Le Castella at night in the village of La Castella

We have been to many of the member’s homes and found very few have heat. Only one with what we might call central heating. The rest use a room heater with little output or have no heat that we could see and they wear many layers of clothes. The seniors in the area especially use little heat. It is too costly. We feel rather spoiled and extravagant in using ours. But we do use it. We have had rain on and off for a few days and the humidity is high even with temps in the 40’s, it feels very cold. It is becoming more and more apparent the needs and difficulties many face. The most painful is the lose of family. Work is hard to obtain and because there are so few young people with which to marry that are members or with the same standards, the children look to leave Crotone. I can feel the broken hearts of many Sisters in the ward because their children are far way or are making plans to be far away. Some are alone and some are fortunate enough to have one or two children around.

 We have several widows and a couple of widowers living on meager income. They live lonely lives but none wish to remarry. They feel it will show their devotion and true love by not remarrying. I told one sister we had 3 single sisters and hoped very much that they would remarry, (open mouth insert foot), I was told…’ We do not think that way’…

We have made a few trips around the area to neighboring villages, where some of the members live. They are quite places, well one is, the other one will be very busy soon with tourist season. It is by the sea.  On that trip the wind was howling around 50 miles per hour and the sea was whipped up. I could not take still shots and so I took movies, as you see the waves you fear for your lives, just as the Disciples did. ( It does not do justice to the power of the wind.)

One can only think of the HYMN "Master the Tempest is Waging."

1, Master the tempest is raging, the billows are tossing high!

The sky is o’er-shadowed with blackness. No shelter or help is nigh.

Car-est thou not that we parish? How canst thou lie asleep

When each moment so madly is threat-ning  A grave in the angry deep?

2, Master with anguish of spirit  I bow in my grief today.

The depths of my sad heart are troubled. Oh, waken and save, I pray!

Torrents of sin and of anguish Sweep o’er my sinking soul,

And I perish! I perish! Dear Master. Oh , hasten and take control!

3, Master, the terror is over. The elements sweetly rest.

Earth’s sun in the calm lake is mirrored, And heaven’s with in my breast.

Linger, O blessed Redeemer! Leave me alone no more,

And with joy I shall make the blest harbor And rest on the blissful shore.

 Chorus : The winds and the waves shall obey thy will: Peace be still

Whether the wrath of the stormtossed sea Or demons or men or whatever it be, No waters can swallow the ship where lies the Master of ocean and Earth and skies.

They all shall sweetly obey thy will : Peace be still Peace be still. They all shall sweetly obey thy will: Peace, Peace, be still.

So sorry the best film will not up load , I think it is too long, But this gives you some idea. Not really,  we were being blown almost over!