Less than one week left on this amazing adventure… although, once I get back to NoVA I think God will have another great adventure for me at home or abroad, plus I’m sure that just because I come home, doesn’t mean this adventure is ending! I must say that there are things I’m going to miss from Lubumbashi once I get home… but no running water and not having water at all (when the pump to the well breaks) won’t be one of those things!! :) I also won’t miss the constant power-outages… I’m sitting in the dark right now, was just lucky to have my laptop charged so I could get a few things done…
I’d like to thank the following companies for their assistance in getting me through the summer:
The Coca-Cola Company- for Dasani, Coke, Sprite and Fanta (yes- I have been drinking pop this summer- that’ll have to stop once I get back to the US)
REI- thank you to all the folks who purchased items from my registry to prepare for this trip! All items have been used and have been very helpful!!
Laughing Cow- for providing pre-packaged cheese that I could treat myself with (Julie- I’ve had very little cheese this summer, you can only guess how much I’ve missed it!!!)
OMO- This is the soap used for hand-washing clothing… I’ve gone through at least a handful of packages!
the makers of Pepto-Bismol, Tums, Cipro and Malerone- won’t get into an explanation on this one- but if you’ve traveled abroad you know that these products are your friends!
Cadbury- this seems to be the main chocolate here- again, another treat I would purchase when I made it to a store in town
VodaCom & Zain- for connecting me to new friends in Lubumbashi and family and friends back home
DEET- for keeping those nasty mosquitoes away (although- I did still get bit many times, but usually only when I forgot to put on the bug cream or bug spray)
USPS- for getting most of the packages that were mailed to Zambia where they were picked up and brought up to DRC – some more packages will probably arrive after I leave
Polyset- a company that makes many plastic products… I worked my upper body daily by carrying their buckets full of water to my room and used them a few times a week for washing my clothes
BBC- for keeping me up to date on world news
Many companies who make antibacterial hand gel, foam or wipes- for killing germs!
I’m sure I’ve probably forgotten some companies, my apologies! I thank you all for your support this summer and, to those of you who I supported b/c I purchased your product- You’ve very welcome!
Also- to share a quick story- you might think of this as a God thing or you might think it’s just a coincidence, that’s up to you, but here it is: I, very unintelligently, brought only one pair of cheapish flip-flops with me, the other shoes I brought were tennis shoes and a few nice pairs of sandals. As you can probably imagine, I wore the flip flops often, mainly around the center, because of the dirt, etc. The other day, those flip flops broke… I thought “well, I’m leaving in less than two weeks, I’ll survive.” Later that day I picked up a load of boxes that had been sent to me from the US… I was going through them and got to the box from my sister… in it was a pair of flip-flops (with a design from a TV show I like none-the-less!) How cool! I was close to tears. I called and left her a message to let her know how much those flip flops meant to me :) So that’s my DRC flip flop story!
Have a blessed day!
Peace & Love from DRC!
R
My lovely family
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Many thanks to the folks who have been sending my mom money for me to purchase things here in Lubumbashi for the girls!! I haven’t spent it all yet but here’s a list of things I’ve purchased so far:
Chicken Legs/Drumsticks for lunch one day
DVD player (Sounds frivolous, I know, but you know you have one! Plus the store was going out of business so everything was on clearance. A new TV was purchased for the girls so they love their new set-up!)
An antenna for the new TV that was purchased (once again, sounds frivolous, but $10 that I hope was well spent)
Hot dogs (chicken) and bread (fyi- even in the Congo hot dogs come in packs of 10 and rolls come by the dozen!) I figured we’d have them for dinner one evening but sometimes things get lost in translation and I’ll give you one guess what breakfast was this morning… HOT DOGS! :-D
I plan to purchase more for them but would like to do it on my own or with friends who aren’t affiliated with the orphanage… I’m always with a girl, the driver, etc so I hope to find a way to shop w/o any of them, but we’ll see how that goes :) Anyone know where the local Wal-Mart or shopping mall is located? If you’d like to continue donating, please sent the money to my church… anything that’s in the account when I return (and what I have left from the trip) will be sent to the orphanage via the Advance to help with operating costs…
A donation was made by a previous volunteer and her husband to do something special with the girls… so thanks to Emily and Danny we’re all going to the zoo Saturday! While we’re there I’ll also get Coke’s for the girls… (and thanks to Ian for the use of a bus!) Can’t wait!!!!
