Catching Up – Nov. ’14 –
March ‘15
Hello, again…
I took a hiatus from the
blogging from November through February 2015. Why? Well it was because I began
wrestling with the ‘why’ of my blogging in the first place. The blog has had a
double purpose. First it was an effort to allow me to show and tell the people
and places of the mission experience.
Second, it was a platform for me to explore and share some of the
thoughts I was encountering in the process.
The result was very long
blogs – too long. As I came to
realize, in looking at other missionary and family blogs, the general purpose
of a blog is a quick update on something of interest. As I thought about it, I became more
convinced that I was really blogging for me, not for you – the reader, whoever
you may be. I became convinced that there was so little interest or time
available to the audience I thought
may have some interest in our experiences and thoughts, that the blog was a bit
like shouting out in the desert. Or perhaps a better analogy is shouting out on
a crowded street in downtown New York City at rush hour.
I have long been an adversary
to any form of perfunctory process or function. I concluded that in large
measure I had become perfunctory in the blogging. In a revelatory reality to me and for no
fault or diminishment of normal interest to them, I determined that what I had
to say or show was largely irrelevant.
So…
Now, after nearly six months
of withdrawal from the exercise of logging and blogging my musings and our
mission, I feel the need to catch up with at least the key points, for me, not
for you, whoever you are – NOW. In this way there will be a record for whoever,
myself included, may have future interest in what we did and how we thought. So, this is just catching up…
First, our shifts in
assignment and a hindsight of our services in the Soweto Stake. Then, I’ll
relate a couple of our P-day travels and sights and points of interest – pics.
And finally, I will reminisce some of the more clear musings about the mission,
life and us. This will likely be the next to the last blog from our mission as
we leave for Scofield on May 14th. About 6 weeks short of the
planned 23-month sojourn here.
Change – Again -
We completed the Marriage class and Pathway course for 2014 and had some wonderful experiences with the students and classes. We held a dinner/date activity for the graduates and had President Lebethoa speak after the dinner. The Davies helped us with the Spaghetti and meatball meal. They enjoyed it and shared their feelings about the class and their testimonies of the gospel. It was a wonderful way to say goodbye to our friends in the Soweto Stake.
From our flat (that did not
change when we were re-assigned to Bedfordview) it was from 40-60 minutes
(without traffic). The spread of Wards and Branches in Bedfordview takes from
45 minutes to over 2 hours in the Vereeniging and Sharpeville units – depending
on traffic. That means we spend a lot of time behind the wheel looking through
the windshield.
Generally, the Bedfordview
Stake has been far more committed to the S & I effort and has taken it on
fully. What a contrast to the Soweto
Stake! We have a great High Council member, Brother Wayne Herbert, who takes on
the record-gathering and is just a joy to work with. The member of the Stake presidency, Brother
Vetten, an early-morning Seminary grad and former teacher himself, is also committed
and responsive.
There are a couple of early
morning classes, but most of the classes are held Friday evenings and Saturday
mid-day. That causes quite a challenge in terms of class visits. However, our
experience is that, with little exception, these teachers are capable and
committed and need only one visit per term. That too makes for an interesting
challenge in terms of the use of our time.
…More about that in my reflective “Musings” at the end of this blog.
Johannesburg Temple Workers
But the Temple's need was too
great and became very difficult as more U.S.
As couple Temple workers returned home and local workers continued to be
undependable, in October President Eppel pulled me aside and asked if we would
allow him to approach the Missionary department for an exception, because they
were in such grave need for help.
I explained that our S &
I assignment was heaviest on Friday and Saturday, with other days and mornings
pretty open to assist them. He made the contact with President Dunn and then
Salt Lake and was given permission to extend the call to us, and the Davies.
We immediately began serving
each Friday morning from 5AM to 12:30P and usually serve one or two other
shifts during the week. In the Provo
Temple, we were just 2 of nearly 5,000 shift ordinance workers. Here they try to survive with 3 or 4 couples
and a few local workers. The President
and Counselors often have to work the Veil. It is really a feast or famine
situation in the Temple here, both for patrons and workers. The workers all
live in the Dukes Court apartment complex which is just minutes from the
Temple. Ours is a 30-40 minute drive from Randburg.
When first-time members come
in from other countries, it can be a challenge. They have patron housing at the
Area offices behind the Temple. (It’s a paradisiacal setting!) So, these first-timers
and their families can come and stay a few days to do their own and family work
in what is clearly to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most of them. We
get to see the results of those Temple Patron donations we are asked to give.
