Update 2/21/2010

Report from DR Congo, Africa – We had home evening in our apartment Monday and heard a report from the Public Relations missionaries who had just returned from an assignment in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the largest countries in Africa. Living and travel conditions there made Kenya sound easy! The exciting part was the extreme growth in the Church in the area. In areas where there aren't even missionaries people have gotten copies of the Book of Mormon and whole groups are coming and wanting to be baptized. It's still amazing to us what is happening in most of Africa despite poverty and corrupt governments. Indeed, as it has been said: This is Africa's Day to Receive the Gospel.

Maize Harvest – Tuesday after class in our far branch, Kilili, we took the “shortcut” through the valley to Kikoko where we were planning to stay the night. On our way we stopped at one of the branch president's areas to help load his maize into the back of our truck and haul it up the mountain where he'll store it to dry and make maize (corn) flour. It was fun working with the president and some of the branch members. After the last load they invited us into their home. They are so proud of it as they have been building it themselves. It was very clean and nice. The kitchen was in the house and consisted of a couple of small charcoal burning stoves. (Usually kitchens are outside in a fire house, covered with corregated tin.) They have one bedroom finished and two more that are not finished yet. In one area they had a turkey sitting on her eggs. They are raising rabbits and turkeys and also have a heifer calf for milk when she gets older. They live on the same shamba as the president's parents and brother's family.

Trip to the Kikoko Hospital - We never know for sure what we'll be doing when we arrive to teach somewhere. Wednesday at Mitini when we arrived to teach we were needed to take a sister to the hospital to get her stitches out. She had had a C-section the week before. She had to climb clear up the hill to the road with the baby; wait at the hospital to be seen, and then walk clear back down to her home. She was so tired we hurt for her but she didn't complain. The baby girl was darling and Sister Blake got to hold her the whole time! We returned to finish our classes. Temple class was teaching about family history and preparing pedigree charts before filling out family group sheets to submit names for temple work. What we thought would be easy turned out to be very difficult for them to understand. When a woman marries, her husband's first name becomes her last name! We will need much more work in coming weeks, but they were very interested and wanting to do their best. Many of them don't know when they were born – often just the year, and sometimes that is a rough estimate. We sent them home to find out information from their relatives regarding names and dates. Even birthdates are hard to pinpoint here! There will have to be a lot of work done for the African saints during the Millenium.

Trip to Pick Up a Bed – Thursday we borrowed President Taylor's truck which doesn't have a shell on the back and drove to Eldoret (5 hour drive north of Nairobi). It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed seeing a different part of Africa. It is a little higher altitude and they were harvesting different crops (potatoes, carrots, peas). It seemed a little more modern and we even saw a pivot sprinkler for large-field sprinkling in one place. The cows were more like we were used to and didn't have the “brama bull humps” on their necks, like cattle we see here; and we saw our first horses that we have seen here. // We had heard about the Great Rift Valley but hadn't seen it and we were able to view it along the way. We enjoyed our visit with Elder and Sister Littlefield in Eldoret. They have a beautiful home rented by the Church. Their mission is over in March and there isn't a new couple coming so they will have to close up part of the home and young Elders will live there. They didn't need the extra bed so we were able to pick it up for use at the Kikoko apartment. Elder Blake was having a “fast food attack” on the way. When we travel in the US, he enjoys stopping along the way to eat. When we go south there isn't anywhere safe to eat but going north we found a little restaurant at the gas station and enjoyed delicious beef stew and scones. What a treat after so many sandwiches on the road!

Donkeys on Way to Eldoret

Taking milk to market

         

New Apartment at Kikoko – Saturday afternoon we drove to Kikoko to deliver the bed and a few things to the apartment at Kikoko Girls School. Things weren't quite as ready as we had hoped. We spent the night with no water and the electricity blew out before dark. We thought we'd be okay because we brought a lantern, but it only lasted about 10 minutes. Thank goodness we had a candle. We didn't take our mosquito net because we had purchased a mosquito repeller that plugs into the wall; but with no electricity, well... We just have to remember it is at least safe and friendly there and the landscape is beautiful!

