Humanitarian Work in South Africa

Last week we received several projects in the Africa Southeast Area Office for what we call Area Initiatives. Bruce and I review the projects submitted by 7 couples who are responsible for Humanitarian work in the following countries, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, DRC Congo, Kinshasha, Lubumbashi, Burundi, Gabon, and Ethiopia.  My job is to review all the projects the couples submit and present them to our Area Welfare Manager for approval. Bruce has the rather challenging job of handling all the financial aspects of their projects. Every day we respond to 60-70 emails from our couples as well as from the Short Term Specialist from Salt Lake City who come to South Africa to do Major Initiatives. You can read about Major Initiatives here. We also meet with our Welfare Manager several times a day to discuss projects or questions or concerns from the couples.

We are fortunate to share an office with the Humanitarian Couple who cover South Africa, the Kirschbaums. It has been fun to watch them get excited about Humanitarian Work. We met the Kirschbaums when we were in training in Provo Utah and we all came to South Africa at the same time. This is their first Humanitarian Mission. They have been busy with Wheelchair Projects, Orphanages, Garden Projects and they recently finished a project with a Center for Children with Special Needs. This week when they returned from a visit, Elder Kirschbaum told me that they went to a place called " Door of Hope." When he explained why it was called that, it haunted me for days. The building has a wall that surrounds it. There is a hole built into the wall where people can anonymously leave unwanted babies. Their website says, "In greater Johannesburg alone, at least three babies are abandoned every day."

Some days Humanitarian work is incredibly painful. We are reminded daily how blessed our lives have been.  Humanitarian work takes you to places you never dreamed existed. There were days when we were serving in Ukraine that I thought "I just can't bear to see another abandoned child." It broke my heart. As a Humanitarian volunteer you are exposed to the daily suffering of women and children, the elderly, the handicapped and the forgotten.  The positive side to it is, that you know that in some small way you are making a difference. Many times while serving in Ukraine, I felt like it wasn't the "things" we provided, but the love that we shared. Sometimes people just need to know that they are not forgotten.

This mission in South Africa is different than when we were in Ukraine. We are not out in the field meeting with organizations, however, every day we review the projects the couples submit to the Area Office. We don't walk the streets of Uganda, Ethiopia or Kenya like the couples, but we do get a small taste of what they are experiencing when they submit their projects.

Last week I received several request. One request was for school desks. The couple described the crowded classrooms where the children were sitting on the floor on small pieces of bricks.  We had another request to build latrines in several schools and teach hygiene to the teachers and students.  We received a request to purchase school uniforms, computers, and a refrigerator for an Orphanage with 8 different homes for abandoned and abused children and children with Aids. There are so many orphans in South Africa. The Aids epidemic has left many children without parents. In some cases very young children are raising their siblings.  We had a project submitted last week to help a clinic that treats a skin disease called jiggers. This proposal had photos of children with the skin peeling off their hands and feet. The children suffer from all kinds of diseases from drinking contaminated water, or walking barefoot in contaminated soil.

This week left me filled with gratitude. I am so grateful for my family, for my home, and my health. I am grateful to be a member of this church and to be given this opportunity to come to South Africa. I am grateful for all the amazing couples we work with who live in much more challenging conditions then we do here in Johannesburg. I am touched by their dedication and love for the people of South Africa and for their willingness to leave the comforts of home and their family.

Missing Orange Farm

Since Bruce wasn't feeling well last week I went to church with another couple who meet in a different branch. Today he was so still not feeling well. So we will not be going to Orange Farm tomorrow either. If I were home I would just drive myself to church however, our branch is 45 minutes away and sadly, it is not safe for me to be on the roads alone. Johannesburg has a very high crime rate and it is just not advised to be alone in the car. The criminals target women alone in cars and they do what is referred to as "smash and grabs". They will walk up to your car while you are stopped at a light and smash your window and grab your purse, your phone, or your jewelry. It happens to men too. We met a man, a local, who told us he was stopped in traffic once and someone smashed his window and put a gun to his head and robbed him and hit him in the head with the gun. It is hard to get use to not being able to just go where I want to go. Last Saturday a group of us women went to a dance performance at one of the church buildings at night. I was the designated driver. I am always careful when I approach stop signs to make sure there is no one standing around. I told the ladies, "be prepared if anyone approaches my car I will run the red light." So I guess I won't be driving myself to Orange Farm tomorrow.