The weather is getting a bit warmer now. It’s still very cool in the mornings and evenings but the sun makes sure to warm us up quickly. It snows here every day… okay, not really, but that’s what I call the black ash that floats around from all the fires. Trash is put in piles in folk’s yards and in the community and then burnt. There is a huge pile on the other side of the orphanage wall and when they burn it I can’t spend much time outside b/c the smoke and ash really get to me. The smell of the fish gets to me too… The other day the fire was going and the fish was being prepared so between the two I spent the morning in my room! However, the trash fires here in the compound are much smaller so they don’t really bother me.
I think it took me over a month and a half to settle in here… I have complained (to myself) about many things but have come to realize that my real issue it just being at the mercy of others… when I eat, what I eat, where I go, when I go, what time I wake up, etc… For someone who has been on her own for years, this is tough. But I appreciate SO MUCH all the girls and mamas have done/are doing for me! They are all wonderful! I can’t wait to share stories and photos when I return! I have less than four weeks left and then I’m off to London to meet up with my folks and recover a bit. I really miss my family and friends so much! If anyone is free in the next few weeks, come to Congo and visit!! :) I have made many new friends though through different outlets and I’m thankful for them all and the blessings they’ve been in my life!
There is a cool mini-safari park here called Muyambo Park. I’ve already gone twice! A few animals are in cages (like a zoo) but the larger ones are just wandering around and you’ve free to wander around with them, it’s very cool!!! (Got some amazing photos and a great workout!!)
Finally- Watch out boys! When I return home I might still be sporting some of the new “perfume” I’ve been wearing while I’m here… it’s called Eau de bug spray! :-D (Since it keeps the annoying bugs away, I’m thinking about trying to see whether it keeps the annoying boys away!)
God’s peace to all!!!
Love, Rachel
Chicken Legs/Drumsticks for lunch one day
DVD player (Sounds frivolous, I know, but you know you have one! Plus the store was going out of business so everything was on clearance. A new TV was purchased for the girls so they love their new set-up!)
An antenna for the new TV that was purchased (once again, sounds frivolous, but $10 that I hope was well spent)
Hot dogs (chicken) and bread (fyi- even in the Congo hot dogs come in packs of 10 and rolls come by the dozen!) I figured we’d have them for dinner one evening but sometimes things get lost in translation and I’ll give you one guess what breakfast was this morning… HOT DOGS! :-D
I plan to purchase more for them but would like to do it on my own or with friends who aren’t affiliated with the orphanage… I’m always with a girl, the driver, etc so I hope to find a way to shop w/o any of them, but we’ll see how that goes :) Anyone know where the local Wal-Mart or shopping mall is located? If you’d like to continue donating, please sent the money to my church… anything that’s in the account when I return (and what I have left from the trip) will be sent to the orphanage via the Advance to help with operating costs…
A donation was made by a previous volunteer and her husband to do something special with the girls… so thanks to Emily and Danny we’re all going to the zoo Saturday! While we’re there I’ll also get Coke’s for the girls… (and thanks to Ian for the use of a bus!) Can’t wait!!!!
The weather is getting a bit warmer now. It’s still very cool in the mornings and evenings but the sun makes sure to warm us up quickly. It snows here every day… okay, not really, but that’s what I call the black ash that floats around from all the fires. Trash is put in piles in folk’s yards and in the community and then burnt. There is a huge pile on the other side of the orphanage wall and when they burn it I can’t spend much time outside b/c the smoke and ash really get to me. The smell of the fish gets to me too… The other day the fire was going and the fish was being prepared so between the two I spent the morning in my room! However, the trash fires here in the compound are much smaller so they don’t really bother me.
I think it took me over a month and a half to settle in here… I have complained (to myself) about many things but have come to realize that my real issue it just being at the mercy of others… when I eat, what I eat, where I go, when I go, what time I wake up, etc… For someone who has been on her own for years, this is tough. But I appreciate SO MUCH all the girls and mamas have done/are doing for me! They are all wonderful! I can’t wait to share stories and photos when I return! I have less than four weeks left and then I’m off to London to meet up with my folks and recover a bit. I really miss my family and friends so much! If anyone is free in the next few weeks, come to Congo and visit!! :) I have made many new friends though through different outlets and I’m thankful for them all and the blessings they’ve been in my life!
There is a cool mini-safari park here called Muyambo Park. I’ve already gone twice! A few animals are in cages (like a zoo) but the larger ones are just wandering around and you’ve free to wander around with them, it’s very cool!!! (Got some amazing photos and a great workout!!)
Finally- Watch out boys! When I return home I might still be sporting some of the new “perfume” I’ve been wearing while I’m here… it’s called Eau de bug spray! :-D (Since it keeps the annoying bugs away, I’m thinking about trying to see whether it keeps the annoying boys away!)
