Innocent is Alive and Well!

Since Innocent left to return to be with his family and the fact that we have not heard from him we began to assume the worst.  In talking with the immigration Attorney that was helping Innocent, she said that possibly his Passport was tagged and upon his return he was detained.

Over the past several months I have sent a few emails hoping to hear from him.  This week I sent another one and the next day I received a reply from him.  The email is below:

Innocent NGANGO RUBUGA

|

Fri 9/9, 12:40 AM

You

...

 

 

 

Hi Brother Romney,

Long time ago, 5 months passed and I miss you.

Just to  tell you that you were my big family in America, I will always remember your family in my life.

In fact, I am in Rwanda but it is difficult for me to communicate. Now I am able to send message because I do have access to internet once a month.

I don't have job entitle  now.

Now I have a big problem to put an end on my refugee application case in the USA. So I need your help, just to contact the Lawyer and ask her to send a letter to the Immigration requesting the end of my case.

This will help me to come back in The USA after 2 years. Without this letter, I cant get in USA again.

Also, I want to ask you to give my greetings to your wife Barbara, to the Bishop and the Ward.

 

I am very grateful to the Bishop. 

Thank you so much for being my great family in Utah.

 

_____________________________________________________________________

I was so pleased to hear from him.  He has been on mind ever since he left.  I feel that my prays have been answered and that he is OK.  I am glad that he has found a job and because of that he now has access to the internet.  I am looking forward to our communication and hope that it will continue.  I have inquired about his family and also if he has been able to meet the Bishop in his area.

 

 

Parkway 3rd Ward Service Project

Barbara was approached by the Relief Society of our home ward about doing a service project for the Ward we serve in.  The Bishops in the wards of the Riverside Stake each year are in need of school supplies.  We found out that there was already planning going on for the Inner-City missionaries to help provide these needed supplies.  So we arranged for the 3rd Ward to take charge of this service project and they provided 50 back packs full of school supplies. 

The RS organized the project and the ward members donated the supplies and back packs.  The YW assembled the back packs and also personally delivered 26 of them to the youth of the Meadow Ward in which we service.  The other back packs were given to the other Bishops to give to those in need in each of their wards.  We were deeply touched by the generosity of the ward members.  The YW had a wonderful and humbling experience delivering them to the youth in the ward. They expressed appreciation for the experience as well as an awareness of their temporal and spiritual blessings.

This was such a great success that the Ward has expressed they want to continue to help in what ever way they can.

Barbara and I received, the following Sunday, expressions of appreciation from some of the parents of the youth who received a back pack.  It is experiences like this that make serving in the Inner-City Mission such a blessing.

Mission Extension

It is hard to believe that our year is up for our mission. Sister Doxey, an area director for the Inner-City Mission, approached us in July about extending and it was an easy decision to make. We have extended for an additional six months beginning in September. We truly enjoy what we are doing.  The experiences we are having are greatly strengthening our testimonies and love for the Savior. We have a deeper understanding of what Charity truly means and is. We have come to love the members of the Meadow Ward and feel that is our ward now. Bishop Kruger is such a pleasure to work with. He truly understands the members of his ward, and being retired, he is literally a full time Bishop in every way. There have been times when we have called him to bring an issue or concern to his attention and more times then not he already knows of it and has dealt with it. The Meadow Ward members are such humble and faithful saints. We feel their service and testimonies is what has touched us the most.

We will see what the next six months brings.  Bishop Kruger has indicated that he is thinking of making new assignments, so we are anxious to see what he decides to do.  At this point we have not real desire to come home to the Parkway 3rd Ward.

Neighborhood Drama

There is a family in the Ward by the name of Hudson (Jackie and Michelle).  They live next to Alicia.  Jackie suffers from severe mental illness.  He regularly has doctor/therapist visits and is highly medicated.  He has been making progress with his activity in the church and recently received the MP.  His wife Michelle continues to smoke, shows no real interest in the church and is the cause of much contention at times in the family and the neighborhood.  Most recently, Jackie has been building some storage sheds out of pallets and scrap wood for those in the four-plex that they live.  There was a disagreement about the shed that Jackie was building for Alicia and Jackie tore it down in a violent rage and piled the remains in the street in front of Alicia's apartment.  During this disagreement Michelle began to verbally condemn and criticize Alicia which got very ugly and deeply hurt Alicia.  Alicia reached out to us for help of which we immediately came over and calmed her down.  This was bad enough for Bishop Kruger to get involved.  We assured Alicia that she did nothing wrong and people have their agency on how they act or react to difficulties that come their way including how she should act or react.  We assured her that she was not the person that Michelle was claiming she was.  Over the next several days things seemed to settle down but Michelle continued to press Alicia with verbal abuses. 