 

Update on Bruce

This is pretty much where Bruce has spent the last two weeks.

This Friday it will be two weeks since Bruce first started feeling sick. He went to the hospital against his will for a Chest X-ray and blood work. (can't really protest when your wife is a Nurse and a doctor lives right down the hall.) Dr. Barton even offered to drive him to the hospital and then he sat with us while all the test were run. The doctor said there were no infiltrations in his lungs and his white blood cell count was slightly elevated but they didn't put him on antibiotics just cough medicine. Then after 4 or 5 days of coughing his lungs were sounding much worse so we went to see a doctor. It was kind of interesting. We went to see Dr. Milne who is the brother of one of the men we work with in our office. We were sitting in the waiting room and out came the doctor to escort us into the room that was both his office and his exam room. He sat at the desk and asked lots of questions then took Bruce over to the exam table and took his vital signs, temperature, blood pressure, and  pulse. Dr. Milne was a one man show. No receptionist, no medical tech, and no nurse. It was pretty cool. So he decided to put Bruce on an antibiotic and a new cough medicine. For the last two days it has appeared he is on the mend. Today he ventured out and went across the street to the mall to make an appointment at the nail salon for a pedicure. He did report that he was quite out of breath by the time he returned to our apartment. Dr. Milne said this flu has probably hit Bruce so hard because he has been exposed to different bugs here that his body hasn't built an immunity to.
 I am keeping my fingers crossed that I am not next.

Children

we went to a dance performance the other night and I found this little darling crawling around on the floor. When she saw me with my camera she came right over to me. I just kept snapping photos and showing her the pictures. She loved seeing herself in my camera.

These little ones are some of the Primary children in our branch. I have been attending primary lately and these sweet little girls wait for me to sit and then they come and sit right next to me. They laugh at me when I try to say their names. Most of them speak Zulu until they are about 4 or 5 and their names are very hard to pronounce.  So we don't really communicate with words very well, but we still have fun. The little one with curly hair on top of her head has an English name which is Faith, but her Zulu name sounds something like Bongewe. She pronounces it for me, then I say what I think she is saying and she laughs and says it again, but it sounds just like what I think I am saying. So we do a few rounds of that then I give up. Two weeks ago I was asked to teach a group of about 15 children while the teachers were in training.  These children are so amazing. We put our chairs in a big circle outside and then I taught a short lesson and had music time. The children ranged in age from 4-10 years old and even the 4 year olds sat quietly and answered the questions when I called on them. Then we had music time and the older boys stood in the front and sang songs to the younger ones. I couldn't believe how well they know the primary songs and how great they sang without any musical instruments.

 I am loving Sundays and can't wait to see my little friends

Gratitude

Bruce has been sick all week. When he finally left the house, it was to walk across the street to go have some blood work done. As we slowly made our way through the mall, for the first time in 35 years, I saw my husband vulnerable. Bruce has always been very healthy. He rarely gets sick. Watching him spend the last week in bed, struggling to just sit up long enough to eat some lunch, I reflected on how grateful I am that we have both been blessed with healthy bodies. How grateful I am to have had so many opportunities to enjoy life with Bruce by my side. Life is so incredibly fragile. My father died of cancer at age 50. I watched as cancer robbed  him of his independence. In just a few months my father went from being a man who was up before the sun, washing his car, mowing the lawn, and cleaning the house before most of us were even out of bed, to not even being able to lift a glass to his mouth. I was young when my father died. That was over 31 years ago. Since then, I have learned many lessons about life, both in my professional life as a nurse and in my private life.  I have watched loved ones age, I have seen patients riddled with cancer struggling just to breathe, I have sat by the bedside and held the hand of loved ones, as well as patients, as they have taken their last breath. What I have come to understand is, just how fragile our health is. We are subject to illness, disease and trauma that can rob us of even the simple joy of going for a walk in the sunshine. I remember the day before my father died he asked me to take him outside so that he could sit in the sun. That last request has burned an indelible imprint on my heart. Many a day when I find myself sitting in my favorite spot at Laguna Beach and I feel the warm sun on my face I reflect on that last request of my fathers. As Bruce and I took that short walk through the mall and I watched as he painfully took each step, I thanked my Heavenly Father for this wonderful companion, and for all the walks we've taken, all the sunsets we've watched, all the places we've traveled. I am grateful that this is merely a virus and that Bruce will recover. I am grateful for this past week and that once again Heavenly Father has reminded me of all that I have to be grateful for. We see these reminders everyday in Africa, but that is for another post.

