On July 16th, we had a fun activity with the full-time missionaries.  They organized a soccer match with the branch missionaries and about 12 non-members.  The day of the match there was excitement and anticipation in the air.  We provided them with very handsome new soccer uniforms, water and oranges during the game, and then everyone gathered at the church following the game for Burundian's favorite treat, a Fanta soft drink in a bottle.  We ended up with about 60 young people at the branch.  It was nice to see so many young people at the Church.
                                                                 Our Team

 
                                                               Cute Zone Leader

                                                            Our Team on the Field

                                                                           Action!

Wednesday was a good day!

     Gary and I received a document, 6 type-written pages, written by and in behalf of the members of the Church who live in Bukavu, Congo.  There is no branch there, but these members have organized themselves into a group of faithful Saints who hold sacrament meeting every week, followed by a missionary training class.  They have 13 newly baptized members who had to travel 4 hours to Uvira to be baptized, and 9 young adults who are preparing to serve a mission.  They wrote this 6 page letter pleading for help from the Church---for a meeting house, for full-time missionaries, for a missionary couple, for teaching manuals and song books.  They would also love to have visits from the Mission President or his representative.  They so sincerely and fervently desire these simple things from the Church, things we take for granted, that, feeling the depth of their pleas, it almost makes you want to cry.  They are carrying on the work of the Church and living the gospel without any support or supplies from the official body of the Church.  Someday soon I hope they will receive all that they requested.  We passed their letter on to the Mission President.