Bulawayo, Zimbabwe visit

With Johannesburg on the skyline (as seen in the first photo) Ron and I drove to the airport on Thursday, 18 November 2010 for a flight to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Springtime grass growing in the median was being cut by handheld weedeaters (second photo). Notice the woman on the crew is delivering two cans of petrol to the cutters, one container being carried on her head.

Saucer-sized blossoms on long, sturdy stems are seen in vibrant blue and white across the countryside.

The purpose for our two day trip to Zimbabwe was to train 17 stake and unit leaders in Bulawayo Stake regarding priesthood stewardship of meetinghouses. The evening concluded in visiting with a number of them about their lives and stories of their conversion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.






A highlight of the trip was spending a couple of hours the afternoon of our arrival with Rachel Sibanda and her niece Melanie at our hotel. They had taken two taxi vans to reach the hotel at a total cost of USD3.00.

Rachel is a remarkable woman whose friendship began a year ago in Johannesburg. A widow of 9 years who carefully saves money monthly to attend the temple every 4 months, Rachel rides a public bus 13 hours each way (at cost of USD99.00). She stays in temple patron housing (each night's stay costs USD3.18), arriving on Monday, attends sessions Tuesday-Friday and returns home on Saturday. It costs another USD3.18 a day for three meals in the patron housing kitchen. Besides her 18 year old son Rachel has raised the four children of her deceased brother and sister-in-law for the past five years. They are now ages 17-23.

It was in the dining area where Ron and I were at lunch that I first met Rachel. Sharing her table we began visiting and I felt an easy, heartfelt bond with her as we conversed. Throughout 2010 as she has arrived in Johannesburg we have visited further, in March, July and October. In September Rachel began an 18 month service mission in her stake as the Liahona (Church) magazine representative, her first month enrolling 41 subscriptions.

Ron and I scheduled our departing flight for Friday afternoon and arranged for a driver to take us to visit Rachel at her home in Nkulumane township. The brilliant red blossoms engulfing Flamboyant trees in full bloom along the streets made striking contrasts to the rural settings through which we passed. It was a true delight to spend an hour with Rachel, be shown her modest garden, yard and home and see photos of her with her good husband. It is refreshing how friendship transcends the world into which we are born.

13 and 14--Canon and Scarlett

Born the week prior to Thanksgiving 2010 were our 13th and 14th grandchildren. Canon Joshua was born in Kentucky and Scarlett Ronnay arrived in Japan. Both mothers were blessed with smooth deliveries and precious babies adjusting well to life with cuddles and kisses from adoring parents.

In the first two photos dad is cutting the umbilical cord and stamping baby's inked foot for future memories.

We are always in awe at the miracle of birth and creation of amazing bodies in miniature.

Smiles of youth

As Advisory Couple for the Young Single Adults (YSA) in our ward, Ron and I have taken photos of 41 of them which we published into a booklet with a short history about each. Because the youth ages 12-18 are aware of these photos they asked if we would take individual pictures of them also.

This a a group photo of the Young Men in our ward.



Two of the Young Men leaders are men who were baptized in 2010, Prince in March and Jutas in April. We attended both these baptisms and have watched their quiet transformation as hope through the Gospel of Jesus Christ has enter their lives, lifted them from solemnity and registers happiness on their faces. Both have given their first talks in Sacrament Meeting and spoken with faith and knowledge born of study.








In the fourth photo are the Young Women and their leaders.

The Primary children of the Johannesburg 2nd Ward gave their annual Sacrament Meeting presentation on November 14, 2010. Elder Paul E. Koelliker also spoke, thanking the children for teaching principles of the Gospel. The 20 children range in age from 3 through 11 years. Many of the children walk to the meetinghouse on their own, with older siblings or friends. They sit comfortably among the Sacrament Meeting congregation with Young Single Adults and families of the ward.

Across the African continent we have observed in many countries and communities the people's dedication to family relationships. Many African cultures phrase it "stay" together. Extended family members live together for support, such as when attending school or looking for work. A Swahili saying encapsulates this concept in "A person is people" meaning one needs to have people around them to be a person.

Warm welcome

When we arrived at the Africa Southeast Area Office in October 2009 we were welcomed by our Area Presidency who are all members of The Quorum of the Seventy in Salt Lake City and on assignment in Johannesburg. They are F. Michael Watson, lst counselor; Paul E. Koelliker, President; and Dale G. Renlund, 2nd counselor. Elder Koelliker gave us our welcome interview, Elder Watson a six month interview and Elder Renlund interviewed us after our year mark. It is a humbling, supportive experience visiting for an hour with these good men.



Every few weeks when she is not traveling to missions with her husband, Sister Ruth Renlund and I team to take newly arriving senior missionary women for lunch and shopping excursions as a way to become acquainted with each other and familiar with services near our apartment building. This photo is of one such outing.



