November, A Month Of Thansgiving

Time is really flying by.  It seems like just yesterday that we decided to put in our papers to serve a Mission.  The call came to serve in Armenia as the Country Directors over Humanitarian. Our reaction was where is it and what is the job.  We soon found out on both counts.  We have learned to love this land and the wonderful people in it.  Our Mission has given us the opportunity to travel all over Armenia as we check out the needs of the poor and needy and how LDS Charities can help them.  As we are now in the middle of December, 2011 and we only have about a month left, we are saddened.  But, all good things must come to an end.  We have learned that the two of us, working side by side and with the Lord's help, can accomplish anything and really enjoy doing it. 

November is a month when we celebrate Thanksgiving.  We are thankful that we were called to Armenia to help these people. We don't take credit for this work, it is the people around the world that contribute to the LDS Humanitarian funds and the Lord that make it possible. During November, we finished all of the preparation work for a 34 village water project.  The construction on this project will be done during 2012.  We visited and selected the villages.  The needs are great.  Most of them have not had water in their villages for 25 or more years.  This will be a big project.  It will take water to about 50,000 people.  During this past summer, we completed a 33 village project that helped about 55,000 people.  It is a lot of work and a lot of time ridding in the back seat of a bouncy van on really bad roads, but it is really worth it.  We have loved helping these wonderful people.  They are so poor that there is no way that they could do this without help and the government doesn't help these particular villages. To celebrate the end of the 2011 water project, we took all of our crew and their partners to dinner at a really nice Armenian restaurant.

A typical Armenian Party

 

The LDSC Crew

We have to spend a lot of time in the office doing the paper (computer) work that goes along with this work.

Is Elder Rich working or sleeping?

We had President and Sister Schweitzer, the Europe East Area President visiting the Mission.  All of the Seniors went to dinner with them. The cook at the restaurant, George Odo, is a member of our Branch.  He has a rather unique way of cooking Horavatz (BBQ).  He cooks the meat vertically and the drippings fall on the potatoes and vegetables.  He also cooks a lamb stew in lavash (Armenian flat bread).  Both dishes were really delicious.

Elder Watkins admiring the pork Horivatz (BBQ)

This lamb stew was wonderful.

 

The man who really knows how to cook.  He is from Nigeria.

The Rich's are always together, even when they hang up their coats and hats.

We are thankful for our togetherness.

Our normal lunch at the office.  The sandwich costs about 68 cents

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This is a stork condominium.  Apparently they are visiting somewhere south.

It was getting really late in the year to be selecting villages for the new water project.  Winter comes early when you are up high. This village will really enjoy their water.

This small village will enjoy the water next year.  When your car can't make it to the top, you walk.

Goats on a wall was a bit unusual for us.  This is a refugee village.

 

We helped an Eye Doctor with a refractometer in a small city clinic.  This was in Ijevan, which is one of our favorite places in Armenia.

A very happy doctor.  He used the machine over 20 times during the first week.

We love these villages and we are going to miss them.

"You are not in Kansas anymore Toto."  This is a world away.

Thanksgiving Day.  This is an American holiday.  We ate dinner by Zone.  The Missionaries took care of most of the cooking.  Sister Rich tried to get involved with cooking the turkey, but she could tell that the young Missionaries were really looking forward to the adventure of cooking the bird.  We all met at our Branch.  Elder and Sister Jones were with us also.  The new office couple, Jones replacements, Elder and Sister Ayers were also there. It was a lot of fun.

Two very happy Missionaries, Elders Frie and Zebley.  The turkey was really good.

Sisters Crawford and Tillman

 

 

Sisters Brower and Kohler

Elder Frie and Erik

The whole very thankful group.  It was wonderful.

The Seniors went to the Mission Home for a get together.

Back to checking out villages for the 2012 water project.  It would really be nice if it could all be done before the snow hits.  Winter came really early this year.

It is as beautiful in the winter as in summer,  just colder.

A fox looking for a hen house.  We saw several of them on this day.

