May in Montenegro

We have finally put our jackets away, so we hope they will not have to come out again until December. So far spring in Montenegro has kept us guessing what the day will bring.  Some days are very hot, some have been pouring rain, some are cool and windy and some are warm and windy.  Some days the wind almost blows us over, especially the "canyon wind" created by our apartment building and surrounding buildings.  At least it's beautiful and green with many trees still in blossom.



The first week of May, we were able to meet with a wonderful group called "Give Us A Chance" that we have been working with.  These young adults with special needs, some of their parents and other volunteers meet three times a week for activities and educational training.  We enjoy meeting with them and laughing and "talking" (through a translator).  They found out that we like chocolate, so they treated us to a yummy chocolate cake.



                                                                                                                                             






During the month, we had a "Branch Activity".  We played games and, of course, ate goodies.  We had five investigators, one member, and six missionaries in attendance.

We were able to take a trip to Bar on the Adriatic coast and help UNHCR distribute some hygiene kits to Roma refugee children.  It was such a beautiful sunny day, we had to walk down to the sea and stick our fingers in the water.  On our way back to Podgorica, we saw this big sailboat - wish it had it's sails out.

On May 13 - 15 we were able to attend Senior Couple's Conference in Belgrade, Serbia.  It was fun to get acquainted with couples from our mission and spend time with President and Sister Grant (and their daughter visiting from Utah).  We had some wonderfully spiritual meetings, some good laughs, some interesting food, and a bus and walking tour of Belgrade.  This picture was taken at the old fortress by the Danube River where the country was dedicated to missionary work in 2003 by Elder Holland.  It was a very impressive place.  A member (the fellow kneeling on the left) was at the dedication and told us what a spiritual experience it was.

Who is that old gray-haired couple on the bus?  It was fun to take this double deaker bus tour and be sitting out in the fresh air.  Belgrade is an interesting city with many, many beautiful old buildings.    The picture on the right is the Moscow Hotel.  It is quite an impressive building.  It's very old, but very well
maintained.  We hear that  many famous people have stayed
here through the years.








                                                                                       

 This beautiful old home was in the prestigious area of Belgrade.

This is the Presidential Palace.  Notice the important dignitaries coming down the red carpet.  The guards were very impressive to watch - they didn't even bat an eyelid.  Thankfully, they are changed every half hour.  It was fun to see the ceremony that went with the change.  We just wanted to get a picture of the guards, but were invited by an official to stand on the steps so that he could take our picture.







The war in Belgrade has been over for many years, but there are still reminders.  They have kept these two buildings as "reminders" of what NATO did to their country.








This is a cafe on a fun street that we found - notice all the flowers everywhere.  The walkway between the shops and cafes was made from river rocks and was very hard to walk on, but we really enjoyed the sights and the atmosphere.






Some of the cafes had small groups of musicians walking around and playing their instruments.  We were still full from lunch at KFC (yum for both of us after Serbian food for two days), or we would have eaten at one of these beautiful cafes.







After couple's conference, we stayed Friday night at the hotel and attended our zone conference on Saturday at the church in Belgrade.  It's great to attend this conference and feel the energy of the young Elders and Sisters as they talk about their missionary work.  We six missionaries returned to Podgorica late Saturday with President and Sister Grant and their daughter.  The AP's drove to Podgorica to transport a baptismal font to our chapel.  We all had dinner later that night with our wonderful translator couple, Rada and Srdjan.

On Sunday morning, May 17, we had Branch Conference.  We had seventeen in attendance - a record for the Podgorica Branch.  Not everyone stayed for Sunday School, lunch or pictures.

