Old Friends / New Friends

Old Friends

Elder Vieira's Arrival

Last week was transfer week for the missionaries.  After we said goodbye to missionaries who have been wonderful friends, we began to say hello to arriving new missionaries.  We welcomed missionaries from other parts of the mission to Fogo.  Here is a photo of the newest Zone Leader, Elder Vieira, arriving with his luggage.  He previously served as a zone leader in Assomada, so we knew him well.  He joined Elder Giraldez (with his hand raised) to lead the work on this island.  We actually report to the zone leaders, and do things for the zone on assignment from them.  It is a tender mercy that during our first transfer on Fogo we will work with two zone leaders with whom we have had great friendships and for whom we have so much respect.  The Elder to the right of Elders Vieira (from Portugal) and Giraldez (from Peru) is Elder Ferrin from Oregon.   He is fun.

Agri-Norte Pigs

With transfers behind us, it was time to get back to work on our Fogo humanitarian projects!!  We started by going to Ponte Verde to take a look at our pig project with Agri Norte.

Agri-Norte Pusilga

Here is a photo of the stalls (Pusilga), and a young man learning to care for the pigs.  The stalls were so clean!!

Toty Pires, Elder Biven and Helper

This is a photo of the project leader, the president of Agri-Norte, Toty Pires, and Elder Biven taking a look at the stalls.  You can see that the pigs have a beautiful ocean view!  They are doing well, and the project is off to a very good start.  The first cycle of this project will help 30 families in the Ponte Verde area to become more self-reliant. The project is designed to be self-sustaining so over time many more families will have the same opportunity.

Doctors Moreira, Moreira, Pereira and Bernardino

Three weeks ago we facilitated a meeting between our partners, the eye doctors at Hospital Agostino Neto, and representatives from Charity Vision, a Utah based NGO focused on eliminating preventable blindness.

These are the eye doctors who are doing the work to help us provide eyeglasses for the poor and needy on the island of Santiago.  We have enjoyed working with these good people.  Dr Bernardino is the head ophthalmologist, he is seated.  Second Row from the Left, Dra Evondra Moreira,  Dr. Emilio Moreira, and Major Dra Jaqueline Pereira from the Cabo Verdian Army.  Dr. Evondra is the niece of Dr. Emilio.

Sinks Being Installed

Our partners from previous projects in Varzea, the Black Panthers, invited us to tour the unisex hair salon they are building.  

When finished, the salon will provide several jobs and job training for 20 unemployed young adults annually.   The funds generated will be used to provide meals for the 25 residents at the Black Panthers home for indigent elderly and the 64 students at the Mini-Black preschool which serves preschool children from indigent families. 

Sr. Amarante, Elder Biven, Elder Kempe

Senhor Amarante is a very gracious and dedicated community leader.  He has led the Black Panthers for 37 years and has accomplished much for the surrounding neighborhoods.

New Friends

Bemvindo and Johannes

With our arrival on Fogo we have begun looking for additional partners, here is photo of Bemvindo and Johannes, two hardy souls.  Bemvindo is Cape Verdean by birth but lived in the US and Europe for many years and Johannes is a German citizen. 

They moved to Cabo Verde for one reason; to do good.  They independently work to provide eyeglasses for the poor; to provide food and other supplies, particularly to needy elderly residents in their neighborhood near Cova Figeira; to teach hygiene; and to work with the local schools.  There goal is to teach the people, through their actions and their examples, that they can be responsible for their own lives and situations.  It was a delight meeting them and visiting with them about their work.  They are also creating a museum in their home of Cape Verdean life.

Moving To Fogo

Farewell Dinner

A big week with many goodbyes.  It started with a farewell dinner for ourselves and the Andersons, the office couple who are going home.  Our sweet Brazilian friends the Moraes and the Portelas did the work and President and Sister Amo joined us.  Delicious Brazilian foods and fun and laughter in Portuguese.  What a wonderful group of people.

