ELDER AND SISTER MICKELSEN: Happenings of the week 19-25 October

Our week has been full, rewarding and inspiring:
- interviewing many new PEF students and helping them get on the road towards a loan
- doing a final loan interview with our deaf student, Xolisa. He is getting ready to write exams for his first semester and a little nervous, but ready to go
- heading up to Richard's Bay to start a new assignment with the Ngwelezana Branch
- attending Richard's Bay District President's meeting, where President Mann shared many, many thoughts from meetings he and Sister Mann attended in Johannesburg earlier in the week with Elder Neil Andersen, Bishop Keith McMullin and Elder Donald Hallstrom plus the mission presidents and stake presidents in the Southeast Africa Area – so much food for thought that it will give us much to study
- going into a member's home in one of the townships for the first time, usually we meet our PEF students at a chapel so never have had this privilege
- meeting several members in the townships who live in such humble circumstances that tears come to your eyes as you look around, but they have lots of love and many smiles to share
- it has been a week of differences in weather – rainy and cool or hot and humid
- the leaves are starting to fill in the empty tree limbs and new birds are singing in our yard
- Arlo cut another bunch of bananas out of a tree and this week we will be sharing them with the other missionaries

Some are fortunate enough to have a second home. This is our second boarding. President Mann asked us to help, as our time allows, with a small branch (Ngwelezana) in the Richard's Bay District which is about a two hour drive north of Durban. The mission is keeping the boarding used by Elder and Sister Bartholomew, who just went home, in hopes of getting another couple to replace them. We will stay here the once or twice a month when we are able to get to Richard's Bay. There are five self catering, fully furnished apartments in this home which is next to the home of the owners. This is in a very nice upscale neighborhood full of very nice large homes.

This is the inside of our Richard's Bay boarding looking from the lounge through the dinning area into the kitchen. The two bedrooms are just as nice. Not bad - especially when you get maid service. The five units have a full time maid who comes in each morning, makes the beds, washes the dishes, does whatever cleaning is needed, and changes the beds and towels once a week. Any takers out there need to put in their paperwork and request the Durban Mission.

This is where the Port Durnford Branch meets. We had some time Friday morning so Elder and Sister Pier took us on a tour of the Port Durnford Branch area - one of the two branches they support plus giving what support they can to the entire Richard's Bay District. The building was built by the Church as a temporary place to meet and is on land owned by members next to their home. The Church is negotiating with the local chief to buy some land in the area for a permanent building.

This is the inside of the Port Durnford building - no water or electricity. An outhouse is located near by. They call it the "windy building" - when the wind blows, you can feel it, even when the building is all shut up.

Agnes Chirwa, the Port Durnford Branch Relief Society President, standing outside her home with her granddaughter. Reminded us again of the economic contrast of South Afirca - especially considering the very nice accommodations we would be returning to at the end of the day.

A young man, Sihle Mnguni, was herding some cows behind the Relief Society President's home. Sandy asked for a picture of the cows. Arlo said "why do you want a picture of cows". Sandy said "I understand they are for labola (brides price) and this will make a nice story". Sandy was right. Sihle agreed to have his picture taken with his cows. He is hoping to get married in December. He will give the intended in laws three cows to start the negotiations, and if tradition holds, hopes to gain the young ladies hand for a price of 11 cows. He has 27 cows, so that will leave him with 16 to support his new family. By rural Zulu standards, he is a fairly wealthy young man. He was invited to church on Sunday and indicated he would like to come.

On our return trip from the Port Durnford area, the Pier's showed us the portable buildings where the Esikhaweni Branch meets. The property is large enough, when the branch is ready, so a permanent chapel can be built next to these buildings, and when completed the portables will be moved and a parking lot put in their place. The members are able to use the property intended for the new building for garden plots.