Immigration tomorrow

I am leaving at 6 am for Kumasi to deal with getting a renewed date stamp. To be honest I feel like the pioneer that only came into the big city once a year as I have a list for shopping for stuff I can only find in Kumasi AFTER of course dealing with Immigration. On Tuesday Plumber arrived close to 6 pm and things are fixed.
I made cucumber relish last night, I could eat it with a spoon it is soooo good. I had hotdogs for lunch with relish and Heinz Ketchup, mmmmmm good

IMMIGRATION and I ...a new adventure chapter has begun

I get a date stamp on my visa when I enter the country here. It needs to be renewed in 60 days. Remember years ago I was picked up by Immigration for I think ..not saying hello to an Immigration officer on the street. So my interaction with Immigration is as minimal as possible. I have been here 2 months and my date stamp needs renewing. Last Monday I go to Immigration in this town of Wiawso. I could tell very quickly they had never done this before and did not know how to proceed. After several phone calls, the officer was taking a picture of my passport and visa with his personnel phone (I complained that it was inappropriate for my info to be on his personal phone. which was met with 'don't worry' I responded that I am lodging a complaint that it is wrong). Back and forth and finally I folded my papers and money and stated 'I need to speak to the Bishop about this" They kept saying it all needed to go to Kumasi SO Friday I go to Kumasi and hopefully it can be done in one day. OHHHH Immigration  is the pain of my existence this week.

Believe it when I see him

the plumber has been called for the last week with promises to come to the house (one toilet takes an hour to refill the tank, a sink leaks on the floor and the bathroom in the hall for visitors has no toilet installed) SO I came back to the house to wait for the plumber. constructed curtains for each bathroom, thank God for  pillow cases, scissors, staples, and velco for no sew curtains
curtains are in place and plumber is ?????where

Man Friday Starting on Tuesday

I am getting William starting tomorrow who will do almost everything inside and outside the house plus security. I struggle when folks think I need assistance with activities of daily living, cleaning, laundry, security etc. So this should be interesting having William Monday to Friday being around all day. I will keep you posted.

Dble header and ....

off to the college of education with Canon Paul, Professor and school chaplain, it is an Anglican School so the expectation is for everyone to attend church service
As we are lining up, the 45 member choir arrives, I do not think I have seen an Anglican choir that big ...for a long time plus 5 on instruments including a trumpet.

then dancing before the sermon for 20 minutes and these kids like to dance

so then a couple of  traditional photos when service is finished

Canon Paul is trying not to laugh as I am saying that a priest can be naughty but can not get caught by the bishop.
I have come to realize that joking around and pretending and telling funny stories does not happen very often here and so when it does come up, folks are quite stunned. Gee if I have to be straight laced all the time...boring



then off to the cathedral for the 9 am service, good job the dean mentioned I should go there after the college or I would have gone home and put me feet up, priests work very hard here

And the best part of the day
I had supper delivered from Mother Margaret... fufu with chix and fish sauce, enough for 2 suppers   YES ....    no cooking today

Oh, just a reminder, 11 months today is Boxing Day Sales       lol

I was tired last night

it was only a 5 hour mtg, ooopsy
Preaching at the university of education tomorrow, pick up at 630 am then on to the cathedral for a 9 am service. No rest for the wicked. ...

A gift

MTN my Internet provider had a cable cut last weekend so service got spotty, so they compensated all users with 2 g free for the next 24 hours so I watched u tube all evening with my. Fan blowing cool air..... very nice way after an almost 6 hour Standing Committee ( Diocese Council) mtg. I had to stay till the end as there were 2 question I needed answers to from the Women’s Ministry mtg I had last month. We did get a take home meal so I did not have to cook dinner. 👍 I just found a zillion emogies well maybe. 100 or so.🌍☃️ I am dreaming about snow men⛄️🐁it is the year of the rat. I know everyone wanted that info.

my goodness

putting a house in order after a move is sooooooo much work, gathering stuff, getting things on the wall, trying to find your first idea when it does not exist in your town and taking a 3 1/2 hour ride to get it .....  forces  me to change my mind very quickly. Got drapes today, I was going to use sheets but these drapes filled the bill, having fringe on the scalloped valance mmmm, so when in Rome, they do give the room an adult looking atmosphere, maybe I am finally growing up....heavens forbid!
I needed to shorten the drapes so the no sewing solution, just cut off the excess, the fabric does not even rip so I am sure they will not unravel

Living room, my goodness a formal sitting room at last

Bedroom, I am still moving furniture around still but the drapes are up so I can sit on the bed with the light on and not have an audience standing outside , note light blue fringe on the valance mmmm

The Visitation

yesterday I had  a couple of girls at the door wanting to visit but it was a bad time for me so today  they came back.
We shared who we are, they talked about their goals and the fact they play football  (soccer)

They have to wear the plaid uniforms on Monday and Tuesday and then the rest of the week the green top with blue skirt. They were surprised that most kids in Canada do not need to wear a uniform.
I am hoping to have a program and they have agreed to assist me with it, more info after I speak to the head teachers at the three school that surround where I live.
Lively young girls with their future ahead,

a day to rest

getting caught up with settling the house and resting my aching bones is the order of today
so I putzed around, do something, watch tv, do more, watch tv, hung a paper shade on the hall light, watch tv, the cycle repeats. the paper shade is from a DKJ Conference and I thought I would use it some how and I did.!