Alicia decided that she needed to get away so she went to Pocatello and stayed with her parents for a couple of weeks.  During that time Michelle continued to text ugly things to Alicia's phone.  Upon her return we discovered that Alicia had a new cell number.  She told us that she got it changed so Michelle would stop.  Now the interesting thing about all of this is how Alicia has reacted.  We have seen a change in her that we complimented her on.  She is beginning to take responsibility for her life and situation and making good and sound decisions.  We here impressed that on her own she decided to change her phone number.  She also has accepted Michelle and Jackie for who they are and realize that she cannot change them but she can control how she deals with them or any other negative person or situation that comes her way.  Also on her own she contracted the landlord and worked out an agreement that she could get out of her lease early without severe financial consequences.  She wants to move and we have encouraged her to do so.

Keep in mind that those who deal with mental illness and live in poverty struggle with self-reliance because of the limited resources they have.  Therefore we are very proud of Alicia and the progress that she is making in becoming self-reliant with the limited resources she does have.  She is realizing that she does have the ability to make good/positive choices for herself and not blame her circumstances on others.  Her High School Graduation and approval for disability payments have been major turning points in her recent life.

Young Womens Camp

Back in May it was announced that the YW would be going on summer camp and that priesthood leaders were needed to attend.  I immediately said YES.  I have fond memories of girls camp with my girls and also while I was serving as Bishop.  As it turned out they needed help with cooking and I volunteered my equipment and I was the camp cook.  So from June 22-25 we attended Camp Sunrise, which is a girls camp, in the middle of the East Fork of the Bear (Hinckley Boy Scout Ranch).  The camp is independent of the other Boy Scout Camps.  It has it's own lake, archery and shooting ranch, showers, etc.  Brother Merle Keller, first counselor in the Bishopric went with me.  We were later joined by Elder Evans and Brother Neil Weight, high priest group leader and Bishop Kruger.

Since I had a truck I volunteered to haul the trailer full of all the gear.  I must say that I really enjoyed myself.  I was curious as to how the camp would be with the diversity of members in the ward.  We had 17 girls plus leaders attend.  There were 7 different nationalities represented; Caucasian, Pakistani, Native American, Tongan, Samoan, Hawaiian, and African American.  All got along well and actually no real drama...you know there usually is.  Great fun and those islanders can EAT!

I have attached a few pictures.  Bishop Kruger is standing next to me.

Alicia's High School Graduation

Well it has been a long time since we lasted updated the blog.  We will start with Alicia's High School Graduation.

Alicia has been working for sometime on completing her requirements to graduate from High School.  Barbara has been helping her with some of the packets that were left to be done.  She was truly motivated to complete all that was needed.  On June 16th we attended her graduation ceremony.  She was asked to speak and part of her message was including all who have had a positive influence in her life.  She mentioned both Barbara and I as well as Bishop Kruger.  The remarkable thing with all of this is that she is 46 years old and has overcome much adversity in this accomplishment.  We are so proud of her.  We had the opportunity of meeting her parents and they too expressed appreciation on how we have helped Alicia.  She was nervous about speaking but stood up there with confidence and presented herself very well. 

There were six others who graduated with her.  The program she was in was sponsored by the Alliance House accredited by Horizante Adult Education.  They help those who struggle with mental illness and addiction. 

Learning To Be Patient

On a previous post "Understanding Poverty" we mentioned how Alicia has been before a Judge several times trying to get approval for State Disability status.  At her last hearing she had asked Barbara to go with her for moral support.  Well the Judge did grant her disability status and she will now be receiving a monthly disability payment.  This is help Alicia so much in making steps toward becoming self-reliant.  Hopefully she will not need to rely on the support from Bishop Kruger as much.  She mentioned that she would like Barbara to start helping her with forming a budget.

