Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Our Super Staff at the MTC
We thought you might be interested in knowing who it is we spend our time with here in Ghana. These are the members of our staff who take such good care of us, our missionaries, and our wonderful facility here in Ghana. They are very dedicated people and work hard to please everyone. Let me tell you a little bit about each one;
Sister Deli - she is our Laundry Lady - but much more than that, she has the most fabulous laundry room in Africa - even in the whole world I would venture. She carefully folds, stores, and inventories all the sheets, mattress covers, pillows, hangers, towels, wash clothes - it is just a pleasure to see her cupboards so nicely organized and all the linen so clean - but beyond that, twice while the missionaries are here she collects their washables - shirts, socks, etc....... and washes, dries and returns them to them. This frankly is one area we do not measure up in preparing missionaries - she spoils them so badly - never again will they have the motherly care they get here at MTC.
This is Sam - Brother Sam is our maintenance man and works very hard to keep all the fancy things running here at the MTC - he knows about the generator that kicks in everytime the lights go out - which is about four times a week, but we hardly know it because of the immediate start of our generator. He supervises the cleaning and takes care of ordering the cleaning supplies - he is johnny on the spot whenever there is a problem and tries very hard to keep everything in tip top shape. He feels very badly if emergencies happen while he is away for the weekend - last Saturday one of the rooms sprang a leak and ran down into the cafeteria - we were able to get a plumber to come - he stopped the flow of water, but the correction took a couple of days to dig into, repair and then restore the enclosure - so Sam's our man to keep things going well. His staff consists of a Cleaning lady, and a cleaning lady's replacement.
As we told you and showed you our main cleaning lady Sister Selasie - she has taken a four month break to have and take care of her third child - we do miss her very much as she was a dedicated and diligent cleaner - the glass windows were always shining (still are for that matter with her replacement) - floors are clean, and she touched up the President and Sister Nielson's apartment, we always knew it had been deep cleaned instead of touched up. A super lady who enjoys very much the work she does, and she does it very well.
This is Sister Tally - who has taken over from Sister Selasie - she is also a wonderful worker and is very good to assist and help the missionaries - to give them instruction on the two service project days they have, and to help each new set of missionaries to know what they need to do to keep this great facility in good shape. We appreciate very much the cleanliness of our facility - due largely to this wonderful cleaning staff.This is the crew the missionnaires love most - well most of the missionaries lov
e most - they are the Kitchen crew who prepare four meals a day for our missionnaires. Sister Dadson is the head of the catering program with whom we contract our services. She is member of the church (as are all our staff) - but we were dear friends with her husband who travelled with CES when we were in the Congo and we had several occasions to visit him. He is currently attempting to get around a bit after suffering the severe effects of Diabetes - and kidney failure. The other five smiling faces belong to Vida, Ransford,James, Georgina, and Joseph. Their day usually starts around 5:30 - as they prepare a breakfast - then lunch, dinner and a small snack in the evening - however, the snack is always prepared ahead of time so the last one can leave for home about 7 PM or so - They all smile while they work and we appreciate them so very much.
And finally the teaching staff -those who actually work in the classrooms with the missionaries and get them ready to go and teach the lessons they are here to learn -- all seven of them are returned missionaires and the six on the left are hired for an approximate two year period - sometimes those with French ability get a little longer,as there are not a lot of them here in Ghana who are as fluent as the two we presently have. On the right is the Manager of the MTC here in Ghana Eugene Engmann - he is responsible for the entire staff - directs the affairs and business of the MTC, puts up with a new president and wife each two years - inservices the teachers and provides the instructional background and planning. Missionaries are in class from 8:30 in morning until 9:30 in the evening - but each day is broken up with either general meetings, activities, temple visits, devotionals, teaching experiences, proselyting in the general area here, Sunday Services , films, video firesides from the Provo MTC etc..... so we do appreciate this group. The Teachers names are: Brother Baidoo, Sister Ampomah, Brother Ofosu, Brother Koomson, Brother Mintah, and Brother Batsa. The missionaries grow to love them very much - we have three districts usually and two of the teachers cover each district -everyday except Sunday, when they are left with President and Sister Nielson and m
y Counsellor in the Branch Presidency, President Charles Ajeigbe. Charles works for the the Area Office - has an assignment in the field of communications and equipment - but spends his Sunday (when there are missionaries in the MTC) helping us with our Sunday Meetings, helping with the interviewing, supervising some of the Sunday evening programs, and generally helping in the Ecclesiastical end of the our operation here. They are a wonderful group of people - who have accepted and carry out their responsibilities in such a way that we have little worry or concern - the Program just runs so well.
# posted by Ghana Gazette @ 12:58 PM 
