Leaving Port Alfred - homeward bound soon!

Lewis (in the center) and his friends ready to play soccer. Roads in the township are often filled with children tossing or kicking a ball. They seem happy and content with very little.

Children in the township make do with whatever they can find for toys. These boys are using the wheels from a broken shopping cart for rides down the hill.

Alfonate takes a turn! (See the next picture for explanation.)

Two of our member children - Magret and Alfonate Tunye. Alfonate and Magret came from Zimbabwe in January to join their parents after a separation of more than a year. Alfonate had never been in a swing. He was willing to push his sister but didn't want to try it himself.

Some of the beautiful children waiting for soup and bread at the site outside town where the food is distributed.

Combined District Meeting with the Grahamstown Branch - five of the eight young elders are from African countries. The Fullmers from Idaho are the other senior couple in the photo. They have become our dear friends - always ready to consult with us on branch concerns. The young elders are enthusiastic and hard working. We will miss them! We have had a wonderful experience here in the Cape Town Mission. It has been a life-changing experience. We will never forget the people we have met and come to love. We have learned much from them.

We are looking forward to being home and seeing all of you - our family and friends!

2010 - January

Making cookies with Babalwa, Olwethu, Frederline, and Sipokazi. The two girls on the left are members and they bring friends to church and to our young women activities. None of the girls had seen a hand-held mixer before and they had a great time mixing the dough with it. Many of the girls don't have ovens in their homes for baking, and when we put the cookies in the oven one of the girls sat down and watched the cookies bake through the oven window. They are beautiful young girls and so eager to learn.

Schools were on holiday for nearly a month from mid-December to mid-January. When school is in session, the girls are busy with homework, so during the break there was time to have the young women at our flat for a baking lesson/activity. The first week there were four girls - the second week eight came. Two of these girls are members. The others are friends they have been bringing to church.

We heard of a soup kitchen operated by several Christian groups in Port Alfred and took the opportunity to volunteer there the Wednesday before Christmas. The Zone Leaders were visiting Port Alfred that day and they went with us to the soup kitchen. On the right are Elders Cannon and White from Utah; Elder Shegana is from Ethiopia. We took two of our teenage black member girls with us and they were delighted to see the process of making the soup and helped serve it to the people waiting outside of town for the food. It was exciting to watch these young girls as they participated and felt the joy of service to others! They went back with us several times to work again in the soup kitchen and are eager to go again.

After helping prepare the food in town, we drove outside the town near the dump (landfill) site where the poorest of the poor were anxiously waiting for the food provided. They came with anything that could be filled with the hot soup - plastic soda pop bottles, tin cans, etc.

Children waiting for the soup and bread provided Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. There are only enough resources to provide the food three days a week. We are told for some of the children this is the only food they have all week. On this Wednesday before Christmas, someone had donated enough new tennis balls for each of the children. They were very excited!

Our Mission President, Randall K. Probst, with Mike Siambzwele who was ordained an Elder in the Melchizedek Priesthood in December. Mike has a wife and young son. They are very faithful members. Mike and one other man, an 80-year old gentlemen who lives 35 miles out of town, are the only two Melchizedek Priesthood brethren we have other than the two full-time young elders and Elder Godfrey. There are three other great men who will soon be advanced in the priesthood. Our branch is growing!

Our branch is rapidly outgrowing the home rented for church services. Today - January 17 - we had 15 youth come to church. There is one room for the Primary children, one room for the Relief Society, and the only other room for a class is the kitchen. We couldn't fit 15 youth in the kitchen so we held the class outside on the grass. It was a beautiful sunny day in South Africa, so that wasn't a problem in mid-January.

We are well and keeping busy. Grandma admits to counting the weeks until she can see her grandchildren. We will miss these wonderful people and appreciate the opportunity we have had to be in the Cape Town Mission. We are very grateful for our family and our friends who have been so supportive of our time away from home. We love to hear from home - our email is katherinesgodfrey@gmail.com

Early December 2009

The jacaranda trees are in bloom!

This young man is the first deacon in our branch - Sibongisene Ngcibi. He likes soccer and field hockey. His sister is the first young woman in our branch. We have now organized YM and YW groups. I am teaching the young women and this has slowed down my posting to the blog. They are wonderful young people - so willing to learn and accept responsibility in the branch.

I have included a few "random" photos of life in Port Alfred. Quite a few things seem unusual to me, but it might be because I have never lived outside the US before. (Elder Godfrey spent 3 years in Japan as a young missionary so he is not as surprised at some things as I am.)

