William Frempong- my friend & brother

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...he is my friend and brother...

William Frempong is a fixture here at Abomosu. He usually sets on the eroded foundation of his children’s compound right behind the market. Most people pass him by rather quickly due to his condition and slurring of his words. His daughter steps out and props him up occasionally during the day and brings him in about evening time. He speaks slowly and mostly with very slurred English, sometimes it takes several moments for his mouth to form the words. He is dressed usually in a collared shirt and a pair of shorts with bare feet. His legs are swollen; his hands are swollen as well most of his body. I use to walk by and say “hello” but seldom stopped to visit. Over the last few months I have spent more time with him- just setting side by side, without speaking much. Brother to brother in a land far away from both of our beginnings.

He was born in the Volta Region, married there and raised 9 children to be good citizens. He was an Elder in the Apostolic Church and had attended faithfully for over 50 years as a follower. He graduated from Ghana Technical School as a machine operator for Ghana’s Aluminum plant in Tema. Thirty one years of service until he contracted “Fire Blood” ten years ago. Continued exposure to hot aluminum causes a blood disorder that eventually brings death. William is in the last stages of his life and suffers tremendously with his distorted blood; once a handsome and strong man, now a swollen hulk dependent on loving family for care.

Last Friday, Sister Dalton and I sat with him a spell and before leaving we shook his hand, as we always do, and I felt prompted to tell him the next day at 1PM I would come with the truck and we would go on a ride to visit some of the new happenings going on within the villages. His eyes lit up as he tried to squeeze my hand, and spoke the words “I will be ready Elder.” At the appointed hour I opened the door to the truck and after quite some time he sat at a slight angle, but ready for the adventure. I was humbled as we traveled for nearly two hours visiting sites of wonder which William had never seen or even heard of the doings around the region. We visited the new Asunafo Medical center, the new Catholic primary school, mining sites along the river Brim. Our travels took us to Abrei where a drilling crew from the Church was drilling a new well for the small village there, the site of a new planned High School, the open market in Sankubenase, and the sights and color of Abomosu’s football field filled with children. He spoke of days gone by when he brought his family to the Abomosu village, and the great growth that had taken place since his sickness had stricken his abilities. We spoke of his children as heavenly beings that attended to his needs and his vision of heaven after his body is laid in the earth. It was then at that moment I asked if he would like to visit his Church building at the other end of town. He nodded and proceeded to tell me he had not attended his church for over 8 years and had only one visit by the minister at the beginning of each year to collect his contribution for his salary. I hurt inside as he spoke reverently of his faithful service to the people of Abomosu and Tema, yet now when he needed the loving support of friends and members, he was alone and forgotten by most. I bore testimony of the love the Savior has for his soul and the extended arms that will loving encircle him when he kneels before his Maker, even Jesus himself.

We stopped in front of a small building with a sign above the door welcoming all. I asked William if he would like to go in for a minute, and see his church building once again. With tears in his eyes he nodded. Time stopped for us as we made our way to the front door of that small Apostolic building. The door was open and many of the windows were open as usual here in Abomosu. There were probably 15 benches with a small podium in the front of the hall. We sat in the last pew just gazing forward in that empty building. I pondered how stark this building seemed compared to our chapels. It seemed void of a loving welcome we feel when we enter our chapels anywhere in the world. After some time, William raised his swollen hand and gently placed it on my knee and softly whispered the words I will always cherish, “Thank you my brother, thank you.” I love this man and know Heavenly Father was with us that day as hearts were knit together forever.

 

 

 

 

...come unto me and live....

We have had a wonderful day with the Spirit. Seven souls were baptized in Asuom, 6 in Abomosu, 4 in Kwabeng and 5 in Sankubenase. It is almost a weekly occurrence. We attended the Asuom Branch meetings and then presided over the baptism there. Two weeks ago, I had blogged about Hanna. She is a small girl who will probably not be on this side of the veil before we return to the States. She was baptized today along with her mother by the West Africa Area Doctor- Doc. Fife. He was the one who examined her some four weeks ago and gave her and her mother the news of her condition. (You might want to refer to the blog to review the details) It was a most spiritual experience as she climbed into the font with her frail little body and heard the words that have opened heaven’s glory to her. 124 members attended the baptism and there was not a dry eye as she came up from the cleansing water of baptism. We all hugged her in her wet clothes and felt as if we were surrounded by angels who attended the event. Her faith and endurance is an example to us all.  I pray to be that humble when similar challenges come my way. These and other precious experiences fill our hearts where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt. Here is where our treasures and hearts are for now. The above pictures will warm your hearts. 

