Week of 7 August 2016

Fast Sunday was interesting.  We really didn't understand anything whether the people spoke English or Twi or Fanti.  It is hard to understand anyone.  Even the English speaking elders have picked up the "twang".

Monday the office elders turned everything over to us.  Keys and all.  I guess we're on our own, but we know they are close by.  President Stevenson is pleased that he is able to get those two missionaries out teaching.

On Wednesday  we had to go to the MLC (Mission Leadership Council) meeting with all zone leaders and sister trainers leaders.  I had to explain the new rules about baptisms.  All the records can now be entered by the ward or branch clerks right after the person is confirmed.  I know they have been doing this in the US for some time, but now they can do it here.  So now I won't have to do it.  Yeah!  They fed us lunch there.  It was chicken and rice.  So all of their food is spicy.  And they mix the rice with beans which is very dry.  And they had a malt drink that was really nasty.  Wayne drank his, but I couldn't stomach it.   Anyway, back to the office to finish up a few things and then we went home.  We got there about 6:30 pm.  When we entered the living room, we knew right away that something was wrong.  The TV the church had there for us was not on the stand.  The DVD player was gone, so was our computer, my Kindle, and my purse was on the floor all torn apart.  We turned on some lights and went thru each room.  The alarm clock and a small flashlight was gone, so was Wayne's universal  tool.  The blender I had just bought and hadn't used yet. They went through all of out drawers and closets.  So we called Samuel, who is the Church FM person for Cape Coast.  He came right up to the house.  Anyway, our back door was wide open, so we knew how they got in and the barbed wire on the back fence was on the ground.  They pulled it down with a rake or something.  All of the things that we lost on our computer.  I am just sick.  So that was one thing and then in the back room we found a big green snake.  Didn't know if it was poisonous, so Wayne stayed by the door with a broom so it wouldn't go any where.  Then I found a great big black spider.  The body was the size of a fifty cent piece.  I tried to knock it down from the curtain, but it wouldn't budge.  I started spraying it with Raid.  Once again, Wayne and I must have looked really ridiculous when Samuel got there.  He had another person with him who promptly went and killed the snake and spider.  So that night Samuel had the place fumigated and we went to stay with President Stevenson and his wife.  I just cried most of the night, not because of the animals and what had happened but my computer was gone.  I can't put any pictures on this week, because they were all on the computer and the IPad doesn't have the capability.  So maybe I'll go buy a new computer or start taking pictures with the IPad.

They also fixed the doors with new bolts and locks.  So now it really looks like Fort Knox.  I'd like to see anyone get in that house now!

Thursday night after we closed the office, the president took us and the Hanlons out to dinner.  The Hanlons are leaving to go home on Sunday and I think the president felt sorry for us.  We went to one of the finest ocean resorts in Edina, Cape Coast.  It was beautiful.  We ate on an opened dining area and the beach and ocean were right in front of us.  We didn't have a camera, but hopefully we'll be able to go back.

We went back to sleep in our home Thursday night.  It still kind of smelled like bug spray, but we needed to go and not be afraid.  So when I got up and went into the bathroom, there was the biggest centipede I have ever seen.  I just started laughing.  Wayne picked it up,and flushed it down the toilet.

Friday was a normal day. No bugs, no excitement, no problems.  We did go shopping and bought some fruit and vegetables.  We found a little store that had honest for goodness Kellogg's Honey Nut Cereal.  We bought some and tried it on Saturday.  Very good.  So the Clements called us and said that they blew a pump and asked if they could come down and spend the night with us, while it was getting fixed.  We made pizza for dinner and had a good time with them.
Our grandson Benjamin is getting baptized today up in Oregon.  Tim and Tracy drove up for a couple of days to enjoy the beach and waterfalls.  James and Jill drove down from Washington to be there also.

Another week of excitement.  Hopefully, it will just be dull and boring next week.
                                                We love all of you.