A Visit to Jinja

Subject: Hello from Africa

Date: Sun, 26May 2007 04:10:53 -0700 (PDT)

We are having an adventure here in Uganda, what can I say? There are so many experiences that I can't possibly tell you all of them, but I will tell you about yesterday. We got in our truck and drove out to a little town called Jinja to deliver some blankets and mosquito netting to a small village back in the bush. The ride out there was an experience by itself. We passed huge sugar cane plantations, tea plantations, banana plantations and it was so very very beautiful. Uganda is simply beautiful, except for the terrible poverty. You pass all kinds of people carrying huge stacks of bananas, firewood, sacks of grain, pineapples, you name it all piled on their heads. Everything is a picture, you just want to stop the car and take hundreds of pictures.

We drove over a bridge spanning the Nile River and on the other side is a plaque saying that this is the source of the Nile, which people had searched for hundreds of years and here it is in Uganda, (a good book to read about the exploration of East Africa and the searching for the source of the Nile is "The White Nile) but wait, the best is yet to come, We drove out to this little village and the people knew we were coming and they surrounded our truck when we pulled into their village. They were singing and chanting with drums beating and arms waving and they danced all around our truck, singing a welcome song. It was like a centerfold in National Geographic. We couldn't even get out of the truck until they were finished. They then shook your hands and hugged us saying "you are most welcome". There were darling little very black kids and goats, chickens, donkeys, and animals I didn't even recognize all around us. The women were dressed in their best attire to honor us. I felt like a celebrity. They had prepared a platform with wooden benches on it and led us from the truck to the platform. The benches were covered with cloths all hand stitched in beautiful patterns and they had prepared them for us to sit on. They then preceded with the welcome program and the head of the village spoke. They had an interpreter there for us (out in the villages they speak limited English) but speak something called Lugandan (sp?) He thanked us over and over and welcomed us and then the entertainment began with dancing and singing and two men beating on the ancient drums.

It was so what you think of when you think of African music - kind of an ancient primitive type of music and dance. It was very thrilling to watch. The women were making sounds with their mouths sort of a trilling sound. We spoke and President and Sister Call spoke and then they fed us a large dry roll of some sort on their best plates. I guess it is Ok to eat the food if it has been cooked. I wasn't sure what it was.

I could not eat this big roll sitting up on a platform with all the little children watching us. I knew they were hungry, so we broke of pieces of the roll and tried to entice the children to come and share with us. They seldom see white people (musungus) so they were a little afraid to come up and take it from us, but when one finally did, they slowly came forward and we all shared our rolls. They are so darling and I held one of the babies. We then passed out the blankets and mosquito nets and there was more dancing and singing and drum beating. We have some wonderful pictures and as soon as our computer gets hooked up to the internet we will send a picture for you to all see.

There is so much to tell, that is just one of our days, you cannot believe what we have experienced in the short time we have been here. Our house is quite nice and I suppose by African standards it is really nice. It is in a fancy neighborhood, but about a quarter to a half of the time we do not have power and/or water. We fill bottles with filtered water which we have it to save for when we are without. Sometimes this is a pain, for two days now we have been without water, but we have wonderful neighbors (Elder and Sister Moore from Bountiful, Utah) and we all share and help one another. We have a huge avocado tree in our yard and the avocado's are enormous, so we have delicious avocados to snack on, fresh pineapple and all kinds of delicious fruit. We have two fairly large extra bedrooms, so we would welcome all to come and visit. The Moores and Calls have all had family from time to time come and visit, so get your shots and come and see us. It is fine for the senior members to have family come.

The people from the village yesterday gave us gifts of avocados, bananas, sweet potatoes, peanuts, sugar cane, squash. potatoes and just filled our truck with plenty of good food they had grown. We drove home and gave most of it to the guards to take home to eat.

Anyway, I could go on and on and on, but will save it for another day. Hope all is well with you and keep us up to date on your big move. I sure do love you (by the way Ron asked one of the drummers yesterday if he could play the drums and he beat on the drums, while the ladies sang and danced. Doesn't that sound like him? I got a picture. He loved it and so did they.

Also will you send this letter to the Matt's Blog so all can share? Thanks Honey, Love Mom and Ron

2,000 Remember Mission President

Heber's Ralph Duke was killed in traffic accident in Uganda

By Elizabeth Stuart
Deseret Morning News

HEBER CITY — About 2,000 people Saturday paid their respects to a Heber businessman and religious leader who was killed in a traffic accident May 10 while serving as president of the LDS Church's Uganda Kampala Mission.