Two photos of the dinner

Farewell Dinner 1

Farewell Dinner 2

On To Fogo

Plane to Fogo

Then we flew to Fogo to our new assignment.

Volcano over Cova Figeira

The volcano looms over the island and can be seen from many places, here is a photo from around Cova Figeira.

Sunset on Fogo

And the sunsets can be spectacular, here is a photo of the sunset over Brava from our hotel room window.

Sao Felipe 2 Relief Society

We arrived on Friday and stayed in a hotel for a couple days as the the Martineaus prepared to leave.  We attended our new ward and the sisters in Relief Society sang a beautiful song of parting “Cesara” I believe it was called, to Sister Martineau.  It was so touching.

Sisters Dutkewietz and Miller

Then, on Monday, the Martineaus and the departing junior missionaries flew to Praia to begin their journey home.  We felt very blessed that we we are to say goodbye to Sister Miller, who is the granddaughter of the Millers, assistant matrons of the Kansas City temple.  She returns to her family in Nashville.

One Last Trip

Last(?) Inspection of Assomada Zone Apartments

Monday we inspected the Assomada zone apartments once again.  We love our sweet interactions with these missionaries.  Apartments tend to have plumbing problems here, including no running water and leaks in kitchens and bathrooms.....very few of the apartments are totally dry and some are worse than others.  We were so pleased to find that President Amo has been working on housing and the companionship in the area that has never had running water is now in a lovely new apartment with no apparent problems.  Another companionship, one in an apartment with perpetual leaks resulting in a wet kitchen floor for a year, they are moving Monday.  One other companionship has a new place identified and is working on it.  This is a very good thing.  We try to fix the plumbing problems when we go but it is very frustrating, as you can imagine, with limited access to parts and tools, and some really crazy plumbing configurations......

And we thought perhaps it was our last inspection but we have been asked to continue to do the Assomada inspections when we visit from Fogo!  We love those missionaries, we just might say yes!!

Praia Lighthouse at Dusk

Fat Tuesday Parade

Missionary Experience in the Mountains

On this inspection trip the sky was very clear and we could see the outline of the island of Maio to the east, in the clouds, as we approached Pedro Badejo.  It’s not impressive in a photo, it just looks like a shadow.   But we have never seen Maio from this island before, so it was exciting.  Then as we traveled into Tarrafal, as we came over the mountains into the city an outline of the volcano on Fogo appeared in the clouds over the sea to the west.  Brumaseca is over, the sky is clearer, and for a little while we have a view.

As we left Tarrafal we wanted to take the old cobblestone road through the mountains, something I have not done.  The scenery was spectacular, up in the mountains over the sea.  As we came around a hairpin curve a transport truck was disabled in the road and a handful of passengers were standing around.  A man, we assumed it was the driver, motioned for us to stop.  It’s important to be cautious here, but something on the drivers face caused us to pay attention.  We stopped and rolled down the window.  He spoke to us in kriole.  We replied that we only spoke a little Portuguese.  He said are you going to Assomada?  I have a passenger that needs to get to school in Assomada.  We said yes.  He went to the truck and returned with a well dressed young woman.  She got into our car and we drove on, climbing the mountains on the cobblestone road.

She asked what country we were from, we said “dos Estados Unidos”.  She seemed pleased. A lively conversation was not possible because of our limited language.  I had a box of American candy bars (purchased in Fogo, of course) and I handed her one, with a smile.  Some time later she asked about us again and I told her we are humanitarian missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  She said she would like to go to our church.  I pulled a Book of Mormon out of the glove-box and handed it to her, “a story of Jesus Christ”.  She was pleased.  She was 19, studying Portuguese at a school in Assomada.

We dropped her off just north of Assomada and didn’t see her again.  What a tender mercy, to be able to help a young woman stranded in the mountains.  A missionary blessing.

P-Day Miracle

Return from Fogo

We enjoyed our visit to Fogo and used our extra time to go to a new restaurant and watch the sunset over Brava as we ate.  Remote Brava, where there is no air service because of wind and the ferry only arrives— and departs— a few times a week.

