Christmas Week in Ghana

We had several holiday activities this week, including two more Christmas Conferences with our missionaries, Christmas Eve Mission open house, church on Sunday and Christmas Day dinner with the Heids and Jones's.

Last Sunday was a Ghana Accra Mission open house for any vendors, friends, Area staff, etc. who wanted to stop by and see the mission home compound.  Sister Heid really likes lights and not many people actually decorate in Ghana.

It was Sister Heid's birthday and she loves chocolate.  So, Nancy made her a cake and we sang Happy Birthday.

A Young Single Adult group stopped by to sing Happy Birthday to Sister Heid and serenade us with some African Christmas music.

At Sister Scripture Study on Monday, some women brought nativity sets to display. 

 This set was made of soapstone.

This set "gives you pause to think about the power of Christ to heal the sins and sorrows of this world."  The nativity is made from the brass shell casings of bullets that were used in the civil wars 1989-1996 and 1999-2003.  The carver is a member of the church in Liberia.

For December senior missionary Family Home Evening, we had a delicious buffet, sang Christmas carols and had a gift exchange. 

Nancy got a wallet and beaded necklace and earring set. 

During the gift exchange, Elder Darrell Webster and Elder Stephen Webster negotiated who would keep which purse!!

This Christmas banner is typical of holiday decorations around buildings.  This is at the entrance to the Area Offices.

Gathering for a missionary Christmas Conference.

A lunch buffet is always a popular item at the Christmas Conference for missionaries.  President was able to greet all the missionaries (174) in the entire mission between our Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday meetings. 

 This district acted out the Nativity as they sang.

Stan and Elder Harris, with the red cap, sang an upbeat rendition of Angels We Have Heard on High.  Elder Koronikalou was just holding the mic.

After the conference was "officially" over, the "islanders" plus one adopted son, performed the Haka.

 We finally started some Christmas baking this weekend!  Stan helped frost the sugar cookies.

 Nancy made cinnamon rolls to share for Christmas morning.

Christmas Eve afternoon, there was a pool party at the Temple View apartments where the Area Presidency lives and the Temple President.  The Heids were showing off their water ping pong skill.  President Heid had a nasty cold all week so it was good to see him back in action.

Where there are senior missionaries, there is food.  Wonderful barbecued chicken and salmon plus more!!

 After the Christmas Eve "buffet", there was another open house at the mission home.  Joseph, one of our security guards, came with this wife.

 Sister Heid had a creche display.

One of the visitors was wearing a "Light the World" T-shirt, reminding us of the church campaign to encourage us to do service during the month of December.

 The office elders supervised the refreshment and coloring tables.  (Ben Gibbah is a finance employee at the Area office and came with his family.)

Gilbert, our mission facilities supervisor, and his wife, Cynthia, pose with Mildred in front of the mission home tree.  Cynthia is a nurse and works about 3 hours from Accra.  She and Gilbert only spend every other weekend together.   Many couples have that kind of situation where they are married but live in separate locations in order to provide for their family. 

This is a better picture of Mildred.  We finally got her to smile but not in this picture.  She carried around that cookie all night!

Sister Heid was given this quilt in California after their first mission 4 years ago.  She brought it back to Ghana when they were called to be Mission President. 

Look who showed up at the mission open house, our former AP's, Charles Osei-Brobbey on the left and Livingstone Quarshie, on the right.  They came to visit friends and members during the long Christmas holiday weekend.  Charles is still looking for work and applying for college.  Livingstone is doing his National Service obligation and "working" for an energy company in his home town of Takoradi, about 5 hours from Accra.

 Christmas morning we enjoyed scrambled eggs and a cinnamon roll before attending church.

 After church we posed by our Christmas tree.

We were thrilled that packages from our family arrived in time for Christmas and everything was intact!

We enjoyed a nice Christmas dinner at the Mission home with the Heids and the Jones's.  President had not yet filled his plate when we took the picture!! The Jones's provided the turkey (expensive here in Ghana) and Nancy made lemon meringue pie.