800 Chicken a Day

Us with Dick and Nancy in beautiful green mountains of a drive to Constanza.

Hello to all . . .                                                            August 2, 2013

We had a wonderful visit from Dick and Nancy (my brother) - it was a long and tiring trip for them but we had a great few days.  They got to see some sights and some of the island scenery.  I think they especially enjoyed seeing things that their grandson Jed Buehner will be around when he arrives here for his service in the DR East Mission and his time at the MTC.  When we were touring the area office our friend Henry even looked up Jed's info for them.  He is the guy that handles visa's etc.  It was fun to see his name on the records as "arriving!"  Thanks kids for the effort to come visit us!!!

The week before we were at an event "Clog America" - a dance group from the states that put on a great show at the Ministry of Culture Auditorium.  Chuck got his "pocket picked" as we were leaving.  At least we think that is when it happened - we remember getting jostled at that time.  He didn't realize it until we got home and he was taking things out of his pocket.  He went back and looked in the car and I went to check the computer and we already had two fraud alerts from the credit cards.  Such a pain!!  They were good . . . 

I wrote about our trip to Sabana del Mar last time but there are two more things I need to remember about that little jaunt.  We were sitting outside at a big round picnic table for dinner one evening and thought we had bad mosquitos around our ankles and feet so we went inside.  Turns out we were FLEA BITTEN - we each have at least a hundred bites on our lower calves and feet . . . miserably itchy!!!

Guy picking up his chickens from the store . . . .

That "hotel" where we stayed looked out on a street with a chicken store.  We watched as motorcycles and scooters would come and get black bags of chicken - five dead and defeathered chickens in a bag tied with their feet together and sticking out.  Some bought up to 8 bags.  It was the market where restaurants etc. went to pick up their chicken to be used that day.  Some of the men from our group went over to investigate and said it was quite a sight behind the store where they were processed . . . they sold over 800 chickens a day out of the place!   Ugggggg . . . . .

Last weekend there was the first ever encampment that would be the equivalent to a Scout Camp in the states - it was held at the church family camp here - Bonao.  They had 600 young men age 12 and 13 with 150 leaders.  Our friends the Dunfords got to go as their assignment with Public Affairs to document the event.  They report it was a fantastic experience and memorable for the young men.  Leaders had planned all year to make it happen and it was worth it!

Sunday we picked up our assistant Rolando Marte and his wife Fanny to go to San Juan de la Maguana for their Branch Conference and then some training of leaders.  We were invited to the District President's home the Segura's for lunch - always an interesting experience.  His wife was a delight to be around - very happy and positive.  She is also legally blind but we didn't realize it until halfway through lunch.  They continue to work on the building of their own home and were very proud of it being "the prettiest one on the street!"  The oldest of their three children was just home from the encampment at Bonao and had a great time!  San Juan de la Maguana is 3 hours away . . . it was a long day! 

Segura family in San Juan de la Maguana - she is legally blind -
Fanny and Rolando Marte on the left.  Notice their finished ceiling.

Chuck was having some discomfort in his back in the kidney area.  He has had kidney stones in the past so discounted it being that as he knew what they felt like.  After a med series from the area doctor of anti-inflammatory and another of cipro it was decided to get a CT scan of what was going on.  He of course had a blessing from good brethren.  Turns out it is kidney stones rolling around  - we were grateful it was that and not something more worrisome.  Now he gets to wait . . . for them to do something!!!

Love hearing from you when you have time . . . KEEP THE FAITH AND LOVE TO ALL  XOXOXOXO - Mom and Dad, Chuck and Vickie, Grandma and Grandpa

Daughter's home of the man that took us on the Haitises Park boat tour.

  

Happy Birthday, Love Miles

Hello to all . . .                                                                            July 19, 2013

Vickie's desk decorated for b-day

Miles at 6 days - what a cutie! 

WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY MILES JOHNSON GUNTHER 8lbs. 3 oz. - 21 inches born July 8th my birthday!  Thank you for the very thoughtful birthday gift Jera!  It was wonderful to have the technology to know in real time the progress of his arrival - such an exciting miracle!   Sooooo, boys and redheads surge ahead in our grandchildren count . . . we actually aren't real sure about the redhead but I am going to count it for now!  It is so hard to not be around for these special events . . . but they seem to manage fine without us and we are rejoicing in our posterity!  Thank you Hancocks for helping the Gunthers!  Aching to hold him . . .

