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| Jacaranda trees in bloom! |
Monday, October 10, 2011
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| Eld. Bullock & Pres. Padovich putting diesel in our truck |
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| Trying to fix the new bikes - not fixable! |
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| Pres. Padovich giving some instructions about bikes |
Canadian Thanksgiving day, Monday, Oct. 11th
We hope everyone is enjoying Thanksgiving and eating lots of turkey. No turkey to be found here!!
We are in Lilongwe and Jim and the Elders were up early and sitting in a diesel queue. The depot is next to them and they are loading up the tanker and then it will download at the station so they WILL get diesel today and with any luck at all will get all the jerry cans filled up too. I think they have 7 of them. Getting up early paid off though as they only have 4 big trucks in front of them instead of dozens and their jerry cans are about 10th in line. Diesel is still a problem and it has been worse lately.
We got the Lilongwe Branch moved into the new building on Saturday and things set up. It will work well and gives them so much more space. We went to "Game" a store here sort of similar to Walmart (in fact, it has just been bought by Walmart). We returned the 6 bicycles that we bought a couple of weeks ago for the Elders as they were just not good bikes and all had problems. Luckily they gave us back our money. We bought some appliances for the Elders new flat and also for the Couple's flat that we are setting up soon (stored those appliances in Collin's garage). It only took us about 5 hours to buy them and go to the loading dock and receive them. That was an experience!! We also bought 40 chairs for the new meeting house but when we were at the dock discovered that somehow we had bought a treadmill instead of chairs -- go figure!! So back into the store to sort that out. Anyway to make a long frustrating story short we finally received our goods. That wasn't the only mix-up though and they are SOOOO slow. Africa is trying to teach us patience!
We just heard that we may be getting a couple from Cardston to our mission are are hoping that they may be the ones that come to Malawi. We are anxious to find out more.
Today we are moving two Elders into a new flat at the new meeting house. We need to hook up the stove, water filter system etc. and make sure they have everything they need (pots, dishes, etc. etc.). We have already gotten quite a bit of the stuff and it is sitting in Collins garage. Thank goodness for the Collins family here. They invited us for Sunday dinner last night too.
Later ... Jim is back and they got diesel in the trucks and all jerry cans so we are good again for a little while. It is always a relief. We have lots to do today so better be on our way.
We are in Lilongwe and Jim and the Elders were up early and sitting in a diesel queue. The depot is next to them and they are loading up the tanker and then it will download at the station so they WILL get diesel today and with any luck at all will get all the jerry cans filled up too. I think they have 7 of them. Getting up early paid off though as they only have 4 big trucks in front of them instead of dozens and their jerry cans are about 10th in line. Diesel is still a problem and it has been worse lately.
We got the Lilongwe Branch moved into the new building on Saturday and things set up. It will work well and gives them so much more space. We went to "Game" a store here sort of similar to Walmart (in fact, it has just been bought by Walmart). We returned the 6 bicycles that we bought a couple of weeks ago for the Elders as they were just not good bikes and all had problems. Luckily they gave us back our money. We bought some appliances for the Elders new flat and also for the Couple's flat that we are setting up soon (stored those appliances in Collin's garage). It only took us about 5 hours to buy them and go to the loading dock and receive them. That was an experience!! We also bought 40 chairs for the new meeting house but when we were at the dock discovered that somehow we had bought a treadmill instead of chairs -- go figure!! So back into the store to sort that out. Anyway to make a long frustrating story short we finally received our goods. That wasn't the only mix-up though and they are SOOOO slow. Africa is trying to teach us patience!
We just heard that we may be getting a couple from Cardston to our mission are are hoping that they may be the ones that come to Malawi. We are anxious to find out more.
Today we are moving two Elders into a new flat at the new meeting house. We need to hook up the stove, water filter system etc. and make sure they have everything they need (pots, dishes, etc. etc.). We have already gotten quite a bit of the stuff and it is sitting in Collins garage. Thank goodness for the Collins family here. They invited us for Sunday dinner last night too.
