Catch-up Blog

Due to the crazy week we had before we left for Swaziland, I did not get the Blog published, much to Wayne's disappointment.  We had all the flat checks to do for our district plus we taught the final lesson to Norma Qwezi, and we prepared to teach the final Temple Preparation class to the two families in Maseru on Sunday. 

Norma Qwezi Majozi and Elder Holt.  She will be baptized January 27th, 2013

Sunday morning Wayne spoke in Maseru branch representing the district council.  He did a great job.  Once our meetings were finished we taught the temple prep class to the Nachappy family only because the other family wanted us to come to their house later to teach them.  So, once we finished the first class, we drove the Phusamane children and their dad home so we could teach the husband and wife the last lesson.  The wife wasn't there and so he asked us to come back at about 5:00.  We went back to the church to wait for the branches tithing settlement report that we were supposed to get to the district President.  They told us it would be ready when we got there, but alas - about 4 hours later - it was finally ready.  Consequently it was a very long day with lots of good teaching moments, but lots of waiting patiently as well.  We are learning a lot about patience on our mission. 

Once we got home I had to get packed up and then I also had some baking to do for our trip the next morning.  The Wyatt's came and stayed in Ladybrand so we could get an early start for Swaziland.  Their car was filled with supplies for a Seminary and Institute teacher training seminar and Opening social for the Seminary and Institute kids that would be held on December 15th.  They unloaded all of the manuals, books, game supplies, refreshments etc. in our living room in preparation for the next weekend.

We were up and ready to go very early the next morning loaded with a map, google map instructions and two GPS's.  Even with all of that - we still ended up on dirt roads - very lost.

Sister Wyatt, Barb and Wayne on the way to Swaziland - just a little lost

We finally arrived at Summerfield Botanical Garden Resort

The Summerfield Botanical Garden Resort was so beautiful and it was nice to be pampered a little with beautiful surroundings, delicious food and good friends.  The grounds were well groomed and manicured.  Beautiful trees, plants, and as seen in the photo below lots of peacocks.  There were even Momma peacocks with little baby chicks.  We were awakened each morning to the cries of the peacocks calling to each other.

This proud male peacock entertained us each morning as we ate our breakfast.

Each morning we ate our breakfasts outside beside the swimming pool, enjoying the beautiful surroundings.  Elder and Sister Lombardy, the mission couple in Swaziland very kindly took time on Tuesday morning to show us around Manzini and Ezuini.  They took us to outdoor markets, the silver smiths, and many other fun shopping places.  That evening they fed us a lovely supper at their home.  We spent a lovely evening visiting, comparing notes about our challenges in the mission field.  I decided that perhaps our little group of elders was not too bad, and I would stick with the challenges we are facing and leave them to theirs.

We were up by 5 AM the next morning to get to Hlane Game Park in hopes to go on a game drive.  Unfortunately we missed the first one, but did get to go on one a little later.  We didn't get to see any lions (lots of tracks in the wet earth though), but we did see elephants, rhinos, giraffes (from a distance), wildebeasts, impalas, baboons.

The elephants were having a good time with each other

The white rhinos were quite bashful

It was a cool morning, after a rainy night, and the Wyatt's and us were the only people on the game drive which was quite nice.  The guide tried really hard to find the lions.  We followed tracks for a long time, they had been very active according to the tracks, but we were unable to spot them.








The white rhinos were quite magnificent to see.  We got up quite close and enjoyed watching them.  We saw some hippos from a distance in a pond, but they would not come up out of the water.  We had to be content to watch them bob up and down occasionally.







That afternoon we visited the Manzini market where we bartered for nativity sets and other trinkets.  Wayne hated it, as every booth wanted you to buy from them.  After you had seen one or two booths, it became apparent that they all carried almost the same kinds of things.  We got what we came for and then got out of there.  We visited a few other fun places in Manzini where we bought some woven baskets, rugs, etc.  It was a fun day. That evening we met up with the Lombardy's and had them come to supper at the Resort with us and we had a great time.  The Lombardy's have 8 children.  Elder Lombardy was a school teacher and he retired just before they came on their mission.  Their youngest daughter and husband was arriving for Christmas in just a few days. They were so excited to have family coming for the holiday.

