Our first Zone Conference--Solo

It has been quite a weekend here in Lubumbashi.

First we were supposed to pick up an Area Authority, who was staying in our guest house, at 11:00am on Fri. He called us at 11:15 and said that his plane, which was going to Lubumbashi, actually went to Mbuji-Mayi, a city not even close to here. Only in Africa!! So, he would get the next plane here which arrived at about 3:00. We had worked on a nice meal for us and had the meat and sauce ready when at 4:00 the power went off and I was unable to finish cooking the meal. It was off for the next 8 hours. We ended up eating bread, fruit and cheese with Elder Kola by candlelight. I was just praying that the power would come on in time to print up my talk, since last week it didn't and I had to hand copy it from the computer. We got power back at about 11:00pm. At least, Elder Kola will put in a good word for us to get a generator. We hope!

FRIDAY we held the first zone conference that we've done on our own. We invited the elders from Likasi (65 miles away) to join us. They are in our zone but rarely come here. That made 30 missionaries, including us. It's an extremely large number of missionaries to have in a zone. Brent never had more than about 12 in any zone on his mission. But we have 26 elders and one African couple who are in the Lubumbashi zone. This time, we decided to get them all together.

The Lubumbashi Zone with Elder Kola

The elders from Likasi got on a transport by 6:30 am so they could be here by 9:30.A transport is not a comfortable way to travel. It has about 19 people crammed in a minivan on hard benches and one guy hanging out the sliding door and jumping in and out taking money. But our missionaries were just happy to be able to come to a Zone Conference in Lubumbashi.

This is a picture that gives a feel for what a transport is like.

They are the major source of transportation, if you don't walk.

While they were traveling, we went and picked up elder Mpoyi, the elder who had hernia surgery 6 days ago. He wanted to be at zone conference and made it through the whole thing. We took Elder Kola, our visiting African Area Authority, with us as we headed for the Bel Air apartment. On the way, we saw four of our elders walking from Ruashi, which is about 10 km away. When we picked up the four elders at the apartment it meant that we had four of us in the truck and the other three elders and all the supplies in the back of the truck. It makes me very nervous to put people in the back of the truck, but in the Congo, as our Zone Leader Elder Kirongozi explained, "You take all the people you can when you can in the Congo."

When we got to the church, about 8:00, most of the elders from Lubumbashi were already there and setting up. By 8:30 they were in the chapel and they were singing hymns until the elders from Likasi arrived at 9:20.

Meanwhile, Elder Kola had an emergency. He had forgotten to send some documents to Johannesburg before he came to Lubumbashi. So, while the elders and I sang in the chapel, Brent took Elder Kola back home and took care of his business for him. I had forgotten my hymn book and sweet Elder Kirongozi gave me his so that I could sing with them. It's very strange not to know the words to the songs. I know almost every song in English, but have to really work to sing them in French, even with a hymnbook.

Brent and Elder Kola arrived back just as the Likasi group arrived. After 2 1/2 hours in a transport they were dropped off at the church. When they arrived it was a scene never to be forgetten. Most of these elders know each other since all but two are from the Congo. They come from the same towns, or have worked as missionaries together, or they were ward/branch missionaries working with full-time elders or were in the MTC in Ghana together. When the Likasi elders arrived they just about ran into the chapel and began hugging, back slapping, head bonking (a way to show affection here), cheek kissing, hand slapping and showing general joy at seeing each other. It was like nothing we have ever seen before. They went down the rows expressing joy at seeing each elder. I could not hold back the tears as we watched these wonderful elders demonstrating such love for each other. Then we had to try and help them remember that they were in the chapel. It was hard to discourage such demonstrations of deep affection and joy.

Our conference went very well, considering we are a couple of novices and had no idea what we were doing. The elders were very attentive and generally awesome and we felt good about it.

As soon as the meetings were over, Elder Kola realized that he had another problem. So he and Brent went back to our house while I got lunch for the Elders. Fortunately, we had decided on KFC (that's Katanga Fried Chiken--note the African spelling here) box dinners.

We had discussed a cheaper, but more labor intensive, plan to make hoggies, etc, but the zone leaders were so enthusiastic about the chicken that we decided to treat them to KFC, pop and home made cookies. It was a good idea. They loved the greasy chicken & french fries, coleslaw and rolls. When they were finished there was not a thing left in any of the boxes but the bones and napkins.

After much picture taking and many more hugs, all the elders set off for home on foot and in the transport. We took home a very tired Elder Mpoyi. It was a great day for us all!