 

 

 

 

 

...and they shall teach them in their youth...

Rita is a leader of a gaggle of little 13 year old girls from Abomosu Branch. She is tall, thin, and from a single parent family. Her father passed away 12 years ago. These little girls have become good friends with Sister Dalton who takes time with them doing activities. She has gained their trust and she has genuine love for each girl in this little gang. About once a week these girls will knock on our door right after their school lets out. They all attend the Presby Junior Hi. They are best of friends and usually if you see one, the rest are close at hand. This past week we had a teaching experience with these young girls. When they come to visit Sister Dalton, they just spread out throughout out living room. They all had their 4 year group sheets so Sister Dalton instructed them in the finer points of Family History. They were all excited and had a wonderful time writing what they had knowledge of about their own families. After sometime, hugs were exchanged and another date for next week was recorded. They would have left but always Sister Dalton has a treat for this her favorite gaggle of girls. It was a good time had by all.

When they left this time, one of my scripture marking pens was missing. I scoured the living room for my missing pen, but it was nowhere to be found. We concluded that one of the girls had taken the pen before they left. We prayed how to approach this with Sister Daltons cherished girls. She was crushed and yet realized this could be a teaching moment for this little gang. After church, we asked Rita to come over, alone, to our home. She came with her bubbly self and plopped herself on the couch. We ate a muffin and shared how wonderful she was and how we had trusted her in our home. She was most gracious and says she felt loved in our home, something she had rarely experienced in her 13 years. We began to speak about the principle of honesty and we referred to the Strength of Youth pamphlet and read from its pages. We then explained our concern for the missing pen. We asked if she had seen any of the girls using it at school? She was most serious when she said that she would never take anything from our home. They were not hers. We shared our concern, though it was only a green pen, it had great value to me and the marking of my scriptures. We informed her that if we thought we could not trust her or her friends, we could not have them visit here in our home, only at the chapel on Sundays. She verbalized her feels of her friends and how they had begun to do just little things that were not right in her eyes. We counseled her to stand up and be counted for only good actions rather than be caught in a web of covering up for her friends. She told us that she will find the pen and promised to return it as soon as she could. Sister Dalton hugged her and thanked her for being a good girl, and sometimes we need to do hard things to be on the Lords side.

         Last evening she returned with news of the pen. She had confronted all of her friends and one had confessed of taking the pen before leaving our home. She was sorry but had lost the pen somewhere and could not find another to replace it. She had no money and wanted the pen for school because no one else used green ink.  Rita was saddened by the action of one of her friends, and begged that we allow them back into our home. We told her of the need to associate with good friends with high standards she lived. We also helped her to realize that out trust was now broken and it might take a little time to have that back. She understood and committed to once again finding and returning the pen. We parted with hugs and a muffin to go, and felt as if we had begun a tender teaching moment that we pray will be of great value throughout these girls’ lives. I would hope we all are patient and teach correct principles to our children and friends, so they too, will be blessed with honesty and integrity. It will serve them well throughout their lives.

  Their picture is above

 

 

 

 

...and to you I command to forgive all...

Recently I visited a Branch Relief Society meeting where a wonderful lesson was given about Visiting Teaching blessings. During the lesson there was a lively debate between two sisters who have had their differences over several years. They revealed must anger and dislike for each other as the conversation elevated to a time I stood and suggested to them to repent and forgive each other for perceived wrongs committed over 20 years ago when they were young. Over the last several weeks, Sister Dalton and I have visited with these sisters in their homes and have heard their accusations towards each other. It is a deadly venom that cankers the soul. We have knelt and prayed with them and invited the Spirit to soften their hearts. Sunday we witnessed a mighty change in their countenance as they once again sat in at opposite sides of the chapel. One sister has a new baby who was fussy and also a 1 ½ year old she seemed to be wrestling throughout the meeting. From across the room, the other sister who was involved with this incident weeks ago, arose and walked over to the struggling woman and gently gathered the toddler into her arms and standing at the back of the chapel, caressed him close until he had settled down, relaxed and fell sleeping in her arms. The whole congregation stopped and watched as this act of kindness was extended to a believed arch rival that would never change. I was most impressed she took hold of her own forgiveness power that is within each of us. It reminded me of my own life changing moment when given a forgiving moment opportunity. I share this with you that you too may be captain of a forgiving heart and rest with a clear feeling of love for all.