Alicia is learning to be patient and that Heavenly Father does listen to our prayers and does answer them; not necessarily in the time frame we would like them to be.  She is very grateful and is learning to trust her Heavenly Father more.

Family Outing

When we met one of our new families, Liana d'Hulst, it became very evident that she has her hands full with her four children.  All of them are good kids but the boys will be boys and are very active.

We have season passes to the Dinosaur Museum (Museum of Ancient Life) at Thanksgiving Point. We asked Liana if it would be alright to come one Saturday and take the kids there thus giving her a break.  She readily agreed.  So when we went to pick them up she decided she wanted to go as well.  They all had a great time.  Joseph who is 5 years old is the most active one.  He is in his own world and has his own agenda.  He would not stay with us and we both had to try and keep up with him.  His mother would just roll her eyes, however, she does have a good relationship with each of them and they are obedient.  Joseph is the one with the hat on in the pictures.

 

It is very rewarding to be able to help and be apart of the families we work with.

New Families

We have received two new families from Bishop Kruger.  We are anxious to meet them and see how we can serve them.  Here is what the Bishop has told us about them.

The d'Hulst family moved into the area approximately 9 months ago from an Army base in Louisiana.  Lianna recently went through a divorce and is working as a Single Mother.  She has four active children.  She works at a Bank and has desires to move forward and become a Paralegal, like her mother and eventually go to Law School.  She's ambitious and determined, but is fighting through a number of obstacles.  Her four children: Brennin - 10, Elike - 8, Joseph - 5, and Akasha - 3.  She is a regular Sacrament meeting attender, then often gets discouraged and goes home as the children act up.  You can survey the situation to determine how they can best be served.  My goals for them are to attend church weekly at all meetings, have Lianna attend the temple on a regular basis, have FHE, and start to make and be a friend to others in the surrounding areas.  The children are scheduled to visit/be with their Army father in Louisiana for the Summer.  Address: 475 North Redwood Road #57 (Townhomes). Phone: 907-687-0443.  I have talked to Lianna about having Service Missionaries working with the family. 

Fetu Solovi is a Polynesian (Samoan) sister in the ward.  She has nine children.  Three girls stay with her in the home. They live in the Woodcrest Condominiums at 1860 West 500 North #(?).  Three of her children are staying with her: Apaau Julie - 18, Seini - 16, Kaati - 15.  Other children have been farmed to other relatives, some I know, others I do not know.  Fetu works at night and is often away from the girls.  The girls are left alone for long stretches at a time.  I have talked with Sister Solovi about you.  It would be probably advisable to go with you the first time.  Seini and Kaati attend church most of the time, Apaau attends the YSA ward, goes to Magna with relatives and attends the ward.  The girls are big into rugby and quite good.  One daughter, Etta is competing to be on the USA team in the Olympics and has been under contract to play rugby professionally in France, but injured her knee.  I think you will really like this family.  The girls have some learning disabilities, I believe.  Kaati, certainly does.

More to come as we get to know them and access how we can help.

Addiction Recovery Program

At one of our recent missionary training meetings we were introduced to the LDS Family Services Addiction Recovery Program.  This program has adapted the original Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous into a framework of the doctrines, principles, and beliefs of the church with special focus on the Atonement.  When I served as Bishop this program was just getting started.  This program is designed to help persons to be healed and cured from all manner of addictions.

Here are the 12 Steps:

#1 Honesty - Admit that you, yourself, are powerless to overcome your addictions and that your life has become unmanageable.
#2 Hope - Come to believe that the power of God can restore you to complete spiritual health.
#3 Trust in God - Decide to turn your will and your life over to the care of God the Eternal Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
#4 Truth - Make a searching and fearless written moral inventory of yourself.
#5 Confession - Admit to yourself, to your Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, to proper priesthood authority, and to another person the exact nature of your wrongs.
#6 Change of Heart - Become entirely ready to have God remove all your character weaknesses.
#7 Humility - Humbly ask Heavenly Father to remove your shortcomings.
#8 Seeking Forgiveness - Make a written list of persons you have harmed and become willing to make restitution to them.
#9 Restitution and Reconciliation - Wherever possible, make direct restitution to all persons you have harmed.
#10 Daily Accountability - Continue to take personal inventory, and when you are wrong promptly admit it.
#11 Personal Revelation - Seek through prayer and meditation to know the Lord's will and to have the power to carry it out.
#12 Service - Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, share this message with others and practice these principles in all you do.

