February 22, 2010 and February 26, 2010

February 22, 2010

This morning Bigboy, our wheelchair expert, and his wife, Susan, came in to learn about the church. We ask him what had prompted him to ask us if he could come in and talk to us about the church. He said that he has decided he needs to attend a church and he has seen missionaries doing service work in the community and is interested in learning more. He told us that he used to drink a lot at nights and his wife and children were worried about him. He decided 6 months ago to quit. He called his wife and ask her to pray for him because he was not going to drink anymore. When he was late coming home she would call and ask if he was drinking but he never did take another drink after his initial decision.

Bigboy also told us that in 2004 he had a stroke and ended up in the hospital. He told us how he was/is in the business of helping people with wheelchairs after they have strokes, etc. and suddenly he was unable to move his left side. He prayed to God and told Him that his livelihood was helping people and he needed to be able to walk. The next day when he woke up he could move his arm and he could stand up. The Doctor couldn’t believe it. His one side is not quite perfect but he is able to carry on. He works with a wheelchair organization and assembles and fits chairs to all sort of disabled people. He goes around the African countries training technicians to be able to do the same.

We taught them the first discussion. It went well. We thought he lived in Harare but he lives about 60 Km. out but is not too far from Bindura and there are two branches there. He has a vehicle so that helps. We arranged to go to their place on Saturday and meet their children (2 teenagers) and we will review or teach them more.

Jim is busy typing up contracts for the projects that we are working on. Mostly it is fill in the blanks and of course, give some details but it is a bit frustrating. They have to be approved in SA by the church lawyer before they can be signed.

February 26, 2010

O man!! A lot of people here have some sad stories. Lawrence, our policeman investigator, came in to see us. His parents died when he was 14 yrs. old. From that time he has taken care of himself and his younger sister. He quit school and got a job gardening so he could support them and he paid school fees for her so she could stay in school. He managed to do his school at night. He got a job with the police about a year ago and because he has some accounting education they have him working in the office. He really wants to go to school and get a degree in accounting but.........how can he? He is now 27 and his sister is 21 and she is married with a baby boy. The husband is not working and they live with his parents. Lawrence was planning to get married (saving labola) in April, however, his girlfriend, Doreen, is 3 months pregnant. Her parents found out and ‘chased her away’ and she is now with Lawrence. The $200 he had saved towards the labola had to go to the clinic so that Doreen can have maternity care and delivery of the baby. He has a ‘stand’ (small plot of land) that he bought about 6 years ago. If he does not start to build on it by June he will lose it. He needs $240 so he can just even have water and meter run onto the land and that would be enough to keep it. As a policeman he is paid $150/month. His rent is $60 and utilities about $20. The rest goes for food, transport, etc. It just isn’t enough but the gov’t. is not paying more than that. Teachers here also get about $150/month. Some teachers are on strike right now, trying to get more money but unfortunately it is the children who suffer as they are not getting their schooling. It is hard to hear these sad stories AND there are a LOT of them. We wish we could fix things and help everyone but we just can’t. There are a lot of child-run families because of death (due to AIDS a good share of the time).

Mayfields had a wonderful young man come in and apply for a PEF loan for school. He is supporting 3 or 4 younger siblings and wants/needs to go to school so badly but has to work to feed the family. I don’t think they could make it work for him because to get a loan you have to be a returned missionary and he could not serve a mission because he has to support the family. Perhaps they can get an ‘exception’. I’m not sure what has happened with it.

Anyway – sorry, enough of the sadness of Zimbabwe! The auditor is back again this morning to finish off. The SA fellow from the church left this morning early. The audit is going well and they only had 3 or 4 questions for me and I was able to find what they needed. I’m relieved that it all seems in order!!

The electricity is off a lot lately but we are coping. They run the generator here at the mission office when it goes off so work carries on as usual here. At the flat we try not to run the generator too much as it is noisy and we don’t want to irritate the neighbours. We use it to pump the water from the tank for our shower (love having our tank!!!!) and we use it to quickly cook something and then we shut it down. We are doing fine!! Mayfields have moved into the flat next door as of yesterday. It will be nice having them there – nice and close for playing a card game or getting together for a movie night (if we have power!)

