Unexpected Accomodations

Traveling around South Africa has been an education for us in many ways but in this one respect we have not been too impressed....bathrooms included in the sleeping areas of our lodgings!!! We say, "What's the deal with that? Who likes to have no privacy at all in their rooms? It would be another matter if it were for one person, but..." We figured it out each time by saying, "Honey, could you please turn up the volume on the TV or step outside the door for a few minutes?"

But lest you think that we are complaining too much when there are so many that have only a slab of concrete to sleep on, we are grateful we have clean linens on our beds and pillows, shelter over our heads and food on the table. This man sleeps and lives his life on this island in the road. He builds fires to keep warm in cold weather and and holds his head over the smoke until his face is white with ashes....hence, his name 'Ash-man'.

Getting out

Tuesday evening we went to the Organic Market

with Elder and Sister J and Elder and Sister K.

We checked out the wares at each open booth, ate a meal and enjoyed good conversation while a live band played, "West Virginia, Country Roads".

Elder J is our Public Affairs person for all of the Africa Southeast Area. When he was inviting numerous leaders of other churches to a big media event in October, one person asked if our church was the "one with all the spies". Elder J said, "No we don't have any spies in our church". The person then said, "I said Spires son, not spies!" (Add a little southern accent.) He was referring to the spires on the temple by the area office. We all had a good laugh about that.

However, in this picture of Elder J people might think that there are spies in the church!!

Christmas time in South Africa

Christmas has a very different feel about it here in
South Africa. Instead of snow and freezing temperatures we have fantastic thunder and lightening storms with heavy rains. The country is now beautifully green everywhere. The people have braais (barbeques) for their family gatherings.

We haven't ventured out to the big malls to see the frantic shoppers since we aren't into that this year. We enjoyed a two hour Christmas program with many family groups singing songs of the Savior's birth last Sunday night. Cute children and attentive parents all. Makes us miss our family more.

This Christmas tree stands in the reception room in the Area Presidents office and residence. The Christmas tree in our apartment is much smaller and has tipped over three times with the wind so each time we have put the dislodged ornaments away....it is getting a little bear now!

Hospital Project

On Monday, Dec. 10th we had a small ceremony to hand over the 1200 newborn kits, 1000 patient gowns and 485 bed sheets for the maternity wards of Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto. After the official hand-over we were escorted around the maternity and newborn areas of the hospital.

We handed out about 60 newborn kits to mothers of babies who are still hospitalized for various reasons. They were all very appreciative of them.

(The pink gowns are some the Church donated.)

YouTube - Strubenvales Brightest

YouTube - Strubenvales Brightest

Rodwell, I am a Child of God

Wednesday night we said 'good-bye' to our little seven year old friend from Zimbabwe. If you asked him his name he would answer, "My name is Rodwell, and I am a child of God". He and his mother were sponsored by the church to come to South Africa so he could have open heart surgery. When he arrived, he was very thin, didn't even have energy enough to smile and had infection in his lungs. All the couple missionaries had a special fast and many prayers were given to enable him to have the needed operation. His lungs cleared so the doctors operated. It was a touch and go situation for a few days when his heart stopped two different times. As you can see in the picture he now has energy to get up and dance for us!! It's a rare occasion when he doesn't have a smile on his face.

Get a Donkey or Use your Head

Here are some pictures of the food distribution in the mountains of Lesotho that the First Presidency requested be done to help the drought victims in that country. It was loads of fun to interact with the people waiting to recieve their bags of Mealie Meal, beans and a bottle of oil. Very basic food stuff that will help them until their gardens start producing. They loved having their pictures taken and laughed and laughed when we showed them what they looked like. It was probably the only time they have ever seen a picture of themselves.