Stereoptypes debunked

Some of you will have already recieved this: (If you want to be on the fam email list, email the missionairies at terrygrandpa@msn.com and let them know, or you'll just get them via blog)

Dear Family,Just a note to let you know we are still doing well and keeping busy. Today, we have been displaced from our desks because new carpeting is being installed around our work area. Therefore, we have been sequestered in the computer classroom downstairs...it is actually much quieter than our regular place. As long as we have computers to keep us connected with the world we do ok.We just found out that all the gas stations are now without gas due to a strike. We had all these great plans to go to a game park next week but on a quarter tank of gas we will be staying pretty close to home. Oh how we wish we filled up last night!!There are great benefits to living across the street from the mall....we can run over and pick up groceries and other necessities without having to drive anywhere.Hope all is well with you. We miss our wonderful family members but are confident you are being blessed for the good you do.

From an email to Ben and myself:

Kris and I led the outside tour on the Johannesburg temple square today. A haggardly, poorly dressed, and beaded man came in -- and started to talk with another couple. My judgment was here is another beggar. (There are millions of them around!) Anyway I learned another lesson. Instead of wanting money, he just wanted a copy of the Book of Mormon. He didn't want any marks in it...he wanted it pure and clean. He thanked us and said that this was the most precious gift ever!! Then as he turned to leave, while hugging his book to his chest, he had tears in his eyes, and he began to cry. And out the door he went. What will happen I do not know, but the lesson was for me today. I need to be careful about judging.

Poptarts

We started on our week long trip last Saturday with a loaded down VW van. Terry had to learn again how to shift with his left hand and how to signal turns with the control on the left. (Our little KIA has it on the right.) To begin with, he was signalling with the windshield wipers! The van was stuffed with 16 boxes of health manuals, 34 boxes of megaphones, a heavy box of 272 C batteries,a box of stationary supplies, 25 large spools of string, a laminating machine, 13 quilts and 4 boxes of children's clothing. We cold barely fit our own luggage in. At our first stop in Lesotho we unloaded a great deal of our

inventory. It will be used for the mobilization of the measles campaign in September. The branch members will be making volunteer badges and using the megaphones to spread the word throughout the communities. The church will be working with the Red Cross, World Health and the Lesotho Ministry of Health to vaccinate 444,625 children under the age of five.After our visit to Lesotho, we headed for East London and met with a very dedicated gal named Lisa von Tonder who we'll work with in setting up rural gardens so orphans can learn to support themselves. She also directed us to the Spar shopping market where we can buy some American products. The owner is married to an American girl so she insists on having some of these items in stock. We met him there and he was so excited that we were asking for the special goods that he said he could take us around all day to show us all he had!! We were pleased to pick up some root- beer, poptarts, French's mustard, Kraft salad dressing, Honey-nut Cheerios, etc. Too bad the word got around to the other missionary couples about the root-beer....we are going to have to share now.Onward, we met with a few other organizations in Grahamstown that help the physically and mentally disabled people there. Perhaps, the church will be helping with crutches, sewing machines, and other requested items.The pictures that are included were taken at a soup kitchen out in one of the poor townships in Port Eliazbeth. It was set up to help feed the people over 60 whose pension funds get stolen by their grown children leaving them with nothing to live on. As you can see there are a lot of people under 60 in the pictures and they are not turned away. They had already eaten by the time we found our way there so they were just waiting for the blankets to be given out. We had 13 quilts and 30 blankets to give away and wished we had a hundred more.

I hope they call me on a mission

We were at our desks when Brother Elks (our second level boss) came to see us with two missionaries (young elders). They told us of a 14 year old girl who was the daughter to a friend of a member....got that? This girl was born physically disabled and has never been out of her house and hasn't even been taught the a,b,c's. They were wondering if we could give them a wheelchair for her so she could at least get out of the house once in a while. We were very happy to do that and told the missionaries to follow us to the warehouse. Just up the road from the area office there was a police road check where they randomly pull over cars. We were waved on but the elders were pulled over. We had to pull over to wait for them. There was a female police officer that questioned them and found out that there was an outstanding ticket on the car but said she would take care of it. Anyway, it seemed to be taking a long time and I made a comment to Terry that they are probably giving her the first discussion. When we got to the warehouse we asked what was taking so long...they said they were getting her information, teaching her a little bit and setting up an appointment to continue. That road block was set up to bring the gospel into that lady's life!

