Tuesday - Wednesday, April 9 - 10 in Durban

Our Durban Flat - part of duplex

We arrived in Durban Tuesday afternoon and the Murdocks are doing their best to train us on Public Affairs for their area. Durban is beautiful, similar to San Diego in vegetation and weather, though today is a little chilly. According to the Murdocks that is uncharacteristic for here.  We have already met so many people on our journeys, from Priesthood leaders and public affairs leaders in all the branches, districts, groups and wards to all the area office personnel. Remembering names is the hard part...pronouncing them even harder. Needless to say, our minds are swimming with the huge task that has been entrusted to us. The Murdocks got up at 5 am today and took a quick walk around the neighborhood. We opted for extra sleep, a relief from all the early mornings of the past three weeks. The duplex where we live is located on a steep hill, at the top of an area that houses another apartment complex at the lowest part where other missionary couples live. The Murdocks requested to be moved from their apartment down below because of their lack of cell phone signal and their need to have room for an office, as they/us are the PA office for the Durban area. One side of a duplex up above became available for only $50 more a month and it is three times as large, so we are in a 3-bedroom/ 2 1/2 bath two-story home, using one bedroom for the office. It is old and not exactly up to date. The faucets don't work well and the kitchen is very small, but is has beautiful views and the other rooms are spacious, so we feel blessed to be here. There is a toilet just outside of the building in a small enclosed area. When I asked what that was for, I was told it was for the black servants, as they were not allowed to use the home's toilets. It made my heart ache to think of it.

Window from master bdrm overlooking apartments below

We are behind a guard gate. Homes here have barbed wire at the tops of their fences, bars on their windows and extra locks. It makes me a little leery, but the church security people assure us that it is just decreasing the opportunity for robberies. Since the unemployment is high here, people steal to put food on the table...it is a fact of life and the police don't seem too worried about prosecuting, so it persists. We were told that if someone tries to rob us, just give them what they want, as it keeps us from harm and they need it more than we do... A little hard for Elder Kyle and most other men, but safer. I actually feel pretty safe here and we've walked to the mall, which only a few blocks from where we live.

Our flat looking out the front to other couples apartments

We had a public Affairs meeting on Wednesday, April 10th, 6 pm at the Hillcrest chapel. The Bishop of that ward, who used to be one of our public affairs people), Bishop Sabela was in attendance. What a sharp, well spoken man he is. The Spirit radiates from him. The person conducting the meeting was Sipho Duma, the Hillcrest Stake PA director. Others invited were: Mpume Shangase (Government PA), Sherene McDonald, PA from Durban Stake, Basil Smith and his wife who are putting on the Family History conference for the stake (the reason for the meeting), Thembeka Mzolo (Community Outreach), Meridan Creak (Media), Sharon Thumboo, Stake High Council Rep and others. We had 15 in attendance, so it was a good meeting. It was nice to meet everyone and they all seemed prepared to spread the word in the community. The work is going forth in Africa so fast that it seems impossible to keep up, but everyone is trying so hard and the Spirit is so obviously with them. We just hope we can contribute to their efforts.

Elder & Sister Murdock in the Durban office in our flat