Here are some interesting links from an American man traveling through Togo and Benin. Lots of info about the culture!
https://www.youtube.com/user/HoboTraveler?feature=watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qO_GX8mfAI&feature=player_detailpage
Saturday, July 6, 2013
January 28, 2013- Mental Moms
Elder Hunter Gundersen is alive and doing well this week. Thank you to all for your prayers on his behalf for a speedy recovery. He got one package this week...thanks Grandma! He is way excited to officially be on the downhill side of his mission. He was super envious of all the snow pictures I sent him from yesterday. He still misses the seasons a lot and says the weather in Togo and Benin has no...t changed much in the last 10 1/2 months...hot and dry or hot and humid.
His big news for the week is that all of them in the apartment will likely be transferred together to a new area. He thought it was Kokokodji...this is the first time missionaries will be in the area. There are a few members already there and he is both nervous and excited to open a new area. Hope it works out and they get to go. It's a touch bittersweet for me, I'm glad he may get this amazing opportunity but a little sad he will be moving away from the Eastmonds. It's been nice having them close to him. He and Elder Milambo are enjoying their time together again. They are working well together and seem to be on great terms. Elder Milambo tells me the apartment has two baptisms scheduled for this Saturday.
He spent his Pday today doing laundry by hand and going to renew his Visa. Not too exciting. I told him I posted the Grand Marche video link and he said that a video doesn't do it justice; it's loud, dirty and pretty much miserable to be there. Always the optimist! He's excited for us to make bissap this week with the kids. He suggested the pate be our next culinary adventure..."that ought to kill you good!" was his comment. So excited to try that next.
He made fun of me a bit for having lunch with local Moms of the mission. He informed me that all the Elders make fun of us for having get-togethers. He kids me just like Wes does...MM stands for Mental Mom and that we all need professional counseling. There are days that I don't disagree with that...it's been one of the longest years of my life! I am grateful for the opportunity to have met these great ladies and to commiserate together! (Both personally and through emails.) They are a fountain of knowledge and a rock of support and I love them all.
Love to all...until next week!
His big news for the week is that all of them in the apartment will likely be transferred together to a new area. He thought it was Kokokodji...this is the first time missionaries will be in the area. There are a few members already there and he is both nervous and excited to open a new area. Hope it works out and they get to go. It's a touch bittersweet for me, I'm glad he may get this amazing opportunity but a little sad he will be moving away from the Eastmonds. It's been nice having them close to him. He and Elder Milambo are enjoying their time together again. They are working well together and seem to be on great terms. Elder Milambo tells me the apartment has two baptisms scheduled for this Saturday.
He spent his Pday today doing laundry by hand and going to renew his Visa. Not too exciting. I told him I posted the Grand Marche video link and he said that a video doesn't do it justice; it's loud, dirty and pretty much miserable to be there. Always the optimist! He's excited for us to make bissap this week with the kids. He suggested the pate be our next culinary adventure..."that ought to kill you good!" was his comment. So excited to try that next.
He made fun of me a bit for having lunch with local Moms of the mission. He informed me that all the Elders make fun of us for having get-togethers. He kids me just like Wes does...MM stands for Mental Mom and that we all need professional counseling. There are days that I don't disagree with that...it's been one of the longest years of my life! I am grateful for the opportunity to have met these great ladies and to commiserate together! (Both personally and through emails.) They are a fountain of knowledge and a rock of support and I love them all.
Love to all...until next week!
Here's the cool video of the market:
Video of the Grande Marche in Cotonou, Benin
January 25, 2013- HUMP!
We made it to the HUMP! Because of leap year, we have now officially made it to the top spire on our countdown. It's all downhill from here!
January 23, 2013- Better a Day Late Than Never...
Hi Hunter
Hope you're doing better today. Just wanted to let you know what was in the package I sent today. It may change what you ask for in the one I send at the end of the week.
