1998: Africa - Intro

February 10, 2008

NOTE: Ten years ago The Salt Lake Tribune sent reporter Peggy Fletcher Stack and I across Africa to cover a trip by Gordon B. Hinckley, who was then the head of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Over the coming days I will be posting a collection of my writings from that trip, beginning today.

February 1998

The other day I got wind that we were planning to send a photographer to Africa to cover the Mormon prophet’s first trip there in twenty years. And it wasn’t going to be me. They asked Chuckles to go. He’s one of our veteran shooters (note: since retired). Amazingly, he turned it down. I heard he was concerned for his safety.

My name wasn’t even on the list of candidates. My wife Laura is pregnant, and her due date falls just days after the end of the trip. It was assumed I couldn’t because of the coming baby. In all honesty, I didn’t appreciate that considerate thought on their part.

I talked to Laura. Like all of the other times that my photography has siphoned off my time and our money, I expected her to be against the idea. Especially since she’d be alone with our two-year-old as well as being eight months pregnant. But she was surprisingly supportive, saying, “If you weren’t there for the birth, it would be sad. But my sister could help and I could just videotape it for you.” I couldn’t believe my luck.

I immediately called the office and told them to put my name in for consideration. Later I got the call: “You’re going.”

Ecstatic, I rushed over to tell my neighbor. Mel is over 80-years old but every garbage day if I’m not quick he will pull my garbage can up the driveway. He’ll even snowblow my sidewalk and driveway after a storm if I don’t get out there first. Mel emigrated from South Africa about thirty years ago. I figured he’d be excited that I was going there. Boy was I wrong.

“It’s terrible there,” he said. “There have been 48 murders in Johannesburg in the past month alone.

“Of the three other members of my church bishopric, two have been murdered since then and the other one is dead. I’m the only one still alive.

“If you left your car on the street overnight, the wheels would be gone in the morning.

“A guy was visiting us and went to the flea market. Six natives held him down on the ground and stole his wallet.

“I wouldn’t go back if you gave me a free ticket.”

Am I still excited after talking to Mel?

More than before.