Later ... Jim is back and they got diesel in the trucks and all jerry cans so we are good again for a little while. It is always a relief. We have lots to do today so better be on our way.
Monday, September 26, 2011
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Monday, Sept. 26th
Bad news!! We found out that we don't have a couple coming to Malawi in December afterall. :( The couple from Moab was going to Zambia as Public Affairs but it sounds like they have some medical issues and may not be coming at all right now. So......... We still need someone to come and help us!!!! Any takers???
Jim is over sitting in a diesel queue but he is second in line so as soon as the fuel is offloaded he will get some. We have 3/4 tank but will need diesel for going to Lilongwe with Padovich's on Saturday.
Yesterday we went to Liwonde for church. Maria was not there as she is in a lot of pain with her cancer. We went to visit her. Her husband, Petros, was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood and made a Priest. They did it at the house so that Maria could be there. The daughter, Maria, is really having a hard time coping with her mom's situation. We talked out on the step and I held her in my arms while she cried (well, while we cried). A week or two ago her mother was given a blood transfusion (drip of blood) and she perked up for a few days. I explained to Maria that it is only prolonging the inevitable. She said her mother says she wants to die but of course Maria doesn't want her to. Anyway - lots of tears! It was hard. Maria is such a sweet girl. She is the kind I would love to take home with me but...
The missionaries are here using grill for their braii. (bbq). They bought a live goat this morning (cheap) and watched as it was butchered. Now they are cooking it outside. I wonder what the new Elders are thinking about that!! :) I better go take a picture.
Have you seen the October Ensign/Liahona??? It is REALLY good!! I want to see if we can order some extras because really every member should have that one.
I got my financial ledgers caught up today and last night I was up doing up the Immigration applications (TRPs) for the 11 Elders we got last week. We took them in today. I had one TEP application but found out that they now require 2 additional documents so had to bring that one home and will get the extra paperwork. We have a couple of days to catch up hopefully before Padovich's arrive.
Better go check on the braii and see how the goat is looking.
Love, Sister Bullock/Nancy/mom
Saturday, September 24, 2011
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Friday, September 23, 2011
Friday evening, Sept 23rd
Guess what????!!!!! A couple has been called to our mission and will serve here in Malawi with us. They are from Moab, Utah and will come sometime in December. That is all we know so far. That is good news!!
We lost 4 missionaries this week (1 went home, 3 transferred to Zambia) and picked up 12 more from the airport Wednesday afternoon. There was a threat of demonstrations that day and the city was pretty much shut down except for a lot of policeman patrolling but everyone seemed to just stay home and there was no problems at all. We brought all the missionaries to our place and had them sign the Immigration paperwork and we fed them some pasta casserole and cooked carrots. The missionaries were all kept in that day due to the threat of demonstrations so I ask the 2 Sister missionaries if they would come and help me at the house. I was very grateful for their help -- I couldn't have done it without them! They cleaned and cooked and washed all the dishes.
Some of our new Elders looked a little nervous but they will be okay. We got the ones in Blantyre to their flats Wed. evening and then we had the seven that were going to Lilongwe sleep at our place. We were up early and put 5 of them on a bus at 6:30 and then two rode with us in the truck. We got to Lilongwe ahead of the bus, picked up the Elder's truck here (now that we had a missionary who can drive) and went to the bus depot and picked up the five. We bought some hot dogs/buns/chips and fed them lunch and then took them to their flats. The electricity at the Kauma flat had a problem!! We called Bro. Collins who works at the US embassy and he made a call and got one of their electricians to come by and look at it. He found a wire that was not quite right and fixed it for us. In the meantime we took the Elders to the grocery store so they can eat!!
