Our Month of May 2012! (playing Catch up)

Sunflower in Luaha Mozambique

The Boabob Tree. Notice the fruit. In Winter.

I know this is a very long overdue blog entry. But the month of May was very important to our mission. WE have just been going 90-100 miles an hour since we returned. 

WE know it is long. We tried to include lots of pictures but if you fall asleep before the end we understand.

We hope to do better from now on. But for now .

This is May and a jump off to what else is going on in the mission.

We hope you enjoy.

If too boring at least skip to the story of the island and Luaha.

We began month number 7 heading on a trip to the North. Way North. With another loaded truck full of church materials to deliver along the way. It is our Pony Express service.

We left May 7th and had work to do all the way to the north. I will write of the experiences at each stopping point as some days were just complete days driving. Here you do not drive at night and so being winter the race is sun up to sundown.

We had Naldo Ujembe, our noble and trusted translator, with us the entire trip. He is another story all his own. One day we will talk  about him or you can go to The   Osbons blog. They are  the Senior Couple from Alaska stationed in Quelimane. She writes stories of the members in Mozambique and posts them. She does a great job and did interview Naldo while we were in Quelimane.

Maria and Paldino's Kitchen

Our first  Stop was Maxixe. Here we checked on 9 hand pumps and 3 electric wells which we opened when we first arrived. We wanted to see if they were doing OK and being taken care of. The next step would be their 1 year inspection and final payment to the contractors. But in this case we found some problems so we were glad we made the trip.

 There is a couple,Maria and Paldino,from Homoine who took us around to all the well sites. They are members and just went through the temple last month. They are in the small Maxixe branch but a strong couple.  No Children but they are raising Maria's niece,Judite 9,and Paldino's Nephew Banney 6 . This is common here. While we were checking on the wells all day these two made us a meal. Young children, especially girls, have as much responsibility as a young adult.To make a meal takes so much work.

John, Maria, Paldino and Naldo checking pump.

Judite and Banney

We learned from Naldo and Paldino that when you are at each well/village you see what they have to sell and purchase whatever they have to sell.  At this well which is at a school Paldino purchases something and poses with it on his head. The farther north we went the more important this became. You see the people are more poor the farther north we go and if there is something  you need you buy it then.

Paldino and Maria and Dad and school children.

 He was so happy to be in a rice field.

Here women just finished their pots.

An African store in the bush.

At another well site in the middle of nowhere a man built a little store. These are all over Mozambique. Made of whatever they have in the area. This is homemade bricks painted. They find a person who brings the products and they fill their store and wait for
someone to come.

One thing. Every little store sells exactly the same items and exactly the same prices.

 We returned to Paldino's and Maria's to a small dinner.  We ate mandioca and bean stew.

We also learned that the green oranges here are so very delicious. I had avoided buying them. The citrus is just coming on. Just like December at home. But June here. Tangerines hanging everywhere.

Inside the african Store in the bush.

 All along the way Naldo,a return missionary, continued to do missionary work. We usually had a phone contact for the missionaries every day and gave away every bit of literature we had in the truck. Our work is non proselyting but not his.

 From Maxixe we headed to Beira.

This was the roughest drive. Pot holes the size of your truck.

We just drove. Beira is the starting of the Northern District area of Mozambique Mission. Beira  has in the area about 6 branches. Beira and Manga have beautiful chapels built by the church. There are only 4 chapels built here in Mozambiqe . 2 are in Beira,1 in Marromeu and 1 in Luaha. You will hear about all of them

In Beira we had a special Zone Conference with Elder and Sister Soares. President Spendlove had all the missionaries form the different zones north travel to Beira for this combined zone conference and then the end of the week He and Elder Soares went to the Maputo Area for the missionaries down there.  So we were able to have zone conference in Beira. It was nice to see all the senior couples come in. All 3 of them.  But we hunger for senior couple together time.

So the first day in Beira we attended Zone Conference and helped Sister Bonini with the food. We were able to get in the first group picture with Elder Soares.

Picture of Elder Soares and just the Elders.

Now a picture Of Elder Soares and the Elders and the  senior couples

After the cleaning up and conference we called to check on the production of wheel chairs at a hopeful factory in Beira. It was part of a project form last year. The church paid to have some 40 wheelchairs made by a company. The man delivered the first 20 and then never produced the last 20. We tried to track those down but it was not successful. We will call and see how the people are using the chairs (20) they did receive. Checking back is an important part of this work I can see.

