Waterfalls and Flooding





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