Drakensburg

 

 On Monday, January 30th, all of our elders, the Browns, the Dransfields, and ourselves took off for the Drakensberg Mountains which are only 45 minutes away from our boarding but none of us knew what to expect.  The adults drove because of the Elder's km situation--(they never have any)

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We got to the foot of these beautiful mountains and stopped at a visitors center and it was the head of about 4 or 5 trails.

  Of course the Elders were off  like a flash and literally ran up the mountain (their bodies made them pay the next few days).  There was a waterfall at the top and streams,(I guess)

See the waterfalls in the distance

 It was so steep that I just felt that I did not need that rescue helicopter to come for me, so we chose the trail more traveled called the Gorge trail.  We were just as long and it was plenty steep.  We got some pretty pics along the way.  We all had fun had sun and most importantly no one lost their life.
   We lasted till about 3:30 after starting about 10:30 on the trip and got to the Waffle Hut about 4.  All were happy to relax and have a little some  food.  Our Zimbobwe Elder ran all the way in flip-flops so he wouldn't embarrass the others by being barefooted.  He was the most humble and best in shape of us all.

 

Tues we also had all 3 of our going to-be

missionaries for class and Slungile had a sweet testimony and words of wisdom for the other 2.

We exchanged recipes and made recipe books and tried to guess where Nqobile was going on her mission, because we got the phone call while we were in class that her call was arriving at our boarding on Friday.  We piled them in the car to take them home so we would know where to pick up Slungile the next Tues. We would put her on the bus for Durban to be set apart and sent to Ghana to the MTC. For 1 month our little Ezakheni would have 4 full-time missionaries in Uganda all at once!  Then they start to come home.
   ON Thursday we had boarding checks and baking of bribary cookies.  We then went to Ezakheni to do what we thought was going to be dramatic.  We had told the 5 people in the Self-reliance class that we would come and try to get them on the computer and registered for the class and I had downloaded their videos for their class.  We had asked the Branch President to come also to help us get their member ID #'s , but really we needed to get his check book from him.  Several Branch Presidents had been running in the red again after we had just gone through the forgiveness program .  The District President and Mission Pres. wanted to retrieve it for a while.  Nothing corrupt was going on but we didn't know how he would take it.  He took it in stride and acted like he was expecting it to happen.  We were worried because we must work with him so closely and we needed this good relationship.
    The first week of Dundee's Seminary went well.  Only six came but that was good considering the circumstances. If they can keep it up it will be great.
   Friday we went to Ladysmith Seminary and thought we were teaching but we only said a few words.  It was good to get in there and see it happening even if we only have 3 kids.  We gave the teacher her flash drive for all the NT videos she can show.
   Saturday had us taking Sister Adams and Nqobile and Stabiso to  2 separate meetings in Newcastle.  We were asked to go to the first ever YSA  District planning meeting for the year.  It was very productive because we had all the youth reps present and we hashed out money and transport and activities and calendered for the year. Sister Adams was a hoot in the back seat.  I took a few snacks and crackers and peanut-butter in the car because we went to Dundee first and would be there around lunch before we went to Newcastle.  She coined the phrase "Sis Rhode's brought her kitchen with her".  My bag of tricks is now called  my kitchen! I love it!
   When we got back to Ezakheni we had the treat of opening Nqobile's Mission call at her house.

 We had brought it when we went to pick her up earlier that morning.  We got ready to open it and found that her cousin and Mom had opened it first. Nqobile wasn't mad she acted like nothing had happened because she was so excited to find out where she would be going.  Madagascar!  She will br learning Madagassy!  Wow !  There might be some French thrown in but she will have language training to go through.  It happened to such a good  English speaker and so good with people that I even thought that she would be a good candidate for SL Visitor's Center.  No matter where she goes she will be great!  We just love her.  It was a great moment for all!
   I had more kids in the nursury in Ezakheni again.

