Glad to be here!

Today we attended a baptismal service at the Gecamines building.

This was a most memorable day.

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This is what makes it all worth being here! There were 22 people baptized in this baptismal service. If you look closely you will see that it was quite a challenge to find enough baptismal clothes for all of them. For a minute we thought that some of the elders had just taken off their shirts and given them to the children.

Brent was honored to acted as one of the witnesses.

The missionaries worked hard getting everything ready for this big group.

This Mama was so proud of her son's baptism that we just had to take their picture.

We have many baptisms every Sunday, unless there is now water. It is quite remarkable. Our area total this Sunday was 52. Now the challenge is to find them a friend, a calling and nourish them with the good word of God. What an amazing mission are are serving in! This is what makes it all worth being here!

No need to say more!

Back to Kolwezi

May 8-10, 2010 we made our third trip to Kolwezi. This time we flew both ways. I am not getting used to the tiny, prop airplanes, but it's much easier to have 45 min. of terror in the air than three hours of it on the horrible, dirt road to Kolwezi. The air field is at least paved, and the terminal is about the size of our bedroom in Arizona. There were two tables on the porch with souvenirs. I admired a copper bracelet and some earrings and Brent bought them for me as a Mother's Day gift.

Brent was assigned to preside at the conference of the Kolwezi District. We were excited to find that the building had been connected to electricity for the first time in its 10 months of use. It happened just the day before the conference, so we had the organ, lights and microphones and everybody was thrilled to have power. These are some faces to remember from Kolwezi.

The hope for the future in the Congo

Two young men from Kikondja & Papa Jean Two of the 5 people we saw baptized that Sunday

We spent "a three-day, all-expense-paid trip" to the Hacienda Hotel (aka Pepto Hotel.) We discovered it's not all pink. Each room has it's own color. This time ours was turquoise.

For some reason, these hotel rooms feel like caves to me. I have no idea why. It's a comfortable hotel by African standards. The owner is very nice, and the service is excellent. They also have three very friendly black Great Danes, who I always enjoy. The restaurant has safe, tasty food and this is a really pleasant "cave" to stay in. We also had Brother and Sister Monga from Lubumbashi staying there, so we ate all our meals together and enjoyed their company. It felt a little like a vacation. One of the things that I like about this hotel is that they always have fresh flower arrangements in the lobby and restaurant. Fresh flowers are a rarity in the Congo. On Sun. evening, as we left the restaurant, the owner was on the patio arranging flowers. I couldn't help but stop and admire them and tell her how much I enjoy them. A few minutes after we got to our room, her daughter brought a bouquet of two dozen delicate pink roses for me to enjoy. It was such a treat to get Mother's Day flowers in Africa. These beautiful flowers and communications on Skype with our children made a it a good Mother's Day, despite the fact that there is no such holiday in the Congo.

We also had some mission business to do while we were there. Before the district conference we went to look at a home we're renting for our elders. We are sending six missionaries to Kolwezi in May. This will be the first time that full-time missionaries have been there since the early 90's. The house was near the Diur church building and in a good place, although located on a road not easily accessible by car. We signed the contracts and delivered the money to the landlord. Then we went to look at furniture that had been chosen by Frere Nicolas, one of the high councilors. The beds, tables, and chairs will be made by the district president, who is a furniture maker. The other things we saw were very adequate and the apartment should be well supplied.

We feel like this will be a good place for our elders. We have a couple who will serve a part-time church-service mission to help supervise their well-being and missionary efforts.

Our district conference was wonderful. By the time the Sunday session started, the chapel and cultural hall were filled nearly to capacity with members and about 50 "friends of the church."

We each gave two talks and a workshop. All of them were translated from French to Swahili. The district, which has three branches, really needs more attention than they have had in the past. They're eager to learn and having missionaries there will bless them. They will have leadership from the mission coming every six weeks to see the elders and if training for the district happens then too, it will be a great blessing.

One of the wonderful things that happened while we were there was that we saw the people from Kikondja. (see the earlier blog entitled THE GIANTS.) We saw three of them last Oct. when we were in Kolwezi. They had walked for over 300 miles, taking two weeks to do it, just to bring their tithing and attend district conference. This time there were seven of them, including a 12 year-old boy. Some of them were not wearing shoes at the meeting because of foot problems encountered in the walk. But they were there, on the front row, taking notes and soaking in every word. We had a few minutes to visit with them after the conference. They are truly an inspiration to us all. In their village there are about a dozen baptized members, but they usually have about 40 who attend their weekly services. Many of them pay tithing. Three of the people who came have not yet been baptized. Because they live a great distance from a center of strength in the church, they will have to wait for the blessing of baptism, but they are faithful and believing and patiently waiting. You can see the light of the gospel in their eyes and meeting them has been a privilege.

