Monday, September 21, 2009

Monday, September 21st

We are glad to report that we feel good about how the branch conference at Marondera went. All seemed to go well and the branch president was pleased with everything. The training we did on home teaching, visiting teaching and working with the councils were all things they needed and hopefully it will help them. I took the keyboard with me and spent some time Sat. with the primary president (she was there early) going over some songs for the Sacrament meeting presentation and the on Sunday I played so the kids could learn the tunes. It was a learning experience for us too, but we are glad to say that it is done.

This morning Seka (the X-pastor) came to Harare. We had set up a job interview for him with Rob Spencer. All went well and Bro. Spencer hired him and will put him through 'management' training for about 6 months at minimum wage ($150/month). That isn't a lot of money but it
is enough. We then took Seka to meet Merci and she will rent him a room (out back of the restaurant) for now and he can likely help her at her restaurant in his off hours. He has to go back home and finalize some things there but plans to be back here to start work next Monday. He was thrilled with the day. He is so very anxious to get here and start taking the missionary discussions.

His two children (3 yrs. and 9 yrs.) will stay with his mother until the end of the school term (first part of December) and then he will move them here. His wife is not back with him yet, although we are all hopeful that she will have a change of heart - or that her parents will. Seka has given up a lot to make this move in his life. He had a pretty good life and he is starting over with basically nothing. It has taken a lot of courage but he is determined to continue on and
move ahead. I wish you could all meet him!

This afternoon we are going out to visit Emmanuel and his family. His wife had her baby boy on the weekend and all went well. He called last evening to tell us that they want us to pick a name for the baby. Apparently that is a real honor. We decided on "Emmanuel James" -- we will see if they like that or not. We will take them a few vegetables from the garden here as they have nothing. That will help them somewhat. We already gave her a new-born kit for the baby.

Some people here are so grateful for what we do for them. We went to Epworth yesterday to see Pauline (the one with the tiny baby that almost died back a few months ago). Pauline wasn't home but her neighbor said that the baby is doing really good. We will go back on Wednesday. The neighbor, Anasia, invited us into her house and ask if I remembered her and her son (I didn't really). I guess she had come here at some point and I gave her boy some clothes. She was so grateful for that and said, "I will never forget you for what you did for me". That was nice.

The Mayfields arrived today and seem like very nice people - not that we expected anything less. Mom--- his mother was born in Magrath. Her name was Isabel Merkley.

It's been a good day and tonight we have been invited to go out for supper with Pres. & Sis. Dube, Deppes' and the Mayfields. We do that when someone new comes.

Love to all, The Bullocks

No comments:

Post a Comment