Dear Family

Brian,   Glad you took some time off for a vacation to California.  Did you see any shows or win anything when you were in Las Vegas?

Dean,  We are proud of you for staying clean for two years.  The photos of the lawn Laraine sent looks great.  The Gardner's kids report that their lawn has "burned up." Dean writes:

  I will get my 30 day takeout next month! It has been a record heat wave with temps above 100 all this week.  Chris Alder is getting married today!  All milestones if you were here.  I am heading over there now!
  It is so hot I have I have had to stop working for now!  I stay inside or take the trailblazer when I have to drive!  The heat can kill if you get stuck outside for a time. I just had dinner with the kents. . . Bye, Dean

-- Sent from my HP TouchPad

Matt,

     Thanks for lining up our flight home.  Yesterday my hair dresser said the price of gas is going up on Tuesday.  Which means air fare will increase.  She is flying to a  hair style show at the end of August.  She said she was glad she had bought the ticket.

David & Nikki,

I took the photos you sent to the Mdledle family last night.  Libby, the oldest daughter who just graduated from NMU and is doing her practicals.  She is interviewing rape victims.  Some as young as 5.  She says it's emotionally draining.  Libby is the Mother of Tuma and evidently not married.  It is this daughter who has been sending and receiving e-mail from Cole at the university.  

"Sorry, I did not have time to run them off she explained. " I told her I would bring hard copy to their house and collect any thing the kids wanted to send them.  I don't think Brother Mdledle used the money I gave him to upgrade their computer.  If he did he would have to sign up for Internet service and they are having trouble coming up with money for the kids school fees.  Likely the 300 rand I gave him for that went for food.

Busiswe is being held by her grand mother.  Ambesa is on his grand mother's right.  The Mdledle's have three grown daughters.  Afanda on left and Thandokazi right were the first to be baptised.  Libby is the one in white.  

Busisiwe asked if Sophie could visit her so they can play.  I explained that Sophie lives too far away.  Busiswe said, "Then I will visit her."  These kids have no understanding of how far the U.S. is from South Africa.  Libby reports that Busisiwe does not like to share.  She is happy to have a pen pal like her cousin.

Evidently Busiswe has lived with several different relatives in other areas of S.A.   Libby said she prayed about her school exams and was happy to have pass the Xhosa section as Xhosa was very hard for her.  Busiswe speaks Zula and other dialects and sometimes get's confused.  As for the Melele's having a dog we noticed a skinny little white dog when we were there last night.  They said it belongs to a neighbour but it's trying to adopt them.  Since Busisiwe passed her exams,  she has been praying that Tata  (grandfather) will get a car.  Not likely unless he gets hired as a manager for another big company.  We took the children candy saying it was from their pen pals.

Neil,

Is Annabell walking yet?  We are keeping tabs with Cheryl and Peter Clark.  Their grand daughter was born the day before your baby and has been pulling herself up and hanging on to furniture as she tries to walk.  Well it's 7:30 a.m. and off to church now.  Love, Mom

Post Script:  The Toise's have been calling to ask Tom to drive them around.  Michael called on Friday and asked dad to drive him out to check on government housing.  (Lucky we were busy in Motherwell.)  Monday Charleen called him to ask for transport to Uitenhague.   Tom told her to take a taxi. "Don't you get 500 rand each month for your children?"   "Yes" she said, " but that money is all gone"   (Government checks come out on the first of the month  and the Toises are living with her mom.)  

Tom said "I hope you each paid 50 rand on your PEF loan."  He reminded them that he had paid 500 rand for Michael's welding school.  Had purchased food for them and driven them to take care of school problems and to look for jobs. "I'm can't do any more for you now you have both graduated," he said.    "You are on your own."  Charleen replied, "Thank you" and hung up.  

Tom has helped the Toises more than any other PEF students.  This because they are among the few that received loans and he wanted to get them through their programs.