I must get back to work. We need to start preparations for our district training assignment a week from tomorrow in Gweru. The topic is ‘the temple’. Elder & Sister Taylor left a nice file of information so that will be very helpful. We just need to come up with a plan/presentation that will take approximately an hour.

Love to all, The Bullocks

----

I have posted 2 other letters below as well! Kim

Hi to our family and friends,

This has been a REALLY busy week so far. Sunday we went to Kadoma. Two of our missionaries that have been serving here finished their missions and returned home to Kadoma this past Wednesday. The 2nd counsellor in the branch presidency was released and one of the newly returned missionaries was put in that position. It was fun for Elder Bullock to be able to call him. The elder certainly wasn't expecting that. He will do a good job. The other elder was put in as Young Men's President. We were really pleased to see that the Branch president is putting them to work right away. These young returned missionaries are such assets here and are the ones who will be the great leaders.

I gave my talk in church and the two elders both talked. That didn't leave time for Elder Bullock to give his talk so he just said a few words and will save his talk for another day. We heard back from the elders here in Harare that Lawrence, our investigator, was at church and they have an appointment with him for tonight to teach. He had no transport money so he walked to church.

Trying on white shirts and ties at Kadoma

Happy recipients of shirts and ties -- it was great to be able to help them out.

He's happy to get a white shirt and tie -- he looks pretty smart!

Monday we had a meeting with the committee at the Kadymadare Mill. We invited the MP to join us as we needed his help to solve a problem there. I think I told you about it before -- how one man, the chairman/also a village head, insisted on only charging $.50 instead of one dollar. At the beginning of the meeting Elder Bullock read 'their' original proposal to us requesting the mill and how they were planning to make the project work for them. He explained that they were not living up to what they had proposed and agreed upon.

The MP then took over and talked for quite a while, some in English and a lot in Shona. He explained to them how a business has to run in order to be successful and make some profit. He also explained very well how the committee should work and the role of the chairman. It was agreed that they would start charging the dollar. We then ask how soon they planned to do that. The Chairman wanted to wait until March 1st and one other agreed with him. I suggested starting in 1 week (this coming Monday) so that they could start making some profit sooner. A member of the committee agreed and we told him he needed to make the proposal and it was seconded. We then suggested that there were two proposals and as a committee they should vote on it. The outcome was 7 to 2 in favor of starting to charge sooner. It was really a good meeting and I think the members felt somewhat empowered when they realized they didn't have to feel intimidated by the chairman/village chief. They realized they all had an equal say
and vote on things. We were pleased how things came out and are grateful to Mr. Zhanda, the MP, for helping us. He is really a good man. One thing I keep meaning to tell you is that whenever we have these kind of meetings they always begin and end with prayer. Quite different than America.

Monday afternoon we went with Bigboy (a wheelchair contact that we have talked to a few times) and met with a lady who is over all of Zimbabwe and represents disabled people and groups. They are the ones who we can partner with and they can bring the chairs into the country duty-free. It was a good meeting and we are hoping to get the wheelchair project underway.

When we got back to the office, Pauline was waiting for us. She is the mom we helped several months ago with the tiny baby, Edson, who almost died. We took formula out for the baby and food for the family so that the mom could eat and be able to nurse the baby. Edson is now about 8 months old but looks like he is only 2 months. He apparently has some symptoms of Downs Syndrome (I could see it in his face) and he also has some heart problems. However, he is one lucky baby as he was leaving the next morning with a Doctor who is taking him to Italy for 3 months where he will get some heart surgery etc. free of charge. Pauline was needing help for her 8 yr. old who she said was very sick, had a rash, and was losing strength. She had him at the hospital the day before and they gave him some tablets and said to bring him back to get his temperature taken. However, the combie (transport) would not take him. We drove her home and put her and the boy in the back of the truck (just in case he had something we don't want to get) and took them to the hospital. The husband, Ed, came too. We had to wait for quite a while as the doctors decided to go for lunch just as we arrived. While we were waiting we gave some balloons to the children in the waiting room and that seemed to cheer them up! Anyway, the boy has measles and a problem in his chest and a high temperature. They gave him a couple of injections and sent him home with instructions to go to a different hospital in the morning that would admit measle patients and also he would get a chest x-ray. We haven't heard any more yet. That all took about 5 hrs. and we got home about 8:30 after returning them to their home.

