March 1, 2014

Well, this date I just  typed above means that we are past the half-way mark on our mission.  Amazing!  We have not yet had the rainfall that we expected but I hear that I will not wonder where all the rain is when Spring gets here.  Actually, I think it is here as I see buds on bushes and trees and people are outside getting their gardens ready.  It has been in the low 60's all week. Last year when we got here in June, the tomatoes were already ripe...can't wait and I think I will plant some on our balcony next week.

As for our "doings"...earlier this month we accepted a shipment of toys, blankets and clothes from a group of people that had collected them in the Netherlands.  LDS charities will help the Red Cross distribute these items to people in need.  Here is a picture of the shipment at the Red Cross warehouse. We will sort the items in the next few days.

There were 134 large boxes and 27 large bags of donated items.  Some were new but most were used items that had been cleaned and ready for distribution.

A week ago we flew to Belgrade, Serbia and had a conference with a General Authority and his wife (Elder and Sister Charles from England) .  It was a wonderful conference and here is a picture of all of us on the steps.

 Last week we met with the Minister of Labor.  We are going to try and help people get jobs here.  There is so much unemployment it is unbelievable.  But Russ is going to have a workshop (12 hours over a few days) on how to start your own small business.  Right now he is trying to locate people who will give micro-loans to new businesses.  There are many foreigners here who are taking Montenegrin jobs.  The Minister of Labor wants to find out why the Montenegrin's are not taking these jobs.

 

This picture above was when, a couple of days ago, we visited a center for children and youth that have had conflicts with the law.  They stay at this place for 1-18 months, depending on why they are there.  It is an open center, so the kids go to school with others from the area and then go back to the center, which is closed at night.  This place has a small library with a few books but no computers that work.  We are going to ask LDS Charities to fund a project to buy 6 computers and get wireless to the library area so the kids can do their homework and research.

This is the library.

That's all for now...sure miss everyone!