Let it Snow

Don't you wish you had little snow to cool you off? That's what we got here over night and the local people are so excited about it! Some went out and played in it and made snowballs to save in their freezers. One person said this hasn't occurred in 30 years (but then she might have a poor memory like I do).I'll send you some pictures of the dusting! The building is the area office and the second and third windows from the left is our offfice, too bad we weren't looking out the window when the picture was taken.We have been a little frustrated in trying to get the food supplies sent to Lesotho. We can't get anyone on the phone and nobody is sending us emails in response to ours. The disaster management director is the toughest one to make contact with. Aarrgh! We just had a meeting with the man who will be acquiring the food, boxing it and shipping it into Lesotho. He told us that there is a 'bit of unrest' there in the capitol over some dispute with the President. So maybe that is why no one seems to be around to answer phones and emails but we'll keep trying. Any word on Grandma's computer? We keep waiting for a letter from her too. Glad you had a fun day in Vegas buying things with other people's money. Better go get finished because we are heading to the temple at 4. Sending our love and hugs.

This is Africa

We had a great week in Namibia although we wondered why the plane was landingout in the desert without any civilization in sight. Our flight got us intoNamibia on Sunday afternoon. We breezed past the passport checks, picked up our luggage without delay and only had a problem when we got to the Avis rental car desk. They had given away our scheduled car because we weren't there to pick itup at 8 am. Well, our flight didn't even get in until after 2 pm so how could we have picked it up in the morning?? We have a popular saying over here whenever something goes a little haywire, "This is Africa!" It was appropriatefor this moment. We eventually were given a little green Nissan to drive and we were off toWindhoek...47 kilometers away. I think they want the city to grow towards the airport some day.Namibia is a desert country reminding us a bit of Utah...instead of scrub oak it had plenty of small thorny trees all over the hills and valleys. Our trip upto the northernmost border was fun because we had to slow down for wart hogs running across the street and children walking on the roadside going home from school. We got many smiles and waves. We saw ostriches, springbok, gemsbok andmany colorful birds. There were hundreds, possibly thousands, of termite mounds all along the way, the picture shows how tall they can be. Sorry to say your dad killed two birds, two spiders (not so sorry) and about five jokes on this trip! We were taken to one of the bore holes sites that will be drilled next month. Two pictures were taken in this area, the one with your dad, Mr. Mpareke and Mr.Livingi, and a curious villager and the other with the lady carrying water intwo containers. Those poor women have to walk so far to get that dirty water out of the river and then they also have to be careful because there are crocodiles and hippos in it. The site for the borehole is surrounded by many little villages with huts built of sticks and grass. The remainder of our trip was spent in Windhoek visiting government leaders and non-profit organizations to see if we can be of assistance to the people ofNamibia. Our best contact was with the manager of the hotel where we were staying the last three nights. Once she found out what we were up to, she offered the hotel's used blankets, bedspreads, curtains and bags of soap that could be used for children's homes or the poor. We have put our Public Affairs Person onto the task. The last picture shows some of the circumstances that thousands of people live in...the structure to the right is an out house and this one is in better shape than most we saw. It absolutely breaks your heart to see the humble conditions of these people. Give everyone our best, tell Ashton that we wish we could hear his talk Sunday and we are proud of his decision to serve as we are of Cade.

Rhino-Lion Park

Yesterday the Rhino-Lion park was so amazing. The timing was perfect for getting the most out of each animal grouping. We were just six feet away from a huge rhino who walked over to the car to check us out. Good thing that rhino's are very near sighted...seeing us clearly might have agitated him and we would have had a completely different experience. We were able to get almost as close to the lions. The park workers fed the wild dogs, cheetahs and a pride of lions. My, the male lions get grumpy when the females try to get their part of the meal!! There was a large amount of growling and swatting going on. After seeing them have their meals it put us all in the mood for barbecued ribs!

Wildebeest etc.

Hope this email sent today is a precursor to lots of pictures don't you?

We are excited to go to the Rhino-Lion park tomorrow but we're really getting excited to go on our trip to Namibia. The fellows from physical facilities heard we were going there so they came and gave us lots of suggestions; like where we can stay, take water and food on our long drive up north, drive only in the day because there will be animals all over the roads...wort hogs, cattle, sheep, goats, elephants, wildebeest etc. We are going to have our camera ready at all times.