We then went to an orphanage to see how the sewing machines were working that The past Humanitarian couple had placed in the orphanage.

When we arrived at the Orphanage we were directed to it wasn't open. The people told us to come back in the morning. We were so distraught as we drove so far outside of Beira to get to this place. NO driving around Beira is easy. It was getting dark and we just hurried back to Beira. We were at least an hour away.

Then we witnessed a miracle.  It was the neatest experience in Beira by far.

 We knew we had an hour drive and it was almost dusk. When we got out of the village and on the main road (not much difference) we were surprised when right in front of us were 6 Elders walking on the side of the road and pulling their suitcases full of stuff for the zone conference.  We could not figure out where they came from .

Boy! Were they glad to see us.

 We were just as amazed to see them. Their truck/'shappa' which brought them down from marromeu,6 hours away, had booted them out before the weigh station because the truck was not registered properly. They were going to have to walk clear into Beira pulling their luggage and it was almost dark.

We all knew that was a miracle in timing.  You see because the orphanage was closed instead of visiting with the people about the machines and etc. we just headed back to Beira and encountered the missionaries.

All in a days work. We had a great time visiting with those elders.

Elder Lopes from Cape Verde. One of our favorites.We worked with him a lot the first 6 month of our mission. We have lots of favorites but we got a picture of this one.

So the next day  we finished our work in Beira by finding that the first orphanage we visited was wrong altogether, we finally found the right Orphanage with Peter (blind) as the director. We learned the machines were doing well and in a safe place being used to teach young girls sewing skills and help women who were alone make some clothes and items to sell. Peter (in the sun glasses)is also a teacher and we happened to catch him on the way to school. These two young men on the right of Peter are his helpers. They just take and lead him everywhere he goes. We were impressed how they were so caring to this man.

Peter runs a small orphanage and place for widows. He received sewing machines in a project to teach the young girls the sewing skill and help with the orphanage needs

 We also  went to Beira Hospital to check on a vision project and how the equipment was working which was donated last year. We met 2 wonderful Ophthalmologists and saw what a big hospital in Beira is really like. It was one thing I was a bit afraid to face, the medical conditions in Mozambique hospitals especially one in as poor a city as Beira. But I made it.  We are so fortunate to live where we live and to have what we have. Especially good up to date medical treatment. Free medical does not mean good medical by any means.

Side Note: I am trying to keep this as short as possible but we had so many experiences during this trip it is hard to keep focused and pick through the important and somewhat interesting work.

So Elder Soares conference was so good. He talked to the missionaries about strengthening the members. Making sure they were really converted to the Gospel before baptism. Sister Soares talked to the elders about all their things they are taking home in their suitcase and what the important ones to take home are.

Just great to be around the missionaries and tomorrow off they go to return to their area of Labor. I wish I could just give you all a glimpse of what they really do here. Soldiers in an army thats for sure.

 So we, with the Osborns and helping to transport Elders, filled our truck with people and suitcases and headed to Quelimane. I wont say anymore about road conditions in this country. They just go from bad to worse. The bicycles in the pictures should be a clue.

In Quelimane the majority of the people could never afford a car and those who are able ride bikes. If they can not afford a bike they ride a bike taxi. I could not believe so many people could fit on one bike. I tried to catch a picture without people seeing me take a picture. This is the best I have.

This is what Quelimane is known for...Bikes.

But on the way to Quelimane we stopped by a cotton field just for a break and there was a small village area with several cute children in the village. Dad decided to go in and talk to these cute kids. Well he forgets he is super white and super bald and those children took off running like gazelles. So quick were their feet I have never seen.

Finally the little kids came back.

We also spent our first Sunday in Quelimane. What a wonderful Group of Latter Day Saints. The Osborns asked us to talk in church and John being sick asked if I would. It is always hard with a translator but I did a little better than the last time. Simple. Very very Simple is the name of the game.

In Quelimane there is a group of about 8 or so deaf boys that look out for each other. They have been coming to church every week. They are not members yet.