Many of the people the Inner City Mission that the missionaries work with are suffering from one form or another of personal addictions.  Alicia is not exception to this.  She is dealing with current addictions as well as past addictions and the consequences of her actions.  Bishop Kurger, 2 years ago encouraged her to participate in the Addiction Recovery Program.  We likewise, recently have been encouraging her as well.  We believe that because of the trust we have built with Alicia she finally agreed to participate and we took her to her first session Wednesday night.  What a special experience.  Her heart was touched, she expressed her feelings and problems to the group and is anxious to return and continue in the program.  We told her we would take her every week and support her in her recovery. 

We know that when old "scratch" as my Dad would call him, gets a hold your heart and spirit it is very hard and difficult to change.  We are beginning to see that change in Alicia.  We hope and pray that it will continue but are fully aware that there will be peaks and valleys in this process.

UNDERSTANDING POVERTY

One aspect of our mission training was a course entitled "Bridges Out of Poverty."  This three hour course was nothing short of eye opening!  I (Barbara) was so impressed I bought the book and read it.  I don't know which it helped me with the most:  my work at the prison or our service in the mission.    These people generally come from a similar background.  I feel I have so much more understanding of why it is so difficult to change these people's life for the better.  The best hope for them is to have a mentor--hence, the inner-city missionaries.  Everything we learned applies to Alicia.

A couple of weeks ago she texted and asked me to accompany her to her SS Disability hearing to provide moral support.  I was touched that she would ask me so I took the day off work to accompany her.  It turns out that I was not admitted into the hearing, so I waited in the lobby and read a book.  I was just happy I could be there for Alicia.  I truly hope she gets approved for the disability--with degenerative arthritis she's not going to get any better.  Having that regular money coming in each month would be a major step toward her becoming self-reliant.    She told me that if she gets approved, she wants me to help her set up a budget (something I happen to be pretty good at).  It also looks like she is going to finish her high school diploma for June graduation.  She said I will be the first one she will invite.  (that's what makes this all worthwhile)

Tearful Good Bye

Last night we said good bye to Innocent.

We met Innocent for dinner and had a wonderful talk with him, learning more about his family.  He has 5 children.  Son 24, Son 22, Daughter 20, Daughter 18, Son 10 all who have not seen him for 6 years.  As he would talk about each one he would smile as any proud father would do.  Most of all I am sure is very anxious to she is wife.  As we mentioned before she struggles with health issues, primarily diabetes and other related issues.

Innocent feels that after being gone for 6 years it will be safe for him to return.  In 1995 he and his family fled Congo to Rwanda.  He returned to Congo in 2010 to assist in the organization he was employed by and that was when he was captured.  He said living in Rwanda will be safe.  His wife has a job and makes a meager $250.00 per month which has been sustaining his family.  He feels it will take him about six months to find a job.

We gave him the locations of the 3 branches in Rwanda and counseled him that the church will need him and he will need the church.  He is planning on reaching out when he gets there.

After dinner we went back to his apartment and met Brother Weight the High Priest Group Leader of the Meadow Ward and gave Innocent a blessing.  That is when the tears began to come.  We have grown to love and admire Innocent for his courage and faith.  We will truly miss him.  I gave him my email address and hope we will be able to keep in touch.

He leaves Saturday on the bus for Las Vegas.  The reason he is leaving from Las Vegas is the flights are less expensive out of Las Vegas, plus he left his passport their with friends when he briefly stayed there before he came to Utah.  He leaves Las Vegas on Monday, flys to LA and then to Ethiopia and then on to Rwanda.  It will be Wednesday when he arrives.  He will have spent over 33 hours of traveling.  He could have got there sooner but that would have been double to price.

We wish him well and hope to hear from him soon.

What Matters Most

Last Friday I received a text message from Innocent saying that he has a family emergency in Africa and really needed to talk to me.

I was driving on my way to work when I got the text and immediately called him.  I could tell something was wrong but I had no idea what he was about to tell me.  He asked if I could come and spend sometime with him.  I had things at work I needed to get to but immediately a calm feeling came over me to not worry about that and go see Innocent.

