Hi Everyone,
Yeah, everything here is cool. It hasn’t been raining as much as it did last week. But it seems like whenever its blazing hot, within a few hours or so and getting towards evening time a big rain storm usually rolls in. We were suppose to go to the water fall today, but the other elders at Mpraeso at the top of the mountain wasn’t able to come, so next week we are planning on going there.
So the past week has been pretty good. We did a lot of walking and finding. It turned out pretty well. Just lots of not serious people and quite a few that don’t speak English. We try not to go too far into the bush. We try to stay closer towards 2014 way of thinking… haha.. We are pretty much just in a village for the most part of our area. When it rains it gets pretty bad, walking and sliding around in the mud all day. And a lot of the time we’re walking through grass over our heads. And then trying to teach someone in that area is something else. Every time we go over and talk to them their only reply is (Minty Brofo), it means don’t understand English. We’re always getting that one or another one is “Fine Morning” Haha… That’s about all they say around here. But other parts of our area that are more developed, they speak pretty good Brofo. So little by little it is coming along.
The people and their living conditions here are about the same as my previous areas, other than the people look a little different. But everything else is the same. The living situations in the outskirts of town are like the village. There is no running water. For the most part, not many houses have running water. They have to fetch it from the well, then bring it back to the house. And yeah, most do have power.
My companion is doing good. He’s a pretty chill guy and a hard worker. He says he was a Muslim till he was 9, then his uncle came and starting taking him to church and he was baptized soon after that. He has a brother and his uncles family are members, but the rest aren’t. He says he will try and convert them when he gets back.
So yeah the members understand the priesthood. Some of them don’t like to use it, but yeah they understand it and what it means and is. So yes we carry oil. And yeah, I have given a handful of blessings since I have been on mission.
Well the time is hear once again for the cows to go. I wish I could be there, but next year I will be. Hope all goes well and they go well up the hill. Are you gonna camp or just come back down the same day? Good luck and take it easy! May God Bless!
Love ya,
Elder Ty Blackburn
ps. The place that we are emailing you can’t download pictures, and all the other cafe's are lights out. I guess I will just wait till next week. :)
Monday, May 26, 2014
Monday, May 19, 2014
POST 56
Hi Everyone,
Yes, I have arrived in Nkawkaw and it’s a powerful place. It’s in the mountains and the climate is quite a bit cooler than Kumasi for the most part. It rains everyday and it’s just a neat place. Big ridge/cliff to the north of town. I feel right at home. Our area is pretty much just village, but we have powerful members and investigators. My companion is cool, Elder Sesay from Sierra Leone. The other two missionaries I live with are Kaufusi and Roach. The chapel is about 25 min or so walk from the apartment, buts it’s a cool place as well. I’ll take some pictures next week. We also had a baptism yesterday, so I can’t complain really. Our apartment is good. It‘s really small but it’s clean and quite new. It’s pretty much like staying at a motel.
Nkawkaw has 2 branches. We are in branch 2. Church starts at 10 and goes the three hours. We have maybe 20 members, but for all three hours we stay in the sacrament hall, due to not enough rooms. We have to have Sunday School and Priesthood in the same place. So by the time church was over I was half asleep and had no idea what was really being said cuz of listening to twi for the past three hours.. haha…. But it was good!!
That is cool about the guy from Ghana that works at Barneys. Yeah, I’m sure he will know about all the places and everthing about Ghana. Anyway, Tuesday evening Esplin came and stayed in Buokrom. We talked about a lot of things, had some nice rice and talked some more. Then on Wednesday he and Agbeko went with me to metro mass, and then from there they went back to Buokrom. So we waited for a little bit, then for those who were leaving we got on a bus that was going to Accra. Nkawkaw is half way in between Kumasi and Accra. We probably waited for one hour for it to fill up. There was not even 25 people when they decided to start moving. So it took us 2 hours or so to get here, maybe a little longer. I think next week we will go to some waterfall above Nkawkaw. They say there are monkeys and some other things.
On Saturday I got the two packages and was real happy to get them. Thanks for everything that you sent. Anyway, that is about it here in Nkawkaw. I hope all is well back home. Thanks again for everything!! Take care!! Till next week.
Love Elder Ty Blackburn
Yes, I have arrived in Nkawkaw and it’s a powerful place. It’s in the mountains and the climate is quite a bit cooler than Kumasi for the most part. It rains everyday and it’s just a neat place. Big ridge/cliff to the north of town. I feel right at home. Our area is pretty much just village, but we have powerful members and investigators. My companion is cool, Elder Sesay from Sierra Leone. The other two missionaries I live with are Kaufusi and Roach. The chapel is about 25 min or so walk from the apartment, buts it’s a cool place as well. I’ll take some pictures next week. We also had a baptism yesterday, so I can’t complain really. Our apartment is good. It‘s really small but it’s clean and quite new. It’s pretty much like staying at a motel.
