Amie in Africa

This past week, our daughter Amie visited us here in South Africa. She had talked about coming even before we left so we were really happy that she made the arrangements to be gone from her family for a week to come and spend some time with us. Below are some pictures with short explanations of our adventures for the week. Thanks Amie for flying all of those hours to get here and then having to fly home, and thanks to her husband and three children for doing without her for a while so we could enjoy her being here with us!

She's here!!! Our first visitor to South Africa.

As soon as she landed we were on our way to a safari camp--Mosethla Bush Camp in Madikwe

The rooms are comfortable tents, raised on stilts.

We went on a game drive each morning and each afternoon for the three days we were there. Amie was really, really lucky to see all of the "Famous Big 5" on her first game drive. Some people go on many and aren't able to say that. We have been on several and this was the first time we saw the leopard.

#1 of the Big 5 is the elephant. We caught these two having an argument.

#2 is the elusive leopard. He didn't stick around for a photo op, but this is evidence that we DID see one!

#3 is the lion. They don't run from anything. Things run from them.

#4 is the rhino that faces extinction due to illegal poaching for the value of the horn.

#5 is the Cape Buffalo or African Buffalo, not to be mistaken for the Water Buffalo which isn't in Africa. 

The cheetah is not one of the big 5, but he should be 6 He is the fastest land animal for short distances.

Big daddy elephant.

Little baby, already about two years old. They are very small when born and grow slowly.

Some frisky zebras--young boys who like to fight.

Giraffe snatching a quick drink--because in this position they are very vulnerable.

There are some really cool birds here in Africa.

On another day, we went to the elephant sanctuary near Johannesburg. Amie, the dog trainer, tried her hand at elephant training.

After seeing all of the big 5, these six week old meerkats were Amie's favorite animals.

One of the pictures Amie took of the cute little baby meerkat

Amie and I at Lesedi Cultural Village--it's a little like the Polynesian Cultural Center

Amie and her daddy with one of the very energetic dancers.

We thought she should try some of the game meats here--crocodile, ostrich (which are both farmed) but also several of the "venison" animals.

On the last day we shopped for souvenirs, then lunch at one of our favorite places

Finally, a session at the Johannesburg Temple and then to the airport

One year anniversary! 2/3 Done!

We started our mission on January 20, 2014, so today is our one year anniversary and, since we are serving for 18 months, it also our 2/3 mark for our mission. We're celebrating the day with our daughter, Amie, who is visiting us and Africa. I'll post some pictures from our adventures soon.

Pre-School Convention 2015!

At the beginning of each year, there is an opening in-service for seminary and institute, called a pre-school convention. Planning for the training began several months ago when the curriculum was ordered and wards and branches began to assess their need for new teachers and to gather students that should be registering for the year. Students ages 14 to 18 or until they graduate register for seminary and those ages 18 to 30 register for institute. We had our pre-school convention this past Saturday and feel it was a good success. All but a few of our 28 teachers came plus most of bishops and branch presidents. During the first hour we served lunch and distributed materials and then the training itself lasted for two hours. We are really grateful that it went so well and also that we are done!!!

Classroom setup. A slide show was going with the pictures we had taken of all of the classes during last years visits. We provided pizza and cold drinks in another room before the meeting, but I forgot to take pictures of teachers enjoying lunch.

 We separated the teachers manuals, student manuals and other materials by teacher so that they could be picked up easily and everyone would get the amount they needed.

We had a good turn out. There were 36 present, which included almost all of our teachers (a few called to be excused) plus priesthood representation from all but two of our units.

President deKock, the stake president, opened the meeting with encouragement and counsel for the teachers. The stake has set a goal that every student who registers will complete successfully, so we will be busy this year trying to make sure that goal is met.

Elder Davie giving explanation and instruction.

We referred to this display during the meeting so that participants would understand that the new changes for the year and even the administrative tasks are all designed to help us better accomplish the big purpose.

My turn. Each inservice I'm the one to give the information on the administrative things--attendance reporting, pacing guides, curriculum. Since there are new requirements this year, including two assessments for students, people had a lot of questions.

 Some of our participants. We have a number of new teachers so we will be working with them to orient and support them during the year. We visit all of the classes, but will visit classes of the new teachers more often. Classes are bigger this year which is good and teachers seem really committed to teaching in a way that will help students complete successfully.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM AFRICA!

                         

Happy New Years from Africa! 

