The King & I in Africa: Limpopo

Tzaneen and Modjadji

Our assignment this week took us to the Provence of Limpopo, the northern most part of South Africa. As we came closer to Tzaneen the land seemed to change from Africa to Washington! I felt like we were back home, it was so wooded and green very much like the Pacific NW. As we drove on it changed from Washington to Hawaii!! (except the ocean was missing) We passed mango, guava, hibiscus & plumeria. There were acres of beautiful farms of bananas, avocados & macadamia nuts. Also many farms of coffee, peanuts and pekoe tea.

Our first assignment was to meet with the branch president and clerk of the Modjadji Branch.

President Sekhula, Chris & Br. Senyolo

These are wonderful brethren who are so well organized it made our job so easy. One challenge they face is making bank deposits. They have 30 min to travel to the bank and there is usually an hour and a half queue. We enjoyed our visit and it was a pleasure meeting them.

Papaya growing in front of the branch building

Next stop, Tzaneen, but first a small detour to see this:

Worlds largest Baobab Tree!

This mighty giant is quite a sight! Chris is standing beside the entrance. Yes, I did say entrance...to the tree and there are benches and a table and at times they serve drinks in there. I took a little video of us inside the tree. I felt like we were in a storybook. We were little kids playing in the Shire or perhaps we were visiting one of the tree people in Narnia who invited us in for tea.

Ok, must not be late, on down the road to visit with Elder Smith, full time missionary who is also the Branch President of the Tzaneen Branch.

President Smith and his wife are from Los Angeles and are such generous and diligent servants in this beautiful part of the world. On the church grounds were mango trees but Pres. Smith said the monkeys always get to them before they are ready to be picked! ha ha

The Tzaneen District was preparing for a temple trip to JoBurg this weekend with 50 members! Eleven brothers and sisters are going for the first time and five families are being sealed together for time and all eternity. They were pretty excited.

Because Friday was a holiday here in So Africa, we stayed an extra day to see the area. It wasn't all play as we brought work with us. We worked the morning and played in the afternoon.

We stayed in this Christian Kibbutz. It is a community and christian school for K-12. (It says college but it doesn't go beyond HS) They are far up in the hills where it is so quiet and peaceful. There is a little village which includes the school a restaurant for special occasions, a pool, cricket field, private residences and a few guest cabins.

A darling little beagle followed us all day. (boo hoo...I didn't get his picture) He ran along with his mouth stretched wide over a tennis ball that had soared well beyond the cricket field. We had fun playing ball with him until he got distracted by monkeys! Our little buddy lost his ball in the macadamia forest as he chased the squealing monkeys up the trees. We picked up a lemon from the ground and tried playing ball with him Ha ha...he chased it with enthusiasm but didn't keep it in his mouth very long.

Avocados grew all over the village as well as
lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits

All the roads and paths were covered in Macadamia nut shells!
They have so many macadamia trees, they use the shells for gravel!

Cute sign by the kindergarten

Guest house we stayed in

Ah, if only we had more time here. We walked and walked in the peaceful beauty. Now time to go home.

But first, another little detour to Kings Walden Gardens.

Monkeys crossing the road

Kings Walden Garden:

Beautiful well groomed gardens are a pleasant delight to behold. They seem to breath life and order into the present. This was not such a garden. It begged to be groomed and resuscitated all the while captivating you with its unspoken stories that oozed from the grounds, the waters and the statuary. Stories that once lived in the garden now whisper and play with your imagination.

Both kinds of gardens are steeped in beauty. One in splendor and one in mystery and impressionism. Ah...who doesn't love to breath deeply with ALL of your senses in a garden.

This little goosey gander waddled over wagging her little hiney
like a puppy dog.

Poor little Lucy goosey had laryngitis but greeted us with enthusiasm. Her muffled sore throat squawking, sang to us like a muted violin. She sang of her longing for company so we invited her to stroll with us but she had a job to do and stayed behind.