Freres Paul, Jean-Gilbert, Patient , Delphin, Jean, Mwilombe and young, Brice

Pres.& Sr. Ilale and the saints from Kikondja

District Presidency with Brent at the dedication of the Kolwezi Chapel

Brent was also assigned by the Area Presidency to dedicate the Kolwezi chapel while we were there. It has been in use since Aug, but hadn't been dedicated. So, at the end of the conference, he offered a dedicatory prayer on the building. He prayed that this building would be a beacon in Kolwezi to bring many to the light of the Christ. I think that it will be just that. It's a beautiful building and will certainly attract people to see what's there. It was very special to share this experience that will tie us permanently to the history of the church and people of Kolwezi.

Finally, Nairobi!

We flew back on the same tiny, prop planes that we'd gone on, only this time it was piloted by a student pilot. I was in the back with my eyes closed, so I didn't notice much. But, the people in the front said she peppered the instructor with questions on how to fly the whole trip. So, this time, I wasn't the only terrified passenger.

We were met at the airport by Steven, who had arranged for the bus and van to take us back to the couple's flats. He is a member, who used the perpetual education fund, and is now paying back his loan by doing word carvings and odd jobs for the missionaries. PEF is a problem here in Africa because so often when people finish school they still can't get jobs to pay back their loans. Having an education isn't always the answer to having a job. PEF is available in many countries, but only exists in one stake in Kinshasa, where it's a pilot program.

We bought a beautiful Masai nativity and a banana leaf nativity in a banana leaf box from Steven. We bought a basket, some soapstone coasters and little things to send home to the grandkids, if Taysoms have room. They came from a shop in a MALL near the MARRIOTT HOTEL. I do like and miss pretty things and it's fun to have a few around now!

Because of flight schedules we had a day in Nairobi. Nairobi is awesome! It was really nice to see the city and do a little shopping.

Nairobi is a very large, modern city (8 million people) and if you can stand the traffic, it's awesome. There seemed to be order on the streets and in the stores. Almost everybody was wearing western clothes. It has malls, parks, clean streets, tall buildings and grocery stores that rival Walmart. We bought honey, soda crackers and a few other treats not available in the Congo. Fresh cut roses were about $4 for two dozen and all the couples had them in their apartments. They told us that the roads farther out of town are not good, but in downtown Nairobi they were like streets at home, although they do drive on the left side of the street. We had a great time being there for the day.

They also have a church service center where the mission pres. and most of the missionaries in Kenya have offices. It also has a distribution center and chapel. What a nice place! You can even send mail home from Nairobi. We brought Congolese flags and letters to mail to our kids back home. It was fun to be able to send them something. No mail in the Congo.

It was amazing to be in such a clean, modern city and our hosts, Elder and Sister Puckett, spent the whole day taking us wherever we wanted to go. They fed us chicken and chipatis and showed us a wonderful time.

Saturday we headed back to the Congo and our life as missionaries in the DRC. Our trip to Kenya seems like it was just a dream, but what a lovely dream it was. We will never forget it!

Blond Gazelle

I'm putting this video in our blog despite the fact that we didn't make it. It does have Thompson gazelles, lions, and giraffes in it, all of which we saw in the Mara. This is here just for its enjoyment

value. Everybody needs a little smile now and then. Thanks Marvin for giving this to us. We loved it!!

The Masai Village

Having spent three days seeing thousands of animals, and looking, in vain, for the illusive leopards, we opted to go to a Masai Village, instead of another game drive. It was hard to imagine that anything would be as good as the game drives, but something different was appealing. It turned out to be one of our favorite things. I found it so interesting that there will probably be "too much information" about the Masai village and its people.

Twelve of us headed, in two different groups, for the Masai Village, located just outside the park. Along the way there were a few mud homes. The construction of sticks covered with mud was much different than the handmade brick construction in the Congo.

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Upon our arrival we were greeted by a beautiful Masai girl named Christine. She spoke excellent English and was a delightful guide. I wanted to take her home with us. I felt a sweet, strong connection to her immediately.

Men with the village chief. Ladies with our cute guide, Christine.

"Christine and the Chief

There are several things about the appearance of the Masai that are interesting. Their clothing is quite unique. They wear beads, earrings, lavish neck decorations, jewelry and simple, bright, wrap-style clothing with many layers.

Their bottom two front teeth are pulled. One of the members of the church in Nairobi, who is a Masai, still has his teeth. He told us that they tried three times to kill his teeth roots so they could be pulled. When they wouldn't die in three tries, they just left them alone. He said it was for the medicine man to put medicine into your mouth if you aren't well enough to take it. Others said it was a sign of beauty.

