So, There Tom is "In the Flesh"

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Since it's a true American holiday, we are celebrating with the five Americans who we know here in Bujumbura. I was told by a Burundian friend that " In the Burundi tradition, there was a Thanksgiving Day. It was called Umuganuro, and in many countries in Africa they have that day as well, but it was celebrated on different days. In Burundi this day was celebrated in December. The Umuganuro day was the celebration for the first fruits and of sowing the sorghum (which is the most sacred plant in Burundi as it is used for making a traditional wine used in all celebrations)."

Our kindly landlady knows about our American Thanksgiving in November. When the men went to her home in July to sign the lease, they saw the turkeys that she raises and talked about Thanksgiving. She told them that she would give us a turkey for our holiday feast.

This week she wrote us an email from Germany to make good on her promise. She said that we could go to her house on Wednesday and her cook would give us our "turkey in the flesh."

Now the question is, do we need to bring a leash to get our turkey to follow us to the car? Will he be fully dressed in his feathered attire? What is a "turkey in the flesh?" Does it resemble at all a Norbest turkey with the pop-up timer that you find in plastic wrap in the freezer case at Bashas?

I have already warned Brent that I will be dining out this Thanksgiving if the turkey walks on its own two feet into our yard. He assured me that he would join me & then we'll come home for pie & bring some bird seed for our new pet. Things are always interesting here, even a gift turkey. We can't wait to see what Wednesday brings. Just another Happy Thanksgiving in Africa.

The Man Loves Cars

Brent is a man who loves cars. He has always enjoyed his vehicles, although he has used great restraint in what he buys because he's also a practical man. The Audi of his dreams is still on the showroom floor someplace. But...... he does love his "52 chevy" and his "salsa red" Tundra with its glass packed muffler.

It was most distressing to him when we got to Burundi and had no car at all. Then after three weeks in a taxi and much effort in working with Temporal Affairs and the Burundi Toyota dealer, we finally got word that our new (bottom of the line) twin white Hilux 4-wheel drive trucks with camper shells were ready. He was still pretty excited to get a vehicle.

Sadly, when we went to pick them up, we found that they had not been able to get the standard factory camper shell, so they had fiber glass shells fabricated in Rwanda. Somehow that didn't sound like a great idea and sure enough.......... Can you say UGLY?!

The pictures are flattering. There were no windows in the shells, without which it was almost impossible to back up. Brent called them the flower delivery trucks. Our elders wouldn't get into the back. They would rather walk five miles. They said it was a "prison." The rear view mirror was useless and the back door didn't close. The paint was already peeling off and they looked slightly used.

After multiple trips to the dealership, much discussion and becoming personally acquainted with every member of the management of Burundi Toyota, they came up with a suggestion. We should give them the trucks. They would drive them to Rwanda and have windows installed and bring them back. It would take about a week. Send our trucks with their drivers, across the border, through the jungle to Rwanda and back? I think NOT! Finally, they decided that they could cut the fiberglass at their shop and put windows in the front and back of the shells so we could see. So, back to the shop they went and the process began. They were able to take the shells off and let us use the trucks while the job was done. They looked pretty good without the shells, but security is a problem if somebody can just jump into your truck bed, so the shells would have to go back on.

It took a little longer than expected because the Muslim crew worked on them and they have to stop and pray five times a day. We'd never heard that excuse for late delivery before. But they did it stop and pray. We can hear the call to prayer five times every day. This is how the trucks look now. We can see out the back window and close the back door. They're not perfect, but TIA. All is well.

We were at the dealership so much that in the process Brent made a few friends. He started to admire the white Burundi Toyota shirt that the workers wore and finally asked if he could buy one. One of his new found friends said they didn't sell them, but they would give him, such a good customer, one for free. They did! Nothing is ever free in Africa. It was awesome. Brent now sports a fancy Burundi Toyota polo shirt and a hat to go with his "Salsa Red" Tundra.

Pretty cool!

Let's Explore-Day 2

The other exploratory trip that was made this week was by assignment from the mission president and with permission from the area presidency. Brent, Elder Frogley and Brother Malabi, our group leader in Bujumbura, went across the lake to Uvira, in the DRC.