God’s peace to all!!!
Love, Rachel
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Another Update
WOW! I can’t believe my trip is half over, how crazy?!?
So I wanted to share some stories with you… all of them are meant to give you a chuckle, except the first…
- I was chatting with one of the girls one night and she asked me if Per Noel (Santa Claus) visited kids in the US. Not knowing where the conversation was going I said that yes, Santa came to visit young kids in the US. She then said that he doesn’t come to the Congo… I felt like such a bad person at that moment… how does one explain to a young Congolese orphan that Santa is either:
a) not real- then I would have to explain that the parents purchase the gifts and I’d feel bad about that because she has none to do that for her and apparently she still believes that Santa is real…
b) or stick with Santa being a reality and he just must accidently miss the Congo every year… ?
I did find out that this girl is here with three younger sisters. Don’t know where the father is, probably killed in the war and the mother died giving birth to the youngest (who is about 18 months). Their grandparents are in America and are going to adopt the girls but they have been stuck in paperwork (along with many other folks) to get them there. They are such amazing girls and will all thrive when they reach America!!
- Someone donated a chicken to the orphanage the other day- I’ve named it Snow White!
- I taught the young boy here how to play “thumb war” but “th” isn’t a sound that’s easy for the kids to make because it’s not part of their language… so he calls it “bum war!” (Flip-flop was also funny… he called the flip-bops!)
- Recently a girl who was adopted from the orphanage came back for the first time in seven years. She brought lots of items for the girls, including deodorant for the older ones… I was in the room when she was passing it out… after one girl received hers she came up to me and pointed at her deodorant and mimed rubbing it all over her face. I quickly said “no” and mimed using it correctly…
- Last Saturday I attended the dedication of Jamaa Letu/CEJAL II… because of all the horrible roads here I always am looking for a bathroom when I arrive anywhere. This day was no different. I asked the orphanage director where could I find one? She took me to the parsonage of the church that is right beside the new facility and I thought: Oh, a parsonage, this shouldn’t be too bad… She then showed me the outhouse… yup, a hole in the ground in a little hut with a door that one must squat over… let’s just say that I’d need some practice if I was to use the toilet that way on a regular basis, I had a few issues :)
- Last Sunday was the huge centennial celebration! Before it started I went up to one of the ushers and said to her: Toilet (because I needed to use one… thanks again to the roads.) She quickly stuck her hand out and told me her name… I guess she’ll always wonder why the crazy American girl’s name is Toilet, hahaha! :)
So I wanted to share some stories with you… all of them are meant to give you a chuckle, except the first…
- I was chatting with one of the girls one night and she asked me if Per Noel (Santa Claus) visited kids in the US. Not knowing where the conversation was going I said that yes, Santa came to visit young kids in the US. She then said that he doesn’t come to the Congo… I felt like such a bad person at that moment… how does one explain to a young Congolese orphan that Santa is either:
a) not real- then I would have to explain that the parents purchase the gifts and I’d feel bad about that because she has none to do that for her and apparently she still believes that Santa is real…
b) or stick with Santa being a reality and he just must accidently miss the Congo every year… ?
I did find out that this girl is here with three younger sisters. Don’t know where the father is, probably killed in the war and the mother died giving birth to the youngest (who is about 18 months). Their grandparents are in America and are going to adopt the girls but they have been stuck in paperwork (along with many other folks) to get them there. They are such amazing girls and will all thrive when they reach America!!
- Someone donated a chicken to the orphanage the other day- I’ve named it Snow White!
- I taught the young boy here how to play “thumb war” but “th” isn’t a sound that’s easy for the kids to make because it’s not part of their language… so he calls it “bum war!” (Flip-flop was also funny… he called the flip-bops!)
- Recently a girl who was adopted from the orphanage came back for the first time in seven years. She brought lots of items for the girls, including deodorant for the older ones… I was in the room when she was passing it out… after one girl received hers she came up to me and pointed at her deodorant and mimed rubbing it all over her face. I quickly said “no” and mimed using it correctly…
- Last Saturday I attended the dedication of Jamaa Letu/CEJAL II… because of all the horrible roads here I always am looking for a bathroom when I arrive anywhere. This day was no different. I asked the orphanage director where could I find one? She took me to the parsonage of the church that is right beside the new facility and I thought: Oh, a parsonage, this shouldn’t be too bad… She then showed me the outhouse… yup, a hole in the ground in a little hut with a door that one must squat over… let’s just say that I’d need some practice if I was to use the toilet that way on a regular basis, I had a few issues :)
- Last Sunday was the huge centennial celebration! Before it started I went up to one of the ushers and said to her: Toilet (because I needed to use one… thanks again to the roads.) She quickly stuck her hand out and told me her name… I guess she’ll always wonder why the crazy American girl’s name is Toilet, hahaha! :)
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Bonjour!
