Osu Castle, a birthday and Collin

It's Saturday (March 27, 2021) and we want to explore.  The three couples can't go far today because there is a birthday gathering in the early afternoon that we can't miss.  Mostly because the birthday girl is in our group and she needs to be home to receive the guests.

Osu Castle is not far away.  Just east of where we work at the Area office.  We are in the area in minutes.  On the way we passed by two cemeteries; the military one (the Ghana equivalent to our Arlington National in D.C.) and a public cemetery.  People were gathering at the public one.  Everyone is in bright, colorful clothing.  We drive past the football stadium where Ghana's premier league plays and where the national team plays their home games in the Africa Cup tournament, and qualifying games for the World Cup.  Ross wants to catch a game while we are in the country.  Doesn't really matter what game, just a game.

We get closer to the coast line where the Castle is.  When we drive up there are military men outside the gate at the roundabout.  Apparently there are government meetings going on today and it is closed to any visiting.  The Castle is still used for government events and serves as an annex to the main government buildings.  A nice fellow comes up to the car and gives us the news.  We are okay, however, to park close by and walk down to the beach area.  We can't take pictures of the Castle, but we can of the beach area.  Interesting.  The Osu Castle is also called Fort Christiansborg or the Castle.  It was built in the 1660s by the Norwegians and Danish.  It has traded hands many times among them and the Portuguese, Akwamu and finally Britain before Ghana independence in 1957.  It was always used as a trading center for gold, diamonds, people and other things over those centuries.

We park and walk toward the beach.  There is a cliff that separates us from the beach and waves so we found a small platform to stand on while we get a better view of the area.  Jamestown is off to the west down the coastline.  It is a few miles away and the beach is wide and inviting. The waves look cleaner here than at Jamestown.  There are slender, muscular younger men who gather crabs in the breakwater and one fellow has a net he throws out.  There is also a small group on rocks extending out into the surf hunting for something.  Other young men are exercising;  Jogging or doing sit up and other core exercises on the sand.  It is a sunny day with a nice gentle breeze.  There are only young men, no women, no children, no old people.  Just us looking down from above.

In a few minutes, the fellow who met us at the gate and told us the Castle was closed came over to talk.  His name is Collin and he is twenty-six years old.  He works at the Castle and knows a lot about it.  He gives tours to visitors we found out.  Before he could say anything about the Castle, Mike asked him if he believed in the Bible.  He said yes.  "Do you want to read another testament of the Savior;  one that talks about him like the Old Testament and the New Testament does?"  He said yes.  Zoe always carries Books of Mormon with her to share with others.  She pulls one out of her small backpack. Mike and Zoe explain the book to him.  He is genuinely interested and pleased to here of such a book.  He promised to read it while Mike ear marks 3rd Nephi where the Savior visits the people and hands it to him.  I prayed this morning to find someone to share this book with.  Here is a picture of the group.  Collin is the guy in the dark shirt (Ross, Elaine, Stephen, Kathy, Collin, Zoe and Mike)

Collin is happy and asks if we want to hear about the Castle's history.  Of course.  His English is good.  Better than most.  We didn't have to ask him to repeat or clarify much.  Besides the Castle history, he also told us that the little stand we were on was built last year for Prince Charles to stand on to get a better view of the area.  It seems that the British are funding the construction of a first-class hotel complex to be built just of west of where we were standing.  The Prince's coming out was to show support for the project and Britain's connection with Ghana. The project area was cleared of debris and flat.  The project will be owned by Ghana.  We are curious how quickly the project will move along.  Collin also said Ghana is tight with the U.S. as well as Britain.  China is involved with the country also.  Currently the contractor for a port being built to the east of us.  

We drove back to the apartments.  We had lunch later in celebration of Zoe's birthday.  It was at a Chinese restaurant she likes.  The service was excellent and so was the food.  Her birthday gathering later at their apartment was great.  Many from Beaufort came up.  It is good to see the other missionaries.

We hope Collin reads the book.  We will ask him when we get back to the Castle for a tour.  Or when Ross is in the area after a football match.