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Our in-flight monitor shows our approach to the Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris. It was about this time that our scheduled connecting flight to Salt Lake City was leaving Paris. Upon our arrival, we learned that we would not be able to fly home until the next day and that since Air France had caused the delay, they put us up for the day in a nice hotel near the airport. At the insistence of Sister Bird, we took the train into the city to spend the afternoon and evening. We were treated to the marvelous sights and atmosphere of this most gorgeous and charming city. Although we were anxious to get home to our loved ones, this proved to be a wonderful and worthwhile delay. Sister Bird and crowd of tourists at the Dotre Dame Cathedral.
Elder Bird and a crowd of pigeons at the Crusaders Monument by the Notre Dame Cathedral.
The beautiful and romantic Siene River that runs through the heart of Paris.
We are very excited to welcome the new Country Welfare Directors to Madagascar. They presently live in Bountiful, Utah. They will arrive here on the 17th of March, we will spend about 5 days with them and we will be on our way home.
We call this the Blue Monarch. We had never seen anything like this anywhere before we arrived in Madagascar. We have been trying to get a picture of one since we first arrived here, but they are very flighty and it is hard to sneak up on them. Finally, last week, while we were out in the countryside looking at one of our water projects, we were able to capture this picture. Carlene, we think you will love this.
Sister Bird found this little fellow chewing on a small dirty block of wood. He wasn't too interested in her however, as she interrupted his play. This is in the village of Amboanjobe where we just completed our final 2009 water project. There is a water fountain nearby.
This is as close to a smile as we could get from little "Buster". He was not too impressed with us white people.
This is Elder and Sister Harms, the Public Relations Specialists (missionaries) for this region that includes Madagascar. They are based in Cape Town, So. Africa and come from Mesa, Arizona. They are shown here with a young eye patient at the eye clinic in Antananarivo. The Harms' are wonderful people, as you can tell, and were with us for several days, helping us understand more about the public relations program of the Church. We had a great time with them while they were in town.
With Elder and Sister Harms, we met with the National Water Minister to discuss our Humanitarian work in the country, especially our work with clean water projects. This is our second meeting with him. He is a very warm and friendly guy and seemed very pleased with what the Church is doing for his country. Brother Lala, on the far left, is our Church Country Public Relations Director.
We went with the young missionaries on a p-day activity to "Chute De La Lily" or Lily's Falls about 100 km East of Antananarivo. This is the most spectacular falls we have seen in Madagascar.
Sister Bird (in red) is mingling with the younger missionaries while they are enjoying the view above the falls.
Some of the more adventurous missionaries wanted to see the bottom of the falls up close (not authorized). They all came back very wet.
This is a geyser near the town of Ampefy not far from Lily Falls. There are several other geysers in this immediate area. All are unspectacular when compared to Yellowstone, but spout constantly.
This is our Tuesday night English class. They are the faithful ones who have stuck it out through the 25 lessons in the course. The lady on the left is Sister Noeline, the wife of a counselor in the stake presidency, who is a school teacher. Two on the front row work for Caritas, an arm of Catholic Relief Services (CRS). The rest are workers at the national Health Ministry. The classes are held in our down town stake center. This is our Thursday night class. All are from the Health Ministry. Several are doctors. It has been a delight to teach English to these very bright and dedicated people.
This young family (minus Brother Vonji) lives in our Itoasy Branch. Vonji drives this classic little taxi for a living. His wife and children are posing with Sister Bird in the parking lot of our church. These are four cute kids.
Sister Bird is presented this prize duck as a token of appreciation by the Mayor of the Commune of Alatsinainy-Ambazaha where we turned over a new clean water system. Sister Bird decided to name the duck Daisy, but I think it is a male and looks more like a Daffy. Anyway, we gave him or her away to our friend Njara.
This sweet little lady is one of the school teachers at the village where the water project was installed. She was delighted to pose with the duck and Sister Bird. We don't know who the other man is, but they are all more than happy to pose for a picture any time.
The famous Baobab Amour, or lover's Baobab. Truly a unique phenomenon in the plant world.
This is the mode of transportation of choice in the Madagascar outback.
The way the women carry their various loads. Bridge hazard on the National highway East of Morondava. 