Bonjour from Africa! I hope that everyone is enjoying a nice summer!! I think of everyone often and while I know I’m missing a lot of fun back home, I look forward to lots of catching up when I return!! This includes you Jessica & Sean, CONGRATS and I want details!!! When is the big day? (Any girlfriends who wanna catch up, we’ll need to it over pedicures, my feet are nasty!!!! --- I’m sure you’re all happy to know that! I can’t help it; I haven’t had a shower in over a month! Bathing is done thanks to bath wipes and buckets of water… washing my hair usually happens twice a week and consists of me sitting in a chair and using a pitcher to pour water over my head. Although my hair is in braids for the second time so it probably won’t get washed until I take them out. And ladies, let’s just say that I don’t blame the women here for not shaving their legs, it’s no easy task and for that reason I wear my jeans more often than I thought I would!! When I hit the hotel in London on my return, I’ll probably spend the first 12 hours or so just standing in the shower!!!! (ps- I’m not sure if I’m getting tan or its just dirt that I can’t scrub off!!))
So I thought I’d just list some general stuff on this post… maybe you’ll find it interesting, maybe not :)
- Chores are done throughout the day here by most of the girls (some of the youngest ones don’t have many chores just yet.) My favorites are washing dishes (50 people- three meals a day plus all the pots used to prepare the food, you do the math!), watering the garden, helping prepare the greens and doing my laundry. The one I do not help with at all is preparing the fish, no thank you! Other chores the girls have are sweeping and watering the dirt, cooking, “mopping” the living areas and walk-ways, bathing the younger children, serving meals, etc. They all work very hard! While I do miss my Pilates class and walking at Fort Ward, I think I’m staying in decent shape by pumping water from the well and helping with the chores :)
- I feel safe here. The compound is locked up at night and there is always a groundskeeper/guard here keeping an eye on everything. Usually there are a few men here but always at least one. The windows are all protected by bars and we also have four dogs. (I really like having the dogs around, they’re very playful! Their names are: Alex, Zack, (they are best buddies), Fox, and Gin (who I think are “dating”)… those are their English/Rachel names… Alex is actually Obelex and Zack is Zack-a-piece… I know I just butchered those but that’s the best I could do, lol! They call Alex my “raficki” (again, I know I butchered that)… it means “friend” in Swahili. He likes to pull on my skirts and nip at my heals. He can even until one of my skirts! Zack also likes to join him in chewing on me and licking me. They are lots of fun, follow me around and lay at my feet! I do try not to pet them too much though because they are dirty, probably have flees and have sores on their ears that are covered in flies a lot.) I’m never on my own when I leave the compound. The driver is always around when we go to town and if he isn’t then I have at least one of the girls with me. There are also guards and police all over town. They seem to be on every street corner and are allowed to stop anyone for any reason. I’ve also been told that they’ll get in your vehicle too (not sure why though.) Everyone says that they just want you to give them money to let you “pass” but they’ve only stopped our van once or twice and after a chat with the driver we’ve been on our way with no problem. There are military folks walking around with large guns and I’m not sure why but they never seem to be there to cause problems, just to keep an eye on things. There are guards at every building you enter and many times you also have to pass another guard to exit. (You won’t see photos of the police, military or guards b/c I don’t think I want to try and take any! Plus a friend has his camera taken by the police for taking photos of them at the Independence Day parade- and I’d like to hang on to my camera!)
- Everyone is very friendly to me and they smile and say “Bonjour” or “Jambo.” As a guest, you are pretty much not permitted to stand. The girls won’t even let me stand around here, sometimes I have to insist that whoever got up to give me their seat to please sit back down because I’m fine. However, when they have younger ones bring me a chair I gratefully accept :)
- No I’m not married yet but yes I’ve been asked, hahaha! On my second day here a gentlemen already wanted to know if I was married. Sometimes when I’m out I wear a ring that looks like a wedding band, but when I don’t I’ve been told by men that they love me. But just like home, you ignore these comments and keep walking. (Plus they say them in Swahili so I only know what the girls translate for me.)
- Being the minority (when it comes to skin color) has not bothered me here. The more I’m out, the more I see folks of different nationalities, it just depends on where you go. The other day when I was grocery shopping I even ran into an Indian woman and her children whom I had met the week before. I thought it was comforting and also funny :) Another time I ran into some American teenagers I had met the evening before.