They sat in front of us and some behind. They would just look at the hymn book while people were singing as they didn't hear what song was announced  and they,of course, didn't sing. So I leaned over and just started turning their pages to the songs. They were surprised. They then signed the song number to thier friends. And it went like that. After that we were going note by note with their fingers so they could somehow feel the music maybe. I dont know but they were enjoying it so much.

They were so grateful to have the number of hymn shown to them so they knew what the people were saying.  They were just one of the many awesome experiences out there.

 So the reason we are in Quelimane is we are looking at a possible water project and making preparations for an HBB (Neonatal) project we have scheduled for August.

So the first thing we did in Quelimane was go check out the possible water project on the Ilha (Island) de Idugo. Here is the story of the project.

A soon to be member of the church, Amizade and his wife Loudes, told Elder Osborn aboutt his village on an island off of Quelimane.

There are @15,000 people on the island .

They us traditional hand dug wells. When it rains, which it does here, the sides slough off  into the well and they become very contaminated.

As they dig the holes deeper and wider they turn into giant mud holes. The

people live a very primitive lifestyle and survive from their rice production, fishing and gardens.

They are very poor and are not able to make any other kind of water sources. On this island there are only a few people who speak Portuguese.
The island is actually very clean and no garbage around. That is because they use every little thing on the island.

They  also produce some chickens and a couple of goats. Most of the people on the island are under the age of 25 and the life expectancy is 37. Very few older people. HIV is VERY high on this island.

There are so many children.

 We asked Elder Osborne to make arrangements for us to go to the island to see if it looked like something the church could help them with. SO!

We are going to go to the island to see what it looks like.

 So.....Let's go to the Island.

Everyone ready to get on board.

    We drove from Quelimane to the edge of the river which leads to the sea eastward...through a narrow neck of land. (Sound familiar?) In the river is some islands. We got into dug out and hand built boats. The drivers rowed us across and down the river to the island.

Lourdes and I on the way to the Island.

John, Naldo, Elder Osborne and Amizade.

When we arrived  The people of the island greeted us with cheers and singing. They walked with us about 2 miles to the center of the island.

I will insert some you tube addressees to see some interesting video. You will need to copy and paste the http address into the address bar or look up the MVI file on you tube but at least watch one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXHWsNYhljU

P1000714.MOV

MVI_0395.AVI   http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_edit?ns=1&feature=vm-privacy&video_id=_7UHBMHjKic

They have such big smiles!

 As we walked the people following us increased. They loved to have their pictures taken and especially to see them afterwards. 



 P1000673.MOV

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7-Ntm26ddM&feature=relmfu

MVI_0389.AVI

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP8U7Zepymw&feature=relmfu

On the way to the gathering place (village church)we passed some of the water sources of the island.

MVI_0389.AVI   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQKRRYAE2-Q

Children carrying children follow us.

As we walked They kept up the singing and when we arrived at the central gathering house(a grass house) we had a little meeting.

Passing one water source these people start to follow.

 At the meeting Elder Osborn and Amizade and Lourdes told the people in the village we were there to see how their water situation was.

 This is all . So the head of the village told the majority of the people to stay and some followed us and we walked and went to look at more of the water sources. The people were Singing all the way.

Dipping for water...

A nice cool drink of water. Want some?

Girls following. They were behind me watching me video.

One Water Source

Another water source.

As we walked we saw their rice fields, small farms, mud and grass houses and beautiful clean villages.

Building boats on the island.

After we walked and looked at all the water sources we went and sat in the gathering house were the singing and drum playing continued for over an hour.

A water source.

We then had a big meeting and Elder Osborn had to give a spiritual talk to the people. The man, Amizade,is becoming a member soon and wants so much for the people of the island to learn the gospel principals. So they planned for this spiritual meeting before we could leave. They also danced and played drums for us and danced with us.

Sister Osborn and I handed out some of the humanitarian dolls a group of Young Women in Richfield Utah made.

One of the homes inside.

Heading to different water sources.

How their walls are made.

sister Osborn teaches a young girl about the dolls.

A sweet little girl receives a doll .

 They were scared of the dolls. The people of this village have no toys or anything having to do with the world. No electricity or cell phones on this

Look closely she is very old for her size.

 Singing in the gathering place.

Elder and Sister Osborn

island. So we had to explain to the young girls what they were. The biggest problem was that we didn't have a thousand dolls.

