Letter 5

6 Mar 11 - MISSIONARIES WERE ROBBED AS THEY WERE CROSSING THE BORDER:As these missionaries were driving to the border of Ivory Coast and Ghana along with eleven other elders in three cars, they were stopped by the rebels. They were robbed at gun point of their money, cameras and anything of earthly value. Not even the mission president was exempt from the robbers, they took his I-phone. The rebels searched through their luggage for valuable items and also for any photos or tee shirts with the picture of the president of the country that was voted out but who had not stepped down, the man the rebels hated. We were told that if they had found any pictures of him they would have killed whoever had it. Our sister missionary had a tee shirt with the presidents photo on it. As they searched her luggage they over looked it and accordingly left them all alone. Thankfully none were hurt.We really do enjoy a wonderful part of the world in the USA.Wow, what happened to the past 3 days? I know that Old Timers Disease is alive and well but not to knock out 3 whole days at our age. Actually we attended church in Akpakpa with Sisters Kabula and Lawson.The rest of time has been spent in looking for apartments. We have found some beautiful ones at great prices all of which have been in the wrong areas. We have also found some beautiful ones in the right areas but they are all cost prohibitive. I wish we could just “hokuspokus” the ones we like to the areas we like. We remain anxiously engaged in the real estate business and will find the remaining RIGHT places soon.Today we had a touching moment. Brother Landu, the man who helped Nancy teach all the people to play the keyboards, came over today.For a few moments we were alone waiting for Nancy to return from Zone Meeting. (I had just returned from looking for apartments) He looked at the auxiliary speakers that Mitch and Heidi gave us to improve our phone calls during our first mission. He had heard us play some music through these speakers and with a wistful look in his eyes he said he so loved to hear the hymns of the gospel. I turned on some music of the Tabernacle Choir and turned up the sound as he sat and smiled and sang along with them. Then I played a few songs by our good friend Joel McCausland of After Glow. Landu just reveled in the music. Soon others came and the music had to be turned off but for a few moments today Brother Landu was in Heaven. We give special thanks to Anne McCausland who has taught her family to share music with the world and on this day especially in Africa.We have spent some time on the city streets the past while and it has been rewarding as well as heart rending. We see hundreds of people who are so debilitated by any number of causes; twisted limbs, no limbs, diseased bodies and eyes, no eyes and an unnumbered amount of tragic other conditions. When we look into the eyes of one of our“friends” on the street and place a coin in his hand, a hand who’s fingers have been eaten away by leprosy and he thanks us, I sometimes have to look at the rest of the world through moistened contact lens.Sometimes we look into the eyes of a friend and he doesn’t see us but those who guide him do. We have several friends that are mentally handicapped. One day we saw a fellow that we had last seen nearly three years before. As he made his usual approach to a vehicle he recognized us and his face lit up then with a smile of recognition a mile wide he greeted us as best he could. One of our friends who has a hunch back and probably scoliosis who stands about four feet plus recognized us and again with a huge smile greeted us. Sometimes it’shard to drive down the street because of who and what we see. One good friend saw us for the first time at his favorite stop light and hollered “Mama” and then hurried through the stopped vehicles on the busy street dragging his legs as he pulled himself along on his hands to Nancy’s door just to see us again and hopefully find that we had not forgotten him. We hadn’t. King Benjamin makes it very hard for us to forget any of our friends but when we do run out of coins we have to simply say “next time” and they thank us and bless us anyway. Well so much for our “friends”. I can’t write more because something has happened to the clarity of our monitor.

