Missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in Ghana, are doing their part amid the mass flooding that has occurred in the country.
A storm that has affected thousands has left at least 160 individuals dead. Deseret News reports that the Latter-day Saint missionaries are helping the community by cleaning up sludge in houses and in the streets. The mission has provided missionaries with gallons of soap and bleach to distribute as a disinfectant to victims.
One missionary, Elder Gabriel Liera from El Centro, California, explained to Deseret News, “They were so surprised that we were giving them bottles of soap and bleach without even asking if they were members of the Church.”
Missionaries even helped clean up a church that often accused Latter-day Saints of being part of a cult. Elder Victor Uzoho from Aba, Nigeria, wasn’t sure he wanted to help them, but when he stopped complaining he realized the good they were doing. Deseret News quotes Uzoho, saying, “I think they see us differently now because we were willing to get dirty by cleaning out gutters and washing walls alongside them.”
By our actions, we were doing the best kind of proselytizing that we could do on that day.
Flooding in Ghana is not uncommon during the months of May and June, as they typically receive a lot of heavy rains. Elder Bry Wickham from Pocatello, Idaho says the missionaries have been able to reach out and encourage those struggling through this trial.
“We met people who didn’t know where to turn, what to do next, how to recover. We worked together. We showed them somebody cared. We didn’t ask for anything. We gave them hope. And that was what they needed most.”