The next morning we visited a Swazi cultural centre.  We learned about their culture, how they built their homes, raised their families, bartered for their wives, etc.  When the children are six years old they leave their mothers hut and go to live in the children's hut.  The girls sleep in one hut and the boys sleep in another hut.  Because they do not keep track of how old they are in their culture, when a child can take their left arm and raise it over their head to touch their ear on the right side - that determines when they must leave their mothers hut.  Their culture believes that the man can have more than one wife, and a girlfriend too if he wants.  The men buy their wives with cows, generally 17 cows for one wife.  Once we went through the village tour, we were entertained by a group of singers and dancers.  They did a great job and it was so entertaining.

These are the singers and dancers.  They sang so beautifully.

They performed different dances and songs.  Some were about hunting, courting, etc. 

Dad and Elder Lombardy were picked to come up and dance with the men.

 Here are a few of the performers with us once it was all over. 
Sister Wyatt on the far right, Sister Lombardy and myself.

Elder Wyatt on the left, Dad and Elder Lombardy with some of the men performers.

 Not too far from the cultural centre was a beautiful water fall and a place for a barbeque and picnic spot.  This is a very lush tropical country.  Everything was so green and beautiful.

The trees had long vines hanging down from it.  We decided to play Tarzan and Jane. 








We then headed back to Lombardy's to get some materials that Dad needed to train an Elder to be a trainer to a new Elder.  Transfers happen this week and one of our Elders is going to get a brand new missionary.  We said goodby to the Lombardy's as they needed to get ready for their daughter to arrive the next day.

We spent the evening with the Wyatt's playing rook and visiting.  It has been a nice little break from our usual hectic time.  The next morning as we left our lovely accommodations and headed back to South Africa, back to our cell phones - and as soon as we crossed the border, the phones started ringing and life started to come crashing back upon us.  While we had been away, there had been a hail storm go through Lesotho killing many and destroying homes.  We will be working with the Church Humanitarian people again distributing blankets, meals and hygiene kits in the coming week.  We learned that one of our Elders was in an accident and wrecked the Bakkie (not his fault) and gratefully no one was hurt, but we need to get the bakkie in for repairs.  Also, same elder lost the cell phone and we would have to take a new cell phone into them. 

It was a 12 hour trip home, with road construction delays, rain storms etc.  We were very grateful to get home and ready for the next days activities.  We had agreed to help the Wyatt's with their Seminary and Institute opening social in Maseru.  We had prepared a game and they had some games planned.  We had about 26 kids there and they had a great time being together.

 In this game they had to place an oreo cookie on their forehead.  They then had to work the cookie down and into their mouths without using their hands.  Some of those kids got that cookie in so quickly and easily.  Others dropped it about 8 or 10 times before they finally got it in their mouths.

In this game, they used skewers and a plastic ball with holes in it.  They had to pass the ball from skewer to skewer without using their hands.  They had a great time playing these silly games, laughing and interacting with each other.  They also had a little devotional and then refreshments (juice and cookies).  Wyatts work so hard to get the teachers trained and the kids excited to come and participate in Seminary and Institute. 



It was great to be gone, but even better to get back.  This little retreat to this lovely resort was my birthday gift and our Christmas gift to each other.  We feel refreshed and ready to get back into the thick of the work that needs to be done.  We love our service here in South Africa.  It is not always easy and sometimes it can become very frustrating, but in the end we know it is where we are to be, and we are doing what we are to be doing.  We are looking forward to going to Bloemfontein on Wednesday to pick up Inge and Lida.  I am afraid we will be putting them to work as we prepare for the Elder's Christmas party on Saturday and also the blanket and hygiene kit delivery into Lesotho.  We also look forward to going to the Johannesburg Temple in January with the two families we have prepared to take out their endowments. 

We love you all and appreciate your thoughts and prayers in our behalf.  Thanks again for the pictures, phone calls and face-time visits. 

Love Mom and Dad