11-Mar-11 – The past few days have been long and exhausting. We wish we were 50 years younger. On Wednesday President Ayekoue called to encourage us to get the last of the needed apartments. As we started to look again Nancy suggested that we pray for help. We pulled the truck to the side of the road and offered a prayer for His guidance.That night we found a good one for the sisters and the next day we found one for a Group Home. It seems that Nancy was in “tune” with the Spirit, which she often is. We sent signed contracts to him bye mail yesterday about midnight and he in turn had the necessary funds transferred to our account today. We will deliver the checks on Monday as today was a holiday and the banks were closed. We have been blessed to have all our needed apartments finalized. We were able to relax today for a few moments before we started shopping again to furnish these new places.The one we found for the Group Home will have to be repainted and we worked with the landlord to use Brother Landu. This may work into a permanent job for him. Things have been going well. Also Brother Landu and Brother Lionel have acted as our agents in locating and securing these properties and so they get to split the commission with the listing agent. This will be a great paycheck for them. And without them we wouldn’t have our buildings.We did have a fun bit of negotiating on the Group Home. When the owner saw that white people were involved the price jumped from the350,000 fcfa (about $700) that he had told Lionel on the phone to400,000 fcfa (about $800). As Lionel and Elder Gnatsiko discussed the price and tried to even get it back down to 350,000 the landlord stood firm in his position. Elder Call translated for me as we stood off to the side because I only understood very little of the discussion. We could see that the discussion was frustrating Lionel and Elder Gnatsiko. So I thought that two can play this game. I said to Elder Call “I think I will go over and interrupt them to say that the landlord doesn’t want to budge on his price and that we should take the other building that we had looked at earlier today, then I am going to leave. That should put some interesting dynamics into the negotiations”. This I did and as I pointed my arm at the other building I said we should leave and I turned and walked down to the truck not waiting for the others. I had no way of telling Lionel and Elder Gnatsiko what I was doing and just hoped they would pick up on it to move the negotiations along. I knew that if worse came to worst we could take the other building. I started the truck and moved it to where they all could see it. I left the motor running as much for my comfort with the AC as for the sound of my resolve to leave. I was in the truck about 5 minutes when Lionel showed up with a big smile on his face and told me that this was a great idea and that the price had dropped to 300,000 fcfa (about $600) and he had gotten some other concessions also. Not only had he picked up on it but he moved the price even lower. He’s a pretty smart fellow. That was fun and it reminded me of some past negotiations of my brother Kurt.

12-Mar-2011 – We got word late last night that 4 missionaries would be here today. We picked them up from the airport at about 4:00 and brought them back here for a meal prepared by Sisters Lawson and Kabula. We also got news that Elder Oakeson will be transferred Monday to Togo, we will miss him a lot. Tonight we have 3 sisters sleeping in one bed at our apartment. Africans are used to that due to the lack of everyday conveniences that we enjoy. By the end of next week we hope to be able to move the sisters into their own apartment.It just needs security bars on the windows and doors before they can move in.I will have to confess I stayed up late last night to listen to the BYU basketball game. This was broadcast over here at 3:00 a.m. to5:00 a.m. on KSL radio on the computer. It was worth every minute of it because we finally beat New Mexico at the MWC tournament and Jimmer had 52 points. There were a whole bunch of records that he smashed last night. The finals are tonight at 1:00 a.m. so I think I will go to bed now and get up in a few hours to see how the game is going. If we win tonight it will be the third time this season for us to beat San Diego State. They are ranked 4th and we are ranked 7th. (we lost in a blow out, it’s a sad day in the Cougar Nation)

13-Mar-2011- Sisters Kabula and Lawson told us that Koffi George is going to be baptized. This will come as a shock to ALL the missionaries who have ever served here. Koffi is probably the best read person of church literature in all of Benin. He is one of the most dedicated people of all those who attend. He comes to clean the church each Saturday, comes to the baptisms, is always at church meetings, takes part in the discussions and is quite vocal in his positions. Well, he has said no to unknown numbers of elders but when the sisters asked him to be baptized he agreed. We will see what happens.It was really nice to attend church today. It is so good to see the saints as they participate in church.

