May 30, 2015 - Clark

Saturday, May 30, 2015

It has been a busy week as we have tried to get the most out of Steve’s last week with us as a translator.  We have pushed hard and have been tired to the bone.  Marcel is developing nicely and has a good sense of humor.  We had a major breakthrough yesterday on Kamweneja where we are repairing the roofing on an old school.  The installer hasn’t been paid and we have tried to negotiate a written contract signed by the Archbishop of the Diocese, Pere Gideon.  He not only signed the contract but gave us a bolt of Catholic fabric from their teachers’ celebration.  There were several coincidences that occurred with the exact timing and I want to remember those events.  The bottom line is our intervention saved the project and resolved an impasse that seemed non-negotiable.  We also were able to negotiate a reduced price for the school from the installer and managed to retain him as an ally. We’re going shopping on Monday for materials for the second phase and all parties seem content.

I don’t know why everything is so hard to complete but it is.  It is probably because of the corruption that exists at every level.  We are still struggling to get the contract signed by Regideso and the attorney has been reviewing and revising it all week with no end in sight.  The provider of repair tools for Kafubu Health Zone, Africa Business has had us return  nearly a dozen time looking for the same pieces of equipment he shorted us in  the original order.  Katimel orphanage received 5 sewing machines two months ago that are still in their boxes because Fifi, the director hasn’t made contact with Therese Ndaya, the teacher from Notre Dame School for Girls.  It’s starting to feel like tax season; it’s not the stress of a single week or a single major project, it is the cumulative effect that eventually catches up with you.  

This has been our first full week in our new home.  The location change has been enjoyable because we are in the same compound as the other senior missionaries.  It is also more convenient to the office where most of our humanitarian paperwork is completed.  The new surroundings have pluses and minuses but overall we have liked the change.  

We welcomed a new grandchild into the family this last week, Goldie Valentine Davis, daughter of Laci and Nate.  She was born on the 27th and we have already received several cute pictures.  Mom is so excited to hold Charlie and Goldie who have been born in our absence.  Times like these make it difficult to be separated from family but even with the connectivity problems we have, isn’t technology great.  We were able to hear her first cry and see mother and child in the birthing room just minutes after her arrival.  For me childbirth is such a magical time and one of life’s great miracles in which we are privileged to participate.  

Sunday, May 31, 2015

We just returned from bringing Euphrasie home from her first church meeting.  The sister missionaries are assigned to this sector and we thought they had taught her a lesson, but they had only called her and invited her to attend.  That doesn’t sound so difficult but she has no car and the church is 10-15 minutes away by car and requires a taxi and a couple of bus transfers to get there.  We were so excited to see her walk into the meeting.  

Lily is the Bishop’s wife and we had Euphrasie sit next to her during a 5th Sunday lesson conducted by the 2nd Counselor in the Bishopric.  We were reviewing a conference message from Elder Perry on families.  The next meeting was the investigator’s class and there must have been 15-20 investigators.  The missionaries are 2 sets of sisters and they were constantly in and out of the class, trying to coordinate the arrangements for teaching and contacting.  We were impressed with the missionaries’ efforts, but the members didn’t really go out of their way to introduce themselves to this new sister who had joined them for the first time.  

Sacrament meeting was last and at the conclusion of the meeting a single relief society sister introduced herself.  I guess they have too many people come and go to the point that no one notices.  Euphrasie seemed unphased by it all and was just as pleased as could be.  Dr. Mikesell was driving and we volunteered to take her home.  She lives within walking distance of the mission home.  She had us wait when she returned home and she introduced us to her mother and her granddaughter.  She was genuinely happy to have us meet them.  The sister missionaries made an appointment to teach her a lesson next Saturday and asked us to attend.  We’ll keep you informed.

Elder and Sister Draper also had a missionary experience today.  They had invited Tommy to sacrament meeting in Luano.  Tommy is the fellow who serves as an accommodator at the airport for any visitors coming and going.  He lives in the Luano area by the airport and Drapers have been assigned to that ward.  Tommy did come for sacrament meeting and said he would bring his family next week.  

It is exciting to see how people’s lives can be changed by the gospel.  We have enjoyed humanitarian work but have missed out on not being able to proselyte.  It seems odd that a referral here is not treasured; I suppose it is because there are so many people prepared to hear the gospel message.  I remember as a young missionary that a referral was gold because it was someone who already was familiar with the church or a church member.  We originally gave the Euphrasie referral to the AP’s who failed to contact her or pass it on to the sisters.  I had to intervene last Tuesday at Zone conference luncheon and take the AP to Sister Wamalwa’s table and extract a promise she would contact Euphrasie.  We texted yesterday to remind her and she had done nothing.  In her defense she did call and extend the invitation and Euphrasie made the effort to attend.  

Shelley is in the kitchen working on muffins for the 6 sister missionaries who live at our old apartment complex.  She had promised to teach them how to make muffins and is making good on the promise this afternoon.  It makes it difficult when they don’t have measuring spoons, no muffin tin and they do all of their cooking outside on an open flame.  The sisters do have an oven in their apartment that is never used.  Mom is always looking for ways to help and teach others.  It reminds me of the projects organized with the granddaughters.  She has plenty of ideas for the future.  

Her next project is preparing dinner for 20 people on Tuesday.  Elder Hamilton and his wife will be here from the Area Presidency as well as David Frischknecht who is the Director of Temporal Affairs (DTA).  I believe we continue to receive visitors because we are recognized as the poorest mission in the church and they want a first-hand adventure.  Don’t get me wrong, the senior couples are really spoiled and we enjoy the people.  This is not a sight-seeing destination but there is plenty to remember.  Sister Anthony, who just left on Monday, said it all seems like a dream in no time at all and it’s far too easy to slip back into your old lifestyle.  We’ve often said we don’t know if we’re changing Africa, but Arica is definitely changing us.  

Have a great week,

Love Dad (Elder Davis)