Medical Miracle

Monday is p-day in our mission.  The elders look forward to a game of soccer or basketball.  So Monday is also the day that we have sports injuries.  We have had some exciting p-days, one Monday two elders, on two different islands, broke their toes playing soccer.  This past Monday we had an unbelievable accident followed by an extraordinary miracle.

The accident itself is hard to describe, it happened on Brava.  The injured Elder was from Angola, and his companion was from Utah.   The Elder from Utah called about twenty minutes after the accident.  He had difficulty describing what had happened, but they were playing soccer and there was some sort of fall from about chest height, with the Angolan Elder landing on his head and neck, and remaining unconscious for a short time.  He then arose from the ground and was able to walk and to speak clearly.  He also had quite a headache.

The Elder from Utah was stunned.  He felt he should calm his companion, to get him to move slowly and carefully, and to take him home for hydration and rest.  When he called I assessed the situation, wondering how such an apparently violent accident could result in an Elder who was still alive and fully functioning.  I encouraged the Elder from Utah,  who could have been nothing less than inspired in his actions to care for his companion.  He was doing exactly the right things, and he was not an MD, he was an eighteen year old man from Utah.

I instructed them to continue to rest and to call if the injured Elder vomited.  An hour later they did call, for that reason, and I contacted the doctor in Germany, Elder Done.  He phoned the Elder on Brava and identified the seriousness of the situation.  It was serious.   There is very little medical help available on Brava.  He suggested exactly what the Elder from Utah was doing and we all remained watchful.

It has been over twenty four hours and the Elder from Angola is mentally alert and physically intact.  It hurts when he walks, it jogs his brain.  But he is otherwise whole.  I think perhaps we have just witnessed an amazing miracle.

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.

January Activities

So in January, Humanitarian Missionaries in Cape Verde generally do not sit inside warming themselves by the fire (although we did have some hot chocolate that our sons James Michael and Jack sent us!)  January is a delightful month in Cape Verde.  Cool (mid-70's) and dry.  The only downside is the Bruma-Seca that we have written about in previous posts.  Following are a few things that occupied our time in January 2018.

Disposable Diapers

The Diapers are Here!

Last summer we had an opportunity to request surplus disposable diapers that had been obtained for refugee services in Europe.  We ordered eight pallets and had them shipped to our good partner Nós Saude so that they can distribute them to the poor and needy.

So after many months, we heard a rumor that the diapers were in customs.  We hoped it was true.  Then many weeks later we got a call, “we have a truck full of diapers, where can we unload them?”  So we scrambled!!  Our partners at Nós Saude made themselves available and with the help of Elders Leuluai and Price in Achada Grande, as well as our translator, Nelson, we got them all stored at the Pilorinho community center.

Unloading Diapers at Pilorinho

Diapers Ready for Distribution

About 2 weeks later we were invited to an event organized by Nós Saude to distribute some of the diapers to families with children with micro encephalopathy, their mothers having contracted Zika during their pregnancy.  We were grateful to witness this sweet event, and to see these strong mothers.

Mother's Waiting Patiently

Dental Hygiene Kits

Nursing Students Finale

We were able to tie a small school dental hygiene kit project into our larger prison hygiene kit which is still “in the works”.  We took toothbrushes and toothpaste to a local school where nursing students did a wonderful presentation on how to take care of your teeth. It reminded me of the same training which I had received in elementary school in New Mexico in the 60’s.  This is important stuff!  Here are the children singing a little song after learning to brush their teeth.

Fogo Pig Project

Pusilga (Pig House) Repaired by Participants

We received approval for a pig project in Fogo with a small NGO named Agro-Norte.  Staring with 25 piglets, Agro-Norte will help 30 families in the Ponte Verde area of Fogo become more self-sufficient.   The families will help raise the pigs and by doing so gain knowledge and learn skills.  When the piglets mature, they will be bred and each of the 30 families will receive piglets of their own.  Agro-Norte will then start with another group of families.  Many of the initial families are lead by single mothers.