Somebody is NOT feeling well

 

BRUCE RARELY GETS SICK BUT WHEN HE DOES HE IS WIPED OUT.

 

There has been a bug going around our office and it finally hit our house.

It started with a sore throat, and sneezing last Friday

 and for the last 4 days Bruce has been home in bed, or snoozing on the couch.

NO NYQUIL TO BE FOUND SO THIS WILL HAVE TO DO!

 

 

July 4th

There is something really special about living in another Country on Independence Day.
It makes you realize that July 4th is not just a time to have barbeques and watch fireworks.
When you wake up on July 4th in a Country far from home you reflect on the blessings of being a United States Citizen. I am so grateful that we are blessed to practice religion freely. I am grateful that we have the freedom to speak up for what we believe in. I am so grateful for the men and women who are willing to put on a uniform and leave their friends and family to fight for our freedoms.

This year we were invited to join some of the other Senior couples at the Shupe's apartment  in honor of the 4th of July. We sang patriotic songs,  played games and answered questions about our countries history. There were no fireworks this year but it was a very special evening. As the night ended we sang, The Star Spangled Banner, and we prayed for the Shupe's son who was deploying with a special forces team the following week on a secret mission. We left their home filled with gratitude for this sweet couple who couldn't let this special day go by without celebrating and honoring those who have served and continue to serve so that we can live in the land of the free.

Saying Good-bye

A few weeks ago Kevin and Roweena Palmer flew from Salt Lake City to Johannesburg to be by the side of their missionary son, Matthew who was in a Johannesburg Hospital in critical condition.  Matthew was serving a mission in Madagascar, a very poor island country in South Africa, when he began experiencing severe headaches.  He was transported to Johannesburg, and it was determined that he had intercranial bleeding from a vessel in his brain.  After a few days in the hospital, fluid started to build up, so a shunt was placed to drain the fluid and relieve the pressure.  While coming out of the anesthesia, Matthew had a major bleed in his brain and was put on a ventilator.  Slowly, he made progress, and by the time his parents arrived,  he was able to respond to their questions by squeezing their hands. 

The Area doctor, Dr. Barton and his wife, Connie, who are Senior Missionaries from the US work right across the hall from us in the Area Office and they had been keeping us informed of Matthews progress. All the Senior Missionaries in the Area Office and the Temple had been praying for Matthew, as I am sure were the missionaries in Madagascar and probably all over South Africa.

When the Palmers arrived, the Senior Missionary Couples literally wrapped Kevin and Roweena in their arms and carried them through what was the most devastating thing a parent can go through. They were given an apartment in Duke's Court, where twenty plus Senior Missionary Couples live. Connie Barton arranged to have the Palmers invited to dinner by one of the couples every night they were in Johannesburg. Dr. Barton and Connie, were by the Palmers side night and day. 

We first, met Kevin and Roweena when we had them to our apartment for dinner. We spent an hour or so together as they proudly shared with us what a very talented young man Matthew was. When we took them back to the hospital after dinner I suggested they take Matthew's music and play it for him. (Matthew had recorded several CD's  of his own music before he left for his mission). When The Palmers returned from their visit they were happy to report that Matthew had squeezed their hands really hard when they had asked him if he liked listening to the music. The next day when we saw Kevin and Roweena they reported that they didn't see much change in Matthew. Two days later they were informed that Matthew was not showing signs of brain activity. We had been expecting to have dinner with the Palmers and the Lee's that night, however, we received a call from the Barton's informing us that the Palmer's were going to be calling their children at home to tell them Matthew would have to be taken off  life support.

