Nairobi Elephant Orphanage and Langata Giraffe Centre

While in Nairobi for Thanksgiving we took the opportunity to visit the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and the Langata Giraffe Centre. Poachers are a big problem here and when they find young ones without mothers, they are brought to one of these places to keep them alive until they are slowly, over several years, reintroduced in the wild. 

Sister Linda Knecht our new neighbor in Dar

Pam and Bruce at the Elephant Orphanage

Giraffe saliva is antiseptic, that big, 18 inch purple tongue is covered in saliva and kills all kinds of germs.  They are truly such beautiful  and graceful creatures. Being so close to these gentle giants was a spiritual experience. We also learned that female Giraffes give birth standing up and the baby falls out from about 6 feet up. The fall breaks open the sack.  In about an hour the baby is on its feet and can run 35 miles an hour...Mother Nature's way of protecting them against predators. The kick of a giraffe can crush a lion's skull but big cats are their major predator.

I actually kissed a giraffe!

Yep, Bruce got a good lick!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

All 16 Senior couples from the Kenya Nairobi Mission gathered together from the various parts of Kenya and Tanzania in Nairobi for Thanksgiving at the Mission Home on Thursday and a Senior Couples Conference on Friday at the Upper Hill Mission Office.

 

President Broadbent and Bruce getting the Turkey's ready to Roast.

Everyone contributed to the incredible traditional American feast. President and Sister Broadbent miraculously found two whole Turkeys at the store! We ate, we sang, we played games and it almost felt like we were back in the land of the free and the home of the brave. God Bless America!

Elder Scott, President Broadbent and Elder Worthen carving the Turkeys

 After dinner we played a fun Getting-To-Know-You game,  acquired some fascinating Thanksgiving Trivia facts, then split into groups listing the many blessings in our lives. Following that we entertained ourselves by acting out some amusing Christmas Carols, then ended the evening with a African Swap Gift Exchange. We all had a happy and memorable day!

 

The Very Thankful Kenya Nairobi Senior Missionaries

Welcome Knechts to DAR & Farewell to Bernhardt

Elder and Sister Knecht arrived 9 Nov from Indiana to replace Elder and Sister Noll who have completed their mission and will be returning home to California.

Welcome to DAR Sister Linda and Elder John Knecht!

Goodbye to Sister Noll, Bernhardt and Elder Noll.

Bernhardt Ramat was set apart tonight, 13 Nov 2012, for missionary service in the South Africa, Cape Town Mission. We will miss this exceptional young man and are so thankful we had the honor to become dear friends with him and his family. Bernhardt served as the Mbezi Beach YSA rep and was a very dependable and responsible example.  He is also a  gifted pianist. His talents and strengths will be a great blessing to his mission.

(L to R) Bernhardt's Bibi, Father, Mother and Branch President Kachuchuru

 

Visitors from London - Gloria and Matt Lloyd

We first had the opportunity to meet Gladys Lloyd when she attended Kinondoni Branch while she was in Dar for a several weeks in July working on her Masters Dissertation. She came back this week with her son Matt to finish up a few things with her project and do some volunteer work with some schools.  When Matt was younger he spent about four years working in "Harry Potter" movies 3 & 4. He was a Gryffindor, by the way, and tells a great story about first being assigned to be a Slytherin and explaining to wardrobe that he really needed to be a Gryffindor. "It was like...would you want to be a Nephite or a Lamanite?"  It all worked out in the end, and he was indeed a Nephite...I mean, Gryffindor.  : ) The YSA's were thrilled that he would speak to them and then teach a Physical Acting Class.  Two great souls, Gloria and Matt Lloyd! 

Matt talking about goals and priorities

Matt explaining how physical theater works

A table with four legs

An automobile

A lounge chair

The start of a helicopter

Matt, Oli and Elder Worthen

Matt now has a successful puppeteer company and has performed for the Queen. His biggest project last year was creating and leading the giant puppet Lion on the final Olympic Parade through London. 

You are LOVED by the Dar YSA's Matt! Thanks so much for coming!

Are you Red, Blue, White or Yellow?

We had the most interesting and remarkable Zone Conference this week! Elder Hartman (AKA Dr. Taylor Hartman, author of  the "Color Code" books), was called to serve as the Africa Southeast Area Mental Health Specialist with his wife, Jean. They are an extraordinary couple and have helped missionaries all over Africa understand the differences in personality types and then use that to build more harmony and success  in companionships. We all enjoyed the compelling and very valuable learning experience!

                  The KNM Missionaries showing their Colors - Red, Blue, White and Yellow wristbands.                              Elder and Sister Hartman are front row, right of middle.

During the Conference President Broadbent invited Silvanus Ngwandu, one of the Dar District YSA's, to come and open his Mission Call. He was thrilled to open and announce to us all that he was called to serve in the Zimbabwe, Harare Mission and will report to the MTC in Johannesburg, South Africa 6 Dec, 2012.  

Three exceptional missionaries, Elders Patten, Barney (who reminds us of our grandson Samuel) and Diodati, all who thought it was a great Zone Conference.

We enjoyed an entertaining dinner together that evening (President and Elder Hartman are both yellow!)

(L to R) E/ S Worthen, E/S Rydalch, Pres & Sis Broadbent, E/S Hartman, E/S Noll