Good Morning Addis!

We had a good night's rest. Unfortunately Skip awoke feeling terrible. He has a headache and a slight fever. We are at 8,000 feet here in the city so he might be having altitude sickness. I left him in bed and went out on a few home visits with Mike Treadwell this morning. He is part of a larger team that services 400 adults and 750 children (called "beneficiaries") living with HIV. The beneficiary families receive medical care, free ARV medication, food assistance, school fees and other perks. He visits a few folks from the program each day. This morning we were in 3 homes. Each of the homes were found down rocky alleyways hidden between businesses, were simply one room and all were at any day going to be razed. They were constructed of tin on the exterior, had inner cardboard walls covered with newspaper and a dirt floor. The first woman we visited wanted prayer for her new marriage and for her child living with extended relatives. All of them were positive. It was explained to her that the virus can mutate (and become unresponsive to the ARV medication) between 2 positive partners if they did not use protection. She was not worried that it would happen to them. She was very grateful that we had stopped by to evaluate her health. The second home housed a women and her mother (sick in bed with TB). She wanted prayer for their health as well and for the TB culture results to come sooner than the expected 6 weeks. In the 3rd home was a bed stricken man with AIDS. He was no longer able to walk. He had a friend that would get him out of bed and take him out for fresh air (if that exists in squalor). We asked how we could pray for him and he refused. As an orthodox Christian he did not believe that we worship the same God. Our translator got into a deep spiritual conversation with him. In then end he admitted that he believed the Bible, but not some parts, including much of Romans. We had a friendly departure and he thanked us for our time together. My overall reaction was positive. It was a joy to be their homes, be a part of their lives and live out their struggles...if only for a moment. God is with us all, no matter our condition, and it was apparent that they were appreciative of the assistance they were receiving, especially the prayer. In comparison, people in Congo are living in much worse conditions.

On the Move - Saying Good Bye to Congo Brothers and Sisters

Our final morning in Congo was spent packing and saying final goodbyes. We stopped by Papa Leon’s house after checking out of the Methodist Presbyterian guesthouse (MPH). Skip took some great photos of Leon’s family. They have welcomed us into their lives in such a warm way. The photo is of one of Leon’s daughters preparing the enormous fish we had purchased from the fishing village the day we arrived in Congo. We were caught in an hour long traffic jam en route to the airport. We really enjoyed watching the flow of people pass by as we waited for it to clear. Women carry everything on top of their heads: baskets of bread, 25 pound sacks of potatoes, bowls of green tangerines, sacks of fufu flour and anything else they want to sell. Men tend to sell their goods from roadside stands: gravel, car parts, household goods, cell phone minutes, wood and furniture. People are on the move in Kinshasa! One little girl (5?) with her smaller brother (3?) waved hello to me for at least 10 minutes. White women are rare in the city. Checking-in at the Ndjili airport was quite an experience. Our bags were checked 5 times at least. At every station we were asked to show our passports. Then we expected to give a tip (or bribe). Our flight to Addis was restful. We had time to reflect, diffuse and talk about what we had experienced and what is yet ahead. Our flight was delayed and we arrived about 2 hours late. Mike Treadwell on the MTW team met us at the airport and we are now staying in his home. His wife is Emily and they have a 3 year old son named Caleb. They have been living in Addis for 9 months and will be our hosts while we are here. We look forward to a good night’s sleep and some GREAT coffee in the morning!

Highlights - Care to the Orphaned and Abandoned

Over this week, we confirmed that many of the orphans' overall health had improved from last year and that support from New City had provided regular meals to the children in need. The C.E.F.O.R.E.A. feeding program was still providing weekly meals to several malnourished children. The two Compassion Health Clinics were providing care to area children and to their families. The sponsored children for educational support were learning at school and were being well cared for by their local pastors. Medical supplies and medications were delivered to restock the health clinic pharmacies. The nurses who check on the orphans weekly showed detailed records of their improved health and the frequency of their visits to the orphanage.

