click photos to enlarge

I always feel like my camera is a sacred trust.  I’ve been blessed to go to various places in the world and my job is to give you a front row seat, let you have the best view.  The following photo essay is simple.  I wanted to take you with us to the Nungua Ward on the outskirts of Accra, Ghana.  Come and see a ward in West Africa—for most of you it will be your first visit.  If you read the captions and click on the pictures to enlarge them, I’m convinced, like what happened to us, you will never be the same.  (By the way, if you look in that cover image above, you’ll notice three people who look a little out of place.  Don’t let looks be deceiving—we were right at home.)

Our trip to Ghana went by like a whirlwind.  In fact, it was going by so fast we decided to extend a few days so that we could capture all the pictures we wanted, learn more about the amazing people in this beautiful nation and frankly, we wanted to attend Church with the Ghanaian Saints.  This is a typical view of the streets in the outskirts of Accra.

We passed by this enormous pile of faggots.  This is a common site through all of Ghana where daily food is prepared in most homes over an open fire.

These tro tro’s have seen better days.  A tro tro is a general term for any public transportation vehicle other than a bus or taxi that is designed to carry many people.  Tro tro’s are plentiful and dangerous.

This was a welcome site.  These were actually members of another ward, not the one we were headed to, on their way to Church.  This was like the thrill you get when you see the missionaries any where in the world.  Your heart takes a leap for joy.

What I love about these dear brothers is their faithfulness.  Look at them carrying their scriptures and their new priesthood manual (The Teachings of Heber J. Grant).  This was amazing to me that it was the third Sunday of the new year (January 18) and they had their new manuals just like we did back in the States.

I loved this cacophony of signs.  If you click on this picture and just read the menu on the big sign on the right you’ll know that “we’re not in Kansas any more, Toto.”  I just love that sign in the middle of it all, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Maurine and I have seen signs like this in nearly every corner of the globe.  It always makes us happy.

Sister Marged Kirkpatrick of Church Public Affairs read off a list of possible wards we could attend.  The names of the wards were fascinating to us.  We listened closely.  She said, “Oh, we could attend the Nungua Ward, they are on the 8:30-11:30 AM schedule.  That sounded just right to us, no, it felt just right to us.  This was our first view of the chapel.  It was an oasis of familiarity to us.

It was a lovely morning.  By noon the temperature would soar to the mid nineties.  We got there about 8:20 and found out that the block had started at 8:00 o’clock.  No worries.  The gate here was open and the people would steadily stream in for the next two hours.

There’s that sign again.  Yes, we are always looking for signs.  The chapel yard was clean and well kept.  The grass was trimmed.  The building was in mint condition.  Most importantly, we felt the Spirit the second we entered these sacred grounds.

There were spaces for 16 cars but only five slots were filled (one of them by us in the VW Van there) and the church was full of people.  The vast majority of the people in Ghana walk to Church.  Few can afford public transportation and even fewer can afford to own a vehicle.

This brother and sister arrived about one hour late to the block schedule.  In all more than fifty people showed up quite late and we are told this is common.  Because of the great distances most have to walk they hold Priesthood/Relief Society first, then Sunday School and finally Sacrament Meeting.

Click here to go to Part 2 as we actually go in the Nungua Ward.