Second Christmas in Africa

Ron and I enjoyed a warm December 2010 celebrating our second Christmas in Johannesburg's springtime weather. The Area Presidency hosted a dinner December 14 in their garage followed by a musical program commemorating the Savior's nativity.

On Sunday, December 19 we hosted dinner in our flat for six elders serving in our area. Three were North American (Arizona, California and Utah) and one each from South Africa, Kenya and Uganda. Ron and I doubled up on the amount of food we prepared so had plenty of leftover potato salad and ostrich meat spaghetti sauce, etc. to send home with them.





Ron was caught in the mirror being the photographer for a Christmas morning brunch and caroling with Senior Missionaries.

The main topic of conversation was Christmas visits with children and grandchildren. The best invention ever for Senior Missionaries is Skype!

We enjoyed "seeing" our family living across the U.S. and in Okinawa, Japan, via the miracle of technology. Our three grandchildren born in 2010 were nonconversant. Roxy (7 months old) was napping while 6 week old Canon inquisitively gazed around at his world. Scarlett (6 weeks old) smiled at her daddy while being held in his arms and received his totally adoring smile in return.

Our heartfelt wish for you in 2011 is "peace, goodwill toward men".

African birds and animals in motion

On our game drives at Madikwe (22-23 December 2010) some of the most memorable sightings were of unassuming creatures. The seemingly common-looking Red-crested Korhaan is a ground-dwelling bird which exhibited for us his summer aerial display which is considered a marvel of nature. Letting us know we were in his territory this male began a shrill trilling as he began flying straight upward, then silenced and plummeted in a free fall toward the ground before safely catching itself--actions for which it is nicknamed the suicide bird.














Remarkably colorful small birds are the European Roller and Lilacbreasted Roller.

The Dung Beetle is about the size of a silver dollar. This one was rolling a dung ball so quickly with its back legs that we could hardly get a photo of it.

Though small on the trunk of a tree the iridescent Tree Agama (lizard) was easy to spot. Three tortoises moved quickly across a rocky hillside, the two smaller males in pursuit of the female.

In a large meadow area we chatted with a researcher monitoring a radio collared Black Backed Jackal in its pack.

Grazing nearby was a large herd of Springbok.







The most tense and unsettling point of our night drive came when a 350-400 lbs. male arose from the grass and came walking past our open-sided safari vehicle, only six feet from being inside with us! We were assured that if we remained quiet and kept all limbs inside the vehicle we would be ignored by these massive carnivores who have seen tourist vehicles every day of their life.



One of the first sightings on our morning drive was of an elephant nursery with babies and youngsters of all sizes being cared for by females of their herd. The smallest baby was frolicing amidst the others and endearing in its attempts to use its trunk to eat grass.





We were thrilled, at a distance, to see our first Black rhinos in the bush. The mother and baby were very agitated and aggressive.

Elephants are truly amazing. This mud encrusted one walked right over to our vehicle, stopped at about six feet out and just stood looking at us. It was sobering looking into its eyes at our eye level. It then slowly backed away from us and meandered off.





We watched enthralled at the sight of three giraffe who stood in line waiting for their turn to step over a full bush and move back and forth, scratching their chest on the flexible limbs! In the photo the first one is walking away as the second giraffe steps into scratching position and the third waits patiently in que.





Lions are awesome. Muscled and scarred, this breeding pair was observed in a pride of six.

Our safari driver, born and raised in Madikwe, took very good care of us.

Bush Camp experience

For two days, 22-23 December 2010, Ron and I went with three other senior missionary couples to Mosetlha Bush Camp in Madikwe Game Reserve bordering Botswana, about a five hour drive northwest of Johannesburg. Unfenced and rustic, this eco lodge accommodates 16 people in nine twin cabins positioned around a centrally located stone and thatch lapa conversation area and dining area.

The raised wooden cabins have open sides, lit at night with oil lamps, and are simplistic and comfortable; without electrical power, land line telephones, ensuite bathroom facilities, or hot and cold running water! Notice the mosquito net knotted above the bed (seventh photo) which we untied and draped over us at night.

Communal toilet and shower complexes were discreetly located near the cabins and fully surrounded by a wire mesh fence. Safari showers were refreshing with water heated through a traditonal donkey boiler.

After arriving we went on a three hour afternoon/evening drive and were awakened at 4:45 a.m. for 5:15 start to a three hour morning drive. Meals were hearty and prepared in traditional bushveld style using open fires, potjie pots and braai grids.

Rachel's service mission

With an opportunity to attend the Johannesburg Temple with a group from her ward, my friend Rachel Sibanda made the bus trip from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, 13-17 December 2010. The tall man in the pink shirt is the bishop with his wife. Rachel is third from the left in the print blouse. She is standing between two friends who shared a room in patron housing with her and the woman on the far right in red.

The young adults with Rachel (second photo) are youth raised in Bulawayo who came to visit with one another.

The woman with me in the third photo is Anna Chapindura. With Anna interpreting names and dates for four generations of her ancestors, we sat side by side for three hours at a Family History Center computer entering 34 African names into new.familysearch--a tender experience.







