Trying to Fit In

We are starting to really becoming accustomed to the African way of life. We are adapting and learning and trying to fit in.

I think that we are really getting into it!

There is, however, no water in these bidons.

We could never get them onto our heads if they were full. If we did, we could never keep them up there. Notice it takes both hands to keep our empty bidons on our heads. The Africans carry huge things almost effortlessly.

Brent is also getting comfortable with the money here. Since he is in charge of finances for this part of the mission and this is a completely cash society, he is working all the time with large quantities of bills (that's doesn't mean a lot of money, just a lot of bills, because 500cf is about $.58. ) But he is working with piles of money, counting, converting, recording, delivering, etc. He is starting to get the hang of that too. I'm still at the "hold out your hand and let them take what they want" stage.

The Congolese take American dollars in large denominations ($100 mostly) and only if they are perfect and new. However, this is not true of the Congolese Francs. This shows how they start out. (The top picture is a fairly new bill) and how the same bill looks after much use (in the bottom of the picture). You can use them all just fine. More look like the bottom bill than the top.

This is our gardener/gate keeper, Robert.

They told us that he was our "guard", but he really isn't what you'd call a guard. He just opens, closes and locks the gate as we come and go. There seems no need for a guard, although we do have an alarm system and "panic buttons" to get help right away if we should need it.

We feel very safe in Lubumbashi.

He was sweeping the sides of the flower beds when we got home today. The Congolese use these tiny little whisk brooms to sweep. There are street sweepers all over with them and people sweeping the dirt in front of their places of business or homes with them. Today, when we saw Robert with one, we asked about them. The "brooms" are made from weeds or twigs from palm trees that they gather and bind with leather cords to make their own brooms. Robert said it is "very African." I think that they have stronger backs than we do. It looks like back breaking work to seep large areas with these tiny little brooms. It is a hard way to sweep in the eyes of these two old Americans. This sweeping is something we are not going to do to fit in.

Robert works hard to keep our place looking good. He's a very nice man. He has 10 children. He walks to and from work, about 2 hours walk each direction, six days a week. Life is not easy, but having a job in the Congo is a great blessing. We're all blessed that Robert is working here.