Saying Goodbye...Going Home

May 7-8, 2017

We attended Church this morning and were able to get a ride with E/S Miner, the office couple, as planned.  They were so much fun to visit with.  Meeting us there also was Jonathan’s family, including the two extra daughters of John Blackie.  We were all late because we didn’t know that this is one ward that starts at 8:30, so we nearly missed the Sacrament.  There are so many converts here that they now teach Gospel Essential lessons during Sunday school so that new members will better understand the Gospel. The lesson was about Adam and Eve and we could tell that one new convert did misunderstand about taking the fruit.  She thought it was a sin, not a transgression as we believe, and that it was bad, not part of the plan as we know it to be--that if Eve hadn’t partaken, none of us would be here. 

From left, Jim, Karen, Amarachi, J.C. & Jonathan; lower: Martha, Jessica, Alberta, Amarachi Jr., Jim.  Our last goodbyes for now.  

We left the hotel all freshly showered for our long day.  It didn’t take much time though to get sweaty.  Jim came back to the hotel and actually showered after church, finished packing, and then ate lunch at the hotel with Miner’s before leaving. 

We arrived in time to get on the boat to go across the water to the airport.  They have this slick picture of a really cool-looking boat, and we’d seen it before (one of their fleet) but had never been on it.  You can ride up on deck or go down inside.  They had tiny airplane seats, even more crowded than coach, two on each side of the boat.  There was a sign above that showed how to connect to the Internet—cool.  But there was no Internet.  We could tell that there was air conditioning, but there was no air conditioning that was working.  I used my fan a lot and a gal brought us very cold water (a new perk), which helped.  Next time we’ll ride on top in the open air!

Inside our ‘luxury’ boat, riding across the water with no windows to open to get air and the air conditioning either not being used or broken.  It is a slick-looking boat though.

Then they put us on the crowded bus (the seats are also very small and close together in the bus) and drove us up to the airport--more sweaty conditions…so by the time we actually got to the air conditioned terminal, we were just as ‘uggy’ as ever.  It should be better going out of Accra for our two long flights home.  At least we hope so. 

Our flight out of Sierra Leone was an hour late.  I sat by a Liberian man who was addressed by one of the passengers as “Your Excellency’.  Later I asked him why he was addressed that way and he said he was a ‘director’ in the government.  He said he gets training and then comes back and trains in Liberia.  I didn’t really understand what kind of training he actually did. 

By the time we got showered and partly unpacked and into bed, it was long after midnight.  We knew that John Buah would be in the office (back from a long trip) and could see us in the afternoon.  He is a lovely man and we learned sadly that he is retiring in a few months.  We met the new couple, E/S Redlin that replaced the Baker’s, and visited with John.  When we asked him if there was anything he wanted us to do, he simply said, “More clean water and sanitation projects.”  We are in complete agreement with him on that!

We had gotten taxi rides out on the street to the church offices—the price at the hotel taxi, 30 CD’s one way.  The price on the street: 10 CD’s one way…

We asked for a late checkout since our flight leaves late at night.

It is always good to come home!

Love, from Accra. 

Jonathan & Jim at the beach.