back on Canadian soil

flights were good, not slept since yesterday at 6am
so off to bed

AU REVOIR

Well folks, the time is ending and this will be my last entry for this time in Ghana.
I was Suzy Homemaker today, washing curtains, sweeping the floor, covering everything from the dust, finishing packing the bags. I am not really a Suzy as I really do not like doing these essential tasks at all but like all things, the time comes when it is needed. It is now going on 9pm, just returned from having dinner with Bishop and Mother Felicia, they saved me from having a cheese sandwich, so that will be breakfast. Tomorrow I leave Sunyani around 1045, arrive Accra 1145am and my flight to Heathrow is not until 1045pm ,,,,,,,, a long wait but better waiting in an air conditioned airport than driving for 8-9 hours from here to Accra. then another long wait in Heathrow Terminal 5 (having spent many hours there I know where all the hiddy holes are, like where I can put chairs together and sleep) arrive Toronto close to 3pm  Wednesday. I hope everyone has a fun summer and I will be back here mid October. Ciao!!!!!

plug for fan

I have not been kind to the plug when I move my floor fan, I just yank it, wellll the wires broke AND the fan did not work, funny that eh! I know remove using the plug but I didn't so this pm I
walked to town market and there were a few shops open including 2 electrical stores, first store not have a 'do it your self 'new plug but referred me to the second one along the street, success!! he was quite surprised that I would change the plug and even more surprised that I have 2 screw drivers, I told him I also have a hammer. so fan works good now and I learned my lesson, I will use the plug when moving the fan

Funeral Stole

cloth worn at funeral is either back and red OR black and white. The family designates which it to be worn. The stole used is black and white and I had one made. You can wear white which is what is usual in Canada but everyone tries to get a black and white stole made..... see mine below. It is quite lovely if you can say that for a funeral, when everyone wears the same colour, the dress design is as varies as the black and white design.   Men wear the designate cloth as well.

EASTER CELEBRATION

PONTIFICAL MASS
25 servers, 6 ordained, smoke, bells, congregation, drums and music.......together for 41/2 hours and what do you have... a celebration fit for Easter
Dancing and singing in preparation for the sermon
both women and men dance to drumming and singing

women keeping time

men followed

young people kicking up a storm

 

Mother Felicia singing a hymn to begin the sermon for Bishop
 Bishop sharing the Word

during the Eucharistic prayer

servers with bishop

 

now I am back to cleaning and laundry and packing, I plan to sleep on the plane Tuesday

 

HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!

Happy Easter to all. At the vigil last night, scheduled for 6, started at 715, a very long baptismal rite, blessing water and renewing vows, had salt as part if the ritual (will need to look that up as it was in local language and I did not understand it), then after 9 starting the Eucharist and the hydro went so ...... we went home. I was actually pleased as I had been there over 3 hours at this point and only left once to get a drink (it was really hot and I was sweating ++++++)
I am packing as I leave for Canada on Tuesday, I dislike packing a whole lot but it is part of the game of travelling.
Today we are having one service in 25 minutes at 9am and tomorrow there is an event where everyone comes and it is like a picnic, with games, music,  and food  and lots of chatting on the grounds of the cathedral. off to church......

PALM SUNDAY Emmanuel Memorial Church - Thika

NEW STRUCTURE AND WONDERFUL COLOURS IN THEIR WINDOWS

looking from the back

either side of transcept

 

BISHOP FESTUS WITH KIDS (THE CHILDREN LED THE SERVICE AND SANG SOLOS)

 

 

 

 

 

 

some of the animals at the WALKING SAFARI in the National Park in Nairobi

This park with the animals had several on display, have a hospital where they rehab rescues, sometimes they go back to the wild of live out life in  zoo setting

some were sleeping up a tree or behind a bush so the pickens were a little slim

Pigmy Hippo

lives all by himself with no friends...so sad

A monkey with a very furry tail which I had not seen before, he is  a rescue

fixing a thatched roof

BLACK OSTRICH (MALE)

FEMALES ARE BROWN

 

ME, BISHOP FESTUS, BISHOP JULIUS, MOTHER ESTHER, MOTHER FELICIA

 at conclusion of walk about

trying to put up pics again

Mama Mercy

with Bishop Julius   

                           Guard Turkey at Mama Mercy's house called TOM






Bishop Julius with youngest daughter and oldest two below

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

pics from Kenya

arrived 2 hours late and Mama Mercy got up and made us breakfast at 4am, she deserves a medal
synod has similar ingredients around the Anglican Communion, the church in Kenya is low church with conservative theology, eg Palm Sunday and where we worshiped did not celebrate the Eucharist (sorta weird from my point of view but when in Rome....)

Mama Mercy's home

pics wont load ???not know what is the matter,, will try tomorrow

still on the road

its 645pm and we are leaving Kumasi, another 2 hours at least oh hum.... bumper to bumper for miles
thank goodness for a portable modem to keep me entertained on route

back in ghana

flew in from Nairobi to accra
left house at 2am for a 530am flight to addis ababa Ethiopia, another flight from there to accra
I am on the road with is not paved, very bumpy will take 5-6 hours to get to sunyani
talk later

Travelling tomorrow to Kenya

With the Bishop and Mother Felicia I leave for Accra tomorrow, staying overnight and then Wednesday via Ethiopia Airline flying out to Nairobi Kenya to attend the synod of the Diocese of Twika to be held in Nairobi. I dont particularly like synods but I am sure it will be interesting in its own way, do not think phone nor modem will work there or  ??? if anyone has wifi so tootle lou until  ??????

A SUNDAY MORNING...

made arrangements with Mother Felicia to go with her to Nkoranza to see whether there is a possibility of starting a Homework Club, we are to leave  6am , so  up at 5, Bishop calls at 550, am I ready, calls again at 610, we are not going as the road was washed out in last night's rain, Bishop asks do I want to go to St. James, Dormaa, (about 50 km from the Ivory Coast border)  as that is where he is going, sure.. leave 8ish and I will get picked up. We,  Bishop, Mother Felicia and moi leave here at 845, service starts at 10am, (small congregation with lots of kids) ends about 1pm, we got snacks and a drink and started for home about 115, back by 245 pm, NOW IS NAP TIME, 
                                             see  kids and I have a outfit with lots of pink

POVERTY CONTRIBUTES TO ........

Poverty contributes to many situations that are not seen in a developed country. Ebola has broken out  in Guinea and Liberia ( located in West Africa on the Atlantic Coast) both countries are very poor with severe lack of health care. Ebola is transmitted through contact with bodily fluids and has a very poor prognosis as there is no vaccine. Doctors without Borders are trying to cope with the situation but lack of education, resources and health care, make it almost an impossible task. SO if you live in a place with accessible health care, education for all and  a social  safety net,  give thanks and perhaps a donation to Doctors without Borders might be an idea (I would think that you can do while on line with a visa card). No, it is not here in Ghana so I do not worry.

A GIFT

BY 830 this am I had received a gift... rice and chicken, still warm, and a sparkling fruit drink from Mary (Prison contact), it will feed me today and tomorrow, this is a 'good thing'