Ranch
Bbq
Queso cheese
Pop tarts
Jelly bellys
Tootsie rolls
Socks
Wise meals
Chili
Parmesan
Caramels...the few Ryan didn't find
A couple meal bars
Your permit
Candies...a few fillers between the stuff
Heel pads for shoes
Koolaid
Baby Ruths 2
Peppermint canes
Alfredo sauce mix, ranch packet, chicken skillet flavor packet
Bbq
Queso cheese
Pop tarts
Jelly bellys
Tootsie rolls
Socks
Wise meals
Chili
Parmesan
Caramels...the few Ryan didn't find
A couple meal bars
Your permit
Candies...a few fillers between the stuff
Heel pads for shoes
Koolaid
Baby Ruths 2
Peppermint canes
Alfredo sauce mix, ranch packet, chicken skillet flavor packet
That's about all I can remember off the top of my head.
Let me know what you need or want. Do you need pepto tablets?
Let me know what you need or want. Do you need pepto tablets?
Love you and get better soon.
Gpa and Aunt Bec say hi and to get better fast.
Gpa and Aunt Bec say hi and to get better fast.
Mom
im still alive. your probably in bed but i am feeling better. candy canes get ruined in the mail and i dont want ranch packets or alfredo packets( those dont taste very good) and i can get chicken flavor thing here for almost nothing and i dont need heel pads( i wear my and1's)
just for the future. I cant really think of anything i need right now. i got the package from the two ladies, Kris and Jerine. Tell them thanks.
hunter
January 22, 2013- Malaria...the Gift That Keeps Giving!
Today I received an email from Elder Milambo. He did his best to let me know that Elder G would not be making it to the cyber today...
Here's an excerpt from Sister Eastmond's journal from January 16th-
We had a great time with the missionaries last evening. Irene cooked a hamburger dish over bowtie noodles, with green peas on the side. It was a treat, even with ice cream at the end (mint chocolate chip, not quite as good as Aggie ice cream!).
Our gift to all the Elders was small flashlights. Elder G. got a headlamp, while the others got hand held ones. Unfortunately, the headlamp needed batteries and we'd not seen that beforehand, while the other 3 had their batteries included. (dommage!) But he took it in good stride.
This morning, he loaned me the key to the chapel that we'll need to teach our class this evening. A copy is on the way, but not here for today.
You've got a great son. We could tell that this set of elders has not bonded as well as the previous 4 had, but maybe that will happen with time.
With best wishes,
Elder & Sis. Eastmond
"Elder Gundersen ET ma lade la malaria lui derange un peu IL
ma dit de vous dir que il va un peu bien".
So not what I wanted to hear as I really needed to find out what he needs in a package! So, I sent an email off to Elder Eastmond-
Hello Elder Eastmond
I just got an email from Elder
Milambo and from what I can make of it through my translator, Elder Gundersen
has malaria? If that's right, could you please let him know we love him
and hope he's better soon? Thanks.
I am sending him a package tomorrow
with his driving permit in it. Ask him if there is anything else he really
needs...the cost to mail packages is going from $60.95 to $77.95 next week and
I am trying to fill a few packages with some of his wants and needs before
then.
Thanks for all you do!
Sister Kari Pierson
Dear Sis. Pierson,
You got the message right. He's had malaria for a couple of days and has felt really sick. Tonight, I phoned him and he sounds much better than he did the morning. He's getting better.
Re. other things to send, he said that tomorrow he will send you an e-mail, and that he'll think of anything he might need.
Wow, that package rate sounds steep and getting steeper.
We spent the day visiting a local university, looking into the possibility of establishing an LDS Institute just off campus. We'll see. People were very nice and helpful.
You got the message right. He's had malaria for a couple of days and has felt really sick. Tonight, I phoned him and he sounds much better than he did the morning. He's getting better.
Re. other things to send, he said that tomorrow he will send you an e-mail, and that he'll think of anything he might need.
Wow, that package rate sounds steep and getting steeper.
We spent the day visiting a local university, looking into the possibility of establishing an LDS Institute just off campus. We'll see. People were very nice and helpful.
Here's an excerpt from Sister Eastmond's journal from January 16th-
We had a great time with the missionaries last evening. Irene cooked a hamburger dish over bowtie noodles, with green peas on the side. It was a treat, even with ice cream at the end (mint chocolate chip, not quite as good as Aggie ice cream!).
