Utter Chaos!

Today was the first real day of seeing how we intake new missionaries. Our offices are very small. A small three bedroom apartment that has been made into the mission offices. The waiting room area is holds about 5-7 people. Plus the fridge. The sink. The microwave. The stove. We had 27 new missionaries and their companions show up at 9. All of them! 54 missionaries in this tiny tiny space!

Pres. Haboko is stuck in Kisangani about 1500 miles away. So his office was locked up. No room in the inn. They were so happy to see each other! They were so loud. So much laughter!

When we intake them we have papers for them to sign. Medical. Phones. We have to gather their papers - passports, visas, covid cards, yellow fever..... Copies made. Laminating. Photos taken. Things to give them...... New name tags to make. Telephones that don't work. Forgotten passwords to recover. Computer in French! Now think 20 missionaries in my office all at once. Its like wrangling ants! Complicated by the fact that I can't speak French or some version of it! Lingala, Swahilli, Kituba, Tshiluba......all added to French! Sis Tominey and I had a blast and I couldn't do it without her.

They then go to Pauls office to have a lecture on money. On debit cards. On cash. On what they can spend it on. And to please spend it. They typically eat only once a day. They save it. They want to send it home to help their families. On travel allowances. On cleaning supplies. On malaria. (We have a sister that collapsed yesterday and is in the hospital with malaria! Yes, we take a malaria pill every day!). The finance office brought five missionaries in at a time and locked the door. We should have done the same! Bro. Tominey is such a help to Paul!

This picture is my office as things had wound down. Add about another 10-15 missionaries and that was my office all day!

We are so grateful for Titi our office manager. Wise beyond his years. I call him 'Red'. Like in Shawshank Redemption - he's the guy that can get anything. He knows a guy that can get anything. He works so so hard. Always a smile! Everyone needs a Titi. He and his wife go to the temple regularly. Last Saturday it took them 5 hours to get home. 6 miles. 5 hours. We asked him how he stands it. He just smiled. 'It's what we do. We want to go to the temple." The faith......

I am so grateful for Elder Mpolesha and Elder Itila. They are full time missionaries that are trying to get me trained. They are so kind and so patient. They don't speak English so we are learning how to communicate. Sis Tominey. Elder Itela. Elder Mpolesha. Me!

The sea of beautiful faces does not get lost on me. They are truly beautiful. Inside and out! Our ward of about 200 active people sing a hymn thats based on an old spiritual. Eliza Snow rewrote the words for our hymnal. I much prefer the original.......

Jesus loves the little children.

All the little children of the world.

Black and yellow, red and white

They are precious in His sight

Jesus loves the little children of the world.

Indeed He does.......