Summertime and the livin' is easy

JIMMY AND MIMI AND DAUGHTER

This is one of the strong families of our unit. His name is Jimmie and hers is Mini. Alaina is the daughter and the son not shown is Baxter. They have been married 6 years, he is 24 and she is 25. He is a taxi driver like his dad. He and she hold the branch together.

Another week has gone by and life in Bintulu is still good. We celebrated Sabrina's birthday last week and Curtis' birthday this week. We are definitely in the dry season here---no rain for several weeks other than enough to smear the dust on the windshield. And it is dusty here. How can that be in a jungle climate? This must be the season for burning to clear land because that is also happening. So we have smoke and dust and red sun rises. Every few days I have to hose off the tile around our house so the dirt isn't tracked inside.

WHEELCHAIR HANDOVER TO A ROTARY CLUB IN MIRI

Last Wednesday we drove to Miri---200 km north of Bintulu. We have driven there before but on an older and more traveled road which was torturous because of bumps, curves, and pot holes. It took about 3 + hours to drive. So this time we found out about a newer road along the coast and we took that. It is newer, smoother, and much less traffic. There were long straight stretches for passing the occasional palm oil truck or slow car. However, we were warned to not drive it at night and if we had to drive it at night to not stop for anything because it is remote and highway robbers use it to advantage.

SISTER PETTY, BILL, ELLEN, SISTER LIM

SISTER PETTY AND SISTER LIM

In Miri we had another handover of wheel chairs to a Rotary Club. They had a nice luncheon, wheel chair recipients and the press. Bill does a nice presentation, we listen to speeches, eat lunch, shake a lot of hands, and meet people. One of the recipients was a severely physically and mentally handicapped 17 year old boy whose mother has cared for him all his life as well as his 5 younger brothers. This was his first wheel chair---his mother has carried him prior to this time.

Last week we had zone conference here. Our zone is North Sarawak and includes Bintulu and Miri to the north. The missionaries from Miri came down on buses last Wednesday evening and we got home (from Miri) in time to meet the bus of the 2 sister missionaries who stay with us. They are so fun. One was from Bountiful, Utah; Sister Petty, and she was in the MTC when we were. She was there much longer than we were---2 months. The other sister is from Kuching, a cute little Chinese girl, the only member in her family, Sister Lim. We had a good zone conference with our new Mission President and Sister Clark. They arrived here the first of July and hit the ground running. The first thing, while they still had jet lag, was a blitz tour of the whole mission and soon after that they started their zone conferences with East Malaysia.

The heat continues to be high as well as the humidity. We just visited a market where we picked up a black melon, a papaya, and a bunch of bananas. Fruit for the week? It won't last that long. We eat a lot of fruit.

Bill Here:

We got a parking ticket for parking in a no parking zone. How did anyone including the police know it was no parking...it is not marked one way or the other. Of course one can be parked 3 deep...yep not just double parked, that's old stuff...but tripple parked and not get a ticket. But park in a place they don't want you to they will let you know by giving a ticket. Ok. No prob just pay the thing right? Well first of all you have to find the police station...no it is not just the one you see all the time and no it is not the next one they send you to, it is the next one and they don't want the money yet...no you can't mail it to them ...yep ...you got it ...come back next week and maybe they will have a "line"....but you call first. Oh well it is Malaysia.

Oh here is a pic for you. Where are the stairs going?  This is on the way into the men's stalls at our church. We thought Lynn would like this one. Just build around it. Maybe some day they will use the stairs again.

We are home all week!! Yea. We will get caught up and stuff orgainzed. Hopefully soon we can start putting together some water and vision iniatives. We are still gathering info and may need to do some more travel yet.

ONE OF THE BENEFICIARIES OF A WHEEL CHAIR WAS A 

6 YEAR OLD LAD WHOSE PARENTS HAD CARRIED HIM

ALL HIS LIFE.  WHAT A RELIEF

FOR ALL OF THEM!