This is the Church's Service Center in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is an old colonial home which the Church has converted into office space.

This is the entrance to the Service Center. Bryan Jackson, Area Legal Counsel, was my traveling companion for this 8 day trip. We would visit both the DRC and Kenya.

Meeting with three of the attorneys the Church uses in the DRC. Annette, Jerome, and Armand.

Bryan Jackson and I with the Congo River in the background.

A picture of downtown Kinshasa. Originally established as a trading post by Henry Stanley (the newspaper reporter who found Dr. David Livingston) in 1881.

Soon Kinshasa will have a temple. I'm standing on the temple site with 2 of the 7 Stake Presidents in Kinshasa. Presidents Hoboko and Thierry.

This picture was taken on the southern bank of the Congo River looking north towards the city of Brazzaville, Congo. This is the only place in the world where two national capitals, Brazzaville and Kinshasa, face each other.

The urban area of Kinshasa is huge. Approximately 11 million people.

This is a picture of the entrance to the DRC, Kinshasa airport. It was the most chaotic place I've ever had to pass through. 

An LDS chapel on the main road between the airport and downtown Kinshasa.

Unemployment is extremely high in the DRC. These fellows are lucky to have a job renovating a downtown structure.

Lots of walkers in Kinshasa. But as you can see the woman are capable of carrying the heavier load, but both men and women will carry items on their heads.

Kinshasa school children waiting for the bus. There are 4 colleges in Kinshasa.

View from my hotel window. It was not a 5 star location.

View of Kinshasa with Congo River and Brazzaville in the distance.

Wide angle view of the temple site and Church buildings on the right.

5 young men I met on the Congo River.

If you're not walking in Kinshasa, you're probably waiting in line for a Kombi. 

Kombis come in all shapes and sizes. This fellow has installed wooden benches in to his van so he can pack more people in.

With unemployment so high, that does not mean everyone isn't trying to make a living.  Like most of the African cities I've visited, Kinshasa has many street vendors.

Heading out of town there are still lots of people on the streets.

Lord Robert Baden Powell was the founder of the Boy Scouts. I doubt there is any organization in the world which has impacted more young men.  Above is Baden Powell's last letter to the organization which he founded. 

While in Nairobi, Kenya I learned that Lord Baden Powell is buried in Njeri, Kenya about 120 km northwest of Nairobi. So having a free morning Bryan Jackson and I set off at 5:30 am to see if we could find it. We did and here is proof in a picture. He and his wife are both buried here.

Driving in Kenya, like many other African countries, requires the constant look-out for domestic animals

The Great Rift Valley a geographic trench which extends 3,700 miles from Jordan to Mozambique. Technically it is a combining of separate geographical fault lines and plates.

With my friend Alex. He is a returned missionary who was married about  5 months ago to Linda. After being married 1 month, he was called to be a bishop.

Leaving Nairobi we headed back to Johannesburg, South Africa, we passed very close to Mt. Kilimanjaro. This picture is taken of the side which I and the McMahan brothers climbed some 8 years ago.

This may be my favorite moment on this mission. Mom and I were invited by Denise Butterfield to come over to the Butterfield home for a Sunday dinner last week. Her 4 children were there along with 9 of 11 grandchildren.  As we were about to have a blessing on the food, Arthur Butterfield, Denise's husband got everyone's attention and said pointing to me, "This man is responsible for all of you." He then went on and explained that I had baptized Denise some 48 years ago while on my mission in Rhodesia. Arthur concluded by saying, "Had your mother/grandmother not been a member of the Church, I would not have married her. Because Elder Shupe baptized your mom, I was able to marry her and you are all the result of that baptism." There was a moment of great joy in my heart.

Our daughter Meleah Borgquist and her husband Buck came for a visit over the New Year.  How appropriate that on the 3 day visit to Kruger Park the first animal we see is a Kudu "buck".

The hippos were very excited to see our family members. Mom brought her little boy over to get a closer look. He just blew his nose at us.

African sunsets are the best.

We came across a very large pack of wild dogs. Also known as the Cape Hunting Dog, it is the most endangered carnivore in Africa. 

If you ever come upon a sleeping lion, don't wake her up.

Well, somebody wasn't listening and she came very close to us.

The hyena is one very ugly animal but its cubs are cute. These guys had taken over a termite mound which had been dug out by a honey badger.

A tiny Steenbok. They don't get much taller than 24 inches.

As the sun was setting we came across 3 very large male lions. 

These guys really are the king of the jungle.

Our safari group.

We took a day trip up to Pretoria. This picture of the capital of South Africa was taken from the Voortrekker Monument.

Meleah, Buck and Nelson.

I always like to give him a high-5.

Stopping for a snack while on safari.

Mom getting up close and personal with a sleeping female lion.

The Baobab Lodge where we stayed.

As we were leaving Kruger this giraffe just had to take a peak at us.

At trip to Moyos a little African restaurant we like.

And a swing on the swings. Mom was in heaven having one of her girls here in Africa.