Congo

We just arrived home from Congo and as always I run to the computer to see if any of my kids have e-mailed. Often one of you has written or sent a picture and we love it. Thanks. My eyes are really tired (if that makes sense) from all the visuals we've had these past few days.

(Right now it is hailing and lightning like crazy!) I almost can't believe what me eyes saw in that very tired, poor country. I'm going to start at the end because that is on my mind the most. Running from the conference where 1700 members were in attendance we made a dash for the airport and I mean a dash!!!! President Waldram is quite the driver and he wanted us to get there. We wanted to get there too and there was another plane out until Tuesday if we missed it. We went through potholes and over "things" in the road. We drove on the wrong side of the street a few times to miss potholes and trucks and goats. In one area particularly there are dozens of people going here and there. They are walking, selling something, riding bikes,buying something, talking, laughing and generally just being busy. It is hard to describe, but the scene is just full of color everywhere and the color is on the people. The fabrics are fabulous.....bright colors with and unique patterns. The dresses are long....sometimes 2 piece and sometimes one. Often there are matching fabrics tied on their heads in the most beautiful fashion you can imagine. ....sticking out and up. If the women don't have head regalia on then they have wonderful hair. The hairs is either wigs or extensions fixed in hundred of ways. It is glorious. The men wear bright colors too.....a good to describe it might be "pajama-like". The surroundings are colorful and vivid. There are many things on the street to buy...furniture, car parts, fruit and vegetables stacked in beautiful ways. There are chickens and goats wandering and hardboiled eggs being carried on heads to sell one at a time, but the cartons are tens layers high. We see onions and garlic in mounds to sell, and beans and the white meal like stuff (can't remember the name, but it is not corn) that is the staple, but doesn't have much nutritional value. We've seen people hawking water in bags from the Congo river, fish hanging on a pole, and one I love are nurseries along the way where you can stop and buy plants that are planted mostly in plastic bags. There will be rows of these containers on the side of the road just waiting for purchase. It truly is a mass of humanity. We didn't take pictures because the people hate that and yell at you and raise their fist so our pictures will only be in our head.

The airport is another sea of people....everyone wanting to help you....crowding around you. Pres. Waldram has hired one man to help us and he took us through 7 checkpoints before we got to the waiting room. It was hot.....humid....and not air conditioned. Our luggage was searched 3 times before we boarded the plane. The last time was on the tarmac in the blazing hot sun. We were in the intense heat in the sun for about 15 minutes. We were dripping and soaked by the time we got on the plane Everyone was soaked and grumpy when they got on the plane. Some were very loud with complaints. Then this handsome blackman got on the plane. He was dripping....his shirt was soaked, his face was wet with perspiration. He stopped and smiled this huge smile and said, " the important part of the journey is getting home." He was saying this is hard, but we can do this because we are almost home. I loved it. People smiled back and some said, "yeh". It put a dfferent spin on the horrible 2 hours we had just spent getting through the entire ordeal. . At these various check points there were not any lines, only people surrounding the counters or desks, waving passports and boarding passes and whatever. Everyone is loud and of course speaking french so we didn't know what anyone was saying. In spite of Anton helping us, it is REALLY something and we were glad to get on that plane bound for our home in Joberg. We had all but one meal at the Waldroms home as there is only one restaurant that they dare go to. We had some whipping cream on something which was like gold as it was $13 for the pint. The food is soooo expensive and many things are not available. The Wardroom go home in July (mission president) after 2 years instead of the usual 3 because it is considered a hardship mission which it is. They have had some great experiences, but it has been hard and they are about ready to go. They have been great.

The meetings were great.....I think!!!! It was all in french so what ever my interpreter told me I believed. Actually, it was great fun. Auxiliary training is always my favorite thing and even with language barriers going on it is fun. Women are the same everywhere. They want to look pretty (and they do), they love their families and want to serve them, they are anxious to do their best in church and they were happy and fun. We laughed and cried together as women do. We testify of the Savior together and we sang together, which was so great. Let me tell you, those Africans really can sing and in the Congo they sing at the top of their lungs. Oh what a thrill. In the conference session with the 1700 people, I thought the roof would come off with the singing. I loved it...at times, I was in tears. These people are soooo very poor....,but to look at them you would never know it. They were groomed, clean and happy. The Gospel brings joy, service, education and oh so many things. There were baby twins on the front row and I couldn't take my eyes off them. They were soooo very cute.....2 little girls 3 months old dressed fit to kill. I just watched them every minute.....as I did the other children. I love the children. Josh, I met some 8 year old boys and I thought of you. I had the interpreter ask them if they had been baptized, and they said,"oui, oui". I winked at one of them on the first row and all of conference he tried to wink back. He couldn't so he took his finger and held one eye shut. How cute is that.

Tomorrow Sister Snow and I are going to the Twilight Boys Home to take pictures for Dwight Jackson's service project. He is have the youth of the stake make 70 quilts for these boys so we are sending pictures to show where they are going. We are also going to a children's handicapped place to teach the children how to play UNO. We had some little stands made to hold the cards because they can't hold them with the handicaps they have. I'm also preparing for the Mission President's Seminar in Cape Town that starts next Monday and then the next we the auxiliary women are coming. Sister Susan Tanner the General YW President is coming and the new General Primary President, Sister Lant, and Kathleen Hughes a counselor in the RS. We have a lot of preparing for them too. We will host them in Kenya and Uganda. They will really have more of an understanding of this part of the world very soon.

We loved our trip, but we are REALLY glad to be home. Congo is not an easy place to go, but it is worth it when we see the saints there. They are really pioneers as our ancestors were. They are paving the way for the generations to come. It is a blessing to serve. I'm so grateful for energy and good health. We miss you even though we are busy and we love you.

Love Mom and Dad