"These children are the poorest of the poor", said Miss Pearl Msali, the Principal of the Imvuleni Primary School. We were eating dinner at the Underberg Inn and she and her daughter Mandy were loving every bite. I asked her if these children were poor, just trying to get a little background on what we might expect the next morning when we arrived at the school. Sister Heninger was writing as fast as she could but stopped when Pearl said "poorest of the poor". Imvuleni Primary School is an hour out of Underberg if it's not raining. But it had rained most of the night. So, it took us much longer following her into the most remote area of our missionary lives. Underberg is a remote village in the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains. It lies at the base of the Sani Pass, the back road into the Kingdom of Lesotheo. Imvuleni School is beyond remote.
We were introduced to Sister Msali, a member of the KwaMashu Branch in the Durban Stake, by Bishop Zulu, because we felt impressed to ask him if he had any school teachers in his branch. We wanted to place some hygiene kits, Humanitarian Services in Johannesburg were looking to move. She was very receptive humbly putting her hands together, as if she was praying, as we spoke to her about our plans to check her little school out. "This is a dream come true, to some day have missionaries come to my school" she said. We could not get Humanitarian Services to agree to supply the needed hygiene kits unless we went to see the school and the children. We also had to agree to line up someone to teach hygiene and invite the parents to the training. We agreed to all the demands and included the trip to the school on the end of a PA council training, trip to the Midlands .
It was a beautiful morning, the sun was warming up the mountain air and burning off the rain clouds of the night. It promised to be a warm dry day. The deeper we went into the country side the more remote it got. There were less and less people, we could see no inhabitants, no townships any where, which is unusual. It doesn't take long on most roads to run into people in remote areas. Huts seem to pop up at the most unusual places, it seems, without any reason for being there. Finally the mud road lead us to the settlement, then the road got worse. The hills were impossible, we got our little car going at times when I just had check to see if someone pushing.
The school looked deserted and was quite as a mouse, there were no kids outside. No playground equipment or groomed play grounds. Razor wire circled the buildings like you would see in a prison camp. Mud surrounded the buildings in and outside the fence.
The children were in the buildings quietly learning. We went from class to class. The grade one classes had to be combined as one of the teachers had not come in that morning. There were three little "learners " as they were called, to each desk. I shall never forget their faces as most of them saw for the first time a white person. It was nearly impossible to tell if they were male or female, until they stood up and you could see if they were wearing long pants or a skirt. They were incredibly cute. Their eyes were bright and wide open. I got the feeling they were quite afraid of us.
Class after class we visited, over five hundred students from grade one to grade seven. The older leaners were allowed to ask questions like: where are you from, what do you do? Not one leaner knew where Canada was. We had to draw a picture on the board to explain where Canada was in relationship to South Africa. English is taught and used in teaching but Zulu is spoken in most instructions.
We were honered with a show of singing and dancing. The children were just like our grandchildren, full of hope for a bright future. They did not know they were poor, they had no liabary and wore worn out hand-me-down uniforms but they were happy having a school to go to. And we were happy to be with them. "Hath not God chosen the poor of the world rich in faith...?" They knew Jesus when we put up a picture of Him on a pass-along card. And we felt closer to him being with them.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
"...anxiously engaged in a good cause" and trying to get it published
Since I last reported, we have traveled a great deal and seen just some of the middle plains of, South Africa. We visited the Free State, City of Bloemfontein then went on to the Mountain Country of Lesotho a small African Country completely surrounded by South Africa. There are two such Kingdoms within South Africa. I will tell you about the other Kingdom when we visit it. We then went to the City of Bethlehem and from Bethlehem to the town of Ladysmith in KwaZulu Natal the province where we live. From there we went to the small town of Dundee then on to the City of Newcastle, and then back to Ladysmith and home to Durban.
Each town and city has a story of Public Affairs training and activities. We set the trip up from Durban and it took almost a full week to complete. In each city we met wonder Senior Couple Missionaries who helped us meet Church leaders and key opinion leaders that were most helpful to the cause of Public Affairs. Elder and Sister Allred introduced us to the new District Presidency in Bleomfontein with whom we sat in council. The next day they took us to Leosotho where we met the Dahles, a senior couple working out of Ladybrand and the Zone Leader, Elder Swartzberg and his companion. Elder Swartzberg is an MD and gives service in local hospitals when they will let him. We are trying to write up Elder Swartzberg in the Liahona.