There was a heavy cloud hanging over Duke's court and the Area Office that next week. We all knew the pain the Palmers must be in. I don't think there was one of us who didn't think about how devastated we would be if it had been our son. Our hearts hurt for Kevin and Roweena and their family at home. We watched as they made very difficult decisions those last few days before they boarded the plane for the US leaving Matthew's body behind.
 
This was one of those tragedies that you find yourself wondering, "How could God let this happen?" Matthew was a wonderful young man who had his whole life ahead of him. He had devoted 2 years of his life to serve his Heavenly Father and to bring others unto Christ.

I know that bad things do happen to good people. I don't believe God "let's things happen." I think there are times he doesn't intervene.  There are tragedies in our lives every day. I don't believe that God "causes" the bad things to happen. I know that God loves each and everyone of us. We are his children. He weeps when we weep. What I witnessed those 10 days that Kevin and Roweena were here, was evidence of God's love for them. I witnessed miracle after miracle that occurred that week. 

Kevin and Roweena took a flight from Salt Lake City expecting to be by their son's bedside while he recovered and a week later they were making decisions about donating their sons organs. The Palmers were far from home, in a strange country when they sat by Matthew's hospital bed and said their final good-byes. I marveled at the strength of Kevin and Roweena as they faced those last few days in Johannesburg. I know without a doubt that they were blessed. I know that Heavenly Father had orchestrated every detail of their lives that week. I know that our lives will be changed for having witnessed the miracles that occurred in the lives of a grieving mother and father that week.

The Lee's the Kinghorn's and the Palmers

  





To read an article about Matthew click on the link below

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=30549144

Twilight Game Drive

Twilight Game Drive

One of the highlights of our trip to Kruger was a twilight game drive. Not everyone in our group chose to go. Saturday night was the first rugby game of the season and some of the men wanted to go to the local pub and watch the game, while a few of the ladies opted to stay back and enjoy the serenity of our wonderful lodge. The Barnes, The Davie's, The Poleman's, The Kinghorn's, and Elder Kirschbaum all decided to squeeze one more adventure into what was already an amazing trip. We were taken to the Giraffe Park around 5pm and returned to Ndabushe around 8. The decision to leave the comforts of the warm fire at Ndabushe turned out to be a great choice, however, we were a little worried at first, because the first 10 minutes we didn't see a thing but a lot of  tracks in the dirt road.



This is our tracker telling our driver which way to go to follow the tracks

Once the sun went down, we began to see herds of animals. 

 We saw Zebras, Giraffe, Cape Buffalo, Rhinos, Wild Dogs and Impalas.

Our tracker had a huge search light that he would shine into the bushes and we could see the reflection bounce from the animals eyes. One of the most incredible things we saw that night was just before the sun went down. Our vehicle was down in a little gully and we could see just up the road the neck of a very tall Giraffe with this gorgeous sunset framing it. I will never forget that sight.

 

Not only did we see all these herds of large animals we saw many smaller animals as well. We spotted a Bush Baby in a tree, a Jenette, and an Ardvark, which we were told, is extremely rare. Another really special sight was the night sky. Our guide pointed out the stars in the sky and we just sat quietly and marveled at the beauty.  

Saving Ammon

Rhino Rescue Day

We started the Rhino rescue before Sunrise. Our little group gathered on an old runway and waited for the helicopter to arrive.  The veterinarian arrived and spent about a half hour explaining the process of locating and tranquilizing the Rhino.

 He explained the importance of working quickly and efficiently once the Rhino was darted. The vet delegated about 10 assignments to our group. Once the helicopter arrived, they circled around until they located a mother Rhino and a smaller Rhino who was about 2 or 3 years old. The pilot and his spotter were able to determine that the mother had previously been tagged, so the younger Rhino was the target. Once they spotted the Rhino the helicopter came back to where we were located and touched down long enough for the doctor to jump in. The helicopter guided the mother and young Rhino into the clearing where we all waiting for the cue to "GO". Once the young Rhino went down, the helicopter guided the mother far enough away so that we could  quickly jump into action. It was important that we didn't keep the young rhino down too long, or allow him to overheat.  The tranquilizer took effect after 6 or 7 minutes. I was assigned to be one of the first ones out of the truck to place rolled up socks in the Rhinos ears. Elder Kirschbaum placed a towel over his eyes and Elder Lee monitored his respirations. All the other men were asked to quickly jump down from the open air vehicles to help roll the Rhino off of his side.

