The senior missionary couples got together for a few days of "R & R" recently - thanks to the Fife's for planning the whole thing - they call us the Cape Coast Crew! We started out on the Volta River; the pace was slow and peaceful and the scenery was beautiful.
OK, so our boat had a motor. It wasn't quite as slow as the natives canoes that we zoomed by as they fished! There are many inhabited islands on this huge river, which are accessible only by boat. We landed on two of them for a little looksy.
MTC President Graham is showing the school children his i-Pad. Doctor Fife brought a couple of soccer balls and 1" balls as gifts; we brought toffee for the kids.
This is the Boabab Tree also known as "The Tree of Life". They live for 700-900 years while providing food, water and shelter for those that live under it's canopy. When you see a cluster of these trees in the distance you can be sure there is a villiage under them.
There is a 501c3 organization called Empowered Playgrounds; they design, engineer and install Teeter Totters and Merry Go-rounds on remote school playgrounds. The set up is $10,000 USD and will last for many years.
When the children play on them (which is like constantly) enough electricity is generated to power the school, the doctor office and other public buildings in the village. Each family is also given a lantern, which the children take home at night and is the single source of light at night. The playground also generates enough electricity to recharge the lanterns everyday. Ten children could easily fit on this one, but the rain created a lake under it and some didn't want to venture.
Elder Zoll will tell you that this Merry Go-round is hard to push...so what are you saying - we're heavy? :)
The second island we visited was very much like the first - no cars, therefore very quiet! We enjoyed a lazy stroll on a path through the trees.
Can you imagine how long it takes to place sea shells upside down, one by one, to create a surface on which to walk? I'm sure it makes the rainy season less muddy!
The second day we went to Shai Hills nature reserve. There were a few ostriches behind fences, but also wild baboons roaming without them. A few ran across the road in front of us "as fast as demons" and of course Elder Zoll and Elder Asay had to stop and chase them. Imagine those hunting shows when they start whispering and breathing heavy with an adrenaline rush and you'd get the picture...except Elder Asay was trying to call them in with his own expert baboon call. You'll have to ask him to do it for you some day. Needless to say, we didn't get a picture of the baboons - I think the expert call scared them away!
Doesn't this outcropping look like the one on Lion King? We hiked up to a cave there where the natives still return every year to honor their ancestors. The cave is filled with bats, which is why Elder Asay was eager to be the first to arrive! Fortunately since it rained earlier, the bat dropping aroma was bearable. It was pretty cool. As we walked on the trail, I could visualize their homage, sitting in the cave around a fire, listening to the wise counsel of the chief...of course I have a vivid imagination!
After we got back to Cape Coast, we went to visit the McDowells at Forever Young School. They are on their third mission to Ghana - this time a six month humanitarian mission to help this boarding school of 600 students, ages 2-18, learn how to garden. They are also administering immunizations to children in most of west Africa. This school was founded by Billy Johnson, pioneer of the Church in Africa. It is now run by his son Brigham. Later in July, the funeral for Brother Johnson will be held here. I'm sure it will be a huge afair attended by everyone!
It's hard for me to imagine parents sending their children away to school to live. Some of them are just out of diapers!
I guess if you're big enough to wash your own clothes by hand, and can reach the clothes line you'll be ok.
This prep room is where they clean and chop everything to cook. There were no refrigerators or freezers.
Their food is still cooked in a traditional way - in huge pots over fires. The stone floor was just mopped and is still wet. Everything was very clean.
This is the cafeteria. The tables are outside because they are still mopping the floor. Notice the sinks outside to wash their hands and their own dishes.
The garden is huge and beautiful. They are growing enough maize to feed the children for a year! Cocoa is the biggest export of Ghana, next to gold. The pods grow on the trunks of the trees. The fruit is harvested when it is yellow, the beans are removed from the soft flesh - it is quite a lengthy process to get it to be the chocolate I recognize and adore. If I went to the school there, you'd bet I'd have the cocoa thing figured out.
Later, after we got back from Forever Young we went to Alices to do our usual service projects. This time Elder Asay and a few of the boys in the village tore down the broken wash house and started a new one.
Elder Asay taught the children "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes". They laughed and giggled...and clapped when he was finished. They did it over and over and over. They say "Okie dokie", he replies "smokie". Then when we leave he toots the horn beep, beep, be, be, beeeeep, they reply "awayyyyy". So fun!
President and Sister Shulz were not available when this missionary needed to return home for medical reasons, so we tried to make as special for him as the regular groups going home. Best wishes Elder Baraza from Kenya!
I laugh every time I see these missionary bikes outside the building at the Mankessim Branch. You probably can't see the cute little bells...no gender specific colors for men here but at least they're wearing their helmets!
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