At the Allred's, in the modern, clean City of Bloemfontein we saw Giraffe and huge Roan Antelope at close quarters and a host of other wild animals right outside their door. Their suburb is a game reserve. Whole herds of antelope, a number of different kinds, including Springbok, that can leap high into the air and travel at incredible speeds. It seems like they love to fly! From Bloemfontein, the Allreds took us to the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho where the King is very friendly to the Church and welcomes the Missionaries. It is a very poor Kingdom though and the people are humble and very friendly. The Church in Lesotho is growing fast.
In Maseru, a large city in Lesotho, we tried to get more information from Elder Swartzberg. His family are Jewish and they are members of the Church. He is very intelligent and way to modest to give us much to add to our report. He has promised to send us more of his experiences and more about himself but unsurprisingly we haven't heard from him. We left the beautiful Mountain Kingdom and traveled back to spend the second night with the Allreds
From Bloemfontein we traveled to Bethlehem and met with the District of Elders there. We then travelled on to Ladysmith to meet with the Hudsons and the Area Humanitarian Directors, the Nielsens. With the names of the people we met to that point we thought we could have just as easy been at the Shuswap.
We stayed at the Hudson's and met up with the Neilsens the next morning and traveled to the town of Dundee. We met there, with the Mayor of Dundee, one of her Town Council members, a municpal officer who works directly with the Madadeni Township. Madadeni Township is on the outskirts of Dundee, we also had with us a news reporter and a local Pastor. A Public Affairs dream team!
We traveled around the Madadeni Township, inspecting water sites. These sites are where the people of the Township get their drinking and washing water. The circumstances at these sites are deplorable, they are usually large muddy pools with a plastic pipe sticking out of the mud, with a tap on it. The Church is proposing to build water stations at each site that would consist of a concrete platform with three or four water taps. Built into the platform there would be a place to sit and wash clothes or just to come and get drinking water without lining up to do it. The town of Dundee is very excited to have the Church there helping to improve the life of the very poor people of the township.
From Dundee we traveled to Newcastle where we met with the Wards. They hurried us off to a Community Care Center in the center of the Osizweni Township where the Kwahilda Ongcwele Center cares for orphans and vulnerable children who are infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS, or who are chronically or terminally ill. One hundred to two hundred happy, active kids swarmed us- just excited to see white friendly faces. The wards had presents for all the kids, but the Center was losing their sponsor and did not know what they were going to do.
Many children have lost one or both parents to Aids. Many of the chidren have HIV/AIDS. Some children only have other children or relatives who will take them in or stay with them in what ever shelter they can find.
The next day we met at the Red Cross facility in Newcastle which was very poorly supplied and had little to give to the those who, had earlier in the month, been driven out of their homes because of flooding. The Church which works closely with the Red Cross, sent much needed hygene and new born kits. Luckily the floods were not too severe this year and they were able to manage. The Red Cross was not well supplied or funded. The South Africa Red Cross is in dire need, and I believe, it will have trouble just staying operational.
From the Red Cross we went to a baby Orphanage called Home Meah, uMephi . A lady by the name of Jacky Horn started the home. It takes care of six infants at a time. She is an incredible person, she teaches at a underprivileged school, directs the running of the home and has a family with four children of her own. Her last child was an orphan she was taking care of. She could not part with this little baby, so she adopted her. Realizing she couldn't adopt all the babies she was taking care of at the time, she set out to get Home Meah set-up. She has helped sixty four babies start normal lives.
That night late, we headed back to Ladysmith and stayed the night with the wonderful Hudson's. In the morning we attended church at Ezakeheni Township( all Townships are all black -all Towns and Cites have Townships attached), we met in an old meat processing warehouse with no air conditioning. The fans had to be turned off because you couldn't hear the people bearing their testimonies because the PA system didn't work. Priesthood meeting was outside on the side of the building where there was two feet of shade. It was at lease five degrees cooler than where the Relief Society sisters and the Primary Children, roasted in the metal building. All members and non members alike, were smiling and happy to be there! After Church and lunch at the Hudson's we left for the trip home.
It was a welcome site to see Durban again, our little apartment and a working air conditioner. But that night the cool ocean breezes of Durban welcomed us and it was good to be home, so we did not turn on the air conditioner and slept well, having been "anxiously engaged in a good cause"... and trying to get it published.