Happy to Be Home

Checking out the new place.

A Moment in Relief Society . . . 

President Sheila

This is a clandestine photo I took of our Relief Society president preparing to teach her lesson, and the lovely Bishop’s Wife, Sister Pires, sitting just in front of me on Sunday morning.  Our Relief Society President is in her early twenties and has a beautiful family, a husband and two children under the age of three.  She is valiant in loving and serving, and in leading, the Sisters.  Leading can be tricky here, and she is quite young, but she has us all stand and say the theme at the beginning of each meeting using cards she has prepared with the theme printed in beautiful colorful text.  She also brings a bright green and orange tablecloth and a matching vase with flowers to the meeting to put on a small table in the front.  I think she might carry these things, along with her babies, to church each Sunday.  There are very few ward members who have a car, the bishop does not.  It is rare to have a car.  There are places in our ward that it takes an hour of walking to reach the chapel, and yet families walk to meetings on Sunday faithfully, carrying their small children.






Ribeira Grande

We had a little adventure and drove to the village of Porto Mosquito in the municipality of Ribeira Grande, the least populated area of our island, and somewhat off the beaten path.  We found what people do for a living in Ribeira Grande......they fish.

Quick Trip to Maio

Heading Out

We have a member welfare project we are developing on Maio.  The Branch President wants to lead an effort to grow pigs!  We want to help, so we are working on preparing the  project for submission to our welfare services leaders in Germany.

Early Morning on the Boat

It’s just too difficult to work everything out over the phone, and flights and boats don’t go to Maio everyday.  However, once a week, on Wednesday, there is a boat that goes to Maio in the early morning and returns at night.  So we took the 3 hour boat ride to Maio!

Maio is a relatively low island with a population of just over 6000 people. It beautiful sandy beaches form the basis of a small tourism industry. 

Cargo Under the Stairs

Eggs stacked under the stairs for transport to Maio.  The main cargo going to Maio was food.  Crates of bananas, eggs, paper products, beer.

Sunrise

Sunrise over the ocean.  When the sun came up it was beautiful, to be out in the middle of the big blue sea on a boat to Maio.  But the beginning of the day meant rougher going by sea as the wind picked up, and people began to get sea sick.  It was tough going for about an hour.

Arriving in Porto Ingles on the Island of Maio.

Ferry at Dock

We walked along the beautiful beach to get to town, wow, the most beautiful commute in the world!  Here’s a look back at our boat parked on the dock.

Working with President Contina

President Contina Near Area Where Pig House Will Be Built

President Contina and a very capable translator and ward member, Edrinho, met us as we entered town.  We had met President Contina on a previous visit and we admired his determination.  We went to the Church and talked about the structure of the project.  Then we went by some building material stores, as we made the three kilometer journey outside town to the location the câmara municipal (town hall) provides land for individuals to raise livestock.  This is a photo of President Contina with the location in the background.






It looks like there are possibilities, we will continue to develop this project and hope we can help strengthen families on the island of Maio.


After saying goodbye to President Contina we walked back through town.  We rested a while at a restaurant on the beach, and then we walked over and waited to get on the boat.

Heading Home

Cows Being Loaded on Ferry

The published return voyage time was actually the time they began to load freight.  And if the food that came over was interesting, the cargo that went back was really interesting.  There was a rusted old Land Rover vehicle.  And there were cages of livestock.  Here are some cows going to the boat.  We noticed that before we sailed someone got into the cargo bay and worked with the animals in the cages and got them settled for the journey, made sure the goats were not sitting on top of each other and so forth, kind of like I did with the chickens when we transported them on Santiago.

Leaving Porto Ingles

Finally the cargo was on the boat and the passengers were loaded.  It was late in the day now, and we said goodbye to Maio.














The evening ride home was cooler and smoother, so no problems with nauseated passengers on the way back.  Once the sun went down the stars, out there in the darkness of the middle Atlantic ocean with no moon, the stars were incredible, they were so bright!  What a journey!