Our day of rest - Zambi Asomona Yo (God sees you in Lingala)

After breakfast we loaded the vans with the bulk of the team's luggage. Our friends arrived to pick us up and delivered a handmade dress or shirt to everyone on our team! We quickly put on our new gifts and headed out in two directions for worship services. Skip and I attended Cite Bethel Church. We had performed our first medical clinic of the week there. It was nice to see many of our patients again. New City pastor Barry Henning preached on Jesus and his interaction with the woman at the well in Samaria (John 4) this morning. Some of the children approached us after the service and proudly displayed some of the things we had given them on Tuesday. After saying Au Revoir to everyone at Bethel, we headed across town to a second church to hear New City pastor Tony Myles preach. It was great to all be together for our last of eight services in Congo this week. He did a wonderful job reminding us God cares for the orphan, widow and oppressed and is committed to us and accomplishing his plans for caring for them. The afternoon was spent checking team luggage. We were invited to share a meal with a Congolese family who had heard Barry preach earlier in the week. Our Congolese hostess prepared an enormous farewell meal for us. The meal was amazing and had both Congolese and American food! Mbise (fish), grilled chicken, Apple pie, potato salad, kabobs, and fresh green salad. It was amazing. We sat and talked together for hours and enjoyed a world cup soccer game too. Felix, a native from Ghana on our team, had been feeling sick all morning but was somehow revived when Ghana scored the winning goal! The team was dropped off at the airport before dinner and are headed back to Saint Louis. Four of us remain now and we are all leaving tomorrow. Our next post will be from Addis Ababa(if there is power.)

Bonobos DR Congo

Our work in Congo is coming to an end. Our first team leaders left today to return to the States after lunch. We spent some time shopping in a local market…WOW what an experience. There were so many wonderful things being sold…wooden carvings, money from Zambia (former Congo), baskets, parrots, monkeys, carved rocks and minerals, masks, figurines and paintings. There were so many vendors and when they see Americans they assume you are spending a fortune. After shopping we drove across Kinshasa to the edge of the city to the Bonobo refuge. What a treat to see these orphans in action! They were so adorable! As soon as we arrived they greeted us with loud screeches. After a few photos one Bonobo excitedly started running, wanting us to follow. He led us (one side of the fence) and the entire community he lived with (on his side of the fence) down a path. They screeched and played and rolled around. It was very entertaining. One older Bonobo had a smashed plastic coke bottle. He ran it along the ground (like a toddler would with a toy car) for our entire hour long visit at the refuge. An interesting fact…Bonobos only live in the DR Congo. The Congo River separates them from the Republic of Congo. They will not cross the river. The refuge has a river running through it and the water is used as a boundary. An unforgettable afternoon! We spent dinner along the Congo river at a restaurant that overlooked the rapids. Tonight everyone is packing up. The bulk of the team will start the “leaving process” after church tomorrow. Bags have to be checked in downtown before arriving at the airport, exit fees need to be paid and there are no electronic tickets in Kinshasa. It takes all day to get out. We are leaving Monday morning for Ethiopia and are getting excited about our time there too.

By the Grace of God

An after noon at La Grace de Dieu Orphanage. Forty children, supported by New City Fellowship, live together in a small compound. They are under the care of Sister Victorine. The children lined up, sang songs, and even did a dance for us in thanks for our partnership with them. It was a very special afternoon. We held babies, played games, helped feed the kids fufu and bean soup and thoroughly enjoyed a full afternoon of fellowship together. The kids were surprisingly helpful and caring to one another, seemed happy and were receptive to receiving us. It is always difficult to imagine life in an orphanage, especially one in this physical condition. The photos will give you an idea. We conducted a few medical examinations during our visit, drew some pictures and played some new games together before leaving. We donated quite a few baby clothes for their new arrivals as well. It was hard to leave these precious ones.

C.E.F.O.R.E.A.

