Meet Andreas

I would like you to meet Andreas.  We call him "The Green Hornet".  He works as a Globe Flight Delivery man, he drives a scooter and comes to our office most mornings bringing document packages. He is a deeply religious man, and very polite.  One day when he came into my office he visited with me while I signed for the packages.  He told me in his very high voice that His God was a good and loving God.  He told me that he had no money that day to come to work and he didn't know what he was going to do.  (meaning he had no money to put petrol in his scooter).  So, he said he prayed to God.  A few minutes later someone knocked on his door and asked if they could buy some of his bananas and avacadoes.  Andreas told me that God had answered his prayers and because he worked hard and had grown the fruits to sell he didn't have to steal or rob, or even kill anyone so he could get the money he needed to go to work. 

I found his philosophy very interesting - that with his belief in God he still thought he might have to steal, or rob or even kill someone to get what he needed to provide for his family and that it would be justified.  I told him that God did love him and he does answer our prayers.  I told him he needed to teach his children that Heavenly Father answers our prayers and takes care of us - especially if we work hard too.  He said he would teach his children when they get older.  He told me they were too young yet.  Of course in our lives, we know that a child is never too young to learn these things. 
We enjoy Andreas and we enjoy his visits each morning and his messages to us.  When he came in on Friday he reminded us that we are to honor our Father and Mother.  I told him I knew that, that that was a commandment. 



This has been a busy week, even with the President gone all week we have been kept very busy preparing for the arrival of the new Mission President.  President Zackrison arrives on Friday evening.  We will meet him on Saturday afternoon after he has spent time with the Von Stetten's, being filled with a crash course in how to be a mission President in South Africa.  I received an e-mail from the new President this week thanking me for sending him a calendar of activities for the next two months and he asked if I knew a Dr. Robert Taylor?  He said that Dr. Taylor is his Doctor in Provo and that he mentioned that he knew me.  I wrote him back and told him that he was my Brother-in-law.  How small the world is - right?

Wayne has been kept very busy with flat tires, and then flat spare tires.  Also calls about what to do about burst hoses etc.  He had to run a stanic card out to some Elder's this week and met with one of the brand new elders that arrived on June 11th.  The elder spent quite a bit of time talking about how homesick he was and Elder Holt tried to assure him that he would get over that as soon as he could get to work and forget about himself and serve others.  We saw him yesterday and he seems to be doing much better.  He has also been learning the in's and out's of selling off the cars that have just been replaced with new vehicles this last month.  Selling cars in South Africa comes with a whole different set of rules than what we are used to in Canada.  Gratefully he has Teddy to help him through the process. 

Thursday evening we had a meeting at the Berea chapel with the Stake Young Mens and Young Women's president.  There was a "team building" activity planned for the two Durban stakes for this past Saturday that someone else was in charge of, but at the last minute they fell through so we had to get to work and get the activity organized.  The focus of the activity was to help youth to learn to work together, to plan and execute a plan to accomplish a task.  We were assigned a station and had to come up with an activity to help them learn to work together.

We had four groups come through and each group consisted of two team.  First of all we had the kids come up with a team name and a team cheer.  Then they had to perform it for the other team.  Some teams were really creative and came up with some great ideas.  Then each team was given a tarp and they had to put one team member in the centre of the tarp and they had to carry this person down the field.  They they dumped them out and that person would stay there and they would run back and put another person in the center of the tarp and carry them down and drop them off.  They did that till there was only four team members left and then they could all go back and help carry the rest of the team one by one down.  The first team to complete the relay one that part.

They worked hard to get all their team members down the field to the other end, there was lots of laughing and giggling going on

Some teams used their big strong men to make the ride a little easier for the one being carried.  That was until all it was the mens turn to be carried down the field.











Then we had the kids line up 4 kids at a time.  They were each given an oreo cookie which they had to put on their foreheads and try to get into their mouths without the use of their hands.  The other team members were to offer help and advice about how to do it.

Some were very quick and adept at getting it into their mouths others had to work at it and work at it.  It took a lot of patience and perseverence to be able to accomplish this task.  All in all the kids had a lot of fun and after they finished at our station went on to three other activities. We fed them hot dogs, chips and a drink and then they all headed home.  We had about 80 youth there from two stakes, plus their leaders.




When we got home yesterday afternoon later, I learned that my Mom had had a fall in the night.  She must have been up using the bathroom, lost her balance and fell over the edge of the bath tub and couldn't get up.  Someone finally found her in the morning.  They called the EMT''s to help get her up and then took her to the Raymond hospital for x-rays.  Luckily nothing was broken, but they kept her overnight just for observation. Uncle Joe met her at the hospital and took care of her.  I checked today and they were going to send her back home.  I am glad that no bones were broken and that she will be alright.  I am also very grateful for family who are there to help my Mom in our absence.  Thank you all!

Today Wayne and I had to speak in the Kwamashu branch.  I had to speak about Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching and Wayne had to speak about "Not Taking the Lord's name in vain".  If nothing else, this mission has given us many teaching experiences.  I don't have the feats that I have always had in the past.

We love it when our family sends us pictures  - as I have stated before.  This is one that came to us this morning -

This picture came with the caption - "Please come swiming with us!"



Today Isaac will receive the Aaronic Priesthood.  We are so proud of him and know that he will honor this Priesthood which he will hold and will carry out his responsibilities very well.  He will set a great example for his young brothers as they prepare themselves for this day as well.  Isaac we are thinking of you and wish we could be there to witness this occasion.  We look forward with anticipation to our return to watch you pass the sacrament in your Ward.


Well, this is our blog for this week, we hope that it finds each of you well and happy.  We love you and are grateful for each of you.  Please keep in touch.

Love
Mom and Dad