Our gift to all the Elders was small flashlights. Elder G. got a headlamp, while the others got hand held ones. Unfortunately, the headlamp needed batteries and we'd not seen that beforehand, while the other 3 had their batteries included. (dommage!) But he took it in good stride.
This morning, he loaned me the key to the chapel that we'll need to teach our class this evening. A copy is on the way, but not here for today.
You've got a great son. We could tell that this set of elders has not bonded as well as the previous 4 had, but maybe that will happen with time.
With best wishes,
Elder & Sis. Eastmond
January 15, 2013- Happy Birthday Elder G!
I'm really missing this kid today! Happy Birthday Elder G!
I couldn't help myself and emailed Elder and Sister Eastmond to ask them to make sure and at least tell Elder G hello for his birthday from his Mom. He kinda wears his heart on his sleeve and would feel sad if someone didn't at least say happy birthday, but wouldn't ever actually tell anyone it was his birthday...or so I thought! They promised to take care of him for me. I love the Senior Missionaries!
From Elder Eastmond:
"It's
funny, but we were going to keep it a secret. Yesterday, across the
street, Elder G. yelled to my wife, "So what are we going to do for my
birthday, tomorrow?" So the beans were spilled! (As he's
turned 20, he's gotten more vocal about such events!).
We're planning to have them over for dinner this evening. We'll see what else happens."
We're planning to have them over for dinner this evening. We'll see what else happens."
January 14, 2013- It's Almost My Birthday!
hi mom.
im still alive. have you got me a new international drivers permit yet? i need it very soon. did i leave passport pictures there to get the permit? if they need one tell sister leavitt and she will call me and i will have the office photo copy one and send it to your email and you can print it off on real paper and take that but i need it quick.. i just really need it bad my other one expires in a few days and if i want to have a better job i need it.
im still alive. have you got me a new international drivers permit yet? i need it very soon. did i leave passport pictures there to get the permit? if they need one tell sister leavitt and she will call me and i will have the office photo copy one and send it to your email and you can print it off on real paper and take that but i need it quick.. i just really need it bad my other one expires in a few days and if i want to have a better job i need it.
i got 6 letters but no packages.. 1 from the stake 5 from
grandma.
I miss the cold. How are the snowmobiles? I still didn’t get
to go to Ouidah, but I want to. I bought some hamburger this week. It was
really good. I want to send Grandpa a
letter but I need to go find the envelopes to send the letters. i will find
them here... i just dont find much free time.
The power keeps cutting out here today…it’s bad. I keep
having to restart the computer.
Thanks for the birthday wishes for tomorrow. Tell Wes there
is no way I will be married within 8 months of getting home... im too cheap for
that.. give me 3 years. i want to be almost done with school before i get
married but definatly have a good paying job before a kid. I’m not district
leader anymore. Miambo is again. hes older than me in the mission. You know,
age before beauty!
I will probably not use the snow you sent with the kids. The
bissap kids are cut but they always get bissap on my shirts. You should get the
stuff to make bissap at home. Dried hibiscus flowers and sugar. It’s good. I
plan to bring some home for everyone to try.
Got to go. Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes and emails.
A few brief notes from Elder Eastmond:
Your son
has been a comfort to us, truly! There was the time that the lights went
out and he lent us some candles. And we've asked for his advice much more
than once. Having him and the other missionaries there has been a great
help.
Elder G. hit the jackpot with letters from
home, with at least 3 this weekend.
We're
enjoying having them live so close by. A week ago we went to Ganvie, the
small city on stilts about 6 miles across the lake from here. It was
memorable. Irene took some pictures that would be fun to share.
We think that he is a pretty good guy, besides being a great missionary. He has arranged for us all to take an excursion to Ganvie, the city on stilts on the lake nearby. It's one of the tourist attractions nearby, and we've not yet seen it. We played Uno on New Year's Eve, and he's quite the character (he won).
The weather here has turned cooler, and we love that. The Harmattan wind blows off the Sahara through much of West Africa at this time of year. Other than the dust, we enjoy having it a bit cooler.
So, thanks for having your son here and supporting him in this most important work.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)