May 2 - 8, 2016 The Week before Mother's Day

 May 2 - Morning Walk

Sunrise

May 3 -  We went to the Distribution Center to pick up some supplies. The Institute building, facilities management offices, and Distribution Center office is in a separate building right next to the Lubumbashi Stake Center. A man was watering the lawn with a hose that is similar to a fireman's hose. It is flat unless water is flowing through it. The water pours out and he moves around and waters by hand.

Watering the lawn at the Lubumbashi Stake Center. 

Monument at one of the roundabouts downtown 

 May 4 -


May 5 - We drove Elder Ngoy to the airport. He has finished his mission and his family lives in Kinshasa. He is actually flying to Nairobe, Kenya where he will be released by a stake president there. He is being married on Saturday to Sister Wamalwa who finished her mission here in January. They met in the Ghana MTC. Next Tuesday they will fly to Johannesburg to be sealed in the Temple. Then they will fly to Kinshasa where they are going to live. It is a little different here where there still are arranged marriages. He will be marrying someone he has never been on a date with or even been alone before.

Elder Peterson, Elder Nick Ngoy, Sister Peteson

The following pictures were taken coming from the airport and driving into the city. We are coming off a small hill so we can see a little of the landscape of the city. 

Electrical Substation

May 6 - On our morning walk we passed a charcoal stove that had been started. Someone is getting it heated for their breakfast.

Charcoal (charbonner) stove

Birds flying north for the winter. Remember, we are opposite here.

Look at the little fog coming off from the river

Papaya tree

Papaya 

Interesting shaped tree

May 7 - Saturday morning. This morning we went on a long explore, two hours long instead of the usual one hour. We started going the same way as yesterday morning.

Sunflowers

Mist over the river again

Sunflowers inside a former brick home

Anyone need a painter?? Creative advertising sign.

The man on the left asked us to take his picture with his family. He is a money changer. The women had peanuts and other things for sale.

This looks like the beginnings of a bridge over the river-- never finished.

Coconuts at the top of this tree

Beautiful landscaping

This Mack truck isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Not only flat tires but the middle section is only rims--no tires.

This used to be a big billboard sign we would run to. One man said a car ran into it; another said the person renting the ad space didn't pay his bill so the owner of the sign frame cut it down.  Who knows the real truth??

A torch was taken to this portion of the sign to cut it off.

Sunflowers all down this wall 

Bouganvilla

Tree with orange blossoms 

Close up of the orange blossom from the tree

Bamboo trees

Men with their garbage cart

Small businesses like these dot the roads

We were able to FaceTime or Hangout with several of our children to wish our daughters Happy Mother's Day. It was great to talk to Erin, Leslie, Sarah, Rachael, and Rebecca. We hope to catch the others tomorrow evening. 

To all our Beautiful Daughters (Remember, no in-laws in this family)

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

We love all of you. You are nurturing our precious grandchildren and you are all doing an amazing job!

Have a wonderful day. I hope all our Sons are spoiling you on this, your special day. We miss you. We are so grateful for FaceTime and Hangout. It makes being half a world away bearable. We are almost at the 6 month mark - 1/4 of this spectacular adventure is over. Time is passing so quickly.

Take care of each other in your own homes and within the extended family. Thank you for taking my place in helping Sarah with the newest addition to our family.

We love you all individually and collectively. Remember, follow the Prophet--no empty chairs in our family.

Sunday, May 8 - Mother's Day at the Nyashi 1 Ward

Sister Vance with Primary children

Sister Vance

 The children love their pictures taken.

Sister Vance and Sister Cook with an older member of the Ward

Elder and Sister Peterson with a young adult from the ward

Sister Cook with ward members

Chicken with her chicks that just crossed the road in front of us

Traffic Light

This truck needs an emission inspection.

 We got to "Hangout" with my Mother, Betty Wood this afternoon. She is an amazing 90 years old and still very active. Love her with all my heart. Only 6 1/2 weeks until my sister Vickie and her husband Steve are released from their full time mission. It will be much easier for Mom to have one of us back home.