Darcy's Visit Continued

By Tuesday we are heading home from the coast
traveling the back roads and not the highways.
It was quick but we got home in one piece and we are
about 51/2 hours away from home (but reality was
closer to 6 or more hours because of short-cuts
that weren't short. Darcy is taking pics of the Sugar cane.  We
could smell the burning fields the night before.  They were harvesting some of the fields
and it takes over aa year to grow a crop of cane.

    

On Wednesday at 11 we took the girls to Nambiti for their game drive.  It is by our house and since we have been there a few times
we chose to stay home and work.  Darcy has lots of pics on facebook of game.  We picked her up at noon (Africans don't know what noon means) the next day.

Thursday was pick-up day and go to Penelope for a late lunch.
Friday was  a surprise for all of us.  I mentioned that I needed to take the girls to something cultural at Institute class  and Sister Zwane , our Seminary teacher in Ezakheni and good friend, said she had something planned in the form of dance with her current and former students at the school where she works.  She asked the our girl's sizes, which I gave her,  (they are of course different) and one of our handy seamstress sisters made these dresses for them to wear.

My Girls

They set up at the end of the church in the shade, so many pics are dark.  At the end we had a traditional feed (rice, baked chicken, potatoe mash) for the dancers and we got to serve it and of course have some.   My neighbor Uticka, came along for the fun and loved it .

I had to pin Darcy into her dress, but Lindsey was ok.  It was their gift.

Click here to see Zulu dancers.  Video!

Go Go Zwane and Mama Zwane

  I thought the boys dress and dance was by far the

most interesting.  

We don't know what the dances were about but the Zulu were warriors by heritage.  Children

all learn these dances in school and the best compete with other schools much like cheer-leading. 

On Saturday we took the girls to the Drakenburg mountains and the Birds of Prey.  There were too many people -all Europeans I think.  We saw a lot more show than the last time and got different information about these big birds, but it was harder to hear and see,(than the last time) because of all the people.
  D& L went on a gentle hike and we went to a lunch place at a hidden bakery.  We thought we would be by ourselves but again -wrong!
  Prepared for Sunday and went to Ladysmith chapel.

We went off to the airport after lunch and went to the Durbin Temple site as our last event before they boarded and went home. It's going up and the tar paper walls are in place after over a year and the Palm trees too.
By Darcy and Lindsey--It was a wonderful week and went by too fast!!

   

Darcy's Visit

Darcy and Lindsey awoke to the crashing waves at their B&B Monday morning.
The night prior they arrived at Shaka International without their
luggage.  We took them to Ballito Mall to have dinner with  fried oreos in pancake(crepe) batter.  By 7:30 that Sunday night we picked up their luggage and went back to Ballito to our 2 separate B&B's.  Their"s looked over the beach and was a beautiful place. It looked like an  Italy  seascape.  They were so jet lagged they couldn't care.
 

They couldn't wait to get in the water the next day.

We watched Monkeys that morning, but the Indian Ocean was calling the girls.

Finally!

We found a beach with a sewage moat around the bathrooms.
They didn't fall in and managed to emerge-----

We managed to leave the Ocean and continued up the coast past Richards Bay and 

spent the rest of the day in St Lucia .  We took a drive on a game reserve and it was

so lush and green.  We managed to see a few animals but it was a large reserve and
we were fighting darkness.  Got up early the next day for the shopping and

for the hippos

and crocs!  They love the sun!  They open their mouths to balance  their temperature
with the water and sun.

 On to the hippo pods.  

There were lots of babies!

Institute, Family History and Scripture Power

Can't get enough of this no matter how long I'm here.  They must start very young apparently!

  On Sunday the 9th of July we went to Madadeni 1 Branch and

 gave talks, played piano for Sacrament Meeting and taught  their Primary -Scripture Power.  During the last hour, we talked with some people in a meeting about how they hated their Branch President. They were very serious about their worries and asked to meet with us. We told them up front that we had no power and we would just listen to their complaints.  (Unfortunately there has been a lot of money corruption in the past and some think that it is still going on.  Mission President thinks there are problems in the Branch but not corruption problems.)  Went to Dundee to chat with the Browns after and in-between their meetings about this. We actually got home at a reasonable time.
   Monday saw us cracking the books for The New Testament class starting on Tues out in Ezakheni.  We also looked at 3 more boardings for the Elders but didn't like any.

