I guess we are "official."  We received these shirts made of fabric with the ACI logo that all of the staff wear.  The purpose is to create a sense of community among the staff and also not to differentiate among staff by what they wear.  ACI works very hard at building a sense of teamwork and valuing the different gifts and contributions of everyone, whether they teach a course or mow the grass. 

These are four of the five full-time academic staff. From left to right:  Dr. Mary Bediako teaches Primal Religions.  Dr. Philip Laryea teaches African Theology.  Dr. Ben Quarshie is the Rector of the Institute and teaches New Testament.  Dr. Ernestina Afriyie teaches Gospel and Culture.  The fifth staff member, Dr. Allison Howell, is from Australia and is currently home for a visit.  Pray for these wonderful professors.  They are teaching the future leaders of the world church!

Global Mamas is a women's fair trade cooperative which gives Ghanaian women a means of earning a living through selling exquisite handmade crafts.  They make and sell jewelry, batik fabric and apparel, household items, and cosmetics. This is their store in Accra (which we visit frequently!)  Global Mamas began in 2003 with six women.  Today 627 women are employed throughout Ghana.  If you would like to learn more, see their website, www.globalmamas.org.

This is a Chapel on the campus of the Teachers' College next door to the Institute.  Like the Institute, the College is located on the property of the first Christian mission in Ghana, the Basel Mission.  Outside the door of the Chapel is a placque mounted on the wall.  It was given a few years ago by one of the College graduating classes with the names of some of the first missionaries along with the dates of their births and deaths.  Only two people on this list lived beyond the age of 40.  Most of the first missionaries died in their 30's within a few months of reaching Ghana.

Some of these missionaries are buried in this cemetery outside the Chapel.  Most of them died of malaria, or rather from the mistaken treatment of malaria.  European doctors did not know how to treat the disease.  They thought the fever was due to something in the blood and the treatment they used was "bleeding" their patients.  Only when they finally consulted the local herbalists were they successful in helping the missionaries to survive.  As short-term Western visitors, we take malaria medicine on a preventative basis.  Long-term mission workers generally do not.  Most of them contract malaria at some point, but with healthy immune systems and medication, they are able to recover without complications. 

Ghana is attempting to develop a tourism industry.  This is one of the new beach resorts near Accra.  Patti DeNichols, one of the members of the Chicago Presbytery mission team from Naperville Knox Presbyterian Church, ran 12 1/2 miles along this beach as part of her training for the Chicago marathon. The beach is much nicer from a distance than up close! There are many industries and slum areas discharging waste into the water.

We want to introduce you to some of our neighbors!  These young goats live at the Presbyterian Teachers' College next door to the Institute.  They often run along the street outside our house.

This is a typical group of Ghanaian women you would see on the street in Akropong.  As usual, someone is carrying something on her head.  Another is carrying her baby tied to her back.  Women carry their babies this way all day as they go about their work until children are able to walk and often longer.  The mix of traditional and Western dress is also common.  In part, younger women who see more media want to wear Western clothes.  But also, boatloads of Western clothes arrive from US donations that are far less expensive than the local traditional fabrics.   

Thanks so much to all of you for you emails.  It is wonderful to hear from home and we appreciate you staying in touch.  One of the things we will miss most this fall is the birth of our new granddaughter, due in November.  This is our daughter Alison and "Baby Sardana."  Along with us, please keep them in your prayers!