Pediatrics waiting room at Harare Hospital - we gave out balloons to the kids while we were waiting with Paulene and Ed

At hospital -- we made a few kids happier

Tuesday we spent most of the day helping Reeve, CC and Lolly and a good group of youth, finish sorting the goods in the containers that arrived last Friday. It has been a big job but it is now organized. I went with Reeve to take a truckload of medical supplies to a Dr. who has helped us the other day with the boy that had terrible rashes all over his head. The dr. wasn't there but we left the things - She will be delighted to have them.

Sorting containers that Reeve, CC and Lolly brought to Zimbabwe

We were tired at the end of the day. Reeve, CC and Lolly left this morning for Australia for some golf tournaments etc. They will be back in a month. We will miss them. They are fun to have around. We will continue our squash playing though and we now have President and Sister Dube joining us in the mornings and learning squash. Fun!

President Bullock has gone right now to a meeting with President Dube to meet with some government minister to explain what the church and LDS Charities does.

Today we are hoping to work on our training session that we are to do in Masvingo on Saturday. We have an hour allotted to us to train on lesson preparation as they feel that too many just read the lessons from the books when they teach (& they do that a lot here). We are
feeling a little nervous about this as we don't feel like we have a lot of expertise in the area, however, we do have "Teaching No Greater Call" and I have printed off some talks from church leaders. We will make a plan and pray a lot!! I better get busy working on it.

One more picture:

AIDS sign

We are grateful to you all for your love and support. We have a great family that we are proud of and also wonderful friends! Thank you!!

Love, The Bullocks

Zimbabwe Project Reviews - October 2009

This is a letter we had to sent to our leaders in South Africa that we thought you might find interesting.

Zimbabwe Project Reviews - October 2009

Garden Projects
The original concept for the gardens was to grow food for families, sell the surplus, pay tithing, and to provide seed, inputs, and sprays for the next year. Many of the garden projects have done very well in the food production phase, but almost all have struggled with inputs and sprays. I cannot speak of the tithing that is, or is not being paid. Those that have a functioning, reliable garden committee are those that have been the most successful. Those that do not have such a committee struggle. Many of the gardens are located on the church grounds; some are on adjacent lots, or school grounds, where they have arranged to plant.

Many of the branches continue to come to Latter-day Saint Charities (LDSC) looking for seeds, starts, inputs and sprays, including for the up-coming maize planting season. We have not given them any of those things since we have been here. As a result, many of the garden plots, in Highlands, are not being used (no functioning garden committee), while other gardens are flourishing. Some of the other branches, in other cities, are still planting what they can, some are not. Branch Presidents are reluctant to use Fast Offerings to purchase these items, as the same will be expected year after year. The concept of saving for the next year has not taken root in many branches.

There have been a large number of garden projects through the years. The members really need the gardens, but also need to take the responsibility to do what it takes to perpetuate the gardens.

We have had a number of requests to help the members start up large scale gardening projects. We have resisted these requests, as this should be a function of the branch president, stake president, not LDSC.

Wheelchairs
We have not been involved in a wheel chair project; they are on hold. From what we have learned, there is a huge demand for chairs throughout the three countries. Hospitals are in very short supply, there are long waiting lists in every organization that supply chairs to the handicapped, and we receive many requests from individuals, and ministers, for wheelchairs for the needy.

When we arrived in Harare, in March, there were almost 200 requests from individuals, members, bishops, and pastors for wheel chairs. We had about 10 chairs; they have all been distributed, long back.

