Crutches and POP (plaster of paris) on the way to Durban

Thomas Sikanyiki received his mission call to Durban.  He is from the Copperbelt area and he had to stay in Lusaka for about 10 days before his mission departure so we could get his visa documents ready, and while he was here, he served as a Branch Missionary.  Two days before he was to fly to the MTC, he tore the ligaments in his ankle playing soccer. At the orthopedic hospital, first he was determined that he would not use crutches, then he was determined he wouldn't have a cast.  He was worried it would prevent him from leaving on his mission. When he left the hospital in a cast and on crutches, he was most down-hearted.  We called Pres. Dube and he said he could go ahead and leave for the MTC.  We called Pres. Mann of the Durban mission and told him that his incoming Elder would be coming in on crutches!  The night before Thomas was to fly out, we had a setting-apart dinner for him with the Zone Leaders and the Branch Missionary who had served with him.  We served lasagna.  It was the first lasagna the African Elders had ever eaten.  Elder Hanks, from Seattle, said "That was the best meal I've had on mission."  Bro. Chipoka, the Br. missionary, said, "that was the best meal I've had in 18 years!"  (Yes, he's 18!) So, lasagna is quite the hit in these parts!  After dinner, Rand set Elder Sikanyiki apart as a full time missionary. It was a beautiful blessing. Then we had a testimony meeting. We took pictures for proof that Thomas left on crutches.  Rand gave him a pair of dark socks to put over his toes.  The one photo is of sweet Elder Motsikanya putting the sock on his foot. One of the surprisingly sweet points of our mission has been in helping the departing Elders get their final papers ready and seeing them off for their missions.  It has made up for other surprisingly "not so sweet" points of our mission!