Happenings of the week 27 July - 2 August

This week has been one of catching up on our office work and telephoning, and working on our PEF orientations, which will start this coming week. These are for students wanting loans for the 2010 school year. Can't say too often how much we love the fruit and veg shopping available here and we are in the thick of citrus season, making it possible to enjoy a great variety. Monday, we finished up the Isaiah chapters on KBYU and had Debonair's pizza delivered at the conclusion of our scripture study.
Tuesday, we felt like we should be trying to be more of a help for President Natasan and the Phoenix Branch, so we called to see if he would like to just visit with us at Berea Chapel which is close to his work. Thought maybe we could be a sounding board and offer a little insight from our past experiences. Also our deaf student, Xolisa had sent a text message, wanting to show us something, so an appointment was set. School started on Monday and he had just picked up the necessary books and was just excited to share them with someone, since he has no family. He came into the room with his typical huge smile and carefully pulled each book from the backpack. Then he pointed to the books and made the sign for love! What a great joy we felt knowing that for the first time he was going to be able to study and work towards the goal he has desired for so long. After grabbing a litle lunch, we then proceeded over to the Pinetown Chapel to meet with Kona so we can start teaching computer skills. People need to learn this skill so badly, and we want to help. He was a quick learner and didn't even want to stop after over an hour to go into his Institute class.
Wednesday, our plans had been to travel up the coast to Richard's Bay and visit with President Baldwin of the Richard's Bay District. The Perpetual Education Fund is priesthood driven and we need the approval from them to go ahead with our orientations in the stakes and districts. President Baldwin works for the municipality in Richard's Bay and asked us to meet with him at work. Currently there is a strike by the municipality workers throughout South Aftrica, with a fair amount of unpleasantness accompanying the walk out. In talking with Pres. Baldwin to confirm our appointment, he suggested that it wouldn't be wise to come down since he felt something might happen. So, we changed gears and went over to the Berea Chapel to check out the Mini Employment Resource Centre. Our plans are to use this Centre as another teaching station for computers and typing tutor. Shared a hour with Fred and Jenny Brear, the employment specialists, learning about what is and is not available in the Centre. They are from Margate, about 150 km from Durban, and they travel up every two weeks to man the ERC.
Thursday, after finishing our office work, we took a ride and explored a new route for going to downtown Durban and the beach area. It was a beautiful balmy day, giving us a reprieve from the cooler temps we have been having. As we took a walk out on the pier, we could see several groups of young adults and young school children enjoying the sand and water. It was amazing to watch from the pier, the sand sculptors below us building their different sculptures. From time to time, we will take a walk down on the beach and check out the new designs.
After our Saturday morning chores were accomplished, we met the Session's at Gateway Mall to see “Ice Age 3” and have an early dinner together. The other Durban couples were off to the temple or showing off So. Africa to visiting children. The promised rain showers began to fall during our dinner, but didn't last long.
Sunday morning, our original plan had been to attend the Hillcrest meetingblock and meet with a young woman wanting information on PEF, but good plans sometimes run amuck! Generally, church meetings begin at 9 and go until noon and so off we went at 8:15 thinking we would arrive in good time. As we were driving up the hill, Sandy realized that there are two wards meeting in that building and we hadn't checked to see what time Hillcrest started. Driving into the parking lot we thought, there were too many cars for a 9 o'clock start, but continued on in. Much to our embarassment, testimonies were already being shared and in talking with a sister in the passageway (hall), we find that Sacrament Meeting had started at 8! It had been determined that there weren't enough classrooms available, to overlap the two meeting schedules by only 30 minutes, so now one ward meets at 8-11 am and the other ward 10-1 pm. These are two pioneer church units in the Durban area. Throughout the day, rain has been falling in spurts and it is muchly appreciated.

South Africa will host the Soccer World Cup in 2010. Coca Cola is one of the main sponsors and this advertisement, seen here on the back of a distribution truck, is found all over the country. Next to the Olympics, this is the world's premier sporting event and will have a viewing audience much larger than the Super Bowl in the U.S. South Africa will become the first African Country to host the Soccer World cup, and only the second country in the world to have hosted the Cricket, Rugby and Soccer World Cups.

In preparation for the Soccer World Cup, this huge new stadium is under construction in downtown Durban. It is meant to become an identifying landmark for the city like the Opera House in Sidney and the Space Needle in Seattle. Another huge stadium is being built in Johannesburg and one was recently completed in Port Elizabeth.

One of the sand sculptures found on the beach near downtown Durban. These guys are unemployed and trying to make a few rands with their artistic creations. We gladly made a donation in exchange for a picture.

Another sand sculpture.