Mabel, Mabel By the Sea

Mabel lives with her cat in this fisherman's warehouse by the sea. She has nothing of worldly value but is always happy! "HAPPY MORNING! HAPPY MORNING TO YOU!" is her cheerful greeting each time we can get her attention. Mabel is almost deaf but seems able to read lips. Saturday she went to the market and bought "spice" for Sister Hadlock, from which she insisted Sister Hadlock make tea . . . both morning and night for her "husband!" She did! Saturday night we both enjoyed cinnamon tea with a splash of fresh lime juice and "brown sugar--NO WHITE SUGAR, you hear me!" Mabel can be found each morning carrying water from the public pipe or playing Solitaire Dominoes inside the warehouse where it's stifling hot but shady any afternoon. Mabel has a cat she wanted to give the Hadlocks but she seemed to understand when Sister Hadlock told her 'the husband' is allergic.

Sister Cooper's Accra

Sister Cooper is a great cook. She has introduced us to many new and exciting Caribbean foods. Tuesday she brought us a bowlful of these pancake-like 'things' called Accra (or Acra, "like the temple in Ghana" she said) which are made from flour, seasonings and teeny-tiny fish called Ti-ti-ri, and fried in oil. They taste OK but the thought of eating those little fish--eyes, bones and all--led us to SHARE one and "save the others for later." (Click the picture and you'll see the eyes!)

Marcus

October 6th is Marcus's birthday. HAPPY 32nd BIRTHDAY, MARCUS! He was DELIGHTED with small gifts--lime-slush, bottle of Sprite, banana nut cake and a print of this picture, probably the first he's ever had. With a sincere "TONKS" he took it home to put it in a frame. Marcus is hard-working, as evidenced by the cement on his hands. He has washed and cleaned the Santa Fe in the past and brought us beautiful tropical plants in various and sundry pots, for very reasonable fees, to beautify the upstair's stairway. We love and respect Marcus and hope one day he'll heed our counsel to give up cigarettes.

Terry Walsh & Uncle Reginald

Thirteen-year-old Terry Walsh wants to be baptized "so he can be like his uncle." He came to the house Wednesday for his first lesson, where the senior sister missionaries discovered he already knows how to pray, and to watch General Conference Saturday. His second lesson is scheduled for Tuesday.

Fresh Fish

Friday afternoon this "fishmonger" announced by the familiar conch bugle as he passed by that he had fresh fish for sale, which he would happily deliver almost to your door. Then he continued . . . . . . . . up the street and out of sight.

President Alvarado and the Traveling Elders

President Alvarado takes every opportunity to be a missionary. He talked to the first person he met the minute he stepped through the door at Melville Hall Airport.

There was a nice Dominican breeze late Thursday afternoon when the 'traveling elders' and President Alvarado arrived! Elder Oden, Oahu; President Jorge Alvarado,Puerto Rico; Elder Hadlock, Utah; Sister Walthers, Switzerland/Dominica; Sister Cooper, Dominica/Switzerland/Dominica; Elder Tartakoff, Boston.

Get outta my kitchen!

Some missionaries prefer a mixing bowl to a soup bowl when it's time for blackberry-peach crisp with ice cream for dessert!

Friday afternoon we were back on the road again!

Sugar Apple (Sweet Sop)

Look like something from a horror movie? Lying on our 6-inch-square-tiled countertop are four Dominican Sugar Apples. (In Jamaica they are called Sweet Sop.) Each tiny section looks like a squashed eyeball, tastes similar to a date--slimy with a large, hard, black seed/pit. At any rate, it takes so long to eat half a sugar apple that no one would ever overeat!