Finding Jenny Lake

I have a really good friend that I have known since I was in 7th grade. She is one of those friends who you don't have to see often, but as soon as you are together, you pick up right where you left off.

 

We haven't lived in the same city for many years but we still keep in touch. When I told my friend, Kathleen that I was coming to Johannesburg she told me that her Great-grandmother, Jenny Lake was buried here.

She told me that Jenny and her husband came to Johannesburg as missionaries in 1907 with their 7 children. Jenny died several months after arriving in Johannesburg. Her husband John G. Lake co-founder of the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa.

I promised Kathleen that when I came to Johannesburg I would look for Jenny's grave and take some pictures. It's been a year now that we have lived in Johannesburg, and every time I pass a cemetery I remember that promise I made to Kathleen.

I kept telling myself, someday......................

 

Well, today was the day

 

 I printed a photo of Jenny's tombstone, scribbled down the directions to the cemetery,

which by the way,

there are nearly 35 cemeteries in Johannesburg

 and Jenny was buried in the Braamfontein Cemetery, which is less than 4 miles from our house.

 

 

As we entered the cemetery we quickly realized, that even though we had a plot number,

 it wouldn't help much because none of the plots were marked.

We drove around the cemetery with no idea where to begin to look

I asked Bruce to let me out of the car and he continued to drive awhile

It was a beautiful day.

Not a soul in sight

 

 

I wandered through the cemetery,

praying to know where to find Jenny's grave.

Bruce eventually parked the car and joined me

 

 

As we wandered through the cemetery the thick bed of leaves crackled under our feet

 

It was so peaceful, not a soul in sight, just Bruce and I wandering between the tombstones, stopping every few feet to read a marker

After awhile,

Bruce and I headed off in different directions

 

Bruce came across this section of the cemetery where firefighters and police officers had been buried

 

I wandered aimlessly until I came to this child's grave

 

For a moment I was excited as I noticed that this little grave had a plot number on it

But as I continued to walk I realized that none of the other graves nearby had numbers and this number was not even close to the number I had for Jenny's grave

 

 

After about 20 minutes of wandering directionless, I looked out at the huge cemetery and thought "How disappointing it would be if I couldn't find her gravesite"
Just then I remembered that I had other photos that I had not printed that Kathleen had emailed me.

 I don't usually have access to mobile data on my phone but today I just happened to have enough data to allow me to check the photos in my email. Kathleen had not only sent photos of the gravesite but she had sent a photo of a plot map of the cemetery. I don't even remember seeing that map before.

 

 

 

 I quickly found Bruce and together we studied the map.

Then I noticed another photo on my phone that showed what the side of the road looked like that lead to Jenny's grave

 

It just took me a minute to find this gravesite next to the road and I began to run 

straight to Jenny's grave

 

 

Bruce was so sweet he pulled the weeds around Jenny's gravesite.

As we walked back to the car we realized that our car was parked just a few yards from where the Gravesite was located.

Like Kathleen says, "There are no coincidences"

So grateful that I could do this for my friend Kathleen,

It really was a beautiful day!
 

 

Maturation Kits

 

It never occurred to me that girls would miss school because they don't have proper sanitary supplies.

I have learned that young girls miss up to 2 months a year of classroom education while they are menstruating.  

Here in Africa girls use leaves, newspaper, corn husks, rocks, and mattress stuffing because they can't afford to buy disposable sanitary napkins.

 

One of the goals of the Humanitarian Program is to find local solutions to problems. We learned of a non-profit that was addressing the problem of young girls missing school due to not having proper sanitary supplies.

 

Days for Girls International is a grassroots 501(c) non-profit,  whose vision is:

 

"Creating a more dignified, free and educated world through access to lasting feminine hygiene solutions. 

Women, and girls discover their potential and self-value, are equal participants and agents of social change and are given opportunities to thrive, grow and contribute to their community's betterment while ensuring quality sustainable feminine hygiene."

 

 

"If you have to choose between feeding your children or providing sanitary supplies, which would you choose? The answer is clear. Where do you dispose of soiled pads when there is no trash service? Littered pads only add to the stigma girls can face. A quality answer that she can count on month after month that is comfortable and effective AND discrete gives her back days of possibility, safety, and dignity".

 

 

In an effort to find a local solution to the problem, several of our Welfare Services Missionaries have developed sewing projects that not only teach women to sew ,but teach them to make reusable sanitary napkins and hygiene kits, as well as offer personal hygiene training.

 

Each kit includes; washable pads, moisture barrier shields that hold the pads in place, 2 pair of panties, and a gallon sized zip lock bag, and a carrying bag and an instruction sheet.

 

 

 The missionaries have reported that these projects have been very beneficial and quite successful.

The women loved that they were not only learning to sew but they were able to help the young girls in their communities

 In Kinshasa, even the men got involved

 

Women of all ages participated

In Lubumbashi and Kinshasa young mothers brought their small children along as they learned to sew

 

 

We have received reports that these projects were very successful for many reasons. The first and more obvious reason was that the completed Maturation Kits were donated to young girls in the community. Fewer girls would miss school due to lack of proper sanitary supplies. The second was that the local women, and in some cases, men, gathered together with one goal in mind, to help the young girls in their community. This project strengthened relationships. It helped to build a stronger community. It helped the people see that they could solve their own problems. .

