Ivory Coast

Just a quick note.  We leave tomorrow for Ivory Coast (usually called Cote D'viore, here).   We are going with the vision specialists to looks at a couple of places requesting help and then Jim and I stay a  few days longer to looks at some other projects requests.  We don't have a humanitarian couple there so we are it!

We have been super busy lately and one of these days I will post some pictures and do some writing.   Today we had a great hand-over ceremony where we gave some eye exam equipment to an Eye clinic.  Dr. Baah owns the clinic and he certainly knows how to throw a party.  He had drummers, dancers and of course, lots of speeches.   It was great.  He even presented three of us women involved an African dress made from Kente cloth and then men all got an African top that is worn by the men here for special occasions.

After that ceremony we visited another Eye Clinic that serves many many people and will most likely do our next Vision project for them.  Elder & Sister Hunsaker will write that up and do is from home (Utah) and then come when the equipment is delivered early next year and do the training on it.  It is called a major initiative.

Wheelchairs arrive here next week - a container of them (about 350 or so).  The short term specialists will come in Sept. and do the training that is associated with fitting them to the people etc.   We partner with Ghana Health and they will distribute them and report back to us.   

The weather has been pleasantly cooler lately.  It is rainy season.  We are really enjoy the milder temperatures but still run our AC most of the time.  It is just nice to not be hit with a blast of hot air every time you step outside.

We would love to hear from you!!   We are doing well and staying healthy.

Love to all,  Bullocks

Making dinner for the Boarders at the School

These ladies are making rolls for the students who board at the school.  Boarding schools are quite common here, especially for the High Schools.  Children are assigned a school to attend and if they live too far away they will board at the school.  The rooms they board in are large and filled with bunk beds (sometimes 3 high) and the beds are sometimes so close together that there is only a small walkway between.  Their clothing and belongings are kept on the bed (perhaps the floor at night).  They don't have a lot. 

They LOVE seeing their photo!

Jim took a video of the kids and is showing it to them.  As you can see you love it.  They followed Jim down to the truck and some were hanging onto him and hugging him.  It is so easy to make them happy!

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.