A wonderful tradition we became a part of when we arrived in Johannesburg was being mentored by a host couple, Klane and Kaye Forsgren. They had stocked our refrigerator and kitchen cupboard with familiar basics to tide us over for a couple of meals--milk, yogurt, juice, fruit, vegetables, peanut butter, cold cereal, bread and soup until we were cognizant enough to go grocery shopping. At the office we were oriented by the couple we were replacing, but our host couple "took us under their wing" acquainting us with grocery markets, mall stores and nearby restaurants to which they took us our first week in Johannesburg. We felt their warmth and caring in helping us get acclimated to our new environment.



Every three weeks a delightful part of our assignment is teaching a Security presentation to each group of young missionaries attending the Missionary Training Center (MTC) prior to their service in countries across our area. Similarly, we give an hour's briefing to each new senior couple as they arrive.

In November 2010 we were asked to give our presentation to newly arrived seniors serving in the Johannesburg Temple. It was especially rewarding meeting with these 13 senior missionaries and our current SLC security manager for an orientation to city life here.




The oldest (in terms of longevity in the ward) member of our Johannesburg 2nd Ward is Sister Alison Mann who immigrated from Zimbabwe 16 years ago. She has seen a total turnover in members since her arrival. Each Sunday she provides flowers in the chapel and during our year has never repeated an arrangement. Her creativity is fresh and edifying.





Each one of these activities have been encouraging and validating in making us feel welcomed on our mission in Africa and being welcoming to others in return.

Dinners Joburg style

With a desire to do some serious cooking we invited three different groups to our flat for dinner November 12-15, 2010.

On Friday night we not only had a wonderful evening visiting with two Young Single Adult (YSA) women and the couple who brought them, but also got a much needed "grandbaby fix" with the couple's 10 month old son, Kalu. The dad, Edgar, is our ward Elder's Quorum president and the mother, Zodwa, works with us in the Area Office. The young women, Celeste and Molele Jeniffer, are university students in our YSA group at Church. The one in the yellow blouse had been engaged for a week and the one in purple announced her engagement to us that evening!




On Sunday after Church we hosted another couple, Thembinkosi and Nonhlanhla, and three YSA women, Noluthando, Mabatho and Sandisiwe who are university students. Thembinkosi serves on the stake high council and is the PEF supervisor in the Area Office. Nonhlanhla is a physical therapist and Primary president in our ward. The young women had asked me to show them how to make my version of pasta salad so they helped me put it together after they arrived.




On Monday we hosted Thanksgiving Dinner for six elders, four serving in our ward and another companionship in a neighboring ward. Three are North American (California, Arizona and Blackfoot, Idaho); one from Durban, South Africa; one from Nairobi, Kenya; and one from Kinshasa, DRC. It was a delight having them with us for a few hours, hearing their experiences and stories of their conversion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We served our traditional Thanksgiving menu with ingredients available here. These young men ate virtually everything! The only thing leftover to send out the door with them were olives and chocolate candy.



Each of these groups of young people were very open in talking about mixing their cultural beliefs with opinions of life today and their hopes for the future. It is an honor for us to be around each of them so full of hope and happiness. We look forward with positive anticipation to see the future unfold for them.

Fond farewells

As we neared the gate to depart Kruger National Park we happened upon this elephant with a black Fork-tailed Drongo on a bush near its head. Like many symbiotic relationships in nature, these birds are often seen catching insects disturbed by elephants.



On our departure from Needles Lodge the next morning we watched the antics of monkeys, this one with a baby, and curiosity of warthogs who freely roam throughout Marloth Park Conservancy.




Teaching our Security presentation at the Missionary Training Center (MTC) every three weeks we meet many wonderful young men and women who will be teaching the Gospel in countries throughout the Africa Southeast Area. With our friend John Stanley accompanying us on November 4, 2010, we were delighted to visit with Elder Mandlenkosi Mantinto (raised in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe) who was one of the Young Single Adults in our Johannesburg ward group and will be serving in the Cape Town Mission.



Driving from the MTC to the airport, it was time to bid farewell to John who has been a great traveling companion and gracious guest for two weeks here in Africa.

Sightings in Kruger

Our first night at Needles Lodge Ron took many photos to capture this one of an elusive bushbaby eating banana on the railing. They are extremely quick in leaping six feet from a tree to railing, grabbing a morsel and then are almost instantly gone. With them looking at us from the trees, only seen in photos are their bright red eyes and outline of body silhouetted against the dark limbs.



Riding in a game safari vehicle in Kruger National Park we were carefully taken care of by our experienced driver. After we had watched this troop for a few minutes the big baboon in the center decided we looked interesting and started across the road toward us so our driver made a quick exit.



Usually hippos stay submerged in water during the day but we were delighted to see this mother and her baby climb out onto the bank in full display.



