Staffel Refugee Camp in Limburg - Week #10

Staffel Refugee Camp in Limburg, Germany - week #10

Monday, April 25, 2016

Elder Matheson (AKA Ken) made arrangements to use a van in order to take six young missionaries with us since it was their P-Day. It was fun having them with us today! The van plus two cars went today, carrying a total of 15 of us!

Sister Biddulph has made a friend.

Sisters Edmunds and Hacking talking to Shafeqa.

Behind this white curtain are tables, chairs, blackboards for the German classes.

Ping pong, and foosball games are provided, as well as an area for toys for the small children. Meals and snacks are provided, but they aren't the type of foods these people are used to eating.

Jump rope was very slow to catch on, but now, after a couple of months, they know enjoy it and even stand in line to wait their turns.

Bean bag games has proved to be a successful activity.

Sister Libbie Bakker, from Bountiful, made a new friend today.

Sister Catrine Andersen, from Denmark, held her own against the teenage boys.

Sister Bausman talking to Nassim, who came with us today.  They became friends last week while both working on the huge Refugee projects at Church. Nassim, a non member from Iraq, somehow heard about the project and wanted to come help. She has lived in Frankfurt for a few years, speaks English very well and was also able to speak to the refugees in Farsi.

Sisters Jensen, Biddulph, and Edmunds, with Jill Johnson in the back left in the children's play/craft area. Sister Johnson's husband, who spoke at Apr 2016 General Conference, is in our Area Presidency. She is the sister of Lisa Jackson, our neighbor at home. 

We don't know why, but there is no school being held for the children in this camp when some other camps do hold schools.

Many volunteers (missionaries, Ward members, people from the community) go during the week to help the children and adults with activities. 

The one thing provided for them are language classes with teachers and workbooks. Other than that, this long period of waiting is quite boring for them.

Because of the language differences, we have to do things that don't require a lot of explanation. They enjoy craft and art projects.

Handwork is something that can keep hands busy and occupy the hours. 

Each week the women bring their projects to show me what they have made or are working on. I am in awe at their abilities...I've never seen anyone using a pattern yet. 

At first we thought we needed to give instruction on needle work, but I quickly learned that there is absolutely no need to teach these people how to knit/crochet. 

Notice the different cables...

It is interesting how lots of the young boys/girls like yarn, too. This boy brought his project to show me: an IPad holder!

I have become known as the source of yarn, needles, scissors, thread, etc.

Some of the young women are not happy about having their pictures taken.

I've been coming in a wheelchair because there are large rocks (not gravel) on the grounds and I'd have a tough time getting inside the building otherwise. At least this gives me a chair to sit in.

I'm passing out the orders from last week. Some of the boys and husbands are helping their wives get things.

We have received a lot of yarn from generous local people and in the USA, however, these donations most often don't come in big enough quantities of one type of yarn to make a whole project. 

If anyone wants to donate yarn, please give at least 4-5 skeins of one color, rather than just one!

So I have started taking orders, THEN Ken & I have to go shopping, which is no easy task with a broken leg and difficult-to-get-to stores.

Here they are showing me their ID cards so I can write down their requests.

Ken is taking the pictures, so there isn't one of him today.

She is trying to tell me what she wants, but my ears don't understand Afghani! Thank goodness several of the children speak enough English that they can help. Some times the women point to a color and hold up their fingers to show me how many skeins they need.

Connections can always be made through soccer games: the Americans vs Syrians/Afghanis/Iraqis. 

After the soccer game: Elders Lewis & Fox on the left and Elders Hansen & Harrison on the right.

We stopped for lunch on the way home.

These missionaries, 5 from Utah and one from Denmark, are all assigned to work in our English-speaking International Ward. What a fun, happy bunch! They thoroughly enjoyed spending their P-Day in the Refugee Camp! 

Just prior to this picture, Sister Hacking (back left, not looking too happy) had twisted her ankle on a small step inside this cafe. I said, "We wouldn't want people to think it's catching," referring to my broken ankle. 

The drive back to Frankfurt was spectacular with the bright yellow rapsfelds (canola fields) being in full bloom now!