Week 43 - Abomosu

Family,

We hope you are all well and gearing up for the start of a new school year. Squeezing in that last camping trip, picnic, family outing or wood hauling trip was always a must at the Lambert home!

This week we trekked to the most northern part of our mission and stayed overnight with Elder and Sister Bingham from Idaho. They have lived in the community of Abomosu for 18 months (with 5 months remaining). This area is quite remote, and with no high school many youth are sent to the city to continue their education. Once there they have little desire to return home because there are no jobs/industry or opportunities to progress. So it is an economically disadvantaged area. However, the rural way of life is appealing to Elder Lambert and myself.

The Binghams introduced us to three families on Thursday; each of them pulled at our heartstrings. Raymond is 14 and has HIV, if the Binghams had not intervened he would be dead. Severely malnourished, and sick, they took him to the hospital where he stayed for a week. He is now home and putting on a little weight. His smile gave us hope that he will survive the challenges ahead. Esther, another of their friends fell and landed on her stomach. it sent her into labor so she was rushed to the hospital where she gave birth to a premature baby a week ago via C-section. Both mom and baby are home and doing well. Home is an unfurnished room, shared by other family members. They sleep on the cement floor on their clothes- extremely poor conditions. Lastly, we met Robert, an older gentleman with many health issues, but quite a character! He is learning about the church and wants to be baptized but is scheduled for a hernia surgery next week. Honestly, to sit with these people and hear their stories is a tender experience that can't be duplicated anywhere. I still cant wrap my head around the feelings I have in their presence.

On Friday we met with the leadership from the six branches of the church in this district. We even greeted them in their native language. "Me ma mo arche" = "I greet you all this morning." We got several smiles and nods of approval so we must have said it right! Self reliance is a challenge here because of so many factors which are difficult to explain to you but we believe the SR foundation principles alone will help improve faith, self esteem and the desire to change habits and form new skills. We will be returning to Abomosu in the future.

On Saturday we joined about 400 members of Kaneshie stake in the All Africa Day of Service. We only had a vague idea of where to go but when we saw a large group wearing yellow "Mormon Helping Hands" vests we knew we were in the right place! Our project? To clean up Bortianor beach by picking up garbage, plastic containers, fishing net, rope and anything you can imagine that washes up on the shore. It was so fun and rewarding to do some good in the community. AND, we met a native of Abomosu who asked Elder Lambert if it's OK to be a chief and a member of the church. (He is both) To which Elder Lambert replied, "Absolutely! You can have a huge influence on the people."  So as the conversation progressed Nana Darko wants to donate some land to the members of the church in Abomosu, to help them in whatever way he can... more goodness in Ghana. Chance meeting? We think not.

Well, as you can see there are wonderful blessings from serving a mission. Sure, it is hard at times but that's what helps us grow and develop greater faith. And as Elder Ballard noted, "The Lord does bless His missionaries. Weaknesses become strengths, challenges become opportunities, trials become triumphs, and adversity becomes an adventure in the service of the Lord- another fruit of gospel living."

And if you know us, you know we love adventures :)

We love you all, 

Elder and Sister Lambert