A Month in Liberia

This is a picture of our new home. We live in the right half. We have been here a month now and are adjusting well to the new home, the new culture, and to a new organization. David is the full-time aircraft mechanic for Samaritan's Purse here in Liberia. The week we arrived co-incided with the Liberian Thanksgiving so the first couple of days there was no work for David and no school for Daniel and we got to focus on just settling in. 

David jumped right in at the hangar. He has lots of experience already on Caravans so that is coming in handy. And he is learning about helicopters, both a challenge and a neat opportunity. 

There are lots of different ministries taking place here at various times. This week a Samaritan's Purse medical team is here for the cleft lip project. One of David's first tasks at the hangar was installing a new gear on the Caravan. All of the guys worked together on it in order to have it airworthy in time to fly patients in for surgery. Daniel and I got to be involved in small ways also. He and some classmates have spent time playing with the kids who are waiting for their surgeries and I got to bake cookies for the team lunches. The cleft lip project is an amazing ministry. Please pray for the surgeons and everyone else involved, and that the patients and families will not only be changed physically and socially, but also spiritually. Here is a link to a video that tells more about the project: Just click HERE. 

I've already had an opportunity to use my sewing machine. A group of us got together to sew gift bags. These will be filled and given as gifts to upcoming graduates of Project Ruth. This ministry reaches out to ebola widows and utilizes grief counseling, job skills training, and micro-loans to help them with starting over. It was a neat opportunity for me to learn a little about another ministry I didn't previously know of, and to get to know some of the Samaritan's Purse ladies better while doing something to help out. I have joined a women's Bible study group, which I really enjoy and it has helped me meet people here.

Daniel is one flexible kid. He really liked his old school in Congo. He also really likes his new school here. There are people and things he misses, but he has found and embraced things he likes about being here and has adapted well. He loves living near the coast and getting to go to the beach. He likes that school doesn't start until 8:30 am. He quickly made friends and honestly, we don't see much of him because he is too busy doing things with his new friends and youth group to sit around the house. 

The Joy of Discovery

As I sit here, I can hear the high school band on the field across the road from our apartment practicing for tonight's graduation ceremony. For many this is an exciting time of year. I got to attend another graduation a couple weeks ago, thanks to the kind invitation extended to me by two friends: Justine (whom I met when I hired her to help me learn Lingala) and Emily. Emily and Justine work with a ministry called the Tabitha Center. There are many similarities between the Mitendi Center I often write about and the Tabitha Center. Both reach out to at-risk women and offer discipleship and job training. Here are a few photos from our day.

I have been to a few major celebrations here, and music is an essential part. Sometimes a sound system and DJ are hired and sometimes, as in this instance, a local band is hired. Personally, I prefer the bands. 

Dressing up is also a key part of any celebration here. I have no idea who this fellow is, but I thought his tie modeled after the DRC flag was cool. 

My lovely friend, Justine. I am really grateful to have met her this year. She is passionate about her faith and about helping women in Kinshasa. 

Emily is also one of my newer friends here. She received a gift in appreciation for her service to the Tabitha Center. She blows me away with her talent and her compassion. 

There is no joyous celebration quite like a Congolese joyous celebration, so here is a little sample of the excitement of the day. When the graduates paraded in, I started crying. Their joy is just so contagious and I was really happy for them. Sorry about the quality. It was the only way I could get it small enough to upload for you.

A.A. Milne, the author of the Winnie The Pooh books, once wrote: "One of the advantages of being disorderly is the JOY of discovery." It's true, too. I am surrounded these days by a great deal of disorderliness. Mostly of my own doing, but some can't be helped as we are packing and preparing for furlough and because we live in a place that often lacks order. I've been going through papers and folders and scanning back ups of things that are important. The other day I was going through some old genealogy papers I had printed twelve or thirteen years ago and found this on the backside of one:

All these years I never knew that was in my files, so it was a joyous discovery. I know without a doubt which child did the drawing, and I am sure at that tender age she didn't know what she was drawing on, or that way in the future it would bring a smile to her mama across the ocean who misses her so much. We love what we do here, but we can't wait to see our grown kids and the rest of our families again. Maybe I can even get them to draw me a picture.

