July 3, 2021

 

We were invited to the Swedru, Ghana Stake Gathering Place Launch. We drove through extremely congested traffic to arrive 1 1/2 hours late to an event that was attended by a local zone of missionaries, 12 bishops/branch presidents, 92 YSA, various stake members, EIGHT TRIBAL CHIEFS, and Swedru's Queen Mother. The royalty were dressed in their colorful robes and gold bangles—literally from neck to toe! Traffic is so unpredictable here that our three-hour drive turned into 4 1/2 hours, moving only inches at a time for miles and miles.

We loved the sights along the way, it was the furthest out of Accra that we’ve been, so most of what we passed was new to us. The poverty, filth, and raw humanity is overwhelming. While we were still in the Accra city limits, there were women hawking their wares through the lines of traffic that they carry so expertly in large bowls and platters on their heads. They not only walk through stopped cars looking for business, but if they get a customer just as the traffic starts moving, they run next to the moving car to complete the sale without dropping even a peanut. It is a wonder to watch. The women are elegant and straight with beautiful posture. In addition to the women hawking and children begging, the roadsides are lined with people being resourceful just to earn enough to be able to eat.

The congested areas of people and dense traffic opened into thickly vegetated lands where banana, coconut, mango and papaya trees grew randomly for miles and miles. There were small villages of thatched roofed mud huts along side plywood structures with corrugated aluminum tops held down by a rock or two. Each little place had chickens and goats running about, along with the most beautiful little children you can imagine.

Yes, we THE DALE MUNK FAMILY were late! Here, it is normal to be late, but the interesting part is that congregation sat in their chairs waiting for us to arrive. The people are very differential, patient and respectful. The entry road to the building was unpaved, bumpy and full of large potholes. Very much a “dancing road”!  The mud road lead us to the nicely walled and landscaped chapel entrance. There were two awnings set up in the parking lot for the congregation and one for the dignitaries. There was also a five man drum corp playing native music on hand made drums. The drum playing was impressive and became more so when the local dancers joined in. It was truly a great cultural experience for us! The tribal chiefs all arrived shortly after we did. They were escorted to their seats with waving and clapping by the YSA. It was clear that the young people knew them and they knew the kids. 

The Gathering Place is an attempt by church leaders to get our YSA into our buildings, learning, interacting and progressing. Each of the 160 stakes and districts in West Africa have either launched a Gather Place, or they are in the process of doing so. Pathway classes, self-reliance classes, English Connect classes, and job preparation skills will be taught based on the decisions of the stake president in consoltation with his YSA committee and YSA support couple. The enthusiasm for gathering together is high, the attitudes of YSA are positive and expectant. The chiefs, speaking in Twe, spoke a few words I could understand—Latter-day Saints, white man, good. Translation: What the Latter-day Saint white man is doing is good. We want all that is good for our community. Can anyone come? When we said yes, they were overjoyed. 

It was a beautiful fulfilling event that was the culimation of close to a year’s work from a remote full-time missionary couple who lives in WA State. We were thrilled to be able to attend on their behalf. We witnessed one example of President Nelson’s directive, "The gathering of Israel is the most important thing taking place on the earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty.”

We love the Gospel and the work we have been called to do.