Presidential Palace and Plaza de Bolivar

We went down to the Plaza de Bolivar, with surrounding government buildings in the center of Bogota, twice last week. The first time was for a meeting with Dona Lina Moreno, first lady of Bogota and a great friend of the Church. The meeting was to talk with her and her assistant about a shipment of wheel chairs, which the Church has built in China and 1,250 of which are being donated to a foundation of the first lady. There is a presidential election next May and President Uribe is not eligible to run again. So the Church will have to develop new relationships. The photo above is of the entrance to the Palacio de Narino (or Casa de Narino), the residence of the President and his wife and the seat of executive branch government. Security was very tight and we were not able to take a camera to the meeting with the first lady.

A parade of military people in front of the Palacio de Narino. Narino was a famous general in the war of independence. Colombia won its independence from Spain in 1811.

The statue of Simon Bolivar, el gran libertador, in the center of the Plaza. Note the ever present pigeon on Bolivar's head.

All central plaza's have, as one of their central buildings, a grand Catholic cathedral.

Our second trip to the Plaza de Bolivar was to attend a ceremony in El Salon Eliptico del Congreso de la Republica where the Senate meets. The occasion was for the presentation of the "Orden del Congreso de Colombia en el grado de Caballero" to two noted medical doctors. We went as sort of representatives of the Church which has supported foundations where the medical doctors worked. The photo above is of a wall in the Senate chamber, showing, of course, the gran libertador.

Another view of the Senate chamber, very impressive.

A view of the chamber looking toward the back of the room.

In front of each seat are buttons to push for voting. The invitation to the event had a note at the bottom that dress was "Calle Oscuro" or street dark. This worked for men, all in dark suits. But some of the women wore dresses that they wouldn't necessarily wear in the street.

On another topic, we discovered a new fruit, called granadina, I think. The photo above shows the fruit before it's peeled. The photo below shows the peeled fruit with the delicious seeds which are very sweet and tender.

Office events and people

Farewell lunch for Elder and Sister Sanches (he is Brazilian which accounts for the funny spelling) at the Sopa y Postres restaurant -- famous for authentic Colombian food. Sanches have been Perpetual Education Fund missionaries. Sanches are on the left. The couple on the right are Colombians who will take over the PEF work. they recently completed a mission at the bishop's storehouse.

Another view of the farewell lunch.

Two more PEF (which they call "PEF" in Spanish although the Spanish name is Fondo Perpetuo de Educacion) workers. The brother on the left talks to Carolyn in Spanish and waits for her to answer even though the Spanish speakers in the office say that it's very difficult for anyone to understand his Spanish. The girl on the right has just received her mission call. In her ward they have the custom of the bishop reading the mission call letter even before the missionary has read it so that the entire ward learns where she is going at the same time.

Andres Villegas, a very talented young man who is a manager of the PEF work. He speaks perfect English and has been very helpful to us in dealing with technology and computer-related questions. He has been a bishop and a counselor in a mission presidency.

Jose Luis Cardenas and his wife. They are a special couple with three young daughters. Jose Luis has worked in the welfare and humanitarian programs and also has been very helpful to us, teaching us about the complexities of computer programs, making travel arrangements, and working with us on humanitarian programs.

Tumaco Reunion Party

On July 4 (the fourth of July) we held a reunion/party for the Tumaco volunteer translators. We had a nice dinner, presented individual certificates from LDS Charities, saw a power point slide show of the USNS Comfort hospital ship and the work on land, and laughed and talked. The photo above shows three of the very best translators. On the left is Daniel Trujillo. Seated is Daniel's novia (they plan to marry in December) Anna Maria Rodriguez, and standing on the right is Ma. Paula Alvarez, creator of the power point presentation and our point of contact on the ship.

This photo shows the food, very delicious and typical fourth of July picnic food Colombia style. Standing at the left is Patricia Cubillo who works in the church offices and who, with her mother, catered the dinner. On the right is Angie Sanches, one of the senior missionaries.

Carolyn and Royal with Carlos Fernandez, our good friend and mentor.

Pretty obviously, the people eating.

Four of the handsome (and pretty) translators showing off their certificates.