Remember these babies don't know a lick of English!!!!!

 Why are there always more little boys?  4 seminary age people were baptized after church.  It is quite amazing at how large this age group of seminary students is.

Slungile saying goodby to parents and Where's Waldo!

   On Monday I made more cookies for my travelling African new missionaries and really cleaned house for the coming company.  There comes a point that even I...!  Tuesday we met with our Stabiso and Nqobile for really looking at her call.  We really looked at it and found out she could wear sandals and wouldn't need quite as many clothes as her counterpart that was leaving for Uganda.  Way more tropical and such an interesting place.  We brought her the computer printout(29 pages) from wikipedia with some pics and interesting reading about Madagascar.  (It's the 4th largest island in the world and was liberated from the French in the '60s).  We met late so we could pick up Slungile, after class, and luggage and take her to lunch and the bus to Durbin.  She would take off the next day to Ghana MTC.
   All went well with our connections,but when we got to the bus it was early and Thembalani was not on the bus from Dundee.  Pres. DeKlerk was to meet at the church and then drop off at the bus station in Glenco and that bus was to proceed to Ladysmith.  Both missionaries were going to the same place--Uganda and both the same travel plans.  The President maintains he was not late but that the bus left early.  Whatever, he could not catch it and came to Ladysmith to our house because the bus left there with our girl on it.  The Dransfields, (still waiting to go to Lesotho) were passing through and were going to stay the night with us but the office asked them to make another trip to Durban with our Thembalani.

Thembalani's Mom rode in the truck to Ladysmith to make sure he left for Durbin!  Originally sent papers in July!

 Sent cookies and goods with everyone  and off they went.  We had the Browns there too because they were passing through from a meeting in Durban.  What a circus!  Our boarding is kind of in the middle of all roads.  At 5 the circus subsided and the Browns and us went to our new and only Chinese place for dinner. We all loved it after the day we just had!
   The next day was Wed. and transfer day with 3 new missionaries and hellos and goodbys. We've got a good group.  Already we are seeing some action in Ladysmith.  Kent had Bishopbric meeting and the Elders were there to get direction from the Branch Pres.  when the first counselor arrived and announced that he quit because his wife was driving him crazy.  This is our Africaans couple and the wife is certifiable crazy.  We put it on hold because we don't know if this info will stick or not.  We'll wait a week!  The truth is she is so erradic that he probably should step down,but...  There is no one to take his place.
   Thursday the Dransfields stayed the night and they are nice people learning the roads of Durbin Mission well.  We tell them once they are in Lesotho they will hardly leave -so enjoy their travels now.  Mission Pres. has them going around teaching ward clerks about on-line stuff to help with future boundary lines and home teaching routes.  We don't have ward clerks in our 3 branches so Kent and missionaries have been learning his program.  They went to visit our Ezakheni seminary with us and we gave our self reliance class the videos to watch while we were with seminary.              Friday,  we did our usual walk and I was walking by our next door neighbor and she nabbed me.  She was visibly shaken and needed to talk.  The up-shot was she is a frequent visitor at our home because she's in a very bad relationship with her boyfriend who has used and physically abused her for 3 years.  She had left him at least 2 other times but she insists that this is it.    She was ready to leave but how? He was threatening here with locking her in the boarding again. We decided to get her out now and we took her to the only safe place-- our church building, until we could find out the bus schedule.  It was impossible on-line and there are no safe houses in SA.  The Dransfields were in the middle of this but we picked  her up and took a tour of the countryside till lunch.  We all went to lunch and then bought her ticket and left her at the bus stop for Durbin just like she was one of our missionaries.  But what a different reason!  No matter what her situation now-- it will be better than what she had next door to  us.  We pray for you Yuthika!  The Dransfields left the next morning with stories to remember but maybe not tell.
   Saturday was collapse day and fill the cupboards day and prepare to go to church in Ladysmith day!
   Kind of  a typical week but not really!