Please pray for the people who live here in the midst of disorder, that they will have the joy of discovering new life in Christ and peace that passes understanding. 

"For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace..." I Cor 14:33a

Fever Tree

A few days ago, David brought this stick home. It had travelled to Kinshasa via MAF plane from an interior village and was accidentally left at the hangar. The passenger who misplaced it is a friend and he had called David and asked him to look for the stick. He had brought it from the village for someone else and they really wanted it.

It's really not much to look at. Why would they want that stick so badly? Why would a stick be so important (unless you are a dog)?

Cinchona pubescens (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This isn't an ordinary stick. It was cut from a "fever tree," also called "cinchona," "quina," and "Jesuit bark." The bark of this tree contains quinine, and is chewed or steeped into a tea to treat malaria. I have sampled a tiny, tiny piece of fever tree bark. It was very bitter and the taste lingered for a long time after I spit it out, even though I didn't even chew it. It amazes me that anyone ever even discovered that something that nasty could cure malaria, since that would require tasting it more than once. Quinine is also used to treat malaria worldwide in other forms, like pills. That ugly piece of tree branch has the potential to save lives.

Malaria is a serious threat in DRC. It is one of the leading causes of death here. Over 400 children die in Congo every day, and nearly half of these deaths are caused by malaria (World Health Organization). Please pray for those who are working on better preventions like vaccines, for those who work in the health care sector, and for the people of DRC. 

Parents' Day

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, instead of having a Mothers' Day and a Fathers' Day, there is one public holiday for both called Parents' Day, which is today. There are many similarities between DRC and the U.S. regarding its intent to honor parents and how it is celebrated.

During the week, David had an opportunity to talk about Parents' Day with a Congolese friend and learn more about local observances. There is a strong church presence in Kinshasa, but there is still also a stronghold of animism and belief in witchcraft/magic even among some who believe in Christ. This friend thankfully doesn't struggle with that but he told David of many in his community who do. 

There are some who, if they are unhappy or suffering and their parents are deceased, will blame the parents. They go to the cemetery and visit their parents' graves and yell at them, asking them why they let all the bad in their lives happen and accusing them of not caring or taking action. They believe the parents have the power from beyond the grave to intervene in their lives, so when that doesn't happen, they feel betrayed.

Please pray for the people of Congo, those who know Christ and those who do not, that they will be able to discern what is true, that their trust in God will be stronger than their fears and superstitions, and that they will experience true freedom in Christ. 

Photo fun - Multifun Calamity Attack

Today a group of us got together to do a Congo version of an "ugly Christmas sweater" party. We decorated tank tops and t-shirts, ate Christmas cookies, played Christmas music and just had a good time visiting with each other. I'm in the back row, far right. It was a fun time and I am glad someone managed to get a photo of us.

Here are some photos I managed to get over the last few weeks of things I found funny, odd, or interesting.

I went to a local bakery for lunch with a friend and picked up a copy of their carry-out menu. I got a chuckle out of it later when I read it. I honestly don't know how they expect to sell a plate full of "Calamity" to anyone.

I still can't find black olives or pickle relish anywhere, but this was an unusual and interesting option at our local supermarket. I have actually seen what it does and it really is a smart shoe cover machine. It puts a cellophane cover over just the bottom half inch and sole of your shoe. This is way high on the "husbands do not buy this for your wives for Christmas" list.

I really like all the variety and fun in the fabrics that are available here, but you have to be a brave seamstress to be willing to try cutting into this brand of fabric.

Not sure what "CTION RACKS" are, but they are MULTIFUN. 

These are actually quite popular here. They are collapsible racks for drying clothing. Something weird happened in the translation from Chinese to English.

Two games I won't be buying here. In Kinshasa a Twister game is $65.00 and Battleship costs $102.00. 

I saved my favorite for last. When you work in a place that has no indoor plumbing or electricity, you have to be resourceful. This entrepreneur hair salon has placed their chair with its back to the outdoors so that they can have the sunlight to see what they are doing. They pour buckets of water to wash hair and they have rigged a hose to the portable sink so that it drains into the culvert. Clever!

