2014 Humanitarian Couple's Conference

 

All of the amazing couples who serve as Humanitarian Missionaries throughout South Africa including, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, Mozambique, DRC Congo, Lubumbashi, Burundi, South Africa, Gabon and Madagascar.
Also included are a few of our presenters, including, Kenneth, our Water Specialist and Project Manager, Sherrie, our Behavior Health Specialist, Sharon Eubank, our Welfare Director, and Phillip Moatlhodi, our Area Welfare Manager, and President Cook, and his wife Lynette.  President Cook is  the 1st Counselor in the Africa Southeast Area Presidency.

Round Tables
President Cook and Phillip Moatlhodi were available to answer questions from the couples

Round Tables
The couples enjoyed a few moments with Sharon Eubank to ask questions

We just completed a week with these amazing couples who are serving as Humanitarian missionaries all over South Africa. Once a year the couples come to Johannesburg for a conference that is both informative as well as spiritual. When we were in Ukraine serving as Humanitarian missionaries we had the opportunity to attend 2 conferences, one in Bulgaria, and one in Armenia.

This time it was a little different because, as the Area Welfare Specialist we, along with the Lee's, were IN CHARGE of the conference. Elder and Sister Lee had done a lot before we arrived. They had already done the agenda, set up all the presenters, arranged the Hotel reservations and reserved the room for the Conference and I am sure a whole lot more.

However, we have been spending the last 3 weeks preparing for the conference as well as working our regular shift in the area office

• We made welcome bags filled with goodies for each of the couples hotel rooms. (Which required a day of shopping to purchase everything)
• We wrapped gifts for all the presenters. (The Lee's had already purchased the gifts)
• We purchased and wrapped small gifts to give out during the conference
• We put together binders for each couple (which required printing, collating, stapling handouts for 23 files in each binder)
• Sister Lee and I made at least 3 trips back and forth to the Hotel to finalize the contract for the Conference.
• We planned, and coordinated trips to the airport to pick up Sharon Eubank and 11 couples who were all coming in on different days and times.
• We trained 2 new couples for the 3 days before the conference began
• We arranged for the couples who came in by Sunday to have rides to Church
• We organized a Sunday fireside before the conference began
• We presented an all day finance training the day before the conference began
• We arranged to get all the couples to the Temple for an 8am Temple session.
• We shuttled all the couples to the Johannesburg train station to take the Redline City Tour and see the Apartheid Museum.
• I was the IT person setting up the projector with power point presentations for several of the presenters
• I ran back and forth to the Area Offices numerous times to make sure 3 of the new couples computers would be ready for them to take back with them, to pick up a new cord for the microphone that wasn't working, to drop Elder Kinghorn off to pick up the van.
• Many of the couples arrived in Johannesburg with a To Do list that included such things as;  buy a curling iron, hair gel, and hairspray,  buy a new phone, fix eye glasses, pick up a computer for someone, buy yarn to make newborn baby hats, get haircuts, buy new shoes, buy fresh fruits and vegetables, buy church materials at the Distribution Center, buy office supplies, buy a bedspread.
• We arranged several shopping trips to try to accommodate the diverse needs of the group  

THE REALLY HARD PART WAS, FOR THE TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE COUPLES ARRIVED WE HAD TO TRY OUT LOCAL RESTRANTS TO FIND THE PERFECT VENUES FOR DINNER WITH PRESIDENT COOK AND SHARON EUBANK, DINNER WITH THE COUPLES, AND A WORKING DINNER WITH SHARON EUBANK. (Ok, so it really wasn't the hardest part, but I am sure I have gained 5 more pounds these past few weeks)

Actually the really hard part was saying good-bye to everyone. It was a wonderful week but today the couples began to head back to their respective Countries. We have three couples still here who will be going to the airport tonight, Monday and Tuesday. So I guess a few more airport shuttles will be happening in the next few days.

Everyone trying to figure out which car they were riding in to the airport. We met at the Hotel at 7am to drive people to the airport and even the couples who weren't leaving yet, came out to say good-bye.
 

Elder Kinghorn
Elder Shakespeare, and Sister Hobson
The Shakespears and the Hobson's didn't leave today but they came out early to say good-bye.

Sister Shakespeare and Sister Davis

The VanWagoners

The Richards

The Stevens

We drove the Davis's to the airport and said goodbye as they headed to Lubumbashi to begin their mission. They are a wonderful couple and we are so happy to be working with them.