We got home to see that we had power and water and all seemed right with the world. We even talked to the Webb family on Skype. Then suddenly the internet went off. It's hard to describe how horrible this was for us. We can do without water and power, but the internet is our tie to our family and the outside world, so it was pretty upsetting when it didn't work. Actually, by morning, when it still didn't work we were pretty discouraged and frantic. At breakfast we said a prayer for the internet. Not sure that qualifies for prayers, but we know that the Lord can help us with anything. About five minutes later, Brent began to think that he had to do something (or I might just jump on the next plane) and the thought came into his mind that at home Scott just unplugged our router and then plugged it in again when things stopped working. So, he decided to try it. For us, the technologically challenged, this was a big leap of faith. BUT IT WORKED! Brent had talked to the Elders at conference about the section on prayers in the Bible dictionary. (If you haven't read it, do!! It's awesome!) It says that we should not hesitate to ask the Lord for blessings, no matter what they are. If we ask, he will give us those things that He's already willing to give us and knows are for our good. But we must ask. So we did. I think it was OK to pray for the internet and I think that the Lord answered that prayer in a very immediate and merciful way. The Lord is taking good care of us. We're back in business!!

Our little sickie

We had our first experience with medicine in the Congo this week with our dear Elder Mpoyi. He entered the mission when we did and is our major Swahili teacher. He has the most delightful smile and twinkle in his eye. We just love him!

He was diagnosed with a hernia that would require surgery. We had been told some very frightening things about medical care here, so we were pretty nervous when they said it would be fine to have his surgery in Lubumbashi.

We picked him up at his apartment and the other elders gave him a wonderful, simple blessing. It was a very touching time with those four good elders caring for each other. We were to be at the clinic to meet the doctor at 9:00 am. When we got there the Dr. wasn't there. We were told to wait out in front of the clinic for him. We had to pay for the medical care paid up front, that's how it's done here ($650 in cash) and we probably got our money's worth. Finally, the doctor walked up, put his arm around Elder Mpoyi's shoulder and started walking away. We told him that we had a car, but he didn't want to ride with us. He said that he wanted to walk with the young man to keep him calm and relaxed, like nothing unusual was happening. So, they walked the 4 blocks to a little clinic among the stores in the middle of town, as we followed along, not even knowing where we were going.

When we got just around the corner from the clinic, the Doctor told us that he didn't want us coming with them and he would call us when it was over. Then he just walked on with Elder Mpoyi in hand. We didn't know what to do as Elder Mpoyi turned and waved a nervous goodbye and rounded the corner. We followed them to the clinic and then decided that we just had to leave. We really had no other choice. Thankfully, Justin, a local bishop who helps us with all missionary needs, was there to reassure us that Elder Mpoyi would be fine.

We went on about our day's activities--looking at apartments and speaking at a new member meeting in Katuba Stake, but we were very anxious as the time went on. We finally heard from Justin, who had gone to the clinic to check things out at 6:00 pm. He told us things had gone fine and we could come and see Elder Mpoyi. We were so relieved! We hurried to the clinic, only to find the gates locked. We tried to call Justin, but it had been raining and we found out that cell phones don't work here when it rains. As we were frantically trying to decide what to do, Justin and his wife arrived and led us to a side door enterance to the clinic. We went through an open iron gate, down a dark alley, behind some stores and around the corner to the door of the clinic. Since it had rained we had to negotiate some big puddles of water to get there. It was such a strange place to be entering a surgical center and we felt so unfamiliar with how things are done here and what it would be like. This was certainly not a great beginning.

Across the hall from a small office with a very nice lady in it, who greeted us and must have been in charge, we found Elder Mpoyi. He was lying on a cot in a cement room that had nothing in it but another cot, a plastic chair, a hat rack and a mosquito net. The room had faded yellow paint half way up the walls and a curtained window that looked out into the hall. There was no doctors or nurses anywhere. Actually, there didn't seem to even be any other patients as we looked down the dark hall. There was no technology at all-no IV, no blood pressure cuff, no monitors, no oxygen. Our elder was in some pain, but seemed fine. Justin told us that his brother-in-law was going to come and sleep on the empty cot in the room with Elder Mpoyi, so we felt better about leaving.

Elder Mpoyi comes from a very isolated town in the middle of the Congo called Luputa. There are seven branches of the church there, but there is no electricity or power at all. The church just build a tape for the city to get clean water. We had called the District president and asked him to find Elder Mpoyi's family to tell them about the surgery. We said that we would call them when it was finished. So, we tried to call them, but the rain had affected the cell phones there too. We were not able to notify his family for almost 36 hours after the surgery. It was very hard to know that they were home worrying even longer than we were.

