Russell and Eileen's Church Missions: RAIN ON THE RHINE

Last Sunday, Father’s day, I (Russell) was able to hear from and talk to most of my children and grandchildren, and it was great! I was also able to speak to my father. I truly have ben blessed with a father and two grandfathers who have all been very active in my more formative years. From them I learned how to work, a desire for education both formal and informal, and most important of all a love for my Father-in-Heaven and His Son, my Savior, Jesus Christ.

Most of the time since our arrived here two months ago the weather has been pretty mild. Rarely has the temperature got above the mid-seventies. On Friday the sun was shining and the temperature got into the high eighties. This prompted Eileen to feel that Saturday would be a good time for us to take a short cruise on the Rhine River. You can catch a boat about an hour from here that for a small sum goes up and down the river much like a bus, letting you get off and on at various stops.

Despite the weather forecasting possible showers we decided to go. Saturday morning I got up at 6:00 am to jog. During the night it had rained and even during my run it was drizzling, enough that you noticed it but not enough to make you really wet. By the time we were driving to Ruedesheim it began raining enough you needed the windshield wipers but as we started on the boat the rain lighted back to more like a mist. It was fun to see all the activity on the river. The Rhine serves as a water highway for large barges taking goods to and from markets. All along the two-hour ride up the Rhine was saw the remains of castles. It was beautiful and relaxing.

We got off the boat at St. Goar and road a small trolley up to the remains of Rheinfels castle built originally in 1245 AD. On our way up to it the rains started coming down harder. Having come this far we were not about to head back without seeing the castle. While it was very interesting to see, I am very glad I didn’t have to live there during bad weather. On the way back our boat was a paddle wheeler built in over 100 years ago.

While most of our work in the office involves doing computer/paper work we also spend significant amounts of our day in talking to the couples that are serving as welfare/humanitarian missionaries in various countries of Europe. Most of the couples are serving in locations that are what might be referred to as “developing nations.” Sometimes we spend time counseling with the couples on how to deal with some of the challenges they face, trying to help where we can. Many times we are just sounding boards, as there is little we can do to change things. Below is an edited version of a letter I wrote just this morning to one couple that has been facing challenges with others taking inappropriate advantage of them. Both Eileen and I really respect the couples we work with and we hope we can recognize at least in some part what they are going through as they serve the Lord.

Dear Elder and Sister,

As I read your email it reminded me of my time serving as a young missionary. I spent nine months as the mission financial secretary. Most weekdays I would go to the bank and withdraw funds to then go and pay bills in cash. Due to many instances similar to what you have described I became very skeptical and grew to trust no one. For decades after I returned home I wondered if perhaps I should have done things differently, perhaps trusting and loving the people more. Upon my return there a few years ago I found that many things had not changed and indeed local business practices were much as I had remembered it.

The challenge seems to be, how do we deal with that every day and not have it taint our love for the people or the work we are called to do? That is something I have yet to fully resolve for myself. I do know it is a much easier matter to be tolerant or positive about when I am not facing it on a daily basis. You are on the front lines of the battle and not in one of those spots you read about in the Church News about how well things are going. My wife and I are praying that both your challenges may diminish and that you may be strengthened so that your burdens may at least seem lighter.

My only suggestion is to use a trusted local individual as much as possible when dealing with money matters. Use and pay an interpreter, and get reimbursed for the expense. If the branch president can help you in dealing with church financial matters, you might consider letting him be the face to the locals. They may be less inclined to try and extract something from a local than a foreigner. This is one reason we are counseled in humanitarian work to use NGO partners in our projects.

My condolences and concern are sincere, and my advice is probably worth what you paid for it. Please feel free to call and vent whenever necessary.

Best regards,

Elder Healy