Our Namibian Friends on Monday

Monday morning we started the day at Welfare Square with a tour of the Bishop's Storehouse.

Members of the church who are in need meet with the Bishop in their area and are given access to shop at the Bishop's Storehouse.  This service is also available to non-members within the 

ward boundaries.  The food is funded by other members of the church with fast offerings.  

The members fast for two meals and then donate the money that they would have spent on 

food to the church to help the poor and needy.  This is called a fast offering.

The bakery provides fresh bread daily.

To be prepared for any emergency that might happen, a supply of food is stored in 
individual homes.

 Huge silos store grain.

 We visited the Deseret Industries Store where anyone can donate old but usable items which
are then used to help those in need.  They are sold at reasonable prices and the money is then 
used to support activities at the Humanitarian Center and to provide jobs for disabled individuals.

Not included in this picture is a sweet, young lady who greeted us as we entered the store.  
She has some problems that would make working in a regular store difficult, but at
 Deseret Industries she is given a job so that she can be self-sufficient.  She was such a 
cheerful person and is a great asset to the store.

Next stop--The Humanitarian Center.

Mission Statement for the Humanitarian Center.

Children as well as adults all over the world benefit from
the services of the Humanitarian Center.

Many of the clothes that are donated to the Deseret Industries
are bundled to be distributed throughout the world.   Often
the LDS Church is the first to arrive to help with emergency
relief for tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, etc.

Elder Roberts is visiting with a young lady from Somalia who has emigrated to America 
because of strife in her country,  At the Humanitarian Center, she is taught English skills, 
given a job, and when ready, is helped to find a job suitable to her individual needs.  People 
from all over the world are helped to find a new life in America.

A focus of the Church is to teach Self-Reliance. 

Volunteers are making quilts to send where needed, especially for relief to areas
of disasters.

Wheel Chairs are being donated for children and adults.  Chairman Kapere and Brother Bennion
discuss some of the needs in Namibia and Chairman Kapere shares current progress he personally
has made in providing wheel chairs to those in need in his country.

Following are some of the areas
of focus for The Humanitarian Center.

Significant aid has been sent to Namibia the past several years.

We then had an enjoyable lunch and Senator Waddops, President of the Utah Senate, joined us.  He
and Chairman Kapere shared thoughts and experiences concerning education and the importance
of the family.  They both agreed that early childhood education and nurturing of children is paramount to maintain a healthy society in a country.

A short drive to Provo, Utah and we visited the MTC
(Missionary Training Center) for the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints.  

Chairman Kapere asked the missionaries, "Why do you want to go to Africa for two years?"  
And the reply was, "Because we want to serve the people and be of help in the country that
we are sent."

All of these young missionaries will be serving in Portuguese speaking countries.  Many of the 
young Elders are going to Angola and they will be the first full time Elders in that country.

What a wonderful week-end we experienced.  Our daughter Heather was able to join us for 

our last meal together which was such a treat for us to have here there.   We came to love these 

two great government leaders as brothers and we look forward to a life-long friendship with 

them. We desire unity and love between The Church of Jesus Christ and the Namibian Government.