Fun at the expense of our Missionary Friends

Elder and Sister Fee. He is the Executive Secretary to the Area Presidency.




















Elder Grant Taylor , he was actually waiting for late arriving dignitaries.


















Elder and Sister Rix are Humanitarian Missionaries. he is a former Seminary/Institute Religion teacher.

And then the Rains Came

The front of the Area Presidency residence from the tents set up on the lawn.














Make-shift huge umbrellas to move the people from the tents on the lawn to the gazebo with the food. In this case an example of necessity being the mother of invention.















and the young missionaries enjoying their assignment as the "brollie" carriers. (Brollie, South African colloquial term for umbrella.

Mormon Helping Hands in Africa - VIP Day

Saturday, October 27, 2007 will be the first Church organized clean-up and revitalization day in many countries of Africa. They expect to have well over one hundred thousand workers with over four hundred thousand man-hours of work donated . South Africa will be a big part of this effort. We're going to work with the Florida Ward (Florida, Roodepoort, South Africa - no we won't be home for Christmas!)


Last Thursday (Oct. 18) was a special VIP kick off for local dignitaries, local Church leaders (Christian, Muslim and Jew) and the media. It was held on the grounds of the home of the Area Presidency and the Area offices. the day started out beautiful but by the time we got to the program it started to rain and by the time the luncheon was served we were in a torrential downpour.


Here are just a few of the over 200 pictures that I took. ( I was asked to be the photographer - they had hired a local television crew to cover the event):



Young missionaries who helped with the parking.




Dignitaries from Swaziland.

Rodwell Update

Can't believe I've gone a week without updating the blog. We're getting ready for our first trip to the Congo and I have been very busy producing French presentation material. Previously my predecessors used a translator so I've had to start from scratch.

Now to Rodwell. He is still in critical condition. Sunday night he suffered two cardiac arrests and they had to rush him into surgery on Monday morning. We received a call from his mother early morning Monday and we were off to the hospital by 5:15. Jan/mother/grandmother stayed with Rodwell's mother all day and didn't get home until late Monday evening.

His current situation is that he stabilized but he is still in the ICU on a ventilator. I haven't been in the ICU so I don't know if it is a good Puritan-Bennett ventilator or not. (company I used to work for). We've been to the hospital once since the second operation - Jan gets to go into the ICU because they think she's the grandmother. (smile) The doctors are very hopeful but don't stop the prayers just yet.

Jan will up date you later on the touchy/feely aspect of all of this.

Crime

This is not to scare you. We are vigilant. We just want to be sure that we and the other missionaries of the world are not forgotten in your prayers.

This was an email received today from our local Area Presidency Office:
(Quote): It seems like every other month we get some new study which shows that crime is going down, then up, then down again. This one now shows it going up. There are some good suggestions here for avoiding hijacking. I am going to change practice and not pull over to the side of the road to take a cell phone call. If Sister Fee (wife of writer) cannot handle the call for me while I am driving, we will just have to contact the person at another time. Another point: As I approach the garage door for Dukes Court (where we live), I try to open the door as far in advance as possible, I slow down approaching the door so that I am not stopped in front of the door while it is still opening. Additionally, I scan the area visually to see if there is anyone behind the wall, in the bushes, etc. Just some thoughts from someone who has never been hijacked. Elder Fee (Executive Secretary to Area Presidency)

SOUTH AFRICA: Carjacking Report Highlights Danger Zones
A carjacking is 10 times more likely to occur outside one’s house than outside the workplace, a recent survey concluded. The second-biggest risk, at 10%, was for drivers sitting in parked cars waiting for other people or talking on a cell phone. According to police statistics released in July, violent crime is on the rise. Murder and aggravated robbery such as carjacking and robbery at residential and business premises rose, despite the rise in the police budget in the past year. The province hardest hit by organized crime is Gauteng(this is the province in which the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria are found). The survey found the carjacking risk to be greater at traffic lights, stop signs, and yield signs than at businesses, where 5% of hijackings took place. About 4% of those interviewed were forced off the road by decoys, or hijacked while taxis (these are the local mini-buses or 14 passenger vans referred to locally as kombies) were loading passengers, and 3% were hijacked while using a phone booth or leaving shops. Of those interviewed, 2% were hijacked while unloading goods or working on the side of the road. (Source: Business Day)Business Day Comment: Recommendations from the survey include a long list of tips for homeowners to reduce their risk, such as always having their keys ready, having a light on at home when returning after dark, to be aware of suspicious vehicles or people when approaching driveways, and to avoid driving into a property if unsure of anyone in the vicinity.