This took quite a bit of effort. Then we went to work. Elder Davie was responsible for drilling the hole in the Rhinos horn to insert the microchip. The vet placed the chip and then filled the hole. One of the women was asked to record all the vital information that the vet relayed to her. The next task was placing the notches in his ears. Sister Kirchbaum was given this assignment. Our Rhino (who we named Ammon), was the 211th rhino chipped. The notches represented the number 211. Sister Jones was assigned to take some hair from his Ammon's tail for a DNA sample. Someone else took the shavings from his horn as well for a DNA sample. We then administered an antibiotic and Brother Donnelly asked the vet if I could be given this assignment because he knew I was a nurse. Let me just say, I was thrilled to have Ammon for a patient. I stayed close to Elder Lee as he monitored the young Rhinos respirations. At one point his respirations were a bit shallow, so he was given another drug through a catheter in his ear to wake him up just a bit.  Just before we woke Ammon Sister Nielsen put some gel in his eyes to keep them from drying out.

The whole procedure took about 25 minutes. When we administered the antidote everyone was told to quickly get back into the vehicles. We all sat quietly as we watched the young rhino wake up. He stood still for a moment while his legs wobbled and then he slowly ran off.  We sat in complete awe as we listened to the gentle cries that came from this little guy as he searched for his mother. We were later told by the helicopter pilot that the mother was very persistent and kept trying to return to her young.

The past 5 days in Kruger Park really made me appreciate what a great gift these wonderful creatures are to us. I love my Heavenly Father and I am so grateful to be here in this beautiful county.

THIS is AFRICA!!!!!!!!!

I have fallen in love with Africa

We just returned from a 5 day trip to Kruger Park 

and I have completely fallen in love with

 

AFRICA
Bruce and I were asked to join a group of couples who were going to Kruger Game Preserve to participate in a Rhino Rescue. We took two vans with 7Missionary Couples, and Elder Lee. We had a total of 21 people. Sean Donnelly who is the Public Affairs Officer for the church and his wife Diane met us at the lodge, Ndabushe, as well as the Nielsen's, and the Poleson's.

 

FROM THE MOMENT WE ENTERED THE FIRST GAME PRESERVE

I FELT LIKE

A CHILD AGAIN

I OPENED MY WINDOW,

 HUNG MY HEAD OUT

AND JUST SOAKED IN THE SIGHTS, SOUNDS, AND SMELLS OF
AFRICA

 

After we checked in to our lodge we took a short drive through Klaserie Private Nature Preserve.

We arrived just before the sun began to set

 



and that is when I knew I had finally discovered

Africa

The sky turned a beautiful shade of gold

and then

as if a light switched on

the moon began to fill the night sky

 

 

Saturday morning we got up early and headed out to Kruger Park

No words can describe the feeling of seeing these amazing creatures

 

  

I was surprised at how big the elephants were

We found this little group and watched as the largest elephant showered herself with wet sand

 Each time we stopped the car I found myself completely in awe of these beautiful creatures

 

 

 

 

Genisis: 25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

 

and it WAS GOOD

 

IT WAS OH SO GOOD!

 

The Kruger Game Reserve  

In 2013 over 1,000 Rhinos were poached in South Africa alone. The Kruger Game Reserve is very concerned with protecting the rhinos from poaching. Sean Donnelly from our area office, organizes 3 groups of volunteers a year who finance and work on the capture team.  The park relies on sponsor groups to tag,(implant microchips)  and mark (ear notch) the rhino population. To date 210 Rhinos have been tagged and marked. Since the project began only three poaching incidents have occurred in Kruger Park, while there have been many more in the surrounding areas.  

 

 

These two sweet creatures were caught by poachers who cut off their horns with a chain saw. The Rhinos have been rescued and unfortunately they have been so mutilated their horns will never grow back. They now have steel plates put in place of their horns. The Rhino Rescue Project is an attempt to discourage poaching Rhinos for their horns.

