More Pictures from our Rhino Rescue

Ammon Sleeping

Rhino Rescue

Our Rhino Rescue in Kruger National Park was a success! It was exciting to watch the helicopter circle the area looking for rhinos nearby.  Soon they spotted a mother and her calf and the Vet went up with his tranquilizer gun.  Once the rhino calf was shot the helicopter quickly drove both mother and baby towards us in hopes ithe calf would fall in a clearing but it didn't quite make it. The helicopter was able to  separate Ammon from his mother for 1/2 hour while a Vet, with the help of all the senior couples, tagged him and put a chip in his horn to discourage Poaching .  Poaching rhinos is a real problem here in South Africa, because there are people who believe that the horn cures cancer.

 When Ammon first went down he wasn't in a good position so several men had to lift and turn him a bit. The rhino was a calf around 3 years old, weighting about 3200 pounds. Ed's job was to put powder on the rhino's ear after the Vet notched it. The powder produced  a chemical reaction to stop the bleeding.  Some of  jobs included monitored his breathing, collected DNA, putting socks in his ears and towel over his eyes to help keep him calm, and administering the anti dote to wake him up.

When Ammon woke up he was a bit shaky at first, but in a few minutes he ran off to his mother.  Long Live Ammon!

MIYO

We are very proud of Zanele Hlongwae and her dedication to her non-profit organization M.I.Y.O.  Her focus is on families and children in the community, and preparing them for life after grade twelve.  Recently she held an event in the rural area where nearly 100 people came to listen to various speakers that included a Social Worker, Radio Contributor, Women Entrepreneur and two speakers from the Department of Education.  They all spoke Zulu, so Ed and I didn't understand anything but we could feel by the audiences reaction that they received the messages with enthusiasm.  I also took my first taxi ride.  Ed was wondering how no one on the street was killed. We look forward to more of her events because they are centered around the gospel principal of families.

Both these gentlemen spoke about education and the importance that parents be involved with their children's education.  The only reason I know that is because we spoke with them before the event started:)

These beautiful ladies all spoke at the event.

There were a few goats who came to the event too.

These are the ladies from the ward who helped Zanele throughout the day.

Gathering Firewood

During a lovely drive in the Drakensberg mountains when we came across several women and children who were carrying wood on their heads down the road.  We were astonished at the size and length of wood.  The scene was rolling hills with some wide open spaces and a beautiful river where mothers were bathing children and washing clothes.

Great Day

Saturday we attended an event with 100 people from a rural area that came to learn about being better parents, watchcare over their children's education, and keeping families safe. The speakers were from the Department of Education, Social worker, Uhkozi FM contributor, women who spoke about having confidence to get the job you really want in life. The church PA supplied Family Enrichment Books,which are a foreign version of FHE. The invitation said lunch provided. This is what we all received. And you know what, it was just fine! Why, in the states, do we fuss so much about feeding the members?  This was easy, fast and healthy.