A few of the guys in the hood.

Our token of friendship.

At the end of everything we had to have a tradition of sharing their water. Well Elder Osborn had explained to Amizade we would not do that earlier and so instead they cooked us some of their 'delicious' rice and some chicken and cut the top off a coconut for each of us to drink.

They sat us in a special tent and had everyone else stay away. We had two men who served us and we could see the others out side the Stick hut were watching us and starving. That was hard.

Chicken and Rice.

  

 After we were finished the servers grabbed at all our leftovers and just scarfed them down.

And so This was a day I did something again I thought I would never do in my entire life. I ate Chicken and  homegrown African rice cooked on an island with horrible water situation and drank fresh warm coconut juice in a grass guest house on an island on a river mouth that opens  into the Indian Ocean in Mozambique. And I am still alive and hopefully well to write about it.

Good bye.

So after the meal we said our goodbyes and walked back to the boats, taking lots of pictures along the way and headed back to the mainland.

Thanks for the push.

When we got to the mainland where our trucks were parked there was a lady and family there with their older son. He had been fishing in the river and was attacked by a crocodile a few weeks ago. He had been to the village hospital once but his arm was bothering him again. She wondered if we would give him a ride to the hospital. So they climbed into the back of the truck and we gave them a ride to the village "Hospital".

We left him at the hospital which was more like a little bit bigger mud,grass hut with a red cross on it.

Zalala Beach

Elder and Sister Wollenzien at Zalala Beach.

We then stopped by Zalala Beach just to see a beautiful beach in Mozambique.

We had not seen one so pretty or so uninhabited.There was NO garbage at all on this beach.

It was wonderful and after a little while there of enjoying the view we drove back to Quelimane as we were pooped out. John was also right in the middle one  of his achy body cycle things and so we were needing to be done for the day.

Along the Marjinal in Quelimane. By the wrecked boat.

The rest of our time in Quelimane we spent meeting with the Minister of pediatrics for the province of Zambezia(a wonderful woman) and Dra. Nelia who is probably the only pediatrician in Quelimane. She is working with us to get things ready for the HBB project in August.

Did I mention how wonderful the Osborns are? They were so hospitable to us while we were around Quelimane. Bending over backwards to make sure we were taken care of. Debbie even did all my dirty laundry from traveling.     Thank You Osborns! We love you.

Nampula ! Why? To check a well in Luaha

We then left for Nampula 5 hours from Quelimane . No comment about roads.

Mountain of the Old Man's Head. Nampula

 

Village around Nampula.

While in Nampula we were able to walk withtwo sets of missionaries through their areas.

Boys Playing games in the dirt.

That was a great experience.

Elder Nacimento and Elder Coombs Next to oneof the investigators home.

Member in this village by Nampula.

A school Room in the village.

his wife.

We were looking to see how their water situation was but also we were able to meet some very very strong memebers of the church.

One couple way out of Nampula walks 2 -1/2 hours into the church on Sunday. They come every week. They are trying to get ready to go to the temple. We walked through the jungle to their home in the early evening to meet them and sat outside their hut by the fire for a bit. When you visit a member they always want a thought or prayer.We then walked back through the jungle just at the right time to see the greatest fire flies. I guess I didn't realize they would be in africa. It made me think of Nauvoo and the different sacrifices people have made to be members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints all over the world.

We had other work to do in Nampula like check on cement prices and gravel for this possible project. etc. We kept busy for a couple of days just doing this.

To Luaha!

Our biggest adventure yet.

Saturday morning we woke early and picked up Elder Paxman and Elder Coombs and the 5 of us headed to Luaha.

The morning trip to Luaha.

This was the roughest drive of them all. Dirt Roads out through the jungle for 4 -5 hours. Passing many small villages. Very Young boys will run out and try to jump on the back of your truck to just get a ride on your truck.

The houses started to look like this.

The farther into the bush you go  the children become more afraid of a white person.

 The area is more dry but beautiful. The mountain forms in the northern region are so beautiful and different. Drier and warmer but beautiful.

Each area has its own type of housing. Using whatever is in that area.

The road to Luaha is rough but beautiful.

Again! The road to Luaha.

Luaha ! This is where everyone wants to go in the mission.

It is a small branch that began with a man,Lucas Bento,who joined the chrurch when he was visiting his brother in Portugal.

