"...being a worker in Jerusalem"...

Our dear President and Sister John Dickson left last Sunday along with President Curtis who will return to be the new Area President.  The Collins' are also leaving a month early.  Elder Collins has been called to be the new MTC President in South Africa, so they are going home for a short break and then returning.  Elder Sitati will be here for July, then he heads for his new assignment in SLC.  Elder and Sister Taylor leave this week also so she can go home and have gall bladder surgery.  Hopefully they will be able to come back in Aug.  There are many changes here.

This week we found a 4-part film on the Humanitarian efforts of the church in the past.  Our program was included in it, along with an interview with Dr. Emmanuel Kitcher who started this dream with Dr. Ike Ferguson.

We really loved one of the quotes in the film.  Dr. Kitcher said, "It (this program) brings a joy of fulfillment because what brings us joy is to be of service to the suffering.  There's no (greater) joy than helping your own people in your own environment. You know, being a worker in Jerusalem, helping your own people.  That inner joy, nothing can satisfy that.  So it is a joy we are improving upon the lot of our own people."

http://www.byutv.org/watch/51f3557b-aa12-4f5f-bcce-93504e5c7f86/acts-of-god-a-time-of-need

Go to minute 16 in BYU-TV program entitled Acts of God. This episode is A time of need . Check it out to find out more about the humanitarian effort here.  We love being "workers in Jerusalem".

 John flew to Kumasi on Friday.  Almost an hour flight, but up to 5 hours by car to the North.  He went with Kofi Sampong, Dr. Kitcher, and Vice Dean Asare.  They were looking at the hospital in Kumasi and the clinic, pictured below, to see about the possibility of sending our students there after graduation for their third year internship, (or "housemanship" in Ghana).  The program continues to grow little by little, or "small by small" is how it is said here.

We thought this was an interesting fence.  Pieces of metal on their side.  Sharp, rusty and dangerous, but effective.

This little Mom had her hands full.  We often see African women carrying their children like this plus having something on their heads too.

They are a very tough people.

We recently received this photo from the Lions Club in Cape Coast.  They were presenting John with a thank-you gift for bringing the students down and seeing patients.  It was a lovely African shirt.

We had fun on Saturday.  We went to the Silverbird Cinema at the Accra Mall and saw the new Star Trek movie.  It was really good and we were with a very small group of people watching.  By the way, their popcorn is terrible.  Instead of the question being, "Butter or no butter", it is "salt or sugar"?

On Monday, Jessica, Megan and Phil (from World Joy) came back to spend the week in Accra.  They have been busy during the days but it has been so fun to visit with them in the evenings.  They are doing an amazing job up at Abomosu in the schools, training teachers.  They left today to go back up north.

 Jessica, Phil and Megan came with us and Elder and Sister Klein and Elder and Sister Elmer to a chinese restaurant to help celebrate the Klein's wedding anniversary.





Yesterday after a temple session, we came out to a group taking wedding photos on the temple grounds.  The children were adorable!


Guess who showed up at church today?  Katrina and Sierra were on their way home from Cape Coast, so stopped at the temple grounds for church with us.  How delightful to see them!  Even the angel Moroni was happy as evidenced by the glow around him.  Three and 1/2 weeks left!!