These are photos from this last week. Our Mission President came to Mindelo and we had a training all day Thursday and also Friday morning. There were 8 of us Sisters together. Sister Walker, my trainer/companion from Sal, was also there. But she missed out on the photo cause she was in having interveiws with the mission president when we took it. She is serving now with Sister Macamo, my companion I served with last transfer in Praia from Mozambique.
The photo of me and the other Sister is Sister Turnbow. She is one of my FAVORITE sisters in the mission. We took a picture because we were dressed as "themes" this day...she was a cowgirl that lacked her hat and boots, and I was on a Safari...dont ask. Then there is another photo of my area thrown in there for fun.
Love you all!!
Sister Beus
Hello Friends and Family,
Another week has passed here in Mindelo! My companion and I are having a lot of success in our area. We are teaching some INCREDIBLE people who I have grown a great love for. This last week my Mission President came to our island and gave us a training all day Thursday and part of the day Friday. We learned a lot of great things that are going to better our missionary work a lot! Our new mission president is incredible and has a lot of BIG ideas to better the missionary work here in Cabo Verde. He challenged us each to think of someone we are teaching and who we feel could be ready for baptism this week. The first person who popped into Sister Namwanje and I's head was our investigator named Flavio. I wrote about him a little bit last week. He is this incredible 29 year old guy who is about 85% deaf and also has a problem with understanding a lot of things. He only speak and understands Creole. Every time we pass by his house, he has the BIGGEST grin on his face and shouts out "OPAAA!!" to greet us when we first arrive. He lives in a little one bedreeom home made out of tin pannels and cardboard. He has a 7 year old daughter who lives with the mother and then a baby boy who is less then a year old that lives with his mother (two different women). I have never met someone who is soooo excited to learn more and more about the gosple as Flavio. With his learning disorder and hard time understanding our Portuguese, it makes it a bit challenging. We have had to rely on drawing lots of pictures and hand gestures to help him understand. But the moment he "gets it", he lights up with a fire of excitement (He has the learning mentality of about a 12 year old...but is sooooo soooo sweet).
Yesterday at church he was able to get permission from the mother to bring his baby boy with him to church. When I walked in he was already there sitting down in the lobby. When he saw me, he immediatly came up to me to show off his baby and see my excitement to see him have his baby with him at church. He was so proud. I do not really now how to describe it. Anyways, we are preparing him to be baptized this Saturday. When we first told him that we were going to change his baptismal date to this week instead of next week, he was happier then life!! So pray that it all works out!!
There are about 11 people we are currently teaching that are STRONG and progressing. Most of them usually come to church every time by their week and are doing everything we challenge and invite them to do. This area truly is incredible.
One of the other women we are teaching is named Rute. She is in her mid 20s with two little boys who are 1 and 2. We first started off teaching her and the father of her boys together. But they seperated for the millionth time this last week. I think this time there seperation is for good too. He is into drugs and is not a good father or husband. He has not had a job or contributed to raising his family for months and is not helpful at all to Rute. We were trying to help them work things out and progress towards marriage before baptism, and even trying to help them find jobs. But now we are only teaching Rute. My heart aches for her. She is now alone raising her 1 and 2 year old and makes "pennies" a day for a living. She is currently without a home and trying to provide the best way possible for her two babies. In an hour my comp and I are actually going to go meet her and take her to a members home in our branch. He said he could help her better find a job that will help her provide better for her two babies. She also asked us on Saturday if she could go forward and get baptized. She said the only thing giving her peace right now in her life are the things she has learned in the church and in the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the only things in her life she can turn to for hope and love and she wants it to be a permanent part of her life.
I have sooo many others I want to tell about and share but I am out of time, again. I love you lots and lots. Until next week!
Love,
Sister Beus
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