Still here!!! :-D

This is me at the lake on Sunday... photos take forever to load so there won't be many right now :) Just wanted to prove that I am alive and well!!

Greetings again from Africa!

Yes, I’m still alive and kicking (Although, after slicing myself open, burning myself and spraying insect repellent in my eye all in one day… not sure how long that’ll last. Feel free to send extra band aids!!) :) I’m trying not to stir up too much trouble in the Congo- but we’ll see how long that lasts!!

A lot has happened since I put up my post last week so I’ll see what details I can remember:

- Thursday I spent the day out and about the town with a friend. We went to an art gallery where some of the orphans he works with had their artwork on display. The artwork was very awesome!! (If you’re looking for art and want to help a great cause, let me know and I’ll put you in touch.) I also went to an English speaking Bible study. When I returned to the orphanage that night there was a new baby... He’s about a week old and he’s so small! I nicknamed him “Baby Obama” which the girls love! (They ask me about President Obama and Michael Jackson a good deal.) The baby is so precious and perfect. He napped in my room on Saturday and I just sat and watched him.

- One of the moms here (Mama Rebecca) lost one of her parents right before I arrived… sadly, she lost one of her sons last week. Friday we went to the mortuary to pick up the body (yes, it was in a coffin and no, I did not take the opportunity to look when it was opened.) From there the “hearse” took the body and many of the family members to the cemetery that was a mile or two away. I stayed in our van for the burial… I was already completely overwhelmed… They have “snack stands” across the path from the graveyard so it was interesting to watch folks get snacks before or after the burial. (His death had something to do with drinking too much so I was sad that they were selling liquor and beer, but I’m sure they’re just there to make money every day and don’t know anything about those being buried.) Then we went another mile or two to Mama Rebecca’s home where we greeted her. I know that’s not a lot of details, but there are so many I would be typing for a week… better told in person.

- Friday was a long day and I spent the day overwhelmed and confused about what was going on, where we were and where we would go next… between that, the bumpy roads (okay, they were more like hills and valleys with stores on either side), not getting lunch, having a dinner that had been left out (no refrigerator here), being frustrated that no one was explaining to me what was happening but not wanting to ask b/c I was trying to be respectful, etc. I ended up sick. Luckily it only lasted about two hours and I’ve been just fine since but those few hours weren’t much fun. But again, feeling much better now!

- Also on Friday, one of the girls had a seizure right before some of us left for the funeral. She’s epileptic (and I think she’s possibly Autistic.) She’s been to see a doctor or two and is on some type of medication but there’s only one doctor for the entire city who can work with her condition and there’s no health insurance to cover tests, doctor visits, medicines, etc. It’s very sad because I know in the States she could live a fairly normal life but here her condition will always be a problem.

- Sunday I hit up church again. Always a good time even though I have no idea what’s being said… I also went down to a little lake with some new friends. Of course I love to swim, but some of you know that I don’t like being in lakes or the ocean so I was content to get my feet wet and enjoy the sunshine and a nice breeze. The country-side here is beautiful! Yes, it’s a little brown, but there’s no rain so it’s to be expected. However, the sunsets are absolutely amazing and I look forward to it each evening!!

- One of my main problems is that I have so many questions but the girls don’t always understand and I don’t want to confuse them so I don’t ask. (Questions about church, school, the town, themselves, the funeral, etc.)

- My “diet” has officially begun :) I can’t eat the fish (even though they’ve tried to make it different ways for me in hopes that I’ll like it better- however, all is going well with the chicken they prepare for me), there’s no breakfast with the tea unless the girls make homemade bread… so I’m living off of whatever I purchase at the store, SoyJoy bars, rice and potatoes. (Yes, I’m already tired of carbs, lol!) I did make it to the store today and tried to get a few more things that I could eat so we'll see how well I did!! The girls do eat more than what I listed that I eat, I just can’t eat the food. Yes, I’ve tried it all and did my best, but most of them didn’t agree with me…  On the fun side, I made Mac & Cheese the other night for everyone. Only in Africa am I considered a good cook, LOL! It wasn’t too bad and most of the girls seemed to enjoy it. Cheese it expensive here so I don’t know if they don’t eat it for that reason or they just don’t like it. (There also isn’t much fresh milk, I’ve only see powered milk.) They also don’t have a fridge and if they did, they don’t have power often so fresh milk and cheese would just go bad. There is a generator but for some reason they don’t use it… either it’s not working or they can’t afford the gas for it… ? (Watch out world, I now know that I can make Mac & Cheese for 50 people at once, I might have to start a catering business!! J/K of course!)