 

 

 

 

Orange Farm

I sat next to these two little angels today during the first hour of church.
They were so adorable and sat so reverently during the entire service. When the 3 hours of church ended
I saw them begin their walk home
ALONE
I asked someone who they were and where their parents were
So one of the members asked the girls and they said their parents were home.
Their parents are not members of the church so these two sweet girls came to church
ALL BY THEMSELVES
I remembered when they arrived and I helped the little girl take her backpack off
She carefully unzipped it and brought out her Book of Mormon
She held it in her hand throughout the entire meeting

The third hour of church this little angel and I played with my I-pad. She loved taking her own picture.
Then we just looked though all my family photos.
I love going to church at Orange Farm. I especially like when I get to interact with the members of the church.
Today before church began I spoke to a woman and her 39 year old daughter. When I asked the older woman how many children she had,  she paused a moment, then said,

"I had 5 but then one of my sons

DISAPPEARED"

She went on to say,

"so now I have 4."

I wonder what that would be like

To just have a child disappear

The bond between a mother and child is so strong

Every day I see mothers caring for their babies,
Last week at church I watched a baby begin to fuss in her mothers arms and the mother gently wrapped her baby around her back and began to rock back and forth
  soon the baby was fast asleep.

Today I saw a mommy tie her baby to her back and when the mothers friend tried to adjust the blanket the mother said,
"Oh now, he is going to fuss"
Her friend tried to assure her the baby was fine,
and  asked
"Why do you say he is going to fuss"
The mother said,
"because I can feel him begin to struggle"

It made me think about how close a mother and her child are

From the moment we feel the first flutter as our child stirs within our womb are lives are interwoven.

In just a few days after birth we begin to develop an innate ability to read our babies cues,
We learn to know the distinction between a cry of hunger and a cry indicating it is time for a diaper change.
We know when our children need a little extra coaxing or encouragement to try something new
We know when our children need a little extra attention

It is an amazing, gentle knowing that mothers develop

We know that someday they will leave us
We know that someday they will be ready to be on their own
We prepare for the day they will marry and someday raise children of their own
But we are never prepared for a child to just

DISAPPEAR

today I am counting my blessings
and praying for my sweet friend
that someday
her beautiful son will return

Children are the same all over the world



Following the Disaster Response Vans into the area that experienced the fire

THE FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS THE CHILDREN

As I watched the vans being unloaded I couldn't stop looking at this little group of girls playing jump rope. I stood on the other side of the cyclone fence that surrounded the community center where all the donations were being distributed. I found myself drawn to the girls.
I was no longer  interested in the plastic bags we had taken days to sort but in the gentle snapping of the jump  rope and the sound of laughter coming from the children. 
It reminded me my own childhood and how I couldn't wait for the recess bell so that I could rush out to the play ground to jump rope with my friends.
 Oh how I wished I could run over and join them.
There was nothing holding me back but the warning we had been given by the leader of the Disaster Response team who told us it wouldn't be safe to be alone in this community.
The community center where the donated items were to be distributed was behind a guarded gate and several police officers were standing by in case there were any disturbances when the items were being distributed.

It struck me how resilient children are
How these children were happy to have their peanut butter sandwiches,
 their friends,
a jump rope
 and a rolled up plastic bag to play with

SOME OF THESE CHILDREN MAY HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES,
SOME OF THEM MAY BE SLEEPING IN A NEIGHBORS SHACK UNTIL THEIRS WAS REBUILT
SOME OF THESE CHILDREN MAY HAVE GONE TO BED HUNGRY
BUT TODAY,
THEY WERE JUST BEING KIDS








Fire in Capetown

 

 

Last Monday we were asked to go to Capetown in response to a fire that destroyed 200 homes in this community

 

 Capetown has several of these communities and it is not uncommon for them to experience fires that quickly ravish the area. The church was asked to help in the sorting of clothing and household items that were distributed to the affected families, We worked with some of the local members of the church so that the next time their community is affected by a natural disaster the members of the church will be prepared to respond quickly.

The first thing we did was enlist the younger missionaries who are serving their missions in Capetown
We couldn't have done it without them

 

Elder Kinghorn and Elder Lee kept right up with them, they were busy, sorting, stuffing, and carrying these heavy garbage bags for 3 days

We had to take a picture with Elder Wilde and his companion because he is good friends with Bo Oldroyd who was in our District in Ukraine for several months. (just had to show Bo who we ran into on our mission)

 

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.