What a privilege it is to be here on this mission with so many wonderful people. We get to rub shoulders with several general authorities, their wives and many great people here. It is wonderful to see that they are very talented people who are normal, kind and friendly. A couple of weeks ago we got to attend a fireside with Gerald Causse who is a Seventy. He gave a talk in Oct. 2008 General Conference entitled, “Even a Child Can Understand.” His fireside to us was about the impact of beautiful music on our souls. He plays the piano like a concert pianist and he played several songs for us that night. He is also the second counselor in the Europe Area Presidency.
Here is a picture of Pres. and Sis. Causse with their little girl and Pres. and Sis. Oaks.
We also have the Europe Area president, Robert C. Oaks, in our midst quite often. He is of the Second Quorum of Seventy. A month ago we had our monthly temple session and afterwards all the senior missionary couples went out to dinner together. We sat at the table that had Robert C. Oaks’ wife there. At first we didn’t know who she was, then in the conversation we finally recognized her. She said that her husband couldn’t be there because they were having a meeting with the area mission presidents and stake presidents. What busy people they are, doing the Lord’s work.
Last Thursday I was able to attend the “Sisters’ Night Out”, a fireside type of meeting only for the missionary sisters. This time Sister Connie Durrance came to tell us through a power point presentation many of the things she and her husband are doing with the Humanitarian projects in the Europe Area. The Europe Area now covers everything from Greenland down to the Mediterranean Sea, and also Cape Verde which is west of northern Africa. Then it goes East to Albania, Serbia, and Greece and some other countries. Anyway, she told us of how the church is becoming much more well known in Albania, Serbia, Croatia, Italy, Spain, even Cape Verde, by helping the people help themselves. They have also been trying to get the Red Cross to let us help them. The Catholic Church has traditionally refused the help of Mormons, but finally in so many needs of the people in emergencies where the church keeps offering help, the Catholics are beginning to accept help. They have even come to ask the church for help in some places.
Some of the projects are bringing in containers of 150 wheel chairs at a time, clean water projects, blankets, tents, food, etc. We learned that in Albania, Croatia, and Serbia, where they have had war for so long that the armies would come through and kill people and just throw the bodies into the wells. They did this everywhere. And now all the wells are contaminated, and the people have to walk for miles to a river or stream to get water. So the church is going into these villages and bringing equipment and hiring local people to help them drain the wells then go down to clean them out. Afterwards they clean the water. Many of the people there have lost feet and legs from land mines so the wheel chairs are bringing them mobility. The church is also bringing in wheel chair manufacturing equipment and hiring handicapped people to help assemble the chairs. The handicapped people are so grateful to be receiving work, mobility and their dignity.
The Church is also helping fund projects for orphanages, and under privileged people. The “Roma” or Gypsy people in Europe are just about the lowest people in the eyes of everyone here. Sister Durrance said that a Roma man got a chance to go to school in another country where he also joined the church. Then he came back to Albania where he wanted to help his people better themselves. Those people have about 95% unemployment because no one will hire them. He asked the church to help them fix up an old building where he can have a wood shop and teach Roma young men how to be carpenters and build things to sell.
In the town where this man lives the Roma people own a large area of land and the city wanted to buy it from the Roma people. They would not sell it because they want to hold on to something that belongs to them. Well, the city was very angry that they would not sell, so the government passed a law saying that in the area where the Roma people have their land, they are not allowed to construct any new buildings, hoping that this would force the people to sell their land. But the Roma people refuse to sell. They just do the best they can. Therefore this brother asked the church to help him fix up this existing building so he can turn it into a workshop/school. Isn’t it sad to see how cruel some people can be to others. But the Lord helps those who really want to better themselves.
Elder and Sister Durrance have to go to places where the local missionaries have sent in a request for help from the church for an area or school or hospital, etc. and see if the need is legitimate and exactly how it can help the people help themselves. Then they send a request to Salt Lake with the information of the needs and requesting help. When the project is accepted then the Durrances go in with the helpers to deliver the things. She said that they cry tears of joy with them as the people shout for joy and are so glad for the help they receive. In Cape Verde the people are very poor. One sister there had no way to make a living. So the church sent in some sewing machines and containers full of clothes from the D.I. that need fixing. This sister fixes the clothes and then sells them for pennies to people. She has received a way to earn a living. Oh, it was a wonderful evening learning about the humanitarian projects going on in this Europe Area
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