It was a long but fulfilling day today. We arrived back at the guesthouse at 9pm after twelve hours of service in the city. We spent the morning at C.E.F.O.R.E.A (Center for the Care of Abandoned Children) When we arrived there were fifty or more children (of all ages) waiting with mothers, grandmothers and caretakers to receive their only nutritious meal for the week. We are traveling with Pierre who used to be a part of this program until he came to the US for spinal corrective surgery and was adopted. He is greeted like a king in Kinshasa now. Many of the kids remember him and all admire him greatly. His grandmother “Coco” was the first to receive us. There were many welcoming hugs as we visited with the children while the ate. As they finished each family was sent home with small bags of fish, rice and cassava flour for the week. When lunch was over we began setting up our medical clinic to service the children in need. We never expected the townspeople to arrive and pretty soon we had a line of 40 or more patients waiting to be seen. We made priority for the orphans and got through as many in line as we could in a few hours. Today we saw a terrible case of rickets, intestinal worms, high fevers, several hernias and countless other ailments.

Our first clinic (Bethel Health Clinic) and school visit

18 hours later, Keary is BACK! What a spell. Today we were on the run. We visited a partnering church on our side of town today. We arrived and greeted over 50 people waiting to receive medical help. We set up a make-shift examination room and waiting area and started to see patients quickly. Skip jumped in as an intake nurse so-to-speak and ended up serving assisting with diagnosing minor ailments, writing prescriptions and sending patients to the dispensary. Keary helped serve on an children art team for all of the kids that came with sick parents. We set up a coloring and a painting station. We believe that most of the children enjoyed brush painting, literally, for the first time. We had to teach many of them what to do. They painted designs or village scenes mostly. We concluded the clinic and headed off to visit some schools where different orphans attend. The first was a plywood structure divided into five rooms. Four were classrooms and one was an office. It sat on a widow’s land. The nominal rent paid by the school helps her to survive and the land allows a school to exist for her extended family and neighbors. Her smile was precious! One of the orphans there had a terrible fever (likely malaria) and we were able to tend to his immediate needs with some ibuprofen. Another orphan cried as she was remembering her parent's passing. It was sad to see them ill and upset. The second school was all cinder block. Two classes were in session, both taking exams. We met with around ten orphans there and spent some time learning about their school. They sit in a 12x25 foot block classroom with over 60 kids all lined up on wooden benches with only an old blackboard in the front. The darkness and basic feel was striking. The future leaders of Congo are learning in a traditional way. We ended our day at La Croix de Jesus Church for a very vivacious and loud church service and another huge meal presented by the church members. Hugs and kisses everywhere. The Congolese are so excited about our help and presence here. The pastors 3 boys befriended us and spent half the night taking photos of themselves with our camera. We arrived back at MPH for a early bed time.

History and Art

This morning we met a couple at our guesthouse who are in Kinshasa to pick up their newly adopted Congolese children…two one-year olds, a boy and a girl. It was a nice morning talking with them about their experience and sharing some baby toys with them.
We took a walk over to the American School of Kinshasa and walked the grounds. It is the only site in the city (43 acres) that is a true rainforest environment. There are 270 children on the beautiful campus and we enjoyed visiting the African history classroom. We saw a few parrots and many gorgeous tropical plants.

Mid day we sat encircled in a large room. The pastors form the local churches that we have relationship arrived to discuss with our team the plans for the week. It was an eye opening experience. In America we enter into a meeting on time, silent our cell phones, follow a printed agenda, discuss the items on the agenda and leave at the designated time. Nothing could be far more different in Africa. Meeting with pastors and visiting Marcel Mukendi’s widow and 12 children traditional dinner at the home of Pastor David. Michael Jackson, sharing lifesavers, questions about American Equal Pay for Equal work 20 month soldier, 25 month teacher $4 chicken Adopted baby might have Down’s Syndrome

Husbands love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her Ephesians 5:25

Today Keary woke up very ill. We are not sure what is going on. She was unable to get out of bed….symptoms seem to suggest food poisoning or some crazy Congolese bug.. It was a very sad day not being able to visit the orphanage and medical clinic. It instead became a day of praying, sleeping and recovery. All in the Lord’s plan for us. Skip stood by my side all day. He attended to my every need….fetching bread, water, bananas and handwashing laundry to dry in the hot sun. This is why I love serving in missions together. The team had a very successful day but commented that getting around the city was quite challenging with the traffic. It can take 2 ½ hours to drive 10-20 miles. I hope I can get a photo of the traffic and pedestrians so you can you why. The potholes are enormous, there are no painted line divisions, lanes, or stop signs or traffic lights. Total traffic chaos.