After a downpour of rain in midmorning we were surprised to see a pride of nine lions emerge from the brush on our right and purposefully walk in single file on the pavement. Alerting to hunt they separated into the brush on the right and left, staying just off the road but within our line of vision. As if on cue in a movie, three old Dagga boys (aging male Cape Buffalo) emerged from the brush on our left onto the roadway. Quickly becoming aware of the lions creeping toward them they turned facing us, three across on the road with their horns almost touching. They spun around and thundered away from us down the road, the lions in close pursuit.

Consider a similar sighting of bear hunting elk in Yellowstone--with 14 vehicles in close proximity to the amazing scene unfolding before them with cameras going and cars jostling for position amidst the hunters and hunted. In our case the human distraction deterred the lions and they gave up the chase.

Only after all the action was over did we realize we had just been enthralled with the drama and not taken one photo of it! We have photos of the lions passing us on their move forward and in return, growling deeply as they regrouped.

This is perhaps the most amazing and rare scene in nature we have encountered during our year in Africa.

Visit from Spokane friend

October 23-November 4, 2010 we enjoyed time with a Spokane, WA, friend, John Stanley, who worked with Ron on the police department K9 unit for years and retired on the same day. Together Ron and John worked as Forest Protection Officers four summers in northern Idaho prior to our mission. It was a treat having him visit.

On Sunday we introduced John to members of our ward where he good naturedly attended three hours of meetings with us.

The week of October 25 we spent a day in Pilanesberg National Park (first two photos) where we saw rhinos, giraffe, elephants, zebra and a myriad of antelope varieties up close.




We then went on a road trip, spending the first night in Swaziland (third and fourth photos) where we basked in a tropical climate of lush foliage, observed craftsmen in glass blowing factory, and admired work in candle, textile and silversmith shops. Seemingly everywhere in Swazi are amply stocked produce stands, wood and stone articles to purchase from local merchants. Notice the baby wrapped on the mother's back.

Our most intriguing stop was in bustling Manzini Market in the city's downtown where men and women shop for fabrics which are sewn into clothes while they wait and native herbs, roots and bark are available for medicinal and cooking use. Available also are household items (cooking pots, tin lamps, brooms); shoe repair; men's haircuts and clothes in all sizes. A entire building housed a produce market with an upstairs craft market.




We drove northward through Swazi for two nights in Marloth Park with easy entry at Crocodile Bridge into Kruger National Park. In the fifth photo Ron and John are watching monkeys swinging in to view us at Needles Lodge.

Luncheon with SLC visitors

The last two weeks of October 2010 the Africa Southeast Area hosted from SLC four general authorities, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Presiding Bishop H. David Burton and Elder Steven E. Snow. Elder Christofferson and Elder Holland, respectively, dedicated on October 19&20 the countries of Angola and Burundi for the teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Their visits have been anticipated by faithful saints waiting for the Church to be officially recognized in their lands. Serving prior to those dates were 8 elders and one Senior Missionary couple in Angola and two Senior Missionary couples in Bujumbura, Burundi.

Each of their days in Africa were tightly scheduled with meetings with missionaries, members and leaders. Elder Holland met for lunch one day with senior missionaries serving in the temple and area office.

The Area Presidency's finished garage doubles as a covered venue for such events during inclement weather. We happened to have a gorgeous spring day.

In the second photo I have just introduced to our Area President, Elder Paul E. Koelliker, a newly arrived couple from U.K. serving as missionaries in the Johannesburg Temple, Elder and Sister Smith. Notice my camera at my waist, ready to photo wherever I go.

As he entered the garage Elder Holland made a sweep around the perimeter of the tables, graciously greeting various people he encountered. Our luncheon buffet was served under the covered pavilion on the lawn.

Elder Holland spoke briefly with our group, sharing warm and supportive comments, prior to meeting with Area Office employees inside in the devotional room.

Jacaranda blossoms

For a month we have been enjoying the spectacular treat of viewing Jacarandas in bloom along the streets and hillsides of Johannesburg. Twice we have driven an hour north to view Pretoria's streets lined with the vibrant, lavendar blossoms. Arriving before the leaves appear, Jacaranda blossoms are a bright proclamation of spring in South Africa.

We have been surprised by their staying power, not only in the length of weeks a tree blooms but also in the color held by flowers on the ground. Much of the ground underneath the trees and along the streets are now carpeted with hues of lavendar as blossoms fall but retain their brilliant colors. Ron is fascinated by their pop underneath the car tires.

The first two photos are of streets in our neighborhood. In the first photo Killarney Mall across the street from us is in the red brick buildings at the left with nearby Rosebank Mall on the horizon to the north.

Pretoria is the executive capital of SA.

Not indigenous to Africa, many of these massive trees were planted years ago and create a wide expanse of shade with their outreaching limbs.