Innocent is usually so happy and smiling each time I am with him.  With tears running down his face he told me that his 18 year old daughter tried to commit suicide the day before and is in the hospital.  He further told me that this was not the first time.  She had tried once before a few weeks ago but was not serious.

He then told me that he needed to go home and protect his family.  He could not stay in America any longer.  He said his family is broken and he needs to be there to bring them back together.  Innocent has been gone from his family for close to 6 six years; 4 years of running, imprisonment, and torture and 1.5 years in America.

In previous discussions Innocent has stated that going back to Congo would not be possible because he would be tracked and most likely killed.  His family is in Rwanda and he feels he can be safe there.

As the conversation went on I could tell that leaving was what would be best for him and his family.  I began to ask myself how can we make this happen?  Innocent does not have the resources to get himself back to Africa.  The only money he has to his name is $400.00.  It would take close to $1200.00 for a one way ticket.  Further more he wanted to leave ASAP.  I told Innocent I would call Bishop Kruger and let him know since he was his Bishop.  Bishop Kruger was surprised as I was but felt this would be best for him as well.  We talked about how we could financially make this work.  He said he would talk with President Keller. 

On Saturday I received notice that the church would pay for the plane ticket to Africa.  The love that the Savior has for his children and the resources of the church are just amazing.  Innocent will be leaving on Monday April 4th and arriving in Rwanda on April 6th.  Both the Bishop and the Stake President felt that there was a reason for Innocent finding the church and excepting the gospel in America.  They felt he would be a great asset to the small branch in Rwanda.

At church Sunday Innocent looked so happy and relieved.  He and his family will be reunited very shortly.  Barbara and I will be taking Innocent out to dinner this Wednesday evening and then his home teacher and I will be giving him a Priesthood Blessing.

If it's not one thing, it's another!

Three months ago Alicia and her family moved into her new apartment.  Her apartment (Fourplex) was recently sold and when inspections were being done they found that the previous renter in Alicia's apartment was cooking meth and because of that her apartment and the one next to her are contaminated with meth.  Therefore, she has had to move out and stay in a hotel for the next three to four weeks so that Utah Has mat can come and clean the apartment.

The worst part of this is that she could not keep any of her furniture, or any thing that was made of wood or fabric; such as tables, couches, mattresses, etc.  So the furniture we got her just three months ago when she was evicted from her other apartment because of beg bugs had to be taken to the dump.  Luckily, the mattresses that the Bishop got her from DI, she never took the plastic cover off, so she can keep those.

Barbara and I spent a Saturday afternoon two weeks ago taking two loads of furniture and personal things to the city dump as well as moving other things to a storage shed that the new landlord is paying for while the apartments are cleaned and the meth contamination is removed from the walls, floorings, and air ducks.

When Alicia called to tell us this development we immediately went to see her and to help calm her down.  While we were there I received an email notice that a couch, loveseat, and oversized chair...a matching seat was just posted on our resource website.  I immediately called and we now have the furniture in our garage waiting for to give it to Alicia when she is able to move back in.  The Lord and His tender mercies!

Provo City Temple Open House

We took advantage of the recent open house of the Provo City Temple to take Alicia and Innocent.  Both of them expressed interest in going but did not fully understand what they were going to experience. 

Alicia knows enough about the temple that she expressed excitement at the possibility of going.  Innocent has been to the temple to baptisms but, as well, has not seen the inside of one of the temples before it was dedicated. 

Both learned more and it was fun to explain to them what goes on in the temple of what some of the symbolism means.  Both Innocent and Alicia are young and tender in the gospel and any opportunity we have to help them feel the spirit, we want to take advantage of that.

Building Trust

At the beginning of our mission we were told one of the key elements of our success with the people we work with is building trust with them.  If you show genuine interest in them, express support and love, and back it up with actions, they will respond.

We feel we have built that trust with both Innocent and Alicia.  Innocent trusts and values my opinion and advise; particularly in helping him with his asylum applications.