- I’ve been watching DVD’s with the girls on my laptop. Their TV is broken and they’ve all been sad about this so I finally brought out the laptop. We watched Shrek in French but I’ve seen it so many times that I still thought it was great and they really seemed to enjoy it. One of my goals before I leave is to try and price TVs and possibly purchase one for them, depending on the price.
- I’m extra in love with a few special kids here and I’m trying my best not to get attached but I already have three or four that I wish I could scoop up and bring home with me. (Yes, I know everyone was wondering about that so I figured I’d letcha know!)
- June 30th was the 50th Independence Day here so lots of people have been celebrating! It was a huge deal! People were fasting in preparation. I was graciously invited to join some folks for a cookout that evening and it was wonderful to meet so many great folks!!
- The weather is nuts… I figured it’d be pretty warm most of the time but I was wrong. In the mornings it’s fairly cool and I usually wear a long sleeve shirt and a sweatshirt. If you’re in the sun or in a vehicle it’s pretty warm and can get hot enough to give you a headache. However, if you’re in the shade or the wind is blowing, it’s fairly chilly. There is no heater or air conditioning unit but because of the weather right now, neither is needed. I’m sure during the warm season it can be unbearable but it’s really very pleasant right now!! I picked the perfect time of year to travel here because I’m guessing the temps this summer at home will be between 80 and 100… ya’ll enjoy and I’ll sit in the shade here! :)
- One Sunday I felt like crap and stayed in my room after church. I always feel bad when I’m in my room for long but when you’re in a country that is new to you, you can’t call your parents to make you feel better, you know that your friends can’t come over and cuddle on the sofa and watch movies with you until you feel better, you can’t sleep in your own bed and you can’t run to the grocery for chicken noodle soup, crackers and orange juice… the last thing you want is to sit around with people you don’t understand and pretend that you’re happy and cheerful! Right now I’m suffering from sinus issues… there is so much dust, ask and exhaust fumes in the air that I’m not sure how anyone breathes!! Prayers that I continue to feel better are very appreciated!!
- One Monday I went to the store and got some more food… I bought a box of frozen, breaded chicken that also has spinach and feta cheese with it (YUM!) The box contained four servings… the Mama who likes to prepare my food took the box and I repeatedly told her “un” (one) and pointed at the box. Bless her little heart if she didn’t give me a plate with all four on it! I was starving (missed lunch) so I ate two of them but I put the other two in a bag and told her (like a game of charades) that they were very good, I was full and I was putting the other two back in the freezer. (Everyone at the orphanage is very worried that I don’t eat enough, it’s kinda cute- most of the time. I got some frozen cheeseburgers to warm up and one of the Mamas has already told me twice that it’s not good that I only eat one of them! One evening I finished all the potatoes that were prepared for me and they cheered, danced and gave me high-fives for finishing all my food, it was hilarious! Also- onions and tomato paste are added to pretty much everything they fix me… very yummy but for someone who went through months of medicine to stop my tummy from being inflamed… well, let’s just say that my gastroenterologist can probably expect to see me early this fall, lol!)
- A donation of fabric was made so the girls have been working on “kekwembes” (I’m sure that’s not spelled correctly- but it’s the fabric they wrap around themselves.) They asked me which material was my favorite and gave me one too, which, of course, I modeled for them and they had a great laugh!
- Before Independence Day we went to town so I could get some water and food. The traffic here is NUTS but was even crazier since the big holiday was approaching. The soldiers were all in the streets practicing for a parade. At one point our vehicle had to stop and wait as dozens of soldiers (with big guns) walked around us. (Not sure how we got in the middle of that, but it was a little unnerving!!)
- I love to hear the kids sing!! They love to sing and dance and its common ground for all of us. They know a few English songs and apparently I knew two songs in French! (When the little ones get rowdy I start singing one of them and they join in and sometimes stop their bickering.) I already have one video of the younger ones dancing and will do my best to get more before I leave!
- They all do each other’s hair, even the little toddler’s! They are very talented and I told them that I’m going to watch and learn so that I can braid hair like they do when I return home :) (Watch out ladies, I’ll need some friends to practice on, lol!)
- I LOVE the sunsets here, they’re gorgeous!! I also love to watch the moon rise and see the stars!! It’s been rising later (longer days?) so instead of watching it rise from the swing out back, I can lie in my bed and see it in the sky. (I have my head out in the middle of the room so that 1) any small creatures that are able to venture in around the windows are less likely to get to my head (not that they could get through the mosquito net… right?!?) and 2) because I like being able to see out the window from my bed.) Right now there are also flowers in my window… I found some and stuck them in bottle and filled it with water. I tried to explain to the girls that I can’t see stars where I live but what they got from that is that we don’t have stars in America… oops!
