This afternoon has been so quiet! There are no carpenters or masons working; they finished their work around 1:00. I mean they really finished the work. The mason worked on the leak in the cement gutter that encircles the roof and catches rain water. We are not sure that the work he did will fix the problem completely but we think it will. We will have to wait until we get another big rain to be sure. Shiabu, the electrician worked hard today to get all the lights re-connected. It was amazing that the men who took the ceiling down did not even try to mark the wires so it would be easier to figure out which wires fed which lights and switches. I honestly think he could have wired a new house faster. We are pleased because at the moment all the lights and switches are working. We are by no means finished with the remodeling but what is left we should be able to finish with the help of Mr. Iddrisu and Nazo. Steve spent the afternoon patching holes. He still has lots to do; right now he is at the hardware store buying more patch. Mr. Iddrisu got a couple more table painted today and also a bookshelf.
While we were taking our walk this morning we met Mr. Oldman. He has a motorcycle and he was taking his son to school. He stopped to visit with us and we noticed his wife walking down the road headed to town. Neither of them thought anything about the child getting a ride and the wife walking; but, I can tell you right here and now that if my husband could take our child to school and I had to walk to town I would not be happy! The motorcycle is big enough for all three of them to ride on at the same time or how about this, take the child to school and come back and pick me up and take me to town! That is just not the way they look at things. Women really are not considered as important as men in this society!
While we were talking to Mr. Oldman he said that his great-uncle died. His uncle was the chief of Karaga. Mr. Oldman was organizing a bus to take a bunch of the relatives to the funeral. Karaga is 53 miles from Yendi. The road is only good part of the way. They will stay for a few days and then next week they will have to go back for the enskinment of the regent. In this part of Ghana the chiefs do not sit on thrones like they do in other parts of the world. In the southern part of Ghana the chief (Kings) sit on stools and they speak of enstooling a new king. In the northern part of Ghana were we live the chiefs (kings) sit on animal skins so regents and new chiefs are enskinned.
We got a heavy rain last night. The cistern is 1/3 of the way full. I am so excited! We now have enough water so we can start washing the curtains and bedding that got wet when the roof was off the house. Oh! Happy Day! Who knew you could get so excited about water!!!
Take care and enjoy your day!
In His Service,
Steve and Kandie
