Warning....

Warning: If you have an aversion to gross amounts of manly sweat, you should stop here. If not, you will soon grow an aversion to gross amounts of manly tears(;

  

So this last week in Odoben, all four us missionaries got to go on a "bush" adventure as we went with one of our recent converts to his farm. The looks on all the Ghanaians faces as they saw us walk down the road carrying our machetes to go weed, I could practically hear them thinking, "These white people are crazy!"....which some of them did yell out to us in Fante,(the native language) but we just kept going.

 It was a 20 min. walk to the actual forest area (aka the bush), and then another 30 min. hike from there to the actual farm. This all sounds pretty nice so far, right? Well let me add the fact that it was around 100 degrees out and 90% humidity before we got to the bush, and then 100 degrees and 150% humidity when we got inside the bush. I started to call myself a crazy white person as we started to work, seeing as it felt like we were working with thick blankets wrapped around us.

  

The actual work though, went well. We were able to chop down most of the weeds in this man's farm and see the look of surprise on his face as he realized that not all white people are fat and have never worked in their lives...which is the belief of every Ghanaian here (hence the awkward stares walking through town). 

  

Let me tell you this though; you don't know just how much water the human body has stored in it until you see it all leak out of your skin. The sweat almost just runs right off of you like tiny streams, which made me think we were probably like tiny sprinklers as we worked....ok, now I've grown an aversion to gross amounts of manly sweat.

 The bush experience was really fun though, and all of us missionaries felt really good that we were able to help this man out in a small way. I really love service now and the feelings it brings to you as God lets you know that what you're doing is good. So, even though none of ya Americans can have a "bush" experience, you can still go out and serve someone...anyone really. And I just want you to see, if there is ever a time you do service and DON'T feel good afterward.

  
That's all from Africa this week, have a good rest of the week wherever you are!

Elder Collins