Stirring the sancocho soup

We joined one of our assistants Rolando Marte and his family for a celebration of his son's wedding.  It was a gathering at his mother's home in San Cristobal about 20 miles out of the city.  It was a joyous occasion and they were eating sancocho . . . a stew type pot of meat and vegetables they were cooking in a huge pot over a fire in the backyard.   You put some rice in a bowl and pour the sancocho over the rice - tasty!  Chuck thought he had some "parts" in his bowl.  I took my chocolate cake and that was the food for the day for probably 50 that were there.  So, from a 9x13 pan we would usually serve 15 or so . . . well they served everyone from that cake with a good size corner left that Rolando's sister was "saving!"   I know Chuck wondered "what's the point" when he saw his one bite portion on his plate!  Dominicans don't eat near as many sweets as we do . . . however, the candy sure disappears when I put it out at the office!

On Mondays we have been goingto the MTC and have two sets of three elders that are "teaching" us in Spanish for their training.  They are doing sooooo well to be so new and Chuck pushes them pretty hard - can see their brains spinning!   It amazes me since I don't seem to grasp language nearly like they do!   One of them just graduated high school . . . they are awesome missionaries and fun to be around.  They are only here in the MTC 6 weeks!

Tuesday we felt a slight tremor of an earthquake . . . now that sounds scary and I hope a big one doesn't hit . . . but we both noticed it sitting at our desks at the office for just a couple of seconds.  It was over before you realized what was going on.  Hadn't ever experienced anything like that.  It would certainly be unsettling if it  happened often.

We left yesterday morning to go to Sabana del Mar with a group of missionaries including the Haws that serve with Humanitarian Services.  We went to a hospital that they were exploring a project to help with some needs they are requesting.  It was interesting to visit the rooms and be shown the hospital and meet some of the patients.  There is such a difference in the quality of care from what we would expect at home.  We visited with a new mother that had a small baby laying by her - he was very small.   We spent the night in an "interesting" little hotel . . .   Elder Haws plans to write a book one day - he says it will be a very short book and the title will be "The Power of Low Expectations!"  We decided that would be the name of this little getaway - we had a great time!  We also took a boat ride into the "Haitises National Park" - lots of mangrove trees and a couple of caves.  It was a really fun day.

On the boat in Haitises Park

The summer is flying . . . we love you all so much!  Hope life is being good to you LOVE, Mom and Dad, Chuck and Vickie and Grandma and Grandpa   XOXOOXXOOXOXOX

Just a regular egg to show how big the mangos are! 

Powerful :)

6 on a cycle - not my photo but we have all seen it
Elder Leavitt got the picture

Hola family and friends . . .                                                July 5, 201

HAPPY DAY AFTER THE 4TH!

Dunfords had us and others over last night for wonderful enchiladas for the 4th and an early birthday cake for me! Always so fun to be with good people and eat great food! 

Chuck playing the thumb piano w/Dunfords

I was thinking how lucky we were to not have been sick in 10 months - then Sunday a week ago dawned.  What a miserable day I had throwing up etc. Monday I stayed hunkered at the apartment even missing a fun "talent" night at Family Home Evening.  We were to play the kalimba with the Dunfords - a crude little handmade instrument from a gourd you strum w/your thumbs.  Chuck went ahead and performed . . . the whole evening was ENJOYABLE I hear . . . you must remember senior missionaries are usually easily entertained!! 

Our internal lunch clocks are at least an hour ahead of everyone else in the office.  We are amazed at how quiet it is when later they are all down in the lunchroom.  Open that door and it sounds like chaos however . . . it is a truth what we hear that when two or more Dominicans are gathered it is usually a party!  For the most part they are a jovial, fun loving friendly people.  Most here in the office speak some English.  We have a friend named Socrates that when you ask him how he is - he always gets this huge genuine grin and says "powerful!" 

One afternoon last week we picked up Orosco our assistant for the east part of the country and took him to get trees to plant for his home.  We got a lemon, mango and avocado - he was so thrilled and happy!   He works hard and is great at this church assignment he has but his income is very small for his family to live on.   This is the case with all of the Auditor Assistants but they sure are good men. 

Orosco family and new trees

Chuck has been to two training sessions the last two Sundays w/out me.  The first one I was sick and last week I went to a concert of the acapella men's group that performs here - we had heard them at Christmas.  They are wonderful to listen to!!  This time they did several "barbershop type" arrangements - I loved it!  Chuck's trainings were very successful and well attended by multiple stakes - he was very pleased with how things went. 