There has not been a wheelchair project approved in this mission since 2007, when Elder and Sister Hobbs were here. From information the Hobbs and Turners left, the 10 provincial medical directors expect 20 wheelchairs each as a show of co-operation. We do not know if this is a requirement, or just what was done by the couples. There remains a tremendous need for chairs.

Blankets, soap, hygiene kits, school kits, clothes, etc.
As we understand what has happened in the past, LDSC has brought in many containers of goods from the SLC Distribution Center. We have talked to pastors who would come to the mission office on a regular basis, and receive large amounts of goods to take out to their congregational areas. We do not know what happened to the goods once they left the control of LDSC. It does not appear there was any work that was done in return for the goods received; nor do we know who actually received the goods.

We have inherited a container of such goods. Rather than have the pastors take the supplies, we have arranged to go out to their areas and give the clothes, hygiene kits, blankets, etc. directly to the people. This has been very well received. We have not required any work to be done, but we have asked the pastors to limit the recipients to widows, orphans, or seniors who are not able to provide for themselves. We also have the pastor arrange for some of their people to help sort, and distribute the items.

One pastor, we went out with, told us LDS Senior Missionaries told him his family comes first, so, when we got to where he has his preaching area, he had his brothers, his sister, their spouses all there, and they started loading up. We took everything back, gave them one of two things, and told them all the clothes, blankets, etc, were for the people he invited to come. However, as the people leave the location, they tell two friends, and they tell two friends, and soon the whole community comes with a sense of entitlement; if they got, we should, too. There are a lot of very poor people, but it is difficult to determine those who actually need, from those who just want.

Water Projects
We visited 5 water projects that were done in 2007. We took Bruce, from Geo Pumps with us, as he had been involved with these projects and could guide us to them.

#1. Danangwe Secondary School: In 2007 the existing worn-out bush pump was removed and completely replaced with new parts (except the pump head). We were disturbed to find only the casing coming out of the ground surrounded by broken up concrete. Apparently they had removed the pump without securing the pipes and a pipe fell down inside the casing. They were not able to retrieve it so they thought that if they broke up the cement they could get the larger casing pipe out and go deeper into the hole, but that was not the case. The pump assembly has been put into the school for safe keeping. Solution: Bruce says he can bring in a machine (fisher) that will retrieve the pipe and it can be repaired and new cement put in at a cost of approximately $550.00.

First well we checked on - not good!!

#2. Danangwe Primary School: In 2007 the existing worn-out pump was removed and completely replaced with new parts (except the pump head). We were pleased to find the pump working and people using it. It does need some simple maintenance (grease) but the school does not have any. They say the community has taken over the use of the pump and expect the school to maintain it. However, the school does use it as well. The school is extremely poor (about the poorest conditions we have seen at a school here) and it is understandable that they have no funds for maintaining the pump. Solution: Check to see if any individuals who were trained in the maintenance of the pump are still in the area and get the committee going again. Bruce says that he left a lot of grease, etc. there for them.

Second well - it's working!! Hurray!!

#3. Kandega Village: In 2007 a 50 meter borehole was drilled and a new Type ll Bush Pump was installed with a concrete pad all around. According to a near-by resident this pump only worked for about a month. He is storing the handle but some other parts were missing. He said they may have been taken to the school but we found a person who said he had given them to the councilman. He got nervous when we suggested that we should talk to the councilman. We think he used the parts in his business of welding/constructing ‘art’ out of junk. According to Bruce, from Geo Pumps, the people were instructed to wait 3 weeks before using the pump so that the cement could set up nicely around the pump casing. They did not wait and caused damage. (The handle should have been stored for the 3 weeks period.) Solution: The pump could easily be repaired for about $450.00 ($300 parts, $150 labor).

3rd Bushpump - missing parts

#4. Ezentabenni Resettlement area: In 2007 a 55 meter borehole was drilled and a new Type ll Bush pump was installed with a concrete pad all around. This pump looked perfectly fine but is not working. It was also used too soon after installation and the casing became loose. They put more cement around the casing but that did not remedy the problem. It is sad because here is a lovely looking bush pump and no one can use it. Instead the people are walking to a spot where a borehole used to be and dipping milky looking water out of small pool. Solution: Pull out the casing and reset it and recast with cement. Cost approximately $400. The man who lives close by and has the handle to the pump would likely be a great candidate to train in the maintenance of the pump and would take responsibility for it.

