Five months in

 The older I get, the faster time passes me by.  I've so little time left on earth and more things to see and do than time will allow.  My mission is passing much too quickly as well.  It's been a blast, though, and each morning I wake up and with a knowing smile on my face, whisper to a fellow incredulous American missionary, "I'm in Africa!"

President and Sister Walker miraculously returned as Mission Leaders last week.  While he's still physically weakened and slightly slower paced, President is as sharp and capable of running this ever-changing and complex mission as well as ever.  In their absence, though, I took on a few more responsibilities such as welcoming newbies at the airport...

...as well as seeing seasoned missionaries off as they leave their 2-year commitment and return home.  I will admit to the shedding of tears as I had grown to love these boys so very much.

Our Tongan contingent along with some American kids they trained performed the haka to welcome President and Sister Walkers return.  

Able bodied strapping young men + a willingness to help whenever asked = the cleaning out and organizing of another garage filled with millions of pamphlets and books, many more thousands than is needed.  There's nothing quite like the cleansing cathartic relief of cleaning house.  

This photo represents about half of our twelve young sister missionaries.  This group playing cards at the mission office hail from the following countries:  Paraguay, South Africa, Uganda, Kiribati (in the Pacific), Eswatini, and the Ivory Coast.  One is named Precious; and indeed they all are.

While not boasting any of The Big Five (elephant, rhino, lion, leopard, and African buffalo), the small Gaborone Game Park located 10 minutes from our flat remains a fun place to take the Office Elders for a 2-hour drive on a sunny P-Day morning.  We came across several very large and fat warthogs.  They are frustratingly very timid and skittish, and their tail pops straight up in the air as they trot away.  Because of the lack of predators in this reserve, the pigs grow fat and the ostriches quite large.

Guinea Fowl and multiple bird species thrive in the reserve, but because it's the dry season and the ponds are empty, we saw no flamingo flocks.  Still, it was a great morning spent in the company of friends and African wildlife.

The too-funny rock rabbits, ever curious monkeys, and two massive kudu rounded out our morning game drive. 

My 66th birthday could not have been more fun.  I received a few WhatsApp voice messages of elders singing happy birthday to me, I heard from all of my children, and I was treated to a Thai dinner out with four wonderful young elders.  We laughed and shared stories and shared one of the most delightful birthday meals I can remember.  How I love these kids!