Week 23
We have had another experience filled week in Ghana! Life will be so boring when we get home.
Next was determining how to shut off the water to the house since this had not been needed until now. Once that was done, the next problem was how to get rid of all that water from the hallways, bathroom, laundry room, spare bedroom, and kitchen. Elder Judd used a microfiber mop to "squeegee" the water out over top of the lip of the back door of the kitchen. While Elder Judd was doing that, Sister Judd was trying to scoop up water with storage containers and putting it in buckets for Elder Judd to carry out and pour outside. About 10 minutes into our efforts to get rid of the water, we looked at each other and just started laughing!!!!
The Awutu Breku branch president and his wife invited us and the sister missionaries to their home for dinner and family home evening on Monday. The branch president teaches engineering at a small college in Buduburam, and his wife is a physicians assistant in the small clinic where they live in Ojobi. They have two small children, the oldest is 2 1/2 years old and the youngest is about 9 months old. They live in a very humble home. They are very faithful and committed members of the church.
Dromor (Mercy) eating spaghetti President Francis and Sister Abigail Adjei-Fio
Djormor (Blessing) talking with the Sisters
Tuesday was the regular district council day. We drove 3 1/2 hours to the north most zone of the mission to attend the Asuom district council in Sankubenase. It was good to visit with Elder Yobana who had been our neighbor in Awutu Breku until two transfers ago and is now in Sankubenase. Elder Osio is from Kenya and is a distance runner. Elder Judd has challenged him to a race one day. Who do you think will win?!!
Asuom district council
(Elder Yobana is in front of Elder Judd, and Elder Osio is taking the selfie.)
Wednesday was apartment inspections day. This is the start of our second round of inspections in the mission. For the first round, we scheduled 1 1/2 hours for each apartment because of the amount of decluttering we had to do. We scheduled the same for this round but found that it did not take as long because there was far less decluttering and because most of the missionaries have been through one of our inspection visits and are more prepared when we get there. For the next inspections we will schedule less time which will help us get home earlier!!
Elders Chibanda and Ben in Buduburam Elders Osborne and Osebi in Nkwantanan
Elders Manakofua and Erickson in Dabanyin Elders Rottweiler and Salatielu in Senya
After we got home from apartment inspections, we got a call from Sister Kendrick saying that she did feel well and asked if we would come and pick her and Sister Marufu up at Rihanna's house. Not long after we arrived in Awutu Breku we became acquainted with Rihanna and learned that her birthday is April 29th, the same day as our daughter, Allison. Since then, she has said that she is our "daughter" and we are her "mommy" and "daddy." As we were visiting with Rihanna when we went to get Sisters Kendrick and Marufu, we noticed a painting of some water fowl on her wall and asked her about it. Come to find out, she had gone to college and studied graphic design and is an excellent artist. She had painted the picture. Then she went in the next room and brought out an abstract painting she had done.
Unfortunately, these are the only paintings she has still since she sold or has given away all the others she has done. And, she can no longer afford the supplies to paint.
Sister Judd with Rihanna in front of her farm
Thursday was one of those days giving us an experience we would rather not repeat! Sister Judd woke up at 1:00 a.m. to use the bathroom. When her feet touched the throw rug by the bed, she found a very wet rug and water on the floor. She yelled for Elder Judd who turned on the light. We couldn't figure out where the water came from until Elder Judd opened the bedroom door. There he found a hallway with a lake of water some 2 to 3 inches deep! The house is built with various step ups and step downs which is normally a pain to navigate, but it was a real blessing this time because it limited where the water could go. There is a small step up going from the hall into the bedroom, or the bedroom would have had way more water than it did. Elder Judd sloshed through the water trying to figure out how much water was where and where it was coming from. He eventually discovered that the supply line connection under the kitchen sink had rusted to the point of snapping off and was spraying water full force.
After scooping up what we could, we set about trying to mop up the remaining water with a mop and towels. By 3:00 a.m. we were done enough to be able to finally go to bed!! The tender mercy was that the water came just short of getting to a power strip by the stove in the kitchen. If Sister Judd had not woke up when she did, the water may have gotten deep enough and the water would have been electrified by connecting with the power strip. Thank you all for your prayers!!
The rest of Thursday was much better than how it started. Thursday afternoon, we took the Dabanyin elders back out into the bush for the final lesson with Godwin before his baptism on Saturday. This time we knew where to go to find him. Because the district leader was not available to do the baptism interview, Elder Judd was given permission to do it. It was a wonderful experience for Elder Judd as he visited with Godwin and felt his humble spirit and witnessed his faithful desire to make covenants with his Heavenly Father. We were then able to participate in his baptism service on Saturday morning.
Thursday evening was the midweek activity we talked about in the last blog where the members get together to discuss the lessons from Gospel Principles. However, this time we went to join with the group in Akoti.
Since it was July 4th, the sisters wanted to have a 4th of July celebration after the midweek activities. They had purchased hot dogs and bread and came to our house with the cooked hotdogs, bread, and ketchup. We had an enjoyable time visiting together.
Friday morning, we did an apartment inspection with the sisters living in the apartment next to us.
Sisters Tanui, Van der Beek, Marufu, and Kendrick
Sister Van der Beek was not feeling well so Elder Judd gave her a priesthood blessing. She continued to not feel well and got progressively worse throughout the day. Friday evening, the mission medical advisor told us to test her for malaria, and she tested positive. Luckily, we had a package of the malaria medication and started her on it. Her fever kept spiking over the last two days, and finally broke late this afternoon (Sunday). Tonight she is beginning to feel better.
On Saturday afternoon, we went with Sisters Kendrick and Marufu to teach a lesson to Nevis and her daughter Alexandria. At the end of the lesson, Nevis leaned over to Sister Judd and asked, "When can I get baptized?" Her baptism date was set for July 28. Sister Kendrick then asked Alexandria if she was ready to be baptized also, and she said that she is. So, they will both be baptized on July 28th!!
Cemeteries in Ghana are unique, and we see them in the most random places as we travel throughout the mission.
On Saturday, the Winneba Stake Primary held a Primary activity celebrating Ghanaian traditional culture. Here are some pictures and videos from the activity.
We heard a quote this week by Melissa Inouye. She is an LDS church historian who has traveled extensively to other countries collecting the history of the church in those countries. She recently passed away from cancer. The quote is:
"When we visit other countries and see how they live, we often realize maybe we have spent a lot of our life complaining about our blessings."
We find this to be so true and are grateful for the lessons we are learning from serving in Ghana among these happy people who have so little.
We love you and thank you for your prayers.
Love,
Elder and Sister Judd
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