Our Institute class that changes every week with this many people.

   Tuesday was our class at 4PM with a Branch Pres.meeting before the class at 3.  Pres. was going to change all the auxillary heads at the same time because everyone had been in about 3 years.  (the Branch's building has only been around that long and the Pres. has been in that long).  This was all prompted by the lawlessness of Primary the previous week and the Primary Pres.(age 17) announcing to the President that she was done.  Long night till 7, but I think the Pres will wait on the Young Women release.
   Wednesday was chile day (to make for zone conference).  We made 2 kinds and the Browns made 2 batches and we traveled to  Newcastle and served it up.  Afterwards we ditched and went to the Browns favorite home store and shopped for the brand new boarding that I knew we would get but did not have yet, for the Elders.  We had to furnish the entire apartment from scratch.  Mop to dishes!     The next day we did home chores and had the Mosia's over for Family History.  We got their membership #s and Elder Rasmussen was going to take them to the temple in Joburg.  As it turned out -the temple was closed for cleaning for 2 weeks when he was leaving for home.  We needed more details from Mosias anyway for names to be taken to the temple.  There is not much of a paper trail to find dead relatives when the black families have lived and died for generations in the townships. Word of mouth from living relatives is about the only way we get information, so dates are  usually slim  and not accurate.

The Elders surprised us with a serenade before District Conference.

   Zone leaders passing through on Friday and Saturday meeting for District adult meeting at 4 with an Area Seventy.  We thought at this point that we would be getting a new District, but nothing happened.  After Sunday meeting  Benson and Bro. Mosia were  set apart for the

The Mosia's , Elder Brown, and Benson and Doreen.

Melchezidek Priesthood.  We took Benson and Doreen and a cousin  to the meeting and brought them home for lunch. They were all eyes at stew and bread.  We had a cold wind storm that weekend.  Not a big deal to us but they live in the shack at the back of the sawmill and they don't eat much meat or get out much.  They loved the brownies and icecream.

When I'm 88 I want to look this good!

   Institute and orientation of new Primary president on Tuesday.  Browns came for dinner and we went out on the 19th.
   We did Madadeni Inservice on Saturday for Institute and Seminary teachers and invited all B.Presidents for the entire Newcastle District.  We started at 9 and picked up Ladysmith and Ezakheni, and Dundee seminary teachers for the meeting.  We provided lunch and salad with  Herman.  We had a big group and Charles, our boss, showed up to give me grief.  We are never on the same page and although he is the professional, seems to give outdated information and just rubs me the wrong way.  Lets face it we just tolerate each other.
   That Sunday, we,  all the missionaries (4 Elders and us) did Primary sharing time and classes.  We had the little GoGo Zwane,(new Primary Pres. who is 88 years old and who had never seen a primary operate) watch us do Primary and then teach classes.  It went well but next week she would have to do sharing time.

 We had a B-day party for Elder Moyo on Monday because transfers were Wednesdays and our big job was to feed zone leaders and let them crash till 1:30AM and then Kent took them to the bus stop for Durban.
   We had more Institute class on Tusday and Primary inservice and then my little Grandma would be on her own.  Primary music is always the hardest calling to find, but as of this writing, not one calling had been issued to help the Primary President with 45 kids.
    Sunday surprised us with a District split and new Branch President in Ezakheni.   President Manqile will be fabulous!   He was 1st councilor and has been off his mission for 3 months. He is very humble and very willing to take and ask questions.

Sister Delkerk bought this cake for our new District Pres.

   The new District President is our very own Pres. DeKlerk from Dundee.  The Ladysmith District will only have 3 branches with Ezakheni splitting soon.  We had lunch after all the settings apart happened.  Sister DeKlerk brought it for us because her whole family was also there.  It was fun and festive and all the work was yet to start.  We did music and Primary classes again.
 

Finally our 3rd and last boarding and it was brand new!

