May 2012

Last month we forgot to put in a photo of me receiving my birthday cake from Liliana who is a good friend to us.  She is a Secretary to the Area Presidency and our Bishops wife.  It’s a tradition that anyone with a birthday on the Area President”s floor receives a cake to share with the other.  It was a lucuma & chocolate gateaux & tasted gorgeous!  

Happy Birthday Jane

Back to work making appointments

What else do Senior Missionaries do?

This is Lynn Schiffman who works in the next office to us with his wife Karen, & they're good friends of ours.  He met us at the airport when we first arrived.  Lynn likes to wash up with very hot water, rinsing everything as the Americans do, so he prefers to do the washing up for everyone, which is much appreciated by us.

New Mission Presidents don’t now receive any medical training during their time in the Prove MTC, so we have been asked to Skype with those coming to our Area to help them learn some of the things they’ll have to do here, for example using the computer program to record any significant illnesses.  Fortunately the Presidents who only speak Spanish are all in the 3 countries covered by Dave Henderson, the Assistant Area Medical Advisor.  Bruce Packard the Area Mental Health Advisor has to Skype with all of the new Presidents, but at least his Spanish is very good which is a huge advantage.  We have Skyped with the Borgs - Lima Central, the Douglas’ - Lima South and the Rowleys - Piura.  We really enjoy meeting these wonderful people and helping them catch a flavour of what their lives will be like for the next 3 years.

Two local residents

We were surprised to learn a couple of months ago, that our replacements have already been called.   It was hard to believe that so much time had gone by!  We have Skyped twice with them and are very pleased that they are excited to be coming here!  Assuming they will have no problem with visas, the Bramwells, from Washington State, will be arriving on 24th August.  We’ll have a 4 day overlap before we fly home, which will be very useful to help them learn what our calling entails.  We will arrive in London as the ParaOlympics start, so are very grateful our flights are already booked.

The Homestead, Witham

Soon after we started our Mission, Sarah & Paul told us they wanted to move to Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk to be near his sister, Dawn & her family.  Paul asked us if we’d think about moving there too, so we could be near them.   It will be a big wrench leaving Witham, where we’ve lived since 1981,  but  we need to downsize.    The Homestead that once housed 6, & occasionally 14, when Ruth's Mum, Cherie brought their family over for 3 weeks, is much too big for the 2 of us.  So we decided now is the time to make a break & move so we can be near at least one set of grandchildren.  The good news is that Bury is in the same Stake as Witham, so we’ll be seeing our friends from Witham & other units every time we go to Stake events.  The drive between Bury & Witham is only an hour, so we will be making frequent journeys back to visit our friends in & around Witham.

We are happy to report that Mae, Sarah’s 2 year old daughter is slowly gaining weight with her new gluten free diet that Sarah is gradually getting used to preparing.

Transforming the parking bay

Ready for the party

Still partying past midnight

Most of the homes in Lima don’t have any back garden, and many have very little land at the front, if any.  However, that doesn’t stop them utilizing the land they do have for a party.  A company will come and drape material over the fence and doors of the area used to park cars (if they have one) and plastic chairs will be provided with covers on & they’re set to go.  As it never rains, the weather isn’t a problem, and won’t affect the party.   The only problem is the noise, which carries far & wide, & continues well into the early hours of the morning, sometimes even 5 am!!

A few months ago we went with the Webbs, who serve in Lima Central Mission Office, to a home that was started in 1924 & completed in1934. It looks like a castle.  It is in Chancay, 2 hours north of Lima.  It was built as a tribute to the lady’s late husband.   The castle was abandoned when the family moved to Lima and in 1990 was rebuilt as a tourist attraction.   Although Chancay is by the sea, we had to drive through many dessert like areas to get there, so it was really lovely to see the sea when we got there.  

Chancay Castle

Castle Entrance

Dancers in the Courtyard

When Simon, our eldest son, served in the Paris France Mission, he was working in Versailles & translated in Sacrament Meeting for a couple, the Heads (I think) from the south of England, two weeks running.  They wrote to me & said how well he was doing etc.  It was soooo good to hear from someone who had actually seen my son &  they told me he was alive & well, I´ve never forgotten them.  I was reminded of their letter to us soon after we went on our first Mission Health Visit, and it gave me an idea. 

When we visit the different Mission Offices in Peru or other countries, the elders are often very helpful to us maybe with transport, translating, arranging appointments for us to see sick missionaries, obtaining information from the Clinics etc.  When a missionary impresses us, I get the contact details for their Mums & ring them free on our Vonage pone.  Sometimes I e-mail a photo.  They are always so pleased to hear how their missionary is getting on & it gives me a thrill to do it.  I call this ¨My Crusade¨ and I just love it!!  

Jane loves to chat with their mums

Last month the Bi-Annual Mission President´s Seminar was held in Lima, theoretically only 20 minutes from where we live, but in rush hour it takes over an hour to get there.  We were grateful Graciela told us to leave at 7am for the 8.30am start!!  We were just there to answer their questions in between sessions.

The Presidents & wives came from the 24 Missions in 5 countries to be trained, strengthened and edified, by their leaders and each other.  When you see the potos of the gorgeous food, you´ll agree we were all edified! 

The main course

The best course, of course! 

Sometime ago, Brian had a suit made by the ex husband of Nelida, the lady who does dressmaking for us sisters.  This lovely Taylor came to the Area Office with samples of material, & measured Brian.  He returned once for a fitting, then a week later with the completed suit which Brian is very pleased with.  It´s been too hot for him to wear the new suit, but now the relentless heat is easing up a bit he´ll wear it.  We went to a nearby galería where a Church member works & she made some jewellery to go with my new blouse & skirt made by Nelida.

"I could buy more material"

Our new clothes

Hand made jewelry

Dried fruit, nuts, olives and more

Here are three typical street scenes we see on our way the visit the missions.  Street entertainers are at many junctions trying to earn a few soles.

Street entertainer

Go to work on a brick!

Getting a ride to work