Barbara, in particular, with Alicia has developed a tremendous trust level.  Alicia suffers from mental illness and depression.  She is on medication but recently had a relapse.  She feel into a deep depression.  To add to her situation her back and leg pain flared up not helping her depression.  I tell you this, in terms of trust, because one night Alicia text Barbara saying she can't take this any more and just wanted to die.  She wanted us to come and spend some time with her.  The next day we did.  I gave her blessing. It also was very evident that she and her family were in a mess so we went to McDonalds and bought them dinner to relieve some burdens.  Since then Barbara has been reaching out to her regularly with positive quotes about life and struggles.  She has since been back on her medication.  She asks Barbara for advise now on many things.  We feel now we can encourage church attendance and the blessings of the activity in the gospel now without Alicia thinking that is our only motive.  She knows that with all the help and support that we give her as well as Bishop Kruger she needs to participate more.  We are seeing a change in Alicia.  We hope it is for the better and sustainable.

Striving to Get Ahead with Limited Resources

The amount of money we make and the goals we have to get ahead, I have found to all be relative to our individual situations and circumstances.

Innocent for example wants desperately to send money home to his family in Africa.  His desire is to send $500.00 per month.  This is to help his wife and to provide money for his children to go to school.  He also however, needs to take care of his own circumstances here as well. 

The job Innocent had with the landscaping company was to make that happen.  However, the work was inconsistent and did not pay what was presented.  On his own he got a job with Convergys paying $13.00 per hour.  He was encouraged and hopeful.  With having a steady work schedule during the day he then could find a part time job in the evenings.  He found a job at the airport cleaning offices for a janitorial company on the grave yard shift for $10.00 per hour.  All was good and thought he meet his goals.  At Convergys he soon realized that his computer skills were preventing him from succeeding during training and was let go.

Now he is stuck with the airport job, working grave yard, working on Sundays and not able to attend church with the block schedule beginning at 9:00 am. 

When he can he still sends money home to his family but in doing so he gets himself in a situation where he needs help from the Bishop.  I have to admire him for trying so hard.  I think that many of these immigrants and refugees think the USA is paved in gold and money is easy to come by.  They come to realize that it requires a lot to just survive.  For example, Innocent was given a car by another refugee friend.  Well he now realizes he needs insurance and the car needs repairs.  Rent is $700.00 per month plus utilities.  It is expensive, in his situation, to maintain his work status.  He had to renew his work card, drivers license, etc.  He did not have the money so Bishop Krueger helped with that.  His car needed new tires and on his own he found some for over $300.00.  I told him I could help him find tires at a better price.  I negotiated 4 new tires with Big O Tires in downtown SLC for just over $200.00.  He paid that himself.  He was sad because his family did not get money last month. 

The need for new tires is a story in itself.  Innocent was driving home and both tires on the driver side went flat.  He did not know what to do so he kept driving home.  When he arrived he noticed that both tires were ripped and torn, barely on the rims.  He called me for help.  I found him the deal at Big O Tires.  So one Saturday morning I helped him take the two rims off, put them in my truck and took them to Big O Tires.  They mounted two new tires.  We went back, put them on, then drove his car back to Big O to have the others replaced and mounted. 

Innocent is trying to be self reliant. I truly admire him.  In Africa his highest wage he earned was $1200 per month.  That was good money.  In USA $1200 per month does not make ends meet.

We are coming to realize the biggest service we can offer is to set a good example by mentoring and providing hope.  That is what the Savior did during his ministry.  Mentored, Loved, and provided Hope.

Bed Bugs

When we started our mission we were told that bed bugs are a problem and most likely those who we work with will have them.  As we mentioned before Alicia was evicted from her apartment due to having bed bugs.

The reason I bring this up is Dolly, one of the sisters we visit with from time to time, has a severe case of bed bugs.  We have researched these little critters and they are quite the creature.  They actually feed off the blood of those they bite. 

Well on a recent visit with Dolly I brought home one of those critters. It attached its self to my wool suit.  We found it, when on the way home, we participated in an event in our home stake and one of the members of our home ward, whom we were visiting with, noticed something crawling on my suit coat and brushed it off and when it hit the gym floor it made a small blood splatter.  WOW was I surprised.  When we got home Barbara would not let me in the house and I had to undress in the garage.  My suit hung there for a few days and then went to the dry cleaner.  I guess we need to be more careful.  Creepy!

Immigration (Asylum) Next Steps

Innocent has been so gracious and appreciative of our help.  I am truly amazed at his meekness and humility.

As requested by the Immigration Attorney were able to get an x-ray of Innocents left arm and discovered three needle size implants (tracking devices).  See attached picture.  Barbara and I are amazed at this.  Only in the movies have we heard of such things as implanted tracking devices.  Even more amazing is that the bad guys actually use them.