Stuff to make you laugh :)
- The little kids imitate whatever I say, even when I try to speak French… I guess my French is so poor that they don’t recognize the words!!
- One little girl has a very small English vocabulary… she points at my sunglasses and says “sunglasses.” She can also say “Tomorrow I’m going to church,” which she tells me nearly every time she sees me!
- The other day some little boys climbed the trees out front of the compound so that they could see me and wave at me! (Yes, there are many different races here but most are not in the area where I am, they are on the other side of town and/or don’t come out this way.)
- I have semi-trained one of the dogs, Zack, to give me kisses on the cheek :) The girls love the dogs but are a little afraid of them so they always laugh when he does this!
- Some fun games: “Guess what time we’ll eat” (Lunch is between 12:30 and 4, dinner is between 6 and 8) “Find the matches or flashlight in the dark” (Sometimes I forget to stick my flashlight in my pocket in the evening so when the power goes out and I go into my room I have to feel around to find it… luckily I haven’t accidently picked up a mouse or cockroach just yet!) You’ve heard of “Scare the roaches!” well there’s a second version to that game and it revolves around the toilet seat… (When the power is out I have to use my flashlight or a candle to check around and under the toilet seat to make sure I don’t sit on any!) “Find that mouse!” (This is one I don’t like because it’s usually played in the middle of the night. I have a friend who I named “Mickey” who likes to sneak around my room at night… I don’t care because he’s so small and he can’t get into anything important, but the noises of his playing in plastic bags and scampering across the floor keep me awake so I have to find him and make him leave the room.) Finally, the best of all is plain ol’ Charades! A few of the girls speak some English but it’s always a challenge for them to understand me and for me to understand them. I’m picking up some French and Swahili now so I can tell them certain things but I’m careful about giving them any answer because I’m never 100 percent sure what they’re asking… I’m sure they feel the same about me! :) Between French, Swahili and English we all get by okay. I’m also teaching them a little bit of Spanish (anyone confused yet?!?)
Finally- I don’t get much World News here so just Tuesday I found out about the explosion somewhere in the Congo over the weekend. No- it’s not where I am and Yes- I’m fine :)
Please keep the happy thoughts and wishes, prayers, etc. coming!! Now that I’ve been here over a month I’m just starting to get settled in… Everyday isn’t super, there are ups and downs, but all in all, I’m so happy and blessed to be here!
I’m sure there will be lots to write about in the future since tomorrow is the dedication of the boy’s orphanage, Sunday is the centennial celebration (100 years of the UMC in the Congo!) and this coming week is Annual Conference… (since I got out of going to mine, I guess I’m going to theirs!) Prayers also welcome for safe travel to and from Conference!!
Many prayers are being sent up for all of you and I send you my love and ask God’s peace for all!
Love,
R
So I thought I’d just list some general stuff on this post… maybe you’ll find it interesting, maybe not :)
- Chores are done throughout the day here by most of the girls (some of the youngest ones don’t have many chores just yet.) My favorites are washing dishes (50 people- three meals a day plus all the pots used to prepare the food, you do the math!), watering the garden, helping prepare the greens and doing my laundry. The one I do not help with at all is preparing the fish, no thank you! Other chores the girls have are sweeping and watering the dirt, cooking, “mopping” the living areas and walk-ways, bathing the younger children, serving meals, etc. They all work very hard! While I do miss my Pilates class and walking at Fort Ward, I think I’m staying in decent shape by pumping water from the well and helping with the chores :)
- I feel safe here. The compound is locked up at night and there is always a groundskeeper/guard here keeping an eye on everything. Usually there are a few men here but always at least one. The windows are all protected by bars and we also have four dogs. (I really like having the dogs around, they’re very playful! Their names are: Alex, Zack, (they are best buddies), Fox, and Gin (who I think are “dating”)… those are their English/Rachel names… Alex is actually Obelex and Zack is Zack-a-piece… I know I just butchered those but that’s the best I could do, lol! They call Alex my “raficki” (again, I know I butchered that)… it means “friend” in Swahili. He likes to pull on my skirts and nip at my heals. He can even until one of my skirts! Zack also likes to join him in chewing on me and licking me. They are lots of fun, follow me around and lay at my feet! I do try not to pet them too much though because they are dirty, probably have flees and have sores on their ears that are covered in flies a lot.) I’m never on my own when I leave the compound. The driver is always around when we go to town and if he isn’t then I have at least one of the girls with me. There are also guards and police all over town. They seem to be on every street corner and are allowed to stop anyone for any reason. I’ve also been told that they’ll get in your vehicle too (not sure why though.) Everyone says that they just want you to give them money to let you “pass” but they’ve only stopped our van once or twice and after a chat with the driver we’ve been on our way with no problem. There are military folks walking around with large guns and I’m not sure why but they never seem to be there to cause problems, just to keep an eye on things. There are guards at every building you enter and many times you also have to pass another guard to exit. (You won’t see photos of the police, military or guards b/c I don’t think I want to try and take any! Plus a friend has his camera taken by the police for taking photos of them at the Independence Day parade- and I’d like to hang on to my camera!)