On Monday afternoon, May 18, we met Elder and Sister Cullimore and Elder and Sister Canova at the airport.  They are the Church wheelchair specialists from Salt Lake.  The Cullimores have been over this program for nine years and now passing some of the countries they work with, including Montenegro and Albania over to the Canovas.  After a get acquainted dinner on Monday evening, we spent Tuesday in planning and program reviews before meeting with the Red Cross who is our partner in Montenegro for the wheelchair distribution.  Wednesday we did wheelchair recipient visits with Canovas and had some very touching experiences.  Wednesday evening Elder and Sister Orton (from Preston) serving in Albania came to take the couples to Albania for meetings.

May 21 was Independence Day on Montenegro.  Podgorica celebrated by putting these flags up along the main street.  That was the extent of their celebration  Most people were just happy to have two days off.

Happy Spring!

The last few days of March and the first week of April were transfer days for the Adriatic North Mission.

Usually the transfers don't involve us, but we were busy this time with three trips to the airport - one to take Elders to different assignments and two to bring new Elders here to Podgorica.  The four new Elders in Podgorica - Elder Hixon, Elder Uhlig, Elder Trotter and Elder Bennett.

We were also asked by President Grant to deliver one of our Elders to Sarajevo, Bosnia, and his new assignment.  We were excited for the opportunity, but a little nervous about exploring new country.  As you can see by the road behind us, driving anywhere in Montenegro is a challenge.  We actually counted eighty-three tunnels on this trip.  They are a little scary with dripping water from the top and rocks rolling onto the road.  As we entered Bosnia, the road was more like a trail, with hardly room to pass another car.  The drive back to Podgorica from Sarajevo was not so fun.  It rained in the lower areas, but we drove into snow in the top of the mountains.  We were very thankful to arrive safely back in Podgorica.

Downtown Sarajevo - interesting city with new, modern buildings and many old buildings that still show signs of war.

Old narrow streets in Sarajevo.  They are barely wide enough for a car to pass through.

Since arriving in Montenegro, we have been involved in two different hygiene kit projects.  Our second project was for kits to be provided to refugee children throughout Montenegro.  The kits contained shampoo, toothbruses, toothpaste, hand soad, a towel, a brush and comb, nail clippers, crayons and a coloring book which showed good hygiene practices.

Elder and Sister Taylor with their great group of hygiene kits helpers - a little tired, but happy to have been part of a great service project.  Our wonderful team consisted of six missionaries and two investigators.  What a good way to spend a Saturday!

We have been very busy during the month with meetings and visits and writing projects.  We have traveled from one end of Montenegro to the other.  During our trip to Pljevlja, we crossed the Tara Bridge which is 163 meters high and is a very famous bridge in Europe.  It spans the deep gorge of the Tara River.

Because of several meetings that we had scheduled for our visit to Pljevlja, we spent the night.  We could see this view of a shepherd with his sheep from our hotel window.

While in Pljevlja, we helped the Red Cross deliver our hygiene kits to a group of Roma children.  Our translator, Jovan, loved being with the children as much as we did.

On our return trip to Podgorica, we passed this beautiful little village by a crystal, clear river.  In the background on the hill is a step ditch bringing water down the mountain.

We visited the Municipality of Berane, where we helped UNHCR distribute more of our hygiene kits to a camp of Roma.

The children at the camp in Berane.  They loved having their pictures taken.  It's amazing how children are the same wherever they live, no matter their circumstances. They love to have fun and laugh and have someone notice them.

When we arrived in Podgorica, these rocky mountains were bare and gray.  Now they have green bushes and trees growing around and on them. What a difference it makes!

One of Montenegro's fun roads to drive on.  We're still trying to figure out how plants and trees can grow out of solid rock.

This is our view every time we cross the Moraca River going and coming from church, doing business on the other side of the river, or just out for our walk.

Our "garden" on the balcony.  It's not quite the same as the big veggie and flower gardens at home, but it's the best that we can do in limited space.  It's amazing how well plants grow in this climate.  We will enjoy this through the summer and into the fall.  It helps us to feel like we're not in the middle of a big city.

March Madness in Montenegro 2015!