President and Sister Bento. Luaha.

 His brother was a member and Lucas was sent to Portugal because of illness. He joined the church and came home and converted his family and neighbors.

The members built a chapel out of brick they made themselves and a thatched roof.

They keep the church, its yard and very nice latrine in clean and beautiful condition.

The Luaha Chapel.

The Bentos and their grandchildren

They started meeting and invited the missionaries to come out to teach them and get them ready for baptism.

Children of Luaha so humble. Notice the little girls in the very big dresses.

Many people were baptized and given the priesthood.

Elder Paxman and the children of Luaha.

A couple of years ago it became an official branch and Lucas Bento became the Branch President. The people speak Makua but 2 others and Lucas Bento speak Portuguese.

This branch is a self sustaining branch.

MVI_0806.AVI  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGK_hFSkc40

Some of these Children slept on the chapel floor by us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onarBz-5y7Q

Another view of the chapel;

The missionaries make a visit out to see how it is functioning about every 6 weeks. They ride by train to a little junction and then hire a man to take them the rest of the way on the back of a motorcycle. The missionaries

 carry in their own food to eat as in this village and area the people are also very poor. They survive on what they grow.

Church Class Room for Primary Etc.

The mission President purchased two tents and two very nice mattresses for the tents and 4 sleeping bags. They are stored in Luaha carefully so the missionaries or mission couples have a place to stay when they visit.

There is no electricity for MILES. Many Miles. There is no cell phone except on top of one mountain and so once a week a member climbs to the top of this mountain and checks in with the missionaries. This is when the missionaries tell when they are coming.

Primary Room

So when we arrived in Luaha we were greeted in the same traditional manor but with all the men wearing white shirts and ties and the women dressed in their nicest kapalnas.

welcome line

They formed a long greeting line and sang and shook hands and greeted us into their beautiful chapel. President Bento directed us on what to do.

At that point we had a small but very spiritual meeting. President asked the missionaries to give a thought and for us to share some words of counsel.

MVI_0871.AVI  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bh-xgrd-as

Children of Luaha

We have learned to always be ready for this. In the mission they think a senior couple knows everything. They love to hear what you have to say about the Gospel of Jesus Christ

John is so humble that they love to listen to him speak no matter what he has to say.

There was lots of beautiful singing by the children and youth all A Capella.

It was beautiful. 

MVI_0868.AVI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hN89qsZgow

Children sit in chapel and sing to us with a leader.

MVI_0810.AVI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onarBz-5y7Q

Elder Wollenzien tries to beat the drum. The boys have it down already

President then announced we were going to be speaking in Sacrament meeting in the morning along with one of the missionaries.

 They wanted us to take most of the time.

After the meeting there was  More singing and getting to know each other. The songs were their traditional music and words were all about Jesus Christ, the Church and the restoration.

Out side the chapel is a drum in a very clean area. This drum is still used to communicate through the village.

We then walked around the village and checked on the well. Tis was why we even came all this way was to do our missionary assignment. Little did we know we would find a little bit of Paradise.

It was functioning very well  (no pun intended) and they keep it so clean and nice.

Their village is so very clean and well managed. Organized. Nicely kept and well placed latrines. It is so good to see a 'Hand Pump Well' kept so nicely.

The Bento's shower and latrine area. Very nice.

 It is 1 year since the well was finished and given to the community and it was in excellent condition.

We took pictures of the village and people and then took a walk with the missionaries and the kids. It was fun.

Elder Coombs crosses the Crocodile bridge.

So do Elder Wollenzien and Paxman

We walked across a stick bridge, with large gaps only to find out that in the very near water below there were

 crocodiles.

We walked one member to their village area and stopped to watch ladies and young girls Pillaring.

Dad's favorite Pilar woman.Look at her arms.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8cL_BrFtEg

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJl4lwhX8nQ&feature=relmfu

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Dad and the Boys

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEw9SI6HOzQ

 MVI_0853.AVI

This means to pound the grain in a pilao with a pistil until it becomes flour. It turned into acompetition and John took videos of his favorite pilao woman. I will put the you tube addresses on here.

