VISA Problems

We have wonderful new friends with the arrival into our mission of another senior couple, Maureen and Jerry Smith, her to rescue us with her amazing nursing capabilities, and him to assume responsibility for all the cars and bikes in the mission. They are a lovely, delightful couple whom we can't help but love, and we've shared some pretty fun adventures together.

We've subscripted the Smith's to help us clean missionary flats...

...we've enjoyed conferences with adorable junior as well as senior missionaries...

...we've come to love our beautiful sister missionaries...

...as well as our Pacific Islander missionaries...

...we took the Smiths to the cliffs where endangered vultures nest...

...and sadly, we've shared in the heartbreak of sending off missionaries months earlier than scheduled due to VISA problems our mission has recently encountered. The country of Botswana elected a new president from a different political party than the one which has dominated the government since the 1960's when Botswana gained its freedom from Great Britain. Everyone in the country is now concerned about the letter of the law as opposed to the gentleman's unwritten agreement we've worked under for the last decade wherein missionaries were easily granted permits to remain and serve in the country. Now, permits (VISAs if you will) are being denied and missionaries are being forced out of the country when their original 90-day tourist VISA expires. Our personal application for a permit was also denied, but because our VISA agent appealed, we've been granted an extension of 90 days, at the end of which we too may be escorted out. It's all quite vexing. The Church and local authorities are working hard to convince the authorities that the good we do in this country far outweighs any concerns they might have, so we are hopeful for a resolution before our 90 days expires. This is the first group of 8 who had to leave, some of our most hard-working and faithful young men. Another group of 6 will leave this week, and no more missionaries are coming into the country for the time being. It is all quite vexing.

In the meantime, we continue to work hard and play when appropriate. We toured the alligator farm with the Smiths...

...as well as a beautiful oasis in this otherwise brown parched country. A spring flows off these rocks and into the lush green and cool gorge known as Goo Moremi Gorge into which we hiked.

As we were leaving the gorge to return home, we hit a massive pothole in the road (of which there are many, lurking unsuspecting on every road) and popped a tire. As soon as we pulled over, 2 angels appeared to help us put on the doughnut and quickly get back on our way. As missionaries for the Savior Jesus Christ, He truly watches over and protects us.

Thanksgiving dinner with good friends at President Walker's lovely home. Chicken substituted nicely for turkey.

Donkey carts are all the rage when motorized vehicles are beyond ones financial reach.

Many groups of Christians meet in the bush for services, and one encounters them each Sunday as we drive to our own services.

Today was our first ever church meeting in a rented tent in the bush. Three small units (two wards and a branch) met with local leadership for their formation into a new and growing district, the Kanye District. It is hopeful they will grow in numbers to become their own stake in time.

Brother Matswagothata is one of my favorite speakers; his charisma and strength of testimony have carried him far and enriched the lives of the African saints. Recently released as an Area Seventy, he is now more present in our local meetings, much to our blessing.

For those generous friends of mine who graciously donated funds to the reconstruction of a home destroyed by fire a few months ago, the funds have been used to rebuild the home. Though not yet finished, the family of 10 (from one matriarchal grandma to a 2-yr old spanning three generations) are living inside the shell of their new home. More pictures to follow as the project rolls to completion. It will be the first time in her life Grandma has had indoor plumbing. ""Thank you" hardly begins to express my gratitude to all of you for your generosity in donating.

Our Elder Eric Lejaha and his twin Elder Deric Lejaha from Lesotho Africa. They are identically adorable and are inseparable. They, too, were expelled due to VISA rejections, and The Church kept them together in their reassignment to Johannesburg, SA. I believe they would have literally died of heart ache for each other had they been separated. Adorable!