Tom Smart, Deseret Morning News

Pall bearers carry President Ralph Duke's casket from a horse-drawn carriage.

"I don't see an empty seat in this room," President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said to those attending the memorial service for President Ralph L. Duke. "It is a wonderful tribute to a wonderful man."

President Duke, 57, and his wife, Kim, had just dropped off four missionaries at the Entebbe airport and were returning to the mission office when the accident occurred. Sister Duke was injured but was treated and released from the hospital.

President Duke was eager to serve the people of Africa, said President Monson, who issued the call to serve to the couple. He said he was impressed with how willingly the two prepared to leave the country — they were only given two-and-a-half weeks' notice.

"President Duke and his wife appeared to be perfect for the job," he said. "He reminds me of me — that's a compliment, I think."

President Monson read a letter from the First Presidency of the LDS Church addressed to President Duke's wife, Kim.

"We rejoice with you in your husband's life of service," he read. "He successfully used his talents to do good in the world. ... We appreciate his dedicated service to the church."

Michael Moulton said he learned a lot from President Duke, when they worked together when Duke was stake president for the LDS Church.

"Ralph used to say we should not be involved in the thick of thin things," he said. "I think Ralph as endowed with the power to work in the thick of very important things all the time."

In addition to a long resume of church service including three LDS missions, President Duke was a Wasatch County commissioner from 1999 to 2003. He also successfully turned a small grocery store into a thriving business — Duke's IGA.

In addition to a long resume of church service including three LDS missions, President Duke was a Wasatch County commissioner from 1999 to 2003. He also successfully turned a small grocery store into a thriving business — Duke's IGA.

President Duke served as the bishop of an LDS ward twice, but was just as dedicated to the
job the second time as the first, said Thomas Low, who was one of President Duke's counselors. That's just the kind of man he was.

"For him the work was the glory," he said.

The mission president had the uncanny ability to inspire others to be better, said his son, R.L. Duke.

"He was a giant of a man in many ways," he said, choking back tears. "I have a long way to go to fulfill the measure of example that has been set for me. But for my father, I'll try."

President Duke never lost his sense of humor, his children said. He loved to tease and joke with his four children and nine grandchildren.

"He always had a twinkle in his eye and a skip in his step," said his daughter, Katie Nelson. "If he happened to have a new pair of shoes on he'd have a little shuffle for you as well."

Nelson said her father used any excuse to get the family together. He decided the family needed to have "stretch parties" for several days before Thanksgiving to get their stomachs prepped and ready for the big meal.

Nelson tearfully told the crowd her father didn't have the opportunity to meet her children, who were born after he left for Africa.

"I was so excited for him to come home and be Grandpa," she said. "Now we are just going to teach them how he was."

President Duke was born in 1949 in Heber to William Howard and Ellen Child Duke.

He is survived by his sons R.L., Spencer and Mike, and a daughter, Katie.

Hello from Africa

Here is the first letter from "in-country". Sounds like there is a lot going on! You can reach Ron and Sandra at ugandahuman@yahoo.com

Date: Sat, 19 May 2007 11:10:53 +0000

Hi to all:

Sorry it has taken so long to send a message, but we have had trouble getting our computer set up. We had to go to the Mission office to get set up and to our Humanitarian office which is at the church) to send the e-mail, but the address above should work now. We are finally able to find our office and the mission office. The driving is crazy and of course on the other side of the road. Ron, just yesterday, started driving. It is unbelivable - there seem to be no rules to driving on the roads. There are people cars, boda boda's, taxi's and today we even saw a cow on the road running along and of course chickens and you name it. There are literally thousands of people milling around with huge bundles on their heads. the roads are narrow, dirt and very rutted. The earth is very orange and the guard at our flat has to wash our truck every day.

We have been out to the villages twice - unbeliveable. The conditions people live in are shocking, but now I am getting a little more hardened. Yesterday we drove out to one village to look at a pig project. We are considering working with a local group to help 50 local village farmers start a pig farm. We met in a funny little office and then toured the pigery. Little kids and people of all kinds come out of the brush to look at us and follow us around. One of the women in the village was sharing her house with 100 or so chickens. We have also check out a upland rice project, that looks like the right kind of partner we want to help. These people are so poor, and even past that. No shoes, dirty, and not farm equipment just picks and there own hands. We also particpated with the Calls in a "HAND OVER" ceremony, that is when the humanitarian project is finished and you hand over what we have helped them with. It was held in a village, outside under a tent, with many people speaking and little kids and dogs running around. The mayor of the village even came and spoke. They served refreshments, but it would be hazardous for us to eat anything, so we thanked them and left.