A New Project

photo by Jill Lowery

For those who've been praying for the Mitendi Center and the court case, here is an update. In last week's post, I mentioned a need for prayer for Thursday's court date. The opposition requested, and was granted, a continuance, so everything has been pushed to next Thursday - Thanksgiving Day. That is not a Congolese holiday so that date was not significant to them, but my American friend who directs this ministry now has to spend her holiday sitting in a courtroom. Please continue praying for the center and for a right and just decision by the courts. And also pray for Jill, that in all this God will strengthen her, give her wisdom, and grant her a thankful heart, encouragement, and contentment in all situations.

We have been working on a new project with the girls at Bandal. These girls are graduates of the Mitendi Center and are in sort of an internship or apprenticeship phase, continuing to build their repertoire of sewing skills and improve them while earning money to support themselves. The new project is a request for several small, lined, zippered bags.

Many of them already have experience making zippered bags but we wanted everyone to use the same technique, follow the same pattern and sequence of steps, and practice precision. So we held a couple of workshops this week and last week, showing them how to do everything from tracing the pattern and cutting to doing the zippers and corners. They did the work, we just walked them through it. Then we supervised while they made more to be sure they "got it" and to help with any problems. 

In the states, our culture equates professionalism with quality workmanship and a high work ethic. It is not quite the same here. In addition to honing their skills, the interns are also being taught the value of correcting their mistakes, that customers will pay more for quality products and take their business elsewhere if workmanship is poor, and that ultimately their success is up to them. It is sometimes a not-so-fun part of their training, but it is for their own good.




Daniel usually does school work when I am at the Center, but he tagged along this week so we put him to work, which the girls found amusing.








I have spent enough time with these young women now that they feel comfortable making jokes and sharing laughs with me. Jill and I had spent a day going through all the steps and figuring out the best way to teach them to make these bags. We even made tiny prototypes so that we could show them how the zipper and corners ought to be done and how it should look. They thought our little bags were funny and jokingly told us we earned a "zero" grade on our work, but in the end it really helped them to have a visual example to study.

Goin to the Chapel - Cool Beans!

A week ago, Jill and I had the privilege of joining our friend Mama Jackie in attending her daughter's wedding. I felt honored to be invited, and doubly honored that of all the fabric she could have used to make her outfit for the wedding, Mama Jackie chose the fabric that I had brought to her from the states as a gift from a dear friend (A Gift for Mama Jackie). 

I was triply (is that a word?) honored because the outfit I wore was sewn not by me, but by Mama Jackie. When I tried it on at the fitting, she told me she wanted me to wear it to the wedding, which I was happy to do.




I did my best to get some photos, but between the fluorescent lighting and my obvious lack of skill and training, I deleted far more photos than I kept. My basic plan of attack when I am taking pictures is to take a bazillion and that way I almost always get at least a few good ones. The bride was beautiful, the groom was handsome, and the ceremony was beautiful. I loved seeing the differences and similarities between a wedding in Kinshasa and a wedding in the U.S. 



One of my favorite things about Congolese weddings and churches is their choirs. They have little or no accompaniment, sing from memory, and sound lovely. 

A girl who was in the procession.

Some photos of the bride and groom

Opportunities

Yesterday we had a team meeting, and during the discussion our director read from Luke 3:12-14. In the passage, government officials inquired of John the Baptist what they ought to do. 

His reply to the tax collectors was: "Don't collect any more than you are required to."

To the soldiers: "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely --be content with your pay." 

We either witness or experience first-hand all of these scenarios on a regular basis here, both as individuals and as an organization. Congo is a place where if someone doesn't like you or doesn't want your business competing with theirs, they simply pay someone to "take care of it." Police and soldiers are often not paid, or paid inadequately. Falsely accusing others who have no choice but to submit to their authority is a tempting way to make up the shortfall. Inflated fees that enable civil authorities to line their pockets is not uncommon.

It is frustrating and naturally we sometimes get angry and struggle to respond in a way that honors God and protects our testimonies. It hinders our work, taking time and money that could be used in ministry. It makes life more difficult, adding to financial and emotional stress. And it makes us grieve for the people of Congo. Whatever burden it may be for us is magnified for them.

