visitors

James has been going with the missionaries to help fellowship and work with a family the missionaries contacted a week ago. The family is from Burundi. (I know I wouldn't have known where it was either, but I took a class on African refugees and was required to know the Countries of Africa.) It's to the left of Tanzania. So this man had to escape from Africa and has lived most of his life in refugee camps because his father was rich and had a nice piece of land. He married a woman from a different tribe. His father was killed and his land was taken. He was sent to live with relatives but they wouldn't take him because he looks like the other tribe. He went to go live with his father's tribe but they wouldn't take him either because he looks like his mother's tribe. Both tribes wanted to kill him because they saw their enemy in him. He married and they have three children. Finally he was granted asylum and came to the lovely United States. He just finished his CNA classes and is waiting to take the test next month. His wife works in a hotel chain. He is the only one that speaks English well.

So, the missionaries gave him a Book of Mormon in Swahili and he's been reading it voraciously. He's requested that the Elders come three times a week to help him understand. Yesterday he brought his children to church. (His wife couldn't come because she had to work.) He is a very gentle man and soft spoken. His kids are on the rambunctious side, but they're sweet too. We had a linger longer and I was happy to see his children running around and playing in the cultural hall with the other kids. I think that's how they'll learn English better. I was glad they weren't shy.

I'm hoping to gather clothes for the children because they only have what has been given them from the Salvation Army. The clothes are nice and clean but they only have one pair of pants each. The little girl was dressed in boy clothes that were too big for her because she doesn't have a dress or any girl clothing. All of them need clothes and shoes. The problem is I don't know their sizes and I don't have children to compare them with, so I don't know how to tell what sizes they take.

Any way to tell? The oldest boy is 12, the next boy is 8, and the little girl is 5.

I'm going to talk to the Relief Society President and see if we can't coordinate something with the Relief Society to get them the things they need.... they don't even have sheets for their beds. Since my ward is so tiny, I'm also wondering if there is another way to get them the things they need?

Any ideas?