Dem. Republic of Congo
June 15 - 18, 2011
Ken and I arrived in Kinshasa on June 16 and stayed at a semi-nasty hotel with no running water in Ken’s room, some running water in my room and cockroaches. My room had water, but it came in spurts and water was not to be found coming out of the sink. Instead, it came out through the water tubes running on the side of the wall, flooding the tile bathroom. This was a bit of a pain, especially when the electricity ran out and I thought I’d fall and break my neck on the slippery floor. I managed to bathe using a bucket of water while diligently keeping my eyes focused away from the spider on the wall. I figured if I gave him a wide berth, he’d leave me alone in gratitude for his life. It worked well and we both slept in different rooms, that spider and I.
While in Kishasa, we spent time with Pastor Alenge, who is a great driver in a sea of mad drivers and casual walkers with a death wish. We ate tasty dinners at his home, cooked and served by his wife Betty and spend the day in his car, driving from place to place. We went to the airlines office to deposit our suitcases which would forwarded to Gemena, to the bank to exchange money, to the church where the pastor lives and works, and to the grocery store. All of these tips should have been doable in a couple of hours, but the traffic was so dense that it took us all day to complete these four tasks.
On Saturday, we flew to Gemena, where the air was thick with humidity and where sweat started pouring down my shirt and into my pants, finally finding its way to my ankles. We arrived at the mission station where we were greeted by children who receive medicine from AFCA and who were holding a banner thanking AFCA for the hope they have received. The children had t-shirts on which said “AFCA, thanks for giving us hope” and which almost made me cry. Had I not been the only woman in the whole bunch of people, I would have cried, I am sure. But, I held it together and really enjoyed the short but touching ceremony carried out by the various leaders of CECU and PEASIT. Rachel arrived in time to translate the ceremony for Ken and me and it was a beautiful service. The music was my favorite part, with different voices joining in to form a hymn that I recognized in my own language. The music had a distinct African sound to it, with harmonies and clapping forming sounds and feelings that make me swell up inside – it is a sound that makes me smile and that makes me sorrowful, at all once. It leaves my soul feel full and I know I am in Africa once again.
Now, on the 18th of June, we sit in a small guesthouse while Rachel cooks up some Ramen Noodles for dinner and we wait for the internet to work so we can write our loved ones back home. The generator is working, so we are able to charge our cameras, phones and laptops, but we can’t get hooked up to the V-Sat quite yet.
I am trying not to drink too much liquid at this time of night because I don’t want to have to use the outhouse unless my kidneys just can’t take it anymore. I don’t like it when my flashlight catches shadows made by giant spiders or cockroaches. I don’t like having to set my flashlight down in order to fetch water to pour into the toilet that doesn’t flush. So – little water and soup for me tonight.
Outside, the dark is dark. It is gorgeous and smells fresh due to the storm that passed this way, washing away the humidity and leaving behind the clean, earthy smell and cool temperatures that promises good sleep tonight. I am told that this is not normal and that tomorrow, we might swelter as we sleep. But, for now, I am looking forward to a great night of sleep, as last night was lost to a cacophony of noise outside our hotel windows. Tonight, all I hear is the croaking of frogs, the chirping of insects, and the sound of chickens sleeping. I feel peaceful, which is such a welcome feeling after the oppressive, dirty, and sad feel from Kinshasa. I’d be happy not to pass through that city again, but I know I must. Next time, I will come through Bangui in Central African Republic.
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