Elder Mpoyi will be in the clinic for four days to recover and be watched carefully so he doesn't get infection or have other problems. It is very different from the outpatient surgery at home. He will need food and anything else he needs brought to him. No complaining about the hospital food. There is none.

We are so glad that the surgery went fine and he is recovering well. What a relief! It was not the ideal situation, but better than what we had anticipated.

Sunday, after our trip to Likasi, we went to see him again, entering by the same entrance. A very nice man in the office across the hall greeted us and brought in two plastic chairs. Elder Mpoyi was his happy self and feeling much better. We are so relieved that he is going to be fine.

Look how cute he is!! He's wearing his badge on his pajamas.

We are, however, praying that nobody else gets seriously ill while we're here.

Medical care is still frightening to us.

Shades of Camp LoMia

Often during our time here we think about and feel like we are working at girls' camp. We always like girls' camp, so it's OK and Brent has Robert (our guard) to haul the trash. But this is how it is.

Girls' Camp Mission

Campers with lots of needs Elders with lots of needs

We fix food for campers Fix food for Zone Conference

Everything is pretty dirty Everything is pretty dirty

Girls cook out on fires Congolese cook out on fires.

A lodge w/power & water Usually power & water at home

Eating what's fixed Eating whatever you can buy

Leaders are the camp police We are the missionary police

Leaders are the medics We are the medics

Missing and loving home Missing and loving home

Love camp mail Love weekly missionary letters

Now for this weeks comparison. Some of you are aware that I was the "pack-out lady" at camp for quite a few years. Well, now we're the 'pack-out' people here. We are not packing food for them to prepare in their apartments, but we are packing cleaning supplies and delivering them in boxes, just like we did with food at girls' camp.

Our living room was full of soaps and cleaning products, toilet paper, candles, matches, a bidon full of gas to start fires, and some really terrible smelling bar soaps with which they wash their pants. We had to count, sort and pack it all.

Now deliver all this to our elders, which means driving all over the city.

Then it's time to check to see if the capers (that's the camp word for jobs) are really done. I do like girls' camp, but an 18 month long camp? Good thing we love these boys so much and know that we are supposed to be here. Hey, isn't that how we felt about camp?

Religion In the Congo

In the Congo religion is something very important. People like to talk about spiritual things and they are very open to discussions. Most of the people are Christian. We are told that there are a few Muslims, but we have not see a Mosque yet. It makes it easier for our Elders to find people to teach.

They are generally very respectful of each others' religion and they show respect for us as missionaries. When they see our missionary tags they always have questions. We are asked questions in the stores and on the streets. The police are much more likely to let us go without too much trouble when they see our tags. Many times when we are stopped a little church literature and a reminder that we cannot give them God's money is all it takes to get on our way. One time a policeman said, "Oh, missionaries, we are here to serve you!" Churches have helped the African people for years and they appreciate the work that is done here.

There are all kinds of churches and on Sunday you will see many people dressed up and walking to church. Women and girls are dressed up in their colorful African clothes or in their nicest western clothes and men and little boys are in shirts, ties and often suits. Despite their humble financial circumstances, the Congolese love to dress up and they look wonderful.

Some sisters from Katuba Ward

Little girls dress up in frilly dresses, if they have them. Although everybody doesn't have really nice things, the idea is that you come in your very best to honor the Sabbath Day.

Sometimes church people dress alike and the choirs always do, even in our wards. The Methodists dress alike in large numbers and most often in green and yellow combinations. One day we saw five minivan transports full of them. I think it was the church choir because their singing had those vans rocking.

But people are walking everywhere on Sundays, heading to the church of their choice.

We went to Katuba chapel to visit the wards there today. On the way I decided to count and take pictures of churches. It takes about 15 min. to drive to the Katuba chapel. There are 12 churches along that route. Some are very large and actually the most beautiful buildings in town and some a very small and some even meet outside. Here are a few pictures of them.

Catholic Church,definetly the nicest building in Lubumbashi.

A more common kind of church -The Orthodox Church of St. Marc

A small church where they sit outside

This one is The Potter's House Church of the Potter.

There is a scriptural reference to Jeremiah 18:2 on the sign.

The Power Gospel church

The Church Armed with the Eternal One

The people were just on a porch here holding church.

We also came across a religious processional to the Methodist Church. They were carrying artificial flowers and waving them in the air. They were dressed in wonderful bright African clothing. Only about a third of them are visible in this picture. The line was probably a third of a mile long. It was quite a sight.