The end of February, we were able to drive down to the coast to Ulcinj for the closing ceremonies for the mini clinic that LDS Charities provided for the Day Care Center.  We were able to have a pleasant day and a very yummy lunch with the Director and staff worker (translator) Arslan.

A few days later, we were finally able to finish a project in Niksic.  It involved providing the software for equipment for hearing impaired children that had already been furnished by LDS Charities.  The software and training was purchased from a company in Sarajevo, Bosnia.

This is our Montenegro "Tetons" by Kolasin.

Early in March we were able to visit a "village" in the mountains with the Red Cross.  What a trip!  The roads were only fit for a 4-wheeler, but we were in a jeep-type vehicle with six other people.  If you look closely, you can see the main road up the mountain.  We visited some very poor, elderly people who live in very, very humble circumstances.  Our lives have been changed forever because of this experience.

The Voli "grocery store" where we do most of our shopping.  Even though it isn't very big, it is on our "shopping street" and very convenient.  It's about two blocks from our apartment.  It looks like a grocery store from home, but wait until you go inside.  The good thing is - foods that were once very unfamiliar are starting to become very ordinary  items.  Interesting thing - every food store has a security guard to keep shoplifters in check.

Our Pekara (Bakery) isn't far from the Voli.  There are lots of yummy pastries in the front counter.  On the left side is pizza.  The delicious breads are on the shelves behind the clerk. Of course, nothing is in a bag.  Everything is just open on the shelf.  Our favorites breads are Razoni and Pagatca, with our favorite pasty being Visjom (cherry).

The butcher shop is four doors from the bakery.  Its' a very busy place, especially on Saturday mornings.  The counters above show lots of cold cut meats, with hams hanging in the back that have been there since before Christmas.  On the other end of the market are all the fresh meats like poulty, beef, lamb, goat, pork and lots of other eatable unmentionables.

The "little" green market where we buy fresh fruits and veggies is just a few doors away.  The front just opens up and everything is on display.  You can see watermellon, cabbage, raddishes, lettuce, onions, mushrooms, and other things we can't identify.  The "big" green markets we shop at are at are located at a couple of malls.

The Elders on the spiral stairway at the Church.  Every Sunday we have to climb these to get to the chapel for Sunday services.  Top to bottom:  Elder Bennet, Elder Poore, Elder Pantelakis, Elder Fisher.

On a warm, sunny afternoon, we spent a partial "P Day" with the Elders.  We took them to the Doklea  Ruins where Elder Nielen dedicated the country of Montenegro to missionary work in 2010.

Same day, same ruin with just the "Old People". Notice the "lawn mowers" in the background.

During March, we were able to make another trip to the coast to the city of Herceg Novi for a possible project.  Herceg Novi is on the north side of the Gulf of Kotor, which is a very big Gulf and takes hours to drive the winding road.  The alternative is a short ferry ride of about 15 minutes and 4.5 euros.  We were very fortunate and were the last car to board the ferry, which was great because we were running late.  The reason we were late is because of a huge traffic jam thirty minutes out of Podgorica.  There was a two kilmeter backup going both directions.  We never did find out the cause.  It took the police twenty minutes to arrive, then they did nothing.  We "freewheeled" between the railroad tracks and the train station to finally get on our way.  What a mess!

On March 28, we were able to travel to Niksic to make a payment for this loom which LDS Charities had provided for the Paraplegic Association.  It was interesting to see all the parts that were carried in and carefully put together.  It was fun to see the excitement of the twenty members who were anxiously waiting for the assembly and training.

Further Adventures

The end of January we lost Elder Lowis and received Elder Bennett from Kaysville, Utah.  It's amazing that from the six missionaries in Podgorica at this time, two are from Idaho and three are from Utah.

                        Elder Bennet is on the left, Elder Fisher, our Distric Leader is on the right.

The last part of January, we made a trip to Ulcinj, which is down on the Adriatic coast, to meet with the director of a day care center for disabled children.

