Wow - it has been a year since we arrived here in the Dominican Republic. How grateful I am that we are on this side of the year and not just arriving. It is so nice to know what we are to do and be able to work on it instead of wondering just what we had gotten ourselves into. It has been a year of testimony building as we have seen the Lord's hand in our work time and time again. If He leads you to it, He will lead you through it! Don't know where that quote came from but it is so true in every aspect of our lives. Family Home Evening tonight was a welcome for the Kanyangas and the Malans.
The Kanyangas are originally from the Congo. He was a teacher there and exiled from the country. His wife did not know if he was dead or alive or where he was for three years. Somehow he ended up in South Korea. After being there for three years he finally had enough money to contact her to tell her he was still alive. Four years later he was able to send for her and the kids so they could be together. All this time she had no money and supported her family by making and selling a type of bread. Listening to their story of no food, no mattresses to sleep on, made the rest of us feel like a bunch of ingrates! They are an amazing couple and will be a wonderful addition to the temple workers. They both speak French and they were so in need of French speakers to work in the temple.
This is the Malan's fourth mission. They were here 10 years ago working in the temple and were called back to work there again. On their last mission they had about two months left and he had a massive heart attack - in Ecuador. The doctor told him he wouldn't live but decided if he lived two more weeks he could fly back to the States for surgery. He obviously lived! His wife's health has been problematic but they had both felt they should put in their papers and go on another mission so here they are.
Now which couple looks the happiest??? The Shavers who are leaving in two weeks. She talked in Spanish (one of Scott's students). They are good friends and we will miss them - despite their trashing Utah Mormons! They are from Idaho. He is the medical doctor here but was really a radiologist at home. It is becoming more clear all of the time that it is not going to be easy to leave all of the people we have grown to love here when that time comes.
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