Dixon is one of the guards at the mission office. He is very attentive and takes his job very seriously! He is so polite, happy, and helpful! A common custom here is for people to greet people (especially women and older people) with a little bow or curtsy and clasping the hands together or placing them over the heart. They do this everywhere…at church, when they see you at the store, or everyday when we come to work. The guards always do this when we come and go!!
The above picture is of Dixon happily pointing to an avocado tree...not quite old enough to bear fruit yet. He was pretty pleased when we asked if we could take his picture!
The mission office is located on a plot just off a very busy street; maybe on a about 3/4 acre of ground or less. It has a wall around it, just like most places here; it's gated and it is guarded (one during the day, two at night, and there is a gardener).
A few days ago we asked the guard, Dixon, if he could please identify the plants in the yard. He was very happy to show us around. He speaks very little English. Lots of times we will say something to him and he will just smile and give us that little bow and hand clasp, and say, "yes, yes." He probably doesn’t have a clue what we just said. Anyway, there are two banana trees in the yard.
A yummy mulberry that Hal ate.
This is a mango tree. Currently, it is winter here so the trees look a little brown but by December they will be ready to harvest! I might add that temperatures here have been about 70-80 F during the day and and in the 60's at night. Not bad for winter weather!!
Dixon explaining to Elder Phelps what the trees are.
The garden area has had corn in it but after the corn was harvested it was replanted and is now growing a vegetable called rape. Some sister missionaries cooked some for us one evening and it was pretty good! They cooked it with tomatoes and onions.
"The earth is full, and there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things, and have given unto the children of men to be agents unto themselves." D&C 104:17
I have always wondered how people go hunger when we have been told there is enough. Why is there so much hunger in the world? It must be a difficult lesson to learn; maybe it is because it takes more work than we are willing to put forth. I know water is a big issue in some places.
Not very far from the mission office in another community called Woodlands, we have seen lots of little gardens near homes there. We love to see the people there working in their pretty little gardens.
In a place full of hunger it is hard to comprehend because it is possible to sow and harvest.
Yet in neighboring counties the food situation is dire as we have all learned from the church's recent article about donating money to help with the hunger crisis.
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