Pra Ewusi

My friend Staci has been following our blog since we came on mission.  She noticed several pictures of children in Alice's village and wanted to do another service project, but this time for the children instead of the missionaries (like she did last Christmas).  As you can see from the pictures below, they can use it!  I gave her several ideas and she ran with them.  It was quite a system of handoffs to get the items she generously donated into our hands.  Here is the rest of the story...

We decided that in order to eliminate a mob, we needed to do this "kid-style" in a good old fashioned game of fish pond.

We told Alice our plans - she had never heard of a fish pond before, but she was over-the-top excited because we were bringing the Mission President and his wife to help with it!   

Elder Eldredge and Elder Hansen helped by pumping up all the "foot balls" (soccer balls), organizing all the "skip ropes" (jump ropes) ...

and the "slippers" (flip-flops).  We added a couple of bags of "toffee" (candy), "biscuits" (cookies) and pencils.

The usual group was waiting for our arrival.  They knew something was different when the Shulzs were with us.  We knew something was different when Alice immerged donning pants - we've never seen her wear anything but a dress.  AND she had her hair braided - we've never seen her with her hair uncovered!

Soon the group grew...

and grew...

and grew...

and grew... to over 100 children!

Nearly all of the children were pretty serious about the whole thing, but I coaxed a few smiles.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity or something?  I was shocked how quickly most of the children squirled their loot home!  I guess it's safer there?  

President Shulz and Elder Asay made the newly finished wash house the fish pond.  Alice helped identify families so one child in each family would get a ball.  Somehow it was like loaves and fishes multiplying - every child got something! 

Sister Shulz helped Alice pull the bread from the oven and played games with the children.

President Shulz also had fun playing with the children.

After the pond closed, we saw the smiles...

and some playing or wearing their loot...

Then Alice wanted all of us to visit her mother - only a stone's throw away.

Her mother is 95 years old.  This sweet woman doesn't speak English.  She lost her teeth long ago and is starting to lose her memory.  Alice is her only daughter and she dutifully takes care of her every day.  The other little girl is Charity, somehow she appears in every picture!  What a fun day - THANK YOU Staci and family!