Oh my goodness, What a worthy donation and wonderful investment in the
endowments and sealings of couples and families in this land!
We love it! Working in the
Temple, in large measure, has been the salvation of our mission in terms of
feeling like we make a difference and that the investment of time and resources
means something. I sincerely hope if they replace us after we are gone with
another Senior Couple from the States, that they too will have this
opportunity. Frankly I hope that they don’t replace us except with a local
couple to handle the S & I calling. (More on that in Musings as well.)
Cullinan Diamond Mine
On one P-day we went with the Davies to visit the Cullinan Diamond mine. THe location was about 45 minutes away from Johannesburg. This is the mine where they found the largest diamond in South Africa. Here Judy is holding a replica. They are also showing the end of a mine shaft descending car cable. Get a load of the size of it. We learned a lot about diamonds and mining for these precious stones.
We wish Carsonand Nyk could have been with us on that trip. I think they would have been interested in the technology and the mines unique story. We loved the Jackaranda-lined streets and shops.
We wish Carsonand Nyk could have been with us on that trip. I think they would have been interested in the technology and the mines unique story. We loved the Jackaranda-lined streets and shops.
As the mine continues to reduce its gem quality production and rely more on industrial quality results, the owners are trying to turn the small mine-owned community into somewhat of a tourist attraction. The shops were interesting and the lunch was good, but the mine is obviously evolving into something that is not what it was – hmmm…me too.Oh, you can still buy stones and jewelry there under very tight security. I have to tell you, while interesting to look at and with what they said, was significant value, we were not tempted to buy – diamonds or any of the interesting old signs and antique dishes (some of which we are sure were probably mined from the local landfill?), although Krysti would have found them interesting and laughable.
Magalie’s Park at Hartbeestpoort Dam
Our relationship with Ann and
Wally Krambeck, the Sr. couple we stayed with when we first came to
Johannesburg, continues to deepen the longer we are here and the more we spend
time with them. This is the couple that we met just by ringing their gate bell
looking for a bed and breakfast that was in the area. Actually we are quite
certain that the Lord had a hand in that meeting and the relationship that has
become one of the two most meaningful of our mission.
They have a timeshare at a
beautiful golf course retirement and vacation community called Magalies Park,
about an hour away from Joberg. They invited the Davies and us to join them for
an overnight get-away there.
It was a beautiful location and we had a wonderful time walking through the lush edges of the golf course where we encountered weaver birds building their nests, hartebeests wandering through fairways and over the greens.
I don't golf but I saw several balls off in teh bush and thought about retrieving a few until I came across this sign.
We had a wonderful braai and played some Mexican Train. We really love this couple and their family and feel their genuine reciprocal feelings. They are like Verl and MarJean for us here. We hope our time with them will be preparatory to their children and grandchildren receiving the gospel. We just wish we could have them as our guests in the states.
Return to Pilanesberg
We made a return visit to
Pilanesberg to do a little more camera hunting of the big and little African
wildlife. This time we saw more of the same and enjoyed it every bit as much as
the first time. The long drive and visit
with the Davies is as enjoyable as the sharing in the adventure of what we
encounter on these outings. Here are some of the sights of that visit.
There were times that I could have opened a window and slapped a zebra or two on the behind.
This is a casino in the middle of nowhere with a wildlife preserve close by. We preferred visiting the four legged wildlife and left the two legged type to the casino exploring.
The sharing of the water hole by animals and birds and all but two legged critters was amazing. However, we did not see any carnivores only larger natives. The vulture on teh left is fully four feet tall to give you some perspective to the eland.
The giraffes were always amazing. Their size and motion added to the sheer wonder of their structure.
Mission Flats and Movings
With the natural reduction of
missionaries from the returning of the 18-yr-old and
Couple-old bulge of 2013, the
Mission is seeing some shift in numbers and the make up of the missionaries. In
the past, Sr. Couples have helped with the monthly Missionary Flat inspections.
In my opinion this has been largely perfunctory. They know you are coming and
they quickly spruce up just before we are to arrive. The Mission President asked
us to help revamp the system and set in motion meaningful changes.
We started with the
suggestion that the inspections go to once just before transfers, every six
weeks, rather than monthly. Then we revamped the map of assignments for couples
to get better contiguity to their locations. As we were doing this, the changes
evolved as it became obvious that there would soon not be enough Sr. Couples to
cover the large number of Flats in the mission.
