So That was January! Warm and Wet!

                  

Naldo and Menassa, Elder and Sister Wollenzien.

So it looks like we will just keep going...no back tracking. One day we will catch up on the months we missed but the best thing is to go forward.

To begin we will tell you that in December we were blessed in many ways.

One of The greatest one was that my children got together so many times and had such great moments together.

I can not express how much Joy it brings the hearts of parents to know that is happening with their children.

They are the greatest kids....BUT !
The Greatest Blessing in December was Our New Baby Tilly.

She is our 16th grandchild and she is the 13th grandchild who  is under the age of 8 years old. Korbin is our Oldest Grandson and Caitlin and Brittany are the two oldest Grandaughters.


After Tilly's safe arrival and to start off January we were blessed to receive the news of Katy's engagement to Brent Sessions.
We are so thrilled at this news. Katy has had so many wonderful experiences since we have been gone. Not all easy. Brent has come into her life and brought her so much happiness.

He loves her children and they seem like they enjoy him a lot.

Today at 7 am Brent went to Katy's and made breakfast and built a cool marble run with Bridger.
This is only one of the many things  like this he does to help her. He treats her like a queen. Some days he just likes to be with her and her children all day.
When he wanted to ask us to Marry her he had tried to get a hold of us via face book and email and somehow we weren't connecting.
So he called our Magic Jack phone here in Mozambique.
He had the most wonderful things to say about Katy. He expressed so much love fore her. Every question or concern  we had for  him he had a solution or and Idea of how they would handle each upcoming challenge.we had a great visit. He is very tender at heart.We learned that right off!
He convinced us he really does care for her and we are so happy for the both of them.
They plan to be married as soon as they can AFTER the parents get home from Africa and before his parents leave on another mission.

We have talked with him but are excited to be able to meet him.

We have another baby coming in February to John and Brielle. SHE will be another welcome child and we will be so glad when she is finally here safe and sound.
She will be number 17.
 

And for previews of coming attractions.....ON Christmas Day we found out that June will bring us another little WOLLENZIEN baby BOY!
Kurt and Chamaine will be the parents of this little guy.  He will be number 18 !
Wow! It happens fast.
we are so excited for them and their little girls.
This has been such blessing to Kurt and Chamaine and we feel very blessed to be able to welcome this little boy.

Thank Goodness this one we will be home for.

Oh we have missed our children and our childrens children.

In January we went to Nelspruit South Africa, just over the border to finish some dental work.


That was nice as we were able to have a day to drive through that area of South Africa.
We saw the water falls etc.
That was just one day.

Another day we were able to go to Kruger. The President asked us to take the leaving missionaries on a little adventure there.  We hired a guide this time to tell us about the animals and how they work together in the park and in nature.
It is an incredible place. There is something about seeing those animals life size in their own environment.
 

Elder Bonds, Elder Hoffmann, Arno and John.

But most other days we have been keeping busy with our mission work.
We have been busy every Thursday watching and monitoring the wheelchair distribution at Central Hospital.

The people must be looked at,assessed, measured and given the right wheel chair that will fit them. They then are adjusted accurately so they have no problems. They also have a time they can venture around the room in the chair as this is their first experience(for many) in a wheel chair.

Dra. Edma has been appointed by the Deputy Minister to make sure they are given correctly. The Deputy Minister would really like to see another wheelchair project in Mozambique and she is aware it all depends on how smoothly this one goes.

Anyway one Saturday we went to a school where the wheel chairs and crutches are stored and watch the process of handing out the crutches.

In the evenings before it gets dark we walk around the streets of Maputo looking for anyone else we see who may be in need of a wheelchair or crutches.
We hand them a card with Cantol's name and number on it. That is who makes the final arrangements for them.
In one case the man had a stroke so he could hear but could not speak correctly. We hope he got the information. His chair was a mess and he needed one  so desperately. But his eyes looked bright and we hope in cases like this they have a friend.

This family is the first member family to receive a chair.

One man we found crawling on the street was deaf and could not speak but had learned sounds like for the phone and other things to get by.
We drew pictures for him and he would hold up his hand like a phone and make this ring sound when we were trying to tell him to call someone.
We are hoping he can communicate the information of getting a hold of Cantol and getting to the hospital. Oh we hope he gets there.

Cristano sits in his chair. So Happy.

And of course our most fun was the story of Christano who we saw crawling across the busiest street in Maputo in the  worst area.
He again has a big group of friends in his community. So we were able to get some phone calls to him and communicate. (In this case the missionaries helped us. You remember we don't speak very good Portuguese).
He drags what legs he has behind him and uses those heavy duty rubber gloves for covers for his hands . In the summer the pavement even burns through the gloves.

This is one persons old wheel chair.

This is her and the new one.

When we found him we thought the wheel chairs would be coming in a month and that was about in August (winter Here). Well we did not get the chairs through until November (Summer). In the meantime he would call and ask about the chairs and he had such a spirit about him we just kept hoping we would get the chairs in. Finally the day came and it was Cristanos turn to receive a chair. He needed a ride from clear across so John and Naldo went to get him.

Cristiano

On the way over he told Naldo how he could not believe today was actually here. And it was so hot out that his hands were burned.

Making sure it fits right.

This man is A student also used to crawl on his knees.

This lady is a teacher. She used crutches very mangled legs.