   Any time we leave Podgorica, we have to drive over or through high, rock mountains.  This tunnel, on the way to Ulcinj, was about seven kilometers long.

The city of Ulcinj is right on the coast and is quite the tourist town.  It's beautiful, with many hotels, apartments, shops and cafes.  The city is built on the hillside and goes right to the water's edge.

It was a beautiful day with no wind - clear blue sky and the Adriatic sea.  In the background, is the old city of Ulcinj with a seawall and fortress.

On the way home from Ulcinj, we stopped to see this old olive tree.  It is said to be over 2000 years old.  They measure the age by the holes in the trunk.  This is all one tree, even though it looks like many.

The center that we visited in Ulcinj was in need of medical equipment for a mini clinic.  We decided that it was a very worthwhile project, so we wrote it up and submitted it to the Area Welfare Comittee in Frankfurt, Germany.  We received word on January 29 that it had been approved - our very first project!!

The first week of February, we went with the Red Cross to do wheelchair recepient evaluations for the on-going wheelchair project here in Montenegro.  We were able to visit a very special couple.  Tusic has been unable to walk for twenty-three years because of a brain injury.  The company that he worked for dismissed him with no compensation or benefits.  The couple have no family and have been living on 65 euros a month.  They were so very grateful for this wheelchair.  For twenty years, Tusic's wife has carried him wherever they have gone.  What an experience for us!




We visited the SOS Women's Shelter in Niksic to close a project that the Westwoods had started.  LDS Charities supplied materials to finish the second floor, so the first floor could be used as a training center for the women to learn sewing skills.  With these skills, they hoped to be able to obtain employment.  This is one of only three shelters in Montenegro, and it's the largest.

      This is the closing meeting we had with the SOS Safe House director and a community official.

After visiting Niksic, we decided that we're glad we live in Podgorica.  They had about six inches of snow and was it ever cold!  We decided to take this picture of snow so that our family could remember what it looks like.




During the month, we visited Camp Konic with Marta from the Red Cross.  With the help of the Red Cross, some of the women from the camp have organized a Women's Center, where they meet three days a week.  The women hold classes, discussions, sew and have various other activites.  About twenty women met us at the center and were excited to show us many of the items they had sewn - mostly by hand.  Their desire is to have sewing machines to be able to make more items for their families and possibly to sell.  We felt that this would be very beneficial, so this became our next project.  We learned on February 17, that this was approved.  LDS Charities will furnish three sewing machines, some chairs, and some sewing supplies.



Our next approved project will be buying the supplies and assembling hygiene kits for the refugee children thoughout Montenegro (ages 5 - 9).  After they are assembled by LDS Charities, the Elders and Branch friends, they will be distributed by UNHCR - a United Nations group.

On February 12, we drove down to the city of Risan which is in a gulf off the Adriatic Sea.  It is reached by traveling an entirely different road than the trip to Ulcinj.  The road zigged and zagged through the mountains to the coast and then dropped practically straight down (or so it seemed) to the coast.  Wow, what a drive, and what a view!  The small space between the steep mountains and the water contains a narrow, twisty road and many small villages.  If you look closely, you can see the village at the foot of the mountains.  In Risan, we visited an Elderly care center where we did wheelchair recepient evaluations with the Red Cross.  We then met with the director and several of his staff to discuss their needs.

Some residents of the Elderly Care Center in Risan.  They gave me a necklace and a small jewely box, which they make in their craft room.  This man had made the picture he holds from colored rice.

A picture of the Wall of Kotor which you can see going up the mountain.  The steep trail ends at a fortress.

This is the city of Kotor with the palm trees and steep mountains in the distance.









Zone Conference was held in Belgrade, Serbia, on Friday, the 13th.  Of course the Elders kept rubbing the fact in that we were all flying on "Bad Luck Friday"!  We made the flight both ways, had a tremendously uplifting conference and arrived home early, which we loved.  (The mission office arranged a two hour earlier flight back to Podgorica.)