Updates from the Gold Coast

Expansion

As always, we continue to grow. Grace and Lydia have joined the batikers, and Salomey, Diana and Mary swell the ranks of seamstresses. 

                                                                    Grace

                                                                  Lydia

                                                                   Mary

                                               Salomey       &                     Diana

We have outgrown our current buildings now and are looking for a large place in the local area to expand into. We’re also exploring the option of buying a 40’ container and decking it out as a new sewing centre. This would be practical as we could relocate it to any new site when we need to move again.

Turtles return
Our front door continues to be an attractive egg laying location for sea turtles, with a female coming in on the tide last night. She was smaller than the ones we’ve seen previously, but in good health, and was back out at sea by morning.

Eunice

One of our sewing team leaders, Eunice swallowed a fish bone two weeks ago, and it became lodged in her throat. After two days of pain she went to hospital for an X-ray, and returned the following day for surgery to have it removed.

Unfortunately despite it coming out cleanly she’s still in significant pain in the neck and chest area, and struggling to eat. We’re hopeful that she will recover soon and Lydia is going to drop of some 'Hall's Soothers' tomorrow to see if a few western meds can't ease the pain.

Lyd's mum visits

Lyd's mum and Brian visited us last week.  We had a great time with a trip to the Volta River, a few days in Cape Coast, and a gruelling but enlightening trip to Makola - one of the biggest markets in West Africa.  We will never forget the windowless taxi ride along the coast in a huge storm.  Who knew umbrellas could be so useful inside a taxi!

Gator hunting

“Boss boss, come quick” shouted Teye our day guard, as the staff poured out of the workshop to see what the commotion was about. Outside our dogs had been barking at a new addition to the animals on the site. To go with the goats, sheep and the odd chicken, there was now a man-sized alligator crawling along the banks of the lake on our land.

Aside from being an obvious health and safety risk, alligator makes good eating out here, and it didn’t take long to grab the shotgun from our bedroom. Unfortunately the noise from twenty alarmed workers had scared the beast back into the lake. We’ve been hunting him for two days since, but to no avail.

I'm still hopeful... 

Granny's Birthday

Finally a big Happy Birthday to Granny Jean, who turned 80 this week! We’re sorry we couldn’t be there for the celebrations Granny, but it sounds like you had a wonderful time with friends and family.

All our love, Tim & Lyd x