Hi,
We have had a busy few days this week. Yesterday we spent most of the day at the Ndirande chapel where we have some people cleaning out the sewer line. However, they couldn't get through it and it was decided (with the owner of the property) to dig a new line and put in new pipes. We went and bought the materials and then had to go buy 300 brick for 1500 Kwacha ($10), load them into our truck and haul them back to the chapel. They are using them to build a box underground with a manhole to get to where the pipes change direction. We were in rather a remote area when we got the bricks and got a little worried about being able to turn around and get out -- but we managed. There was a bunch of young children there that couldn't understand English and of course I couldn't understand them but they kept trying to chatter away at me. As we left they were singing "azunga, azunga" which means white people.
We have been without electricity for 3 days -- it is off when we get up in the morning and comes back on about 9 p.m. That is unusual for here. We called this morning and they said they are repairing something and it may be off another day or two. Well--- that is not good timing when I need to make dinner for Zone conference tomorrow, unless I want to stay up all night and cook etc. So-- change of plans!!! We went this morning and ordered food (chinese style) from a place where we have eaten. It is good food. We will pick it up tomorrow afternoon. Whew!! I feel quite relieved actually and can stop worrying about making it myself and wondering if I will have electricity. As I lay in bed this morning and the power was off again I knew I had better have a different plan. We did get power this afternoon and so I made some Brownies for dessert and will hopefully get some ice cream tomorrow (the store had none today). You just never know here!! I have arranged to have a young man (an Elder that we knew when he served his mission in Zimbabwe) help me tomorrow serve the food and do cleanup - Christopher Sitolo.
This morning we were up early and went top Immigration again and renewed visas for 5 Elders and paid for a TEP (temporary employment permit) that has been approved for 1 Elder and that allows them to stay in the country for 2 years. We also got to the bank first thing (first in line!!) and got some cash so we can give the missionaries their allotment this weekend.
Tonight we have 2 Elders staying with us that came down from Lilongwe for Zone conference. The other two will stay with the Zone leaders. Now we have a third one here with us -- he just arrived home from his mission to Kenya but cannot be released until Pres. Dube gets here tomorrow afternoon. The Zone leaders picked him up at the airport and he will go home to his family tomorrow. We ended up feeding 8 missionaries tonight that we weren't expecting to have to do. We made spagetti for the first 5 and then when the other 3 came we made them grilled cheese sandwiches (which they loved since cheese is so expensive here they seldom can buy it). We just happened to buy ourselves some today. We also had another company come today to give us a price on installing/monitoring a security system here at the house. We both really liked the guy and he seemed very professional and seemed to know what he was talking about. We are waiting for his quote. It has been a busy day, again!
We have our list of things we need to do first thing in the morning before Zone conference, which starts about 4:00 after we all eat. Elder Pearson from the mission dept. will be here (Seventy) so we should have some great training tomorrow.
We are going to Lilongwe on Saturday so we have quite a bit to get done before we go. We will come back Monday.
We found some candies today that were not too much money so we can keep them with us in the truck and give them to the little kids. They love that and it is fun to see their excitement over getting a little treat.
I better get to bed. I am hot and sweaty at the moment even with the fans going. We can't open the windows or we will get mosquitoes. :(
Love, Nancy/mom/Sister Bullock :)
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