Ho to Kpando and Back

Chief enters the Durbar

The variety of experiences continues for us.  It seems that each day is provided for us to learn. We went to the Durbar (pronounced Debba) on Saturday 21 Sept., 2013. It is a part of the Yam Festival here in Ho when all the chiefs come together. It is held in their stadium with all the chiefs and those with them sit under canopy tents on the field. We got there early and watched all the chiefs from all the towns and villages and even from Togo as they walked in surrounded with their dancers, drums, and women bearing gifts (carried on their heads of course),etc. It was very colorful. Every chief has a large umbrella over him. Someone is carrying his chair and they are all dressed in their traditional attire. There are tents surrounding the whole field and every chief parades in with his entourage and sits under their designated tent. After the chiefs were all in, even the president of Ghana (John Mahama) came. His entourage consisted of 5 motorcycles, 4 very shiny black SUV’s, and then his car. It was quite exciting. He walked around the whole field after exiting his car and greeted all the chiefs. Elder Cosgrave decided to try to get a picture so he took off to get one of the president and they must have thought he was one of the press because he was right there with the whole group taking pictures. They had some speeches and some dancers. That was ok, but the best part was the beginning watching the chiefs enter. They had a couple of cultural demonstrations like the warriors dancing with their machetes as if they were slicing their necks or their belly.  As we were leaving we took another picture of Elder Cosgrave and some “warriors” from Togo. While I was taking the picture, our friend Faith was holding my purse and a guy picked my wallet out of my purse. She was pretty alert and grabbed him as he was sticking it in his pants. The people around him started to go after him, the police came and he was trying to get the people from beating on him. The police wanted us to come to the station, but we told him what had happened and they loaded him to the police car and he was on his way to the station. Nothing like a little excitement to end our day at the Durbar!  We rewarded Faith for good deed, by going to a place where she had her first pizza! We could hear the drumming go on all the rest of the day and night. 

We have been visiting the other branches. The people are so sweet and welcoming. In fact they say “You’re Welcome” when you arrive. It is a greeting rather than a response to “Thank You”. They often sing when they arrive at church and sing until the meeting starts. When this first happened we thought we were late, but realized they do that as they are waiting for the meeting to start. They speak very well and teach very well. They know the doctrine and express themselves very well. However, I still have trouble understanding them when they speak fast. I think I am getting better at it. They have trouble understanding me, too. I try to speak slowly and in their rhythm with their vocabulary. Mike is better at it than I am. We are grateful for the opportunity to share our testimony with so many people. That is definitely when I feel the Spirit the most. The people are so sincere and have good questions. We love going with the young Elders when they teach.

Holy showing a friend his finished work

 A part of the great culture here is the Kente weaving and we have met 2 weavers, one who is a member (Gabriel) and his nephew (Holy).  It is amazing how they do this beautiful cloth with the traditional primitive looms and tools (see the pictures

Holy at work

We began this week with a trip to Kpong to help some new missionaries and meet with some people preparing for baptism.  One sweet sister lives in a one room home of mud walls and thatched roof.  We met outside her home, but to look in we saw everything in order in its place and the floor swept and clean.  Later I took the Zone Leaders to  Akosombo for some mission business. Elder Cosgrave meeting in Kpong so I was driving on my own (pretty exciting). We then went to Odumase to meet with new a new missionary and his trainer.  This village is remote and the road qualifies AS A “ROUGH ROAD” as they say.  This is a village that is soon to have a branch of its own.  Two days later, we had a “bank line” experience to share. While waiting for the ATM, Elder Cosgrave spoke to a young man who is a student here at the Ho Polytechnic.  George (he also has an African name) readily accepted an invitation to speak to the missionaries and a pamphlet on the Restoration.  Saturday, Elder Sio and Palmer met with him and he had read the pamphlet, he accepted the lesson, took a Book Of Mormon and set a baptismal date for October.

Later this week was the District Relief Society Conference. It was held in Tsito to make the travel costs a little more equal.  The sisters gathered for health screening (Blood pressure and weight checks by Elder Cosgrave).  Try to imagine sisters in the U.S. standing in line to have their weight checked. 

 Sister Cosgrave conducted the conference and spoke on Temples with the help of an interpreter.  Lunch was served (banku, abolo, kenkye , spicey hot pepe, shito,and fish  yum yum).  Sister Adjei  (District Relief Society president) and President Tyson also spoke.

It is Sister Adjei’s children Zola and Joseph who are at BYU and come to our home for dinner.

Yesterday we were blessed to be part of an historic day.  

Our mission president, President Daniel Judd and Sister Judd, came to Ho Saturday evening and then we went together yesterday to Kpando. Kpando is about an hour northwest of Ho and there are a few members there.  One man, Brother Paddy, comes to Ho to church.  President Judd is hoping to establish a branch there so we went to meet with the members and hold a Sacrament a meeting for them.

There were 22 of the members and investigators present in Brother Paddy’s small home. What an amazing spirit in this the first Sacrament Meeting in Kpando.  There are no missionaries there at this time, but hopefully soon will be. Several of the people shared their testimonies and conversion stories and President Judd spoke to them and then left a Priesthood blessing on them as a group. The drive to Kpando was spectacularly beautiful (except for the infinite potholes), but the Spirit of the people exceeded that beauty. The faith of these people continues to be amazing. There are thousands here seeking the truth yet know not where to find it. It is a blessing for us to be a part of helping them to find it.

Just an additional note is that our trip to Kpando was a great way to celebrate our 42^nd wedding anniversary (longer than the Church ahs been in Ghana).

SISTER COSGRAVE WITH FAITH AND THE QUEEN

3 BRAVE AND MIGHTY WARRIORS.  ALL WITH THE SAME PHYSIQUE

LEADING IN THE CHIEF

TRY THIS AT HOME!  SHE REALLY IS STANDING UPRIGHT, WE WERE JUST TOO LAZY TO TURN THE PHOTO SO YOU WILL HAVE TO TURN YOUR HEAD. GHANAIANS HAVE GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR.

HEAD CHIEF 

Add caption

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA JOHN MAHAMA