Project at Police Post - Helping Hands Day in Zambia

Invitations to Dinner

 From a dinner with dignitaries to hauling gravel and cleaning up trash, we have enjoyed the annual Helping Hands events this year.  There was a celebration dinner at the end of the project where we also welcomed our new Mission President Leif Erickson.  Government leaders were invited and also leaders from a local Rotary Club who donated money for the project.  Two days later, on a Saturday, there was a ribbon cutting event  at the police post to celebrate the completed project.  We have posted about the workers previously.  Here is an overview of the last 2 weeks.

Two large loads of "small stones" were spread around the outside of the building

A broken window was replaced.

Spreading gravel or small stones.

Pres. Liyali with finished gridwork that was over the metal ceiling.

At the end of the last day, missionaries helped to finish spreading gravel.

Two large truckloads of gravel made such a difference!

The gravel trucks hauled the trash away on their return trips. Some of my grandsons would have been able to use some of the bike parts we found!

Sister Missionaries helped members hauling the stone.

Smiling, happy Sister Missionaries are noticed by other Sisters.

Finally the work is done and the leaders celebrate!

Mission Pres. Leif Erickson and wife Linda dine with top Government Leaders.

Law Student Lillian Shea enjoys Judge Silungwe and others.

Pres. Erickson gives an award to Roma Ward 17 Councillor Norman Nyendwa. A wonderful culmination of a very nice evening.

Head of the Manda Hill Police Post, very grateful for improvements made.

 

Some of the police from the Manda Hill Post.  Glad to have a nicer place to work.

Some of the skilled workers who worked voluntarily for 3 weeks (Saturdays and some other days) on the improvements at the Post.  They welded bars over the ceiling and installed a new ceiling beneath the bars.  They repaired holes in the ceiling in other areas, installed two new toilets, new lighting and repaired electrical outlets.

Chris Chansa, National Director of Public Affairs for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, conducts the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Members of the Church, Rotarians who donated money, policemen and government leaders attended the event.

Police commissioner gives a short address, noting the improvements to plumbing, electrical, ceilings, and the security of the holding cell.

Ribbon cutting by government leader, police commissioner, and Church District President Lumbama.

Almost everyone!

Rotarian donors pose with police post leader.

The two who started the whole thing :)

Policemen asked me to take one more picture with their Mormon colleagues.

Grateful for Granddaughter

Our granddaughter, Tailor, has recently posted on her blog (the Girl in Pink@blogspot.com) about her joy in gardening.  She has been gardening at our home and it gave me such joy to find that she enjoys gardening like I do. 

It made me think of her other wonderful traits....some of which come from her father and some come from her mother through Bruce and me I think.  Many good traits she has chosen to develop on her own.  These righteous choices and resultant good traits that we recognize in our children and grandchildren and even others that we sort of "adopt" throughout the world are the things that make life worth living.  They give us hope for the future even after we are gone.

Tailor asked me to post pictures of our garden here in Zambia.  When we were first here, I took pictures of things...beautiful flowers, unusual sights, and animals.  Now I notice almost all my pictures have people that I've grown to know and love here.  Even our garden pictures here include our gardener, Reuben, who works for us a little to save money for his mission.

Radishes....here it is springtime in August : )

Peas and cabbages with our year old flowering bushes in the back.

This Aloe plant was a house plant that one of the Young Sisters threw away.....we just stuck it into the ground and it grew!   It has tripled in size.

Carrots

Our Yellow Flowering Bush, didn't ever know it's real name.

Reuben weeding...behind him is the guava tree and my favorite flowering bush in front are the grasses he brought and started for us last year.

Reuben and the flowers.  Reuben works as a Jr. police officer at the bus station and on his day off, he helps us.  He is saving to go on a mission.  He is really the best part of the garden.

Mormon Helping Hands Project, Lusaka, Zambia

 Saturday morning, July  27th marks the start of the Mormon Helping Hands Project in Lusaka District for 2013.  Lusaka Rotary club is helping with funding and the project is to help refurbish the Manda Hill Police Post.  Uneven ground around the building with lots of rubble and trash will be cleaned, leveled and replaced with gravel.  Inside the holding cell, a network of reinforced steel bars above the ceiling will increase the security. Broken ceiling boards will be replaced and painted.  New plumbing will be installed and new light fixtures and outlets. 

Sister keeping track of those Elders in the holding cell!

President Myondi installs an electrical outlet.

For a volunteer cleaner there is certainly job security here! The Police post also affords temporary storage for wrecked vehicles and other wreckage.

Relief Society President sweeps the yard.

Rubble removed to make the ground more smooth for gravel.

Getting the trash into bags.

Taking a break....part of a wonderful group of hard working people!

Drilling holes above the ceiling to install the steel rod network that will ensure security in the holding cell.

Sydney takes his turn with the drill.

Pres. Liyali making holes in preparation for the rods.

Tired but already making plans for how they will work next week.

Mission Moving Daze...

 I haven't posted for awhile because we have been so busy.   Sometime last March we were given an extra duty to help care for the mission housing.   Along with Public Affairs work....it keeps us going!   One day we helped prepare an apartment or "flat" for another senior couple.  We worked with the office elders....who kept us happy and moving through a very long day!  About a week later the mission closed a flat that had Elders in it and opened a new one, along with some transfers, so we were at it again....this time with more Elders and much more to move!

Elder Shurtz moves the frig around in the truck after he and Elder Stewart just hoisted it in.  How are these two slender Elders so strong?

Elders Shurtz, Louthan, and Stewart packing it in!

No, no, don't smash Elder Shurtz in there!

Arranging it all neatly.

Moving a king sized mattress the African way!

Elder Lyle helps Shurtz with the drapes....nice that they don't need a stool!

Styrofoam wars!

Stewart and Shurtz have just assembled the couch : )

Elder Hontyo arranging his load of desks and chairs...I tease him that it looks like an "African" load!  (You have never seen a loaded truck until you have seen an African one....the truck disappears under the load sometimes.)

Somehow it will all fit....just need to tie it in!

Elder Cook calculates, how many more loads from this house?

Elder Hontyo successfully ties it all in!

Ah....a stowaway!   Elder Stewart, tired, loves this mattress!   We love these hard working and fun loving missionaries! What a pleasure it is to work with such fine young men!