My favorite Mabel, Ivy and grandchild.

 Got a brand new boarding in a triplex that will be on Delhi road to Ezakheni -where we want our third set of Elders to live. I sent pics and info to Sis. Wood and she sets up the lease and money stuff.  Taught class on Tuesday and shopped and cleaned and got ready for Darcy to come on Wednesday and Thursday. Got keys and showed Elders their new boarding.  Home Taught the Madonsela's so we could take belated birthday cake.
   Friday we were to leave for our trip to Richards Bay inservice and to pick up Darcy and Lindsey.  Elders moved in to their new boarding on this day also and met  us at our home to get washer and our sofa.  We were then off to the furniture store for new table and benches.  We didn't leave till 11:30 so we were late to Richards Bay.

Found the restaurant find on the road to Durban.

    Saturday we picked up 2 teachers in Ezekhaweni and that is all we had at our inservice meeting.  It was a good 1-on-1 but a disappointing showing and costly meeting. Later we met up with the Collins's and hiked a cool

Enseleni chapel and 1 of three classrooms.(Richards B)

Sister Collins and I in Rafia Forest!

hike  through the Rafia forest(big old palm trees) down  to the beach of the Indian ocean.  We then ate pizza and got rained on.  All in all a very mixed day!
    Sunday, we finally went to Richard's Bay Branch, which was very small.  We bore our testimony along with the entire branch.  Took off and went to the rest of the meetings in Enselini where I went to the tiniest RS meeting ever.  5 of us talked Zulu and English for 45 minutes. Most lessons are taught by reading in English and discussing in Zulu and English.  Kuhlekani is my Institute teacher there and we had to give him his NT student manuals a little late.  (The big news is that he has a cute girlfriend that I sat next to in RS. I would love to go to a temple wedding while I'm here!  Just sayin!)
   The fun is just beginning--Darcy adventures are coming up soon!

What a Mix!

After Fathers Day, we stayed home and I did home stuff.  We did WISE and then all week we scanned paperwork for the Elder's car accident.  It was a paperwork nightmare for all of us because we have the scanner for paperwork to Joburg and Durban office. Elders were here everyday for a week.  By Wednesday I started my cakes for the big Relief Society Homemaking meeting featuring Sister Rhodes and cake baking.

 On close questioning the Sisters are really fascinated by cake decorating-like the cakes at our bakery at Pick-and Pay our local grocery bakery.  Lucky for us Sibonelo (the bakery manager) will do anything for me,  so I asked him to demo piping on a cake and he  was willing.

 It has been a long time for him because he's been the bakery manager for a long time.  He was cute and so patient with me when I told him he needed to talk to his audience as he did his demonstration.  He was good- I think, because it generated into a Zulu fest.

 I had my computer set up on a demo video for a paper cone bag for the frosting and everyone learned how to do it and tried to "pipe" .  We made a lemon jello cake to eat with whipped cream dolop.  (Most had never seen someone whip cream because they do not have electric mixers).  They bake with their ovens, but not desserts and mostly just use their stove tops.  They decorated their red velvet cupcakes that I brought and he (Sibonelo) decorated Elder Trapnell's birthday cake

for later that night at our home.  Kent stayed and took pics and tried to be useful--but mostly ate and had fun.  The sisters ate cake and then had dinner. We took our plates home as soon as we cleaned up.  I think a good time was had by all.
   This week was busy with Elders and Browns also.  Elder Brown is getting 2 new members of Ladysmith Branch ready to get the Melchezidek Priesthood and conducting interviews and classes with them .  We see the Browns and go to lunches a lot the  next few weeks.
  We had Ladysmith Branch Conference on the 25th of June.  Practicing with the choir with Sister Banda sounded pretty bad, but when we actually did the performance it sounded pretty good.
  Monday was Kent's and my excursion to another Boer and English battlefield by our house.  I'll let him tell all about it.

