Hope all of you have paid your taxes. The GRA office (IRS) called Steve and told him that they needed him to come by the office so that they could give him something. Immediately, I was sick! They never call us unless there is a problem! We were in the middle of eating lunch when they called. That was the end of my appetite! We got up from the table and headed to the office. Fortunately, they have an office here in Yendi. As soon as we sat down in the office, I asked if we were in trouble! The officer laughed and said, “Not really, we want to give you something but I don’t know if you would prefer a calendar or a planner or record book.” You have got to be kidding me! You would worry us and make us come to the office to pick up a calendar or planner and the year is already ¼ of the way gone! I quickly said we needed a planner. He decided to give us a calendar too. We were so relieved. I told the officer that he frightened me and that the next time he has a gift for us just say it when he calls! He thought that was all very funny!
This morning Mr. Iddrisu said that the bank had never called him to come pick up the receipt for the taxes that we paid by check that was dated the day before we presented it at the bank. Mr. Iddrisu went to the bank as soon as it opened and retrieved the receipt. It is absolutely necessary to keep track of all receipts because someone will come and ask for them.
Zorash was off again today; she went to Tamale for another meeting. Sometimes she learns important things at these meeting but other times they are a waste of time. Steve sent her a text and told her that we had to go to Tamale tomorrow; she wrote back and said that she planned on being back at work tomorrow.
Timothy came to the mission house this morning to pick up his pay packet; it is market day in Sambu and he needed to buy the last of the items he will need for preforming his father and mother’s funerals.
Divine also stopped by this morning and we finalized the churches’ paperwork and got it sent off to Tamale by the state transport bus. Divine sent the money through the mobile money system. We really enjoy this mobile money transfer system. Sure beats carrying wads of cash around.
Divine also met with the building engineer this morning. He did not get as good of news as he would have liked to get. He thought that he was going to be able to put up the clinic in his village with no interference from the planning and building commission because it is out in the village. He was surprised. I think he will be even more surprised when they find out that he has no land papers or leases on the land he is planning on building on. Things are changing in Ghana!
Take care, please pray for the work.
In HIS Service,
Steve, Kandie and Skeeter
The Monkeyshines
This is the first time in a long time that I have gone down to the Child Center to help with the work. It was good to be back in the Center. I like to see the people as long as they do not get too close to me. Today, Meri was eating TZ (T-Zed) which is very stiff boiled cornmeal mush; she threw a small bite over to me and I gobbled it up! She was so surprised that I ate TZ. TZ is the most common food here in Northern Ghana. I am a Ghanaian monkey, of course I would like TZ. Now I did not like that fishy soup that it was served with but Meri was kind and only gave me bites of the TZ.
This morning when the parents came back from their walk, Dad came in the yard carrying a huge branch off a Bougainvillea plant and Mom was carrying a branch off of a Norfolk Pine tree. One of the neighbors had cut down some of the plants in their yard and Mom grabbed onto them; she is going to try and root them. Really, that woman is embarrassing! Raffling through stuff that people throw out on the side of the road. I enjoyed the fruits of their scavenging! After they took the cuttings off the Bougainvillea they left it in the yard for me. It had the tastiest white flowers but watch out for those thorns, they will hurt you!
Does anyone out there have a “green thumb”? I am not sure Mom knows what she is doing!
Love, Skeeter
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