It began raining Sunday morning about 5AM. It was the hardest rain I have ever experienced in my 61 years. Our little home has a tin roof so made the sound even louder as we place buckets, pans, bowls and end even plates everywhere, before we headed off to Church. Power went off before we left at 8:30AM so we knew few people would be at church that day. We returned at 2PM and it was still raining just as hard as when we had left. Streets were flooded many of the small ditches were overflowing. The noise of the rain falling on our roof was just unbelievable- it was if a herd of horses were running on the roof. We came home to water and flooding from the roof leaks. The worst was the direct leak over my side of the bed. We struggled to clean, mop, mop ,mop and mop with all we had available. We were the lucky ones for the rain had fallen so hard for so long that many of villagers with Palm leaf roofs had no dry place at all. By evening around 8PM the rain stopped as quickly as it had begun. Silences was everywhere; no one out and about as usual. Still no power so our candles kept us in the light. Cell phones did work but only intermittently. With no power I pulled the generator out and got it started and connected to the home power box. As soon as the towns’ people knew we had power, they came in droves to charge their cellphones. Later that evening the internet went down- figures. We arose at 6:30 on Monday and still no power but there was internet coverage so phones were working fine. Sister Dalton had scheduled with two wonderful sisters in the Asunafo Branch to bring them to our home and bake cookies, something they had never done in an oven. It was a grand time for the three of them in the kitchen together; Jovea and Evelyn speaking Twi and Sister Dalton speaking English back to them. It was fun to be on the side and watch how they became fast friends. We packed up their Banana Bread and cookies and headed back. This time we only made it to the first small creek a couple of miles from their village. We witnessed a river that had only been a creek just a few hours before. The sisters got out and said they would wade the water to get to their families. I was nervous but they put their treasured baked treats on their heads and began wading through. I told them I would not leave until they had safely reached the other side. The water, not flowing so swift, but getting deeper as I stood on the bank watching them cross, was a real concern to me. I offered a silent prayer they would be safe. The water was slightly above their waist but they made it through and waved when they reached the other side- maybe a half of a mile. Sister Dalton and I turned and headed back to home when I received a call from Stephen Abu who said there had been some flooding and were we “Ok?”. Safe and sound we said except for my side of the bed was still damp. Sister Dalton won’t switch sides so I was out of luck for a dry night of sleep. At least the rain had stopped- but wait, around 7PM the rain came again and it seemed to be just as hard. Pots, buckets, bowls were all put back at our previous spots. By 10PM the rain stopped again. Still no power.
The following morning I was awakened by at 4AM and Brother Abu called for my help for his house was jeperdy of flooding. I jumped out of bed and ran to his house and it was then I realized we were in for a dangerous time with the rivers flooding their bank everywhere. I organized the Utah State students that were sataying at the Abu home, to begin sandbagging around the home- something the villagers had never done or had an idea what I was talking about. The Utah fellows knew and began to collect plastic bags to fill. I called Elders Domonic and Edwards to come and assist- they came in a heartbeat and began to see the magnitude of our situation with the Abu home. Other came with stories of flooding’s and homes that were under water. I ran to others to assess their needs and hated to tell them they had lost all of the home as the water kept raising as we were even standing there assessing the magnitude of the river movement.
It was then I prayed for help from the only source available to help in this situation. Over the years I have always tried to be prepared for any disaster, but until you witness the power of a river raising 12” every 30 minutes, you really are not prepared. The church training and emergency training seminars and the plan was laid out in my mind by the Spirit. It was not a loud voice but a comforting calming feeling that consumed my whole being. I knew The District president was scheduled in the Abomosu chapel, at a teachers training so called him and said I would meet him within 10 minutes. I asked him to call the Branch Pres., Pres. Twum, and have he and Bro. Agyei at the chapel in ten minutes also. Brother Abu came with us. As we pulled up to the chapel, President Oppong, the District President met me at the car and said there was major flooding throughout the district and he had been called by most of the branch presidents of what to do. I remember him distinctly asking me what he should say to his presidents, he did not know what to say or do in this situation. I embraced him with my arms and said, “Brother, we have the priesthood and can control the elements if that was the Lord desire. Let’s set and council together. The Lord will instruct us.” Two young missionaries, the district president, a branch president and his councilor, a faithful member, and I knelt and petitioned the lord in humble prayer for His guidance and help. That same feeling of calmness washed me again, as it had earlier that morning. I asked President Oppong if I could conduct this special meeting as he presided. Gladly he acknowledged my request. Oh how the Spirit directed our thoughts and plan. I testify it was by the Spirit all things were made known to 7 humble priesthood holders. Abomosu, Asunafo, Asuom, and Sankubenase were all cut off from any coming or goings because of the flooding. No going in or coming out of taxis, people or animals due to the still rising river. We could communicate through our cellphones, but still no power.