All of the above pumps no longer have a security fence around them. In most cases the barbed wire has been stolen and fence posts gone. The Danangwe Secondary school pump did have most of the fence still in place. We would like to consider getting these pumps back up and operational. (Total cost: approx. $1500 USD). We feel like it was a problem that no one ever checked back on these projects and that may be because of the unstable political situation of the country in the past.

Fourth bushpump - not working but at least the parts are all there!

This is where the area is getting their water right now

#5. Kadoma Regional Hospital: A back-up water system for the hospital to use when the municipal water system is down was done in 2007. They built a security building and installed a mono pump, 650 meters of pipeline, four, 10,000 litre storage tanks on 6 meter stands and check valves. Also extended electrical power lines 300 meters to the borehole. The system is not being used because the pump is not large enough to pump the distance and height to the water storage tanks (650 meters of gradual uphill plus 8 meters in height). One of the storage tanks has blown off the stand and the hospital has it in storage. It likely blew off because it had no water in it. The hospital says the pump keeps breaking down. It is an old style mono pump. Also the hospital says that they were getting mud through the pipes.Bruce thinks it is about a 2 h.p. motor and he thinks we should have a 5 h.p. submersible pump to do the job properly. He thinks perhaps the pump is too low, thus getting some muddy water. Cost: approx. $2,500.00 USD.

How would you like to go to school here?

Teacher has no table and children no desks or benches

I gave these kids a sweet

I wish I had some eye drops for the little boy

Outside of school

Outdoor classroom

These people want to build a church on this site so they were working at removing this huge rock. They will drill and blast it soon.

These people work so hard here -- this is how they make gravel.

Once in a while we see vehicles, even buses, that look like they are driving down the road kind of side ways since the alignment is so far off. Looks really strange.
This truck is actually going down the road straight - the alignment is way off!

Peacock at Kadoma

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Hi to our family and friends,

We are about to wind up our P-day. We went grocery shopping and bought a few things - oranges, apples, cabbage, potatoes, butternut squash, yogurt, cheese and eggs.

We came to the office to meet a girl who we had given a wheelchair and it needs a new front wheel (we think she must have banged into something and bent it). We couldn't find a ratchet anywhere to fix it so we took her to her friend's house not far away, only to find out that the friend had passed away this morning. (We had met the lady before too as she works for the minister of health - apparently she had a stroke. - Too bad she was a lady that did a lot of good here in Zimbabwe). That, of course, was upsetting to her. We then took her to her uncle's place and left the replacement parts with them and hopefully he can fix it. We were late for an appointment so couldn't hang around. She will call and let us know.

We then went to meet Linda. She has a sister in Canada that works with Darwin Hawryluk (Kimberley's father-in-law). She is a really nice lady. We talked about our mission and what we do and a bit about the church but she didn't seem interested in learning more. They go to the Salvation Army church. She has two young daughters. Her husband was not there as he was working. We will have to try and meet him sometime.

This past Wednesday we went to a lunch where Pres. Dube was introduced as the new mission president to Gov't ministers and some ambassadors of other countries. Everyone felt like it went really well. One minister gave the closing remarks (at his request) and said he didn't
realize the church was even here and did not know about all that we do here. He offered his assistance if we ever need anything. That was a really good thing!! Someone was there to take pictures of the event so who knows, it could end up in the church news.

