Saturday and Sunday

Saturday, June 6/09

We took our second P-day since we have been here. We get too busy doing things and never take a day off. We went shopping for groceries with Taylors. We checked out a new place and bought a few things – it was just an okay place. We did buy a ‘pepper sauce’ seasoning packet there – I am trying it out today. They make a really good ‘black pepper’ sauce here at the restaurants with peppercorns in it – they use it on beef steak as well as on chicken. I really like it and want to figure out the recipe. I am hoping that this packet will be similar!! Then we went shopping at the “Cheeseman” where we bought some frozen fish that we like and a few other things. If you take your own container you can buy some good yogurt, milk, or cream. We got some yogurt this time and I think next time I might try some cream. Cream is not that easy to get here and what you can get will not usually whip. We always buy UHT milk in cartons. It’s okay.

Speaking of shopping, we got Jim’s suit dry cleaned this past week. We had to take in our own hanger with it, but the good news is that it only cost $3.00. Wow! They did a good job. Some things are a great deal and others are ridiculous so I guess it all evens out.

Just as a point of interest - We are presently paying $l.08 a litre for gas. Diesel is 80 cents/ltr.

Back to our Saturday shopping – we then went downtown (where we are the only white faces amongst thousands) and went to some fabric stores. Taylors are buying fabric and taking it to a fellow who is making some shirts for them to take home.

Harare street cleaner

We came home and had lunch and then we drove about 45 minutes to the “Lion and Cheeta” Park which cost $5 each to get in. We drove through the lions and then parked in a different area and walked through a part that was similar to a zoo. It was a fun afternoon and I will send pictures for the blog. I held a 6 week old lion cub until he started to get a little wiggly and I didn’t want to get scratched or something. They were sure cute.

Sister Bullock with lion cub

Oops! He's wiggling too much - I don't want to get scratched.

Baby lions playing - small ones are 6 weeks old.

lioness

Lion @ Lion and Cheeta Park - we couldn't get out of the car

Baboons

Mama & baby baboons

Some little guys

Elder & Sister Bullock

Elder & Sister Taylor

I thought I might swing like Tarzan!

more balancing rocks

More cool rocks

Weird looking tree

6 week old lion cub

We came back and went to the office to email but shortly after we got there the power went off. O well, what’s new, right? It was off here at the flat this morning. It happens so often I hardly even mention it anymore.

Strange looking duck we saw on Saturday

Sunday, June-07-09

We were expecting the lady that we gave the wheelchair to this past week, to come to church this morning so instead of going to our branch out of the city we went here to Highlands ward. We then planned to go to another branch here in Harare to meet a fellow named ‘Answer’ that we met at Mama Mia’s restaurant and gave him a Book of Mormon. He text messaged us and said he wanted to go today. The wheelchair lady never showed up but as we were getting ready to go to the other branch to meet Answer he showed up at the Highlands building. We went with him to the 2nd and 3rd block there. He’s a great guy. I think I told you that on Friday we had driven around Epworth for a long time looking for a couple that we had some blankets and clothes for but could not find them. Anyway, she came to church looking for us (it seems like perhaps she has been before a time or two) and I saw her in R.S. She ask why we didn’t come. She said I had lied to her when I said we would come out. I explained that we had tried to find them. Anyway, we came home and picked up the blankets/clothes and went back and picked her up and she took us to her home. (We had been very close to it but it was off on a narrower pathway – it is no wonder we never found it). We gave her the stuff and saw her place and took a couple of pictures. Her husband was not home as he was off selling fruit/vegetables. Her two young daughters were there.

Our new friend we gave blankets and clothes to & a doll for the little girl

This is a lady next door to where we took the blankets/clothes. She was cooking dinner so we ask if we could take her picture while she was cooking. They make little fires to cook on under a tin can - it takes less wood.

She's making dinner

Cooking a vegetable called rape with a bit of tomato

We see these congregations all over when we are out and about. They meet on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. They meet outdoors under a tree or wherever. They generally all wear white robes.

Apostolic church - always held outside in a field

This is a house we saw on our way back from Epworth. We stopped at a house near it and gave a soccer ball to a couple of kids that were playing by the house. They were pretty excited to get it. We were excited to see those balls in the boxes of toys that came. Balls like that are rarely seen here. They use rags tied together or sponge balls if they are lucky.

a house built into this truck

Also as we left the church Estere was there hoping to see us. We have been trying to figure out how to find her. She is the one with the 6 yr. Old boy with cancer in his eye. Pres. Neild has arranged with a doctor to see the boy and can probably do the surgery here in Harare (free of charge) rather than go to South Africa. We told her and got a phone number where we can contact her tomorrow and try and work things out. She has to get a referral to this doctor.

Also after church today we were approached by another lady with a broken/sore arm that was asking for help with food and clothes for herself and 6 children. We did determine that 3 of her children are not at home but are old enough and on their own. So really there are only 3. She is also from Epworth – do you think that word is travelling fast out there?? We arranged to meet her Tuesday afternoon at a place in Epworth that we can find!! We won’t take anything with us until we go check out the situation and see if there is a real need. It would sure make this job a lot easier if everyone was upright and honest!!

These people that come to the church are not members – they just come hoping to find us. Normally we aren’t even around there on Sundays – perhaps that is a good thing!

Elder Bullock is presently out discussing the church with our gate guard, Benjamin, here at the flat. He has been reading some pamphlets and B of Mormon and has some questions. The people here are wanting religion so badly and are so eager to learn. Mind you, there are some who think all white people are Satanists!! At least that is what we were told today by the lady who we took out to Epworth. We have heard that before – in Malawi and Zambia that is a problem that the Elders cope with there. People call them satanists. We are exactly the opposite and I suppose with time they will realize that.

This week ahead of us will be busy – we have lots on our calendar. Perhaps one day soon we can actually get some paperwork done and try and get a couple of new initiatives written up. We might have to hide out so we can get that done.

Love, Sister Bullock