May 3, 2015 - Shelley

May 3, 2015

It’s been a week of saying “Hello” to visitors and “Good-bye” to friends.

We’ve met so many wonderful Congolese friends who have helped us.  One such friend is Felly Bukasa.  He’s the church employee in charge of purchasing.  He has helped us in many of our projects by assisting us in finding the best prices, etc.  Well, Felly has been promoted and is moving to Kinshasa.  It’s nice for him because he and his wife are both originally from there – but it’s sad for us.  One of his

best friends is our former translator, Flavien Kot (pictured on the left with his wife Kristal).  Another friend and church employee, Desire Ilunga, invited us to a going-away dinner for Felly at his home.  Desire and his wife Lily are in the center of the couch in the picture, and Felly and his wife Anacet are on the right end.  Eating dinner at someone’s home is an opportunity we don’t often have.  Food is very expensive and usually just sodas and popcorn are served when making a visit, if anything.  Anyway, it was a delightful evening as we witnessed how these three Congolese friends horsed around and acted silly

like our own sons and their friends would.  And they also shed some tears in the end.

On a different note, the whole mission has been busy preparing for the visit of Elder David Evans and his wife Mary.  Elder Evans is the Executive Director of Missionary Work worldwide.  The main purpose of his trip is to speak at a conference for mission presidents in Cape Town next week, but he stopped in Lubumbashi for two days.  It was his first trip to the Congo.

Sister Draper wrote parts to “We’ll Bring the World His Truth” and the young missionaries spent three weeks practicing in place of English class.  The

photo shows a practice at the Lubumbashi Stake Center.  It was exactly like practicing for the Primary Sacrament Meeting!  Even though the missionaries are wonderful singers, almost no one reads music – and they like to make up their own harmonies!  Teaching them to sing parts was uphill all the way!!!  It turned out fine in the end.  I was happy that I got to sit next to Sister Wamalwa, one of the only English-speaking young missionaries – she’s from Kenya.  We chatted (only at appropriate times – not really!  haha ).

After the missionary conference led by Elder Evans, we had a dinner at the mission home.  Our only source for a photographer for a group picture was one of the mission home guards.  And I’m pretty sure he had never held a camera before.  Consequently, the picture came out pretty fuzzy – but a

good time was had by all!  Elder Evans is in the back next to me and his wife is in the center on the couch.

Emmanuel brought his new baby to the dinner.  He and his wife had two daughters and then they recently had a son.  His name is Vainqueur – meaning victor or winner.  The ladies all took

turns holding him – we’re trying to keep our “grandma skills” tuned up!  He’s adorable and has the cutest curly hair!

We actually did get some work done this week!  We spent 2 ½ hours at the lumberyard getting wood for the ceiling repair at Kamweneja School.  Interestingly enough, all of the lumber-

yards we’ve been to have been run by women.  The picture shows Clark with the gal in charge at this one.

Back at Kamweneja School, they used

metal railroad ties to make a bridge

over an existing ditch at the entrance to the school so that the transport could deliver the wood.  The picture doesn’t

do this justice but it was an absolute tribute to ingenuity that the wood ever made it to the school!!

Elder Davis has been charming the

banana gals into letting us take a picture.  Most people are reluctant – like this one!  ☺  p.s. That is heavy!!!

At the market, I found another local delicacy – caterpillars!  They’re

seasonal, so you have to get them while they last!

Our thoughts have been at home this week, too, as our grandson John Chamberlain was baptized.  Birthdays this week are Navi Davis and Nelson Chamberlain.  Even though we would love to be there for the celebrations, we feel comfortable knowing that we are where we are supposed to be.  You know that we love you all!  Love,  Mom/Grandma/Soeur Davis