6/9/2014 Monkeying Around

We visited the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation center just outside of Freetown for something exciting to do. It was interesting to say the least. The Kanzlers and the Barneys were the only ones there, so we got our own little tour. This is where they bring chimps from all over the country to reintroduce them back into the wild, if possible, as soon as possible. Most of them come from peoples homes that thought it would be fun to have a monkey for a pet. Surprise...It's not that great. Now what do we do it.
The entire compound is divided into several sections where they separate the chimps according to age and ability to take care of themselves, as they move through the facility they are weened from human contact. There are a few that will never be able to be released for various reasons.
Enjoy these pictures:

 This is the entrance to the sanctuary and also the parking lot.

 Sister Barney and Sister Kanzler on bug watch.

 The signs are all done by hand to save money I suppose.

 Where is everyone??

 One of the buildings...real thatched roof

 Reception and gift center

 Mostly handmade stuff to buy

 Sister Barney signing in B4 the tour can begin....Oh yes $10 american per person.

 Sponsors board.

 Safari Ants hauling stuff through the compound.

 Information board about the chimps (Fact Board)

 Moses, our tour guide. Hes been here for 18 years.

 Cool painting on one of the buildings. I think the same artist

paints everything in the country...it's the style.

 Below us are the teenage chimps. The netting is for airborne projectiles.

Big Rocks 

 Teen in a tree. They cant climb when they first get here,

but they learn real soon.

 Just launched a rock.

 Play area for the new young arrivals and family groups.

 Always time for a snooze.

 Older ones eating. Notice he has a chunk of food in each foot.

 These are the older and almost ready to go chimps. 

They are fed just once a day. the others are fed 4 or 5 times.

They are expected to forage on there own for food.

 One of the many trails.

 Your taxes at work.

 This is a tunnel that the chimps pass through from their sleeping 

area (building) to the forage area.

 Another tunnel for the chimps.

 This is on top of one of the sleeping buildings, and we are looking for the 

chimps that are in the largest area and being prepared for release.

 This is called a "Jack Fruit" and is the size of two basketballs.

They are suppose to be really sweet.

 If your up for an adventure, and want to be up early by chimps 

howling in the jungle, here is a lodge that they rent for $90 American

 Inside is really pretty nice. No electricity, no water.

 There are 3 lodges to rent, and in the middle is a really nice 

barbecue area. 

 Some of the main trails for the worker bees.

 Another information board about other wildlife.

 Waiting hut, Gathering area for tours.

 Inside the gift shop again

 and again

 Where they keep new arrivals to prevent the spread of disease.

Chimps can get most human ailments like colds, measles, etc.

 Trying to get a peek at us. As soon as we made noise, they all started

screaming and carrying on. They always get fed for visitors.

 Playing tag, or looking for rocks, it's hard to tell.

 I kept looking for Tarzan... 

 Play area

 Look Tommy...here is a rock.

 One of the trails. This place feels and smells just like some

of the places that our family use to go backpacking on the 

Oregon coast.

6/1/2014 Great Sunday

Well today is (Was) Fast Sunday and we attended church at the Waterloo Branch in Waterloo. It was a great Sacrament Meeting. The testimonies were fantastic. The branch Presidency almost could not stop the members from coming up to the podium. I took some pictures on the way to church and it does not do the area justice. It is simply magnificent. The morning sun was out, it had rained in the night, so it was cool (75) with a nice breeze. The boys on the Okadas (motorcycles) were even wearing hoodies. We could see and smell little trickles of smoke winding their way up through the trees as meals were being cooked. We even had to overt our eyes as we came upon morning bath / laundry parties. These people are completely at ease with their bodies.

Morning mist

 Down the valley to the North

 This is a pile of rocks that people make into little rocks with a hammer

or anything they can strike with. They get paid by the basket full.

 More small rocks ready to load up.

 We have to drive through this to get to the Mission Office 

 Mango Tree in one of the Missionaries yards

 This is cool... this guy is helping this little old lady across a busy street.

We see this all the time with the elderly, little school kids, and the handicapped.

As soon as they walk up to the side of the street, someone will help them, and the traffic will stop.

 This is a lady walking with a load of charcoal to sale for cooking

 Sister Barney will assist Sister Kargbo with her #2 coming delivery.

Sister Kargbo is the wife of the Branch President.

 The Kargbo's front door.

 Sister Kargbo and their almost 2 year old daughter

 The hill to their home is unbelievably steep.

 Kargbo's in the very center (brown)

 A zoom in.

 This is the Kossoh Town Chapel

 This is inside of the New Mission Office Apartment where the Barney's will

be moving in a couple of weeks.

 New Bedroom

 Old sign, but sort of catchy... don't you think?

This is the dinning area looking into the living room. Bowling anyone?

This is a typical "PodaPosa" sort of large taxi.

An interesting sign that has appeared in the past few weeks.