Nkawkaw has 2 branches. We are in branch 2. Church starts at 10 and goes the three hours. We have maybe 20 members, but for all three hours we stay in the sacrament hall, due to not enough rooms. We have to have Sunday School and Priesthood in the same place. So by the time church was over I was half asleep and had no idea what was really being said cuz of listening to twi for the past three hours.. haha…. But it was good!!
That is cool about the guy from Ghana that works at Barneys. Yeah, I’m sure he will know about all the places and everthing about Ghana. Anyway, Tuesday evening Esplin came and stayed in Buokrom. We talked about a lot of things, had some nice rice and talked some more. Then on Wednesday he and Agbeko went with me to metro mass, and then from there they went back to Buokrom. So we waited for a little bit, then for those who were leaving we got on a bus that was going to Accra. Nkawkaw is half way in between Kumasi and Accra. We probably waited for one hour for it to fill up. There was not even 25 people when they decided to start moving. So it took us 2 hours or so to get here, maybe a little longer. I think next week we will go to some waterfall above Nkawkaw. They say there are monkeys and some other things.
On Saturday I got the two packages and was real happy to get them. Thanks for everything that you sent. Anyway, that is about it here in Nkawkaw. I hope all is well back home. Thanks again for everything!! Take care!! Till next week.
Love Elder Ty Blackburn
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
POST 55
Hello Everyone,
Once again it is Monday. I enjoyed yesterday hearing and talking to everyone. It feels good to see that everyone and their families are doing and getting along well.
On Friday around lunch time we were waiting to buy fried rice at Jacobs and President Holmes called. He thanked me for all the hard work I have done being a DL and taking my calling serious and he released me as DL and I am going to be leaving Buokrom. I’m going to be going to a place called Nkawkaw. It’s in the Eastern Region of Ghana; so no more Ashaniti! Haha.. My new companions name is Elder Sesay from Sierre Leone. He is my son, (Elder Agbeko's) mtc mate. He came the same time. My new area is in the mountains. It's around an hour from Lake Volta. It's more out in the bush, kind of like Obuasi. But as for the news in Buokrom; Elder Esplin is coming to replace me as DL to be with Agbeko. It seems like he’s following me around, first Obuasi, now Buokrom!! Haha.. Even tomorrow he is coming to stay the night with me and Agbeko, so we will have an enjoyable evening.
So that’s about the news for this past week. I will send a few pictures attached. So thanks and best go.. Take care!
Love Elder Ty Blackburn
Once again it is Monday. I enjoyed yesterday hearing and talking to everyone. It feels good to see that everyone and their families are doing and getting along well.
On Friday around lunch time we were waiting to buy fried rice at Jacobs and President Holmes called. He thanked me for all the hard work I have done being a DL and taking my calling serious and he released me as DL and I am going to be leaving Buokrom. I’m going to be going to a place called Nkawkaw. It’s in the Eastern Region of Ghana; so no more Ashaniti! Haha.. My new companions name is Elder Sesay from Sierre Leone. He is my son, (Elder Agbeko's) mtc mate. He came the same time. My new area is in the mountains. It's around an hour from Lake Volta. It's more out in the bush, kind of like Obuasi. But as for the news in Buokrom; Elder Esplin is coming to replace me as DL to be with Agbeko. It seems like he’s following me around, first Obuasi, now Buokrom!! Haha.. Even tomorrow he is coming to stay the night with me and Agbeko, so we will have an enjoyable evening.
So that’s about the news for this past week. I will send a few pictures attached. So thanks and best go.. Take care!
Love Elder Ty Blackburn
Eating at a members house.
Elder Kinghorn and I at Bonwire (pronounced bonwii). We stopped by after the mission tour last week and bought some handmade ties.
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Bonwire- A village where people weave Kente cloth.
It's a pretty amazing place!!!
Monday, May 5, 2014
POST 54
Hello Everyone,
Yeah, it is Monday again. Another week has slipped away already. It is always nice to be able to come in and email to the family, relax, sit in a/c and maybe take a mineral? Haha… So yesterday, we wasn’t able to have a baptism, due to not being able to teach the guy during the week. He works in town and doesn’t get back till like 8 or 9 at night, and he stays some where far. Hopefully next Sunday. I don’t know yet about transfers. Either Friday or Saturday I’ll know for sure what is going to happen. I’m pretty sure that Agbeko will stay. Who know what could happen???
