We have two very fine sisters serving in our ward--both from Sao Paulo--though that doesn't tell much about them. Somehow, we had an old, but functioning stove available in the mission. The elders had asked if they could give it to a ward member, but had never got around to it. Well! When these terrific sisters learned about it, they wanted it! Now! Roger and I went and picked it up from the elders, wore out two (and I'm afraid the only) SOS pads I will see here cleaning it up, checked to make sure it worked--totally excited that every burner worked! We loaded it into the back of our car and went to pick up the sisters. The very grateful recipient is the one who lives in the "slot canyon" at the bottom of those scary stairs........I think I wrote about that in another post, early on. The street in front of those stairs is only slightly less steep. But Roger stopped the car--right in the road, because, of course, there is absolutely no where else! The sisters and I got out, lifted the stove out of the back, and Roger went to see if he could find a safe place to park the car. And those two adorable sisters picked up that stove and started down the stairs!! About a third of the way down, a very nice young man offered to help, handed me his grocery bag, and took the near end of the stove from Sister A. There was no help for Sister C. on the bottom end, but she was steadfast and we soon found ourselves in front of B's door! She came to the door about the time Roger showed up at the bottom of the stairs. We moved the stove into the kitchen--pulled the old one out, hooked up the new one, checked again to make sure everything worked--they did! RAH!!! Then! those sweet, stalwart young women picked up that old, worn out, rusted out, greasy stove and hauled it out and UP all those stairs! Sadly, there was no nice young man to help. But they made it all the way to the top. Roger hurried to get the car and those darling girls rolled the stove into it. We drove to where the garbage was piled on the street--waiting for pick up......they still do it by hand here--three men standing on the back of a garbage truck jump down and hand-throw the garbage into the back of the truck. We left the old, well-used stove with the rest of the garbage and we all went home--tired, but with joyful hearts.
This is a poor picture of the stairs......but it does give you an idea of what they are like.......and here are a couple of really poor pictures of those heroes...........I really don't know how they did it. Maybe they had angels helping them..........
I'm still way impressed with how hard these people work........and more than a little sorry about it. This is the second time they have cut this area since we got here. And they "cut" it right down to the dirt, raked it up and put it in bags...........
Haven't seen many cement mixers........really, not one till yesterday.......most often the ingredients are dumped on the sidewalk and mixed with a shovel right there......... They do have cement trucks for the big projects...........
Roger had lots of chances to use his new drill........CO/smoke alarms in the new apartments..... curtains and white boards...........
I never tire of the constantly changing view from the windows near the elevators. I wish I remembered what the sky was like for this first one.......why there is no color and such stark contrast. I'm always fascinated by the ships.....what are they carrying? where have they come from? where are they going? what was the weather like during their voyage? how long did it take? How I'd love to have the answers............
"Goofy Elders" and "Darling Sisters" does anyone else know your opinion?
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