Merry Christmas

Kenyase District by the Only Christmas Tree in GKM (Elder Bamba, Ordyna, Gbettie and Buhler)

Caroling at the Kumasi Mall for Christmas (UST and Dichemso Zones)

UST and Dichemso Zones Preparing to Carol at the Kumasi Mall

Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!

Hope everyone's week has been sweet! I am emailing today on Christmas. 

One thing that the Ghanaians love more than anything is fire. Anything to do with fire they love. They love lighting huge bonfires of trash. Everywhere you look you will see big pillars of smoke going up into the sky. When I first got here I saw all of them and thought that hundreds of homes were on fire. Nope, that is just trash my companion would tell me. The Ghanaians also love to launch off fireworks all of the time but they do it much more during holidays. Every night for the past couple weeks people have been lighting off fireworks for hours. And it isn't just the little ones you can buy at Walmart. They are the huge illegal (at least back home here they are completely legal) ones that sound like a bomb is going off and send huge sparks into the air. They don't just light them off out in the bush but right next to the roads and buildings. And it will continue every night until New Years. So, no sleep for me. 

The highlight of the week was going to the Kumasi City Mall to carol with the other missionaries. We went to the mall singing Christmas songs. It was a whole lot of fun and sweet actually seeing Christmas decorations and a TREE! And of course, after the mall, we headed to KFC for dinner. I can't pass up a chance to go to KFC when it's there.

At times it has been hard not celebrating Christmas like I would back home but it has been amazing to see how other people celebrate. And it has been especially special being a missionary at this time of year. Sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with others. 

One thing that I love about Ghana is that they celebrate Christmas for the right reasons. They celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and remember all of the wonderful things that He has done for us. They spend time with friends and family and remember the true reason for the season: Jesus Christ.

I love you all and hope you have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful week!!

Love,

Elder Ordyna