Each town and city has a story of Public Affairs training and activities. We set the trip up from Durban and it took almost a full week to complete. In each city we met wonder Senior Couple Missionaries who helped us meet Church leaders and key opinion leaders that were most helpful to the cause of Public Affairs. Elder and Sister Allred introduced us to the new District Presidency in Bleomfontein with whom we sat in council. The next day they took us to Leosotho where we met the Dahles, a senior couple working out of Ladybrand and the Zone Leader, Elder Swartzberg and his companion. Elder Swartzberg is an MD and gives service in local hospitals when they will let him. We are trying to write up Elder Swartzberg in the Liahona.
At the Allred's, in the modern, clean City of Bloemfontein we saw Giraffe and huge Roan Antelope at close quarters and a host of other wild animals right outside their door. Their suburb is a game reserve. Whole herds of antelope, a number of different kinds, including Springbok, that can leap high into the air and travel at incredible speeds. It seems like they love to fly! From Bloemfontein, the Allreds took us to the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho where the King is very friendly to the Church and welcomes the Missionaries. It is a very poor Kingdom though and the people are humble and very friendly. The Church in Lesotho is growing fast.
In Maseru, a large city in Lesotho, we tried to get more information from Elder Swartzberg. His family are Jewish and they are members of the Church. He is very intelligent and way to modest to give us much to add to our report. He has promised to send us more of his experiences and more about himself but unsurprisingly we haven't heard from him. We left the beautiful Mountain Kingdom and traveled back to spend the second night with the Allreds
From Bloemfontein we traveled to Bethlehem and met with the District of Elders there. We then travelled on to Ladysmith to meet with the Hudsons and the Area Humanitarian Directors, the Nielsens. With the names of the people we met to that point we thought we could have just as easy been at the Shuswap.
We stayed at the Hudson's and met up with the Neilsens the next morning and traveled to the town of Dundee. We met there, with the Mayor of Dundee, one of her Town Council members, a municpal officer who works directly with the Madadeni Township. Madadeni Township is on the outskirts of Dundee, we also had with us a news reporter and a local Pastor. A Public Affairs dream team!
We traveled around the Madadeni Township, inspecting water sites. These sites are where the people of the Township get their drinking and washing water. The circumstances at these sites are deplorable, they are usually large muddy pools with a plastic pipe sticking out of the mud, with a tap on it. The Church is proposing to build water stations at each site that would consist of a concrete platform with three or four water taps. Built into the platform there would be a place to sit and wash clothes or just to come and get drinking water without lining up to do it. The town of Dundee is very excited to have the Church there helping to improve the life of the very poor people of the township.
From Dundee we traveled to Newcastle where we met with the Wards. They hurried us off to a Community Care Center in the center of the Osizweni Township where the Kwahilda Ongcwele Center cares for orphans and vulnerable children who are infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS, or who are chronically or terminally ill. One hundred to two hundred happy, active kids swarmed us- just excited to see white friendly faces. The wards had presents for all the kids, but the Center was losing their sponsor and did not know what they were going to do.
Many children have lost one or both parents to Aids. Many of the chidren have HIV/AIDS. Some children only have other children or relatives who will take them in or stay with them in what ever shelter they can find.
The next day we met at the Red Cross facility in Newcastle which was very poorly supplied and had little to give to the those who, had earlier in the month, been driven out of their homes because of flooding. The Church which works closely with the Red Cross, sent much needed hygene and new born kits. Luckily the floods were not too severe this year and they were able to manage. The Red Cross was not well supplied or funded. The South Africa Red Cross is in dire need, and I believe, it will have trouble just staying operational.
From the Red Cross we went to a baby Orphanage called Home Meah, uMephi . A lady by the name of Jacky Horn started the home. It takes care of six infants at a time. She is an incredible person, she teaches at a underprivileged school, directs the running of the home and has a family with four children of her own. Her last child was an orphan she was taking care of. She could not part with this little baby, so she adopted her. Realizing she couldn't adopt all the babies she was taking care of at the time, she set out to get Home Meah set-up. She has helped sixty four babies start normal lives.
That night late, we headed back to Ladysmith and stayed the night with the wonderful Hudson's. In the morning we attended church at Ezakeheni Township( all Townships are all black -all Towns and Cites have Townships attached), we met in an old meat processing warehouse with no air conditioning. The fans had to be turned off because you couldn't hear the people bearing their testimonies because the PA system didn't work. Priesthood meeting was outside on the side of the building where there was two feet of shade. It was at lease five degrees cooler than where the Relief Society sisters and the Primary Children, roasted in the metal building. All members and non members alike, were smiling and happy to be there! After Church and lunch at the Hudson's we left for the trip home.
