This weeks postings are a hodge podge of things that have happened the last 2 weeks. We had a lovely drive this past week to the bead market, but this sign caused us to stop right in the middle of traffic in order to get a picture. Telling you the name of this business just wouldn't have given the full detail. We are sure you will agree this one wins the prize for the most creative business name of the week.

This last Saturday we made a return trip to the Agomanya bead market. See any beads you like? 

This is one of those beautiful African trees that we love. We took the picture because you can get some perspective of it's size next to the new house, and the man in the foreground. These trees are a regal and beautiful sight in the African countryside.

The large Saturday market where we buy the beads also has stalls where the locals buy anything and everything. These stalls just happen to have used clothing, bedding, and cloth. 

I wish someone else besides me could decide which ones of these to buy. There are too many choices. This is just one row of stalls. There are about 7 other rows just like this one with bead sellers on both sides of the row.  

We wanted to label this picture "man at work". Women do most of the work in West Africa, and it often appears that West African men can sleep just about anywhere. It is very common to see men asleep on tables, benches, or even the ground while the women are off selling, cleaning or cooking. The large rock in the rear is actually a termite mound and they are also very common in West Africa

This will give you an idea of the sizes of some of the termite mounds. This isn't an extremely large one, but a pretty common size. There are some much taller. 

Bread stalls like these line the roads on Saturdays when everyone is going to funerals. You may see 30-40 of these stalls on the main roads out of town. Many people take bread to the family when they go to funerals. 

This is Kwame with his Mom, Bernice. Kwame doesn't mind white people because he is around them all the time. He gets lots of hugs and he loves the attention 

Say hello to Kwame. He is the one who gives me my weekly grandma fix. When I just have to get on the floor and play, he giggles, squeals, and is totally content for me to play peek-a-boo with him for an hour.  

We are celebrating Sister Thompson's birthday (notice the candle). Elder Thompson (our Area Executive Secretary) is at the head of the table. The 2 ladies opposite us were visitors from Church Headquarters who came to Ghana to do Family History training. One of them is in the Thompson's ward and brought a suitcase of presents and goodies from the Thompson's kids and grandkids.  

Our farewell picture with President & Sister Ritchie of the Ghana MTC, Eugene Engeman (MTC Director), and Elder & Sister Child 

Spending the morning at the Osu Orphanage - these two were crying and needed to be held. They were happy as can be until I had to leave. 

This is President Oteng of the Swedru District posing with Sister Dil of the Cape Coast Mission in his ceramic shop. The two silver pieces are his hand made kilns. Between this and his teaching post at the University of Swedru he supports his family.  

This is some of the clay that President Oteng uses in the making of his ceramic pots. 

This scene of the fisherman at the Cape Coast Castle where we took the sisters for a tour looks like it could have been happening a few hundred years ago 

The fisherman at Cape Coast Castle are pulling in the nets. It's still being done the way it has been done for centuries. 

I think the plaque was added by the descendants of those who went through this door and never saw home and family again. 

On our return to Cape Coast Castle I finally got an unobstructed picture of the door of no return. The small door to the left was a holding cell for the women. 

As we arrived at the Takoradi Stake Center to begin our training we were welcomed by Young Women in traditional dress and beads doing native dances to the beat of drums. It was colorful and exciting. 

Our welcoming dancers dance us into the ward building. They presented the General Board Sisters with flowers too. 

The drumming Young Men and the Grandmothers of the Takoradi Stake who were showing us how to do the dance. 

President Dil of the Cape Coast Mission and are drummers who provided the beat for he dancers. You can see Sister Lifferth and Sister Dalton joined in the dancing too. 

Some of the YW (with their leaders) who came to the Auxiliary training in Takoradi to be with their friends. They loved Elaine and Margaret 

This father and son saw the women getting their pictures taken and didn't want to be left out of the fun. They are such sweet people in Ghana