Yesterday we taught Merci another discussion and she is excited still for her baptism date and we are excited too. Our other family from Epworth, the Kureva family, are doing well and are postponing their baptism 1 week so that they can all be baptized together. It will be on the 15th of August, the same day as Merci. Won't that be a great day for us - 4 baptisms. We went to visit the Kurevas on Thursday afternoon and the son, Panashe, ask Elder Bullock if he would help him with his testimony. Elder Bullock ask him what he knows and Panashe bore his testimony just fine on his own. He's a smart young man - seems older than his 11 years sometimes. We asked him what the missionaries had been teaching him and he said chastity". We asked him what that meant and he held up his hand and counted off 4 things: 1) no kissing 2) no sex before marriage 3) no pornography, 4) don't go naked (dress modestly). :)

We have a new office couple coming this week to replace the Taylors. We will help Taylors get a flat ready for them with a bit of food and a fresh bed etc. They are the Deppe's. Sister Deppe doesn't know this yet but she and I have been asked to prepare supper for Elder Jeffrey R. Holland the night he stays in Harare, after an afternoon fireside that he will do here. The supper will be at the mission home. I have also been ask to play the keyboard (organ - hooked up to the sound system) for the fireside and for the choir. YIKES! I guess I will practice all month and then pray a lot!!! Elder Taylor played for the choir at their stake conference last month but he won't be here so I guess I am next up.

Elder Holland will do a fireside here on the 28th and then got to Mutare early on they 29th and do some District training there on Saturday and then conference on Sunday. We will be going there with him (probably not in the same vehicle). Sis. Taylor is working with the District president's wife, Sis. Chadambuka, to find a place for everyone to have supper in Mutare -- there are not a lot of options to choose from and no place to really be able to fix a meal ourselves. The missionaries will likely to invited to eat with us as well. (We will meet Elaine Edmonds nephew on that trip as he is serving there.)

Mutare District is one of our new assignments as Elder Bullock is now a counselor in the mission presidency. We will be going there fairly regularly (probably once a month at least) and attending meetings and doing training. We will also be assigned Masvingo branch. The
branch president was just released there last week (after 14 years) and the new one is feeling rather overwelmed and some new callings have been and are being made so they will need help with training. It will be a stretch for us as well - we will spend lots of time reading the handbooks!!

President Dube is out of town right now so Elder Bullock had his first situation to deal with yesterday with a missionary that wanted to go home. He has already been sent home from one mission but Pres. Dube felt like he is a good young man and decided to keep him here to
finish his mission. (his home is only an hour away). The AP's had talked with him and he was walking out to go home when Elder Bullock went after him and sat on the grass outside and talked for a while. He came back in, hugged his companion, and they left together much happier. Today we haven't heard anything so we are assuming that 'no news is good news'.

Tomorrow we are off to Marondera for church and Elder Bullock has to do the branch audit. Next week he will do the one in Kadoma too. Hopefully they go smoothly because I am suppose to be at the choir practice at 3:30 p.m. with my keyboard.

We are hoping some of the white shirts that have been sent to us arrive soon as we really would like to give one to Panashe and his dad when they gets baptized on the 15th. We will cross our fingers or try and search for some in the clothes we received in the container. I know there is one there that will fit the dad but nothing for Panashe and he would be so pleased to have one. I think there are some ties in Pres. Nield's container.

That's about it for our week. Hope all is well back in America with our loved ones!

Wednesday

Hi,

Some feelings I want to share first -- On Sunday at the stake conference they sang "Come Follow Me" 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th verses. It was the last of the 5th verse (especially the last line that touched
me and made me get all teary).

We must the onward path pursue
As wider fields expand to view
And follow him unceasingly,
Whate'er our lot or sphere may be. (what a sad lot and sphere they received here!)

And then the song goes on:

For thrones, dominions, kingdoms, pow'rs
And glory great and bliss are ours,
If we, throughout eternity,
Obey his words, "Come, follow me."

Wow! These words took on a new meaning for me.

Yesterday we went with Pastor Wonder and delivered a wheelchair to a lady. It will help her to get around better - even though someone has to push her as she is partially paralyzed. She can't talk but did manage a bit of a smile. Her mother, who takes care of her, was really happy.

Wheelchair recipient - can't use her right side

Showing us how she grind maize

Kitchen & Cooking area

Lunch was ready

Today we gave some blankets, soap and hygiene kits out to a farm where they rehabilitate mentally challenged people. We originally visited there last week. Just as a bit of information you might find interesting -- the Canadian Mental Health Assoc. donated the land for this farm. Horray for Canada!! We were impressed with what they are doing there - gardening, cows, rabbits, and chickens. Having the animals helps them to have manure/compost for their garden. It was the healthiest one we have seen - nice big vegetables.