It was a welcome site to see Durban again, our little apartment and a working air conditioner. But that night the cool ocean breezes of Durban welcomed us and it was good to be home, so we did not turn on the air conditioner and slept well, having been "anxiously engaged in a good cause"... and trying to get it published.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Welcome to The Durban Mission in South Africa
What a great place this South Africa. The warm friendly people are it's greatest natural resource.
We will never be the same because of them!
It has been a month -we can not believe it, a month, since we left the snow of Canada. To come to this lush jungle of Durban South Africa with beautiful ocean views between the hills, beaches, and jungle everywhere, thick jungle everywhere. They say there are snakes out there, but I do not believe it. We have not had the time or the courage it would take to check it out. We have gone fishing, and caught fish. We have gone to a soccer game and been on TV with thirty-some other Missionaries. All dressed in white shirts and ties and name tags; the fans were probably watching us as much as the game. Durban played Bloemfontein, the home team lost!
We have met many wonderful people. We have been in the Townships of Soweto, KwaMashu and Kwadabeka and have had a wonderful time meeting with the people of the townships. We have enjoyed listening to Zulu and English mixed together until we couldn't tell which they were speaking. You can not help but love the people. They love Sunday. They all come out into the streets on Sunday. We have been to the Pinetown and Berea wards in the City and have interviewed with members of the Area Presidency, Stake Presidents and their Councillors, a Mission President, Bishops and Branch Presidents and Public Affairs directors and have been very warmly accepted by all we have met.
People come up to us and ask us what we are doing here. A waitress asked us where our Church was and insisted we tell her so she could come to our Church. Many people look at our badges and say: "I believe in Jesus Christ". One man in a grocery store asked where the young men were, and why they had sent old people to them. When one man asked if I was employed here in Durban and I told him I wasn't, he said: "Oh you are working for God now"! They have a saying when you can't believe what just happened to you, they say: "Welcome to South Africa".
Our Mission started out in Johannesburg, South Africa. It was a rough start for us. We suffered terribly from jet-lag and could not sleep at night. To make matters worse I had laryngitis and could not get rid of it. We were glad to leave for Durban, after ten days in Johannesburg.
I thought it time to start this blog, we have called, we have emailed but not blogged. I am not sure why.
I believe God directs us for good. It is good to be here.
Elder and Sister Heninger in South Africa
We will never be the same because of them!
It has been a month -we can not believe it, a month, since we left the snow of Canada. To come to this lush jungle of Durban South Africa with beautiful ocean views between the hills, beaches, and jungle everywhere, thick jungle everywhere. They say there are snakes out there, but I do not believe it. We have not had the time or the courage it would take to check it out. We have gone fishing, and caught fish. We have gone to a soccer game and been on TV with thirty-some other Missionaries. All dressed in white shirts and ties and name tags; the fans were probably watching us as much as the game. Durban played Bloemfontein, the home team lost!
We have met many wonderful people. We have been in the Townships of Soweto, KwaMashu and Kwadabeka and have had a wonderful time meeting with the people of the townships. We have enjoyed listening to Zulu and English mixed together until we couldn't tell which they were speaking. You can not help but love the people. They love Sunday. They all come out into the streets on Sunday. We have been to the Pinetown and Berea wards in the City and have interviewed with members of the Area Presidency, Stake Presidents and their Councillors, a Mission President, Bishops and Branch Presidents and Public Affairs directors and have been very warmly accepted by all we have met.
People come up to us and ask us what we are doing here. A waitress asked us where our Church was and insisted we tell her so she could come to our Church. Many people look at our badges and say: "I believe in Jesus Christ". One man in a grocery store asked where the young men were, and why they had sent old people to them. When one man asked if I was employed here in Durban and I told him I wasn't, he said: "Oh you are working for God now"! They have a saying when you can't believe what just happened to you, they say: "Welcome to South Africa".
Our Mission started out in Johannesburg, South Africa. It was a rough start for us. We suffered terribly from jet-lag and could not sleep at night. To make matters worse I had laryngitis and could not get rid of it. We were glad to leave for Durban, after ten days in Johannesburg.
I thought it time to start this blog, we have called, we have emailed but not blogged. I am not sure why.
I believe God directs us for good. It is good to be here.
Elder and Sister Heninger in South Africa
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)