Fogo in February

Transferring to Fogo

View of Praia from Achadina Pires

Our Leaders in Germany have worked out the details with our mission president, Presidente Amo, and we are going to live in Fogo for the next three transfers. Until July.  This news has us feeling a little sentimental about Praia, even though we will be back in a few months.  Here is a photo of Praia, from Achadina Pires, one of our favorite views of the city.

Inside the Fast Ferry Passenger Cabin

And so we are preparing to move.  First task is get 75 hygiene kits for a project with the Fogo Regional Prison, delivered to Fogo.  It takes almost all the space in every piece of luggage that we have, but we get them packed.  We can’t take this much luggage on an airplane, so we take the ferry.

Ferry rides can get a little rough here, and this one was no exception.  We were pretty glad to arrive.  The Martineaus, who have done such a beautiful job supporting the work on Fogo for 18 months, and whom we will replace, meet us at the ferry and help us get the kits to their apartment.  Since they don’t leave for another two weeks this is just a trip to take things over and listen to them as they train us on visa renewals, zone conferences and transportation support.  It also happens to be Elder Martineaus birthday, so we go out for dinner and ice cream.

Brava

The following day we go to the port to return to Praia for two more weeks until the transfer. We are anxious to get home and get things wrapped up before we move.  We have a number of open humanitarian projects right now.  As we drive to the port we can see the ferry coming over from the next island, Brava.  on this visit we have enjoyed a spectacular view of Brava and we are excited about the possibility of going there and exploring and hopefully developing a humanitarian project.  Brava is hard to get to, there is no air service.  From Fogo it is about a 45 minute ferry ride.

Waves Coming Over the Fogo Harbor Breakwater

As we wait for the ferry at the port it is windy, and we hear the waves crashing hard on the port.  They are spraying up over the barriers and onto the dock.  People stand and watch.  The ferry appears just outside the man-made bay and attempts to approach the dock but the waves are battering the dock and it doesn’t want to take a hit.  It lingers a while, and eventually turns to return to Brava.  No ferry today, the sea is too rough.

Elder Biven begins making phone calls to make arrangements.  We can’t get back to Santiago, by plane, until Monday afternoon.  It’s okay, we will enjoy Fogo just a little more before going back and preparing to return.  We have a relaxing weekend ahead, in Fogo.  Very soon to be our new home.