Obstacles like these are often opportunities. We are given the opportunity to do what is right, set an example and be witnesses for Christ. We are given the opportunity to pray, often very specifically. And we are given the opportunity to surrender things to God because we know we can't fix them in our own power. Finally, we sometimes have the wonderful opportunity to see God work in ways that only He can! This country, like any other, cannot reform itself but it CAN be transformed by God. There are people here who want to do their jobs with integrity. God is using righteous men and women to teach and influence community leaders here and it is having an impact, one righteous act at a time, like with my friend Jill and her recent court victory (STORY HERE).

Please join me in praying Luke 3:12-14 for the Democratic Republic of Congo and those who have positions of authority here.

Tax collectors also came to be baptized.

 "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" 

"Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them.

Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?"

He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely - be content with your pay."  

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How do you feel about poo?

Every culture has its sayings and proverbs. Sometimes they are wry or silly, which makes them easier to remember, but they often convey a deeper truth. My newest post, "Just a Little Poo," is a reflection on a Congolese proverb and just went up on the MAF blog. Check it out!

Imagine Kikongo

Last weekend we went to the village of Kikongo with another MAF family, the Pedersons. Yes, it was very "cool beans!"

Rita Chapman

Kikongo is about 100 miles southeast of Kinshasa, but 100 miles in Congo is not like 100 miles in the states. You cannot simply drive to Kikongo. There are no passable roads. The mission station is staffed full-time by missionaries Glen and Rita Chapman. They have a three year program for training national pastors AND their wives for ministering to their villages, a hospital, a nursing school, elementary and secondary schools, and probably more that I can't remember. 

We toured the mission station and learned about the ministries, which rely on MAF to function there. 

Imagine if this is where you or your wife or sister had to go to deliver a baby, and you felt privileged to have this option. We met two women who had delivered their babies recently by cesarean section!

Imagine if this was the pharmacy and supply cupboard. You can see that there is not a lot there, but all this nurse asked for was some better baby aspirators for removing amniotic fluid from the babies' nasal passages. They only have one and it does not work well.

Imagine if this was your house...

...and this was how you and all your neighbors got water.

Imagine if these were your neighborhood strip mall, grocery store, etc...

...and this was where your kids went to school...

...and this was the neighborhood playground equipment...

...and you were grateful. 

We saw lots of cool things! Kikongo is situated by the Wamba River, so we spent some time at the river and even crossed it and went on a hike to some small waterfalls. We saw cool flowers and animals. The Chapmans had baby crocodiles, mongoose, and duikers that were orphans and they were raising until they were ready to be released to make it on their own. We learned about local food options and tried a few. 

Glen had a wooden "skim board" and showed us how to use it. Yes, I tried it. NO, you don't get to see a photo. You can see a photo of me by the falls, where I am standing up nice and straight and graceful looking.

We tried smoked corn on the cob, but we passed on the smoked viper. We did buy some smoked fish and mantete (squash seeds). 

This is the mantete after it is prepared with the smoked fish. We ate it served over mashed potatoes.  We also tried mantete rolls - which looked a little like sausage and had a bit of hot pili pepper in them. I liked the mantete prepared both ways but not everyone did.

One of the coolest things we saw is Glen's powered parachute thingymabob. He uses it to take vaccines and medications to other villages. This is an important time saver over tromping through the forest, especially since vaccines are temperature sensitive and the climate is so hot here. He also uses it to take all the equipment to show the Jesus film in other villages and do evangelism. We did not get to take a ride because it is in need of some minor repair, but we did get to see Glen take it for a test run.

Before putting the chute away, it must be inspected for grasshoppers because if they get in, they chew holes in the chute.

Glen asked David to take a look at the engine. No matter what the type of aviation device is, an aircraft mechanic is always interested.

Our time in Kikongo was an interesting mix of leisure and ministry. We loved getting to know the Chapmans a little better, spending time with the Pedersons and relaxing a bit. We also know more about some of the people and ministries that we serve as part of the MAF team here in west DRC. It really changes your perspective and renews your vision when you see all this in person and also gives you a much deeper insight as to how to pray for the missionaries, the ministries, and the people. If we ever get to go again, you bet we will.