14-Mar-11 – We picked up Elder Oakeson, who was being transferred to Togo, and his companion this morning for a trip to the border where we made an exchange for Elder Schaffer. We will miss Elder Oakeson, he is a great young man. On the way back we saw the aftermath of an accident. A 10 wheel dump truck had its front tire on top of a moto.We don’t know what happened to the moto driver as he was not under the truck and we didn’t see anyone who looked injured.Our money for the apartments was not in our account today. If it is not there in the morning we will call the bank to see what the hold up is.The rat race of apartment shopping, buying the furnishings for the apartments and the transferring of missionaries makes it so that when ever have time to work with the members or investigators. This is a big change from our first mission and although these things need to be done there is a greater satisfaction in doing missionary work directly with people. We really miss the feelings of the spirit testifying to our friends and members. Hopefully we will get back into the teaching mode later.

20-Mar-11 – We were able to get the checks from the bank and pay the rents for the mission office and the mission president’s home. We also finished all the payments for the remaining bldgs. Now we need to furnish all of them.

31-Mar-11 – We took Elders Call, Wolthoff, Bakatula and Thomas to lunch today. It was relaxing and informal as we celebrated Elder Bakatula’s birthday and got to know all of them a little better.In the evening we went to madame Sikiratou’s home at her request.This lady is one from whom we are renting the mission office. She has, like many of our African friends, fallen in love with Nancy.They hug and exchange kisses on the cheeks then sit next to each other and shower down superlatives to one and other, all of which are true.It’s a real “mutual admiration society” in a very sincere setting.Madame Sikiratou teaches law at the university at Calavi and works in governmental circles with the elections. She is well known and respected. Now we are her friends and Nancy is her “sister”. Tonight when we were to leave she brought out some African clothes for each of us. They were very nice but still not as nice as she.

22-Mar-11 – We moved Elders, Mbunga, Workman, Mampionona and Kakumbiinto the new Akpakpa Unitee apartment today. Wow this is a nice building they had better keep it clean.We went to the doctor today to find that I had a hernia. We contacted Dr. Maughan who is now making preparations to send us home for surgery and recovery. We will return after a short stay home.The sisters will be moving out of our apartment this week. Each night after family prayer I show them a new magic trick. They really get a kick out of them, especially when they try to replicate them.

23-Mar-11 – Today, like every day, we had a schedule, and like everyday everything changed. Nothing is so constant here in Africa as is change. We were able to shop at Missebo for pillows and sheets for the missionaries that were shipped out of Ivory Coast, the ones that were robbed at gunpoint as they neared the border. One of the American elders told that “we made their day” as two of them took their pillows inside to place them on their mattresses and quickly lay down and snuggle into them for just a moment.I received a call from our mission doctor, Elder Maughan, who told us that we needed to return home for surgery to correct a hernia. He told us to plan on 4 – 6 weeks. “Do not come back too early because if you have complications you will not be able to get help.” We will leave about April 6th. I feel somewhat stupid in that all I did to get this hernia was to move my right leg away from my chair so I could get up from the dinner table. Now I can see getting a hernia from standing up after a big dinner but not just by moving my leg.

24-Mar-11 – We took the zone leader and the assistants to Akpakpa to show them where the elders live, where the church is and where the new group home is. Elder Thomas spent the Afternoon at our home and so I took his companion and went to look at an apartment for the assistants. We found a nice clean new one being built that will be ready by Saturday. It is near the mission home so that is good.This afternoon there was a political demonstration at La Jadour, down the road from our street a short way. The police came in with Billy Clubs and broke up the demonstrators by beating some of them“unmercilessly” according to Carole. We received an email from the embassy saying to stay away from any groups of people as there might be more demonstrations through the weekend.Our internet has been intermittent these past few days. We don’t have it now and feel a sense of disconnectedness, a sort of isolation.26-

Mar-11 – Another good day topped off by the baptism of Koffi Georgejust two weeks after the sisters asked him to do it. This will come as a complete shock to many previous missionaries who have served here and who challenged Koffi to accept baptism only to be turned down.27-

Mar-11 – Ah, Sunday, a day of rest. Well, we’ll rest after Nancy helps with Primary and training the music director for Primary, and I spend 4.5 hrs doing a branch audit. Somewhere today we will eat.That occurred at about 8:30 after we got back from visiting a less active sister. She was so happy to see us. She hugged and kissed Nancy and giggled and wiggled like a giddy school girl. Nancy told her we would pick her up for church next Sunday and she agreed. Nancy is a good PR person.Koffi George was confirmed a member of the church today and was ordained to the priesthood. We just love him.

