Sunday Go to Meetin'

Our Sunday Drive

        Missionary couples throughout Ghana are assigned to wards and branches that are in their areas or outside as they are needed. We have been assigned by President Heid to the Suhum Branch which is northeast of Accra an hour and a quarter by car over some good and some very bad roads. Luckily on Sundays the traffic is light so we fairly zip along, with the usual exhaust fumes and the marvelous ruts and potholes. They are working on the stretches that they have literally made a mess of, displaced people and made life, I would assume, even more difficult than it is already and all without any compensation.

        

        We really love going to this branch of about 70-90 members that come to church regularly. No one comes by car only us. They come by trotro, transport as they call it. They walk or they come by taxi. In no way is that as glamorous as it sounds. This will take up to an hour for many of these fine saints. 

        The building is rented. It appears to have been at one time a restaurant or maybe a hotel with a bar. It is all open on one side and has a courtyard in the middle. There is land for a proper chapel that when the time is right these members will have a real home. Right now they happily come during the week and clean the building and then early on Sundays, usually the young people, unassigned, will be there dusting the benches and straightening up, 

        It is a little chaotic during Sunday School and the auxiliary meetings when the noise level is a little high but no one seems to mind and they carry on. There are no amenities, tvs, projectors, wonderful colored pictures or paintings on the walls. It is humble and wonderful. Many members don't speak English so there are often two languages in the same person's talk. It is amazing to listen to those that can go from English to their native tribal language and back again without loosing a beat.  

Heading North on N1. Some of the lights that are never on.

Into the Country

Grading the road. Not a usual scene.

There are cars ahead. Reminds us of Gila Bend in a dust storm.

I think this Maesrk container is left as a symbol.

This is really Sedona red sand.

Businesses are suffering.

The sand goes so far back from the road.

The Chapel Doors Seem to Say to Me

The Chapel

Relief Society and Primary Classrooms

Young Men/ Young Women's Room

Branch Choir Rehearsal

Branch President Afasi

Mother and Baby

Before a Baptism