Long, Satisfying Day

Elder Cinquini and I were up and out the door by 7:30 am with two PA directors to met the Area Humanitarians Ken and Phillip at the airport. We all drove North to met with a company involved with agriculture projects that help families and farmers to become self reliant. They wanted to show the farms they are working with.  We drove and drove and drove.  We didn't realize it was going to be such a long drive but we saw some beautiful countryside and lots of sugar cane.

Walking among the butternut squash 

The women sit and wash the squash before they put them into a bag.

Then a women carries the bag to the end of the road for pick up. 

This food is going to a local school. 

The women were friendly and even let me try to carry 

A bag on my head, but my iPad battery went low and 

We didn't get a picture. 

On our way back to Durban we had one more meeting

at Ukhozi FM regarding their trip to Salt Lake. We finally got home at 5:30 pm

We had a small miracle during our drive today. We had not anticipated driving so many kilometers and our gas was running very low.  Just as our gas light went on we found a rugged gas station. We were so happy, then the attendant said they did not have any unleaded gas. We were in the middle of nowhere. We kept driving, already late for our second meeting, but still several kilometers to the nearest town. My anxiety level was beginning to climb. We went up and down hills expecting the next corner to reveal a town, but instead it was nothing but farm land. Everyone in the car was getting very nervous. Every time Elder Cinquini went downhill he put the car in neutral. Now the gas tank says empty and Sipho says I don't think we're going to make it. Then we see a sign that said the nearest town is 30 kilometers!  Sipho said if this car makes it, I'm going to buy it!  That car went another 24 kilometers on an empty tank. We couldn't believe it. We all shouted for joy when we pulled up to the gas station. Then we all started laughing and joking.  

We were so thankful that the radio station kept our meeting even though were 1 1/2 hours late. Many things were worked out for the trip.  A woman named Yvonne saw us in the lobby and gave us a big hug. We thought maybe she was a member of the church, but she saw my name tag and said she knows our church. She was so happy to see us and we had a friendly chat. She was there to talk on the radio about heart health. As we came out of the meeting we saw her waiting to go on the air and she asked us to wait.  When she finished she said she was nervous to go on the air but when she saw us she knew everything would be ok. she loves the youth of the church and what they stand for. We didn't get to know her whole story so Sipho took her name and number and said he wanted to have lunch with her. Brother Sipho Duma asked her for a magazine that she had so he could read it, later he said I have a gift for you as well, and he gave her the My Family booklet and explained to her what it was.  Zanele asked her to speak at an Enrichment mtg about healthy cooking for children. She said she always wanted to know what was in that church building, she wanted to see for herself. Sister Zanele Hlongwane agreed to give her a tour of the building, including famly history, library, and employment. She agreed to all the meetings, they set a date, and that my friends is Public Affairs in action. You can make a new friend just that quick.