- I do continue to ask for your prayers!!! Life is rough here (at least for this chick who is used to a different lifestyle.)  I try to play with the kids and engage them but sometimes the teenage girls have so much to say to each other that they just keep on speaking French and Swahili and so I sit like a bump on a log. The little kids are fun but they just aren’t grasping the idea that I don’t understand what they say… Sometimes they fight and argue with each other  and if they spoke English (or I spoke French or Swahili) I could help them work things out (I’ve been doing it for a good 15 years now) but since I don’t understand them and they don’t understand me it’s rough. Also, when I’m trying to help them work out an issue the Mamas put a stop to it right away (usually in a harsh tone) and they all scatter… Behaviors that are expected of them are different here than at home so I’m never sure what behaviors to help correct and which to leave alone… Not to say I don’t have fun with the girls and that I don’t enjoy the city… because I do. Also, I’m used to having freedom and doing things on my own, here I’m at the mercy of everyone else.  I think the most frustrating part is never getting a break unless I get away for a few hours. Even when I’m in my room there is always someone yelling, or crying, or fighting, or playing the radio super loud even though it’s only static. (Even at night…) Please pray for me that God will love each and everyone human being here through me because sometimes I have a hard time coping.

- Please continue to pray for all the kids and the Mamas who take care of them. I know they are used to this lifestyle, so it works for them… but I wish they all would have more opportunities in life. I can see that I few of the kids have developmental problems but they’ll probably never get the help they should or could in the States. They all have such great hopes and dreams… some want to be Pastors, some Missionaries, some Secretaries, even one or two want to be a Doctor! (Plus I think a couple should be models, they’re gorgeous!) They are as much children of God as anyone else is and they should have the same opportunities but because of the life they’ve fallen into, they may never have much of a chance. 

- The address for the orphanage is: (not sure when the things will arrive but maybe before I leave!?) :) Jamaa Letu Orphanage, South Congo United Methodist Church, PO Box 22037, Kitwe, Zambia

Thanks for all of your love, support, prayers and happy thoughts! Many of you have been able to send me encouraging notes and I thank you for those! It’s good to know there is so much support out there! When times get tough for me here I think about everyone at home and it helps me push through!!

God’s peace and blessings from the Congo DR!!!

Love to all!
Rachel

no photos...

Okay, photos are taking too long to load on here, will put a few on facebook :)

Love!!!

Hello World!