The attorney asked us as well to have a medical doctor perform a physical inspection of Innocents torture scares, and in the opinion of the doctor, authenticate these scares and markings.  Elder Cannon, who serves with us in the Meadow Ward, is a medical doctor and agreed to perform the inspection.  He took pictures and prepared a statement of authenticity.  These scares will be with Innocent the rest of his life.

We will be meeting the attorney soon to submit our findings and argument for granting asylum to the immigration department in Texas.  The hope is then his case will be heard in Utah.

Immigration (Asylum) Update

We were able to meet with an immigration attorney this past Friday with Innocent.  This attorney lives in our neighborhood and is in our home ward.  We are told that she is the best immigration attorney in the state so we feel lucky and blessed that she is willing to help Innocent.

She had agreed to take his asylum case to the next step at no charge.  Innocent and I have a meeting with her on Friday February 5th to help her further understand his situation and how we can enhance his case with further evidence of cruelty from his captures.  When Innocent was imprisoned in Congo a tracking devise was implanted in his left arm so he could be tracked.  The attorney wants to have an x-ray taken to be able to show the judge of the danger he was in and is in if he returns.

Inner-City Missionaries have numerous resources available to them.  One is a network of doctors who are willing to offer services at no charge or at a very reduced rate.  I have reached out to the "gate keeper" as he is called of the doctors and am waiting to hear back if an x-ray can be arranged.

Innocent has now decided to stay in the US and work at bringing his family here when he can.  The main key to that is to have Political Asylum granted.  The attorney said that it will take a very long time (years) but Innocent is willing to wait and work towards that.

Barbara and I are continually humbled by Innocent's faith and patience.  It is truly a pleasure and blessing to work and associate with him.

Trials in Life

We know that trials make us better and are a part of this mortal existence.

Two of our families are experiencing trials that are testing their faith.

Alicia just told us that Ivan contracted head lice from the day care he goes to.  They had to shave his heads in order to treat it.  What makes it more challenging is that Ivan sleeps with Alicia and she came down with them.  She obviously does not want to cut her hair off so she is trying to treat the lice.  What a process!  She also has had to wash all their bedding and clothes, etc.  Alicia seems to just go from one challenge to another.  If you will remember she was evicted from your previous apartment due to bed bugs and now head lice.  So far no bed bugs in her new place.

Innocent has told us to pray for his family in Africa.  He has been trying to send them money each month to keep is children in school.  If they are not in school then the threat of the military and other social influences face them.  Because Innocent has not been work steadily he has not been able to send money and therefore his children are not able to go to school.  Public schools in Africa carry a fee.  He is concerned that his children will become subject to social influences of drugs, gangs, etc. because they are not focused on schooling and the controlled environment that brings.

Please prayer for both Alicia and Innocent!  They need our support.  Both have fragile testimonies and need the spirit to comfort them.

Special Experience

As frustrating as a Church Service Missionary can be in the Inner-City Mission there are wonderful experiences that keep us coming back.

Innocent, our African Refugee, has been a member of the church for only a few months and has received a Limited-use Temple Recommend.  We took him to the Salt Lake Temple last night for our weekly FHE activity to perform baptisms for family names on Barbara's side of the family.  I was able to baptize him and Barbara as well as perform the confirmations.  I was also baptized for 3 family members on the Romney side.  Imagine that, we still have some family members who have not received their saving ordinances.  What a special experience that was to be in the temple with Innocent.

We are finding that many things we take for granted as life-time members of the church are new and overwhelming at times for new converts.  For example, when Innocent received his Limited-use Recommend and went with the ward previously, in preparation to go last night, I asked to make sure he brings his recommend.  He said he could not find it and seemed to act as if he needed a new one for each time he goes.  So we scrambled on Tuesday night to get him and the Bishop together to received a new one.  He did not fully understand that it is good for a year and can be reused.  We feel he simply threw it away.  He now understands he needs to keep it and should have it on his possession at all times.  What we have learned and know due to a life-time of membership and teaching from parents, teachers, and leaders Innocent is just beginning to try to understand from an adults perspective.  So many questions and we feel honored and blessed to have the opportunity to help answer them.