Ordination service

Here are the facts::
left the house just before 8 am and returned after 3 pm attending one service. So then a nap was in order.
The service was actually very lively and interesting.

lining up

examination of the candidates

candidates then reenter carrying a cross 

while the congregation sings a hymn about carrying the cross of Jesus

Three bishops laying on of hands, 

Rt. Rev. Abraham Ackah, Bishop of Wiawso

Rt. Rev. Dr. Daniel Mensah Torto Bishop of Accra

Rt. Rev. Dr. Victor Atta-Baffoe, Bishop of Cape Coast 

(for those who assisted support for Hannah Dumah to attend St Nicholas Seminary, 

Victor was the Dean when Hannah attended)

the Deacon is robed, Rev. Enock Manu

                           then every priest laid hands on the deacon before being priested

Priests form a circle around the priest as he had laying on of hands by the bishops

 

                                                       dancing of course was included

                                                     everyone on their knees during the prayers

                                                         given the symbols of his ministry

 

                                         the new priest introduced  Rev. Fr. Christiaan Goman Afadi

After the ordinations had taken place , the Chancellor made a Citation Presentation to 

Bishop A. Achah marking his 40th Anniversary of ordination. He is with Mother Margaret.

ohhh a 3 day retreat.

3 day clergy retreat led by the Dean from Accra. It was on history of the Anglican Church and how things need to change for the church in Africa. Evangelism is the primary thrust along with having the Anglican church more accessible for African, rather than hanging on to the English model of the Anglican church, like in the Toronto Diocese the saying  NEW WINE SKINS FOR NEW WINE. It needs to be appropriate to the African parishioner, like using the local language instead of English, like the RC's stopped using Latin in the mass and changed to the vernacular.
My swollen feet after sitting hopefully will go down by morning,

Tomorrow an ordination for a deacon and a priest. So I am waiting for the Dean, living next door makes is easy to get to the cathedral, so I am watching a goat inside the fence eating the garden vegetable leaves, having a great supper. I try to figure out whose garden it is and how did the dam thing get inside the fence. Dean's daughter comes out and runs to chase the greedy goat out along with several lambs.
                                                            here is the interloper

 

PROGRESS in house settling

things are starting to look organized, TV is in bedroom and the plan is to get a flat screen for the living room when the finances can bear the cost. So I am eating  watching TV sitting on the bed, and I go to put my plate in the kitchen and I see 5 folks talking in the living room, one being the bishop. He says he needed to have the discussion, fine says I and carry on to the kitchen, surprised that people are having a meeting when I did not hear them come in (I REALLY need a door bell because knocking on the door does not get my attention as the house is located in midst of three school and the road goes within 10 feet of the front of the house so I tune out the noise) Anyway eventually the meeting ended and I showed the bishop around and they departed.

so see the progress so far.

 Dining room with curtains

                                         Living room - sheers up

Bedroom coming together with bed made and sheers up

MOVED INTO HOUSE

moving is such a chore, but I have lots of assistance, still the work still needs to get done.
finding things, not finding the tv remote was a little disastrous, I mean I have not seen tv since I arrived so I am a little deprived  lol  I will post pics when the chaos resolves
RESPONSE TO CRAFT LADIES
I just saw you comment, I am sure you are trying hard to stay out of trouble but your track record ???
Life is very busy here, have a retreat Thursday to Sunday with an ordination of a deacon and a priest
I am thinking after moving I may have a frequent little snoozes during the retreat  lol
take care

 VERY LOVELY HOUSE

living room                                                                                     dining room - kitchen counter not fit                                                                                                          through door so now a buffet

kitchen

 my bedroom


                                                                                       guest bedroom -  at least there is a bed,
                                                                                       each bedroom has ensuite bath

Busy busy

went to Kumasi Thursday for curtains and rods, bathroom towel rod etc, sheets, mattresses, 

- met friend of Ebeneezer who took me to many shops to find what I was looking for, while Ebeneezer took the 2 mattresses to the vans that go between the cities and arranged for the mattresses to be brought to Sefwi Wiawso on top of a van as they do not fit in the car we were in.

3 1/2 hours each way, the real killer was hiking to the fourth floor in Malcoms, I quickly found a chair and then noticed the elevator ...   ugh...

Friday went to find a sofa set (sofas are manufactured and sold here as sets including a combination of  a 3 seater, 2 seater and chairs, I found one at a price that I liked and then Saturday went back with the truck to get it. I must admit that I do sleep well after these travel adventures as the roads are broken up in many places, at least three or four speed bumps in every village and dust when the roads are just dirt surfaced.

