The Stake President called us and asked if we would be willing to drive about an hour to the north-east of Taupo to a little branch in a town called Murupara. So we drove up there last Saturday to check it out. We got a list of people to visit from the branch president, and just started knocking on doors! We met some nice people. Below is a picture of Lonne with Robert....Robert's wife and children are members, but he isn't....yet. We had a great visit with him, and look forward to visiting their family again next week! In this picture, he is giving Lonne a "Hongi". It is the Maori way of telling him
"We are as one." It is a real honor when the men do this to Lonne.
We snapped a couple of pictures of the town of Murupara...
It's a bit rough! I was a little nervous a couple of times. We got lots of stares!
We looked like two fish out of water! Remember on Sesame Street...the song and game of
"One of these things just doesn't belong here, one of things just isn't the same"
Well we felt like we were in the middle of that song!!! Ha!
Below...the local shopping center.
Robert's daughter and grandchildren....
The one in front of me is "Zion"
The area right out of town is beautiful....
Apparently there is a lot of poverty in Murupara because the government used to own the forestry business there, and most of the people worked in forestry. But the forestry was turned over to private land owners, so everyone lost their jobs, and they just stayed inn Murupara.
There are only about 1200 citizens in the town.
We have our work cut out for us!
2 comments:
Just looks like another lemon that you get to make lemonade out of ... you guys do so well with challenges and I am sure you will have these folks eating out of your hands like every area you have been too. Keep up the good work - bless you for yours !! Love and miss ya!
I have to agree with Tracy. You will have all those people loving you in no time at all.
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