Our Home and Missionaries

Ok, we've finally got our apartment decorated with
all our African treasures so will post pictures of it.
These are just a few of the things we've collected.

Our living room with Kente cloth on the wall, the old Kente throw, and the African fabric for a tablecloth.

Our kitchen with the big window looking out to
the sports field and the stake center.  Also the
guard's little hut.  It's a gated compound with
a guard there 24 hours a day.

The other view of our living room with the
eliptical on the side.

Our little bathroom.

Our bedroom with our African quilt and pillows.
The quilt is a patchwork made of scraps of batik
fabric.

Lots of beads.

African baskets decorating our kitchen cabinets.

Another colorful basket where I keep
my fabric.

Basket, pottery, and African fan.

More individual beads.

Our intent was to buy some African nativities to add to our 
collection. We've seen some and they were nice, but a carver 
by the name of Wisdom visited the MTC and I was amazed 
at the quality.
This is Mary, Joseph and Jesus carved from ebony.  I first
 asked him carve the three pieces and I purchased a large set
carved from a different wood.  When he delivered these pieces 
I asked him to carve the other pieces to complete the set.

This is the first set we purchased.  The pieces are dressed in 
African clothes with the kings wearing the Kente cloth draped 
over their shoulder. The figure with the staff with a star shape
 on it is the king's spokesman, because the chief never speaks 
directly to the people.
Wisdom comes from northern Ghana and he is a second 
generation wood carver.  His father originally created these
 designs and Wisdom has carried them on.

Paula found this little nativity made from beads and raffia
in a small shop selling African crafts.  These are good luck
charms as raffia mixed with other material is thought to 
bring good luck.

These are all other things Bernece
sells at her shop that she makes.

Bernece has a bag shop and she made
a Kente purse for me.  

One of the blue and white Kente ties is mine (Loel),  Bernese needed to shorten it a bit. She's making me another tie with Christmas colors. 

I (Loel) purchased the dark scripture cover on 
the left.  

Here's Bernece, holding one of the
dresses she makes.  She's very
involved with the "Days for Girls"
project, too, in addition to running
her store.

The following are lots of our missionaries.
They are beautiful.  This Sister is from Madagascar.

Two Sisters from Madagascar.

A Sister from Cote d'Ivoire (or Ivory Coast).

Both French speaking Sisters learning English.
One from DR Congo and one from Cote d'Ivoire.

Another Sister from DR Congo.

Two French speaking Elders, learning English.
One from Togo and the other from Cote d'Ivoire.

 

Two of our teachers. Both of these brothers are 
ordinance workers and help us in the temple.

Eric, the young man who works here and asked me to be his English speaking partner.  We
meet once a week and read and talk together.  I've learned a lot from him.