Tuesday, September 20, 2016

The End to a Most Wonderful Time-May 2016

Dear Friends and Family,

We are finally getting to the update of the end of our mission.  Life has been so busy.  We are sorry.

We want to share the ending pictures with you and hope you will feel the love we have for this wonderful place and the beautiful people that live there.

Kutlwano Minnie, and wonderful 13 year old.  She is a kind person.
Mmuso Maniyke, 10 years old.  
Esther Lefa, Muso's great-grandmother.  A wonderful lady!



Sister Human and her daughter.  They live in George's Valley.  It is so beautiful.  President Human was a former branch president in Tzaneen.





Our friends from the Optical Shop-Dr. Gail Altona and Rayona.  They were wonderful to us.  They gave such wonderful care.

Eating lunch with President and Sister Wilson, Elder and Sister Hall, Elder and Sister Hawkins (office) and Elder and Sister Gubler.  We sure will miss them.
The Motupa Village water tank by the church.  Many discussions have happened there.
Sharon Makgopa and Adelaide Honomombe.  Our good friends.
Our last FHE with Motupa Group.


Our friend, Molly.

Sister Human's home in George's Valley.  So beautiful!

Three of our angel girls in Motupa Village!
Sister Adelaide Honomombe in Motupa Village.
President Manzini's grandson in a new handed down from the Elders.  It fit perfectly.
Elder and Sister Lombardi (Church History Missionaries) visiting with Oupa Shai.
Brother and Sister from Angola.  He fixed our car many times.  They speak Portugese.
Our friend "Blessing" Tshepo and her grandmother.  I could not say her name when we first met so I just named her "Blessing".
A gift from the Lombardis.  What a wonderful couple.
Traditional dress.
At Kaross getting her stitchery checked.

Our last visit to Kaross with the lady that started the company.  What a blessing she has been to the many women who do such beautiful work.  We were able to go with the Lombardis.
















We enjoyed our visit to Kaross so much.  They are beautiful women with much talent.

Our friends from the Pharmacy.  They were so wonderful to us and all of our members and young Elders.  We will always appreciate them.

Saying "goodbye" to Pabalo.  He is wonderful young man.  We hope he serves a mission someday.

Elder Tusi.  He is being emergency transferred.  He is a good Elder.
Goodbye to Sister Dalene Dampier from Phalaborwa.  We loved our visits with her.
Driving up to Phalaborwa.  This is by Kruger Park.

Khutso Mokoditoa in Namagkale.  What a lovely lady and a wonderful mother.

This is our fruit lady,  Her name is Dora.  She was so fun.





This is the pod from the Balboa Tree.  The white nuggets provide Cream of Tartar.  Amazing.




This is our friend, George who made the beaded animals.  He is from Zimb. and sends his money home to his family.





We love our Esther Lefa so much.  We hope Mmuso will find a way to church.













Sister Anmari Engelbrecht.  She is a member and would do my nails shen we visited.  Very spoiled.

Lumber cut from the tall skinny trees.

Cainos.  We tried so much to get him to church.  His boss made him work on Sundays.  He has a beautiful family and wants to go to the temple.  We came twice while we were there.

Nodias at work.
Our wonderful Elders at the end of our mission.  What a blessing they are!!!
Pinkie, our friend that wants to join the church but her husband will not let her.  She meets us at Nodias' shop.

Mmpo, our friend that worked at the shop.

Nodias at his shop.  The shop was robbed right after we left.  They were held by gunpoint.  No one was hurt, thank goodness.


Some of the Tuck Shops in the village.










Poncho by the new room we built for Julia.

Views from Julia's home.

Sharon's mother who made our bracelets and some necklaces.  She owns the missionary coate now from Sister Heyen.  She was so happy for it.  It is very cold in the winter by the creek with no heat.  A good mother and kind person.  She does not speak English but we shared love anyway






Views from our Chemist, Liza's beautiful home.  They invited us for a delicious dinner.  We had a wonderful time.

The Butler's and the Halls Flat.  Such a cute place and many happy memories there.
Our friend who lived in our flat.  She worked at the butchery we went to.  You can see our flat in the back of us.  She was always so friendly.

Our friend Riyana from the optical shop.  She passed by and saw us and stopped to say "hello".
We were dressed in our traditional clothes because the branch was having a good bye party for us.


















































Pictures of our flat. 

The last day saying "Goodbye".




























"Sala Habootsie" our wonderfully, amazing South Africa.  No words can describe the feelings we have.  We have loved you all so much.  We look forward to the day when we will meet again.

  Now  on the way to Pretoria to the Mission Office.



Wonderful to greet two of our great Elders.  Elder Smith-Holley and Elder May.  What a happy ending.

Goodbye President and Sister Wilson.  We love you so much.  Thank you for staying with us until the end.


This all belongs to us.  Amazing!!!!

Next stop, Atlanta Georgia and then Houston, TX.  Goodbye our beloved Africa!  Love you Forever!  Hello America!  We love you!
Thank you wonderful Handly Family!  We love you!  You are a blessing!!!!

Hello, Morgan Loretta Handly.  So glad to see you!


Hello, Sarah Deborah Handly.  So glad to see you!

Hello, Aubrey Rose Handly.  So glad to see you!


Hello wonderful family in Phoenix, Arizona.  So glad to see you!

Thank you, Spencer for the great sign!





Two handsome Deacon grandsons.  We are blessed!!!!

Porter and Mckay.

Releasing us from our mission.  Sweet but hard.


Glad to see you Olivia Marie Solorzano.

Glad to see you Michaela Charlise Campbell



This is the end of our Blog "The African Gray Hairs".  What a joy this has been.  If ever you question whether to serve a mission for the Lord. please do not think twice.  GO!  It will bless your life forever!  So very sorry this last one was so long!
SALA HABOOTSIE til we meet again.
Elder and Sister Campbell
Johannesburg South Africa Mission
Botswana Namibia Mission