Detlef and Seila Madagascar Mission: July 2010

11 July 2010
Dear Family,
Life has settled down a bit for us. We are more familiar with the work. I have been able to start working ahead on visa applications for incoming missionaries. Detlef has been able to meet with bank executives regarding changes in procedures and meet with landlords and vendors regarding e-transfer payments instead of checks. His workload continues at the same pace. He has been able to analyze the flow, trends and specific financial needs of the mission and our missionaries. The mission was primarily in Antananarivo but now it is more spread out over the country. As a result, there are some missionary apartments that have been vacant for some time and the mission is looking into closing them. That meant finding the leases (in French) and analyzing termination terms and dates. Decisions will be made soon.
The finance training meetings this Wednesday through Friday should be interesting. There are fifteen couples participating from all over Southeastern Africa. They have asked that the wives sit in on all the training. The hope is that with both listening more will be remembered when we return home.
On Friday we received an alert from the US Embassy to stay away from down town and the stadium area on Saturday. Several churches were attempting a demonstration and shut down of stores. We had planned to go shopping Friday afternoon, but then with the warning I hoped to go at mid-day. Sister Ridges and I were going to go together, but she had a meeting that lasted until 2 P.M. Driving time, shopping and taking supplies hope would take more than two hours so that did not work. A new missionary arrived at 2:10 P.M. After customs and travel back to the office he arrived around 3:30 P.M. for orientation, assignment and to sign visa application papers. So the shopping never happened. Yesterday, Detlef worked at the office while I did laundry and cleaned the apartment. Since there was no word on any disturbance we went shopping after lunch. I drove and took a different road which I thought would be faster. It turned to be the long way around and went right past the stadium (now I know where it is). No activity out of the ordinary, just the street vendors, walkers and drivers. Our shopping trip was uneventful other than a more leisurely drive.
Today, in Relief Society, I organized the lesson to teach the sisters how to prepare and teach a lesson. It went well. The young women are unafraid and anxious to participate. Today they conducted the meeting, lead the music, contributed to the lesson and after the meeting begged to do it again. I assured them there would be another opportunity. Everyone needs to have a turn. I handed out The Latter-day Saint Woman, part A, to each of the sisters and told them to write their name on the book because it was their copy. I asked them to read the lesson for next week so that they can participate. I asked one sister who had been at church for many weeks to teach the lesson for next week but she declined. To my surprise I later learned she was an investigator. I still do not know all the sisters and who is a member and who is investigating. There will be other opportunities for her as she grows in the gospel. A sister in her early 20's asked if she could teach the lesson. Sister Helisoa (RM and my translator) took her aside after the meetings were over and coached her on preparing and giving the lesson. I checked in my English version and identified two paragraphs that were important to be included in the lesson. The guidelines were the same we have given to each sister who has taught in the past. Each Sunday is an opportunity to learn and grow.
At the first of next month we will have our first Relief Society Activity. The sisters want to learn how to bake a cake like we make. We do have an oven at church, still wrapped. I think it is electric and will have to make sure it will work for us. My guess is that no sister has an oven in her home. They cook in the open on charcoal burners. It is like cooking at camp with charcoal briquettes, only all the time. They normally cook rice and have some type of sauce or topping of vegetables and sometimes with meat. SO..... I would like you campers to give me some help! Do you have any recipes for baked items that can be cooked in tin cans or any Dutch-oven recipes? Please share! In addition to the cake I would also like to teach something that they can recreate in their own homes.
Does anyone have my "Norma's Brownie" recipe? It is the one that uses one cup of flour, 4 eggs and I think 1/2 c of canned evaporated milk. I tried to make it from memory. It was good but not quite the same as what I usually make. I would really like to have the recipe. Rana, if my metal recipe box is still in the cupboard, the recipe is in there.
We have heard from a few of you about your summer activities. Amy let us know that James was to be coming home last week. We are very grateful for a safe return. There will be readjustments and then moving again for their family. Over time they will build many friendships in different parts of the world. As we have gotten older we find the world gets smaller. We continually run into people we know or who are related or who were friends from some previous time. Even here in Madagascar, the parents of Elder Rossiter who came to travel for a week and returned with him last Friday, brought greetings from one of the former mission presidents who had worked closely with Detlef when he was stake president. They live in the same ward. I know many of you have had the same experience. We love you all and pray for you individually.
The attached photo is from our 4th of July celebration. Sister Ridges and I made the treats are for the missionaries.
We send our love,
Seila and Detlef