The result was the
determination to put the Zone Leaders in charge of the inspections. They were to do them periodically and
unannounced. We then developed a system of either a Green, Yellow or Red card,
to rate the Flat’s cleanliness. President Dunn called it the CING program
(Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness). The focus was to get the Elders to take
more responsibility with keeping their Flats clean and orderly, all the time.
As sort of a last Sr. visit to the Flats to get a good baseline on the status and potential longevity of the Flats, we were asked to make a final visit in February. These were to be unannounced visits. When we started, we thought we had 22 Flats. In the process of visiting them found out that the records were behind and we had a couple more that were not even on the list.
Our focus was to teach the
Elders how to prevent and deal with the Roach problem as well as to encourage
them and help them get a vision of how it “should be.” Generally the Flats were “Yellow.” There were
a few Green and a couple, definitely “Red” locations.
It was an incredible amount
of time and travel. I figured that it
was 24-30 hours and
6800 K of travel. We enjoyed seeing missionaries and
have come to know many of them over the past year from times they were serving
in Soweto and the Office.
Now our duties are responding
to needs the Mission Office has for urgent fixes, deliveries and closures. We
enjoy the variety and additional service. Even though this is a bit like
painting the outhouses at Martin’s Cove, it is service that is needed and so
much better than down time. (More on that too in Musings.)
Dinners with Davies, Krambecks and Vontonders
Some of our most favorite activities of the last several months have been our weekly dinners and card games with our friends.
Here is just a glance at a few of these gatherings and dishes.
Doug’s Musings
Some of our most favorite activities of the last several months have been our weekly dinners and card games with our friends.
Here is just a glance at a few of these gatherings and dishes.
Doug’s Musings
I say Doug’s musings,
although I suspect Judy can say amen to most of my thoughts here, but she can
add her own.
Unexpected curve balls have
come our way a couple times in our mission. The first major one was when we
discovered that what we thought we would be doing was not at all what we would
do. We thought we would be working more with the youth themselves.
Our predecessors in Botswana
did a lot of that. They had YSA activity gatherings at their Flat and taught
classes themselves. That changed just before we got into the Mission. In an
effort to shift youth program and activity to Priesthood and local leadership,
the couples were pulled back from that work…hmmm. Okay, we understand the need
and the effort. The result was and continues to sputter, but will eventually be
understood and implemented – we hope (but I doubt). The difficulty with money, budget,
experience, transport, dependability etc. is a far different animal here than
in at least the center of Zion.
Curve ball #2 was the leap
immediately into the fire of the Botswana Stake S & I graduation for 2013.
Finding the records and getting the ball rolling for that took yeoman effort
and combined with the difficulty of super slow internet access created
frustration that was the most difficult days of our lives and marriage (no
fault of Judy). But we got through that and started out the 2014 year with a
great foundation and Pre-school training…only to have another curve thrown our
way.
We went to Namibia to train
teachers there in the middle of January and returned to the message that we
essentially had 24 hours to get out of town – country. So we packed what we
could, said goodbye to the Flat and hoped that the immigration and residency
issues could be solved in a week or two. But, this Botswana curve turned out to
be way outside and a return was not to be.
So, we drove to Johannesburg
and they put us up in a new Flat (small cottage behind some wonderful members)
where we would stay for one week until we would pick up a new CES couple who
would take over that flat and work in the Johannesburg Stake…enter the Davies.
Little did we realize just
how important and close we would become to this wonderful couple. We have spent
most every day the last year walking 3 miles in the early morning with them,
going to meetings, adventures and eating and playing with them. They have been
one of only a couple of straight balls we have had thrown our way here.
Curve over the plate and we
hit a home run. With Davies in their Flat, where would we stay? The Office said, ‘just find a Bed and Breakfast.’
So… We tried and that is what lead us to the chance meeting of the Krambecks
mentioned above. We stayed with them for a few nights and then were able to get
into the Temple housing for a few days while the Temple was closed.
An apartment became available
behind the house directly across from the Davies location and on my Birthday,
we moved in. The place is great, or so we thought, except for a very narrow entry
gate that I have to navigate with the car.
