Happenings of the week Dec 28 - Jan 3

Started the week in Newcastle, being there over the weekend, working on our PEF loans. We were invited to go to Spioenkop Game Reserve Monday morning, so we stayed over an extra night. The Newcastle Zone had permission from President Mann to go and so it was up and at it early so we could get the best looks at the animals before the temperatures got too hot and they headed for shade. It was great for us because this would be on the road back to Durban. Located in the Reserve is a reservior with camping and picnicing facilites around the perimeter. The reservior had several sailboats and speedboats pulling people in rafts, not our familiar water skiing, but they were having great fun. Going in the front gate, we read that there were only a few varieties of animals, but when we came upon a herd of giraffe (24-30, just gorgeous), we knew it was going to be great. Spending nearly 45 minutes amongst the giraffe and zebra was an amazing experience, watching them eat, drink, run and play! The zebra were very muddy, so not that attractive. It is interesting to think that these animals could just mosey on over to the reservior and campgrounds for a drink and visit, since they were in such close proximity, not that they would though. Our young fellow missionaries got tired of the “old folks” enjoying the animals and so left us to find some lunch and make their way back! So we headed out the gate and down the road where we ate lunch with the Knudsen's at the Waffle House. Adjacent to the restaurant is KwaZulu Weavers where beautiful rugs are hand woven on large looms right before your eyes. Several of the missionary couples have ordered a custom design and then had it shipped back to the United States.
This has been a week to begin the final stages of loan paperwork. We signed loan papers with Apaka Steve Mubwala and asked her what her Apaka meant. It is always so interesting to us to discover the meanings of these native names. Steve smiled and said a “very intelligent woman who talks a lot.” Intelligent she is, as she is three-quarters the way through her pursuit to be a biochemist physiologist, but not the talks a lot part! She is a quiet, loving young woman, who is always wanting to be of service in whatever way she can be.
New Year's Eve was just an ordinary day for us with laundry and office work. The skies were beautiful blue, but the temperatures are going up and we needed to turn on the air con. After finishing up our work, we celebrated an early New Year's Eve by going up to Gateway Mall for a pizza lunch at Panarotti's. Walked around the mall checking for a few odds and ends, but soon left because it was becoming very congested with people. Our neighbors were in a festive mood until about 3 am with very loud music and talk, but not too many firecrackers this year.
New Year's Day, we joined the other Durban couples for brunch and a visit to pheZulu Safari Park, located in the Valley of 1000 Hills. There are many things to do in this area, but we limited ourselves to just touring the authentic Zulu village and enjoying a ceremonial dance experience by the residents. We all returned to the Griesemer's boarding since he has satellite tv, in the hopes of finding at least a portion of a football game to satisfy the senior elders. The Capitol One Bowl began at 8 pm, so we watched about an hours worth before needing to get back to our boarding and make ourselves ready for the trip to Swaziland. Saturday we left under cloudy, rainy skies and it didn't change the entire trip, but it did keep the temperatures down some. Sunday we gave orientations to two future students and signed loan papers with two others. It is always so great to see and feel their excitement as they know that they are going to be able to embark on the road to a good career and and hopefully meaningful employment. The Swazi Wilson's had no additional meetings that afternoon, due to the holiday time and many of the leadership had left and were visiting family elsewhere. So, we were able to visit, discuss some gospel questions that had come up at church, and share dinner together. The day was very hot and humid, so we had left the doors and windows open, allowing lots of little insects to fly right in and buzz us all. All in all, it was a good first Fast Sunday in this new decade. Seems like we were just worrying about 2000 and all the possible challenges it might bring!


Giraffe feeding on one of it's favorite foods - Acacia tree. In the adjacent close up photo, note the thorns, which are about three inches long and must be eaten around. (Spioenkop Nature Reserve)


Those long legs, long neck and long black tongue are useful when wanting foliage from the top of the tree.


But those long legs are not as useful when wanting a drink.


Newcastle Zone elders taking a break while visiting Spioenkop Nature Reserve on their P-day.

Elder and Sister Knudsen examining a cactus plant growing in the rain gutter of a restroom at Spioenkop Nature Reserve. Stuff grows anywhere and everywhere in Africa.

A Village weaver bird in the process of weaving it's nest. These photos were taken at a roadside craft shopping area we stopped at on our way back to Durban from Newcastle.


From the left, Elder & Sister Griesemer, Elder & Sister Johnson, Elder & Sister Markum, and Sandy inside a hut at the Zulu Cultural Village at the pheZulu Safari Park, which we visited on New Years Day. The Zulu gogo is demonstrating how mealies (corn) is ground for the making of beer. The red hat, which is sometimes woven into the hair, indicates she is married.


A Zulu warrior in his hut telling us more about Zulu life. In front of him is a pot for Zulu beer and a pipe for smoking dagga (marijuana).


Zulu warriors demonstrating traditional dancing at the Zulu Cultural Village.

The scene behind the dancers in the above photo. This area is known as the valley of a thousand hills.

Sandy helping Samukelisiwe Ndlovu of the Kwa Mashu branch enter her PEF application online. We have been provided with remote internet access so students can have the opportunity to enter their own data using our laptop. For some of these students, this is their first internet experience and sometimes their first computer experience.