Before

After.

When he was fitted and given the chair he actually crawled up in that chair so fast it was like he jumped in it.
He practiced a little and then he just wheeled into a corner and sat there thinking.
When we left we gave him a ride back to his area of Maputo. 


We asked him how it would change his life. He just said' I dont exactly know but I know it is going to be better.'

The Transfer to the chair.

This young man is so excited to transfer to his chair.

A giant Step for him.

What a Smile!

Zefanias sits for a while with his sister and niece and nephew.

This sister has been caring for  her brother Zefanias.

When we dropped Cristiano off he had us leave him at a certain area where he could ride in his new chair right to where his friends were.
When they saw him coming they were so excited. They came over and congratulated him and thanked us for helping him. We felt so overwhelmed with it all. It was like the best experience just to watch the interaction between him and his friends on the street.

This is Vincent. He is the man who is deaf and humble.

Dad is so excited that the man who was deaf came.

 




















 We also have been busy making sure the new years curriculum gets all over Mozambique for the branches.
With the new Youth Curriculum it was critical that all the manuals got to all the  branches as quickly into January as possible.
Things arrive here much later than where you are.

We also make sure the Liahonas are given to all the subscribers. They are not delivered by mail as in most places. We put them in manilla type envelopes and get them hand delivered by people traveling to the different branch areas.

Maputo Distribution center.

Another View. Notice the TV for Videos

Oh this is a remarkable church.
Can you imagine trying to get all the supplies for the members to every place there are members and then to get the right amount and the right language and to the right people.
I am amazed at how it all works.
And it is all run by people like you and me. And many times senior couples. This in and of itself is a testimony of the truthfulness of this great church being the Lords church indeed.

The distribution center keeps us busy and it is interesting.
I have learned so much by doing this job also... So many things involved in keeping track of everything that goes in and out of those distribution centers.

Teen girls and boy at orphanage.

Also In January:
We went to an Orphanage in Macia this month to look at the conditions there. We do this when people tell us of situations like this.

Sweet Girl with Albinism Abandoned by parents.

The crib room.

The orphanage is run by one lady. They call her a Sister. They have the orphanage on property of the catholic church. They basically have an old Portuguese house that has doors and windows in it still. She has a room for babies and it is full of cribs
 

Brother Dulcidonio Brings everyone a treat.

Boys rooms

 One room for younger girls and one for younger boys.
She has a separate little house for all the teenage boys.
The teen age girls all stay with a couple of sisters who work around the orphanage growing herbs for their natural clinic. They are just in another section of the property.

One of the Teen age girls rooms.

Sisters working in the Herb Medicine garden.

All of their meals are cooked in a traditional kitchen which means outside.

Traditional Kitchen.

They grow their own food. No meat just corn and a few vegetables. I didnt see tons of clothing. Only what the kids had on them  and a couple of blankets.

They have had animals like chickens and cows in the past but someone robs them . They steal their garden tools, their animals, anything they have out.
The sister is the only one really caring for the children but you can tell she really cares for their well being.

Naldo and the Sister discussing the animal theft.

The children are secure there and she really knows them and they know her. We have been to different types of orphanages. This one was a real orphanage like the one we saw in Johannesburg.
The police in the area or government officials drop kids off to her continually.  So they know she is taking care of them.
When they find the kids neglected or abused or abandoned they bring them to her. She has so many kids for one person.
But she receives NO help from the government for the children . The Catholic Church provides the place and the buildings.
So  She is needing some help. We are hoping we can create a project for her orphanage.


We are going to drive out there next week again.
There is a sweet family, Wendy and Adam is all I will say, who are moving back to the united states after their job ended last week. They have to leave in  hurry.
They are donating all their food from their kitchen to this orphanage.
We get to take it to them.
We are very excited and since others found out about it they want to send some things as well.
We will get pictures.

Also in January John was called into the Branch Presidency of T-3 .
 

First attempt at a Nursery in T-3 branch.

we are assigned to help T-3 . It is just a struggling branch. The President of the mission is hoping to make Mozambique  into Stakes.
So we are all pulling together to teach the branches the auxiliary's.
It is fun to watch the church in the beginning. Wow. I think of the first saints being taught under a tree or in a wagon.
No different than some of the conditions here.
But it takes a long while for them to understand the organization of the church.

And some grasp it right away.
I am working with a 19 year old,Selina, who is the counselor in the Primary but is really the president, counselor and chorister. We some days have 35 kids in our primary and some days just a hand full.
It is fun to watch and at the same time we are exhausted on Sunday.
But the members here are so wonderful.
It is the people.
The people we have had the opportunity to meet here, both in the church and everywhere else, have been worth it all.
Oh I better add that in some free time John has been directing Naldo in building his house. 
Naldo is a return missionary and our translator and also worked on the last project we did for clean water. He is wanting to Marry Manessa. 
They are very much in love and she is trying to gain her parents approval. The parents are not members. But Nadlo has been working to build his house so he can have her marry him.
  John has been giving him some pointers to build a strong house that will last through the floods and other things.

 
Our lives have been enriched so much by these experiences.Every month I think OK nothing can top this month. And the next month may not top the previous  month but it is by far different than the last. 
No 2 days here are ever the same.



 One day it is dry and then....!       
  you just never know.

See you next month.

John and Donna at God's window.