29-Mar-11 – We just received a wardens message from the embassy. It advised us to keep a low profile as there might be adverse reaction to the U.S. involvement in Lybia. Also for the next few days there still may be public demonstrations in relation to the recent elections.Tear gas was used to disperse two crowds in Cotonou on the 24th. We will forward this to president Ayekoue.

30-Mar-11 – The Gublers left for Togo this morning after we did some light shopping. They came on Monday and it has been really nice having them here. Following lunch we went to the hospital to see Estelle. She is such a sweet lady. Now she is confined pretty much to bed because of an illness of which we have no diagnosis. The hospital is a government hospital. The socialized aspect of medical care should scare any clear thinking person into doing everything in their power to reverse Obama Care. I know that I write about two different worlds but the results are the same. The care and the facilities are of much less quality under a socialized system. Here it was sickening to seethe deplorable conditions in which doctors and nurses have to work.They do the best they can with the resources they have but they are handicapped by lack of knowledge, money, tools, skills and procedures.Today we walked into the hospital. The floor was visibly dirty as were the walls. We passed 3 people laying on gurney like beds in the hallway. One man was lying on the tile floor with only his clothes between him and the hard cement. He had an I.V. dripping into his arm. We continued into the ward where Estelle was. As we walked through the door we were stunned by the heat in the room. It had to be over 100 degrees. There were no fans or air conditioning. The only thing that made the room tolerable for Estelle was a fan that her daughter brought from home. Many of those who were unconscious were uncovered from the waste up, I assume because of the heat. There were10 beds in the room, 8 were full. Another patient was wheeled in moments later. She was recovering from surgery and was unconscious.She was lifted to a bed and the gurney left. A family member fanned her with a hand held fan. Estelle needs a scan of her stomach. She could get it in the government hospital but the results would take 30days. She could also go to a private hospital and the results would be available in 3 days. Since there is a lack of ambulances here she will have to be loaded into a car and driven to the private hospital for the scan. She is in so much pain that we don’t see how she can handle the trip of about 6 miles along roads of pavement and others of uneven sand. We called her branch president for his advice and help.He responded that he might be able to get a car for tomorrow but as far as money all available funds have be used to help the saints who are fleeing Ivory Coast and coming to Benin for help and safety. We wish everyone could walk down the halls and into the rooms of this hospital. Our private health system would then seem like heaven even with all its faults.31-Mar-11 – We will leave in a few days to go home for a few weeks and so we want to get everything possible taken care of so we don’t leave a mess to the Herrs. We started the day with oatmeal then while Elder Halterman and I conducted an audit at the Gbedjromede Branch Nancy was neck deep in sick missionaries, lost missionaries looking for help and other missionaries just because. We hurried home after the audit with just enough time to eat half a bowl of goulash and head out the door to take Elder Halterman home and then go to Gbegamey to see Pierre about the furnishings in the new group chapel. Leaving from there I sped home just in time to pick up Nancy and Precious to go sign a contract at the notary’s office for an apartment for the assistants to the president. That ran overtime and so we were somewhat late for ourinspection of the readiness preparations made by the landlord for ouroccupancy of the mission president’s home. It had a ton of things notready. We then headed to see the apartment for the assistants andfinally made it home about 7:30. I was bushed!!! Nancy held upbetter than I. We had the other half a bowl of goulash, worked on thecomputer for a short time and now I am going to bed. Nancy will stayup into the wee hours working on our news letter. [end of Letter 5]