USNS Comfort hospital ship project in Tumaco

Crowd waiting outside to enter the school for medical treatment.

An example of Tumaco housing in the poor neighborhoods.

Waiting to see one of the pediatrics doctors

The first phase of the optometry treatment. Royal is translating.

Royal speaking at the new school unvailing ceremony presenting the school with church-donated desks and school kits. Carlos Vives is standing at left.

The crowd at the new school ceremony. Between 1,000 and 2,000 in the audience.

The ten Cali missionary translators with their mission president and his wife

Royal talking with Mayor Correa of Tumaco at the ceremon

The famous MRE (Meals Ready to Eat) lunches -- designed for warriors.

Royal examining the church-donated desks and school kits in one of the new class rooms.

Lorena Ostos, a sweet LDS girl, translating for a pediatrics examination.

Royal translating for a CPR demonstration. The Project Hope volunteer has lived in Sugar House in SLC for 25 years, never joined the church, and is a nurse at St. Marks Hospital.

Colombian military guards with their assault rifles at the ready.

Carolyn with Linia, a joyful little 10-year old girl with only one leg. She prefers only one crutch because she can run faster.

Carolyn and Royal with Carlos Vives, the famous Colombian singer who said, upon meeting us in broken English, that he is the Colombian Donny Osmond.

Bucaramanga, Colombia

Last Monday and Tuesday we traveled to Bucaramanga for the purpose of meeting with government and hospital officials to discuss the Neonatal recusistation training which will take place in October. We accompanied Dr. Jeff Zollinger and his wife Mary. We met with Health deparatment people from the state and the city as well as toured three hospitals that will participate in the training. We also went on a little tour of the city. Bucaramanga is famous for its shoes, leather, gold and silver and even baby clothes. There are two stakes in Bucaramanga and the NRT training will be held in a beautiful new stake center that opened its doors last week. These photos show us with the Zollingers in a city park in the colonial part of the city, including the cathedral. The other two photos show us meeting with city and Department (State) people. We took long tours of three hospitals (every hospital director wants to show you all of his facilities). All the health people in Bucaramanga are very excited about the NRT project. In the photo on the right of the top row, the young man standing next to Royal is a Department of Health executive and one of those overly-busy administrators who walk around with a blackberry in one hand and a cell phone in the other, both of which are ringing at all times.

Life in Bogota

These are a few fotos that give a little insight into how we live our life in Bogota. I think we have said before that either we take a taxi or we walk. We always take a taxi to work. The first foto is of the office building where we work. It's taken from a fancy new mall across the street. We go there to eat lunch at a nice food court there. The other fotos are taken near our apartment. Within a block of the apartment, we have a grocery store, a drug store (called drogeria here although most Latino countries call it a farmacia), a beauty shop (peluqueria) a bakery (panaderia) a cleaner (lavanderia), a hardware store (fereteria), plus restaurants. A little farther (about a five to 10 minute walk) is a really nice book store where Royal could spend a lot of time, although he hasn't yet. In fact, there are two book stores and next to them a larger grocery store. The other fotos show Carolyn in front of the larger grocery store with her little bags for carrying groceries, one with wheels, and Royal standing in front of the drogeria and in front of the book store (libreria).

Trip to Venezuela

We returned from our five day trip to Venezuela Friday afternoon. We visited six hospitals in the two cities of Caracas and Valencia. We traveled with Jose (the young man in the picture with Royal) and the Ducettes, a doctor and his wife from the states. We had meetings in each hospital with the administration discussing the neo-natal training the church does. This will take place probably in October. We have posted several pictures. The picture to the right was taken while drivcing in Caracas. It is hard to see but the houses are all on a mountain. It worries me that should there be a mud slide they all would be destroyed. The one just below the writing is dad with Jose our driver for the 5 days we were there. Jose is over security for the church throughout Venezuela. He is bright, articulate and he and dad had some great visits. There is also posted a picture of the small temple there in Caracas. It is next to the church office building and is utilized as we were told to its maximum potential. The other picture was from the top of a long windy road that looks down on the city of Caracas. We felt it was a very successful trip. We learned a lot and by in large had very nice hotels and always good company on our travels.