It takes a lot of cash to support a Senior Missionary Couple in Nigeria. It's a good thing it's their own money, administered by their trusty family in Idaho. This is a little over one month's cash. It pays for everything except our Monthly bill from the Mission for our apartment, vehicle and cell phone. The money spread out on our dining table is about $1,200-$1,300 in Nigerian Naira (ny-ra). That totals up to N135,000 to about N145,000, all in 500 Naira Notes. The black bag is the fancy, black, plastic "Bank Bag", they give you to carry your cash home in. Our Naira purchases groceries, vegetables & fruit from the little produce market we shop at, gas for the car, personal care items, medications, and anything else that arises during the month (like chocolate, for instance). It stacks up to a bundle almost 2 inches thick. Two people always go to the bank together to provide security. This is one of the more interesting issues we deal with as we serve in Nigeria. Sister Krupp has to pre-calculate what we may need for cash anytime we leave for shopping or an outing of any kind. We can't rely on credit cards, debit cards or checks. They don't exist except for the check the Mission Office writes to the Bank in Naira, in exchange for our check to the Mission in good old US Dollars. You always want enough, but not a lot of excess in case of a run in with unsavory folks.
Elder Ma'u from Tonga, is the body guard who usually walks with Elder Krupp to the Zenith Bank. Elder Ma'u is a semi-pro Rugby Player in Tonga. He also likes American Football, but says it's little wussy for Rugby Players. Too much standing around and not a lot of real work like it takes for Rugby. He takes care of Mission Office Finances half of the time and Missionaries for the other half of his time. He is going to be a lawyer at home in Tonga.
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