Distributing blankets, soap and hygiene kits at Zimbabwe National Mental Health Centre in Ruwa

We often see this type of wheelchair - plastic lawn chair bolted to the frame

Cattle pen

Cattle

Speaking of composting - Pastor Wonder was asking us for fertilizer when we first went to his place. He thanked us yesterday for suggesting that he should try composting for his garden. (they don't generally do that here). He started doing it and said he had enough extra to donate some vegetables (rape - green leafy one) to the hospital. I'm glad it worked!!! They use a lot of that vegetable here -- they don't need seeds to grow it. They break off a piece and just stick it into the ground and it grows.

Keeper of the rabbits

Cook house (left), rabbit and chicken buildings (behind)

Tomorrow we are driving 120 km. to an orphanage in Guruve to take some blankets, etc. Olivia, one of the ladies there, is coming here at 9:00 a.m. to meet us and will ride back with us and show us the way there. She says it will take a couple of hours to get there as some of the roads are not so good. It will be an all-day trip but should be interesting.

Love to all, Nancy

Pictures from the weekend and today

Attendees at the Coordinating Council Meeting

Moving Day? We were behind these people on our way home from church in Kadoma. They are obviously moving their household.

Following this truck on highway - must be moving day.

Truck on side of highway. They just leave vehicles sitting like this until......??

Selling tomatoes and rape on roadside.

We gave out a wheelchair this morning. Remember the lady we met a few weeks ago that can only crawl on her knees? We got a chair to her. It was a rainy day but a few people gathered and they brought her down from her hut in a wheelbarrow. We were waiting for her and Elder Bullock and Pastor Mataya went to look for them - they were about 1 km away. It was raining and they had her covered over with a raincoat. They got her into the truck and brought her down. Several
women helped her from the truck into the school classroom where we were waiting.

Lady arrives in wheelbarrow to receive wheelchair

She can only get around on her knees.

Got her into the wheelchair

Her Happy Friends!!

Group gathered to witness receipt of wheelchair
Sister Bullock with wheelchair recipient

This 12 year old boy needs wheelchair. He was there with his mother. We may try and get him a smaller chair. I think we have a 14" one that might work. His mother has to carry him everywhere.

It started to rain a lot while we were there and the roads got rather wet but we made it out.

Rain and bad roads - hope to get home without any problems!Waiting on bridge for combine to pass by us.

Love, The Bullocks

Wednesday

Good morning, We got up and went for a long walk this morning. We are now venturing outside our compound and it seems to be perfectly fine. There were several others out walking/exercising as well. When we were almost back home we came across a lady that was sitting and crying beside the roadway. There were two friends with her. I ask what was wrong and her friends told us and showed us. She really needed to get somewhere but was not able because of her injuries. It made me cry - I hugged her and told her I was really sorry. We went home and decided that we needed to go back and give them a ride - even though that is against mission rules! Oops!! My thought was that we are here as humanitarian missionaries and this is about as humanitarian as it gets. It was really important that they get to where they needed to go. So -- we went back with the truck and offered them a ride. They were very grateful for the help. I hope all goes well for her. That is all I can say about it!!

Our container STILL isn't here. Tomorrow we have a zone conference - that will be our first and I'm sure it will be good. Sis. Taylor and I are helping Sis. Bester (mission pres. wife) with the food as the lady who usually does it has gone to Utah for her daughter's wedding. We are serving lasagna, salad, buns and ice cream. (Apparently the ice cream here is very good - however I haven't tried it due to my 'no-sugar' diet).

Yesterday we went and met a fellow about wheelchairs. SA had suggested it might be a good connection/source for wheelchairs within the country. We don't think it will be what they are looking for - they also bring them in from China but they assemble them here. We will talk to the brethren about it when they come down to train/visit us in a couple of weeks. We are really looking forward to them coming down so we can know better what we can do here and how to do it. We need to start making our list of questions.

