tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76107194831263836642023-12-12T08:26:43.310-08:00Emily in AfricaEmilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-21924612123230840412011-09-20T07:20:00.000-07:002011-09-20T07:20:04.908-07:00And you thought I was done....... to be honest, I did too! I did not think there would be much to "blog" about after returning to the United States. But as Bob and Taylor (and others) probably predicted, my "journey" is just beginning. The "trip" to Congo was really just "one small step" in my larger Congolese journey. I now think of EVERYTHING through the lens of my time there and my experiences. I'm writing a lot right now-- creative non-fiction pieces that I will be submitting for publication in literary journals soon (which feels really <i>good</i>, by the way... it's been a really LONG time since I had the "drive" to write creatively, and even longer since I played the submission and publication game... but if you really want to know and ask nicely, I'll share some of my previously published work with you....), and writing for the newsletter, and <i>speaking</i> my mind about my trip and my experiences.<br />
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To wit, I wanted to share two things on here that really "touched" me lately, and will probably seem totally unrelated to Congo, but for me were quite salient. The first is an article about "Terror Management Theory" which I am really into... I think it says a lot about how people respond to horror in the world, and the ways and reasons we react as we do, and the <i>value </i>of treating lightly and using <i>hope</i> as a motivator instead of scare tactics. That article is here:<br />
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http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/doomsday-scenarios-climate-change2.htm<br />
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The second is last week's "This American Life" poscast, their own 10-year retrospective on 9-11. Though I really loathed all the media coverage of it, and in a lot of ways feel that it is insensitive to those we should actually be honoring, this podcast was AMAZING. you should listen to it for that reason alone. But, beyond that, the first "act" is about a young man who has been living in Afganistan since being a teenager, and how he viewed his "transformation" as a result of living in such a politically tumultuous climate. It may seem tangential, but it reminded me A LOT of the Congo. It is here:<br />
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http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/445/ten-years-in?act=1<br />
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Signing off for now...Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-65174811131546027572011-09-03T07:46:00.000-07:002011-09-03T07:46:56.774-07:00Re-Entry: Day 11Well, I apologize profusely for my lack of entries for both the remaining week of my time in the Congo and since I've been back. For anyone who was actually still following this, it must feel like I sort of left you hanging... The long and short of it was that I was really overwhelmed between traveling and being back in the United States. I was so surprised (despite the fact that Bob and Taylor prepped me for this) how <i>difficult</i> it was to come back "home". Having now met several people who've traveled in Congo, I can say with certainty that everyone's "re-entry" process is different.<br />
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For me, when I got home, I had a really hard time with <i>food</i>. This appears to be a relatively frequent response after coming back to a country of excess after being in a country like the Congo with such lack. But I really could not eat for the first few days I returned, because I would open the pantry and feel so perplexed and <i>overwhelmed</i> by the vast amount of food in our house, that I simply could not make a decision about WHAT to eat. When you go to a country like the Congo, the "food and water politics" is in every bite you consume and it becomes a part of you. This made it intensely difficult for me to transition back to "American" food. Especially because food and water was so deeply and inextricably linked to women's issues while I was there, and I would often spend entire days <i>working</i> with the women just to prepare the food, which, as I previously alluded to, is just <i>so much work</i>. This is an issue that affects women all across the economic strata of the country, because even well-educated women spent so many hours every day working in the kitchen. So it was appropriate that I did it too, and even now, with everything that I did and <i>saw</i>, some of the most intimate, touching, and true moments happened when I was sitting in the "kitchen" over a charcoal burner. And when I came home, it was as if this labor of love had transformed my relationship to food, such that I no longer understood how to <i>be </i>in relation to food.<br />
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It transformed my relationship to American culture as a whole, and indeed, so many parts of "home" now feel very "foreign" to me. I have found it immensely hard to explain to others what it "was like" to be in the Congo, because it's so unlike any other place in the world you will ever visit. It is even quite different from many other parts of Africa, it seems. For me, in a way that I cannot yet (and maybe never will) articulate, it was like traveling to a different reality... An excellent metaphor given to me by a friend recently was that I did not merely <i>walk</i> through the doors of perception-- i took the doors completely off their hinges. My perception of the world is now forever altered, and I don't feel I have the option to "close" those doors again, because where there were once doors, there are now only doorways.<br />