The goal for tomorrow is to move into the house, bishop is sure it will have hydro and water (fingers are crossed)

tonight packing clothes that I unpacked here at Bishopscourt. 

It was great here having meals served and laundry done, great hospitality but getting settled with decrease the comings and goings.

SOFA PICK UP

It was on view at the side of the road, no store front, just in front of the open drainage ditch

                  

         shop at the side of the road

testing chair at side of road

                                                           all aboard and ready to move

believe it or not, I actually thought the colour was black and gold but they do look a little purplish in the sunlight if I do say so myself, honest thought they were black

a recurring theme - the difficulty of day to day living here

so the house I am going to live in in nearing completion but curtains and furniture are still to obtain. I went looking for drapes, sheer curtain, anything actually and there was one store, maybe had 20 drapes, no sheer curtains, then on to a fabric store hoping there would be material to make curtains, no such luck and everyone is saying go to Kumasi,,, go to Kumasi SO I conclude that a trip to Kumasi is in order (3 hours by car one way and then getting around the busy city to get what is needed) I need someone to come with me as I do not know where the stores are. That is the next agenda item to get this trip organized.

New topic of intense labour - cooking for 70 on retreat
Mother Margaret (Bishop's wife) has the task of getting food prepared for 70 folks for 6 days.
Parishioners at the cathedral and Mother's older sister have answered the call

A tent set up to cover the cooking area as they will be there all day as every aspect is done by hand.

There are several fires (charcoal or wood) burning.

Three rocks are the base for the large pot and then wood is stuck in between the rocks for the fires. quite creative in my thinking

Large pots and long handle spoons for stirring keep the soups from sticking

                                                                                 fish frying in the left          pan over charcoal

Ground nut (peanut butter) soup on the boilBreakfast lunch and supper meals, no microwave, no meat on a plastic tray in the supermarket, no buying prepared foods at the deli counter, no having it catered                                                  just plain hard work all day                                   no idea where the colour comes from, it is magic and just appears  

Monday, Monday

Well Bishop's grand kids back home with Mommy as school starts this week, very quiet in the house.
back in the office this am for me and to see how the house is coming, hopefully soon I get in.
for those who read this from east end Toronto, I read on Google that The Tulip Restaurant on Queen East at Cowell has closed after many years of serving the best steak etc in town. I loves their fried onions which were serves in extra large size if I remember correctly.

Prep work

It seems to me the work to live day by day here is so much more labour intensive than in Hamilton.
There is a 4 day retreat for Catechists  starting Monday put on by the Bishop, so the prep for meals starts today. Cleaning chix pieces (I really like mine wrapped in Saran in the meat counter at Sobeys), cleaning each piece so its ready to put on the fire Monday. Note the machete on the table to cut the loose ends off.

The menu for supper today is probably fish as it is on the drill right now. The charcoal burner is like the BBQ with each piece roasting above the coals.I suggest that Florence turn the pieces with a fork but what do I know, she does it by hand

Fufu is being prepared to go with the fish I think. peel and cut up the yam, peel and cut up the plantain, cook each like potatoes, then pound each and then pound each together, 

and voila...FUFU

clean  up is just steps away

and on to today\s supper, so I was incorrect about the fish, there was chicken instead, fufu in the front dish, chicken and peanut sauce in the white dish behind and the blue basin to wash my hands, I eat it with a spoon, a wad about the size of a small double bubble gum and swallow (no need to chew, I made that mistake many years ago but have since learned), whereas traditionally  one would eat it with your right hand and then wash your hand when finished, there is no knife or fork so I get to deal with the chicken with my hand, it was very good and I have asked for the recipe for the peanut soup, mmmmm good, that's what peanut soup is mmmmm good

baby bathing

Sitting in the kitchen, Mother Margaret got organized to bath her 2 month old grandson. sitting on a low stool, next to a large metal basin and a bucket of water. On her lap she soaped him down using s sponge ( I bought one a few weeks ago, see below)  Rinsed of over the large basin with water from the pail, body rub with lotion and a cream was put on the fontanel  (soft spot on the head of very young babies), the belief is that it helps the baby breathe better. I know beliefs when my kids were young - no swimming 1 hour after a meal, a baby should not  go out without hat on, you will spoil the baby if you pick him/her up every times they cry and on and on. I just find so amazing the similarity between culture in holding beliefs down through the generations,

                                      for as much as we are different ...we are the same.
sponge (great exfoliate)                                                                                     Michael

Sleeping the day away

Out half the night on the 31st, just ate and slept most of the 1st, so here it is the 2nd already.
Firstly, Happy New Year to everyone, 2020 nice numbers so hoping it will be a great year for all!
I asked Bishop's granddaughters for attitude and here is what I got. They are going to kick butt if their looks are any indication and good luck to them. Girl power at its best!