Sunday,
December 15, 2013
8
months today we have been on our mission! Where has the time gone
(sarcasm) and how did we fill our time (more sarcasm)? I try to stay
in the moment and not look too far forward, but the holidays are
difficult as I long to be home with family and friends.
We
attended church in Waterloo today; between the boom-box p.a.system,
and the first speaker, Divine Gloria Fredrica Walker, I wasn't sure
the ringing in my ears would stop. Church is always interesting –
most of the time Sacrament meeting consists of the introduction of
visitors for the first time, the confirmation of new members,
welcoming the new members, sustaining any new convert brothers to the
priesthood, and not to forget announcements. Once a speaker gets
his/her time, members of the branch presidency have no hesitancy in
standing up and passing a note to the speaker that their time is up.
This usually happens within about 7 minutes into the talk. Women are
“openly” feeding their little ones, cell phones are going off,
metal legged chairs on tile make a horrible screeching noise when
moved and the chairs are so crammed together it is impossible not to
make noise. Just your typical reverent, feel the spirit, Sacrament
meeting.
Monday,
December 16, 2013
After
Scott and I helped out the Freetown Zone missionaries this morning,
we went grocery shopping. This consists of 3 grocery stores – Mona
Prix, Freetown, Nassim's - Bashim's Bakery as well as my produce
vendor who hangs her umbrella at Nassim's market. Bashim's has
roasted chickens that we eat a lot and I buy all my bread from them.
We spent a total of 948,500 leones which translated in dollars is
$221.00 or two chickens and sandwich rolls; 4 pounds of ground beef
(I think it is actually goat), frozen vegetables, butter, yogurt,
cola, mayonnaise/mustard, candy bars; 25 pounds of rice, spaghetti
sauce and noodles, Pringles, cream of chicken soup, tahini paste (to
make hummus); canned peaches, mandarin oranges, cans of beets, kidney
beans, garbanzo beans and oatmeal; crackers; grape/cranberry juice;
and 10 rolls of toilet paper and a box of kleenex.
I
am already having an emotional day with news from home of loved ones
with health challenges, so when we pull up to Mona Prix and see
little goats tied up out front, I know what their fate is and as I
get out of the car and look back, there are slaughtered goats with
pieces of cardboard covering them up – that did it for me; the
tears began to flow and ran down my cheeks the entire time in the
store. I know animals get slaughtered in the states, and yes, I still
eat them, but it is a little more harsh here and difficult for me to
witness. In the last two days while reading Christmas stories Megan
has emailed me I note the following two quotes regarding animals:
“Kindness
pardons others' weaknesses and faults. Kindness is extended to all –
the aged and the young, to animals, to those low of station as well
as the high.” President Ezra Taft Benson
“I
believe in the beauty of nature – the flowers, the fruit, the sky,
the peaks, and the plains from which they rise. I see and believe in
the beauty of animals.” President Gordon B. Hinckley
Sierra
Leone has quite a ways to go when it comes to the kind treatment of
animals, let alone one another!
Tuesday,
December 17, 2013
We
had a 4:00 pm appointment with the single adults out East today; as
we approached, the Primary kids were practicing their Christmas
program and were dancing to, Feliz Navidad – really cute and of
course I had to video it.
The
drive out only took about 45 minutes to go 10 miles, but coming home
it took 2 ½ hours and we were in the dark! I found Christmas music
with jive on one of the radio stations, which helped keep Scott a
little more calm and we were able to avoid him running down a
motorcycle.
When
I got home tonight I had an email from my grandson, Dallin (11 years
old). He told me he was looking online for survival items to help us
on our mission. Included in the list of 28 items for the Zombie
Survival Kit, of which we have the majority, was a suggested firearm
that uses common ammunition such as a 12 gauge shot gun or a .308
rifle. Don't think I could have packed that when I came on mission 8+
months ago, however..... he is thinking about our well being here and
I am so grateful for his love, concern and daily prayers in our
behalf.
Rachelle
and I were back walking this morning after a 10 day “rest” (she
was in Bo/Kenema). Good to be back at it; I keep forgetting to
mention a no trespassing sign we have seen in the past. “Private
property; keep off! Violators will be persecuted!” Got a chuckle
out of that.
Wednesday,
December 18, 2013
Today
was the Kissy/Waterloo Zones' Christmas Celebration. We met at the
Kissy building and it was so much fun to watch the missionaries
mingle and celebrate. They were having a great time reuniting and
just enjoying each others' company. This was the 1st of 2
celebrations where we handed out the gift items that came from home.
