Merry Christmas From Zimbabwe

A very Merry Christmas to everyone! 
The last two months have been very, very busy, so we haven't had much time to blog.  Christmas in Zimbabwe is a different kind of holiday.  School is out and many businesses close for a week or two around Christmas.  Because the people are so poor, there is not much gift-buying here.  But they do gather as families and spend a lot of time together.  A lot of them go to the "Rurals" (the villages where the families' roots are, generally in the Bush).  Family is very important here! 

We will see if we can give you an idea of our first Christmas in Zimbabwe.

Even in Africa the children know who Santa Claus is.  Check out the Zimbabwe Santa:

 If you look closely you can see the white string holding on the beard, right next to his dark hair. 😬  The kids who would come to this mall have families with a little money.  Most Zimbabweans would not be crowding around Santa and posing for pictures with him. 

We saw a "Christmas tree" lot.  They are few in number, plastic and colorful, and the street vendors bring them right to your car to see if you will buy one.  This vendor came to our car window and I said no thank you, but he agreed to let me take his picture:

 He is wrapped in the Zimbabwe flag.  The vendors are still selling flags and they wrap a big flag on as a cape.  It symbolizes their love for their country and the hope that they have for the new government.

Elder Theurer posed for a picture too:

The first event of the holiday season was the Christmas Zone Conference with elders and sisters from 4 zones of the mission.  It's a really big deal and a time to rejoice and have fun.  Everyone of the missionaries is invited to bake something for a contest.  We were among the 6 selected judges, tasked with tasting all of the entries.  There were some excellent choices and we have fortunately collected the recipes. 😍
After the wonderful, spiritual part of the zone conference, there was a ping pong tournament (very new to most Africans), games, and a talent show. 

Here is a sampling of the events:

 

 The ping pong table temporarily took over the Primary room in the Harare Stake Center.

Zone choir singing Christmas carols.

 

 These sisters (from Nevada, Botswana, and Utah)  kept it spiritual with their singing.

 

 A few of our Polynesians (From Tonga and then Australia) spiced it up with some dancing.

 

 And these three (from New Zealand and Australia) recited "Book of Mormon Stories" doing the Haka!

We even had several magic shows.  This one features Elder Tu'ua (from Australia) and Elder Daka (from Zambia).

This was probably our favorite of all the "talent" that day!  The Beach Ball Ballet!  You have to see this!  Two elders from North Ogden Utah and Flagstaff AZ.

On the Saturday before Christmas, all 4 of the senior missionary couples baked cookies and then we went caroling to 16 of the units in our complex.  We took plates of cookies and December Liahonas to each unit.  It was so sweet!  As we sang and gave out our cookies, the people seemed genuinely grateful, and several had tears in their eyes as they thanked us.  We are aware that a number of them don't have children or family living in the country, so they are essentially alone.  Because it is so hard to find employment here, the children end up leaving the country.

Our flats came stocked with these lovely hats, perfect for caroling. 

Many of the residents in our complex here have heard very negative things about our church, including that we are "Satanists" [unfortunately one of the popular beliefs here] and that we have many weird beliefs.  Most people think that we are paid and are very surprised to learn that we pay for our own missions. 



Last Saturday, our complex -- Grandi Lodges-- held a Christmas "Braai" (actually pronounced like Bri), which is a barbeque.  This gave us a chance to meet some of the residents, almost all born and raised in Zimbabwe.  These white natives are called Rhodesians.  They were fascinating to talk to as they gave us their personal histories of life here and their political perspectives.  Apparently they really liked President Mugabe until he started changing the constitution and taking away private property. 

We have recently learned that the talk among the residents since the Braai is that we seem like perfectly normal, friendly people.  (Well that's a relief! 😉)

Pictures from the Braai:

You can see that we live among the senior citizens.

The man is named Teini (Teeny), and he was the chief cook.  Moira, next to him is on the Board for Grandi Lodges. 

 

 Marian (also on the Board) on the left and Estelle on the right.  Most of the people who live here lost their pensions, homes, and most of their money in 2008 when the government confiscated the bank accounts.  Before the government confiscated the pensions, one of the gentlemen that we talked to had a monthly pension of around $2000 and now he collects less than $100 per month.  All of these people are very hopeful that the new government will be better.  (Marian is the one who reported to us that people now think we're normal.)