The nursery where we got the trees.
House of the family that runs the business

We apparently are in a rainy season - it has rained everyday at some point for the last two weeks then often clears up quickly and is lovely but clouds can come in fast.  I love the changes!  We are warm but nothing like the temperatures we see are going on in the west at home - hope our house isn't melted!  We had a wonderful pre-4th of July bar-b-que dinner for FHE on Monday - my baked beans were sorta delicious!  There was a program on the history of the writing of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence - all very interesting and patriotic.  God bless America, my home, sweet home! 

We continue to wait for #15 to arrive - otherwise known as the "tie-breaker!"  Jera and Jordan are waiting on the old fashioned way to know if it is a boy or girl.  Either way as of now we have 7 boys and 7 girls - 7 redheads and 7 other!  Anytime now Jera . . . .

We love hearing about all of the summer activities going on . . . We love you and miss you so much  XOXOXOXO  Mom and Dad, Chuck and Vickie, Grandma and Grandpa

Yah Mon!

Jamaica with Brother Deans and his right side steering wheel car

Our son's friends the Evans serving as the Jamaica Mission office couple.

Hola to family and friends . . .                                                    June 21, 2013

Oh yes, today is an exciting day for our oldest grandchild . . . turning 16!  Watch out for the crazies on the roads Briley - be safe and have a great day!!!!!!!!!  No texting while driving please . . .

We were in Jamaica for the weekend - not the beaches tourist thing but we really enjoyed the trip.  It was mostly cloudy, humid and warm.  Speaking English was refreshing and Chuck can't quit saying "Yah mon!"  They use it often in greetings and talking w/each other.  We were there to meet and work with our new assistant Mark-Jeffery Deans.  We saw much of the country on Saturday driving up into the beautiful lush green of the mountains.  It looks alot like here in the DR. However the driving on the left side of  the road and the steering wheel on the right side of the car is VERY nerve racking! Not sure I would ever learn to drive in reverse thought process!  We had 4 separate trainings at 4 different chapels.  They are doing procedures better in many ways than we expected - just spending a lot of money on welfare which was not a surprise - but they also need to focus on training people to attempt to be self reliant and not just a dole.  Often hard concepts to internalize anywhere but especially in poverty.   

Darling little girl -most all little girls have
very fancy braiding and beads in their hair! 

We went to a Sacrament Meeting Sunday and I was amazed at all of the hair!  Most wore dreadlocks woven into their own hair - lots of it!  There was a family that came in with triplets - darling little two year old girls.  Wanted a picture but the little ones were having none of that.  We loved meeting with a District President - he rides his bike all over about a 50 mile broad area.  He expressed how it was so worth any effort on his part because of his many blessings from the Lord.

The training in Santiago the previous weekend had a great attendance of 36 men.  Most of the leaders that were requested to be there showed up.  They served the "bandera dinner" (traditional) of rice, beans, chicken and a potato salad kind of dish.  I have never seen such a huge pot of rice - was at least 10 gallons.   They certainly ate heartily and cleaned out the pans! 

Chuck training the 36 in Santiago meeting. 

A lady met me there at the chapel when we were at the training in Santiago - we had talked w/her months ago and she wanted to make us (sell) an embroidery.  She was excited to show it to me and I hope I was equally grateful for her work.  It is crude stitchery but filled with desire to please . . . the flag of the DR, stick figures of us as missionaries, our name at the top and the year.  I always appreciate handwork and love her effort!   She was so pleased - how can I not adore it???

The Buttons returned from training in Salt Lake and were kind enough to deliver to us a suitcase full of 45 white shirts and 3 gallon ziplocks packed with ties for the MTC!  Our daughter Jenna's ward in Pleasant Grove, Utah gathered and sent them along with the suitcase to be donated to a needy missionary.  It was fun to be the ones to take these things to President and Sister Freestone to be handed out when needed.  Once in a while missionaries come with only two shirts and are washing one every night.  This will be a blessing to them!  Thanks Jenna for all your work to gather and individually mark and pack each shirt in it's own ziplock.

Shirts and ties to the MTC

We are enjoying hearing all of the summer activities . . . such a great time!  Love to all of you Mom ad Dad, Chuck and Vickie, Grandma and Grandpa   XOXOXO 

Cashew Apple and the "Untrip"

Spanish Speaking Assistants with Gerald Taylor (area controler) and Chuck

Hello all . . .                                                                   June 7, 2013
CA

Chuck with the suitcase from Dick and Nancy's untrip

We figured out how to get things here to the DR that we might want (creature comforts)  . . .  Have Dick and Nancy plan a visit on a flight that is way overbooked and they check the bag carrying all the "things" they are being kind to bring to us.  Wahlah . . . they don't make it on the flight  but the suitcase will and we go to the airport and pick it up . . . NIFTY huh? 