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I imagine that the thoughts and perceptions will continue to shift and rearrange and reveal new images to me each day--and hopefully, i will be able to share those as they come up. But for now, I will "leave it", as they say, at that...Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-34260870795265920152011-08-21T01:00:00.000-07:002011-08-21T01:00:31.207-07:00Day 33: Mulongo<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">It took us quite a long time to get back to Mulongo, much longer than I expected. It was almost 3 full days by boat. Yesterday when we arrived here, I was sooooo tired, which seems to be a growing theme of mine throughout this trip. But on our way back, we made a brief stop at a village which is well-known around here for being inhabited by the war-lord Vendi, who received Bob the last time he was here. This war-lord is distinguished, as I was told by DS Mulongo, by the fact that “this one… he did not eat people.” Which sounds almost comical in its absurdity, but it remains staunch fact around here that most of the war-lords were known not only for their violence, but for their cannibalism. (As an aside, I’ve read in many historical accounts that as recently as 5 years ago, even the local Congolese shuddered at the prospect of entering the neighboring province of Maniema due to the reports of the cannibalism therein, though again, I do not claim to know whether these reports were true.) So anyway, as I am told, Vendi started our more or less honorably, attempting to protect his village from rebels and soldiers, but as it so often happens, things went somewhat south. The details from then on are foggy to me, though DS Mulongo promised to tell me the whole story later, but it is evident by the demeanor of those who surround him that great atrocities were committed in his name. I was told that nearly everyone (including children) in that village were conscribed into service. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">The experience of being there was so surreal. Even not having to see anything horrific (it really resembled most of the other near-by villages that we visited, belying little of the violence that was committed there) it seemed to be that walking through this village in the seven-am Congolese mist had a certain surreal quality, I’m reminded of the title of a Chuck Klosterman essay entitled “Where crazy things seem normal, and normal things seem crazy” (which, if you’re a Klosterman-fan, no doubt you’ll call me out on the fact that this story was about interviewing Val Kilmer, which clearly has no relevance, so yes, I’m taking the title ridiculously out of context), it felt very much like that. As I heard the somewhat-broken story about everyone in this village being conscribed to commit violent acts, and as I sat before the war-lord watching the growing crowd around him, seeing the hardness of the dozens of pairs of glittering stones watching me, the realization hit me: more-than likely, everyone here standing before me older than about the age of 15, has killed someone. Because if they hadn’t, they wouldn’t be standing here looking at me. <i>That </i>realization is deeply humbling, surreal, and even, yes, a bit alarming. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">What struck me most, though, was not the horror, but the fact that they were <i>just like me.</i> There is no discernable difference in our genetic code. Indeed, while there, I met the chief’s daughter, Cecille, who is a woman about my age who attends the nursing school in Mulongo. DS Mulongo told me that they had huge difficulties in the beginning integrating her, because she was so used to violence, being the one yielding the gun, <i>literally</i>, that she was extremely reactive and abrasive to all classmates. And there’s really no different between her and I, except that fate cast me forth on a different continent, and I received all the relevant benefits. As I thought about the killing, I thought, it’s so strange that Westerners so often conceive of killing in this type of context as a <i>choice</i>… but if the choice is kill or be killed, what would you have done? What would I have done? (The fact that I’m such a weakling that I’m sure I would have been one of the first to perish, if I was lucky enough to make it out of the womb, is irrelevant to this hypothetical.) And then I realized that it’s not really a choice <i>at all.</i> Because it struck me as similar to trying to drown oneself—without using external force, you simply <i>can’t do it.</i> At a certain point, your “survival instincts” take over, and you no longer really have a choice in the matter. (Even biologically speaking, your frontal lobe pretty much defects once your amygdala is calling the shots.) It’s a Stanley-Milgram-esque revelation, but there’s always something within us that wants to believe we’re somehow “better” than others in situations like this, that we would have made a “different” choice by sheer will, and chosen <i>not</i> to take people’s lives. But I guess I just don’t believe anymore that that’s really the case. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">And that, to me, is what’s so tragic about Congo, not that “pity” is really helpful to anyone, but I confess that I find myself unable to separate myself from the people here—I am unable to place myself in any sort of superior “helper” roll. And sometimes I confess I get overwhelmed by a terrible sadness when I think about leaving here, and knowing that things will be the “same” for the villages I visited long after I’m gone. I want to be able to been enthusiastic and hopeful ALL the time—to be the stalwartly faithful missionary trekking into the deeper-reaches of the Congo, but the truth is, that’s just not me. I would be lying if I said that this trip wasn’t incredibly <i>hard</i> on me, emotionally, intellectually, and yes, even physically. I get overwhelmed by my smallness. My human-ness. The only thing that helps is a “knowledge” (for lack of a better word) of God’s big-ness… the knowledge that God is so much more than we can ever conceive of. He does not “fit” into the human brackets we have created for Him. This always was and always will be, from the beginning to the end. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">So I confess that my musing have gotten more than a little “heavy-handed” but it’s an artifact of the fact that “Congo” as a place, and “Congo” as a symbol, is so vast and is and represents so many things. Coming here has caused me to struggle with my very humanity, just as it did for Conrad all those years ago, prompting him to write “Heart of Darkness”. I confess that in the end, I think my perspective on the country is a little less, well, <i>fatalistic </i>or <i>dire</i>, but it is no less nuanced. </div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-10076261110372556492011-08-21T00:55:00.000-07:002011-08-21T00:55:03.201-07:00Day 30: On the river<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">We’re back on the river again today, and have (at this point) been traveling via boat for about 13 hours. It is HOT HOT HOT and muggy, but otherwise the Indiana is about the most sea-worthy and comfortable way to travel. Unfortunately for me, I seem to be terribly allergic to some prolific plant or other allergen here on the river, so I’ve spent the day either sneezing and coughing or drugged out of my mind in a Benadryl haze. For all the whining and complaining I do about traveling, I’m actually a lot more accustomed to Congo travel now, and am easily and happily able to bide my time on the boat as anywhere else. We even have a fully functioning Congolese kitchen on board, out of which much delicious bukari, rice, chicken, and fish have emerged. The Indiana is kind of like a traveling guest house—complete with our two-person pup-tent set up for shade and sleeping (this is where I’ll be sleeping tonight). I’ve been spending a lot of time listening to my iPod, sleeping, and writing a little. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Today Mary also braided my hair to help pass the time and we conferred about consolidating all of our information from our many trips so we can regroup when we get back to Mulongo. It’s funny because when I first got to Mulongo it seemed like the middle of nowhere (it IS pretty hard to get to), but now it’s my “home base” and I’m anxious to return tomorrow night so we can sort out all our stuff and prepare for the two-day sojourn back to Lubumbashi. We don’t have major plans for the next week beyond “regrouping”, but I am hoping to visit the hospital one more time and take some video so I can show it when I get back to Lockerbie Central. Though the hospital is one of the best in the area and I feel that the doctors there are very skilled, this place was one of the most striking <i>visual </i>images as part of my trip, so I’d like to get it on film to show back home. I suppose that’s all for now—looking forward to finally posting all of this when I get back to having internet connectivity tomorrow!</div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-72926488290798453072011-08-21T00:52:00.000-07:002011-08-21T00:52:16.362-07:00Day 29: Kabalo<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Today is our last day in Kabalo as tomorrow we start our 2+ day river descent. (I must emphasize again that travel here is really inordinately difficult—it takes an alarmingly long time to travel an impressively small number of kilometres.) I’ve been finishing up <i>Blood River: A Journey Into Africa’s Broken Heart</i> whilst biding my time in Kabalo, which is just the kind of book I love to read—personal narrative interspersed with rich historical information. The author, an international journalist, decided to undertake a lengthy journey across Congo in 2004 following the path of the explorer Stanley, who is credited as being one of the first European’s to “discover” the Congo River and its tributaries. It’s been kind of like a time warp reading it, because I’ve found myself relating to the narrator <i>so </i>much, with his detailed account of his struggles traveling down the river and across the country. (I found myself especially sympathetic when reading the passage about his being trapped in the city for two weeks while waiting for suitable transport—in that regard, not much has changed since 2004, as I am fondly remembering my “extended stay” in Lubumbashi.) </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Anyway, waxing-romantic about literature aside, we’ve otherwise passing our time here in Kabalo more-or-less pleasantly. (I say “more-or-less” because we’ve pretty much all, including me, been a little sick the past couple days.) Today was, again, laid-back schedule-wise, but emotionally demanding. In the morning we met with the lay-representatives from several local parishes, followed