 

 

I LOVE THIS PHOTO OF THIS SWEET SISTER. THE SMILE ON HER FACE SHOWS THE JOY THAT SHE EXPERIENCED AS SHE PROVIDED A SELFLESS ACT OF SERVICE.

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me".

Matthew 25:40
 

Christ-like Service

Last week I received this photo from Sister Johnson who is serving a Humanitarian Mission in Kinshasa with her husband.

Sister Johnson explained that she had been preparing for a closing ceremony for one of their water projects in Kinshasa. They were expecting local leaders of the village to come along with many of the village residents to celebrate the new well that the church had donated. Sister Johnson said that this sweet little boy appeared out of nowhere. He told her he couldn't find his mother. He was dirty, hungry and covered in sores. Sister Johnson scooped him up and held him for about an hour. Soon the guest began to arrive and she had to set him in the chair next to hers so that she could greet the guest. When she turned around the boy was gone. This little angel who had been lost and frightened had simply disappeared.
I wept when I read this story. Sister Johnson may never know who this boy was, where he came from or how he had gotten lost from his mother.
I am so grateful for the example of Sister Johnson. I am sure she was very busy preparing for the closing ceremony, but she did not hesitate to lift up this little boy covered in dirt and sores and cradle him in her arms. We never know when the Lord will call upon us to be instruments in his hands. It is often not at the most convenient time when that still small voice prompts us put our own needs aside and serve our fellow man. The Lord commanded us to love one another, and to love our neighbor as our self.

"Thou shalt love thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind. That is the first great commandment. " And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

Matthew 22:36-39







Joseph F. Smith said, "Charity, or love, is the greatest principle in existence. If we can lend a helping hand to the oppressed, if we can aid those who are despondent and in sorrow, if we can uplift and ameliorate the condition of mankind, it is our mission to do it, it is an essential part of our religion to do it. (Conference Report, April 1917) When we feel love for God's Children, we are given opportunities to help them in their journey back to His presence."

I am so grateful for people like Sister Johnson who are living examples of Christ-like service. What a blessing it is to be a missionary and to witness the wonderful acts of service that our Humanitarian missionaries are providing. I am so grateful for all the missionaries we serve with here in Africa. I am inspired by their selfless acts of service daily.

Durban Projects

I found this beautiful photo on Facebook and just had to share it with you.  Sister Cinquini who is serving in Durban, along with her husband as the Public Affairs couple, posted it along with a story about donating dresses to a local orphanage. This was not a Humanitarian project. The Cinquini's  had received a donation from the US and they found a local orphanage to donate the dresses to.

We met the Cinquini's when we went on the Rhino Rescue. They are a wonderful couple. We don't currently have a couple serving in Durban, (hint, hint) so the Cinquini's have stepped in and helped out when they can. A few months ago the Cinquini's took newborn kits, that had been donated to the Humanitarian program, to one of the local hospitals in Durban and delivered them to the Maternity department. The kits contained soap, layette, booties, socks, and a hat. I have been following Elder and Sister Cinquini on facebook and they post some wonderful stories about the church in South Africa. Durban is lucky to have this sweet couple.

Zimbabwe Humanitarian Work

We recently returned from a trip to Zimbabwe where we went to train the McMurdie's. The McMurdie's arrived in South Africa a few months ago. We promised them we would come to Zimbabwe for further training after the conference. They were kind enough to pick us up at the airport then show us around Zimbabwe. We visited some of the projects the couple before them, The Stevens, had started. We went to a school where the Stevens did a clean water and hygiene training project.

 

We started out visiting a Secondary School where the Humanitarian Program provided Water Tanks, and a borehole.







While Elder McMurdie was busy meeting with the school director, Sister McMurdie and I found a small group of girls gathered around the water faucet. We decided to go talk to them.

 The school is located quite a distance from town and judging from their reaction to us, I don't think they see too many white ladies with straight blonde hair. They enjoyed practicing their English.  Their primary language is Shona. They said, "hello, how are you" and "I am fine" very well.

This is one of the classrooms in the Secondary School 



After we left the Secondary School we went to a Primary School where we had provided a Maize Mill and reroofed the classrooms after a storm had destroyed the roofs on several buildings. This teacher was so grateful for the new roof in her classroom.

While I was in the classroom shaking hands and saying, "hello, how are you" to each of the 35 children, Sister McMurdie was outside with a group of children who had gathered around her.

Sister McMurdie had taught them a new game. She had all of the children put their hands on top of hers and then count to three. On three they all raised their hands into air. It was so fun to watch. Everyone roared with laughter as they raised their hands high above them/



 

 Elder McMurdie even joined in.

I am so grateful for this wonderful couple. They have only been in Africa for a few months and they are already making a difference in the lives of so many. 



