Couples Retreat

President Schulz has been wanting to get the couples together for some time and have a little retreat.  After their last mission presidents' seminar they wanted to take us up to theVolta River for a river ride.   We needed to get it done before the Bybee's leave to go home the first of January.  So we traveled together into Accra and connected with President and Sister Graham. They are in charge of the MTC for West Africa.  Then we went shopping, of all things.  How is that a retreat?  But I found out that is an item on the top of the sisters list.  Sister Ivie joined right in,  she found a very pretty skirt and some  great material.

  Then it was off to KFC. Now that is more like a treat.  After lunch we traveling out to Tema where the MTC is located.,We made a quick stop at the Acra mall  

(you just don't come to town without stopping at the mall.) Then we went out for pizza and had hamburgers.  After dinner we went to the MTC and enjoyed a movie on their big screen TV.  All of the missionary 's had left this morning to their mission assignments. 

This is the hotel the mission presidents' and their wives stayed in during their seminar.  It is owned by a member of the Seventies Quourm.  It is one of the nicest hotels any where in the world. Rooms go for $300.00. US a night.  That may be the reason we stayed at the MTC as guest of the Graham's.

Very beautiful pool

The beach and launch area were next door to the Hotel.  We had to qualify as happy people to take the boat ride.   They look pretty happy.  Sisters Bybee's, Graham, Ivie, Schulz, Crittenden

That is one big bridge

Some African shacks are a little nicer than others

These kids were playing on the beach when we returned, and you cannot pass up a photo shoot.

After the river trip we traveled to see how beads are made.  CEDI is the owner of this company and when he was a born the country was changing its currency.  His mother said he would be the one to carry on the business and make good money so they named him CEDI.  This bead-making business has been in his family many generations and the operation is still very similar to the old way

The compound where they all live and work is very nice and peaceful.  They had a nice place to have a picnic before we were given the tour.  Sister Graham is one of his best salespersons. She is always directing people to check it out.

They primarily recycle glass to make the beads.  and they have to check for compatible glass as they mix the colors.  They even pulverize the glass and mix it with a paint pigment to make the designs and patterns   They may fire the beads several times to get the finished product.

The molds and the kiln is made out of the red clay from the termite hills.  We have shown a few in past blogs.  They dig into the center and get the dirt mixed with the termite salvia, and then fire the mold.  The process reaches temperatures of 1800 to 2000 degrees.

The mango is just now coming into season, and the trees in this area was loaded.  Sister Ivie was so happy to be able to finally get her mango's

We went out for Chinese, and it was very good.  The table had a large glass turn table and we loaded all of the different foods and everyone was able to try it all. 

This is Christmas tree at the MTC that Sister Graham fixed for the season.  This one and the one in the Cape Coast Mission Home are the only two nice looking Christmas Tree's that we have seen.