 While here on my mission, I have not heard from my father. I continually pray for his welfare and protection. He is sometimes like a ghost who will visit or contact me through some medium when he is ready. In my own thoughts, I liken our relationship to the traditions of the Fathers that many of our saints struggle over. The principle of forgiveness, when extended in our lives, brings peace and comfort in a world of stress, temptation and sadness. I would like to share an experience that over many, many years I have reflected upon and recognized that it shaped my life and freed me from the trend of today’s world to never forgive another. When I was 31 yrs. old, Dad had been gone from my life for some 17 years already. His values and lifestyle was not that of mine. He had moved back to Lynnwood to open a RV Consignment lot. He took in RV’s like campers and old trailers and an occasional motorhome and sold them for people and then made a commission for his service. I had pinned up all of my feels for over the 17 years about his leaving our family so abruptly and finally that fateful Saturday morning. I called him and asked if I could set with him and just talk, without distraction from customers or phone calls. He was a bit hesitant but gave me an exact time to show up at this lot. My heart pounded with some anger, disappointment and feeling robbed by his actions towards me when I was 14, as I set with my earthly father who had been gone for so many years. I don’t remember all of the things I said and I’m sure I said some cruel things I felt I knew of the circumstances why he left the family and particularly me, his first born. He was silent for the 10 or 15 minutes I let out my venom. Tears streamed down my cheeks most of the conversation as well as his emotions were visible too. He uttered not a word- but listened and felt intensely to my honest and heartfelt words. When I had finished, his tears had stained his shirt as mine had run freely also for the several minutes. We stood and gazed into each other’s tear filled eyes and after a brief silence, embraced as father and son once again as we had done over 20 years before. He then spoke these words that I have always remembered, “you are exactly right son, I was filled with pride and was selfishness for only my wants and desires. I am sorry for my actions and would only ask for your forgiveness. I cannot change the past or my choices from the past, but I hope we can do better from this time forward.” A tremendous peace and relief came over me and I felt we both had unloaded our burdens of blaming others, wrong choices and now could move forward with a father and son forgiving relationship.

Over the years, Dad has done his “thing” and his values are not the same as mine, even today, yet we love each other and I have tried to stay close to him during his adventures. Yes, his continued choices have caused him to be a lone man at times with really no family as part of his life. That still saddens me for in the winter of his life, he should have great happiness and joy in his posterity, his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He has no wonderful experiences or memories to cause him joy in his quite times when left alone to ponder his inter most thoughts. That would be so depressing to me and I have tried, as feeble as it may seem, to not let that happen to me or my family whom I love with all of my heart. He is still a vagabond of sorts, and I worry every day that he will pass on without anyone by his side or anyone knowing of his whereabouts. It scares me to see him this way, still.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...he administered and strengthened them in the Lord..

There is a small girl who lives in Asuom who has been attending the branch for several months. She is 18 years old but the size of an 8year old. Her mind is sharp like an eighteen year old but her body is that of an 8 year old child. She has a growth “in her belly” as she says that pains her 24/7 and because she is poor and can not afford the government insurance she has not seen a Doctor for over 5 years now. Her mother in desperation has resorted to local Witch Doctors who have feed her potions and herbal leaves, chanted while dancing over her and so on, for the last 5 years, all in vain. We met her in the Asuom Primary sharing time one day when Mom was visiting their primary and afterwards spoke to the girl about her condition. We arranged for Elder Fife and Sister Fife (both Area West Doctors) to visit her this time they were up from Accra. We traveled to her home with the missionaries. Elder (Doctor) Fife was so gentle in speech and examination of this little girl. Her mother was present during the whole time we were there and so thanked us for our concern and visit. No one has ever come to their humble home with so much love and concern for her family, was her parting remarks. The news was grim and for 6 years this little girl and her mother had clung to the first Doctors advice to take these pills and “all will be well with her in some time”. The pills were Baby Aspirin. She has a tumor on her left ovary the size of a volleyball. It has caused heart failure and her struggling with even breath. We also see that the liver is shutting down due to the size of the tumor in this little body. The damage is great to all of her internal organs. The truth was explained to her mother and this young girl of the condition she is in. We all wept with them as tenderly as one could, Doctor Fife shared with Hanna she will probably pass away within a year due to heart failure caused by this tumor. A blessing was bestowed and hugs exchanged as we departed knowing some of our party may never see her alive again. When we were driving back to our home, Elder Fife even shed some tears while he explained this was a very curable condition even 4 years ago, but now, it is too far advanced- even for American medicine. He said he was sure that the original doctor had no idea what was wrong so prescribed aspirin and sent her on her way. And for the mother who has followed his advice faithfully for 6 long years, with this medicine that would “some-time cure” her daughter’s condition, it was most difficult for her to understand the reason why the first doctor would do such a thing to her and Hanna. We all pray for her comfort and relief as the Lord would direct. It is in His hands now.