Senior DaBells

27 December 2012

Tis the Season......all over the world.......

The morning of December 15^th was the Christmas party at the Orphanage. We took the items we assembled with the Tshabalala Family and the Bassos and were joined by the Greens, the Andersons, the Wollienz' and the Petersons.

Sister Anderson

These children have lived through tremendous trauma. They always appreciate a warm secure hug, and we are happy to oblige

The Petersons presented a new industrial sewing machine to Mama. The gift came from their family. Mama said, now I have a husband I will let in the house (meaning the sewing machine)

The Tshabalala Family

Front: Khumo and Ntando

Back: Bokang, Moipane, Dominic, Minenhle and Awande

We had a Nativity program with the Tshabalala family being the actors for Mary, Joseph, the angels, shepherds and wise men. We used This Is the Season from the Primary song book for the narration.

We also sang some Christmas carols, ate a hot dog brunch and gave the children some gifts: hygiene kits, hard plastic lockers to keep personal items in and a few other “toy” gifts. Mama and the children were appreciative and happy.

The little girls also received one of the dolls made by Sister Peterson with a little help from some of the rest of us.

Dominic was like a “pied piper” in playing games with the kids.

December 16^th we attended church at the Hospital View ward. Bishop Cindi said after the Holidays they would invite us back to train Ward Council, speak in Sacrament meeting and teach the youth on making decisions.

This is the sky that greeted us on our way out of church!!!

Sunday, we also visited the MTC with cookies and carols. the missionaries presented a nativity play, and then we sang. Afterwards there were two banquet tables filled with cookies that were quickly eaten. The MTC experience is a steep learning curve for many of these missionaries as they come from remote villiages without running water or electricity. Many things to learn besides teaching the gospel and showing people the way to Jesus Christ.

December 17^th we went with the Senior Couples on a train ride to Magliesburg Nature Reserve: very fun, good food, good company and beautiful country!

The train is a 1930s stean engine that has an automatic coal feeder. You can move from car to car. There were a lot of families who travelled to have a picnic. We had lunch at the Magliesburg Hotel Resort. It was a public holiday.