Fun At General Conference

I don't know whether watching from home you were aware of this. Only those who were in the conference center and were paying close attention to the podium probably noticed it.

This picture was taken right after President Eyring was sustained and he took his place in President Faust's vacated chair.

Using his cane President Hinckley tapped President Eyring on the shoulders like he was knighting him. Doesn't President Hinckley have just the greatest sense of humor? Apparently from the smile on President Eyring's face he really enjoyed the moment.

Rodwell & Mom

Hello Family and Friends,

Dad (Bob) says it's my turn to write a little in our Blog. I feel as though I have been given the power of the pen and I'm going to make good use of it.

The picture you see is of Rodwell Charandura a little boy who is 7 years old and his mother Gladys. They are from Zimbabwe. We have all heard of Zimbabwe it's in the news all of the time even in the US. The people have no food a corrupt government and civil unrest.

Rodwell and his mother arrived in Johannesburg 2 weeks ago without anything but a suitcase the size of a large woman's handbag with a few worn clothes in it. He and his mother have been staying in the Medical flat in Duke's Court. That for you who don't know, is where we live also. The medical flat is used only for incoming people, either missionaries who are ill or for people the Church brings in from other countries to receive life saving medical care. That is where Rodwell comes in. For a seven year old he is as big as a 5 year old, only skin and bones. He has severe congenital heart defects which have been with him since birth. Being here is his only chance for survival. He was admitted into the hospital last week only to find out that he had an infection around his heart that wouldn't allow them to go any further with the tests to determine if an operation was even possible. He was given a large number of medications to try and clear up the infection to see if they can proceed with the tests this week. If not he will stay here until they can do the tests. They say that if the surgery is possible, they only give him a fifty-fifty chance for survival. The surgery will be major.

I have had the opportunity to spend some time with Gladys and Rodwell, and I can tell you they are no different from any family anywhere else in the world. They love Rodwell and want him to live and be healthy. If we have learned nothing else from living in South Africa it is that we humans are all basically the same. We want joy and health for not only ourselves but for our children. Whether Rodwell lives or dies is in God's hands, His will will be done.

Along with we missionaries and members here in South Africa, even some Wards and Stakes around the world are praying for this little boy and his family . Rodwell is only one child who is suffering, there are literally millions here in SA who are in need of special prayer and around the world. We would appreciate it if you, along with your families would keep this child in your prayers. God will hear our prayers and we can help this one little boy.

Life is wonderful, we feel privileged to be here and grateful for the lessons we learn and the work that the Lord has given us to do.

Happy anniversary to us

Happy Anniversary to You.

Happy Anniversary to Me.

Happy anniversary to Us.

Just in case you've lost track we've been married 45 years today - and still counting!!

(However I don't think we have another 45 years in us - at least not in mortality!)

This collage is for the "Trivia Buff" in all of us. These pictures were all taken by us on the same day in Africa. They were taken at the Rhino Lion Reserve. They're all big cats. Now for the Sesame Street learning song:

One of these things is not like the other,

One of these things just doesn't belong!!

Having trouble - "Ask a 5th Grader".

More animals!

After we get through showing basic animal pictionary shots, we'll try to only bore you with the unusual pictures!! We promise.

Cheetahs. Two watch and one eats! Unfortunately in Africa that happens with people too!

Gemsbok. I know! Is it really Africa if you watch them eating "baled hay". There has been quite a drought this year. We're finally into the rainy season and we've had a few good storms.

Sorry these picture of sable are a little grainy. They wouldn't let us get any closer.

Not even Jan telling them "she comes in peace", seemed to get them to come to the car!

Animal Pictures

These are some the animals that we viewed over that same holiday weekend.

Wild Dogs

Can you see the white vulture in the lower right hand corner? Partially hidden by the foliage. Not much left of the "slow" steer! Maybe the head is a delicacy that they save until last! The little white bird on the carcass is apparently part of the final clean-up crew.