Well, that is what happened . . . so crazy!  Chuck is greatly enjoying his Red Devil hot sauce and we appreciate the rest of the list.  Very kind of you bro and sis!  However, we are still looking forward to a real visit! 

Last Saturday we had our four Spanish speaking assistants gather for training.  They are the ones in charge of auditor training here for a majority of the units of the church.   There were the 3 from here in the DR and the one from Puerto Rico.  Chuck is very pleased with the way it all went and he thinks it was good to sit around a table and talk about what they do and share experiences.  They were also taught some new emphasis on important aspects of training leaders in using the funds of the church.  I can follow some of it and know at least what they are talking about . . . they seemed to enjoy the green chile cheese breakfast bake, cut up fresh fruit salad and rolls for breakfast I made for them. 

A favorite recent sighting was a bus (gua gua) with several layers of foam totaling about 15 inches strapped to the front bumper.  It was the usual beat up and running bus with big front and back extended bumpers but the foam was a nice feature!  Ya gotta be on your toes to catch this stuff . . .

Cashew Apple

I always wondered where cashew nuts came from but never looked it up.  Turns out there is a cashew apple tree and the nut is a by-product that forms first and hangs below a fleshy cashew apple.  The trees grow here in the tropics.  The ones we found on the ground were really stinky - but you can totally see the nut that after precessing is so delicious.  They mostly seem to use the "apple" part for juices we were told.  It was a huge tree and we couldn't reach anything on the tree that might of been fresher than the one I took a picture of. 

Next Monday is the FHE that we will celebrate Father's Day.  I wrote a "rap" for the occasion that all of the girls will - dare I say perform - for the men.  We had a little practice last week and it will be a hit!  That is the only description I choose to offer of what might happen . . .

Flamboyant Tree

Tomorrow we go to Santiago for a big training of leaders in that area under the direction of Felix Cruz our assistant.    They are planning a dinner and it will be interesting.  Add that to the 5 and a half hours I listened to on Sunday - you would think the Spanish would improve!   I am looking forward to the drive to see the gorgeous red flamboyant trees in bloom - they are quite the show right now.

We worked two hours in the temple this morning unpacking a million boxes and counting things - it was an order placed a year ago and it is very large - will be a huge job to mark everything and find places to store it all. 

LOOKING FORWARD FOR NEWS IN A MONTH ABOUT BABY HAPPENINGS IN ST. GEORGE !!!!

Again - LOVE YOU ALL - hope your summer is looking fun!  XOXOXOXO Mom and Dad, Chuck and Vickie, Grandma and Grandpa

Life Is About Attitude

Pascale Pierre with Vickie

Hola to family and friends . . .                                  May 24, 2013

We had a fun "Mother's Day" talking to or getting messages from kids and grandkids.  The Florida gang decorated a plastic tablecloth for us - we are enjoying it!  The day wasn't so great for our office partners/friends Joy and Jim Crismon.  They arrived two months ago as the Welfare couple for the area.  She fell that Sunday morning and broke her hip.  She was flown out that night to Miami and had surgery the next day.  She swiftly made recovery in a rehab facility and went home to Utah yesterday for more rehab and healing.  We are anxious to learn what will happen with their mission assignment . . . we miss having neighbors next door here at the office.   

Some time ago while serving in the temple they needed someone to be the escort for a young woman that was there all alone preparing to serve her mission.  It was a wonderful blessing for me to be asked to be with her.  Her name is Pascale Pierre.  She is 24 and from Haiti but has lived here for 3 years supporting herself.  She speaks 4 languages lucky for me one is English.  Her mother couldn't come to be with her as she was having issues with her papers to leave Haiti.  Pascale was leaving the next day for two weeks to go to Haiti and visit her family - she hadn't seen her mother in a year.   When she returned she was entering the MTC and then going to the Santiago Mission here in the DR which is the north/central part of the country.   I really wanted a picture of her and so tracked her down at the MTC.  It was so fun to see her again.  What a different life she has had from anything in my experience and she is thriving!

Reid Cornish - Everyone's buddy!

