Our Very Own Brasier

Brent was asked to do a District financial audit in Likasi. We laughed right out loud when they asked him, until we realized that they were serious. He has never done an audit in his life. He doesn't even enjoy balancing the check book. But he studied and stressed like crazy and we headed for Likasi. The audit went fine, except that the receipts looked like a "pile of confetti."

While we were there Brent did missionary interviews with our ten elders, met with a branch president, looked at some apartments for more elders, interviewed a prospective full-time missionary and we spent some time with our wonderful African couple training him on finances. They are the first full-time Congolese missionary couple EVER.

The Motshikanas.

They're the Mama and Papa to the elders in Likasi and are essential to the success there. They have also had many baptisms. We love them dearly. They have become great friends.

I was talking to her about Congolese cooking and told her that I would like to have a brazier. This is a metal cooker in which you build a charcoal fire. This is how you cook everything in the Congo. She thought it was hilarious that I wanted one, but said that she would take us shopping.

About that time a young returned missionary came to the church. He's just one of my favorite people in Likasi. In the Congo people come to the church all day, every day. I'm not sure just why, but the church is always open and they come all the time. Sister Motshikana asked him where he thought we should go to get a small brazier. Immediately, he said that he would go with us to buy one. So, we all loaded in the truck and headed out for Kikula.

Kikula is a "suburb" of Likasi. It's a most interesting place that is packed full of small brick homes and has no paved roads. Sometimes we aren't sure that our truck will make it through on the roads of Kikula, but the church is growing there by leaps and bounds.

He directed us to the home of his sister. This is the street where she lives. Notice the little people walking down the middle of the street carrying water and siblings. His sister came out of her house with two braisers, which were apparently being used by her family.

We tried to pay them for it and they all said that this was a gift and would not take our money.

Here are her daughter and son Frere Musango, his sister, Sr. Motshikana and me

He also said that he wants to make a very small brazier for us, so that we could take it home and show our American friends and family how the Congolese cook. We were most honored to have such a generous gift from this great young man and his sister.

Just another trip to Likasi. Here is a little part of our drive home. We don't want to forget the Likasi road, as if we could! We call this part the earthquake road. It's always an adventure.