They also elongate their ears and make huge holes in them, in which they wear rings and beads. Christine said that her parents didn't elongate her ears because they wanted her to go to school and that's not possible if you change your ears. It is also the custom of the Masai to shave their heads when they have a child to show that a heavy weight has been removed from their heads with the birth of a child.

Christine was 26 years old. She was married at 13 and has four children, the oldest of whom is 10. We asked her if her parents chose her husband. She looked at us like that was a strange question and said they did. Her husband paid a dowry of about 10 cows for her. Christine's husband was gone tending the Masia cattle, which are very important to their way of life. Men carry a club, stick or bows and arrows to protect the herd. Christine's husband has another wife, who is 14 and "still too young for babies," according to Christine.

The chief showed us his headdress made from a lion head and told us that he, personally, had killed two lions.

The Masai village is made with houses in a circle and a large open space in the middle. About 100 people live in this village without power or running water. They belong to seven different clans and you are not allowed to marry within your own clan.

The village is surrounded by a circle of prickly bushes with openings that can be filled with lose brush. At night the cattle are brought into the middle of the village for protection from lions, hyenas and other predators. Because of that, the village is mostly covered with cow manure. Cattle are the life blood of the Masai. When there is no grass or water for the animals the whole village migrates to Tanzania, hundreds of miles away, until the drought is over. Cattle dominate every aspect of their lives. They even drink a mixture of cow blood and milk about every other day. They feel it makes them strong and healthy. I'd have to be sickly. Yuck!

The Masai house is made by the women, who begin at age 8-10 to learn how to construct a house. They are made of sticks bound together and then covered with a mixture of mud and cow dung.

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We were invited into Christine's home, where she, her husband and four children live. Each wife has her own home. It had four very small rooms. It was tiny and dark, with only one wooden-barred window about 8x 10 inches in size. I couldn't go in (because I'm a little claustrophobic) until everybody was inside and then I stood in the doorway. The Masai are rather short, and Brent could not stand up straight in the house.

The main room was filled all around the outer edge by the six of us. That was the kitchen. She cooks on a small fire where they burn cow chips and with a bio-gas stove that was provided by a charity. It works from a big bio-gas unit where manure and water are mixed to make gas to run the stoves for the whole village. It's important for everybody to have the same life-style in a village. Christine was very careful to explain that all things are held in common and decisions are made by the chief for the good of his people.

There was also a parents and a children's bedroom. They had a structure built of sticks that filled the room and was covered with a sheet of rawhide. The last room was a small one by the door for cattle who need more protection than the center of the village offered or are ill. Decorations were thanks to her children. We get cross with our kids when they draw on the walls! This was all the decoration they had.

During our visit the young men of the village danced for us. It's a tradition that the men jump during dancing to show their strength. The higher you jump the more it impresses the women of the village. The women also sang and danced.

They even invited us to join them. I was totally shocked when Brent was the first one to join the dancing and jumping. I only got the landing, but he was definitely the highest jumper among the Elders.

Just before the young warriors started dancing, they all began to gathered around Brent and me, making the sounds that they make when they dance. I have no idea why they picked us. It wasn't frightening at all, but pretty strange. We never did find out why they did it.

The women sang a song to welcome visitors and then a prayer for food, rain and protection. One woman would sing and then the others would do a refrain. We sang and danced with them.

During the dancing a little girl came up to me, so I picked her up and held her while we sang. She didn't seem a bit afraid and cuddled right down in my arms. When her mother came over to take her she refused to go. The Mom put out her arms several times. Every time she did the little girl turned away and held onto me. It was really funny and we all had a good laugh together.

After the dancing we were invited to their Market. It was an enclosed area with tables full of things made in the village. The people of the village stood all around it and pointed to the things that they had made and urged you to buy them. It was good that only the guides and the chief could come into the Market. The large beaded necklaces were amazing. I must admit we succumbed to a few things to remember this visit. Brent picked a Masai club and I picked a soapstone dish and a necklace made of Masai cattle horns. Just couldn't resist!

I can never resist the children either. Here are some of them.

As we were leaving the village we saw a crowd of children gathered around two women who were cooking chapaties (African tortillas) on an open fire.

They offered us some, but since they were prepared and cooked in a pretty dirty area, we passed. We did have some made in Sister Puckett's nice, sanitary kitchen and loved them.

Hard to imagine that people live their whole lives here and know as little about our life-style as we do about theirs.

But meeting Christine made me feel that, although our cultures are vastly different, we have much more in common than our environments would indicate. Belief in Christ, love of family, desire to contribute and learn. All these are alike, though our life-styles are worlds apart.