Elder Markham called our first six months in Africa "The Vertical Learning Curve." The curve has flattened a little, but the slope is still very positive. Since we are the 'old timers,' we get questions from others. The answer is often, "I have no idea." It keeps us humble. This month Sister Markham decided to document things that missionaries are learning.
Are there any big snakes around Accra?
Nope---this was the last one.
At least that is what Sister Markham chooses to believe.
Sister Huff saw this one and stopped for the photograph.
The men said they had 'trapped it on the hill.' It was for sale,
They said 'people from the North' will buy it to eat.
Elder Huff asked how much. About $40 was quoted, but that likely
includes 'obruni tax.' Sister Huff said her pans were too small.
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Elder Kyei from Takoradi, Ghana, is learning from his obruni companions. He likes to 'surf' our website while companions do email. |
He also tried a chocolate milk shake at Champs during Elder McOmber and Elder McViety's farewell lunch. He prefers Malta! |
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Thompsons and Hales made friends with a British fellow who could explain the cricket match being shown on the big screen at Champs. |
Salome taught Sisters Armstrong, Thompson and Hales how to make rhythm with the hand shakers which she sells. |
One of the challanges in our calling is that most Ghanaians have never had a personal bank account. When called as clerks, they don't know how to write checks, balance accounts or reconcile a bank statement. We have wondered how they ever save any money. The answer is: they use Susu.
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Susu is a system to accumulate money by giving a collector a fixed amount each day. At the end of a set period, usually 30 days, you get back all you've deposited, less one day's worth for interest. |
It is tracked in a book that is stamped for each deposit. You turn in the completed book for redemption. It reminds us of green stamps. |
The new temple missionaries are having fun as a group learning about Ghana. Above, Elder Flerchinger and President Woffinden enjoy the fruit and veggie section of a local market. Right, Sister Flerchinger is grateful she used a large envelope for this package so she had room for all the Ghanaian stamps.
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President Grant and Sister Alice Gunnell Accra Ghana Temple President and Matron |
Sister Armstrong displays the recognition award given to her for her Family History Newsletter by the Administration Office Management Team. |
President and Sister Gunnell were serving a full time mission in Nigeria when the freeze on LDS Church activity in Ghana was lifted in late 1990. He was called to reopen the Ghana Accra Mission as Mission President. Twelve years later they received a telephone call from President Hinckley asking them to serve as President and Matron to open the Accra Ghana Temple. They accepted, then President Gunnell asked if it would be a three year assignment. President Hinckley wanted to know why he was asking. President Gunnell responded that he was 76. President Hinckley said that he was 94, and that the assignment would be for three years.
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Elder Thompson, with friends, learns how to buy diesel fuel 'in the field.' He never did find the slot to insert the credit card. |
Elder Thompson is also practicing his gobble in Twi. It will come in handy procuring meat for Thanksgiving. |
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For several weeks, we had an intermittent, but serious, leak in our bathroom. |
Which one of these two great engineering minds solved the bathroom leak problem? |
There was never a steady flow, and the leak would go away for days at a time. Water came out at the seam of the wall and sometimes appeared to come right out of the floor. Pipes are buried in the mortar, so it is difficult to find the exact source of a leak. We have seen a few houses where a lot mortar has been chipped away looking for the source of a leak. Elder Markham wanted a more precise approach. Using his engineering skills, Elder Markham tried to correlate other events with the leak. Nothing worked. He went out back several times to look for clues on the plaster wall. There were clear signs of water coming from the apartment above us, so he approached Esther, the upstairs neighbor. She didn't think there was a leak in her bathroom, but on closer inspection, she found a leak from her toilet tank fill line. The water ran onto her floor, so Elder Markham was convinced the problem had been solved. She had the line replaced and our bathroom dried out.
However, the next night we had the worst flood ever. At this point, Elder Markham was totally baffled! After we mopped up the water, he went out back to look for leaks again. Baba approached and asked what he was looking at since Esther "no leak." Explaining complicated problems to Baba with his limited English is difficult. Elder Markham said something like, "Esther fix leak, bathroom dry yesterday. Today, no leak in Esther's, big flood in bathroom." Baba thought a minute and said, "Pipe leak." Elder Markham, using all his patience, responded, "If pipe leak, always leak. Sometimes no leak; sometimes small, small leak, sometimes big leak. Not like pipe leak." Baba smiled widely and said, "Pipe leak. Accra press (short for pressure): sometimes no press, sometimes small, small press, at night no one use water get big press." And so we learned that pipes in mortar leak intermittently in Accra. The water seeps through mortar and comes out at wall and floor joints. It is very hard to pinpoint the source. But armed with Baba's sharp analysis, Elder Markham took out some cover at the front of the tub and found the leak. Sammy the plumber (also EQP in in Christiansborg Ward) was able to clamp the leak and gave us a six week warranty.
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Tigelege and Obolo Someone suggested 'tigelege' (thin) and 'obolo' (round) as a name for this photo. We are still learning a few Twi words. The faces are on the website, look around. |
Meanwhile, in Lake Jackson, Texas, Jacob has learned to climb into the sink. He is 17 months old, so we have never been able to give him a hug. We plan to fix that soon. |
Some might say that Africa is puzzling.
We think it is a fun puzzle.
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