August 2020 – Page 3 – Our Cote d’Ivoire Abidjan East and Bamako, Mali Mission

More DRC Departures

Today we sent off two more missionaries to the DRC. These two had luggage issues last week and missed their flight. Today they tried again and were able to go. We wish them well.

Interviews with the Cocody Zone

We had a fun missionary-filled day at the office. We live in the Cocody Zone. All of our Cocody missionaries came in today for their first round of interviews with Pres Bendixsen. Mission Presidents interview every missionary every six weeks. This is where the fun begins!

This is Soeur Mahunda. She’s from from Kinshasa, DRC. She goes home next month. She’s a happy bright Sister. We learned that she’s the 2nd of 12 children and all of her family are members of the church. Her father was in France and found a pamphlet when he was single. He read it and then returned to the DRC and continued to study about the church. One day he saw missionaries and waved them over. They taught him. He was engaged to be married. They taught his fiancé. They were baptized the same day. Now they have 12 children. Sadly, her mother died in 2006.

Sr Mahunda said when she was in Accra at the MTC and went to the temple, she prayed to feel her mother near or to see her. She said that when she was going to sleep that night, she felt her mom with her.

There are 8 girls and 2 boys in the family. So far 6 of the children have served missions. Her younger sister is serving right now in the Abidjan West Mission and they return home the same day. The youngest in the family is 5 years old. They are first generation pioneers who are true and faithful. She loves being a missionary and cried when we talked about her mission ending soon.

Today while the interviews were going on, our new office Elders were trained. We also had our first office meeting with these office Elders and the Assistants. Here is Elder Kouame.
And here is Elder N’zi:

John is teaching Elder N’zi about the mission finances. He will be a great help here.

Trading Places

Today we did some office shuffling. We had no tools. We found a kitchen knife and eventually a screwdriver. It took a little work and a few bodies helping, but we finally switched places with the other office.

This week the new office Elders will begin their training. John will be teaching Elder N’zi how to be the financial secretary and the APs will be teaching Elder Kouame the duties of a mission secretary. Swapping offices made better use of our spaces.

Around our Neighborhoods

I love being out in the neighborhoods, watching and learning about life here in Abidjan. Here are some of the interesting people we met today, doing their day-to-day living, making ends meet, with grace and hard work.

This woman was selling hot sandwiches. You could pick your fillings. The choices included seasoned garbanzo beans, lentils, onion and tomato sauce and chunks of meet served in a fresh baguette.

Here is a clothing shop. Come take your pick.

This woman is displaying and selling panties.

These friends are selling bags of coal for cooking fires.

This delightful lady is bagging attieke to sell. She’s also got some eggs–hard boiled and not.

This is an outdoor restaurant.

Congolese Missionaries Depart!

Early this morning we were at the office where our 7 departing missionaries made their final preparations for departure. There was some last minute adjusting of luggage and then the bags were zipped and loaded and we were on our way to the airport.

Sister Bendixsen had their departure packets all ready to go.

The missionaries received their mission scarves.

Some final instructions and love

And then they were off!

Farewell and God bless!

We have a departing group! Weighing luggage

COVID times are a little crazy. This last week we received word that the borders to the DRC Congo have opened. We have more than a dozen missionaries who should have completed their missions, but who haven’t been able to return home because of closed borders. These missionaries have continued to serve as missionaries here, in spite of what’s going on around us.

Slowly, the countries around us are beginning to open their borders and their airports. As we are able to move our missionaries and send them home, we will do it. Today we were able to secure flights for the group who live in the DRC. There are 2 others who will be able to return to Brazzaville in the Congo Republic as soon as some health concerns are resolved.

So this evening, 9 missionaries came to the office with their bags packed to weigh them. The Asky Airlines will only allow them to take 30 kg total (not the usual 40 kg the other airlines allow). So tonight was a night of shuffling and thinning out things. It was not easy.

Companions waited patiently and helped.

By the end of the evening, most of the bags made weight. We were all tired. It was late. Tomorrow’s flight is early. We’ll need to be back at the office at about 6:00 a.m. to gather everyone and go to the airport.

COVID Test Results–a long wait

It was a long day of waiting patiently. John and I left this morning for the lab at the University of Abidjan, where we hoped to pick up certificates with negative test results for each of our Congolese missionaries hoping to travel tomorrow morning.

Each missionary was supposed to receive a text message a couple of days after taking the COVID test reporting their results. In order to receive the certificate today, that message had to be printed out on paper and combined with the ticket given at the testing site (with a bar code on it). We learned we also needed photo copies of each passport. We had everything in place. All that remained was the wait. We were there 5.5 hours. It was a warm day. We finally left with certificates in hand.

Here’s what I looked at for 5.5 hours. Beautiful.

We were the last to leave. Gratefully, they found the last of our certificates and allowed John to pick all of them up (an exception to the rule). Things here always take more time than you might expect. We have time.

District Meeting in Cocody and Temple Site Progress

This morning we attended our weekly District Meeting. We have some new faces here–our 2 office Elders have moved in. We’re so happy about that.

Here’s what’s happening behind the tin fence at the temple site these days:

This building will house the Distribution Center and other offices.

Visiting an Elders’ Apartment in N’Dotre

We’ve had 4 Elders living in N’Dotre. One of them, Elder Kabamba who is flying home this week. We had to pick up his COVID test ticket today. This is the first time we’ve visited this apartment.

I always wonder who has served here over the years. Maybe many Elders who have long since gone home. If you are one, I hope these photos bring many happy memories of the time you spent here.

Here is the outer courtyard where the cooking, washing and eating is done.