  Okay, this is Kent!  I love the local history and it is extremely interesting. I think I have already talked about the Boer/English war around 1900 and have described how 21,000 Boer soldiers surrounded our town of Ladysmith (where we live now) and trapped about 12,000 British soldiers here for four months. Sir Redvers Buller was in command of the rescue attempt but was held off for these months by the Boers. One of his attempts to break through the Boer lines was at a tall hill called  Spioenkop. We visited this site and were impressed with how they had displayed the history and the battle that took place.  The British lost 343 dead, 563 wounded and the Boers lost 68 dead and 134 wounded. So, the Boers won. Most of the British are buried on the hill, many right where they fell. Did I mention that I love the history. Just wait until I get home, I can Boer you to death!
  Met with  Sister Adams and showed her a video and convinced her to get a councilor.  She came to Branch  Presidency meeting that same night and we gave her a flash drive with sacrament meeting program videos and music.  Equipped her and had something she could do for Sunday.  The Browns came again and I put her to work with Doreen and English book to  see how she was doing.  Doreen and husband Benson are from Malawi and were at first struggling with our church vocabulary.  He does great but Sister Brown assessed her and decided that maybe she would just need help with her writing and reading.  Language was pretty good except for church lingo.
   Wednesday we did and spent most of the day buying and looking for stuff to go in the Elder's 72 hour buckets.  Went home teaching and VT to our group this week and had my first VT visit from Sis. Adams.  It was a picture perfect visit. Went to Ezakheni Sunday and they had 7 confirmations but what a mess for Primary.  I had Nursury,but Kent went and got the councilor to look at Primary--no adults or any teachers and kids were  just running all over the building.  Things will happen!
   Monday the 2nd we decide to go a few hours away to the VanUtierts in Bethlahem.  We went to the mall and had lunch and drove around Harrismith, where we found our first real Antique store.  (Winterton doesn't even count) There was lots of everything especially furniture but mostly from England.  She says that antiques don't survive here and she would have nothing in her store if she did not import. (of course I found something!)  Such a fun P-Day excursion.
   Crazy 4th of July with a very hairy day.  We had Zone leaders show up and the Browns coming from Durban and staying until 6. We had a late lunch.  Our Elders came early to use the computer.  It was grand central.   Petersons came late at 5 with a missionary that needed to go home to Ezakheni.  Kent had to go out by himself while I entertained.
   My Family's reunion going on this week and face timed with my Mom.  My kids did a great job hosting in Utah around Heber with 60 of my brothers and sisters and their children.
   Met with Ezakheni Branch Presidency about what is needed for the Primary presidency.  I gave a little presentation of the type of lady we need for the 40-50 children.    A 16 year old has been in charge for the last 3 years.  It never should have happened, but sometimes I guess little branches are desperate.  That was when the Branch was small and only 20 kids.
     Met with Sister Adams again and showed her leadership training video and Kent went to Branch Presidency Mt while we met at home.

Ho Hum and Hippos

 

Don't forget to check out the pineapple video at the end.  

   The last 3 days of May were pretty routine.  Elders came to see their new boarding on Goa St. and we met the Browns and went out to Winterton for pizza at the Pig and Plough  (1-5  lunch on P day.)  Tuesday we got 2 new Elders Jada and Mbongi they were to stay till we could find them another new boarding---that is 3 in 3 months.  Help!  Our Institute finished on Wednesday with 4 students and we gave them their assessments.  Only 2 students will get credit but not the young men that came. They were not 75% attenders.  Good priesthood holders are hard to find around here, even if they go on missions.

Instead of potatoes with KFC.  How about some pop?

  The Woods came up on the 1st with new furniture for the new boarding and extra appliances.  We took them to Penelopes and off they were again. The infested furniture and stuff from Carlton was not to be used.  Only some new kitchen items would be used in Goa.  The next day we bombed or gassed the old house for bugs and the Elders were to move out the following day --but --wait.  We checked the new boarding and had the plumber out because the water would not work.  Postponed till Monday.  That night Elder Varner came to our boarding sicker than a dog wanting some relief from diaharia and heaves.  It turns out that it probably is not a good idea  to eat a R4 (30 cents) sandwich made by  a township  grocery store.   Kent found some remedies from a pharmacy open till 9 and fixed him up.  All was well the next day.

While E. Varner was on the couch,  the guys finished my puzzle.  