Scott and I told them of our dear friends from our Stake who wanted
to share in our mission by offering gifts for all the missionaries in
the Sierra Leone Freetown Mission. We really are blessed with
wonderful friends. After the gift bags were handed out, they
spontaneously burst out in “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” I
love these missionaries – stripling warriors as far as I am
concerned and Helaman would have been honored to have them join his
band of 2,060. See the video here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niDcjBO1yKE&feature=youtu.be and here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPH7PoArEkU&feature=youtu.be
We
got back into Freetown, dropped off the office elders and made it in
time for our birthday dinner appointment at Crown with Marian
Ghazzawi (dock lady) and her daughter, Malan to celebrate dock lady's
birthday. Just a delightful evening with my Lebanese friend.
Thursday,
December 19, 2013
Woke
up this morning to “fog” and wind! Love it! Shorts and t-shirt
weather for Americans here in Sierra Leone, but all the locals have
on coats/parkas and ski caps. They think it is cold!! It is the month
of Harmattan which is defined as follows:
"In some countries in
West Africa, the heavy amount of dust in the air can severely
limit visibility and block the sun for several days, comparable to a heavy fog.
It can even break the trunk of the pine trees, growing in that
region, through their dryness. The effect caused by the dust and
sand stirred by these winds is known as the Harmattan haze."
Just
as defined, it is very dry and what I thought was fog is dust. I felt
its affects when we walked this morning and I had to stop because I
could not swallow. Our white car is covered in a butterscotch colored
fine dust. Eyes, nose and lips very dry – but it is cooler!!! I am
thankful for cooler weather.
We
drove out east for two apartment inspections in Waterloo. The back
road is drivable now and cuts down drive time by ½. It is so
beautiful driving in the country. I captured pictures of spring
gardens growing in December and West African women (of course the
women) working in their gardens. Loved the drive out east today.
Plumbing
problem in the kitchen tonight – the water heater has a leaky hose
– Scott the plumber is hard at it right now 9:20 pm and I am
staying out of his way; I peeked in and saw black liquid running
down the wall – not good....
Friday,
December 20, 2013
Next
morning and a trip to “Emigh” Hardware resulted in finding the
right parts to fix our problem in the kitchen – yay!
Today
was the final mission Christmas celebration in Freetown that
consisted of the Lumley/Freetown zones. I snapped quite a few
pictures while they were gathering and Scott handled the gift giving
from home; I stayed at the mission office so the Lauritzen's could be
part of the party and actually enjoyed being by myself and taking an
inventory of the mission's water filtering supplies in order to place
an order for the upcoming year. There is a lot that goes in to
ensuring clean water for all the missionaries and all the pumps,
hoses, filters, and systems come from Salt Lake City.
We
took 2 missionaries home after the celebration and stopped at
Nassim's Market to get a snap with the jiving Santa's outside as well
as a video. See the video here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpyAGHEztws&feature=youtu.be
Saturday,
December 21, 2013
Today
was the wedding of Sidikie Kamara and Elizabeth Campbell, and I was
on the program to toast to the health of the guests during the
reception. Well, the wedding started at 1:00 which actually meant
2:30 (any scheduled time here usually means it will start an hour
later). We are sitting in the chapel listening to a choir sing
Christmas carols when I hear drums and a trumpet blaring outside and
it isn't stopping. I go out to investigate and find the wedding party
(minus the groom) all huddled together and rocking to the racket of
drums, etc.
Groom shows, and the party is escorted into the chapel.
The branch president, I thought, gave great counsel that certainly
applies to this country. While speaking, bridesmaids would stand up
and take turns fanning the bride; usherettes, in the meantime seated
late arrivals and later served refreshments to 300+ guests. Ceremony
complete, and the newlyweds were ushered out of the chapel to sign
the registry and other necessary paperwork to make the marriage
valid.
Guests sat in the chapel and as they were called out over the
pulpit, went into the branch president's office to sign the registry
as well. It is now 4:00 pm and I am thinking we may make the
missionary's fireside in Kossoh Town yet. Not so as the entire
wedding party got in the 3 decorated vehicles and left the church to
drive around Kissy. We waited and waited and I said to Scott, if they
don't get back by 6:00 pm we need to leave; no sooner got that out of
my mouth and they showed back up, however, the reception has a list
of 13 events and I am #10 – that is at the very least another hour
and a half before they get to me. I was truly honored to be the only
“white man” on the program, but we opted to leave. It was a very
colorful day not only with what took place, but with the women in
their native dress – absolutely beautiful! As I sat in the chapel
and looked around at many men and women I have come to know and love
I felt deep gratitude for being in Sierra Leone.
Driving
past St. Mary's market just before driving up the hill to home, the
store was lit up with Christmas lights!
Merry Christmas and Much Love to All!
No comments:
Post a Comment