Our Baby

Hurray!! He was still alive this afternoon and has been eating a little. We really were not sure that he would be. His name is Edson. We went to the SPAR (grocery chain) here. We went to the one that Bro. Spencer owns as he carries more items than most - things that white people would want. Sis. Spencer happened to be there doing her shopping and I ask her about the baby formula. She showed me which one we should buy and I told her I also wanted to take them some mealie meal (ground corn maize). Then she said that she would need oil and tomatoes and rape (a green vegetable), onions, vaseline for the baby, soap to wash the nappies (diapers) -- I looked at her and said, "she doesn't have any nappies - well she had a couple of pieces of cloth that were not at all absorbent). They didn't have any cloth nappies at the store but she put in a package of disposable diapers. She said we are putting this on Rob's account (her husband) along with her groceries!! Wow!! We weren't expecting that but this lady did get a lot more than what we could have given.

We put it into a couple of cardboard boxes (so the whole neighborhood wouldn't see) and parked close to her door and took it in to her. She was very happy, of course. We felt good about doing this as she really did have nothing. Some people here lie and put on quite a show to try and get something.

Oh yes! Jim got arrested today!! He went through an 'amber' light (the robot was actually working). The policeman took his licence and said he had to come with him and pay a fine. He only had to go a few steps outside the vehicle where the 'judge' is located with his clipboard. Jim told the judge that he was sorry and that we haven't been here very long and didn't mean to break the law (in Canada we can make a turn on an amber light). He also told him we are here doing charity work. So - luckily he didn't have to pay the fine (they didn't tell how much it would have been).

Yesterday we got stopped as well because we didn't have our seatbelts on. We do wear them - honest! Yesterday we were taking Pauline to the store to try and buy baby formula and for some reason neither one of us had put on our belts. I always wear mine because the traffic and roads here are so crazy!! Anyway, the policeman was nice and just told us to put them on and he let us go. We went through that police stop 2 more times after that and smiled and showed him we had our seat belts on. The last time - they must have been getting ready to quit because they ask which direction we were going - hoping they could get a ride with us! Elder Taylor was arrested once for something and they wanted him to do community service. He explained that he was already doing that here everyday for 18 months - they let him go.

That reminds me of something --- we thought we might need a locksmith to get a key off of our container. It would have cost $30 to have the guy come or if we picked him up it would only be $25. They don't have much transportation so that is what they do - interesting. We asked how they would get it off and they said they would use an angle grinder (couldn't make a new key for it). We ask around here to our physical facilities director and he had access to an angle grinder so they took it off for us. We need it off to open both doors of the container so we can load it IF our container from Salt Lake City ever gets here.

This morning we went to Enterprise and the Branch President and 1st Counselor took us about 25 km up into the hills where 10 of their families live. They wanted us to look at some land there that a lady has offered to let them plant (she will take a percentage). It is about 11 hectares (we think that is 110 acres). It was very nice up there and a nice spot of land but of course they want LDS Charities to provide the money for diesel, seed, fertilizer and sprays. I don't think we can do that but we will ask the brethren from South Africa when they come in a couple of weeks. It was a nice drive (except for some of the roads) and I took some good pictures.

The road to the field the Branch President wanted us to see

On the way to see the dam near Arcturas Gold Mine

The dam

A Good place for a meeting

They want help from LDS Charities to start a garden/farm project. There are a lot of issues - like getting water from the dam to the field, diesel for tractor they need to fix first, seeds, fertilizer,
spray, tools, etc. etc. Notice the bag of corn maize behind Elder Bullock: that is one of the
brothers contribution to the bishop for the storehouse!

This bridge was on the road back to Enterprise chapel. Sometimes we wonder if we dare use them - so far, so good!

Nice bridge - note the railing!

Pretty drive on the way back to Enterprise Chapel

Stay to the LEFT on this road!

Tall grass along roadway

Carrying wood on bicycles!

On our way back we saw a few kids and decided to stop and give each a hygiene kit. Suddenly kids appeared from everywhere so we opened the kits and gave each one a little.

Dividing up hygiene kits

A happy child with a towel and a toothbrush

This bus is really loaded!

Balanced rock

Selling goods along road. We see this everywhere here. This is how a lot of people make a few dollars.

At lunch time we were invited to go out with the Mission President and his wife, the AP's and Elder and Sister Taylor. We went to a nice enough place. I had chicken/mushroom crepe that was very good and Jim had Bream (fish) that was just so-so. The service was slow but they did get most of the orders right.