January 2012

 We finally got busy again as the holiday season ended.  Many of our students had loan interviews and we are teaching Planning for Success Workshops again.  Some of our students are close enough to come to our apartment and make use of our computer for completing online applications or doing the loan interviews where they sign the loan documents.  Here Syuvilie Shabalala completes her online application for a renewal loan.  Very smart young lady.

 With Thando Jessica Sabisa at a loan signing for her auntie in Dannhauser, KwaZulu-Natal.  Grandma Gaye gets good endorphins from these moments.  It makes up some for missing her 22++ grandchildren.

 Some of the children at the KwaMashu Branch with Elder Caudle.  KwaMashu is a huge branch with average Sacrament meeting attendance of 250-300.  They are preparing to split it into two wards that will meet in the same building.  These kids love the attention and the suckers that we give them.

 Three little neighbor girls that have befriended us.  And why wouldn't they?  When they come by to see, us they get cookies, brownies, or some other kind of treat.  They are not sisters, just friends whose families live here in the Towers.

Not sure if this video will work but it is so cute we had to try.

Our graduates from the Planning for Success Workshop that we taught there.  These are those who will be seeking a PEF loan.  There were three more, who are in their Senior year of high school, that will not immediately apply for a loan, but will be ready to use it next December and January.

This is a family from the Democratic Republic of Congo that we met in downtown Durban.  They spoke mostly French and a little English.  Immigrants to South Africa have a pretty tough time.  There is some hostility from South Africans as they perceive that the immigrants take their jobs.  But from what we see, they do the jobs that others will not do.  Every parking lot at businesses has parking attendants that watch your car and help you back out.  We hear that sometimes they have to pay the business owner to have the job and earn only what people parking are willing to pay them.  We are softies and tip heavy, usually 5 Rand or about $0.75.  Imagine what they make in a day.  The little girl was so cute and just hugged Gaye when she gave her the sucker.

Downtown Durban and the Indian Ocean from 32 stories up.  The Mission had a dinner for all seven of the couples here in the Durban area and four other couples that were here for business and meetings.  We ate at Roma's Revolving Restaurant.  It makes a complete revolution in 60 minutes.  We got to taste crocodile steaks--they are pretty good, to just okay.  It is a wonderful view.

Of course, what would our blog be without some African wildlife pictures.  This is a Long-Crested Eagle.

African Hoopoe.  When alarmed, the crest on its head stands up like a feathered bonnet.  Amazingly showy bird.

Giraffe family

It looks so funny when you see them lying in tall grass.

Momma and baby warthogs.  Who but Pumbaa could love them?

An actual rhino without its horn cut off to protect it from poachers.  What a shame that the oriental markets are paying $30,000 for the horns and poachers are decimating the remaining animals.

We saw some very interesting interactions among a group of 10 hippos in a lake.  Most of the time, all you can see are nostrils, eyes, and ears.  These are fighting about something but it was not at all intense, rather, more mock battles.


We are still loving our mission and finding it hard to believe that we are approaching the half way mark. We have been in South Africa just over 8 months and the adventures just keep coming.  We are truly blessed to be here.