Kikoko Apartment

New Beginnings – Sunday we attended Sacrament meeting in Kyambeke. Their main speaker didn't show up so Elder Blake was the speaker. During the sacrament, before he knew he would be speaking, he says that he had inspired thoughts flood into his mind. // After the block, the New Beginnings was held. The Young women sang a beautiful rendition of the YW Theme and then Sister Blake was asked to speak (which wasn't planned!) This was another answer to prayers for inspiration. On our morning walk we had been discussing the story of Esther in the Old Testament and Sister Blake likened the young women to Esther as being born “for such a time as this” in the history of the Church in Africa. We feel so blessed and are reminded of what is says in D & C 100:6: “For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea in the very moment, what ye shall say.”

New Mission President - We have learned that our new mission president in July will be Steven Broadbent, a dentist from North Ogden. Elder Blake served with him in the Weber State University Stake, and thinks very highly of him. We'll miss President and Sister Taylor but will look forward to working with President and Sister Broadbent.

Have a wonderful week. You'll be in our thoughts and prayers!

Update 2/14/2010

Happy Valentines Day! We are thinking of family and friends with love on this Valentines Day! Sister Blake wore her red jacket to church especially for the occasion. That's about the only celebrating we did as we were away in the back-country hills for two days. It's hard to make the traditional lemon pie with an electric pot that only boils water! Elder Blake wanted to buy a bouquet of beautiful roses that are so plentiful here but we weren't going to be home to enjoy them. We think we'll have a belated celebration later. We did have good news as electricity has finally come to the new apartments at Precious Blood girls' school. They are preparing apartment #5 for us and let us look inside. The floors are raw cement with no floor coverings. The kitchen has one small open cupboard with no front and a very small kitchen counter with a sink about 14” x 12” x 4”. No stove or fridge but maybe we'll buy a propane hotplate. The tiny bathroom is a shower room with the toilet in the same room (cold water only and a very small sink outside the door, no mirror). However, the view is beautiful! The teachers share a shamba and there are watermelons, maze, squash, and beans growing. One of the couples' flats about a five-hour drive north of Nairobi has an extra bed. We hope to drive up this week to get it. We would like to see north of Nairobi as we always go south!

While at Precious Blood a few weeks ago we could hear children singing at a school across the valley. We walked over before leaving for teaching and listened to the children. It was wonderful. They invited us to say a few words of encouragement to the girls (all girls school – about 500 students from preschool to about 13 or 14). Elder Blake stood on a riser and spoke to them encouraging them to study hard and prepare for life. We took pictures. This week we went back over and gave the principal copies to post. She invited us to visit some classes. As we entered each classroom the students would stand and say, “Good morning, sir” and “Good morning, madam.” What an experience! 

Tuesday we held a leadership training in our Kyambeke Branch. We furnished the light breakfast before. We checked with some branch members and found that what they really enjoy is bread. They don't have ovens to bake their own. We took large loaves of white bread and cut them in slices about 2” thick with peanut butter and jelly mixed to put on top. Sister Blake also baked banana bread not know if they would like it because it is sweet. It was a big hit! Elder Blake was lucky to get some after it was over. To drink we had the African version of Sunny Delight.

Leadership Training –                                          

The conference was nice as we are teaching about having correlation meetings and presidency meetings. They were not having either one. We just have to take things a step at a time to not overwhelm them. They are so willing but it takes several times to get started and see the value of planning/organization meetings.

Mitini Baptism – Saturday we traveled again to help with a baptism for 6 more family members from the Matua area (two sisters and four brothers). What a special day. They were so well prepared and anxious to be baptized. They had to walk about an hour over and an hour home after up and down hills. One of the sisters is the mother of nine children. Her husband had been baptized earlier, and they were so happy that she has learned enough English that now she is ready. The grandfather/patriarch of the clan walks with a cane and he walked all the way there (except for a little ways when we saw him and loaded him in with us as we were driving).We feel the strength of their testimonies. It has been a blessing to us to teach them. They will be strong leaders. Sister Blake was asked, after she arrived, to give the short talk on baptism and confirmation. She's learning to be a “minute-woman” but also learning that she can't do it herself and needs the help of the Spirit. There's a lot of stretching and growing going on here for the missionaries! 

