New Years-Congo Style

We have discovered that the Congo gets way more excited about New Years than about Christmas. They put up a metal tree in the island of the round about with a 2010 on it--LIGHTED! They have been wising each other "Meilleurs Voeux!" (best wishes) for about five days now. The neighbor passing by, the stranger on the street, the members of the ward, and even the police. There was a band concert in the middle of town when Brent took the elders to catch a transport.

We spent New Year's Eve day with our elders. It was awesome. The mission president and his wife came to town to visit the missionaries, so we went to lunch with 12 0f our elders.

Then we went to dinner with 8 others.

Then on Sat. we went to Likasi to take those elders out to lunch.

I forgot that it was New Year's Eve until we were in the restaurant (the nice Italian one in town.) After the meal they brought us each a little heart shaped cake. Each cake had miniature figures on it and Bonne Annee (Happy New Year) written in tiny typed letters of chocolate around the side of them and on the top was a little edible sign saying Happy New Year. I only realized when I saw them that it was New Year's Eve. It had been a busy week and I just forgot what day it was.

Elder Kabengele loved his cake!

The elders thought it was all fantastic. I think it was the first time that some of them had been in a restaurant. It cost as much for their meal as they get for two weeks in living expenses. Restaurants are very expensive here. The Italian one ranges from $18-$50. They almost all ordered chicken at all three places. There couldn't have been a better way to spend a New Year's Eve here in the Congo than watching these young men have an unforgettable time.