Dear Family and Friends,
Sunday,
July 28, 2013
I
don't know what it is about Sunday's, but I am not very functional. I
was up this morning before dawn and by the time we arrived in
Waterloo at 9:00 am it was already hot there and Sacrament meeting
wasn't even over before I was in the car to sit down (it didn't help
that there were not enough chairs for the number of people who
attended church) because I was so warm and exhausted. I spent the
next 2 ½ hours in the car with the windows down, either asleep or
entertaining little kids who needed to be in class but just kept
hanging around the truck. One little boy just couldn't keep his hands
off stuff inside the truck – up and down with the automatic locks,
messing with the steering wheel and then he decided to honk the horn
which brought me out of a sleeping stupor!
We went from Waterloo to
Kissy and I attended Relief Society – I sat in the back where
windows were open and because they are closer to the ocean, it is at
least 10 degrees cooler than Waterloo; I still fell asleep and came
to when one of the sisters came around to collect the books that had
been handed out at the beginning of class and she retrieved mine from
my lap. At that point it was time for the closing prayer, and the RS
president singled out another sister who had been sleeping and made
her give the prayer. I thought I had escaped her seeing that I was
asleep – not so – she just waited until class was over and
everyone was filing out to comment on my inability to stay awake.
That was a little embarrassing to say the least!
We
got back home by 8:00 pm this evening. The long days add to my
overwhelming exhaustion.
Monday,
July 29, 2013
“Preparation”
day! In order to do laundry, I wait for Monday's because of an issue
we have with generators at the mission home; the old generator, the
work horse, is extremely loud and literally rumbles and shakes the
walls of the senior couple across the hall from us. The newer
generator which is much quieter, has a shut-off mechanism so when
there is a power overload, it automatically shuts down. This issue
was discovered late one night as I was using my clothes dryer and the
upstairs couple were using their dryer at the same time. All of a
sudden, no power, no lights, pitch black. Solution – Monday's when
everyone is in the office, unlimited use of the washer/dryer.
Had
the couples over for dinner tonight. I think it was enjoyed by all.
Tuesday,
July 30, 2013
I
saw a post on FaceBook today; my dear friends Bill and Rosemary
Preece are officially full time missionaries. They were set apart on
Sunday evening. They will serve in the London South Mission, living in
Bristol. I am so grateful for their friendship. It has been
well over 40 years that I have been friends with Rosemary, and it all
started at the Hurley Ward building and a Single Adult volleyball
game.
Wednesday,
July 31, 2013
Yesterday
while at the mission office, Scott walked me up the little hill just
outside our office to the new mission home that is under
construction. It was supposed to have been completed this month but
now the projected date is the 1st of the new year.
Anyway...it is going to be so delightful once it is done; lots of
windows (for West Africans to try to get through) for light.
Our
apartment sits on the second floor so it will be up and above any
security walls and will offer more of a free feeling, rather than the
“imprisonment” we feel where we currently live. There is also
going to be a small step-out balcony so we can sit outside in the
mornings and early evenings before the mosquitoes arrive. Because it
is within the church compound of mission office and Stake Center, I
will also be able to start walking again without having to be
accompanied by anyone. It is the little things that make such a
difference and I don't even realize it until they are unavailable. To
be able to walk again and feel safe! In the meantime, I use my jump rope for exercise.
The entrance to our compound
And this is our guard - ready for a trip to Hawaii. In the event of danger we will be protecting him! Notice his shoes.
The steel door that leads to our apartment complex
The steel barred door and wooden door that leads down the hallway to our apartment
The door to our apartment
He is back in the kitchen now that he assures me he uses bleach in the water.
Our future mission home - someday.
We said good-bye to one of our missionaries today - Elder Adah. His home is in Nigeria.
Thursday,
August 1, 2013
We
were scheduled today to travel to Allentown with the assistants in
order to meet with the missionaries there and discuss the area and
future realignment of the proselyting area. We waited for Marcus to
return with our truck; he was in Bo overnight and was supposed to
have left early this morning and return in time for us to leave at
11:30 to be in Allentown by 12:30 pm. We waited and waited and
finally borrowed President Ostler's car. As we were leaving the
parking lot of the mission office at 12:45, who is pulling in but
Marcus with the truck. Too late to switch vehicles.
The lunch Scott
bought for everyone that was to be eaten in Allentown, was eaten in
the mission office as we watched a church video. It was while
watching the film I discovered another use for missionary ties. I had
already observed its versatility in other ways – that of a napkin
and the other as a means to wipe sweat from one's brow. Today it was
used as a means to wipe tears from eyes that were weeping from a
touching scene in the movie. I happened to look over and see Elder
Wootton dabbing his eyes and face as the tears ran down his cheeks.
Thankfully, I have yet to see the tie used as a kleenex to blow one's
nose.
Saturday,
August 3, 2013
Today,
I conducted training in the Kissy Building for the Primary
leadership. When I was asked a week ago, and told 2:00 pm, I wondered
if anyone would be on time and if it was for just the district
leadership or did it include the branches as well. I arrived to set
up at 1:30 pm and the District President, Sister Kalilu showed up. As
2:00 pm approached, she was frantically calling others to make sure
they were coming. I suggested we begin even though it was the two of
us and so we did.
District Primary President getting a ride home from her husband.
It was such a sweet experience to train this woman
and have her role-play as a child as I taught her ways to teach
children and to capture their attention. At one point, I told her
about using a bean bag to toss to children in order for them to
either come forward in front of the class, or to answer a question.
They don't have bean bags here, so I took some dried kidney beans and
secured them in a handkerchief with a rubber band. When I tossed it
to her, pretending she was a child, there was no pretense, as her
beautiful brown eyes lit up like a child's in her attempt to catch
the bean bag and then throw it back to me. It was just a wonderful
few moments for me. As I concluded and expressed my love to her and
gratitude for her faithfulness, she took a few moments and expressed
her appreciation for the sacrifice I had made to leave my home and
family to come to Sierra Leone to serve a mission. She also talked
about the likelihood that at the end of mission, and my return home
we would not see each other again, and the realization of that
brought many tears to my eyes.
Love, Robin
More snaps:
A beautiful view of Freetown, Sierra Leone
Where sky and clouds meet ocean. The two horizontal objects are ships.
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