This past week has been the same exact thing as last week. Every other night the power has gone out at around six and doesn’t come back till we are asleep. So it’s quite something else to be able to fall asleep. I’ve slept on the chairs in the dining room, thought about sleeping on the floor buts it’s too hard, so I just crash somewhere or anywhere I can get comfortable. But yes, we are extremely spoiled in U.S!!! This is the REAL mission people say; washing your clothes by hand, walking everywhere all day everyday, on and on. But its all good.. ☺
So about the big trees. Yes, they are everywhere. Some of them are 10-12 feet around at the base, but those ones are really far and few between. All of them are really tall and big. Even the littler ones are quite big. When we were picking mangos last week, it was pretty fun to crawl around in that large of a tree. There are plenty mangos still there in the same trees. Everywhere we go they are selling mangos for a good price, so I just usually buy the ones they sell. They are more sweet and better tasting.
There are cows everywhere! So for us we stay around the zongo. There are plenty of Muslims. Most of them have plenty of cows that they let loose in the daytime, then they come back at night. The cows usually like to eat leftover food out of the trash and paper or cardboard.
About the family we are teaching, they are doing well. The father came to church again and said that the rest were busy, so next week. They are really receptive and coherant with what we are there for. They stay quite far in a place called South Africa. (it’s a part of Buokrom)
Anyway for the people we teach, I’d have to say about 90% stay active and remain in the church. The thing about Ghana is that there are plenty of countless churches that are all about money. Usually the Ashanti’s don’t like too much change, so some of them go back to their old church where they can sing, dance, get the holy spirit by clapping their hands, and getting the right beat to the drums, haha. Just come with your money, sing and dance, then go back home till next Sunday. But the ones that are serious, remain active and stay strong. There is some sort of program the church offers here that helps members get jobs and their chosen occupations. It’s at the Dichemso Chapel. Every time we go, we see quite a few people going and getting help through the church.
So this coming Thursday is our mission tour. Elder Vinson is going to be coming and talking to us for a few hours. It ought to be a good time. Hopefully a nice rice and chicken dinner afterwards. Haha..
I better go. We will talk more this weekend. I’ll most likely call when you guys get back from church, or I might call before you go for a few min. But probably after church. So take care! Talk to you soon!
Love Elder Ty Blackburn
Yeah, it is Monday again. Another week has slipped away already. It is always nice to be able to come in and email to the family, relax, sit in a/c and maybe take a mineral? Haha… So yesterday, we wasn’t able to have a baptism, due to not being able to teach the guy during the week. He works in town and doesn’t get back till like 8 or 9 at night, and he stays some where far. Hopefully next Sunday. I don’t know yet about transfers. Either Friday or Saturday I’ll know for sure what is going to happen. I’m pretty sure that Agbeko will stay. Who know what could happen???
This past week has been the same exact thing as last week. Every other night the power has gone out at around six and doesn’t come back till we are asleep. So it’s quite something else to be able to fall asleep. I’ve slept on the chairs in the dining room, thought about sleeping on the floor buts it’s too hard, so I just crash somewhere or anywhere I can get comfortable. But yes, we are extremely spoiled in U.S!!! This is the REAL mission people say; washing your clothes by hand, walking everywhere all day everyday, on and on. But its all good.. ☺
So about the big trees. Yes, they are everywhere. Some of them are 10-12 feet around at the base, but those ones are really far and few between. All of them are really tall and big. Even the littler ones are quite big. When we were picking mangos last week, it was pretty fun to crawl around in that large of a tree. There are plenty mangos still there in the same trees. Everywhere we go they are selling mangos for a good price, so I just usually buy the ones they sell. They are more sweet and better tasting.
There are cows everywhere! So for us we stay around the zongo. There are plenty of Muslims. Most of them have plenty of cows that they let loose in the daytime, then they come back at night. The cows usually like to eat leftover food out of the trash and paper or cardboard.
About the family we are teaching, they are doing well. The father came to church again and said that the rest were busy, so next week. They are really receptive and coherant with what we are there for. They stay quite far in a place called South Africa. (it’s a part of Buokrom)
Anyway for the people we teach, I’d have to say about 90% stay active and remain in the church. The thing about Ghana is that there are plenty of countless churches that are all about money. Usually the Ashanti’s don’t like too much change, so some of them go back to their old church where they can sing, dance, get the holy spirit by clapping their hands, and getting the right beat to the drums, haha. Just come with your money, sing and dance, then go back home till next Sunday. But the ones that are serious, remain active and stay strong. There is some sort of program the church offers here that helps members get jobs and their chosen occupations. It’s at the Dichemso Chapel. Every time we go, we see quite a few people going and getting help through the church.
So this coming Thursday is our mission tour. Elder Vinson is going to be coming and talking to us for a few hours. It ought to be a good time. Hopefully a nice rice and chicken dinner afterwards. Haha..
I better go. We will talk more this weekend. I’ll most likely call when you guys get back from church, or I might call before you go for a few min. But probably after church. So take care! Talk to you soon!
Love Elder Ty Blackburn
Boukrom scenery
Wandering pigs
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