- Everyone is very friendly to me and they smile and say “Bonjour” or “Jambo.” As a guest, you are pretty much not permitted to stand. The girls won’t even let me stand around here, sometimes I have to insist that whoever got up to give me their seat to please sit back down because I’m fine. However, when they have younger ones bring me a chair I gratefully accept :)
- No I’m not married yet but yes I’ve been asked, hahaha! On my second day here a gentlemen already wanted to know if I was married. Sometimes when I’m out I wear a ring that looks like a wedding band, but when I don’t I’ve been told by men that they love me. But just like home, you ignore these comments and keep walking. (Plus they say them in Swahili so I only know what the girls translate for me.)
- Being the minority (when it comes to skin color) has not bothered me here. The more I’m out, the more I see folks of different nationalities, it just depends on where you go. The other day when I was grocery shopping I even ran into an Indian woman and her children whom I had met the week before. I thought it was comforting and also funny :) Another time I ran into some American teenagers I had met the evening before.
- I’ve been watching DVD’s with the girls on my laptop. Their TV is broken and they’ve all been sad about this so I finally brought out the laptop. We watched Shrek in French but I’ve seen it so many times that I still thought it was great and they really seemed to enjoy it. One of my goals before I leave is to try and price TVs and possibly purchase one for them, depending on the price.
- I’m extra in love with a few special kids here and I’m trying my best not to get attached but I already have three or four that I wish I could scoop up and bring home with me. (Yes, I know everyone was wondering about that so I figured I’d letcha know!)
- June 30th was the 50th Independence Day here so lots of people have been celebrating! It was a huge deal! People were fasting in preparation. I was graciously invited to join some folks for a cookout that evening and it was wonderful to meet so many great folks!!
- The weather is nuts… I figured it’d be pretty warm most of the time but I was wrong. In the mornings it’s fairly cool and I usually wear a long sleeve shirt and a sweatshirt. If you’re in the sun or in a vehicle it’s pretty warm and can get hot enough to give you a headache. However, if you’re in the shade or the wind is blowing, it’s fairly chilly. There is no heater or air conditioning unit but because of the weather right now, neither is needed. I’m sure during the warm season it can be unbearable but it’s really very pleasant right now!! I picked the perfect time of year to travel here because I’m guessing the temps this summer at home will be between 80 and 100… ya’ll enjoy and I’ll sit in the shade here! :)
- One Sunday I felt like crap and stayed in my room after church. I always feel bad when I’m in my room for long but when you’re in a country that is new to you, you can’t call your parents to make you feel better, you know that your friends can’t come over and cuddle on the sofa and watch movies with you until you feel better, you can’t sleep in your own bed and you can’t run to the grocery for chicken noodle soup, crackers and orange juice… the last thing you want is to sit around with people you don’t understand and pretend that you’re happy and cheerful! Right now I’m suffering from sinus issues… there is so much dust, ask and exhaust fumes in the air that I’m not sure how anyone breathes!! Prayers that I continue to feel better are very appreciated!!
- One Monday I went to the store and got some more food… I bought a box of frozen, breaded chicken that also has spinach and feta cheese with it (YUM!) The box contained four servings… the Mama who likes to prepare my food took the box and I repeatedly told her “un” (one) and pointed at the box. Bless her little heart if she didn’t give me a plate with all four on it! I was starving (missed lunch) so I ate two of them but I put the other two in a bag and told her (like a game of charades) that they were very good, I was full and I was putting the other two back in the freezer. (Everyone at the orphanage is very worried that I don’t eat enough, it’s kinda cute- most of the time. I got some frozen cheeseburgers to warm up and one of the Mamas has already told me twice that it’s not good that I only eat one of them! One evening I finished all the potatoes that were prepared for me and they cheered, danced and gave me high-fives for finishing all my food, it was hilarious! Also- onions and tomato paste are added to pretty much everything they fix me… very yummy but for someone who went through months of medicine to stop my tummy from being inflamed… well, let’s just say that my gastroenterologist can probably expect to see me early this fall, lol!)