Hello World!!!!!!!!!!! I may not be able to chat with all of you via phone like I wish, but this is better than nothing! Many thanks to one of my new Congo-friends for letting me borrow an internet thingy while I’m here!!!
So WOW! I don’t even know where to start except to say THANK YOU for your prayers, thoughts, happy wishes, and all the helpful supplies you helped me get stocked up with!! Each and every family member and friend has been such an amazing blessing in helping get me where I am today! God bless you all! God is so amazing! So many of my prayers have been answered and I feel like I’m doing God’s will.
So… not really sure how to start this but I decided that going by the senses would be best… let me also share that many things below may seem like complaints, most aren’t... I just want to share how different things are here than in America. Also, everyone is very friendly and those around me are so helpful and treat me very kindly!!
I’m going to skip taste and will share that later :)
Touch- The main difference is personal space. There really isn’t any. I was sitting on a bench in church for Sunday school on Sunday evening with one of the girls and it seemed like she just kept scooting closer and closer. I do hug the girls and the little kids like to sit on my lap, but sometimes when you want your space, they just don’t understand. It’s just a cultural thing and I’m getting used to it.
Smell- Have mercy! The smell is not too great! I don’t think anyone except me wears deodorant here… Then there’s the smell in the city… it’s a mix of dust, brakes and exhaust. Let me just share that I woke up one morning and thought I was dying because when I looked in the mirror my tongue was BLACK. I later realized that it happens when I go into the city… it’s the dirt, brake dust, exhaust mixture, GROSS!! Sometimes the dirt and exhaust are so thick you can hardly see anything in front of you. (It’s the dry season here which means NO rain for months… not ‘a-slight-chance-of-rain’ type of weather… NO RAIN weather.) However, it’s also the cool season, which I’m totally fine with! It’s cool in the mornings and evenings, I usually where jeans and a sweatshirt or jacket… the days are cool if you’re in the shade… but if you’re in the van or in the sun, it’s nice and hot! I think I can get used to some things here but not sure the smell will ever be one of those things…
Seeing- I cannot even describe what I’ve seen here… lots of kids everywhere are completely dirty, they play in open sewers (just trash in them now, not a lot of water since it’s the dry season), clothing is torn and doesn’t fit correctly for a lot of kids (most of the adults do try to look nice, they have very bright clothing), folks using the bathroom where ever that happen to be when they have to go, cars that are falling apart yet still being driven, homes made of four sticks and tarp, and those are all things I can see… I say that because sometimes you can’t see much. The power goes out daily so a candle-light dinner here isn’t a romantic event, it’s a necessity. I’ve seen lots of cockroaches and flies (haven’t seen many mosquitoes- again, it’s the dry season). The second night I was here I came up with a game in my room called “scare the cockroaches.” I would enter my room and flip on the light and watch them scatter… gross, right? I’m killing as many as I can each day so you think they’d get the point to stay away from my room! Something that I love to see happens at night when the power goes out… the sky is so filled with stars. The first time I saw it, it took my breath away! I also love the sunset. Behind the orphanage is the church I attend and over the wall of the orphanage compound you can see the cross in front of the church… the sun sets right beside it and it’s an amazing sight.
Hearing- As some of you know, I don’t like loud things. I keep the radio in my car turned down and don’t like the TV very loud… loud noises bother me a good bit. They don’t bother folks here! They do everything loudly… In the morning (between 5.15 and 6) and at night (between 8 and 9) the girls all stand in the hallway of the building where our sleep quarters are and sing and pray. It’s great to be a part of but I can hardly stand how loud they are. I finally realized that earplugs do the trick. I don’t think anyone knows my secret just yet. Another loud noise is the horn of the van and other vehicles. Some of you might think that folks in DC are bad drivers and that the roads in Norfolk are no good… come visit me here and you will NEVER, EVER, EVER complain again! A pothole here would be a sinkhole at home, stop signs are merely suggestions and the only rule I’ve seen anyone obey is to stop when the light is red (usually). Besides that people drive all over the road, park anywhere (literally) and pass folks from, and in, any direction. Some roads are paved, some are just dirt and somehow (not sure how since it’s the dry season) some are just mud. I even saw a car scrape the side of another and just keep driving… To add to the hearing section- Most of the time, I have no idea what folks are saying… want to know what Sunday school is like for me? Imagine a super long lecture class you attended in college… then imagine not understanding a word of what anyone is saying… a couple of hours of that at a time is rough, but oh well, I’m doing my best. I am learning some French and bit of Swahili and the girls are working on their English… we manage :)
I am working on a list of things I think the orphanage could use right away. I will get the mailing address soon but in the meantime, any items you can gather or purchase would be great! If folks from all the churches reading this can send boxes as a group, that’s probably best. The sooner the better also because it will probably take at least 10-20 days for it to arrive and then the mailbox is only checked once a month. Here’s the list so far:
-Shoes and socks of all sizes (babies up to probably a women’s 10 or 11)- flip flops, tennis shoes, church shoes… pretty much any type of shoes without a heal… also, the less cloth the better and no leather… (I think Payless has shoes that look like Crocs but are much cheaper, those would be great! Shoes are wiped off by hand or washed in the water bucket like the clothing so they need to be durable, please.)
- Cutlery and a knife sharpener
-Girl’s underwear and bras of all sizes (new please)
-Deodorant and bars of disinfectant soap
- Potholders, kitchen rags and dish towels
-Bath towels and wash cloths
-Clothing of all sizes (infant and up)- No strapless or halter tops, no mini-skirts, nothing revealing- clothing should be appropriate for young girls. Sweaters and jackets are also good since it’s very cool in the morning and evening.
-I don’t know what to call these, but the plastic panties that you put over regular panties when little kids are being potty trained (in case of accidents)
-Bibs, onsies and baby blankets
-Cloth diapers and those big safety pins that are used with them
-Bottles (not the kind that need disposable liners), bottle brushes
-Pins, needles, thread of all colors
-Games and books (if you can find any picture books that have French and English words together, that’s great, the girls love those!)
-They also love photos… flowers, animals, your family (feel free to write a little note to say Hi):)
I continue to covet your prayers while I’m here. I’m adjusting okay and the girls and women at the orphanage are doing everything they possibly could do to make me feel welcome! However, it’s still hard. Something I really miss is running water! I haven’t flushed a toilet in almost two weeks! Something I do enjoy is washing my clothing by hand… don’t ask why, I don’t know... but its fun and the girls like to help me :) (No, I will not continue this practice when I return home!!)
Please feel free to ask any questions and I’ll do my best to answer them! I will only be online occasionally so please don’t be offended if I don’t reply right away!! Also, I’ve put up some photos… I’ll put up more when I have time to give them good descriptions.
Again, I want to express my heart-felt thanks to all of you! Love and Blessings from the DRC to you! God is soooo great!!!
Love and hugs- Rachel

God's Weary Traveler

Whew! So I think I know what day it is but I’m pretty lost on what time it is and where I am :-)
Okay, actually, I’m at Heathrow… I have a few hours to kill before my next flight so I thought I’d post a little update while I have a tiny but of internet connection…

My flight from Dulles to London was delayed by over 12 hours and I needed to get to London to make my connection so they sent me to Paris and then to London. I got to Dulles with plenty of time to spare to make my flight (or so I thought) but since it was changed I ended up running to catch my flight and not getting to make a lot of phone calls to friends and family members like I wanted… so to those folks, I apologize.  I CAN now say that I’ve been to France… even if it was only for 45 minutes :-)  The two photos above are what I saw of France from the plane I boarded to get to London. The two below are the clouds I could see as we descended towards Heathrow :-)

I got to London but my checked baggage didn’t… however, they said it would be just a few hours behind me. So I checked into my Yotel cabin and took a nap and one last shower. After that I was able to get my luggage and check it in for my following flights. A big bummer has been that the luggage is over the weight restrictions so I’ve have to pay hundreds of dollars in fines. There was just so much to take to the orphanage between gifts, items they requested I bring and my personal items that nothing could be left out… oh well, as long as it all gets there!!  After that I grabbed a burger and fries and here I am!!

I’m very tired but hopefully I’ll get some sleep on my 8 ½ flight to Nairobi :-)  So far everything is working out fine (minus the little issues here and there.) God seems determined to get me to Lubumbashi and I look forward to getting there!!

My love and God’s Peace to all!!!!
Rachel