When we returned Lucas Bento had killed his family chicken for us and cooked beans the missionaries brought and rice  for us for dinner. It was dark and we were in the chapel when in came some men. They brought in the family table from Lucas Bento's home and put it in the chapel for us to eat on. Then a nice table cover and then the food. It was very delicious but as we ate we knew there were many in that community starving. But he insisted upon feeding us out of gratitude. (We should be so grateful).

That night Naldo slept in the truck. The missionaries slept in  one tent and us in the other...It was very comfortable.

Our tents we slept in on the chapel floor.

As we were saying our prayer children started coming in the chapel and quietly moving the benches and lying on the dirt floor. Pretty soon the floor was covered with children.

They were some of the orphans of the village and sleep in the church.

Later on as we were falling asleep they would begin to sing, quietly, one child at a time until there was this very peaceful choir of Makua singing. It was Heavenly.

A good member family in luaha.

The people in Luaha were so kind, humble and peaceful. The morning was beautiful and the children just stayed so close to us where ever we went.

Another sweet member.

If we shared our crackers for breakfast with them they took the hand out with such gratitude and humility.

Sacrament meeting was great. The talks went well but it felt like we were playing the game gossip. We would speak English and then our translator would speak Portuguese and a member in the village would translate into Makua.

After sacrament John and I were asked to teach Relief Society and Priesthood.

The dolls were loved so very much. Thank you!

It was very humbling. It was so nice to learn the concerns of the women in the village and the men. Their main concern was how to protect their families from the evil temptations and influence that surround them.

I had about 20 of the humanitarian dolls left and gave them to Sister Bento to disperse through the branch. She was excited they were made by members of the church in Utah. She gave one doll to each family.

The thing they loved was that members made them for them

.

This little sweet heart loved her dolly.

Again we saw no toys, dolls anything from a store in this village. So the dolls were very new to them.

This was such an incredible experience we hated to leave. The spirit was so sweet and strong with those people.

We hope to be able to return before we leave our mission.

The branch in Luaha with elder Coombs and Elder Paxman.

The Branch in Luaha with Elder and Sister Wollenzien and Naldo.

 We were quite a distance from Nampula and to beat the sun we had to head back to Nampula. We made record time in 4hrs and 15 minutes going home.

 Good Bye Luaha!

Hello Marromeu :

The next day we left Nampula and headed to Marromeu. It took us a couple of days to get there. We needed to fix the water pump that had broken at the chapel in Marromeu.

On the way there, about 10 miles outside of Caia, our wheel barrings went out and so we had to find a mechanic in a small town named Caia.  We needed some barings but the only parts were in either Beira or Maputo. Well Elder Bonini was driving from Beira in the morning to bring the new pump to Marromeu. We called him and had him pick up the part in Beira before it closed. Luckily we caught him in the nick of time. He then got up really early the next morning and drove the 6 hours to Caia and met us with the part and the pump. So it saved Elder Bonini the drive to Marromeu and we were able to get a part in only one day. It all happened in the right time in the right place. Just another Little miracle.

The Bridge Cross the River Zambeze.

Mom and Sister Bonini wait for the truck to be fixed.

We stayed at a small hotel resort on the Zambezei River called Cuacua Lodge.

When we woke up there were monkeys all over the trees which hung over our porch looking in our windows.

I waited at  the Lodge and the Bonini's came and joined me for a while. When the truck was fixed they dropped me off on one side of the Zambeze River.

I was able to walk across the mile or so long bridge across the Zambeze River  John picked me up on the other side and we were on our way again.

The Bonini's are another awesome couple here from Brazil. They are a CES couple and doing more than that in Beira District. They speak no English but we still communicate because we have such a great desire to talk. It is Amazing what sisters in Zion can do.

Giant Boabab Tree on road to Marromeu.s

The Road to Marromeu is another adventure. The Boaba tree is an amazing tree to learn about this time of year there leaves are gone and theri fruit is very interesting. Here is trunck of a huge one. But in the TETE area they are so huge you can see them from an airplane when you land.

Read about them.

Marromeu is where Baboons come out in the evening and morning as you drive along the road. It was early evening by the time we headed on this road and so we saw some a distance a head in the road several times.

We would see them ahead of us but by the time you get to them they disappear inot the jungle .This road was real jungle.

In the town Marromeu the monkeys become a pest. They even jump in the windows of the church during the meetings.

a boat dock on the Zambeze river by the Hulett sugar factory.

