Johannesburg

The school year in Zambia starts in January and ends in December.  They’re in school for three months and take a month off in April, August, and December. 

I love having breaks from school and this holiday I got to visit Johannesburg (and play with my Dad but that’s for another post).  Because I was alone and everyone tells me horror stories about how scary Johannesburg is, I just stayed at the temple patron housing for most of the time only venturing out to go jogging.  Of course there was lots and lots of World Cup propaganda everywhere.

 

I was shocked at how developed South Africa is.  There are paved roads everywhere with sidewalks and shopping malls and freeways and nice cars and zoos and big buildings and a city and most importantly washers and driers.

It made me realize how third world my little home is in Zambia.  The temple patron housing was so nice and clean and for the first time in 9 months I walked around without shoes on.  It felt so good.

The highlight of the trip was the opportunity to attend the temple.  The familiarity of it all brought me to tears.  I felt like I had come home.

 

I had lots of little miracles happen to me while I was there.  One of them was sweet little Ursha and her son Lincoln.

I met her in the temple Friday night and she took care of me from then on.  She arranged to have the older sister missionaries pick me up for church on Sunday morning.  I spent the day with Sister Lee and Sister Dollinger and loved it.  Then Ursha had me come stay at her home about an hour south of Johannesburg.  It was delightful spending time with her and Lincoln and getting to know them better.  She lost her husband and daughter in a tragic car accident five years ago.  She’s a strong woman with a lot of spunk.  I was so grateful for her hospitality.

I also got to meet Sister Sithole who is the mother to the sister missionary serving in Zambia that I have become dear friends with.  This woman is a pioneer in South Africa bringing many souls to Christ.  She has an amazing spirit.

I also wanted to include a few pictures of all the donations we got from the volunteers.  Thankfully for good people who traveled all the way across the world bringing lots of great things, we have two well stocked cabinets full of school supplies.