12 MARCH 2014

TIME FLIES ON WINGS OF LIGHTENING ..................SO TRUE, SO TRUE

17 February  We accompanied Sister Naylor to Tskane Branch where we met Obed and toured his Chicken Broiler facilities.  We also observed the large garden they have planted on Branch property.  We also had the opportunity to meet Obed’s wife, Poppy, and see the “tiny” home they live in.  He should have baby chicks delivered soon.

There is a cooperative garden in the area around the church.

Tsakane will have a new church building. It will have the potential to be a Stake Center at some point.

OBED and POPPY

Obed and Poppy again.  You will notice that Obed looks as is he has a cataract in his right eye, actually he was severely beaten and has no vision in that eye.

Obed and Poppy's home.  There is a rental "home" behind them that helps bring in some income.

The baby chicks will come here for 6 weeks

This is a "farm" that has an extra building that will be used to grow the chickens to broiler size.

These little guys live at the "farm" with their parents.

Parents of the boys outside of their home.

The Grower Coup.  Constructed of materials available.  Needs a little more work.

Cosmos in the field.

Soccer is a favorite, any time, any place!

If thou of thy fortune be bereft, And in thy store there be but left,
Two loaves, sell one, and with the dole, Buy Hyacinths to feed thy soul. 
(or plant a wall of ivy)
Muslih-uddin Sadi

Wash Day

18, 20 February   We taught Self Employment Workshop in Vosloorus.  We had 9 in attendance.  6 of the participants are part of a Waste Management Cooperative.  Sister Nkoe is starting a Market Research company.  The Elder’s President is involved in Hotel Consulting.

21 February   We attended the 6 am session at the Temple as a Self Reliance Group.

Sean Boshoff, 33 year old stake president Pretoria Stake

22-23 February   We attended the Pretoria Stake Conference and reconnected with many friends from Kwa Guqa, Mabopane, Atteridgeville, Pretoria First and so forth.  We met with the Stake Self Reliance Specialist and suggested several resources that would help his members:  KFC, Harambee, Imbabala Investments, etc.




We met Bishop Rakotomanjay and his wife at Stake Conference.  Their Children, Jason and Isabell, are 4 years and 2 years now.  Bishop Jeremy has his work papers in order now.  He created and presented a web site for a mining company.  It was purchased, and then they hired him to manage the site. 

These are shower buckets.  Colourful and practical!

23 February   We attended the first half of the February Senior Missionary Zone Conference.   President and Sister Collins, MTC President, spoke.  We left early to attend by computer link the Bozeman Stake Conference.  Under the direction of Elder William R. Walker, President Heap, Winward and Hetherington were released and President Repscher, Hetherington and Kroff were sustained.  President Heap and others graciously mentioned the DaBells and our service in the Bozeman Stake.  We were inspired by those released and those sustained.

L to R Mark Winward, Mike Kroff, David Heap, Jaeson Repscher, and Mike Hetherington

24-25 February  We taught workshops:  Career and Self Employment in Mabopane to 17 members.  We were pleased with the participation and we organized a Self Employment group of 7 people to meet periodically and work on their business plans.






This is Moipone's niece from Mabopane.

26-27 February  We taught 6 participants the Career Workshop in Rabie Ridge. (2 Returned Missionary brothers and 4 sisters)  One sister was a non-member who is taking the missionary lessons and will likely be baptized soon.  They enjoyed calling for job interviews.  The painting was a gift from the little gal standing next to me.

28  February   We drove the Area Hyundai van and picked up Tom and Debbie Reuckert from Salt Lake City and Vivien and Glen Roberts, our supervisor, at 4 am and visited Pilanesberg where we viewed a myriad of animals:  Rhino’s, Hippo’s, Zebra, Wilde Beast, Giraffe, Elephant, Spring Bok, Crocodile, Wart Hogs, many birds, .... no lions or leopards, but it was an exciting day.  Tom is the Operations Director for PEF worldwide.

1 March  Accompanied by Elder and Sister Adams we took the Reuckerts to the Lion Park, Lotus Thai and the Orphanage.  They saw animals, ate good food and drove thru Tembisa and were loved by the children at the Orphanage.

 Mama had a new group of four children.  The baby is 3 months old, and very small.  She hadn't been cared for. The mother was out of reality, and is now hospitalized.  The baby is getting good care.  She was fussing, I said to Mama, let me have a turn, I need to know how to do this.  She fell asleep.
It was fun, FUN FUN.  

As of 12 March, there are 32 children at the orphanage.

2 March  We took the Reuckerts, Tim Sloan (head of Field Operations for PEF Self Reliance Worldwide)  to Rabie Ridge Ward and then had them and the Adams’ to Sunday Dinner.  They shared great stories of Self Reliance from all over the World.  At Church, we were all inspired by 28 heart felt testimonies of the Savior and the Truthfulness of the Gospel.  The African Saints may be lacking “Stuff”, but they are not lacking in True Testimony!

 We taught a youth class, always a favorite for us. The Reukerts  and Tim Sloan attended with us.  The gal on the third row from the back in the coloured scarf is Cathy.  She will attend BYUI starting in June.  Tremendous opportunity for her.

3 March we spend the day preparing for the training occurring the rest of the week.

4-7 March   We were trained on  the New PEF Self Reliance Initiative by Tom Reuckert, Tim Sloan, Brian Gibson, and Paulo Aruajo from Brazil.  The Training was conducted by Thabo Lebetoa our Area Self Reliance Manager and assisted by Dominic, Thembinkosi, Russel and Pitsou, Self Reliance Managers from South Africa and Democratic Republic of Congo. Vivien Roberts, new head of Area PEF operations assisted as well.  The group was addressed by Elder Carl Cook, First Counselor in the Area Presidency and Georges Bonnet, DTA.

As part of our PEF Self-Reliance Training, we had the opportunity to attend a soccer game in the rain.  We opted to babysit instead.  Imagine that!  Bokang, Awande and Amahle came for the evening.  It was very fun

Now part of the training, is the accelerated job search.  The seekers meet every morning for a review of skills, and then line up their resources.  They make contacts and work to line up interviews.  If you are out of work, you have a full time job, finding work.

Accelerated Job Search Group

Wonderful Group, Wonderful Training experience.  Just in time for us to return home......

Sunday, we attended church at Katlehong Branch.  Brother and Sister Ruekert and Brother Paulo Aruajo accompanied us.