by a meeting with some of the pastors’ wives. <span> </span>Luckily, they came to us at the guest house instead of the other way around, since we were all feeling a little sickly and tired. I’m not sure I’ve written yet about the struggles that pastor’s face in this community. Pastor’s here are supported by the same mechanism they are in the United States, generally speaking, which is to say that their salary comes from the offerings given by the community members. But, given the fact that the communities here are so poor, that almost always amounts to a salary of 10 dollars (US) or less a month (I haven’t yet met a pastor who made more than that, unless he had some sort of outside venture). Even that is not reliable, and sometimes they can go months without being paid. Additionally, their position in the community is often tenuous, not that the church-members don’t care about them (on the contrary, I’ve found it’s quite the opposite), but the community is unable to support them if any sort of crisis comes up (like a pastor getting sick and needing to go to the hospital). As a result, the pastor’s often are forced to leave a community due to not having adequate food, housing, or health care. Because of the low salaries and high school fees, pastors often “rotate” their children, sending one to school one year, another one the next year, and so on and so forth. Finally, there’s really no such thing as “retirement” here, so once a pastor stops serving his community he’s pretty much on his own. Well, you can imagine the strain that puts on their wives to hold the household together—this is a lot of what I was hearing from pastor’s wives everywhere. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Leaving Kabalo, we were given a splendid farewell, Congolese-style, meaning that we were serenaded by the church choirs at an outdoor “concert” at the guest house. I was then gifted with another BEAUTIFUL outfit, a shirt for my husband, and another chicken. So even though we were all a little road-weary, we really enjoyed our send-off. I loved working with Mama Superintendent Mwayuma—she was so enthusiastic and upbeat. Which is definitely needed in a town like Kabalo! It’s hard to believe that the rest of the time (the next 9 days) before I leave the country is mostly going to be spent traveling… did I mention yet that traveling within Congo is extremely difficult and improving transportation is one of our main goals…? </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span>J</span></span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-4468246692244071892011-08-21T00:49:00.000-07:002011-08-21T00:49:57.592-07:00Day 28: Kabalo<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Today was our second to last day in Kabalo (we have only tomorrow left before we depart) and while the “pace” of the schedule is not as rigourous, the emotional drain is more so. I think I said before, Kabalo was occupied by soldiers and rebels for 8 years, meaning that much of the city was destroyed. The most notable thing from Kabalo that I want to spend my time writing about was the foyer (women’s school) we visited this afternoon. This small town on the outskirts of Kabalo was essentially an entire town made up of father-less children and husband-less women. None of the men (very few) that are living there now lived there during the war, because all (and I mean ALL) the men were either killed or forced to join the soldiers. I would guess that more than half of the children in this village are a product of rape. Many of the women are prostitutes, because they have no other way to support their children (the very children that were conceived through rape). Because the town was destroyed, there is literally NO industry, NO opportunity for employment. They are thrust backward in time to an era of hunter-gatherers, except that resultant from the war, there is nothing left to hunt or gather. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">So as I listened to woman after woman tell me their stories of rape, destruction, and hopelessness, I felt buoyed only by the fact that my being there was providing some comfort to them. I’m only one person, and I cannot do all things. But their shame is so great that merely to alleviate a small portion of that seems “helpful”, I suppose. Mainly it has caused me to think rather vaguely, wistfully, of what I might wish to do on my “next trip” to the Congo, if there is such a next trip! It’s funny because life is really hard here—no disguising that. It is <i>hard.</i> And often unpleasant. And yet, every author I’ve read and many people I’ve talked to describe the Congo this way—as a siren song. She sucks you in, and against all odds that great river is there, mysteriously calling you back against <i>all </i>your best judgment and logic. It’s strange how that happens, and I certainly didn’t bank on it happening to me, but here I am, thinking about what I might like to do the “next time” I’m in Kabalo…. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">After being here only a month, there is not much that surprises me about the Congo anymore, except the very fact that I am rarely surprised. Indeed, this is far from being an “ordinary” country, and I have found so many things here that are more than a little <i>challenging</i> to my mental schemas. Initially, whenever I expressed any sort of surprise or disbelief in spite of myself (usually about how expensive something was or how difficult it was to get some place), Mary offered a sort of nonchalant shrug and would say, “This is Congo.” in a rather resigned tone. A fait accomplit, if you will. But now, I find that even I am hard to “rattle”, neither by the alarming size of insects (there is an unidentifiable THING above my bed right now that’s easily the size of my entire hand, though I honestly have no clue what it is), nor the abject wealth and poverty, nor the seemingly-bizarre statements sometimes made by its inhabitants (one man in Lubumbashi told me that the current president was “very good” because “he doesn’t steal from the people, he only steals from the government” and that due to that, this man predicted the president’s re-election in November. Note that I have no way of confirming or disconfirming the accuracy of his statements, I’m just repeating what I heard).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">My adaptation to the day-to-day (and sometimes deeply perplexing) life here was much easier than I ever expected.. It has me wondering a bit about how I will “reverse-adapt” to “This American Life” (also the name of my favourite radio program. Someone please send Ira Glass my blog; it’s my life-long dream to be on his show. Not kidding.) when I get home. I don’t know. As I said, the most surprising thing about this trip is <i>me</i>, and I suspect it shall be the same when I get home….</span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-80688399124773306902011-08-21T00:47:00.003-07:002011-08-21T00:47:14.010-07:00Day 27: Kabalo<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">So, I’ve noticed, among other things, a peculiar phenomenon here which is that there is a ridiculous amount of “Obama” campaign attire and paraphanalia here. I can only guess as to how so much of it ended up over here, but it is slightly perplexing. If there exists a list of “least-likely-campaign-strategies-to-win-re-election” this definitely makes the list. In fact, I don’t think I’ve seen anyone wearing a shirt with words on it that are NOT in English. Most of the clothing people wear here appears to be designed for the American market, yet another sometimes-sad-sometimes-ironic-but-always-symbolic paradox about the Congo. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Anyway, on to the “news”—Spent the day “chilling” in Kabalo. It’s actually been pretty laid back today, which it good because I really needed the rest. I spent a good harrowing 2-hours in the immigration “office” today trying to get my travel docs approved. They were trying to claim that I had the wrong kind of visa, and that I couldn’t do missionary work because I had a tourist visa. (DS Mulongo kept saying, but she’s not a missionary! To no avail.) I found the whole thing a little disconcerting, but DS Mulongo assured me afterward that there was no real risk of us getting ousted from Kabalo, they were just giving us the run-around because, as he put it, “everyone wants money.” </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Then we just kind of hung out at the guest house here—I read a lot, watched Mimi’s (Dr. Serge’s wife) 1 and a half year old daughter gleefully wreck havoc. In the last afternoon, we visited one of the Kabalo parishes. Though I know this is going to sound repetitive, it was really sad to see because it was just completely <i>leveled. </i>There was nothing left—and it had used to be a bustling town with a clinic, three schools, a women’s foyer, etc, and now—nothing. To put this in a little perspective, the District Superintendent here (female, a marvel in and of itself) told me that last year, 60 children died due to not having clean water. In a community of maybe 250. It’s hard to believe—imagine if in a small-town elementary school in the US 60 children died each year? It would be totally unacceptable. So why do we, as a global community, allow it to be acceptable here? I know that’s a hard question with a very nuanced answer, but it’s thought-provoking, none-the-less. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">It’s interesting because as I near the end of my journey, I have now consumed massive quantities of literature about the recent and long-distant history of this country. In doing so, and being here now during a relative time of “peace” in the country’s history, I have to wonder if this most-fraught and meddled-with of the African countries will ever truly “make it” as a peaceful, developed, INDEPENDENT nation. I know that probably sounds horrible to say, but now being here, I am well aware that many parts of the country remain just as impassible as they were in the 1800s, and that there’s such a long, long LONG history of repeated dilapidation and restoration. I think it’s not pessimism so much as a shifting of mindset—as Westerners we tend towards viewing things in black-and-white, war-and-peace, stable-and-unstable. I used to think that this time of “peace” in parts of the Congo represented something all together “new”, the beginning of a “permanent” recovery. And perhaps it truly is—it’s not for me to say. However, for the first time, the thought crosses my mind that, is it <i>possible</i> that it’s just another “blip” of calm in a long, complex, sordid history? Unpleasant as the thought is, it’s a possibility that must be considered. I am, by no means a historian, or a politician—there’s the chance (rather large, I should guess) that I have no idea what I’m talking about. It’s just that I realize that it’s so much more complicated than I ever imagined—I used to view Congolese independence, peace, and self-sufficiency as a sort of door that could be thrown open and passed through, never to look back if one so chose. Now I see that it’s more of a meandering labyrinth subject to so many forces—in fact, it’s a lot like the dirt paths through the bush with their confusing switchbacks, multifaceted “intersections”, and divisions/reassemblances. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Plus, I know that this is exceptionally simplistic, and perhaps some people would even argue its accuracy, but in regards to racial subjugation, I can’t help but think—<i>It could have just as easily gone the other way. </i>What if the African nations were the first to venture out and “discover” Europe, instead of the other way around? The history of this country, and our human history, would have indeed been very different. Anyway, I suppose that’s enough “philosophizing” for now. But hey, this is why we get paid the big-bucks! (ha, ha...) This is why we’re NOT missionaries—we are missiologists-- some strange hybrid of missionary, community developer, scholar, philosopher, and historian. Welcome to the world of the grey. </div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-55144473877761895972011-08-21T00:32:00.000-07:002011-08-21T00:32:33.514-07:00Day 26: Kabumbulu to Kabalo<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Okay, so we started out on our venture to Kabalo, and are now safely ensconced here. We stopped at Kabumbulu along the way, which has several parishes that we visited. I feel like there isn’t too much interesting to say about it that isn’t a repetition of what I’ve already said—but perhaps that’s an artifact of my fatigue. It is true that the villages are starting to run-together a bit in my mind, partially because many of them have the same needs and struggles. However, in Kabumbulu we began to enter the areas that have been heavily hit by the rebels. I was thinking to myself that “war” isn’t really an apt way to describe what was experienced in these villages, because the word “war” suggests a discrete period of time, a certain discernable beginning and ending point. In many ways, that was never the case here. Though it is largely “safe” now, the residents still have fresh on their minds a “war” that supposedly “ended” in the early 2000s. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">The most memorable village for me was Unga-Nyogo, because, in addition to being very hard-hit by the rebels (DS Mulongo told me that when he had visited this village in the past, people had been wearing necklaces made of human body parts) they also had not seen a “missionary” since the 1960s. Though I am often the center of attention wherever I go, due to being white, this time the children were literally gaping at me, because they had never seen a white person before. While a unique experience, it is perhaps not as important as the fact that it gave me a sense of how abandoned these communities feel by the rest of the world. It was if the church and western governmental influences (not saying that they were all good…) just pulled out and never looked back. This particular village was one that Bob did not get a chance to visit due to being thwarted by a strong head-wind, but I think it was part of my “mission” to get to go there, because one can truly not experience the level of abandonment felt by these communities without this kind of encounter. It reminded me, of course, that even the other villages we visited, despite having been visited by Bob, were more or less in the same “dire straits” as they literally have only ever seen two people (me and Bob) come to their towns in the past decade with a desire to help rebuild the community instead of destroy it. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Beyond that, we’ve been traveling, traveling, traveling—another testament to the difficulty and expense of in-country travel. I’ve begun to think of it as somewhat akin to a traveling theater troupe—once you get to your destination you are “on” for a few hours, during which you expend most of your emotional and physical energy. The rest of the time is spent on exhausted travel. I was starting to feel a little guilty about being so tired all the time, “dragging down” the crew and all that, but Sunday when we were in church in Kubumbulu, I looked up at one point and almost everyone from our team was asleep! So it’s exhausting all around. Glad to be in Kabalo, finally, though! </div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-36907293442560601572011-08-21T00:29:00.000-07:002011-08-21T00:29:33.360-07:00Day 21: Mulongo<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Doctors Without Borders arrived today. There is a team staying with us here in the guest house. They are Canadian—I think. All francophone, so I’m assuming from Quebec-ish. Really, you would think this to be an event of little significance to our team, and technically it is, but my naturalistic observation of my own reaction to their coming was a demonstration of “how far I’ve come” and how much I’ve changed in the past 20 days. When they showed up, you would think I would have been thrilled to see other Westerners, but really it held no significance for me—having been in the community for a while, I regarded them as somewhat “other”, which is strange, because I’m about as white as they come. But I think it speaks to just how accepted I’ve been in this community as an extension of FPM, and the importance of what we are doing. Despite the parade of children frequently following me around, I’ve been amazed and surprised that the community here has been so <i>open. </i>Because I’m with Mary, they automatically see me as someone with the potential to help and to understand them. Again a testament to the fact that this really Mary’s