The Zambeze...How close do YOU dare to go.

It is a very dusty dirty town,village, with dirt roads everywhere. It sits on the Zambeze river. There are many stories of people being eaten by crocodiles in this village.

There is a big 'Hulett' sugar factory which keep the town alive. They have a private housing area for its workers. They have a store and meat market they let the missionaries shop in.which is nice. The rest of their food they find on the street or Muslim stores.

Their houses look some like this and others wood and rock filled.

It is so hard to get in and out of the village that the stores are lacking for products.

But the vendors in the town seem to have everything the villagers 'really' need.

We immediately started to fix the pump as the missionaries had been without water for a few days.

1/2 of the chapel (left Side).

In this town there is a huge LDS chapel.

2/2 of the chapel (right side). A huge chapel.

The church built this building and it is on gated property with a nice yard and there is a long story behind this chapel that is too long to put here.It ended up being so expensive that A senior couple Elder and Sister Ross were called to build a building in Africa using labor and materials that are natural to the area.

The Full Time missionaries and return missionaries from Mozambique in Marromeu were all asked to help on this project when they could. They made bricks and built trusses and learned all the skills it takes to build a home.

Bricks the Elders made.

 Electrical, plumbing, brick laying, brick making and many other things.

They built an apartment, which now houses the 4 missionaries and a small couples apartment. They sit on the church property.

This is a Katydid that is huge. This Elders hands were huge    and look at the size of this thing.

Missionary Apartment

 When we first arrived we immediately helped the missionaries fix the pump so they could have water to the chapel and apartment again.

Elder Wollenzien enjoyed doing this. But the Elders were so skilled.

 We fixed what we could there and helped out with anything they needed and went on our way. We ended up being there 2 nights and 1 1/2 days.

It was a real learning experience to be in that town.

The drive out again is beautiful and we saw Baboons again from a distance.

Now we were headed to Chimoio. WE didnt have work to do there but we needed to go see Elder and Sister Banks.

They are the best missionary couple. They are working so hard in Chimoio.

Chimoio just became a branch.

Chimoio ! 

We arrived in Chimoio just in time to help with English class. That is always fun. Sister Banks does the best job with it. We played some fun games using english and Portuguese.

Sunday we were asked to speak in church again. It is nice to be needed. This time Elder Banks asked Naldo to share his conversion and testimony in priesthood.

After he did several young men asked Elder Banks and Naldo what they need to do to become missionaries.

Naldo I such a great man. We love him. He helps us so very much.

After church and some dinner we drove out into the jungle to look at a possible water project.

A girl from the village we had to go see about water. 

She is a member.

Again it was an adventure with a beautiful drive to a village and mashamba (little farm) where people came to a spring under a banana tree for water.

A water source in this small village is a spring at the base of a banana tree. about 800 people drink from this water source.

We checked out all the specificsof the area , enjoyed the sunset, left a spiritual message with the families in the village and drove home. One the way we stopped to get a load of fresh mandioc for the member riding in our truck.

A beautiful sunset in Chimoio. .

 It was an adventure as was the next day driving to look at another possible project. The place of Chimoio is so beautiful you can never tire of being there and there is so much missionary work going on in the new Chimoio Branch.

That night we had family night at the chapel or home of the couple Elder and Sister Banks. Many branch members and non memebers came to participate and learn how to do family night.

We have learned it is great fun to play a game that is the same in either language and try to speak the other language playing it. This way we all learn a language skill.

So Tuesday we headed home with the last stop in Maxixe for the night and Wednesday the long drive to Maputo.

But by 5:00p.m.and 3 1/2 week later we were home sweet home Maputo.

You know it felt so good to be at my home away from home.

But what an adventure we had.

Final event of the month and by now it was June. Our Mission President had his last Zone conference in Maputo.

Last Zone Conference picture Elders and seniors from Maputo Zone. ( psst...SF South Stake... Elder Ellsworth is in this picture.)

We loved the Spendloves. I can not say enough great things about those two, President and Sister, and we just knew them 8 months.

Dedicated. Sacrificing. Straightforward. Loving. Kind.GENUINE. Fun. Family Oriented.

WE love you and Miss you President and Sister Spendlove.

Welcome President Kretley.

Wake up!!!!

It's over!