The Mission Tour

We have spent the last 11 days with Elder Dale Renlund of the First Quorum of the 70 and his wife, Ruth. It has been amazing. We traveled the first three days. It was quite an adventure. It was a very helpful trip and we had a great time. They were very supportive and encouraging and their vision of the things that can happen here was inspiring. They are both wonderful and we enjoyed every minute with them. It was almost like taking a working cruise on a pretty lame cruise line, where you are the chef, but where you were there with good friends. We had a great time.

DAYS ONE-THREE The Kolwezi and Likasi Adventure

We headed out on Day One for Kolwezi. Instead of making the grueling 5-hour drive on some pretty hard roads both ways, we opted to fly there. First, we planned to do some things in Kolwezi. Then we would ride with Frere Monga to Likasi, do some more business there and then drive home. It sounded nice not to have to make the brain rattling trip by car between Kolwezi and Likasi twice. This was the best way to do it, but I, not being the great flyer, was not very excited about the 45-min. flight in a 20 passenger African plane. But you do what you have to do.

Our plane was delayed about an hour but that wasn't a problem since we waited in the VIP lounge and just visited and got acquainted. Finally, we got on the plane. It was somewhat surprising how nice it was. It had nice leather seats, was clean and somewhat roomy. I was very comfortable. As we waited to take off, it seemed that there was quite a bit of confusion in the cockpit and on the ground . There was loud talking in Swahili, which didn't ease my mind any. For some strange reason when people speak Swahili, it always sounds to me like they're excited or angry. I don't know what it is about the language, but that's just how it sounds.

After take off, we rode comfortably for about 10 minutes when suddenly we realized that out the window we could see a city. We should not have been able to see a city at that point! Then we realized that we were descending. Being the white knuckle flyer that I am, I was wishing I had taken a little zanex and praying that we weren't landing in a clearing in the bush. Then the familiar sight of the Lubumbashi airport appeared out the window. We were landing back in Lubumbashi. After we landed the pilot came out of the cockpit and announced that he'd had a little problem with the plane and we would be moving to another plane. In just a few minutes we went down the stairs, across the tarmack and into another plane. This turned out to be a VIP plane. It was also nice. It was interesting that it had bench seats that didn't face forward, but faced each other across a central isle. We headed out again for Kolwezi. The second flight went just fine and we landed safely in the pouring rain. So the adventure had begun.

We settled into the (Pepto Bismal) hotel- Hotel Hacienda.

This is the nicest hotel in Kolwezi and generally just fine, although very pink.

After settling in we went to the Distict Center, a beautiful new chapel that was finished just this past summer. We held a meeting that afternoon for the young adults. Both the Renlunds and the Jamesons spoke in the meeting. The Renlunds and I did our best to do our talks in French, tried a little franglais and then they sometimes asked Brent to translate when their French just didn't permit them to say what they wanted to say. Actually, they had said they didn't speak much French, but they did very well. It was a good meeting with a chapel full of young adults. After the meeting we toured two church rental buildings so the Renlunds could get an idea of the kinds of places in which the Saints meet.

We have hoped to improve the conditions some and the Renlunds seemed to agree with us that upgrades would be good.

And here are some of the faces of Africa. They are the beautiful people who we will not forget.

This cute little grandma lives across from the church in Kolwezi and came to greet us, this gorgeous child from Kikula wasn't sure about the white folks, and this young woman was a very gifted musician and lead the sacrament music in Kipushi.

After looking at properties we went back to the hotel and tried to get some sleep on a bed that was as hard as a kitchen table.

Sunday morning we went to a block of meetings and were invited to be the sacrament meeting speakers. There are always surprises in the Congo.

Junior Primary in Kikula 2 Branch

We then went to see a possible apartment for missionaries. We’re planning on putting some elders in Kolwezi as early as next month if we can find suitable housing. This was not suitable housing.

After looking at the apartment we began our three and a half hour journey to Likasi on a dirt road rife with potholes. Monga was driving and Sister Renlund, Brent and I were in the back seat bouncing into each other the entire time. Monga moves right along on those rough roads and he never once stopped when the police motioned him to pull over. Our car was washed just before we left Kolwezi on the wild ride. This is what the car looked like when we arrived in Likasi.

We arrived in Likasi just in time for another young single adult meeting that Monga had arranged. We all four spoke again. Then it was off to the Hotel Relax, which really is a pretty nice hotel. We enjoyed dinner and some fun conversation.

Monday morning we held a zone conference in Likasi with our ten missionaries. We all four spoke again. The Renlunds do very well in French and are very motivated to improve their speaking ability. I am doing my whole talks in French, but am very tied to the paper and sometimes wonder if it would be better to let Brent translate so I could say things that come into my mind as I talk and not just stick to the written talk. After the zone conference we had lunch with the elders at the church. Sister Motshikana had bought the lunch for us this time, since we had been gonefrom home for several days. It was so nice of her.

Then we headed for Lubumbashi. It had been a very successful trip with good input from the Renlunds on our buildings and other church matters; two wonderful meetings with young adults, a great time at zone conference with our elders and many things to remember and fun things to laugh about for years to come, and most importantly, some wonderful new friends.