A few things that surprise me: Eggs in the grocery store are not refrigerated. We put them in the frig when we get home, but no one seems concerned about no refrigeration in the store. Grocery store cashiers sit while they ring up your purchases. Makes sense, but you have to load all your groceries on the counter - no moving conveyor belt. None of the gas (petrol) statons advertise prices. We are told they all charge the same price for petrol or diesel. There are no self-service stations. We never get out of the car - the gas is pumped for us, water and oil checked, windows washed, etc., while we wait. Of course, we are expected to give a tip for the service. The usual amount for a tip at the gas station or for a parking attendant in all the parking areas is 2 rand - about 30 cents US. The auto repair garages are called "Panel Beaters." Haven't figured that one out yet.

Some of the phrases people use are very nice. If you ask how someone is, they almost always reply "Fine thanks, and you?" All of the children have been taught to say this. Instead of "Have a nice day" they say "Enjoy the rest of your day/weekend." If we thank someone for helping us, they reply "Pleasure!" We are often greeted and asked "Are you well?" Upon leaving, they say "Stay well!" Everyone we meet is friendly and smiles or speaks back.

At the first of the month it is nearly impossible to go to the ATM because of the very long lines at all the banks in town. Government payments are made then for women with small children and pensioners.

This still looks so strange to us - passengers allowed in the back of trucks, but since very few have their own vehicles this is how the employer gets his men to the work site. We often see 10 or 12 men standing in the back of a truck and wonder how they all manage to hold on and be safe.

Woman and children gathering wood - I've been told some still like to cook over an open fire, but many do not have electricity in their shacks. It always makes me think of how at home we like to cook our supper over a fire on occasion in the canyon, but I wouldn't want to do it for every meal. We see wheelbarrows in and around the township. If you own one, you are very fortunate.

The workers here are filling potholes. They sweep around the hole, dump in some gravel and then pour oil from the can and drive away. Doesn't seem like a very permanent solution.

Thanksgiving Day 2009 - We met five of the other senior couples for a breakfast buffet at a nice resort near our area. These sisters have become my very close friends. I will list their names and the assignments they have with their husbands. From left to right, Sister Stone (from Logan) Seminaries & Institutes; Sister Miller (Midway, UT) missionary support and reactivation; Sister Tenney (Colorado) Employment Specialists; Sister Fullmer (Idaho) Elder Fullmer is Branch President in Grahamstown - he and Elder Godfrey are the only two senior missionary branch presidents in the entire mission. All other units have native branch presidents. On the far right is another Sister Miller (Wales, UT) Perpetual Education Fund Specialists. All of us are missing grandchildren back home!This will be our second holiday season away from home. We miss family, friends, ward members and appreciate hearing from you. Our email is" katherinesgodfrey@gmail.com

Pan-African Mormon Helping Hands Day 2009

On Saturday, August 22 we had 16 members and 7 investigators complete a service project for Mormon Helping Hands Day. We met with the Ndlambe Municipality and were assigned to pick up trash on a 2.3 kilometer stretch of road leading out of town along side the Nemato (Nelson Mandela Township) Township. The municipality provided trash bags and gloves for us and sent a driver with a truck to take the bags to the dump site. We worked for four hours and filled 200 bags! That's not a typo - we filled 200 bags. That was equal to about 90 hours of service and the municipality was very appreciative. Several motorists stopped to thank us. Many of our members had never participated in a service project before, and they asked when we were going to do it again. The city worker who was picking up the bags all morning commented that if he needs to hire part-time workers he will know where to find good workers.

The coral tree - one of the few trees that drops its leaves during the African winter.

Two flowering bushes (for my friend Marge)! September is the beginning of Spring and there are many beautiful blooms.

Sunrise on our morning walk.

We often see women carrying wood like this. We are told they use it for cooking. Some prefer cooking over an open fire even if they have electricity. The power company raised rates 31% on July 1 so perhaps it is a cost-saving measure. The house in the background is an unusually nice one.

Lunchtime in the township.

We always see goats in the township, but this day we saw donkeys rummaging through trash bins!

When we go out in the township to make visits, children usually gather around and are eager to have their picture taken. Lyman gave these kids a few coins and they raced off to the neighborhood shop to buy candy!
That's all for now. We are well and keeping busy. Our little branch is growing. The two young elders are working hard and we will soon need a larger building for meetings! We miss all of you and appreciate your letters, emails and prayers.

the Godfreys

email: katherinesgodfrey@gmail.com

July 2009 - Game Drive

Okay - I accidentally deleted this photo from it's proper spot. It should be labeled - male white lion - after the napping lion. I don't think I'll ever get proficient at this blogging!

Just so you know it's not all work - we have included some photos from a recent game drive the senior couples took recently. The Stones from Logan are seated with Elder Godfrey, and I am in the back with the Millers from Wales, Utah. Our association with the other senior missionaries is one of the best parts of this experience. Although our assignments differ, we have much in common. It's a great way to spend retirement!

Most of these photos don't need a label - zebra! South Africans pronounce it - zeb (rhymes with second month of the year - Feb) ra.

