Bridges that need repairs

These bridges have to be repaired before we can take in a drilling rig to drill boreholes in two Villages.  

More photos

We stopped on our way to Cape Coast and took a short hike up to a Slave Castle.  I took the ocean picture from there.   This is a slave castle that no one really visits as it is a bit remote.  Bro. Kradolfer has a wonderful camera and he takes wonderful photos so when we travel with him he likes to stop often and get some good shots.

WATER!!

We left at 5:30 a.m. to head to the Cape Coast area where our projects are.  After our tour at the Hospital we went with Clarence Baah Kofi, our Borehole Site Monitor, to see some boreholes.    They are suppose to finish drilling this week so we wanted to have a chance to see some of the action. 

We were at this Village for 1/2 hour or so while they drilled.  They were down 80+ meters when we arrived and hadn't hit water yet.  He said they would go another 5 mtrs. and then call it quits if they didn't hit water.  They would have started over again at a secondary spot.    We had a great time while wating.  The Villagers peeled oranges for us with their machete.  (They seemed surprised when Jim peeled it by hand and broke it into sections.)    We just love being in the Villages with them and they are so kind and hospitable to us.

We finally decided we needed to go and we had all piled into the vehicle when we heard that they had WATER!   We hurried back over and joined in with the Villagers to watch.   It really choked me up to see that water coming!   They drilled about 300 ft. and it was through solid rock for the majority of it. 

Being there to see them find water made our day!!!!!!     The Villagers are so grateful.  It is so great to be here and be part of this work.  It wouldn't be possible though without the donations of members to the Humanitarian fund of the Church. 

We are in the process of developing two more water projects in Ghana. Elder and Sister Panter are doing some in Nigeria (even though we aren't sure they will be able to travel there).  We have some excellent Site Monitors there to oversee things.   Panters will do one Ghana project and we will do the other.  We are on the lookout for more as well. 

The Church has come out with new guidelines for water projects and they are being received well.  It puts more responsibility on the Villages to take care of the wells.  They have to be able to meet some criteria that shows they will.   This next week Brett Bass, from Church headquarters will be here to do some training and help us develop our projects.  We are looking forward to having him here.

Psychiatric Hospital Project

This project is underway.  The concrete work is being repaired at the Women's residence.  It was collapsing due to improper water drainage.  Some of the old concrete was taken out and drainage pipes replaced and then new concrete is being poured and the drainage inside the courtyard is being redone so it runs off as it should.   They have patched many cracks in the walls and stairway.  It was looking really good but they aren't finished yet.

We are also doing a lot of work on their water.  They have two good boreholes already but one was being pumped into a storage tank and there was only one place to fetch the water.   Trenches are being dug to run lines to the main storage tanks (not being used right now) and we will install pumps from both boreholes to fill them and then water will be able to run to several different locations through out the hospital grounds.   New lines will be installed where needed.

We also have a technician, who was to start yesterday, repairing the laundry equipment so that it is like new.  Two hospital staff will be trained by him as well so that they can do regular maintenance on the equipment that should help prevent breakdowns for a while.  

The last part of this project is to give them medical supplies to help in their outpatient clinic and elsewhere, as needed.

We are trying to help the hospital find ways of sustaining themselves a little better after we finish.  They do not get much support from the Gov't. even though it is a Gov't hospital.  

We want to have Church members go in a do some painting and help where they can in this project. 
 

Love these people!!!

We took a day trip to the Cape Coast area yesterday.  Here are a few pictures I took of the people.  They are so great!  We just wish we could be out there with them everyday.   We had Bro. & Sister Kradolfer and Elder & Sister Panter with us.  Bro. Kradolfer is the Director of Temporal Affairs for the West Africa Area and he is over Welfare.  He wanted to go with us and see what we are doing.  (Mostly to check on the Psychiatric Hospital project since it is a BIG one).  We had time so we went to show them some of our borehole project in the area.  We had a fun time; other than the traffic issues but Bro. Kradolfer was driving and he goes wherever there's an opening (even on the sidewalks!)  hehe.   I can't even begin to explain what it is like to drive here.  We will have to forget all the terrible habits we are forming here or we will get a lot of citations when we get home.

Church Services today!!

Dad used to say that a person never wants to miss a Sacrament meeting because you don't know what you might miss!  Today was one of those days.

We were just starting to sing the Sacrament hymn when 5 guys in orange t-shirts walked in the side door and went straight over to the organ.  The organist stopped playing and we stopped singing.   Then 2 or 3 more guys came in -- a couple of them were pretty big, solid looking guys.   There were more outside. 

The Bishopric and a few others went to them, along with Elder Bullock and Elder Pack.  There was some discussion of sort going on and finally the Bishop managed to get one of the big guys to go out with him (to his office) and a couple more Church leaders took guys out.  There was still 3 or 4 in the chapel.   In the meantime, we were told to remain calm.

One of the young Elders told Sister Pack and myself that there were others outside around the building, which was not reassuring.   After about 15 minutes they got back into a 15 passenger van and left.

Apparently there is some 'traditional' law here for about a month when things are suppose to be quiet - no loud music etc.   Our church is not loud, as you know, unlike many of the Church's here.   Obviously it was all planned to show up when they did though.    They threatened to take the organ away but then it seems it was more a ploy to get a bribe.  The Bishop said they wanted 500 cedi (about $200).  He told them we did not keep money at the church but did end up paying them 100 cedi.   We don't think they should have paid them anything but......

The Stake President was notified and he alerted the other Wards in the Stake.  The Bishop and the Stake President will go to the police tomorrow and make a complaint.  Some of the people in the congregation knew some of the men.  The group that intruded had no right to do what they did.  The Church was not doing anything wrong.  Just some guys after money.  At least they didn't threaten any of us -- it could have been much worse.

It sounds pretty scary but we all just sat there and waited.   After they left, the meeting carried on as scheduled.

Now for a peaceful Sunday afternoon!!   All is well! 

Love, Elder/Sister Bullock

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