This is going to be very very interesting work. We arrived last Monday morning and President and Sister Call picked us up at the airport, as we walked outside to meet them, we saw monkeys playing and swinging on the trees outside the airport. The ride to Kampala was interesting. Beautiful lush vegetation, but shocking proverty everywhere you looked. Out house is fairly nice. Quite big at least 3 bedrooms - so come and visit. We have a cleaning man that comes on Tuesday and Fridays and a guard at the gate - who patrols the grounds, both are church members. We lose electricity often, last night it was off from about 7:00 pm to about 7:00 am this morning. We also are without water periodically, so I filll water bottles with our filtered water and line them up on the cupbord and fridge for a supply. Yesterday the guard and the cleaning guy - climbed a huge avocado tree and picked some of the bigiest avocados I have ever seen and threw them down for me to take in the house and ripen. All vegetables, fruit, dishes, & such have to be washed in a solution of bleach & rinsed in a solution of bleach. What a drag to wash & dry dishes again. I have shopped with Sister Call at two grocery stores. That is an interesting exprience. I am so glad to have her show me the ropes.

Last night we had dinner at the mission home. Sister Call invited all 3 couples that are assigned here to dinner. (we are in the minority big time) The mission home is beautiful with wonderful native art in the rooms. The home even has a swimming pool. We have spent quite a bit of time with the Calls trying to get oriented, driving out to the villages to check on possible projects. but now he is acting Mission President, he is very busy. However, we are expecting a water specialist to come here from Utah and we have some ideas for protecting some already existing wells.

I know I am rambling on, but there is so much to tell. So goodbye for now. Send me E-mail - I miss all of you. Kiss the kids for me. Hope Ryan arrived safely home. LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU SO MUCH and really Miss our wonderful home. Love for now, Mom

PS Tell Jonathan I will get some pictures of the king of the jungle for him. It seems every year the mission president takes us all on safari - hope that stays the same when the new mission president arrives in July. We are also going to Johannesburg (sp?) South Africa in September for a conferance for all Humanitarian Directors in Africa. Sorry this is so disjointed, but I am hurrying. I am at the mission home and need to leave so they can lock up. PLEASE SEND LETTERS ETC)

Layover at LAX

Here's some pics from the layover at LAX on the way to Uganda sent courtesy of Kami. Fortunately, it seems Elder and Sister Bean have family in every port. Last word is that they arrived safely in Uganda, had a "wild" ride in from the airport and a nice dinner with their new (interim) mission president and his wife. They are now resting up for their first day on the job!

"Beans turn their back on L.A. and the USA"

Uganda Bound

Elder and Sister Bean departed the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah on Saturday, May 12th bound for Uganda. They arrived in L.A. for a layover for a few hours where they were able to go to dinner with Kami, Brent and Torri. While there, they were also able call family and say their final "goodbyes".

Significantly, two days before their departure, the Uganda Kampala Mission President, Ralph L. Duke, was killed in a traffic accident while returning from the airport with his wife after having dropped off some departing missionaries. The Area President in South Africa sent one of his counselors to preside over the mission temporarily. Eventually, Elder and Sister Call, the couple they are replacing, were asked to stay until July for Elder Call serve as the interim Mission President. President Call served as a mission president here in the Washington Everett Mission about 3 years ago where Ron served for a time as one of his counselors, so he was already trained. Despite this tragedy, it is amazing how the Lord arranged things so that the work could continue to move forward.

As I post this, I suspect the Beans have landed in Entebbe, Uganda. They are likely tired and overwhelmed, but the fun is just beginning! We'll post more when we hear from them.

Ugandan Ladies Club

Carol Christensen just sent me these pics from the infamous farewell party

Entering the MTC

On Monday, April 30th, Ron and Sandra Bean entered the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah to begin their 18 month LDS mission in Kampala, Uganda. While I am sure that they will write and e-mail often to family and friends, I will periodically post letters and pictures here so that all who are interested in following their experiences will be able to do so easily. Please forward along any information you receive, and I'll be glad to post it here.

We love you Elder and Sister Bean!