Today we had a meeting with them and figured out their exact areas etc. and gave out phone time and transport money. We decided we need to buy 6 bicycles. We went to the "Game" store (closest thing to a Walmart, that we have here) and bought the bikes plus a few other things we needed. A little while later some Elders called to tell us that when they opened one of the bike boxes (the cardboard was a bit torn up) they found 6 "nice" Sony cameras, a camcorder, memory sticks and a couple of other things inside the box with the bike. They brought them to us and we took them back to the store. We got there just as they were closing. We ask to talk to the manager and we showed him what we had. We got ushered in and he called the head manager. Needless to say they were extremely grateful for our honesty. They had suspended an employee last week for trying to steal a couple of computers by hiding them so it sounds like it could be the same person. Anyway -- we are definitely in their good books now!! He said when we shop there we should come by his desk and get a discount! Hmmm-- he doesn't realize that we need to buy a fridge and stove in a couple of weeks.
Last night Bro. & Sis. Collins invited us to dinner at their house and made some Mexican food. We had a nice evening with them. We sure appreciate them and all they do here. They have 2 little girls and a baby boy who just started walking.
Time for bed! We are tired and must be up early to finish a few things here and then will head back to Blantrye about noon. I am behind AGAIN on posting to my financial ledgers so need to get that done and also have lots of paperwork to fill out for the Immigration to make these new Elders legal in the country. It never ends but it is good to be busy. September has just flown by. We wonder where it went!
Love to all.
We lost 4 missionaries this week (1 went home, 3 transferred to Zambia) and picked up 12 more from the airport Wednesday afternoon. There was a threat of demonstrations that day and the city was pretty much shut down except for a lot of policeman patrolling but everyone seemed to just stay home and there was no problems at all. We brought all the missionaries to our place and had them sign the Immigration paperwork and we fed them some pasta casserole and cooked carrots. The missionaries were all kept in that day due to the threat of demonstrations so I ask the 2 Sister missionaries if they would come and help me at the house. I was very grateful for their help -- I couldn't have done it without them! They cleaned and cooked and washed all the dishes.
Some of our new Elders looked a little nervous but they will be okay. We got the ones in Blantyre to their flats Wed. evening and then we had the seven that were going to Lilongwe sleep at our place. We were up early and put 5 of them on a bus at 6:30 and then two rode with us in the truck. We got to Lilongwe ahead of the bus, picked up the Elder's truck here (now that we had a missionary who can drive) and went to the bus depot and picked up the five. We bought some hot dogs/buns/chips and fed them lunch and then took them to their flats. The electricity at the Kauma flat had a problem!! We called Bro. Collins who works at the US embassy and he made a call and got one of their electricians to come by and look at it. He found a wire that was not quite right and fixed it for us. In the meantime we took the Elders to the grocery store so they can eat!!
Today we had a meeting with them and figured out their exact areas etc. and gave out phone time and transport money. We decided we need to buy 6 bicycles. We went to the "Game" store (closest thing to a Walmart, that we have here) and bought the bikes plus a few other things we needed. A little while later some Elders called to tell us that when they opened one of the bike boxes (the cardboard was a bit torn up) they found 6 "nice" Sony cameras, a camcorder, memory sticks and a couple of other things inside the box with the bike. They brought them to us and we took them back to the store. We got there just as they were closing. We ask to talk to the manager and we showed him what we had. We got ushered in and he called the head manager. Needless to say they were extremely grateful for our honesty. They had suspended an employee last week for trying to steal a couple of computers by hiding them so it sounds like it could be the same person. Anyway -- we are definitely in their good books now!! He said when we shop there we should come by his desk and get a discount! Hmmm-- he doesn't realize that we need to buy a fridge and stove in a couple of weeks.
Last night Bro. & Sis. Collins invited us to dinner at their house and made some Mexican food. We had a nice evening with them. We sure appreciate them and all they do here. They have 2 little girls and a baby boy who just started walking.
Time for bed! We are tired and must be up early to finish a few things here and then will head back to Blantrye about noon. I am behind AGAIN on posting to my financial ledgers so need to get that done and also have lots of paperwork to fill out for the Immigration to make these new Elders legal in the country. It never ends but it is good to be busy. September has just flown by. We wonder where it went!
Love to all.
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