The tradition is to have all of the Seniors go out for dinner as a couple is leaving.  The Jones were heading back to Nevada.  President and Sister Budd are shown here.  He is a Military Attache with the American Embassy and a councilor in the Mission Presidency.  He and his wife Laura and their four children are a wonderful addition to our Mission.  They live in an American style area in an American style home.  We love them all.

The Watkins and Budds.

LDSC does not do any renovation projects.  For these, we partner with a couple of large NGO's, IRD and Counterpart.  These two worldwide organizations are funded by the U.S. State Department.  We have done several kindergartens with them.  They do the renovation and LDSC provides the materials.  These are great projects.  We normally work on bathrooms and kitchens.  These buildings are usually over 35 years old and the sanitary conditions are deplorable. The children attend kindergarten from 9:00 a.m. to 6 p.m.  They range in age from 2 to 6 years old. While we don't necessarily agree with the day care concept, we do like to improve conditions for these children.  They are the future of Armenia.

A typical bathroom before renovation.

After renovation.

New stove in renovated kitchen.

The new U.S. Ambassador came to a couple of these closings.

Elder and Sister Rich and the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia

The children put on a program for us.  They were really enthusiastic.

We think that Armenia has some of the most beautiful children that we have ever seen any place in the world. They have really big beautiful eyes and a lot of hair.  They just melt our hearts.

Pres and Sis Carter and the children stacked for their naps.

 

Doesn't she just warm your heart?

During this season of Thanksgiving, we are both thankful that we have been able to serve in this part of the Lord's vineyard and we are thankful for everyone back home who have supported us.  Without them, this would not have been possible.  We are really sorry to see this great adventure winding down.  We love the Lord, we love each other, we love our Mission and we love all of you. 

Elder and Sister Rich

And then back to work.

After our three days in Georgia, we were anxious to get back home and back to work.  As we are moving from Fall into Winter and heading towards the end of our Mission, we have many things that we want to get finished before we leave.  We have a lot of open projects that need to be closed, a new water project and an NRT project that we are working on.  We really love doing all of this.

Nshan checking out a water source for the new project and yes, it is snowing

The end of our 2011 water project, LDSC helped 33 villages

The final water project village is closed and Elder Rich is very happy.

Happiness is seeing water being made available to the villagers.

The location of our Major Vision Project

Some of the equipment provided to the Aparan Clinic Eye Doctor

Erik looking over the new microscope

The closing at the Aparan Clinic, including Dr and Sister Call the surgeon from America.  He also did a number of surgeries at the Malayan Eye Clinic while he was here.

Dinner at a beautiful place by a river in Ashtarak following the Aparan closing.

Closing a computer project at the Charentsavan Resource Center.  Elders Fairclough and Cook, the NGO and the Charentsavan Branch President.

Closing the Charentsavan Chicken project.

More chickens in the barn yard

Our second project at the Masis Hospital.  New bed and bedding, old room.  We have provided them about 48 sets of beds and bedding.

You have heard of "in a pigs eye" but how about a pigs head?

Kor Virap and Mt Ararat.  It is normally covered with clouds.

Mt Ararat from a different place.  So close, yet so far away.  It is in Turkey.

Elder Zebley, a year older.

Grigor, his wife and new baby.

Gagik and his baby.

Sisters Crawford and Tolman playing in the park.  We had just inspected their apartment.  It was great.

Dinner at Anahits house and a strange piece of fruit.

Anahit and her aunt, Anahits mother makes the best yogurt soup - Spas

Mt Aragots from the north.  We were at a water source for a village.

A village that LDSC will be running water to, next summer.

This is how you pick apples in Armenia

Summer dolma, made by Eriks mother.  She is a wonderful cook.

Grape leaf dolma with yogurt and garlic sauce - yum

Elder Neuenschwander.  He is the traveling Patriarch.  It was wonderful talking with him.

We have really enjoyed finishing these projects and being on this Mission.  We can feel the Lord's hand in our lives on a daily basis.  We appreciate the support that we get from our families and friend.

Love,

Elder and  Sister Rich