The Jumbo Jet of La Reunion

Ca va bien to all those we love at home,

Occasionally at 8:40 in the morning, when I am here, I glance out our sliding glass doors to catch a glimpse of the silver jumbo jet finishing its descent over the ocean just before it lands at Roland Garros and remember how it felt ten weeks ago when we were aboard.  We think of all we have experienced, agonized over, rejoiced about, prayed about, and labored over and can't believe all that has happened in just ten weeks, and yet, we still feel like we are figuring out what we are doing because the needs here seem to change weekly, if not daily.  Yesterday, Brent either made or accepted thirty-two phone calls between 8:00 AM and 2:00 PM, and some of them lasted thirty minutes.  He was at the work-out park when they began and he had difficulty getting out of his workout clothes and getting dressed for the day.  I could see that the day was going to be complicated, so I sequestered myself in the office and worked on some documents - accounts of events that we had been part of here -  that Elder Cook requested during his visit.  In between, the zone leaders had several items that needed clearance, there were emails from South Africa needing attention, and people calling for recipes!  I know, it was crazy, but today has been even crazier.  We have had to split up tonight, I going with the sister missionaries on a teaching appointment that we were both scheduled for, while Brent handles an emergency situation.  One thing is for certain, we NEVER get up and think, "What shall we do today?" We are anticipating the time when we will be able to take a full Pday; so far, we are content with three or four hours away.

We have found something absolutely amazing here...it is called the Fortuna Market and is held every Wednesday morning down in the Caudron.  I had complained to someone that the lettuce I bought at the store only lasted two days and they said, "Oh, you never buy vegetables from the store, we all go to the Wednesday market," so we found out where it was and headed down there.  It is the most amazing experience!  Rows and rows of tables COVERED with all kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables, some that we had never seen before,  gorgeous exotic flowers, fresh fish with the eyes still attached, hand-made items, food cooking, vendors yelling that their merchandise is the best and trying to get your attention.  The senses are overwhelmed with all the colors, odors, sounds, sights.  It was difficult to shop our first visit there because we both just walked around with our mouths open.  That first day, after I would make the purchase at a stand, I would just open my hand full of coins and let the vendor take what he or she needed, but now I can actually understand what the cost is and count out the money myself.  (At first it sounded like everyone was talking with a mouth full of marbles.  The sound of  numbers in French is like a long string of z's to my ears.)  I have included some photos, which are good, but really can't capture the magic of the market.

Great, great missionary story for you this week!  A few weeks ago, the sister missionaries were going port-to-port (door-to-door) and came up to an apartment where a whole group of family members were sitting outside (a very common thing here) and, when they saw the missionaries, they called out, "Allison, there is someone here to see you," and sent the missionaries inside.  When they entered the house, a girl of nineteen came around the corner, stopped, and said, "You found me!"  The sister missionaries were frozen, realizing that there was something really special happening.  She then went on to tell them that she had a sister living in Lehi, Utah (married to a former missionary on La Reunion - as George Durrant said about marrying his wife who was a missionary from his district, "We never did anything inappropriate, but I DID have an electrifying handshake"), and when she was fourteen, she came to Utah, lived with her sister for two years, was baptized, was active in the church the whole time, "I even went to Girl's Camp", and had been thinking about the church lately as she realized that her life had definitely taken a downward spiral and missed what she had felt, and been, in Utah.  Making those types of life changes is never an easy thing, and the missionaries have been meeting with her as much as possible, but she would never commit to come to church.  I think she wants to, but worries about feeling accepted and worries about her lifestyle.  The missionaries made an appointment to bring her to our apartment on a Saturday night.  The minute she walked in, I fell in love with her - it's the Young Women worker in me.  We all talked, laughed; she told me all about herself, and then we all made cookies together.  As we were measuring and mixing together, I saw a look come into her eyes.  I said, "Allison, what is it?"  She said, "This reminds me of being with Jane (eyes teared up); I miss her so much."  Jane, of course, was her Young Women advisor in Utah; one of those marvelous women who saw a need and constantly filled it for Allison.  They still maintain contact, but Allison missed her physical presence right then, making cookies, in our little kitchen.  It reminded me again of how much caring and reaching out really matter, and that it is the small and simple things that bind themselves to our hearts and allow the spirit to reenter, in a kitchen far away from Lehi, making cookies.  When we were through, I asked the sisters to ask her if she would like a blessing to help her with her challenges.  She would.  Brent had been in his casual clothes, so he went in and changed into missionary attire for the blessing.  When he came out, Allison's eyes lit up and she said, "Oh, you look cute!"  I think it took him by surprise.  Brent talked to her about herself, the blessing, what she needed, and what would happen.  The minute he laid his hands on her head and began, there was a tangible feeling of total love that surrounded all of us, and when he was finished, she was sobbing.  We can't wait to see her again.  I so hope she can remember what she felt and what she was promised.  A night like that was worth all the cramps endured on that silver jumbo jet!

Highlight:  Besides Saturday night with Allison, a terrific zone conference.  (We meet with the two districts of missionaries here weekly, one on Thursday morning and one on Friday morning, and we have a combined zone conference monthly.)

Lowlight:  Realizing that I had accidentally thrown away my cleaning ticket - no name given, just a number on a ticket - and wondering if I had lost three items of my already limited wardrobe.  I told Brent that it was my error and that I would solve it by myself, but, in the end, he helped me and we were able to get my blouses back.

Some photos for you...and we live HERE!

We thought you might enjoy seeing the picture "behind the blog".  This is the interior of the island called "The Cirques."  We are arranging for a member ,who hikes the interior often, to guide all of us on a Pday hike...a must before two of our missionaries leave for home in December.

These little stubby bananas are incredible.  The small pineapples barely visible on the end of the table, are peeled, sliced, and eaten entirely.  The middle is as soft and sweet as the outside.  We eat the slices like cookies.

These vegetables - legumes in French - will last a whole week, just as crunchy as when we bought them.

Remember the old Pink Panther movies with Peter Sellers, where his butler, Kato, would jump out from behind the curtains and put karate moves on him?  Well, Sister Viatua is my Kato; I never know when she will put a wrestling hold on me.  We are NOT hugging; she is trying for a takedown.

Sometimes we have to remember that they are just kids in BIG bodies.

That's better...aren't they wonderful?

Flowers - and the most incredible orchids - by the yard in every color you could ever imagine.

Elder Heap enjoying the La Port Talent Show.  Isn't he handsome?

Allison making cookies.  By the way, they don't bake cookies here, or pies; no one even knows what a pie is.

So yummy.  The scary part is that I have to light the oven on my hands and knees.  I light the match, turn my head the other way, and stick the match underneath the oven and hope for the best.

One of our sister missionaries has been struggling a bit, so we hosted a dinner for all of the sisters (soeurs) and had them tell about their arrival on the island.  It was so fun and, hopefully, brought back the joy and anticipation of becoming a missionary.  They all wanted to take a picture of the dessert, so we took one too.  A lemon tart.  I have to say, it WAS GOOD, and so was the afternoon together.

Thank you jumbo jet for bringing us here.

AU BIENTOT NOS AMIS!