A little background is needed about Uvira. It is about 35 k's from Bujumbura and there are people there who have studied the gospel for as long as 15 years using the Book of Mormon, one old institute manual that they acquired somehow, and teaching from Brother Malabi. Many came to our first meeting in Bujumbura and some attended the meeting with Elder Holland. Some have come other times, but it's too difficult and expensive for them to keep coming.

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They have written letter for years to South African, the Congo mission and SLC to receive missionaries and baptism. Each week they meet together three times a week to study. When Brent asked them what they do in their meetings, they said they worship on Sunday and study the gospel on Thursday. Then he asked, "What do you do on Monday?" The answer given, with a quizzical look was, "Why, we hold family home evening!" They have rented a building by pooling their resources and paying $10 a month for the use of a small brick structure. The distance from a center of strength and the isolated nature of their situation makes taking the full gospel and the church organization to them a big challenge. But this week we were given permission for the men to go exploring, under the watchful eye of Brother Malabi, who was raised in Uvira and still goes there weekly to visit a school he started. This is a big step and we were all anxious to see what the possibilities are to establish the Church there.

To get to Uvira they traveled through Burundi countryside and saw the usual sights on either side of the Congolese border.

At the border they worked with government officials for about an hour making sure all sorts of documents were in place before they could proceed into the Congo. Finally, they were permitted to leave Burundi and move on.

Markets around the border

Not far beyond the border they were met by several members of the Uvira group who Brent thought would be the group with whom they would hold their exploratory meeting. We have seen these men before and talked with them in Bujumbura a few times.

Next it was necessary to make their obligatory visits to government officials of the city of Uvira where they chatted with officials, convinced them they were there for a good purpose and gave out copies of the Book of Mormon.

Then they headed into Uvira. The city is wedged between the lake and the mountains and runs in a long thin line for many miles. There is one main street and then dirt paths that go up into the mountain areas where homes are located.

The paved road was, like all Congolese pavement, broken and riddled with potholes. It was also very narrow and in some places had rather steep drop-offs on either side. It was crowded with bicycles, moto taxis and pedestrians, all competing for the same narrow strip of pavement.

The main street of Uvira stretched for many miles.

In the middle of Uvira a bridge had been washed out by heavy rains the week before the exploratory visit. So, following the lead of the SUV full of group members, the missionaries forded the stream to continue on their way through town.

A few more miles down the road they turn off the main road and proceed down a dirt side road. There they met a young man in a white t-shirt who walked in front of them, directing them to the meeting house.

They went up and up the hills on a path which seemed at times too small for a car to travel,

Through neighborhoods of small hand-made brick homes,

And then further upward,

Until finally they came to the group's building, where they were warmly greeted.

Brent expected to meet with the leaders of the group, but to his surprise, as they walked into the meeting house, they found about 70 men, women and children crowded into the tiny clay building, singing and waiting for them to arrive.

They were singing Mormon hymns that they had translated into Swahili. Although they all sang the same melody, the songs were not recognizable to either American man. Not knowing the tune and having no hymn books, musical instruments or training, they had simply done what they thought was right and all sang the new melody in beautiful parts in Swahili. The music was wonderful, as always as the Congolese sang to the angels, but the familiar Mormon songs were not recognized by the visitors.

They ended up having a two-hour meeting and even the children sat quietly and listened intently. After the meeting there were the usual greetings and picture taking.

After the trip to Uvira there was much to think about. These people are sincere, and thirsty for the truth. They are ready for the Church, but there are many practical problems to solve before we can move forward.

In a conversation the next day the Uvira folks said that they had been up all night, talking and reviewing all that had taken place. Brent was up all night, too. He was worrying about how and when the Lord wants us to bring the gospel to these wonderful people. The problems are not solved and the move to send missionaries to Uvira will not happen immediately, but neither are they forgotten, by us or by the Lord. Their day will come and it will be a glorious one. This was the first step and as they say in Swahili it will be "poli, poli," (little by little) but they have been patient a long time. They will remain faithful until that day and we will pray for it to come soon.