High on the Hill – We spent the night in the hills and drove to our highest on the hill branch, Ilima, this morning. It was a beautiful drive which made the bumpy 4-wheel drive in Lo Range not so bad. Sister Blake would never make it if she had to drive! Elder Blake has good experience from driving on the farm. The road is more like a trail but worth the trip. We were met as usual by a group of children. They all want to carry our things down the hill to the church. We spoke at sacrament meeting, then prepared members of an investigator class for their baptism interview. Sister Blake visited Young Women class. They were proud to show her the mangoes they had bottled Saturday. They looked like peaches in the bottles. After church we held a teacher development class. We were tired and ready to go home and they still had other meetings scheduled! They try to accomplish a lot on Sunday when they can so people don't have to walk so far other days.

Prayers - We love the prayers of the people. They are so sincere and you feel like they are praying with child-like faith to a loving Heavenly Father. They almost always pray for us, especially as we travel. We feel the benefit of their prayers and are humbled by them.

Our prayers always include you, our family and friends. We love and appreciate you. Have a good and safe week.

Update 2.7.2010

Sis. Blake Rebaptized – The week started with a bang as we traveled to our farthest away branch, Kilili. (The picture of the grass huts at the top of our blog was taken on one of our first trips there.) We enjoyed our classes of English, music, investigators, and leadership; then traveled a shortcut through the mountains to Kikoko to spend the night at the girls' school. // On our way we stopped by a small river and dam where early Kilungu Hills church members were baptized before there were any fonts. We walked over to take some pictures of the beautiful green valley and came upon some young boys “skinny dipping.” You should have seen them streak to find their clothes when they saw "mzungus" taking their picture! While Elder Blake was taking in the beauty of the valley, he about got run over by thirsty cows that charged to the stream to drink. // Across the stream we saw women washing their clothes in the river and hanging them on the bushes to dry. Elder Blake suggested that Sister Blake go down and join them so he could take a picture. Sister Blake, in her missionary clothes and slick shoes, stepped on some wet moss and slid right into the muddy stream, and came up just a sputtering. (An unplanned baptism!) Elder Blake, who was a ways away, didn't know whether to laugh, snap a picture, or rush to pull her out. As it turned out, the wash ladies ran and pulled her out and proceeded to wash off her clothes and shoes as she tried to compose herself. Elder Blake was too busy to help as he and the young African boys were laughing and taking pictures!

Rain, Rain, Go Away – Friday we taught at our branch high on the mountain. We love to see the children there as we have mentioned before. They have been a little shy but they got brave enough to let Elder Blake give them a little hug. // There are four young men there (all converts, of course, since the church has been there just a few years) who are preparing to go on missions. They take keyboard and conducting class and help teach English. They also have joined the temple preparation class. We feel their strength. Young men have big responsibilities here and rise to the occasion.

It had rained hard in Nairobi before we left in the morning. Later, as we were getting ready to drive home. Thunder, lightning and rain pelted us, and the clay-base road became slick as pudding. Water was just running from the mountain and down the road. The road was like ice skating. Sis. Blake claims to never have prayed so hard for safety in her life. There are no barricades off the side of the road, it's just straight down. We tried to help another car that had gone off the road. I wish I had a picture of Elder Blake holding an umbrella, standing in deep, red mud, and trying to help hook a tow rope to the car. We finally decided it would never work and offered to take the owner to the next town. He didn't dare leave his car for fear the car would be dismembered and carried away by thieves (common practice for abandoned cars) before he got back to it. We never know what to expect when we leave home.

New Prelude Music – Today we attended church in Mitini Branch. They are a very new branch and are still getting organized and learning how things go. They are growing fast and we are trying to help build the new leaders. It's hard when so many have never experienced what a regular church meeting is like. They are so humble and we love attending there. // Wednesday, after music conducting class Sister Blake forgot and left our CD player there. Since they don't have their own CD player (battery operated, of course), they borrowed ours. As we arrived, we heard prelude music being played for the Sacrament Meeting and soon realized they were playing an old Jim Reeves cassette tape we had left in the CD player – featuring “I Love You Because,” “Have You Ever Been Lonely,” “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You,” etc. I guess they thought if the missionaries have the music it must be okay! We're not sure that's on the approved prelude list.

