What you leave behind

 

Several months ago I started thinking about what I could leave the children of Orange Farm that would help them remember me. I decided to sew school bags.  

 

 

This week we delivered them to the Primary children

 I also made scripture totes for the wonderful ladies I have served with in the Primary 

One of these sweet ladies said,

 "Oh you don't have to worry Sister Kinghorn we won't forget you."

It's not that I want them to remember ME

 

I want them to remember how much I loved them

and to know that I will never forget them

 

I know many of the children don't understand that I will be leaving

 

One Sunday they will come to church and look around and see that I am not there

they may just think that we are traveling

but the next week and the next week when they see that I don't return, they will begin to understand that I am not coming back

 

My little friends who greet me
as soon as we drive into the school yard

won't understand why I have not returned

My little Rarisang who holds my hand each Sunday when we walk to class will wonder where I went

 

She will look around during singing time and realize that I won't be joining them

 
My friends who borrow my scriptures and my childrens song book each week and the children who carry my bag will wonder
why I haven't returned

It's not that I haven't told them that I will be retuning to America but I just don't think they realize how far away that is and that I will never be coming back
It reminds me of when we were preparing to leave for our mission and our five year old grandson, Cash kept would say,
"bye Nana and Papa have fun on your mission"
for weeks before we departed every time we said good-bye
He knew we were going on a mission but he didn't quite understand when we were leaving or how long we would be gone

Just the other day I was talking to Cash on Skype and telling him that we would be home soon and he looked at me with a rather blank expression

His little mind was processing SOON
Nana and Papa will be home SOON
I think he has given up on expecting our return

Children don't have much of a concept of time
I am sure our grandchildren didn't realize how many birthdays baseball games lemonade stands and school plays we would miss

And now when we say we will be home soon
they can't comprehend that we will be back in their daily lives again in a matter of days

So here we are in the same place we were 18 months ago
feeling a tug at our hearts knowing what we will leave behind
The next 11 days will be difficult

So many LAST
The last Monday morning devotional
The last Area Welfare Committee Meeting
The last time we have dinner with dear friends
The last Family Home Evening Group
The last Zone Meeting
The last trip to the Temple
and the hardest one of all will be

The last day at Orange Farm
Although a part of me wants to enjoy every  minute of our remaining time here in Africa......
another part of me wishes we could skip the
LAST
and save my heart from breaking

 

 

A Piece of My Heart Will Always Be In Africa

 I can't believe it is almost time to get on the plane and leave South Africa

 We only have 20 days left in this beautiful country

Soon we will be asked to speak about our mission experience in Africa

 

I have wondered, what will I say?

It sounds so cliché to say that a piece of my heart will always be in Africa, but that is how I feel

Each time I take a child's hand in mine

Each time I watch a brilliant sunset

Each time I drive through the bush
and feel the warm African sun on my face  

 I feel a tug at my heart

 

Each time I put my black missionary name tag on 

Each time I walk into the Area Office
and see the faces of all the people I have come to know and love

I feel a tug at my heart

 

A few weeks ago my friend Kathleen came to visit

 and we had a chance to go into the Bush for what would be the last time 

I was filled with gratitude  

With each sunset 

Each time we climbed into the game vehicle

and witnessed God's creations

 I marveled at how blessed we have been
to have experienced such beauty
 

It isn't a surprise that  I have considered

Sunday's in Orange Farm one of the greatest gifts of our mission
It doesn't matter how difficult the week has been
I have always felt renewed, recommitted and full of God's love when I leave Orange Farm 

I am so grateful
for these sweet Angels who truly have stolen my heart
In 20 days I will feel like I have left a piece of my heart with these sweet souls

What will say when I am asked to speak about my mission?

That I know that Heavenly Father is aware
of every detail of our lives
That this mission wasn't really about what we could do for the people of Africa
It was more about my own personal growth
and the lessons I had to learn about myself and my eternal companion
I know that my Heavenly Father knows and loves me and that he wants me to have joy in this life
I know that he knew there would be days that I would be discouraged
I know that he knew there would be difficult tasks for Bruce and I to accomplish
I know that my Heavenly Father believes in me
I know that I can do hard things
I know that he doesn't leave us comfortless
I know that he knows how much I love my family and that I would miss them terribly
I know that he knows that Bruce and I would much rather be in the field working with the people and not in an office all day

I KNOW THAT HE KNOWS BECAUSE

 he gave me beautiful African sunsets
THE WARMS AFRICAN SUN ON MY FACE 
trips to the bush
 great friends
 wonderful people to work with
  a Perfect Companion
who loves me in spite of my weaknesses
and
ORANGE FARM

 

I guess I will say that I left a piece of my heart in South Africa

 

 

Madagascar

We recently had the opportunity to visit our Humanitarian Couple in Madagascar,

Calvin and Marsha Asay. They were such great host. Usually when we go to visit a couple we travel to see some of their projects. The Asays had planned to take us to see their projects before they realized that the country would be celebrating independence day while we were there. Every appointment they had made cancelled.

We made the most of our time together and did as much training as time allowed.

The first day we arrived we were able to meet with a dentist, and deliver some dental equipment and then attend the English Class that the Asay's teach.

 

We had so much fun. The students were very enthusiastic. Many of them stayed after class to speak to us and have their pictures taken.

