The commute to Babator was incredibly interesting today. Three abrupt stops on the dirt road had us witness a school boy catching and killing a grasscutter (groundhog, a delicacy for Ghanaians); the toss of a yam into the moving cargo truck resulted in our team administrating some first aid care to a team member and later in the day a moving apology to the group; finally, our Ghanaian pastors and volunteers jumped out of the truck from every direction to chase a monkey into the forest! (No, they didn’t catch it, but the effort was enjoyable to watch.) Let’s just say ‘We aren’t in Ontario anymore!’ and everyone is doing well. Thank you for covering our travels in your prayers.
In Babator, the church continues to progress with the parging complete on the inside and it is ready to paint possibly tomorrow; the latrine foundation walls are going up; and the teachers enjoyed Braden entertaining the children in music and song once again.
In Teselima, the dozer worked for a good part of the day until it was brought back to Carpenter to begin the process of having the new chain installed, and the excavator ended a productive day with a hydraulic line leak. As David shared tonight, the blessing of all of these challenges are that they create ‘the best school’ for increasing the knowledge and confidence of the Ghanaian operators and mechanics as they work through these challenges as a team with Phil and Glenn.
Did they hit water today as we prayed? They certainly didn’t hit a gusher, but apparently there were some signs that there may be some water there. They will see tomorrow what has come of the work in that area. They will be finished the pond tomorrow and moving back to the Carpenter area to finish up the repairs and getting to some other projects David has in mind.
All is well, especially with our Ghanaian friends as Ghana won the soccer game tonight against Nigeria and they are headed into the finals on Friday against Libya. Go Ghana!
Thank you for your continued words of encouragement and prayers. With the hot weather, hard work and team dynamics, we know we need them each and every day! Thank you for standing with us in this work.
Sam says
“Good job!, Good job!” as we said in Tinga, Glad to hear about all the excitement, and wishing I could have been there too! I am looking forward to hearing all about the village feast. Who’s cooking? Abraham?, Joe?, or ?
Love & blessings, Sam
Brenda Mensah says
Dear Friends,
I’ve been watching for the news updates daily and praying for you all fervently. I can’t believe that for the first time, you are actually going to be able to pull out some paint brushes!
I can only imagine how wonderful Friday is going to be in Babator with playday and the community meal.
It was wonderful to hear that our first fish-pond is so close to completion!
May God continue to watch over each of you as you finish these special days and give you a very safe return to the lovely weather we have waiting for you!
Blessings on each of you (particularly my dear husband)
Brenda
agnes says
Bless you all in what you are doing. And as Kim said, good lessons are learned with equipment breaking and needing fixing. The entertainment on the road are stories we all here will probably like to see video’s or at least pictures of. That sounded like a nice way to see the day in a new light.
All is well here.
For now the weather is warming up a bit!!
Yeaha.
Kathy says
Fantastic to hear your daily updates from Ghana…praying daily for all aspects of your journey. God bless…..and keep well.
Carol Peterson says
Not in Ontario, you say? I remember grasscutter meat treats from being in Ghana but I forgot that it is a groundhog. With Feb.2 fast approaching we are also thinking of Groundhog Day. Believe me, even the winter lovers like me are hoping for an early Spring this year.
We had another unofficial snow day yesterday. Although buses weren’t cancelled many parents kept their children home because the snow banks are so high that it’s dangerous for kids to wait for their bus with snow plows barrelling past! At one point I was going to take my class outdoors to play in the snow mountains but was asked NOT to by the VP because it was -27 with the wind chill!
Praying that you will find water (springs in the desert, Joyce?), that Braden’s music will continue, machinery will be repairable and useful, and that travelling in the cargo truck will be exciting but NOT dangerous. Don’t ever anger a baboon in Ghana, fyi. I was standing next to a tourist when he threw a rock at a baboon, trying to get it to drop the bag containing the man’s camera. It charged at us and I’ve never been so scared in my life or run as quickly- almost as fast as my bike ride to Minden last summer… following Joyce and Les!
Continuing to enjoy every word written in this blog, Kim, and wondering what I will read to inspire my day’s start after you’ve all returned to Ontario!
God’s blessings on all of you and all those working with you.
Carol
Jean says
Obviously Wiarton Willie has no idea how fortunate he is to live in Ontario.
I presume that throwing yams at the truck is like our kids throwing stones at trains…a not too challenging moving target.
Working hard at diverting moisture to your pond. 6cm of the white stuff in Atlanta and they had to bring in the army.
Here we are having good luck at catching beaver..not monkeys.
Keep up the joyful noise.
Ron and Ruth says
Correction: Yesterday was not Thursday in Greenbank!!— Well, that’s one grasscutter that won’t be seeing his shadow,- Wiarton Willie is going to be really thankful he’s still in Ontario. Continued prayers for strength, health and safety for Thursday and Feastday and your homeward journey. Blessings and love to Aaron and all. -Ron and Ruth