We had no zesa (electricity) again - two days in a row. It goes off about 8:30 a.m. and comes back on about the time we are going to bed. At least it comes on for a while if only to cool off the
fridge/freezer for us -- we just keep it shut to preserve the cold). We did use the generator to cook a quick supper and then we use our kerosene lamps and flashlights. I guess no zesa and no water are just part of life here. We are getting used to it. Sometimes in the morning we get a little water - even a little hot water if we are really lucky. We go to the borehole and keep our pail full and fill our drinking bottles at the mission office. All is well!!

No Internet again

Thursday, April 2

No Internet access this afternoon so I will type a word document and then copy and paste it to email. I am actually learning to do a few things on the computer!! We gave away our first wheelchair this afternoon to a man named Fred Raini. That gave a boost to our day. He had one leg amputated in 2007 due to an infection of some sort. He has been walking with arm crutches but that is difficult for him. He was very grateful. He is an investigator at the Enterprise Branch. The branch president took us to Fred’s home. Fred told us that now he could get to church easier and that he would be attending more regularly now.

The branch president also took us to the meagre of homes of two children who need wheelchairs - a girl of about four and a boy that is seven. We don’t have wheelchairs small enough for them. We will have to see what we can do – we will email the lady in charge of wheelchairs in SLC and see what we can do. Actually we only have 4 wheelchairs left so we need to get some more.

Turners were looking into a place in Malawi that may be able to manufacture them there and it would save a lot of shipping costs – if the chairs are acceptable. It is looking pretty positive. We would be able to get so many each month instead of waiting for containers of 250 at a time. Lots of children living in the area that are in obvious need of better clothing, etc. They like to have their pictures taken and then see themselves. That makes them smile and laugh. Just a note about this branch president: He is 27 yrs. old and told us that he is hoping to get married this year. His girl is the only member in her family and he must pay a dowry to her parents of about $1000 U.S. He is hoping to be able to do that. He is also hoping that with this next generation that this tradition can be changed. We have another bishop that is 24 yrs. Old. He is married and they are expecting a baby. These young men have served missions and are becoming the leaderhip here – good men!

We have felt a little discouraged lately – still trying to figure things out. I went to bed last night feeling frustrated – can’t seem to get/keep the paperwork in some semblance of order. I prayed for help and I woke up this morning and knew what I needed to do; so I got up and started working on it. After about an hour the zesa (electricity) went off so I opened up the curtains and had enough light to carry on. Jim got up shortly thereafter and we worked until about noon but I think we finally have the paperwork organized and know where things are. I don’t know that it is perfect yet but it will definitely help us.

A couple of people have ask about sending seeds or whatever over here. We can use almost anything here but a huge need in the wards/branches is white shirts/ties for Aaronic Priesthood boys (new or good used ones). So if anyone wants a project – we can use all you can send. According to Pres. Nield we could use hundreds, if not thousands of them- but any at all would be wonderful. We got some that came but they are large (like men’s 18 and 20) and they seldom need any that large – the smaller ones went really fast to only one branch.

Friday, April 3rd

We have been helping Pres. Nield and his workers unload his container and load it into other vehicles to be taken to a hospital and to an eye doctor and a dentist. There were a lot of medical supplies. His daughter also took some things to an orphanage and even with all that there is still a lot left to deal with. There are a lot of used clothes still – they will finish cleaning stuff out on Monday to make room for our container full that should be arriving. I was telling Jim yesterday that it would be fun to carry something with us and when we see little kids (just 2 or 3 at a time) we could just pull over and give to them. If there is a crowd of them, like always is the case, when we visit places, we can’t ever have enough of something. We will see what we can figure out to give when our container comes.

The driving continues to be an adventure at times. We just pray every day that we will be safe as we travel. Jim says I should drive but I haven’t gotten brave enough yet – I suppose I should though just in case something was to happen and I needed to drive us home.

Hope you are all fine and doing okay.
Love, Elder & Sister Bullock, Mom/Dad, Jim/Nancy