Visitors From the North

Kayleigh Visits

Last weekend we had a visit from our daughter Kayleigh who lives in Copenhagen.  What a treat it was, to share our missionary area with her.















We went to Cidade Velha, the “old city” and walked up to the old church from the 1600’s.  We love the sweet little church which has been restored through efforts by local people.  As in the great cathedrals of Europe there is a burial slab in the floor—there is just one here— and the historical character is Sergeant Major João.  Not a king or a prince, but a sergeant major.  We feel honor for this historic character who was buried underneath the floor of the church in Cidade Velha long ago.

The restored chapel is now used sometimes for events, perhaps to include weddings, though weddings are not common here.  A marriage license is expensive and few actually marry.  This has been something that has drawn people to the LDS church, the belief that it is important to raise children in a home with a mother and a father who are committed and married to one another.  This view, surprisingly, has drawn men to the church, because it gives them a solid place in the home, something that they might not otherwise have here.  Property ownership records---as we understand from those involved in registering property---ownership records are 80-90 percent female.  Homes are owned and run by women in Cape Verde in many cases.

Toward the end of Kayleigh’s visit we stopped by the old lighthouse which is closed for renovations this month.  We walked out on the point, and Kayleigh took this photo of the port of Praia at night.  We enjoyed her visit so much, and felt stronger and more committed to serving well when she left.

Garrett's Visit

A week later a couple associated with LDS Family Services in Europe, the Garretts, currently from North Carolina, came for meetings.  We enjoyed a good visit with them, in English!  Going for gelato and talking about familiar things as we showed them Praia was very enjoyable.

Veteran's Day

Since Saturday, November 11 was Veterans Day, we stopped at a memorial to a US soldier from Cape Verde, located in Achada Grande.  We had seen this plaque in the plaza and planned to come on Veterans Day to honor Sgt. Alberto D. Montrond.  Sgt. Montrond  served in the 528th Special Forces, 7th Group.  He was killed in Afghanistan on February 13, 2006. We left flowers and a thank you note on his plaque.

The Year Starts to Wind Down

The budget year for welfare services/humanitarian work is ending and we have one more project we are submitting for approval to complete the use of our budgeted humanitarian funds this year.  We have identified a community leader who is strengthening the neighborhood, and children, and the families of children, by organizing a youth basketball program.  Elder Biven and I and a translator met with Bila this week, and we followed him to one of his clinics, in Ponta D’Agua.  We met the youth he had worked with for nine years there, many of them now coaching other youth and teaching them about work and life within the framework of learning and practicing basketball.  It was so inspiring to see these young people who had confidence, and joy.  We hope to be able to work with Bila on a similar project in Sao Filipe.