- A donation of fabric was made so the girls have been working on “kekwembes” (I’m sure that’s not spelled correctly- but it’s the fabric they wrap around themselves.) They asked me which material was my favorite and gave me one too, which, of course, I modeled for them and they had a great laugh!
- Before Independence Day we went to town so I could get some water and food. The traffic here is NUTS but was even crazier since the big holiday was approaching. The soldiers were all in the streets practicing for a parade. At one point our vehicle had to stop and wait as dozens of soldiers (with big guns) walked around us. (Not sure how we got in the middle of that, but it was a little unnerving!!)
- I love to hear the kids sing!! They love to sing and dance and its common ground for all of us. They know a few English songs and apparently I knew two songs in French! (When the little ones get rowdy I start singing one of them and they join in and sometimes stop their bickering.) I already have one video of the younger ones dancing and will do my best to get more before I leave!
- They all do each other’s hair, even the little toddler’s! They are very talented and I told them that I’m going to watch and learn so that I can braid hair like they do when I return home :) (Watch out ladies, I’ll need some friends to practice on, lol!)
- I LOVE the sunsets here, they’re gorgeous!! I also love to watch the moon rise and see the stars!! It’s been rising later (longer days?) so instead of watching it rise from the swing out back, I can lie in my bed and see it in the sky. (I have my head out in the middle of the room so that 1) any small creatures that are able to venture in around the windows are less likely to get to my head (not that they could get through the mosquito net… right?!?) and 2) because I like being able to see out the window from my bed.) Right now there are also flowers in my window… I found some and stuck them in bottle and filled it with water. I tried to explain to the girls that I can’t see stars where I live but what they got from that is that we don’t have stars in America… oops!
Stuff to make you laugh :)
- The little kids imitate whatever I say, even when I try to speak French… I guess my French is so poor that they don’t recognize the words!!
- One little girl has a very small English vocabulary… she points at my sunglasses and says “sunglasses.” She can also say “Tomorrow I’m going to church,” which she tells me nearly every time she sees me!
- The other day some little boys climbed the trees out front of the compound so that they could see me and wave at me! (Yes, there are many different races here but most are not in the area where I am, they are on the other side of town and/or don’t come out this way.)
- I have semi-trained one of the dogs, Zack, to give me kisses on the cheek :) The girls love the dogs but are a little afraid of them so they always laugh when he does this!
- Some fun games: “Guess what time we’ll eat” (Lunch is between 12:30 and 4, dinner is between 6 and 8) “Find the matches or flashlight in the dark” (Sometimes I forget to stick my flashlight in my pocket in the evening so when the power goes out and I go into my room I have to feel around to find it… luckily I haven’t accidently picked up a mouse or cockroach just yet!) You’ve heard of “Scare the roaches!” well there’s a second version to that game and it revolves around the toilet seat… (When the power is out I have to use my flashlight or a candle to check around and under the toilet seat to make sure I don’t sit on any!) “Find that mouse!” (This is one I don’t like because it’s usually played in the middle of the night. I have a friend who I named “Mickey” who likes to sneak around my room at night… I don’t care because he’s so small and he can’t get into anything important, but the noises of his playing in plastic bags and scampering across the floor keep me awake so I have to find him and make him leave the room.) Finally, the best of all is plain ol’ Charades! A few of the girls speak some English but it’s always a challenge for them to understand me and for me to understand them. I’m picking up some French and Swahili now so I can tell them certain things but I’m careful about giving them any answer because I’m never 100 percent sure what they’re asking… I’m sure they feel the same about me! :) Between French, Swahili and English we all get by okay. I’m also teaching them a little bit of Spanish (anyone confused yet?!?)
Finally- I don’t get much World News here so just Tuesday I found out about the explosion somewhere in the Congo over the weekend. No- it’s not where I am and Yes- I’m fine :)
Please keep the happy thoughts and wishes, prayers, etc. coming!! Now that I’ve been here over a month I’m just starting to get settled in… Everyday isn’t super, there are ups and downs, but all in all, I’m so happy and blessed to be here!
I’m sure there will be lots to write about in the future since tomorrow is the dedication of the boy’s orphanage, Sunday is the centennial celebration (100 years of the UMC in the Congo!) and this coming week is Annual Conference… (since I got out of going to mine, I guess I’m going to theirs!) Prayers also welcome for safe travel to and from Conference!!
Many prayers are being sent up for all of you and I send you my love and ask God’s peace for all!
Love,
R
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
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
Rachel