A week ago we received an update from two senior missionaries (Elder and Sister Ward) serving in the Durban Mission in the Ladysmith area. Their letter mentions the Elders who are serving in Ladysmith and Newcastle areas. This includes Elder Shipp. Sorry about the format... Here is the letter:
As the early morning sun peeked through the now mature leaves of the summer
foliage on the trees toward the east side if the house, we could tell it was
going to be a warm and humid day. If we are going to have rain, the clouds and
thunder usually appear in the late afternoon but this morning they were slowly
building in the west and we could hear the faint sound of rumbling thunder far
off in the distance. At 1:00 PM, a “P” day zone activity was scheduled with the
14 full time missionaries serving in the Newcastle and Ladysmith districts.
There is a beautiful waterfall and park about 20 miles out of town. Our plan
was to go there to have a braai (Bar-B-Que) play games and have a “P” day
afternoon of fun with the elders. The clouds had been continuing to build all
morning. By 11:00 AM the sun could be seen only occasionally through a few
small spaces between the now lowering gray clouds. When we arrived at the
waterfall, light rain began to dampen the tall summer grass, the trees and the ground.
Because the clouds had become very dark and heavy, we decided to stay at the waterfall for
only a short while then go back to our house and have the braai. (A decision
that later proved to be a very good one because soon after we left the
waterfall, the road coming back to Newcastle would have been flooded). Just as
we all got loaded into our cars and reached the main road taking us back to
Newcastle, the heavens opened up and “…the tempest became exceedingly sore” (1
Ne 18:14). It rained like we have seen only once or twice in our lives (when we
lived in Texas). Because the heavy rain continued intermittently very heavy,
then less heavy, then back to very heavy all afternoon, we had to have the braai
in our (one-car) garage. It was in the garage because we didn’t want 14 elders
with muddy feet tracking their mud and sand through the house. :) With
temperature near 90 degrees and the humidity at 100% it was at best, uncomfortable.
The rain continued… all night it continued. We found the next day that there
had been more than 180 mm of rain (7.5”) that night, and still it rained.
Mission rules require the elders to be in their areas working by 6:00 PM on “P”
day so they all left about 5:30 to go home, shower, put on their “whites” and go
to work. By about 6:00 PM, the rain had lightened a bit. Then at about 10:00
PM, the heavens opened up again and the rains came as before.
We discovered that the constant heavy rain had flooded much of Newcastle.
Remember several months ago when we wrote about the construction of some of the
houses here? Many of the poor people construct their homes of sun dried bricks
with an external hand tied framework of sticks to hold it together. When the
heavy summer rains come, the bricks at the bottom of the wall simply wash away
and disintegrate from the water and the house collapses onto its self because
the only foundation is hard-packed dirt. Because of the heavy rain on Monday
and Tuesday, we knew there would be a need for help with those who had been
flooded out and for many that had had their houses and all their meager worldly
belongings completely swept away by the raging water.
About 1:00 PM on Wednesday afternoon we went to the city offices to see if there
was anything Mom & I (and the church) could do to help. They made a couple of
telephone calls and confirmed that there was an immediate need for blankets and
clothing for those who were now homeless. We contacted the humanitarian
missionaries in Johannesburg and let them know what we needed. They immediately
went to the warehouse, loaded a truck with emergency supplies, hygiene kits,
new-born kits and blankets, brought it all to Newcastle and came to the rescue.
Less than 24 hours after the flood, the church humanitarian missionaries were
here. We went to the community center (with the Red Cross) where about 50
displaced families were staying, with many more arriving every hour. We
distributed the much needed supplies. As we looked at these dirt-poor, these
wet shivering families huddled together trying to get warm and dry in the
cavernous drafty community center gymnasium, we felt ashamed that we had complained
about our own “puny little disaster” of our water heater flooding. We saw families that
had lost everything. We saw little children who had no shoes. We saw many who had
nothing but the [dirty, worn and tattered] clothes on their back. We saw Fear
in the faces of the children. We saw hopelessness in the faces of the mothers.
We saw fear, uncertainty and sorrow in the faces of the fathers.
As we came into the shelter bringing these much needed supplies, there was a
visible change in the countenance of the people. We saw gratitude. We saw
hope. We saw light in their eyes that caused us to give thanks for being able
to help. And we witnessed first-hand that the church can, and does react almost
immediately, in times of disaster. It is difficult to find words sufficient
which allow us to express our gratitude to the church and to the humanitarian
missionaries who literally, dropped everything and came to our aid.
As day breaks on this Sunday morning, the skies are blue but the clouds once
again are building in the west. We must go to Ladysmith today to take care of
some district business. If the rain returns, more flooding will surely occur.
But today our hopes are high, our love for each other is boundless and, although
the skies are cloudy and the imminent threat of more rain is in the air, we have
a song in our hearts. We have a song that, regardless of the weather, brings
joy and light to our life.
There is sunshine in my soul today, more glorious and bright
Than glows in any earthly sky, for Jesus is my light.
O there’s sunshine, blessed sunshine, when the peaceful happy moments roll
When Jesus shows His smiling face, there is sunshine in my soul.
Please know that we are well, we are dry and we are happy. We are thankful for
the trials we have, it makes us realize how blessed we really have been. We are
grateful that we are able to provide assistance to the flood stricken residents
here. Thank you for all for your support, for your prayers, for your
faithfulness to the Savior. “All is Well, All is Well”
-Elder and Sister Ward