Giraffe

Notice the warthogs between the two giraffe.

A herd of Bleesbek

Lioness

Napping lion - our instructions from the guide - speak softly and keep your hands inside the vehicle!!

Male - white lion

(see photo at top)

The female white lion joins her mate.

The white lion family. As the female and the cubs joined the male, we watched them "clean" the female who had blood on her fur from a recent kill.

Elder Godfrey is shown with Elder Miller from Midway, Utah. Elder Miller also served as a young missionary in Japan - about 11 years after Elder Godfrey.

A delicious lunch was served half-way through the game drive. One of the senior couples was leaving to go home, so we got together on P-day for the game drive and visiting. The couples in this mission come from Idaho, Utah, and Arizona. Many more are needed!

We are blessed with good health. We miss all of you and enjoy hearing from you!

Go well - the Godfreys

June 2009 - Winter in South Africa

Exciting news in our family - two babies in two days!

Brian and Lucia's baby boy, Dylahn (on the left), arrived early on June 16, and Christa and Ryan's daughter Adrie was born on her Mother's birthday - June 17. Ellie (16 months) is pictured with her new baby sister and new cousin. We feel blessed to have these healthy new additions to our family.






The newest members of our branch - Mike and Mirriam Siambwezele - are shown with their son Lewis and the elders on their baptism day - June 6, 2009.

Previously we had four young elders working with us in Port Alfred, but now we have only two, Elder Coultas (on the left) and Elder Booth, both from England. They are counselors in the Branch Presidency and are great help in assisting Elder Godfrey in many ways. Also shown is the sign recently placed on the rented home that serves as our chapel. It took six months to get it - we are excited! One day after the sign went up, a couple on holiday from the Johannesburg area drove by and saw the sign. They didn't know there was a branch of the church in Port Alfred so they hadn't brought Sunday clothes with them. They quickly purchased a shirt and tie for the husband and a skirt for the wife and came to church Sunday morning. It was a nice suprise to have visitors - the sign worked!

Never having lived near the ocean, we are

continually surprised by what we see each day.

Coming home one evening, the sky was

particularly dark and we snapped this photo

of the beach where we walk mornings.

For two mornings we saw jellyfish on our morning walk. The largest one can be seen next to my flip-flop. After that they disappeared from the beach. We asked a fisherman what had brought them up on the beach and he thought the south winds were the cause. The winds normally are north westerly.

The aloe plants are in bloom everywhere we look.

We took these pictures off the roadside one day coming back from Grahamstown. My friend Priscilla and I stood next to a plant to show the size - quite large. Well, at least 5 feet tall!

Priscilla and her husband are from Zimbabwe. She is one of my keyboarding students and teaches Sunday School in the Branch.

We took this last photo to try to show the vastness of the countryside. It was taken from a hill top looking back toward Port Alfred from Grahamstown - about 50 kilometers away from our home. There are large pineapple farms in this area as well as dairy farms. It is a beautiful country. The days are still pleasant and warm. The lowest temperature we have experienced is 50 degrees. It does seem strange to have it dark by 5:30 pm in the evening in June though.

We are well and happy - keeping busy. We appreciate hearing from home. Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers.

Go well,

the Godfreys

End of May 2009 - Port Alfred Branch

Baptism Day - May 2, 2009 Samson Daniel Tlathi baptized by Elder Godfrey in the Kowie River

Four young elders - left to right - Elder Zulu from Zimbabwe , Elder Botes from S. Africa, Elder Morrill from Oregon, and Elder Booth from England (Elder Booth is tallest in the whole mission at 6' 7")

This photo was taken on the Sunday when our Mission President and his wife, the Probsts, visited Port Alfred. They are on the left. Others are our branch members, except for the teenagers on the right front who were visitors.

Bottom photo shows the two of us on the porch of the rented home that serves as our chapel. As you can see we have pulled the white board out on the porch for Sacrament Meeting. We move it back in for Sunday School. The home has three rooms - one used for the chapel, one for the Primary, and one for Relief Society meetings. The kitchen serves as Elder Godfrey's office. A Muslim family rents the other half of the home. We have been in this building for about six months now and have hopes of getting an official sign with the name of the church posted outside the building next week.

We are looking forward to the baptism of a young husband and wife from Zimbabwe on June 6. The branch is growing slowly and the members are anxious to keep it going because otherwise they have to travel 35 miles to Grahamstown to attend church services.

It seems odd to be going into winter season here while those of you at home are finally enjoying warm weather. The day time temperatures are still in the seventies, but it seems strange to have it very dark in the evenings by 5:45 pm in May!

We miss family, home and friends but know we are needed here. Working with the members, investigators and the young elders is very rewarding.

We send our love and appreciation to you.

Remember our email address: katherinesgodfrey@gmail.com

the Godfreys