Realizing she could serve a mission from her home, on 1 September 2010 Rachel was called to serve an 18 month service mission as the Bulawayo Stake Magazine Representative. At that time virtually all subscriptions in the stake had expired. The stake president wanted her to get as many members as possible to subscribe and receive church magazines in their homes. Initially Rachel thought this assignment would be hard but confirms, "It has become so easy as Heavenly Father has opened hearts to my message."

Rachel focuses on one of the eleven units in her stake for a two week period. She prays to Heavenly Father to prepare the members for her arrival at Sunday meetings where she is introduced by the bishopric/branch presidency. She delivers a message about the value of having the church magazines in one's home and collects money from the members. In Zimbabwe a year's subscription to each magazine costs USD1.00. Many are not aware they can have the magazines come to their homes. To contact people not at church Rachel visits in homes during the week. She then attends the following Sunday to collect subscription money. Often people will donate a subscription to the Friend or New Era for a young child or teenager. Rachel then follows up with the parent for a subscription to the Ensign or Liahona.

The monthly church magazines are mailed from SLC to the Bulawayo Stake President. Rachel collects the magazines from him, distributes them to the eleven ward/branch magazine representatives who in turn deliver them to their members.

From 1 September to 10 December Rachel has obtained 309 subscriptions to church magazines. In the month 10 November-10 December she received 111 subscriptions. To expedite their activation, Rachel hand carried these subscriptions to the Area Office and processed them with materials management.

Rachel affirmed she has found great joy in this service and wonders what she was doing with her time before.

Wedding day

On Saturday, 11 December 2010 Ron and I were delighted to participate in the wedding of two in our Young Single Adult group, Nicole and Sandile. I baked cookies and brownies on Friday and helped in the kitchen at the reception as Ron was the unofficial photographer. These pics were taken on the grounds of the Johannesburg Temple in a beautiful sunshiny spring day in the southern hemisphere.

The mothers of the bride and groom were radiant in festive hats (third photo) which are popular for women of 50s-60s age group. This was the first wedding in our ward in the year we've been attending so was a fun day for all participants.

Springtime hike

On the first Saturday in December 2010 Ron and I arose early for a 45 minute drive from downtown Johannesburg to trek in the cool spring air along the ridgeline above the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens. This two hour hike allowed us time to view the surrounding area in rain-washed air under warm, sunny skies. Following reports of North American snowstorms in the western states, our present experience is a disconnect from previous December temperatures as we enjoy springtime weather in the Southern hemisphere.

Homes in hillside neighborhoods remind us our setting is not far removed from urban life. Highrises of the city can be seen on the hazy horizon of the third photo.

We enjoyed the solace of steep terrain, interesting geology and striking wildflowers. Admiring succulents and unique blossoms gave us time to relax along the way. The fifth photo is of Protea which are found in many varieties in South Africa.

Activities on Nairobi streets

Water is a precious commodity across the African continent. Each day countless people spend time carrying water in containers back to their homes. In rural areas many walk up to 20km to reach water, day after day. At many LDS meetinghouses a borehole (waterwell) with faucet was included in the constuction of the building and provides water to people in the surrounding neighborhood as seen in the first photo. When these containers were filled with water two teenage girls transported them away in a wheelbarrow.

The man standing on the left was our driver, Victor age 31. Married with two young children, he speaks 10 languages and is a counselor in his ward bishopric. Victor took very good care of us while driving on dirt roads in townships and paved streets in the heart of downtown Nairobi.



When water is not readily available at a community faucet many people fill their containers at any source possible. Along the streets we saw many scooping water from the nearby ditch into their containers. They carry these filled containers any way they can. The woman on the left has balanced the barrel on her head while the young girl to her side has a strap attached to a plastic container and looped over the top of her head. Notice the man in the brown shirt near the ground between them who is still filling his container with water from the bottom of the ditch. Some sights can break one's heart.

Still the people persevere from day to day. We have a great understanding and appreciation for why Humanitarian water projects are being funded in many countries across the world by people like you who give from their budgets out of pure love for their fellowmen.





To get where they are going people walk, ride in a Kombi (taxi van), in a three-wheeled taxi or on the back of a taxi motorcycle.





African people are very resourceful. They transport all kinds of items in wheelbarrows and on handmade carts. This man and woman pushed their load across the road directly in front of us.







Lining the streets are many entrepreneurial vendors selling their wares which include a variety of foods. Notice the setup of this man next to the tree. Behind him on the ground is a charcoal grill. He has stacked rocks to put his grilled corn at an easily accessible level for customers. Next to him are women selling meats.



The woman in the final photo is selling peanuts in a paper cone. These cones are popular and often seen being sold at intersections by hawkers.



Many Africans only eat one meal a day, which they typically prefer at night so they do not awaken overly hungry as they start their day.

In our Relief Society meeting on 24 October 2010 a young woman said, "When you are raised without many material goods, as are many across Africa, and you work hard you are grateful to have one pair of shoes because you know what it is like not to have shoes; you are grateful to have food because you know what it is like to be hungry."