Today is our grandson Parker’s 14th birthday. The worst part of being over here is missing the special days! We called him and sang to him; he is 14. I am sure that our singing was the highlight of his day. He is not feeling well; he had to check out of school today because he is sick. It is pretty bad to be sick on your birthday. We told him we would have a proper birthday when we get back home. Part of their birthday includes a meal with all the family; the birthday person gets to choose their favorite foods. We don’t care if the foods go together or not. We have had everything from Ghanaian to Lebanese to Mexican to Chinese to Vietnamese to German to American to the strange and bizarre and everything between. We don’t mind mixing different cultures into the same meal. We told him to be careful when picking his dessert because the dessert can make or break the meal!
We spent the day in Tamale. The air conditioning in the green truck went out. Last Sunday was not too hot so we did not suffer too badly without the A/C but that is not always going to be the case and hot days are coming! We had Red drive the green truck and Steve drove the van. We figured that they could not fix the truck in one day and we could not spend the night in Tamale because the monthly evangelist / church leaders class starts tomorrow morning. The compressor had a leak which could not be fixed. The mechanic had to order one to be sent from Accra. It will arrive tomorrow morning by market car. It should be finished by tomorrow afternoon. Red does not mind spending the night in Tamale because we give him money for a hotel room; he pockets the money and stays with his sister. We are just happy to have someone to rely on.
Timothy Niligrini went with us to Tamale. A friend of his told him about a shop that sold the strapping material and clasps for book bags. Timothy has started making and selling book bags. The bags look very professional. I wanted to see the shop too. The shop did not impress me; there was nothing pretty in the shop and it did not have fabric. Timothy only bought a couple things but he said that the zippers and strapping material were a better quality than he could buy at the regular sewing shop.
While we were in Tamale we stopped at the bank and renewed our non-citizen card. Previously we could only renew it year by year but this time we were given the opportunity to renew it for 1, 2, 3 or 5 years. I don’t know what happened to the 4 year renewal. The guy said that if we wanted 4 years we would have to renew 2 year twice and get 2 cards. Really! We said we wanted to renew for 5 years. The guy helping us said, “Yes, 5 years would be good if you are going to be alive in 5 years! We couldn’t help but laugh! Do we look that bad? Some of those passport pictures make you look like you are on your way out! That bank is the slowest bank! Hurry up and wait! At least we don’t have to do it for 5 years.
We stopped to check on a used sewing machine that one of the tailors promised to let me see just before we left Ghana in June. We stopped by the day we flew into Tamale but the guy was not around. Today the man was there but the sewing machine was not. He assured me that he had the machine and that he would bring it to his shop next week. We will see if that works out.
We took Timothy to see the huge department store that has recently been built in Tamale. It is a big warehouse type building with almost every plastic thing that China has ever made. Timothy was amazed; he had never been in such a big store.
Please keep us in your prayers.
In HIS Service,
Steve and Kandie
The Monkeyshines
Today was the worst day ever! My people ran away and left me alone! I was abandoned! I think that people can be put in jail for abandoning their children! Someone call the Child Protective Services! I was left in my jail cell all day; well, almost all day! They left me this morning at 6:30. I could see them loading the van! I cried and cried for someone to come and set me free but they just kept on going. All I got was “Don’t cry, we will be back soon!” Well, they lied! They did not come back soon! They did not come back until it was almost dark! They left food for me with Mr. Iddrisu and Donkey but that only feeds the body not the soul! I need human contact; I need to be loved and petted! I was so wild when they finally got home that I could not control myself! I climbed in and out of Dad’s shirt. Once I jumped off the desk and dove right into his shirt! Sometimes I would pop my head out of the arm hole. Then I would jump over on Mom’s chair and climb down her shirt. At times I was very sweet and would give kisses but then something would come over me and I would have to bite someone.
I figured out that Mom has earrings on. I can’t usually see them because of her hair but now that I have found them I have to hunt for them whenever I get close to her. I wish I had earrings! I wonder how she got them. I think a monkey with earrings would be cool! I would look like a pirate!
Aye! Matey!
Love, Skeeter
