Francistown

We traveled to Francistown, Botswana, on Thursday, January 5, to give Seminary and Institute training and meet with the local leaders to discuss Seminary and Institute needs. The trip to Francistown is about 440 km and takes about five hours. The roads were good except the last bit where there were some potholes. On the way we drove past villages that are still the old Botswana - mud houses with thatched roofs and stick houses. There were lots of cows and goats. We passed over the Tropic of Capricorn so we were officially in the tropics. Along the road many people were selling mopani worms. They stand by the side of the road holding up a cup which is the sign they have worms to sell and had buckets full of worms to sell. By the number of people selling worms they must sell well. A cup full of worms cost 10 pula or about $1.50 unless you want to buy them in bulk and get the bulk rate. These are big caterpillars the size of tomato hornworms that live only in mopani trees. They are harvested in December and again in April. When they are alive they are white, green, and yellow and have small spikes. Once harvested the insides are squeezed out, they are boiled, and then dried. Many people in Botswana look forward to these and they are all consumed before the next crop comes on. When we arrived home we both tasted mopani worms - Janet one taste, Bob a few worms. We ate them dry, many people like them fried.

In Francistown we met with Elder and Sister Woolf and Elder and Sister Riser and gave them some institute training. We met with two group presidents, one couselor and one institute student ( President Mosweswe, Brother Gorata, Mooketsi, and President Mabote). We had a really good discussion about seminary and institute needs in Francistown and the surrounding area. The Risers hosted for the night in their house. On Friday morning they gave us a tour of the Monarch section of Francistown where many members live. It is not as prosperous as Gaborone. The people are very happy and enthusiastic about the Gospel but are poor. We visited President Mabote at his home. He lives in crowded conditions with few of the conveniences many of us are used to. His family cooks outdoors over an open fire because it is less expensive than propane. They have many families living in a very small compound. They have one outdoor water tap for everyone. They do laundry by hand. It is like camping out under difficult conditions continually. Even with all that they dressed nicely and are always clean with pressed clothes even though they press them with an iron they put hot coals in to heat. It was a wonderful experience to get to see President Mabote at his home.