Our first projects

#1 We have started writing up some projects.   One came from Church headquarters --  We have been told to write up one for Mali.  We do not have any church presence in Mali but we will give $2000 to a NGO (non-governmental organization) who is doing work there and they will use it to buy mosquito nets for children.

#2 The Church is giving a used vehicle to the military who patrol around the temple in Aba.   It is good to keep good relations with them.  Their vehicle is old and broken down (beyond repair). 

#3  We will run some water pipes from a water storage tank down to the showers at a boarding school.  There is a good downhill slope so it will be gravity fed to the taps.  We already did a water system for them at the school so this will just kind of finish it off for them to make life easier.

#4  A girl came in to the office with a request and we are writing that one up.  She works at a Chemical store (drug store).  The lady who owned the store died --- In the past she gave out free malaria medications and de-worming meds to children from 2 yrs. - 5 yrs. at Christmas time.   They came to us asking for help because they would like to continue doing this.   She dropped off an invoice on Friday with the cost of the medications (malaria, de-worming, and black tonic) for 1000 children.  We are looking at buying the medications for them to give out.   The black tonic (I think it was called that) helps to build up their blood as they are usually anemic after having worms and malaria.   We have someone in the Church who works for an NGO in the area and he will go check on things there and make sure that if we do this we are not duplicating someone else's efforts.

So ...  we are starting to get into the work. 

Friday was a holiday here - Farmer's Day.  The Area office was closed so I swam, Jim walked, and then we went shopping, did laundry and just relaxed a bit.  

Elder Curtis, the Area President, stopped by our office one day last week to visit with us for a few minutes.  I think he was just making sure that we are doing okay and feeling good about things. 

We are having a  couple's seminar from Dec. 16 - 18th.  The couples in Sierra Leone and Liberia are coming here.  It will be great to meet them and hear about all they are doing.

We are settling in and feeling a little more confident with the food, driving etc.   Sister Dube told me that the pork chops are good here so we tried some --- and yes, they are good, so we bought some more.  Nice to have something else beside chicken.  We have also used some ground beef (mince) and it is okay when we spice it up a bit.  We brought a Costco container of Taco seasoning.  We continue to eat a lot of pineapple (so yummy!).  

The gardener brought me three pots of dirt that are outside our door.  I planted some kale and cilantro seeds that I brought.  They are starting to grow.  We will see how they turn out. 

We are doing fine and all is well.   Thanks for your emails -- we love to hear from home. 

Love,  Jim & Nancy,  Mom & Dad