We organized the village into sections and sent out a call to all priesthood holders to come to the chapel and divide into twos to visit every member active or less-active and report back by 3PM that afternoon. Their visit was to determine who needed help or food, who had lost their homes and arrange a place to stay until the flood resided, and if they could give some of their extra food to others who needed help. You must remember that the people in these villages live hand to mouth with their farms being their food supply and if they could not get to their farms this was a serious threat to their survival. We called each branch president and instructed them to do the same and report back to the District President and his council by 3PM that afternoon. We needed an accurate assessment of all of our members and their safety. I visited homes assigned to my area and was sometimes in tears as I heard the stories of snakes and scorpions fleeing the river, whole farms underwater and all of their crops gone down the river, there were scenes of panic as to what they were to eat in the future. I was hugged by so many as they kept repeating, “W’aba, W’aba menkyen”, you have come, you have come to me. Many had not been to church for years but they recognized the priesthood in action, now when they needed it the most. We reported of home that had absolutely nothing to eat or would be without food in a couple of days as did all of the branch presidents at the appointed 3 PM hour. A call to President Judd and our challenges were relayed. He was most supporting of our doings and plans. He strengthened us with words from the scriptures and told us he was praying for our safety and quick recovery. Please keep him abreast of all the happenings for as of that point, no word of flooding had reached Accra or the news. A call to the area Doctor for direction and advice was also reassuring. Dr. Fife and his wife were so helpful and we owe much of our Tyfoid and Maleria prevention to their advice and direction. These fine people were spot on with their prayers and council. I will never forget their concern and comforting support. It seemed as though all of our hands were tied; President Judd and the good doctors could not get here to help, nor could we get out of Abomosu to help others. We were all islands, physically, yet connected by the brotherhood of the priesthood and mighty prayer. That night we all prayed the rain would not come again, our answer came again about 1AM when it rained for only a couple of hours.
For the next three days we shared our food supplies with all we could. All members shared their surplus with those that had none. We would meet twice each day and survey the water level, the needs of the members and the other villagers, taught cleanliness lessons and advised many with no hope for the future. But it was those vivid memories of families that had lost their entire livelihood, their farm land which was still under water with no recession in sight. We communicated with all of our fine Branch Presidents who were shepherding their flocks the best they could. They had no answers for the saints without and those that were rapidly depleting the meager amount of food. Each and every village was now in the throes of no food because they could not get to their crops. I remember pleading with the Lord with tears for these humble people who did not know what to do. This had never happened in the memory of the oldest members of the community, some over 90 years old. Village markets had no food to sell or share- they were non-existent in all of the villages by then. Reports of 100’s of snakes coming through the village, was common; Scorpions were sighted in trees and spotted next to homes and on foot paths. In the Branch Presidents daily reports I could hear and sense their struggles with keeping the faith, alone. I knew they were carrying most of the responsibilities of shepherding by themselves. Most of these humble men had lost all of their farmland or the major part of their crops to the flooding. No help insight, was the outlook, yet I still had that witness, all will be for your good. The District President and I knelt together often and prayed for understanding and direction how to help these fine Branch Presidents bare their burdens.
It was one night after a heavy day of worry, I awoke with the whisperings of my scoutmaster, Brother Daines who has long left this earth, “Good job Jimmy, you completed your mile swim.” I was thirteen when he said those words and now they come back to my mind. I knew then I would swim through the river and meet with President Amoh in Sankubenase, I just felt if I could wrap my arms around him he would feel comforted and buoyed up to carry-on. I remember looking across the flowing water that seemed so far across to the other side. I called President Amoh and told him to meet me on his side and I would be there in a short time. I asked President Oppong to come with me and he was a bit hesitant but was there by the bank at the appointed time. A number of villagers had heard that the “Obuni” would swim over to Sankubenase and they came to see if it could be done. It was just a few feet in the water when I realized President Oppong could not swim a stroke, yet he had waded with full faith into the flowing river. No one swims here in the bush and you don’t go in water that is over your waist. We devised a way he could ride on my back through the deepest part of the river. We were passed by two snakes as we crossed the flow. A time or two, I did feel my age but I never doubted we would not arrive safely. We made it with President Amoh helping us the last few feet. There on the river bank, that had caused us so much heartache, three brothers of the priesthood, embraced for several minutes. Tears of joy ran down our cheeks; not a word spoken, just locked in an embrace of brothers.
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