I

We had so much fun visiting these schools and meeting the amazing teachers and directors. No words can describe the joy of watching the faces of these beautiful children light up as we stopped to share a moment with them.

 

Days like this will be treasured memories of Africa that I shall never forget

Humanitarian Couple's Conference

In January we had a Humanitarian Couple's Conference in Johannesburg. 12 of our 13 couples who are serving all over South Africa were able to attend. These amazing couples are serving in Rwanda, Burundi, Gabon, Kinshasa, Kenya, Lubumbashi, Madagascar, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.

 

On our previous mission to Ukraine we had the opportunity to attend two Humanitarian Couples Conferences with couples serving throughout Eastern Europe. We really enjoyed the chance we had to meet other couples who were serving Humanitarian Missions. It was fun to hear about the different types of projects they were doing and to get new ideas for projects we could implement in Ukraine.

 We wanted the couples in Africa to have the same wonderful experience that we had had in Ukraine at the Conferences we attended. We spent months preparing for this Conference. We decided that we would have the couples participate in the conference as much as possible. We assigned couples to be in charge of the morning devotionals which included the music, a spiritual thought and the prayer.

Our theme for the conference was "Providing in the Lord's Way".  We asked a few couples to share some thoughts from a talk given by President Uchtdorf  entitled, "Providing in the Lord's Way."   We asked couples to share some of the things they do as  Welfare Services Missionaries.  We learned that some of the couples are teaching English classes in their branches or wards, some are teaching piano, or music to church members.  One sister shared that she is planning on teaching Family History in her branch. Couples shared how they were involved in "Mormon Helping Hands Projects" as well as Disaster Relief, or Emergency Response Projects. We asked a few couples to share a specific project they worked on this past year that helped promote self-reliance.

 Sister Van Wagoner shared that she wanted to teach some of the women in Burundi a skill that would help them to become more self-reliant. Sister VanWagoner is a very talented woman. She decided to teach the women to sew. Her goal was to teach them how to make dolls. The plan was to make 50 dolls that they would donate to an orphanage and then the women would be given some fabric to make something for themselves. It was a huge undertaking. The women gathered scrap material to be used as stuffing for the dolls, then they got busy making dolls, and clothing. They even painted the faces and added hair which wasn't easy to find in Burundi. In addition to all the other challenges Sister VanWagoner faced she also had to teach the ladies to sew with the use of an interpreter. The original goal of 50 dolls was exceeded and I believe they ended up with 80 dolls. What a wonderful accomplishment.

 

 

Elder and Sister Davis shared the project they did with Therese and the girls school that I posted about previously. The Davis's provided some appliances for a girls school cooking lab.

 

 

 

Elder Johnson shared some photos of one of his water projects in Kinshasa.

 

The final day the couples learned about the LDS Addiction Recovery Program and the Strengthening Marriage and Family Program. 

 

 

We concluded the week with a beautiful testimony meeting followed by a trip to the Temple. 

It was a wonderful week that we hated to see end.

We really did enjoy spending time with these amazing missionaries.

 

We know that it isn't easy to leave homes and families behind to serve a mission for 18 months.

 

We are blessed to serve with wonderful people like the Moody's who have returned to Africa to serve a second Humanitarian mission.  

 

 

And the Lee's who are currently serving their 6th Humanitarian Mission.

 

We are so blessed to work with these wonderful couples and to learn from their examples of Christ like service.

 

My Mission: Hermana Clark

this is a wonderful short video that helps explain why we serve missions.

Notre Dame School For Girls in Lubumbashi

One of the most rewarding things about doing Humanitarian Work is meeting the incredible people who dedicate their lives to helping the poor and needy. We had the opportunity to meet such a lady  in Lubumbashi a few months ago. We had gone there to visit our Humanitarian Couple, Clark and Shelley Davis. While we were there they took us to see a few of their projects. Elder Davis had told us about Terese before we arrived at her school for girls. Terese and her husband live in a modest home on a small parcel of land where they have built a school for girls. A few years ago the Humanitarian Program provided some sewing machines so that Terese could start a skills lab to teach the girls a marketable skill. Elder and Sister Davis wanted to be sure the previous project had been successful before decided to propose another project with Terese. The Davis's  asked about the sewing machines. They wanted to know if they were still in operating order and if they were being used.  This is what they found.

 

Terese had the sewing machines not only in working order but stored in this cabinet.

 

 Terese then took them to this classroom that was filled with beautiful dresses

Terese explained that the girls not only had learned to sew but they had also learned to knit.

Elder and Sister Davis were so impressed that they were happy to propose we do another project with Terese. Her dream was to have a cooking lab for her girls. Her  husband was building a new classroom and they needed help with the appliances for the cooking lab. Terese and her husband had even saved up enough money to buy some of the pots and pans and utensils for the cooking lab.

The girls were so excited about learning to cook that they made their own aprons.

 

When the Davis's came to our Humanitarian Conference last week they shared these wonderful pictures of Terese and her girls.

 

I love this picture of Terese and the gratitude that shows on her face. She truly is changing lives of hundreds of girls in Lubumbashi.