Hi kids,
This week was our first (and last) Couples Conference and it was in Swaziland! With the new couples from
Brazil, we now have 3 couples in Beira (us, Dilles, and Castro Deus'), 3 in Maputo (Hobsons. Tidwells,
and Lopez'), and one in Swaziland, the McCuens. So, it was all of us plus the Kretlys. The Beira couples
flew down to Maputo last Monday. We had a big lunch at the Kretlys and then stayed overnight there.
The Kretlys left that afternoon so Pres K. could do interviews.
Loaded up to go to Kretlys:
Yummy Lunch!!
The women
Everybody! (Their maid took the picture, so it's a bit lop-sided!)
The
next morning, the six couples loaded up in three cars and drove to
Swaziland. It was about a 3 hour drive. When we stopped at the border,
Sandy T, Sonja, and I braved the bathroom there. See that yellow
bucket? It was full of water and there was a cup inside that we scooped
the water up in and poured it over our hands to wash them in that sink.
We had to pay 5 mtz to use it.
Not sure what these guys are doing....
We
stayed at a beautiful hotel in Swaziland and when we arrived, there was
a group of women there to greet us and take our luggage. They were
hilarious!! They hugged us and laughed and smiled!
On our way to the room, we saw this guy:
After
we settled in, we had our conference meeting. Pres. Kretly spoke and
then we had a group discussion about the mission needs and plan of
action. It was good. At the end, Pres. Kretly asked us and the Hobsons
to share our testimonies. I talked about how surprised I was that the
people here have become my friends. I knew that I'd love 'the people'
and would work hard to help them, but I didn't expect that I would get
so close to some of the people - they would become my friends: people
that I'd tease and joke with, talk fashion with, and share cooking and
child-rearing tips with. I'll miss them and wonder how they're doing
after we leave. I wish we could come back once a year to see them and
catch up. I want to know how things worked out for them. That part will
be hard....
After our meeting, we went downstairs and had a
wonderful dinner. It was so good to eat different, delicious, safe food!
Salads and vegetables that I haven't had in months! We were so full,
but I had to eat every bite. Scarcity mentality! Look at the beautiful
table!!
Dad said I was squishing his legs. He's such a romantic! ;)
The
next day, we got up and went to a silversmith. Here's how they make the
jewelry. No laser cutting for them. It's all done by hand.
Then we left and went to tour a traditional Swazi village and watched a show that they put on.
Typical Swazi house. You have to duck really low to go inside.
A
big part of their dance style is the high kicks that they do. The men
also do these bird calls that sound so realistic I thought they had it
piped over a speaker.
A group of women visiting from S. Africa
were in the audience and they were decked out in their native dress.
After the show, we complimented them in their dress and asked if we
could take a picture with them.
Then Dad told them that it was
Larry's birthday and asked if they could sing Happy Birthday to him. One
woman stood up and said that they could sing AND dance for him and then
all the women shuffled to the stage area and started singing and
dancing. It was great!! Larry beamed and said it was the best present.
Ever.
At the end, I went up to thank them and danced a little with a zippy lady.
After
the show, we had lunch at a real restaurant in a real mall! So good! I
wasn't even that hungry because I'd eaten so much the night before and had eaten a
big breakfast at the hotel but knowing that this week was my only
chance, I stuffed myself again. So yummy but what a tummy ache!
The plan
was to go to a glass-blowing factory, but half of the people (including
Dad) wanted to go back to the hotel and rest. It ended up being
Kretlys, me, Sandi, Ann, Bev McCuen, and the Tidwellls. Richard T. and
Pres. K. were the only guys. I wasn't super interested because I'd been to
one in Murano, but I didn't want to rest - this was my chance to see
sights! I was glad I went though because it was totally different from what
I'd seen. It was a huge room with 6-7 guys working the oven and another
5-6 at different places making their certain animals. It was SO hot in
there! And they weren't wearing any protective clothing, not even gloves
as they handled molten glass. A few of the guys at the oven wore
sunglasses but I wasn't sure if it was to protect them from the glare of
the fire or the heat. It was really interesting to watch them work.
(Sandi has these pics on her phone.:(
After
the glass factory, we went back to the hotel and everyone had dinner
on their own. We joined up with Hobsons, Tidwellls, and Castro Deus'.
(McCuens took Dilles to do medical checks on a few of the missionaries.
Pres. K. had interviews).
Dad ordered two desserts...;)
The
next morning, we went to a candle factory. This was interesting. They
take a warm blob of wax and shape and sculpt it into an animal. They
have squares of patterned wax that they lay over the shape and mold it
in with the body. It's pretty cool how detailed they get.
Next to the candle place is an outdoor craft market, so we walked around and bought a few things.
I tried on these crazy pants - they looked cuter on the hanger. Ha!
The wood-carvers:
Buying batiks
Our
internet is too slow to do more pictures, so I'm sending on this and
will do "Swazi Part 2" in another email. Stay tuned....;)