Hats

I found a few children at the Women's Day Event that could wear my hats I've been loom knitting this winter.
Yes, it is winter here, we are just heading into Spring, the raining season.  Hard to wrap my head around it when I look on facebook and see everyone out of school and going on vacations.

 

Sahara Women's Shelter Event

South Africa has the largest population of Indian people outside of India.  Today I attended a Women's Day Event at the Phoenix child & Family Welfare Society Building.  Below is my article explaining the event.

Phoenix Branch Helps at Women’s Day Event

August in South Africa is Women’s Month, where women are celebrated and honoured throughout the country.  One event took place on August 20^th at the Phoenix Child & Family Welfare Society building in Phoenix, KZN. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints joined with Sahara Women’s Shelter and Family Welfare Society to have a pampering day for women.  The ceremony included speeches, video, music, dance, and various booths which included massages, manicures, make overs and ended with a lunch.

For this year’s celebration, church members sponsored sixty toiletry bags for women currently at the shelter.  The Young Women in the Branch helped during a mutual activity to pack the bags.  The bags included toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, wash cloth, lotion, nail clippers, ear buds and tissues.  The committee organizers of the event expressed their thanks to the Church for the donation and the support of the women at the shelter.

Sister Merlini Muthu, Phoenix Branch Relief Society President said, “The Sahara Women’s Shelter is a non-profit organization that relays only on sponsorships. The Phoenix Branch reached out to Sahara Shelter last year during Mormon Helping Hands Day where they cleaned the area, painted window frames and door frames, put new plastic sheeting in the cub boards, and welded the burglar guards on the windows.”

Julie Gopual, a social worker at Sahara said, “Women are abused all over the world; race, religion, or economic status makes no difference.  People don’t want to talk about it because it is painful or they want to hide because they are ashamed.  We need to get the information out to women that domestic violence is not acceptable.  We want people to talk about domestic violence.” 

Domestic violence is the most common and widespread human rights abuse in South Africa. At the Sahara Women’s Shelter they can house twenty-four women and children.  The shelter works with social services agencies and the Phoenix Police Department for placement.

Sister Muthu said, “We take our lives for granted because we come from good homes and yet there are sisters out there who need our help.  We are part of a great sisterhood in Relief Society, but it felt good today to be a part of a sisterhood where we could do some good.”

I had such a good time with the women.  My Bollywood dreams came true when a very handsome young man sang a song in Hindi and the women (including me) got up to dance.

 Sister Poelman, Sister Muthu, Sister Cinquini attending the Women's Event

The women were pampered with manicures, neck massages, and make overs.

Couples Night Out

The senior couples went to dinner at the Revolving Restaurant (similar to the Space Needle) to welcome a new couple that just arrived.  I heard that 40% of couples called to Africa turn it down, but 80% who have been on a mission to Africa will return if they go on another mission. Most turn down the mission for fear of coming to a wild untamed country.   It's interesting what fear or the unknown can do to a person.  The first two months we were here, we made sure we were home before dark, now we come and go whenever we please.  I can see how fear can stop progression in a persons life or hold them back from their potential. I'm learning and growing just like the young missionaries.  Sometimes that's good and some days it's hard.   Elder Cinquini and I are doing our best, but one thing for sure, we have been so blessed to be here and met such wonderful people.

 Eating dinner at the Revolving Restaurant.  This is our view of the city.

That's Ed's steak in the background.  The best he's had in South Africa.

Helping Hands Day

Saturday, August 16th, was the Mormon Helping Hands Day in South Africa.  Elder Cinquini and I made it to three events taking pictures and recording interviews for the local newspaper. This is a day that Church members help improve and uplift their communities.  This year the theme was  "Hand and Hand With Government."  It was a real joy to see all the projects and the many people who turned out to help.  This was happening in 32 countries in South Africa

Umlazi BB Ward at a Daycare for disabled children

Pinetown Ward at a a home for senior citizens

Bluff Ward making repairs and trimming trees for a home for disabled children.

Elder Cinquini interviewing a ward members who was helping prepare the ground for a garden.

Mother of Peace Orphanage

We visited the Orphanage, Mother of Peace, about 30 miles from Durban.  One of the senior couples had their family visiting from America and they had a granddaughter, along with family and friends, that made 68 hand sewn stuffed animals. Along with the stuffed animals she wrote stories that gave a particular uplifting message.  The children live in family groups with a full-time house mother. They take the children from birth to 18 years old.  At eighteen they help them get jobs before they leave.  I was impressed with the clean environment though very modest.  Lots of room on the property to run and play.  The children come to the orphanage if they have lost their parents or are abandoned by parents who are unable to care for them.  Some of the children suffer illnesses such as HIV. Lots of different organizations contribute and volunteer their time.  An Irish group came and built some of the houses the children live in.  The area looks like a little neighborhood.  Everyone works together to create a family oriented lifestyle for the children.  It brings home the message, "It takes a village".

Elder and Sister Poelman and their family 

This particular home has seven children plus the house mother. 

Elder Cinquini playing with the children

Welcome Home Ukhozi FM

After spending seven busy days in Salt Lake City, Utah, learning about the Church, the welfare program, visiting agricultural farms, meeting with young people,and many more other activities, the delegation arrived back to Durban.  Waiting for them at the airport was a 40 member choir from Umlazi BB ward who sang songs and presented Mroza with flowers.  It was a paparazzi moment as cameras were flashing back and forth.  The Ukhozi presenters Mroza and Sbu spoke very kindly toward the church during their programs in the coming days.  Ukhozi FM is the largest radio station in South Africa.  We hope their listeners will take this opportunity to find out what the Church is all about.

Mroza glad to be home

New Church Building

A beautiful new building has been dedicated in Ezakheni, South Africa.  The members were very grateful. President Hamilton of the Area Presidency said, "Although the outside of the building is beautiful, what is going on  inside the building is what matters.  Where Saints come together that is where the heart of the Lord is "  

Old meeting house

New meeting house recently constructed and dedicated to the Lord

Members of the Ezakheni Branch