Christmas Day

Christmas Day in Johannesburg was warm and sunny, not a snowflake in sight, and even though it did not quite feel like Christmas, we had a great time helping to prepare and serving breakfast to about 170 missionaries here in the Johannesburg Mission. The mission president and his wife and all of their Christmas "helpers" worked hard to make the breakfast, the fireside and the Christmas gifts special for the Elders. They are all so far away from home and this year, and because of the mail strike, they weren't able to get packages from their families. Generous members and even non-members in the Johannesburg area baked, gathered gift donations and contributed funds so that a gift box could be given to each Elder.  After breakfast, we had a nice fireside which included the first-in-Africa showing of "Meet the Mormons." The film was really well done and did a great job of introducing the church as the world wide church that it has become. After the breakfast and fireside, the Elders changed into their P-day clothes and were free to hangout and play games until they had to go home so that they could make their Christmas day call to their families. In the evening, we had dinner with a South African family here which was also very nice and included a gift exchange afterwards. Unfortunately, I neglected to take any pictures of the event.

 Merry Christmas from South Africa!

Elders are beginning to line up for breakfast.

We helped to assemble & bake 20 of these breakfast casseroles. The elders also enjoyed Cinnabons, muffins, fruits, juice and chocolate milk. I don't think any went away hungry.

 Some of the things that the gift boxes contained--journals, CD's, flashlights, etc.

 Opening their boxes and having breakfast on the lawn--see? no snow!

 Lots of elders everywhere.

 This Santa a.k.a. Elder Hanson, actually turns out to be a cousin somewhere along the line. We are both Kunz's from Bear Lake, and look, he isn't any taller than I am! Must be in the genes.

The chapel was packed to overflowing for the devotional--what a great sight for Christmas day!

Christmas Traditions in South Africa

It has been interesting to spend the Christmas season in South Africa. First of all, it’s way too hot for Christmas with way too many flowers blooming. People are zipping around like crazy but part of the reason is that it is summer break for school children here as well as Christmas break for most of the workers. Some business areas are oddly quiet while others are crazily busy. Like in America, Christmas is a big eating season so the grocery stores are so busy that you’d almost rather just eat what’s in the cupboard than to brave the huge crowds of shoppers. We needed a couple of things this morning and you didn’t just have to wait in line to pay; you had to wait in line to even get a basket to shop. The big malls are even worse. We have wanted to see "The Hobbit" since it came out but have driven to the mall twice during times that we thought it couldn’t been too busy and left again because the parking lot just looked too menacing.

 

A description of holiday traditions would vary depending on the culture of the person and there are a lot. Some people we’ve talked to celebrate somewhat like us, but with the English slant since many are English. Father Christmas comes to these houses and he looks pretty much like an older version of Santa Clause but usually gifts are for Christmas Eve. Celebrations include crackers—the little popping rolled presents like you might have seen in the animation of Snowman. When you open the popper, there’s a paper crown inside that you’re supposed to put on, a corny joke and some kind of a little toy.

Some families we’ve talked to keep the celebration strictly spiritual. A little girl explained that her family didn’t have Santa Clause because they don’t worship Santa Clause. I thought (but didn’t say) we don’t worship either, but we really like him because he’s cute and jolly and brings presents J Some people have trees, but evergreens don’t grow in enough abundance to waste on Christmas—they use “plastic ones” as they describe.

Others we’ve talked to have very simple Christmas traditions—visiting friends, inviting someone who is lonely to dinner, maybe a gift, but something practical. A couple of the people we worked with who grew up in tribal cultures said that they would always get new clothes for Christmas, but they were almost always the school uniform they needed for the next year. They were very happy to get that gift and early Christmas morning, they would put on their new clothes and then walk around the village to all of their friends’ houses to show them their new clothes. Their Christmas treat was different too. Since bread was not usually eaten in their diet, on Christmas day, their parents would buy a number of loaves of white bread and slice it. The slices would be spread with jam and the children could eat as much as they liked throughout the day.

Since they can’t build snowmen or go on sleigh rides, Christmas is a big beach and picnic day in South Africa. Braais are almost expected for both Christmas and New Years Day. I would say that a braai is the same as a barbeque, but South Africans would tell you that they are definitely not. I haven't yet determined the difference, but I do know that it wouldn't be a braai without boerworse, meaning farmer sausage, that always comes rolled up. A lot of vendors on the streets are selling picnic baskets and decorative nets that keep the flies off the food. Boxing Day is also celebrated here, which is the day after Christmas. From the definition I see that it is a day when servants and tradespeople receive gifts from their employees. I’m not sure if that happens as part of that celebration, but almost everyone here in Johannesburg has a maid and a gardener so I hope they all get some presents.

We’ve attended several nice holiday programs that have helped us get at least some Christmas spirit. On Monday, one of the teachers we supervise invited us for a Christmas home evening. Tomorrow we’ll be helping with a Christmas Day activity for all of the young elders and in the evening we’re invited to the home of a South African family for a Christmas dinner and gift exchange. It has admittedly been lonely being away from family for Christmas, but we’ve appreciated the generous nature of the people here during the holiday and always.