The Good Stuff – There is another group of nine investigators from the Mitini Branch who will be interviewed tomorrow for baptism. We mentioned before about the Matua area and the strong family there. Most of these people are from that family. What a blessing it has been to teach them. They have been hungry for the gospel. One young man from that family, James, was baptized a few months ago and is already planning on a mission and studying everything he can get his hands on. It's humbling to see. The baptism will be next Saturday. Fast and testimony meeting in that branch was wonderful today. Most of the young Aaronic Priesthood young men bore their testimonies. Also, just as a note... the young family that asked Sister Blake to help name their baby is naming her Anna, in honor of “Carol Ann.” It's a special honor.

Sister Francis with Sister Blake and Baby Anna

Elder Blake is busy helping with audits for all the branches and we are working hard on leadership training. Right now that is almost more important than working with investigators. Branches need to be divided, so new leaders are urgently needed. They are eager to learn, but just need to be trained (and retrained) since they are all new to priesthood procedures, church operation, etc.

We love you all. Thanks for your love, letters, and prayers.

Update 2/1/2010

Missionaries Preparing: There are several young men in our branches preparing for missions. It's exciting to see how spiritually prepared they are and excited to go serve the Lord. The problem is financial preparedness. In the outlying areas the Church has been helping the missionaries for almost the total cost but they are trying to get the families to start planning early as we have had to in our families. There is so much cost involved just to get ready to go – passports, physicals, dental work, clothing and supplies, etc. Again, we are impressed about the importance of those of us in more developed countries contributing to humanitarian, mission, and PEF. We are trying to teach self reliance here but it is difficult when there is no income for some – just subsistence farming!

Good Week: We have enjoyed teaching this week and love the association with the wonderful people. We are learning many lessons! We are trying to do more training of the branch saints to do their own teaching which is a step beyond doing the teaching ourselves. It doesn't work in all cases, but again, we are trying to teach self reliance. They won't always have couple missionaries to help. I had a special invitation this week as one of the young fathers in our Temple Preparation class spoke to me after class. His wife hasn't been there for the last two weeks. They simply do not talk here about maternity things, such as when a woman is due to have a baby; but he said he had a message from his wife and she would like me to name their baby. In their culture they have a Kikamba name and then a Christian name which the wife chooses. It is an honor to be asked to name a baby and I felt that special honor. (I just don't know what name to choose!)

Wedding Anniversary: Saturday was our wedding anniversary and we celebrated Friday by leaving at 5:30 a.m. and going with another couple to Nairobi National Park for a game drive (self-guided safari in our own vehicle). It was a beautiful day with the weather just right. We saw dozens of giant water buffalo (Vicious! And Elder Blake kept getting out of the truck for pictures!), all different kinds of antelope and gazelles, beautiful birds, giraffes, and the crowning sighting, a cheetah. We had stopped at a memorial for the ivory burning (The government is trying to stop elephant poaching which is done for the ivory, so they have a memorial for the burning of all illegal ivory they had collected.) Elder Blake was taking a picture and I saw a large cat-type animal run between two trees. We jumped in the truck and headed that direction just in time to see it bound across the road. As we approached we could see it hiding under some trees. When it saw us watching, it took off. It was huge and beautiful. A sighting is very rare. Of course we couldn't get a picture except in our minds. It made our day.

Sunday at Kilili: We attended church at our farthest away branch, Kilili. As we were sitting in sacrament meeting I looked out the door at the chickens and goats looking in at us and realized that it didn't even seem unique to me. Until then I hadn't noticed the music from the canteena across the street and hadn't even thought about using the pit toilets. I guess we're becoming “Africanized!” The branch choir sang and we were signaled to come up and join them. When I taught the primary leaders about presidency meetings the president said, “We'll do that. We didn't know about it before, but now we'll do it” - and they do! Don't we wish everyone was so willing? We took pictures of the Young Women who have written their testimonies to share with our home ward, and of the Young Men who sit on the steps and teach each other the priesthood lesson each week. We feel greatly blessed to have these wonderful experiences.

Have a wonderful week. We love you.