Here, the light system is a little different than in the US. The light is green then it is a flashing green. Flashing green means it is about to go yellow and yellow lasts only about 2 seconds then turns red. If the back of your car or truck is still in the intersection when the light turns red, you have run the light. We were driving along a main road and the light flashed green once, then yellow, then red. We did not have time to stop because it was about a 3-4 second interval between flashing green and red. We kept going and a bit down the street, an officer pulled up next to us on a motorcycle and banged on the door. He told us to follow him and pull over. We were in the left lane of 3 lanes to he took us to the right lane and into a tro tro stop. He came to the passenger side of the car and told us we had run a red light and he was going to take us in. I guess I should clarify. He told Elder Emfield that. He made it very clear that I was the passenger, not the driver and I should keep my mouth shut and hands in my lap. I had been looking in the glove compartment for the cell phone and international driver's permit. He told me to put the papers back in the glove compartment and just sit there because this didn't concern me. We needed the cell phone, so I quietly opened the glove compartment and found it without him seeing me do it.
He said he would take us to the Police Station and we would have to go to court. Then he "reconsidered" and said he would make us a deal. If we would pay him 300 cedis right then and there (also known as a bribe) he would let us go and save us all the trouble. We told him we needed to call our fleet manager and he would handle it. The fleet manager is the man who is in charge of all the cars we rent as senior missionaries. He also has contacts in the police department and makes sure we are safe and don't get ripped off or thrown in jail. We are taught to always call him whenever something like this happens and let him handle it for safety reasons. Elder Emfield was looking up the number and the officer kept telling him to put the phone down and pay him. He did not want us to call. He kept asking what we had for him, so we offered him a Book of Mormon. He said he already had some at home and didn't want that, he wanted money. At least it was a good try. Some arguing went on for a while and he kept telling us we could save both of us a lot of time if we would just pay him on the spot or he would take us in and we would have to appear before the court and pay 1200 cedis. We refused to pay until we talked with the fleet manager. Finally, he seemed to lock onto the word "manager" and asked if he was a big man in our church. He asked if he was over all the missionaries. We told him yes, when it came to our cars. I think that scared him off at that point because he said we were wasting his time and to just go home and get some rest. We were able to leave without paying or any other trouble. Almost all the senior missionaries get arrested at least once while they are here. It's almost a rite of passage.
Life is never boring here. We are taught a lot of safety rules here that often seem silly or strange but there are important reasons for those rules. As long as we follow them, things seem to fall into place. Obedience does have its benefits.
Sister Emfield
Ghanaian Car Wash
Notice the big water container on the right.
This is David. He is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He made these batiks for Primary and Relief Society. He also makes beautiful carvings. I hope to bring some home with me. We were at an outdoor Cultural Market.
No comments:
Post a Comment