Survived the Driving

Survived two days of driving!  It only took us a half hour both days!  Elder Torrie is getting adventurous in his driving.  Policemen in the round-abouts direct traffic.  You don't look at the traffic lights; you look for direction from the police.  When other cars go, you go too.  It probably works better than if we obeyed the traffic lights! And people are courteous and will let you in.  The only time they honk is to let you know they're there so you won't hit them.  Not tons of obnoxious honking like in some places we've been.

We are gradually learning what to do in the mission office.  It's a lot.  Elder Torrie is the financial secretary and also works with the housing employee.  Each young missionary pays for his or her own mission but the money is all controlled by the financial secretary.  Each missionary receives a certain amount each month.  That way they can't squander it all at once.  Senior missionaries pay their own way also but it is not controlled by the mission.  Does that make sense?

I am the mission secretary.  I write letters and apply for visas and make travel arrangements.  It's a lot too but I'm gradually learning.  I also visit with all the missionaries as they come in so they will feel more comfortable.  It's easy to love these young men and women.  A lot of the African missionaries speak three or more languages.  Wow!

Below are some pictures I thought may be of interest.  We haven't taken pictures of the traffic because we don't want to call attention to ourselves.  But google for "traffic in Nairobi" and you will see some fun pictures.

Forgot to put this picture in last Saturday.  We've seen baboons on the road and now horses.  How cool is that?

This is a main road leading up to our office.  No wonder we drive trucks!

There are also several embassies on this road so lots of obstacles to slow us down.

LeRon and one of the other senior missionaries, Elder Peterson, who is serving with LDS Charities, the humanitarian wing of the Church.  LDS Charities often partners with Catholic and other organizations to help in the best way.  That is, to help the people to help themselves.

A flowering tree.  Looks like a hibiscus.  At home, they grow as small houseplants.  Here they are trees!

I love Bougainvillea!  It grows about two feet tall at home in Alberta and dies when summer is over.  Here they grow on tall trees and vines.

Here I am with our Nissan truck.  4-wheel drive.  Passenger side is on the left.

LeRon does a good job of driving. 

One of the wards meets in this chapel which is also a stake center.  It's attached to the mission office and to the Area Service Center, which houses LDS Charities, Self-reliance, Public Affairs, a Distribution Center, and a Seminaries and Institute.

Elder Torrie is carrying a printer to our office.

Here's the front door of our office.  There are two locks on it and then a barred door inside with a heavy padlock.

Elder Torrie in his office

Sister Torrie in her office

These are some of the guards who guard our compound.  Nice, friendly men.  We later learned not to trust these particular guards as they were known to steal things.  Sad.

When the guards see us coming they open this gate so we can drive through.

Help!  Let me out!  We're locked inside the foyer to our apartment!  A big padlock locks us in.