We did not realize that there
was absolutely no security to the rear side of the Flat until One morning after
working late into the night at the computers we retired and arose early to
finish the work only to find that while we slept, the place was broken into and
Judy’s computer, my iPhone and new iPad were stolen. The police came, took
fingerprints and recommended that the owners get razor wire and electronics in
place, like virtually every other house in the area, city, and country. (The
effects of the 1950 Appartheid are still apparent on nearly every street…)
They were going to see to it,
but didn’t. Well the next week the guy (at the time we didn’t know if it was a
one-man or more break-in, as you will read, he determined it was one guy) came
back and tried to pry open the same window he had jimmied the week before.
After all, he couldn’t have carried out my computer and the other items he
might pawn for cash. This time the lock on the window held and we only
discovered the attempt when we were showing someone where he had come in the
week before. Still, no added security was out in, only the promise that they
were working on it. It wasn’t just idle words. The landlords were very
concerned for us and access by the thief to their own property.
But wait, Week #3. The member
across the street had borrowed me his taser pistol which I had around my hand
every night after the second attempt. It was very hard for either of us to
sleep soundly after the first break in, but after the second attempt, it was
nearly impossible. Then on Wednesday that week I had dozed off about 2AM when
Judy jabbed me. I woke with a start and immediately heard what she was hearing.
He was trying to get in again. (After the second time trying to get through the
window, we had rigged a bottle-balanced alarm so that if he tried again the
bottle would fall on the tile floor, shatter and we would be alerted.)
He was deterred from trying
that access, but that night he actually was using a piece of metal to scrape
away the caulking around the window at the dinner table wall. He was making
plenty of noise as he had walked out across the roof and back to the window. I
ran to the window, still covered by the drape and was standing less than a couple
of feet from where he was scraping when he, accidently I think, broke the
glass. I jerked back the drapes and pointed the taser at his head and yelled at
him. In a quick bound he was up on the brick
wall and running down to the back alley.
We tripped the security alarm
and called the landlord and police and spent the rest of the night filling out
forms. This time though I saw the guy, in the dark, but with a distinctive grey
wool sock hat. It was only two weeks later that I recognized the same hat on
the head of a vagrant who was staying in the corner of a small overgrown playground—there
isn’t any play equipment or was there then? It’s a large empty lot and is 3
blocks from our Flat and we pass by the lot every day) around the corner from
us. He was the guy!
Obviously it was too late to
retrieve our computer, phone and iPad and how could I prove it was him? That
week, razor wire and wall spiking was put in place and we soon were back to
sleeping soundly with the taser back with its owner. What about the thief?
Well, a few months later, he
was, is still staying under the trees behind the playground. So we made up a
pot of hot chicken noodle soup, put it in a disposable canister with a plastic
spoon and homemade sourdough bread, gathered up clothes and goodies we had been
given at an early Mission Christmas party and put it all in a box.
Then Judy and I walked over
to his “hide out” and walked up to him, said ‘Merry Christmas’ and handed him
the box, that included the very piece of metal he had dropped when the glass
broke when he was using it to scrape out the caulk around the window. We turned
and walked away, and as we did he said “I see you again soon!” Now we see him
regularly, at a distance, as he goes about his scrounging to survive the jungle
of houses of the community. Oh yes, I could belabor the thoughts feelings and
possibilities of that curve for pages – but I won’t.
Just one thing that became another interesting curve. As we pulled out of our flat a short time after giving the thief our Christmas package we saw another homeless man, young, walking in front of our flat wearing some of the clothing and hats that we had given the thief in the package. Maybe there is no honor among thieves, but in this case there certainly was Christmas spirit. That left me with a lot to think about in terms of basic humanity.
Another curve comes our way.
Because Elder Khumbulani the CES Coordinator employee we work with had been
called as new Area 70, he determined that it would work better for his
situation if he took over Soweto Stake S & I and moved our assignment to
the Bedfordview Stake. It did make sense for his convenience, given his heavy ‘70’
travel schedule. So we stepped up to the plate and hit what I believe will be another
sold hit in that assignment, even though it comes with its own challenges.
Now as we look forward with
less-than three-months-of-time left here in South Africa, our minds naturally
look to “what is next.” There are potentially more and new curve balls on the
way that we will need to step-up to in the short future. There are challenges
with finance, home, work, health and service. China, cancer, memory and other
game-changing curve balls could be thrown our way any day now.
So we wind up and watch and
hope and pray that we can yet swing the bat and play the game. The most
important thing we know is that we are on the winning team and that we are
playing together and that our family and friends are cheering and praying for
us. So let the curves fly!
