Hiatt's in the Congo

 Trent invited some of us to go to Ernika, a little oasis in Lubumbashi. It is an old Belgium estate that you can go to to relax and fish.  It is beautiful.  Cory, Ragheb, Trent and I, excited to do something fun for the day! The street right before you turn in looks like most of the streets here do, but then you go down a 100 meter drive and you enter Ernika!     An old wooden canoe they turned into a planter! Darius forgot his pole so he used Luan's little fishing pole! Most of the fish caught were tiny fish!! A cool dragon fly! Papaya tree

 No pictures for this post, just wanting to put it in my journal.  Last Tuesday I work up not feeling well.  I had a pain on the left side of my torso. I could also tell I had a UTI so I started medicine for that.  As the days progressed, the pain didn't go away. It feels like I have a bad sunburn is the best way I can describe it.  The UTI cleared up but Friday I started feeling achy ( a different pain) all over and had sweats and chills.   Saturday we sent Theirry, one of the drivers, to get a Malaria test kit. He brought it home and I took it and it came back negative...then I got looking at it and it was an HIV test, so good news, I don't have HIV!  He went back and got the correct kit and I tested positive for Malaria so I started the medicine for that.  That kicked my trash...it makes you nauseous and gives you headaches.  I was in bed all day Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  During this time I started getting red bumps on the si...

Last week Amelia asked if she borrow my hair straightener/brush.  I leave for work at 6:30 so I told her I would leave it in my laundry room on top of the washing machine.  I put it there as I was walking out the door and left the door unlocked so she could grab it.  She called me at 8:45 and said it wasn't there.  I had her check to see if it fell off the back or anywhere else and it was gone.  Either one of the security guards or one of the gardeners had to have come and opened the door, came into the room and taken it.  They would sell it to make some money.  I don't care about the flat iron, I can replace it when I get home this summer.  I'm upset that someone went into my home and took something.  During this time we learned the security cameras weren't working so we couldn't see who went back there.  Yesterday, I had to come home from work early so meet the security camera company so they could get the camera's fixed. Ella was havi...

 Saturday, March 9th, was Ashley's 19th birthday.  It was an emotional day for sure...the milestone days are.  One thing I am grateful for is my Savior's atoning sacrifice that I am able to utilize to make it so I am able to realize that even though this is by far the hardest thing I have ever had to go through as a parent, I am able to continue on knowing God has a plan. I am eternally grateful for my family and the knowledge I will be with them eternally.  I got so many messages throughout the day that made my heart happy.   My family here had a BBQ and Leonie made cupcakes and we sang happy birthday to Ashley.  It was a tender mercy.  I couldn't be back home with my family and friends, but my friends here made it a perfect day.  I wish I had taken more pictures! Leonie brought a South African dish that I was skeptical about but tried and it was delicious!  You wrap bacon around a cherry and BBQ it.  She used green cherries, which...

 We had Stake Conference last Sunday.  Our church we go to weekly is a house so it is nice to go to a building.  As we were walking in, we were headed to the back of the cultural hall because it was full and someone stopped us and told us to follow them.  They walked us up front to a reserved section and told us to have a seat.  The seats were SO SOFT!! We were able to have Blaise come up and translate for us.  It was a beautiful conference.   The rows in front of us were empty, but eventually filled in about half way.  Blaise said the people in those rows were "higher up" people...what ever that means! There was a little boy who wouldn't stop staring at Cory!

 Sisca knows how to throw a party!  Luan turned three on March 1 and she put together to cutest construction party.  It was held at the yard and she transformed it into a kids and adult playground! She made all the decorations and props herself. Of course, she brought everything up from South Africa, you wouldn't be able to find any of this stuff up here.  My job was to take all the pictures and videos and I'm putting together a video montage.  The Tuesday before the party, I didn't go into work and I went to Sisca's and helped her make the decorations. Leonie was there as well. One of the activities was painting a house!    The Party Zone Each kid got a T-shirt, name badge and a hard hat! Treat Table     Real Life Equipment Bounce House The Cake They had a little fish pond the kids could use a net to catch the fish. Luan was obsessed with the fish! Ella & Jason Ragheb & Fanus on grill duty! Cory took kids and adults for rides in the ...