And here we have the LDS chapel where we attended church.

Two sweet families from our congregations.

THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY

Children are usually pretty shy around us. We think the white skin is a little unnerving to them. But this little girl on the left took my hand and walked all over the church with me and her girlfriend tagged along. It was awesome. She was so cute and happy to be together. I loved it!

We love these good Congolese Saints!

They embrace the teaching of the gospel and are living it with all their hearts.

What a privilege it is to be here.

Today Kisanga

Hardly a day goes by that isn't interesting enough to want to record. Today was no exception. We will be getting additional elders in each of the next couple of transfers. That means that we have to get additional housing for them. So, after much consideration and study, we are trying to rearrange all the apartments and sectors where the elders work and to get another apartment. Justin, one of the bishops here, who is our right hand man, located a place for us to consider.

He helps with missionaries' needs, does buying for us. He's the man

we call when things aren't working at our house. Justin is great!

So, today we went out in the "suburbs" of Lubumbashi with Justin to a place called Kisanga. There is a fairly new house that is available and we went to look at it and negotiate with the landlord. When we entered, we were amazed that it was a very nice African home.

It was the very nicest house that we have been in. When we walked out of the living room into the rest of the house, it looked more like the typical Congolese house, with cement walls, floors and ceiling, but some walls were painted and there was even a stove in the kitchen.

It is a good place for our elders. It has water and power most of the time. It is also very near several of the areas where the elders will work, so we will save money on transport. We negotiated with the landlord and think we got a good enough arrangement to send our information to Kinshasa for ratification.

While we were out in Kisanga, we decided to look at a piece of land very nearby that is already owned by the church for a future building. We drove down the dirt road that the house was on just a short distance, when Justin told us to turn into what we thought was a field. It was actually the road (path) that leads to the church property. We were not sure the truck would make it, but he assured us that we would be fine. Sometimes we were on a pretty severe tilt when the road narrowed and there were hills on each side and we bounced around a lot as we made our way though the housing area to the land, but we did arrive just fine.

The best part of the road to the church property

Houses across the street from the property.

The church land

On the property is a well with a hand pump. The church will use the well for its water until running water is available. Right now, the people of the area use it to get water for their bidons. When we build, we will run a pipe and a tap outside the fences so that the people can continue to use the water. Getting clean water to the people is a big part of the humanitarian projects of the church. Today there was a group of women and children filling containers there. Brent got right in and helped them.

We all enjoyed it.

Just as we were leaving a little group of pre-kindergarten children

came by in their blue smocks and waved frantically at us.

We couldn't resist taking their pictures.

Next we went to a rented house that one of the wards is due to move into in about two weeks. There are four wards currently using one of the chapels, so they are happy to move to this place, although it is very tiny. A member of the ward who was overseeing the work gave us a tour of the building.

Notice the customary hymn page number board already installed.

Some of the workers were making a lunch of fish and bukari. (It's called bukari in Swahili and it's fufu in Lingala). Bukari is the favorite dish of the Congolese. We have not yet tasted it, but I keep teasing the elders about teaching me how to make it. We have seen it in the markets in its powdered form. But more often, they buy it fresh and then they dry, grind and cook it.

When I first saw it in the markets, I thought it was powdered sugar and was very excited, but alas, they have no powdered sugar here. Our cute zone leaders knew that we were looking for

"sucre en poudre" and this week they brought us what they call powdered sugar. It was just granulated sugar, like we have at home. It was so kind of them to think of us. We thanked them gratefully, but hope they don't expect frosting on their cookies next time they come for lunch. Their sugar here is very coarse and has a brownish tint to it.

When I asked the chef, at the new building, if we could take a picture of their meal, he said no. That was a first! I had been taking a lot of pictures. He couldn't figure out why I would want a picture of his food and he thought I was teasing him. Then when he realized that I was serious, he and a friend jumped into the picture. The fish is cooking on a charcoal braiser, which is what most people here use to cook all their meals.

Here are some scenes from the street across from the newly rented church building.

This place is directly across from the church and it was tended by two little girls.

We never saw anybody else there the whole time we were at the church.

The block wall on the left is on the church property.

Cute little kids who couldn't help but stare at the funny white people.

When these ladies saw me with a camera,they asked me to take their pictures. Congolese love to have their pictures taken. I have never had anybody, but the man cooking fish and bukari, hesitate for even a minute.

It was a good day in the Congo. We think we made a deal on the house and hopefully six elders will be able to live in a good place close to their areas of labor.