Running an Obstacle Course in an Oven Full of Mosquitoes

View of my road from my yard.  This is one of the better roads in the neighborhood.

On my birthday, we had to take Emily to the eye doctor and decided while we were down town to go out for supper to celebrate.  It was quite the evening.  A police officer tapped on our window while we were stuck in traffic and asked to see David’s driving license.  We had not done anything illegal.  Our crime was having fair skin.  The officer took David’s license and drove away on his motorcycle, leaving us still stuck in traffic.  Presumably, he wanted us to follow him so he could attempt to extract a bribe for the return of the license.  We have no idea where he went and still do not have the license.  On the way to the restaurant, our car overheated.  On the way to the orphanage Friday, our car overheated again.  Then on the way home from the orphanage, the car again gave us trouble.  So…we are having to borrow an MAF vehicle until David can get the car repaired.  We are really missing AutoZone right now.

I spent Thursday evening at my friend Christine’s house.  She was hosting a women’s Bible study group from her church and had planned to show the film Courageous, in French.  Twenty-five women came and packed her living room.  I always enjoy meeting the ladies and studying with them as much as the language barriers allow (most speak French but they prefer Lingala).  Watching them as they watched the movie was much more fun than I could have anticipated.  During the police chase, every single woman was literally gripping the sides of her chair and leaning forward.  When the runners jumped a fence or took a dive, the ladies oohed and aahed simultaneously.  Occasionally Christine would stop the movie and explain a cultural difference for them.  Sometimes they would see something and all start discussing it enthusiastically, oblivious to the still playing movie.

I don’t see these women often and I have trouble remembering all of their names, but they are a special group.  They walk to the Bible study.  It’s only about a kilometer, but I met one woman who walked the entire way on crutches.  I am not talking about American made, just the right height, rubber tipped aluminum crutches.  I’m talking about something out of a Dickens novel – crude wooden things of differing heights with cloths tied round the tops and bare stubs on the bottom.  She had no nice sidewalks with ramps at every intersection either.  She had a hilly, torn up road full of holes and rocks, just sand in some places and concrete in others.  Her condition is permanent and it’s hot here.  One would completely understand if she didn’t want to make that trek in temperatures of upper nineties.  But she did it.  She didn’t complain about it either.  She was just glad to be there.  Going to a group Bible study may sometimes be inconvenient for me, but it is WORK for her.  Next time I think I do not have time in the evenings or it is too much work to get the family fed and get there in time, I hope the Holy Spirit reminds me of that woman.  Here are some more photos of typical streets, yards and buildings here.  As you can see, it is a very challenging environment, especially for someone with a disability.

Another view of my road.  You have to navigate around that pile of trash and debris all the time.

Imagine having to navigate through this!

My favorite is this one I like to call the Kinshasa version of a strip mall.  It's a major road, so it does have a sidewalk, but the vendors have taken it over.