Reid Cornish is a friend extraordinaire to all the senior missionaries here.  He is the son of Elder and Sister Cornish serving in the Area Presidency.   He always has a happy greeting and big hug when you see him and treats you like his best friend.  When we drive into the Casa/temple complex he is often playing basketball, roller blading and doing cartwheels or on his "board"  blasting about.  I took a picture of him the other day in his shirt he had decorated himself - you can see the scotch tape and different letters he made work to create the message "Life is About Attitude!" Well Reid, you are a terrific example of that!  We are grateful to have you for our friend.   

The tornado season seems to be especially hard - seeing all the devastation in Oklahoma truly looks like a bomb.  The Haws serving here as Humanitarian Service have a daughter that lives in Moore, Oklahoma - she had just picked her son up early from that Plaza Towers school that was demolished - to take him to a funeral for which she was playing the piano.  Their home is on the edge of all the destruction and was not harmed.  They are feeling very blessed.

As we drove to the office this morning the ocean looked really brown but you could see the beautiful blue further out . . . we are told there has been a lot of rain in the mountains and it is the river dumping water into the ocean that caused it to be so "ugly!"  We hadn't seen the brown water that far from the river before - amazing what "Mother Nature" can clean up!  The outlandish gorgeous red Flamboyant Trees are almost in full bloom - will have to send pictures next time - they are really head turners!

We are looking forward to a short visit from Dick and Nancy arriving tomorrow night - we hope they make it - the planes coming here always seem to be pretty full.  LOVE TO ALL  . . . . please know we "talk about you" and pray for mucho mucho blessings on your behalf!!!

Mom and Dad, Chuck and Vickie, Grandma and Grandpa     XOXOXOXOXO

Cement truck workers catching a ride on the truck - totally permitted!

Chuck's "corrected" Spanish translation. 

He thought there would just be a mark or two - hilarious! 

   

Midway Point

Hello family and friends . . .                                               
May 10, 2013

A few months ago we were working with a missionary that left the MTC here for some previous financial mis-use.  We had to travel to Azua an hour and a half away a  couple of different times.  Then he dropped someone's camera and had to repay that.  It seems to be extremely difficult for them to find any kind of work to get money.  Chuck decided to give the Branch President some money and have him find some work for the elder to do so he could earn it.  Things seemed to drag on and we weren't sure he would ever get back in the mission field.  Well - last Monday we were going down the hall to have the class where they teach us.  Chuck gets a tap on his shoulder and it was him!  It was so fun - like a long lost kid - found!

Us with the Elder from Azua

There isn't much to update about our work - it just seems to go on and on with finding problems that need to be resolved.  The good part is at least that is a starting point for them to hopefully repent and return to good standing in the church.  We know that the better auditing procedures and training put in place by the Snows that preceded us are allowing for better reports that show trends and red flags.   We often feel like the "bad guys" but someone has to do this right?

The DR seems to have many holidays - last Monday was another one and the office was closed.  We checked out a van and 5 couples headed to the north shore 3 plus hours to visit La Isabela - a settlement established by Columbus.  It is right on the ocean and the water was so many different shades of blue - absolutely gorgeous.  There are only "footprints" of ruins left.  It was destroyed in the 70's either on purpose by Dictator Trujillo or his instructions to "clean up the site" were mis-interpreted and things were bulldozed!  We can't seem to get a real story.  It was interesting to be on such a historical site and stand on the cornerstones of what may of been Columbus' small home . . . we do know he had a great view of the ocean!   We had all taken a lunch and found a beach to sit on for some addictive ocean watching!

Chuck and Vickie at Isabela - we are looking out at the gorgeous ocean!

The latest project of the neighbors was last Saturday - I was up early and watched him strip a dry palm frawn down to the stem.  Later I see him sitting in front of his door with the dry leaves in a pile and he has a chair that I instantly realized he was going to weave a cane bottom for that chair.  It was fascinating to watch him from the distance of our window.  It looked like he was doing a beautiful job - definitely had done that before.  They live on the other side of the cement wall of our parking lot.  I think they may be Haitian.  The next time they are doing something I think I will go over and check it out . . . or send Chuck!   These are the men that washed their dishes with dirt and a little splashed water.

This week is our midway point - only 9 months to go . . .

My brother Dick called last night and his grandson Jed Buehner had just opened his mission call - Santo Domingo East Mission - he will arrive here in September at the Missionary Training Center two blocks from us!  Bienvenido Elder Buehner . . .

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL OF YOU GIRLS - have a wonderful day and we will hope those around you remember how much pampering you deserve!

Love to all and remember how much we miss you xoxoxoxooxxo  Mom and Dad, Chuck and Vickie, Grandma and Grandpa 

Reserved parking for people like you Jera! 

Neighbor weaving the seat for his chair