Surrogate Grandkids

We found ourselves talking tonight with fellow couple missionaries about grandkids -- a regular favorite topic. The next best thing to visiting with our grandchildren on Skype, or watching little video clips and keeping up to date with current pictures from home is enjoying the beautiful children at our ward here in Accra. We're getting pretty attached to them and love watching their growth and progress, paying special attention to those the same age as our own. They remind us of 15 wonderful grandsons and granddaughters, ranging in age from 4 months to 14 years. We hope all those back home remember how much we love and miss them!

Volta River Trip

We were able to go with a group of senior couples and Ghanaian friends to the Volta River, near the Gulf of Guinea, for a boat trip and the opportunity to view an electricity-generating merry-go-round installed on a remote island to provide a village and school with a much-needed source of power. It was fun and relaxing on the water, leaving busy traffic and honking horns far behind us for a few hours.

  

We parked our cars close to the shore where the boats were
waiting for us. This was definitely a sunscreen day.

A little outboard motor kept the pace slow and easy as our
boats headed upstream on the gently rolling river.

Sister Scripture Study

Every Monday morning, wives of the area presidency plus sisters connected with missionary work, Church employment, and temple service are invited to attend a one-hour scripture study class. Since we all have different assignments in Accra, it's a nice way to see each other and spend some time studying together. We come when we can, each taking her turn to lead the discussion. It's a little different group each week, depending on everyone's availability.

The sisters above represent the U.S. and Canada, Germany, Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Zimbabwe.
It's a diverse group, but we all have the gospel of Jesus Christ in common.

One of our favorite new people is Sister Caroline Martins from Nigeria. She has been called to serve for
18 months in the Accra Ghana temple, so we bump into her quite often. Today we celebrated Sister Martin's
69th birthday. It has been fun to develop great new relationships with people from all over the world.

African Batiking and American Quilting

Beautiful fabric has always been a weakness of mine. A whole new world has opened up as I have discovered the fabulous African batiks found in specialty shops and outdoor markets. We haven't had the opportunity to see the actual batiking process yet, but hope (Sister Stoker speaking) to do so while we are in Ghana. 

The art of batiking originated long before it came to Africa. Designs and techniques vary around the world. Patterns are stamped or painted freehand with melted wax on 100% cotton fabric. After the wax has dried, the fabric is dipped in a bath of dye. Then it is laid out to dry. Depending on how many colors are used, this process is repeated until the desired result is reached. The cloth is dipped in boiling water to remove the wax, rinsed in clear water, laid out to dry, then pressed in preparation to sell. 

   

  

I've begun my own small collection of batik fabrics. This could
be a little dangerous with still ten months to be looking around. 

One of the other sister missionaries loves these fabrics as much
as I do. She has already sent this much again back to the U.S.!

The executive secretary's wife chose to gather scraps instead of yards of batik fabric. When we arrived in
Accra eight months ago, this quilt was still in tiny pieces. The name of the pattern is appropriately titled the
"Oh My Gosh" quilt. Your appreciation multiplies considerably when you see the quilt in person. Each of those
little squares measures about one inch. I think I'll make a wall hanging instead!   

Carrying Baby

The African tradition of tying babies snugly on the back is such a clever and simple way to free up the hands of women who take their little ones wherever they go. This allows them to function with daily chores and responsibilities that would otherwise hinder them with a babe in arms. We also see older sisters taking their turn in caring for the little ones. They all make it look so easy -- getting baby on the back, wrapping and tucking the fabric in just the right way so baby is secure and safe. I tried it once and made the baby so nervous he burst into tears while the mother giggled at my awkward attempt. I'm hoping some other brave mother will allow me to try again soon.