Felix and Sophie's Wedding -- or the Relief Society does it again!

Felix and Sophie were married in Libreville.  Sophie walks down the isle as the DJ adjusted the music to the wedding march.

Everyone awaits the entrance of the mayor, who also has his own music played as he enters.  He is a kind man, wearing his office as a sash.  The protocol office has us all stand -- we don't have to guess what to do.

Rings are an important part of the ceremony.  First each of the "marrying" show their ringless hand to the audience, then their partner places a ring on their hand.  Here Felix puts a ring on Sophie's finger.

 After signing, the couple signs, the witnesses sign, the mayor signs -- he has read the Gabonaise law governing marriage and blessed them.  Now, Sophie is Madame Sophie.

 A small group has been invited to the Church for the quiet celebration after the ceremony.

The Relief Society Presidency, left to right, President Vivien, Soeur Florence, Soeur Monique and Soeur Dada.  This is the Saturday morning, after they cleaned the Church until ten o'clock the previous night and shopped for food.

Chairs of honor for Felix and Sophie.

Bonamouagno School, Douala, Cameroon

While in Cameroon, we visited a school which a member of the Church, Romeo had attended.  His family had donated the land for the school many years ago.  The state pays the teachers and for some supplies, but the maintenance of the school is up to the local residents.  At some point, the school lost access to water.  Toilets and squat toilets deteriorated. Now the school is functioning and students are attending, but there are no toilet facilities, children use a space in the yard, access water through a hole in the wall and are at risk because in the school yard there is a pool of rainwater that collects, running directly from the area used as a "latrine."

 Behind the left building there is a hole in the wall, The children reach through the hole to access a water faucet on the other side, where they can wash hands or fill a water bottle.

 African children usually behave very well in class. This is a good school, they have a "desk" to write on.

 These are the squat toilets or latrines that the children are supposed to use.  There is no water connected to them and the doors don't open or close.

 This is the teacher's toilet room.  I wouldn't go in far enough to take a picture inside!

 The trash area by the latrines -- ugh.

 Two little girls "do their business" outside the latrines on a piece of cement.  This is six feet away from the standing water in the school yard.

Libreville Branch, Pioneer Day Activity

On July 26th, 2014, the full time LDS missionaries for the Libreville Branch sponsored an activity, celebrating the pioneers of today in Gabon and the pioneers of 1847.
Members of the branch participated in games and activities.

The game we called the "Joseph Smith stick game" was a big hit.

Nerf Gun target practice was also a lot of fun.

The members tried the three-legged race

Western Line Dancing was also a hit.

Some people just watched from the side lines, until......

Elder Moody introduced the water balloon toss.  The whole branch lined up to toss water balloons back and forth.  Last couple standing was Frere Hugue and Soeur Monique.

Peter and Hannah had spent a whole afternoon baking cookies for the party.  The piles disappeared fast.

After treats, we went into the building and watched the pioneer movie, Legacy.  It was a wonderful afternoon.

Helping Hands at SOS Mwana Orphanage

The first ever Helping Hands Project in Gabon, combined with a humanitarian project, occurred Saturday August 16, 2014.  The branch turned out in good numbers to clean an orphanage.  The children from the orphanage had been taken to the countryside for a vacation.  Earlier in the week, the Elder's Quorum president oversaw the painting of the interior and exterior of the orphanage.  Humanitarian paid to have a new septic tank put in.  These are some of the images of the orphanage and the work done.