Sunday, Christmas Eve, we went to church in Epworth, a very poor, high density area.  It's about a half-hour drive for us.  We wanted to meet with the bishop to see if he will call an Institute teacher for the very large group of young single adults in his ward.   

When we say "high density", that is lots of people, generally poor, crowded into a small area.  Here are a few pictures I snapped:

This is pretty typical of the high density areas -- no electricity, no water, two room houses.

 

 These houses will be for more than one family.  They build wherever they can find a spot, sometimes as you see here, among the rocks and boulders.  The missionaries told us that some of these people are being given eviction notices from the government.  The land is being given to other people and they are being given a certain amount of time to vacate. 

As we were driving down the road to the chapel we saw this ahead:

This is essentially a poor man's Zimbabwe moving van.  The hand cart probably contained all of the family possessions.  Quite a load to pull!  When we got inside the church property I snapped another picture from the side.

   

 

These are a few of the "shops" on the side of the road. 

The meeting at the church was absolutely wonderful.  The little chapel was filled with the Spirit.  The main speaker, a young man, Phillip Sigauke, (formerly the Institute teacher) didn't use any notes but he inspired everyone for about a half hour as he talked about Jesus Christ and the joy of Christmas, even when you have very little in the way of possessions and no money for gifts.  He read the quote from President Howard W. Hunter (see Gems) and challenged everyone to live more Christlike lives.  He said, "Blessed are those who do not expect for they will not be disappointed."  Be a giver not a taker.  Give love.  Make burdens light.
I have said before that the people here have such pure and deep testimonies of Jesus Christ.  It is quite a blessing to experience.

After the meeting there was a line of people greeting the visitors outside.  I snapped a couple of pictures:

 (We love the colorful African dresses and the hats )

 

Notice the "Made in America" t-shirt the little boy is wearing.  It is just clothing to him.  He didn't seem to know what the flag was or the saying on his shirt meant.  Elder Carrell, one of the senior missionaries is in the background.

After church we joined the other senior missionaries for a Christmas Eve dinner.  We read the Christmas story from the scriptures and sang Christmas carols. 

Meet our missionary friends:

And now for our recently collected holiday GEMS:

From President Howard W. Hunter, 1994, in his last public message to the Church:

⇢"This Christmas, mend a quarrel.  Seek out a forgotten friend.  Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust.  Write a letter.  Give a soft answer.  Encourage youth.  Manifest your loyalty in word and deed.  Keep a promise.  Forgo a grudge.  Forgive an enemy.  Apologize.  Try to understand.   Examine your demands on others.  Think first of someone else.  Be kind.  Be gentle.  Laugh a little more.  Express your gratitude.  Welcome a stranger.  Gladden the heart of a child.  Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth.  Speak your love and then speak it again."

(This is the link for the whole talk:  https://www.lds.org/ensign/2002/12/the-gifts-of-christmas?lang=eng)

⇢Is the kind of love we give comparable to giving used gifts and worn out toys?

                                   (Inspiration from Cristina Franco - Christmas Devotional)

⇢There once was an old man who was very selfish.  He had many possessions and wanted more.  He took whatever he could from others.  One day he fell into a hole and couldn't get out.  His grandson extended his hand and said, "Grandpa, give me your hand and I will pull you out."  The old man did nothing.  The grandson tried again.  Still no effort from the old man.  The grandson went to his Grandmother and complained that his grandfather would not give him his hand to get out of the hole.  "Oh", she said, "He does not know the word give.  He does not know how to give.  Go back and tell him to take your hand."  The boy did that and the old man was rescued.

          (A story/fable told in the Epworth Christmas Sacrament meeting by Phillip Sigauke)

⇢"The love of God is the centerpiece of the plan of salvation, and opening out hearts to receive and give it is our daily opportunity."  - Virginia Pearce (A Heart Like His)

⇢“However late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.”     --  Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

⇢"Divine love inspires us to love as He loved.  In fact it becomes a defining characteristic of anyone who desires to be His disciple. . . . . It is not how much you have but how much you love."                                                                -- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

⇢This Christmas song/video by some very talented Samoans from Utah was played at our Christmas Eve gathering.  I'm including the link.  I think you will enjoy the video called:       "Is There Room?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esa56igwXh0

                                           
We miss everyone at this holiday season, but we send our love to all of you and our very best wishes for a happy, wonderful new year!  💝💖💗
From Elder and Sister Theurer