September 27, 2015 - Shelley

September 27,2015

I am feeling more and more like Winnie Richman as she writes her weekly news column from Promontory, Utah, for the Box Elder News Journal.   ☺

This was much more fun when I could add pictures.  We have continued to take more, so hopefully we will be able to document most things when we get home even though my computer is still gone.

We’re still wrapping things up as far as work with our projects go.  Almost all of the paper work is done, thanks to my very able companion!

It’s been a tough week for electricity, though.  The city power to our area has been out for 8 days straight.  Fortunately, the mission complex has a good generator and we haven’t suffered at all, as I’m sure some of our neighbors have.  But the fuel to run the generator is quite pricey.

The weather is getting hotter as we enter into the “summer” season.  We’ve had no moisture since April 17th – so you can imagine how dusty it has gotten.  The area where we live, the Katanga Province, is very rich in natural resources – copper, cobalt, and diamonds – and the mining industry is big.  Here in Lubumbashi there is a large refinery which spews smoke into the air 24/7, and it makes for lots of air pollution, especially in the dry season when there is no rain to clear it out.

We’re trying to give some good publicity for the church and have once again hired a local TV station to highlight some of our projects.  We spent one day this week taking a journalist and camera guy through the villages to see the well repairs that have been done in the Kafubu Health Zone.  The journalist interviewed each village chief and some of the ladies at each well.  All in all, a pretty fun and rewarding day.  This journalist’s name is “Valentine” and I got to show her a picture of our own little Goldie Valentine Davis!

Clark and I haven’t had too many mission office assignments, but one of them has been to buy supplies for the new incoming missionaries.  Each missionary gets a large bag, blanket, sheets, towel, whistle, colored pencils, pillow, umbrella, LED light, and mosquito net.  So one day this week, we took the other senior missionaries on a shopping trip to show them where we usually purchase these things.  Of course, we had to stop along the way to google over the beautiful fabric shops!  Elders Davis and Draper weren’t as excited about this part of the trip as most of us were!  Haha

Our “P” day was spent helping Steve (our 2nd translator) get his home ready to move into.  It’s new – but not exactly like you would imagine.  Actually, it will take a modern miracle to make it presentable for his bride-to-be.  I think she’s used to living a bit higher up on the rental chain.  Steve built the outhouse himself, if that gives you a clue!  Several of his friends were there painting the walls first with lime (as a primer) and then with paint.  Sisters Vance and Cook went with Clark and me to sweep out each room before the painting team came through.  Let me just say that it was HOT, SWEATY WORK!!!!

Anyway, the good news is that Steve and Matilda are getting married this Saturday.  They will have a civil wedding at the commune annex (like a courthouse) in the morning and then a reception that evening.  They are hoping that their visas come through so that they can leave the following Monday for Johannesburg to get married in the Johannesburg Temple.  According to the rules here, married couples from the Congo have one week after their civil ceremony to get married in the temple.  If it’s longer than that, they must wait one year for a temple ceremony.  We wanted to go with them to the temple, but we had to make our plane reservations farther in advance and just couldn’t wait any longer for the news about their visas.  A bit disappointing.

HOWEVER, as Steve would so wisely say, “Time wants me to go home.”  I’ve written my “homecoming remarks” a hundred times in my head, but I don’t think anyone wants to hear a 24-hour talk!  I’ll try to pare it down between now and then.  Haha  Barring the possibility that the airline goes out of business (don’t laugh – that really just happened a few weeks ago to Korongo Airlines) or some other quirky fate, we plan on leaving Lubumbashi a week from today and arriving home on Monday, Oct. 5th.  

I know that I have quoted these lines before – but they really speak to my heart.  They are from the movie “Out of Africa” and are spoken by a woman who lived in Kenya for several years.  “If I know a song of Africa . . .does Africa know a song of me?”  Well, I could philosophize about this for a long time, but suffice it say that we have had a marvelous experience here.  Our greatest hope is that we have been the Lord’s hands to “hasten the work” for these wonderful people.  They have certainly made a difference in us!

Love,  Winnie