filming room the "sauna," and this was the "recovery" room.

 The power went out, no surprise there. They had generators, and LOTS of batteries.

There were manuals to be packed and weighted for taking to Sierra Leone. The truck they were in broke down on the way to pick up some of the learners. A tow truck was requested and it also broke down. So another tow truck was requested while they put the learners in a taxi, just before a huge downpour which made that road basically impassable by car.

 

We hung around outside homes, trying to keep the noise level down, watching people wash dishes and prepare meals.

There were babies to be adored as their curious parents wondered what was going on around their compound.

We had our last opportunity to do a training together with the Wakilds as they head back to Kentucky soon.  They have become dear friends and we have so enjoyed working together with them.

An effort was made to film this training also, but with the main crew from Salt Lake filming in Sierra Leone, it just didn't work out. 

 So, we're thinking that our chance to become movie stars just isn't in the cards after all.

A final shot of the literacy sisters together. Joan Heckel on the right is the main author for the manuals. She and her husband served here in 2015-1017 and have been working non-stop from Salt Lake ever since.  We think all of these wonderful people are bright shining stars!!