Cool Beans!: Nsango Na Bomoi, part 3

This post is the final part of a three part story. For the whole story, see Nsango Na Bomoi, part 1 and Nsango Na Bomoi, part 2.

After church, we decided to visit one of the members, Mosengo. Mosengo and his wife had a baby a few weeks ago -- a perfect excuse for a visit in any culture. He lives very close to the church, which was nice, because we couldn't have driven to his home.

First we had to cross the creek behind the church. This is accomplished by walking across on a two by four that is supported in the center by a large rock. This is a classic example of the service driven economy here. People needed to cross the creek, so a man bought a board and made a "bridge." Now people pay him to let them cross the creek on his bridge. He lets people cross for free to go to church, though.

photo courtesy of Christine Grings

I mentioned in part 1 of this story that this neighborhood has not had city water in over a month. Because of that, people take water from this creek, which is not healthy. If you click on this photo and enlarge it you can see the trash that is literally everywhere. Also the creek is downhill from sewage and a cemetery. Some well-meaning visitors from America came once and saw all the trash all over and decided that people just needed trash cans. So they provided some, but there was no service in the city to remove garbage. When the cans filled up, people just dumped them on the ground nearby and started filling them again.

photo courtesy of Christine Grings

After we crossed the creek, we had to walk down this road. This is one of the nicer, wider sections. There were rocks, puddles, chickens and pigs to watch out for. Usually when you see one of these umbrellas, the person attending it is selling some kind of food or supplies.

photo courtesy of Christine Grings

This yard is about the size of my living room and is shared by Mosengo's family and two others. This is where all the kids play, where the families work, cook and eat, and where they hang laundry. I wish I had taken a photo of the front of the "house" for you but my camera batteries were dying.

Each building has three front doors. Each door represents one apartment and consists of two rooms, each about the size of a large bathroom in the U.S. There are few windows, if any, for light or ventilation. They are wired for electricity but seldom have any. There is no indoor plumbing. The families share a community outhouse. This is pretty typical of the housing for most of Kinshasa's families. Mosengo was overjoyed that we paid a visit and told us so repeatedly. In Congo one in every ten babies does not live to its fifth birthday and this family has already lost two infants.

photo courtesy of Christine Grings

Now for the creepy part of my post. To get to Nsango Na Bomoi church, we had to navigate a crazy road that borders a very old, very large, and very overcrowded cemetery. Years of rainy seasons have taken their toll on the road and the land around it, causing a lot of erosion. On the way in to the church we were discussing all this and Christine said she was surprised that no bones had ever washed out with the rains. On the way out, we spotted a bone! Christine took this photo from the car window! Now we wonder how long it will be before bones are found laying in the road after each storm.

Last but not least, I have a little treat for you. It took several hours but I managed to upload a video of one of the songs from the church service so you can hear a little bit of Lingala and see a little bit of what it was like. I had to cut the song so it's just a portion but it's about putting on the full armor of God. Here are the lyrics and the translation too so you can even learn the song for yourself!

Pesa satana millimetre, (Give Satan a millimeter,)

akojua kilometre (he will get a kilometer.) 2x

Keba! (Watch out!)

Senjela! (Be vigilant!)

Bondela! (Pray!)

Lata (Put on...)

bilato na bitumba ya satana. (the armor of war against Satan.)

Yango nde Ephesiens 6. (This is Ephesians 6.)