Then we enjoyed a wonderful celebration..

During the day the streets were crowded with vendors selling lanterns and flags.

At night the people insert a candle into the lanterns and walk up and down the streets.

 

 Once it was dark we walked to a restaurant down the street from the Asay's apartment and watched the fireworks. The streets were so crowded with people and cars that the traffic was not moving. Families were everywhere. They were sitting on cars and trucks, standing in the street. Children were on their fathers shoulders. It truly was a celebration. The crowded streets were lit up with people carrying bright, colorful lanterns.

 

 

 The next day we took a drive out of the city and saw so many interesting sights. 

 

 My favorite sight is always the children.

I captured this sweet picture as we drove by these two children playing.

 This older girl saw me with my camera and she smiled and waved. Look at her beautiful smile.

 Oh how I wish I could have stopped and played.

 

 You never know what you are going to see on the streets.

People are so creative when they have to transport things.

They pull carts, and carry just about anything on their heads.

 

 I am never really sure what I am capturing on my camera because most of the time I am taking pictures through the window as we drive through town.

 I'm pretty sure that I was trying to take a photo of the meat hanging in the top corner of this photo.

The meat is usually just slabs of meat hanging in a kiosk.

Sometimes you can tell it is a chicken, or a goat and other times it is a much larger animal like a cow or pig. We saw lots of people carrying chickens that were dangling by their feet.

Even people on motorcycles were carrying chickens dangling from the handle bars.

 

We saw live chickens and ducks for sale laying in patches of straw by the roadside.

 I guess this is the car parts shop

As we began to leave town we passed rice fields

And then began to see the beautiful countryside

and old buildings

 We traveled through small villages until we eventually reached the Lemur Park where we took a small canoe to see the Lemurs.

 

Sister Asay brought a bag of bananas that were very popular with the Lemurs.

As soon as we got off our canoe a Lemur jumped on my shoulder.

Now I love animals and I expected to really like meeting these little guys up close and personal. However,  I was not excited about  these little creatures with the beady orange eyes and long claws flying out of the tree and landing on my shoulder.

It reminded me of the haunted house at Universal Studios.

 I just didn't know when the next one was going to land on me, once I saw three of them jump on Sister Asay I decided I did NOT want to hold the bananas.

 However, Bruce didn't mind at all.

These little guys were all over him

and everyone else! I was happy just watching.

 We saw several different types of Lemurs.

 

This one was shy. I liked him because he stayed in his bush.

 

The next day we went to church where we met some sweet little children

And just like that it was time to return to Johannesburg.

Changes

The month of June was a roller coaster of emotion.

I don't like change.

I never have.

Good-byes are difficult for me.

 

We knew that we would be saying good-bye to Sheree Clarke at least a month before she left the Area Office. However, I didn't realize how much I would miss her until she walked out the door.

Sheree is a Marriage and Family therapist. She has been so much more to us than just a co-worker.

  Sheree is one of those people that you just know was put in your life for a reason.

 

 So is Jill Jones

Jill was not only my exercise buddy,

She has been a great friend

She was always there when I needed someone to talk to.
We had so much fun together.
We shared so many fun experiences together, swimming, zip lining, the rhino rescue, game drives, dinners out, shopping, and movies.
Jill is one of the most thoughtful people I have ever met.
She brought a pattern from home to make a purse.  When I arrived she had already taught several ladies to make their own purse. She must have taught at least 15 ladies how to make purses.
She took us shopping for fabric and then one by one she invited each woman to her flat to sew.
She baked bread and cinnamon rolls for the new couples when they arrived.
She brought the ladies African necklaces.
She organized trips for the Senior Missionary sisters to go shopping for African necklaces.
Ben was just as kind and generous. He was very busy with his calling as the Executive Secretary to the Area President but he always made time for friends.
Ben and Jill took the new couples out to dinner and shopping. They both went out of their way to make people feel welcome.

Ben and Jill have both been great friends to Bruce and I.
We are going to miss them terribly.

Ben and Jill completed their mission and returned to Utah a few weeks ago. 

Bruce and I were sad to see them go but know how excited they were to see their families again.

We have met so many wonderful people who will leave footprints on our hearts forever.

The next change we faced in June was moving to a new apartment.

We had to say goodbye to flat 516 in Duke's Court and move across the street to Gleneagles.

We liked living in flat 516 but the lease was up and we needed to move. Ben needed someone to move to the apartment building across the street so we said we would.

So we packed our bags and moved to Glen Eagles.

It is a nice apartment with two bedrooms. Which was very nice since my friend Kathleen was coming to stay for a few weeks in July.

With 6 Sunday's left on our mission I am already dreading the most difficult good-bye of all,
the transition from my home in Africa to home in America.
Today as I sat in Sacrament meeting with little Providence leaning on my shoulder I felt the familiar tug at my heart.
Remembering the pain of leaving Ukraine.
My heart ached.
I wiped the tears from my eyes and took her little hand in mine.
 I looked around the room at all the wonderful people who were strangers 17 months ago and marveled at how great God is.
He knows it is hard for me to be away from my family so he gave me Orange Farm.
And now when it is time for me to say good-bye to my Orange Farm family he has reminded me how blessed I am so have such a wonderful family waiting for me in America.