  Saturday we had Branch Presidency meeting and I met with Mabel.  She never gave her lesson because the President wanted to leave early.  (some responsibility issues?)
  On Sunday our Primary in Ladysmith finally got changed and Sister Adams got put in as President.  She will be great!  I can rest easy now because she is at the helm and I gave her reading material to read from Priesthood handbook of instruction.  We need a music leader now!  Tuesday and Wednesday we were still outfitting and going back and forth with blinds and drapes.  Cake and whipped cream for collecting assessments but only had 3 kids showed for last meeting in Institute.
  Thursday we worked on Wise, Kent had Presidency meeting, and more window covering stuff.  We started Ladysmith boarding check on Friday and moved all the old appliances to our boarding from Carlton where the Elders had to be bribed to really clean Carlton boarding and all the appliances.

No roaches here

These guys were everywhere and looking for handouts. (Elders!)

We shipped  off to Richards Bay and Dundee for S and I attendance records and to meet the new District Presidency at District conference .   S and I has not quite got off the ground very well.  We can't get the teachers to stick or to communicate with us.  They just ignore us like our kids used to!

Sardine hippos in a row. 

  Since the Browns were there we got them a B and B with us and then scooted on up the coast to another place that they got in St Lucia Sunday night.  We talked the Collins into joining us on another hippo experience with better weather.  It wasn't even cold there and we saw lots more crocs and monkeys, and hippos doing stuff.

Eating again in St Lucia !

  We drove all night about 5 hours on Monday and got home exhausted.   The Elders had us check Carlton again in time for transfers  and the Dundee Elders were in town .  Apparently , someone told the others about Penelopes

Last lunch as a District before transfers.

so we all went to lunch for one last time before 3 of them would leave.  We did not pay because it was their idea !
  Wednesday was transfers and Elders needed to be taken to Madadeni  at 4. That meant travel at night but we did.  Those country roads can be treacherous but we are getting used to the Newcastle road just not the township roads at night.  Kent made Herman for all the Elders that passed through and gave Elder Varner a starter bottle of the starter  to take with him.
  Wednesday transfer days are complicated and I don't know why I decided to look at real estate on that day in addition to everything else but I called  Tanya on a brand new property not to far from Goa.  It was brand new and would not be finished till July.  Perfect.  She was also the agent  with the handyman for little things in Goa that needed to be fixed.  So we finished with the new property and I had keys for the property on Goa.  We had to kick the trash away from the inside of the front door to just get in.  It was a pig stye!  Would this agent let us rent her new property after this?  We were embarrassed for the Church  and I told the Elders they should not be getting the property.  It was a great natural consequence for their choices but now I'm back to the drawing board.  Still looking!
  Thursday was walk through the Carlton boarding with Caryn our agent and note all the damage 4 years have made.  I had to change beds and clean our boarding because the Hicks (the new couple living temporarily in Durbin) was spending the night.  Made a big pot of Minestrone for dinner and did not know how many people so back to the store for more bread filler and big rigotoni (hard to find).
  We ended up feeding 8 with Zone leaders and Ezakheni 1 Elders.  While we were eating the Ezakheni Elders were busy wrecking their brand new car in Acaciaville not far from their boarding.  No one was hurt but it turns out there were other problems with the 2 African new Elders.  We will find out later.  When transfers were over we now have 4 out of 6 African Elders and we will see how that goes. The one that wrecked the car will now go to Dundee with Elder Thompson and the rest are left to sort all this out.  We have not had to sort things out.  Zone leaders were present and the office did all the talking.

  Saturday we sent the Hicks off to the Meander and got ready for Sunday.  We needed to go see Dundee and visit our old seminary class .  We walked in and saw our Elder Jada and Thompson and President DeKlerk asked us to be the speakers in sacrament meeting.

Hippo tooth weighs about 10 lbs in his left hand.

 I am never used to this but it has been happening lately so I prepared a little by reading our Liahona on the way.  Father's Day was at home with phone calls from kids and carrot cake.  We love the DeKlerks!

Mating with kids around.  Female can be under for 6 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0DGBZMQVCM