journey, and not mine. Owing to all of Bob’s hard work, and ESPECIALLY DS Mulongo and his wife’s hard work, I am able to be viewed as an extension of this community (As a visitor, I can never really be fully integrated in the community, naturally, but certainly there are shades of integration). Even in my brief time here, I believe I have heard more about the complexity of the problems here than it is possible for other outside organizations to “hear”. Many organizations “do” great work—doctors without borders included. (Which, do not misunderstand, I cannot speak highly enough of—they been here doling out MUCH-need measles vaccinations…) But our place is different—we “hear”. And so today I feel like I learned the difference between “doing” and “hearing”, it’s not for me to say that one is better than the other— but now I have really learned the difference. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">It’s fitting that this was my observation for the day, because our “agenda” was particularly in keeping with that theme. This morning we visited Dr. Paul at the Zone Desante (Health Zone) which, from what I can gather, is a sort of combination specialty clinic, distribution center, and research center. It is one of 550 similar “health zones” in Congo. They have a special maternity clinic there, and also a clinic for people who have AIDS or are HIV positive. It’s really a wonder to behold, because they are using almost 100 % solar power (they have one diesel generator also) and it appears to be quite efficient. However, the highlight of the morning was talking with Docteur Paul about some of the health problems here. He was speaking mainly of Malaria, which is a HUGE problem. It’s so prevalent here that it requires the utmost diligence to prevent it, which requires resources most people don’t have. Additionally, there is a serious lack of clean water here (which I have spoken of before) and unclean water is breeding ground for mosquitoes. He said that UNICEF had at one point endevoured to provide a mosquito netting for every house, but if you have 10 children, 1 net isn’t going to cut it. And if one person in the family has malaria, it’s a lot easier for everyone else to get it, so even if you can put all the kids under the mosquito net at night, if mom gets malaria, it’s likely everyone else will get it too.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">After visiting the Zone Desante, we spent the rest of the afternoon in the guesthouse where we received the pastor’s wives. They came to speak to me about some of their personal struggles, and also to gift me with some BEAUTIFUL fabric, out which we will have a more-traditional Congolese outfit. I know this probably makes me kind of shallow given everything else, but I LOVE the clothes here—they are so beautiful and tend to be made out of brilliantly bright swaths of fabric. So I’m really excited to wear mine. As much of a “feminist” as I sometimes am, I LOVE wearing dresses and skirts—plus you would not believe how HOT and uncomfortable pants are out here, so it’s really just more practical. (I feel a little bit sorry for the men in that regard—but only for a second.) Additionally, the skirts are really just giant sheets of material that you tie around yourself, which makes them practical to use as many other things (like bedsheets, in a pinch) and also are able to be worn by women during their various stages of pregnancy. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Tomorrow is our “preparation day” for our trip, after which we’ll be gone for a week or so, which means I won’t be posting for a while. After that, I’ll only have about a week left here before I depart for the states—hard to believe!</div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-37448138675376286982011-08-04T03:04:00.003-07:002011-08-04T03:04:17.157-07:00Day 19: Side post: Kiwewe<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Kiwewe is a very small congregation that spent a lot of time meeting in hiding—when the war was at its height, most of the residents were off living in the bush in hiding. And I do mean the bush—whatever wilderness you’re envisioning when I say “bush”—you’re probably not far off. Very little food, no clean water, no shelter. So this community, while living out in the bush, decided to meet as a church while in hiding garnered a lot of notice from other people who were also hiding, not all of it happy (people did not want the fledgling church to draw the attention of the rebels). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Now that they are meeting as a “church-proper”, their building still consists of some timbers holding up a thatch roof. This community absolutely stole my heart—such a small congregation, a small group of devoted women (9 or 10), and such a strong devotion to community, God, and improving the future. It reminded me a lot of my own wacky, unconventional, small-but-strong church-home at home—Lockerbie Central UMC. As I listened to their stories, I felt that a piece of me will always stay with Kiwewe, “the little church that could”. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Sometimes it’s hard to know where to spread your “compassion”, both in Africa and as a therapist back in America. You hear so many stories and see so many needs, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and fatigued with your own smallness. The only solution I have found for this is to trust your gut (or your heart/soul, whatever you want to call it), and when you feel that pull of a need or a patient or a community that is speaking to you—hold fast to it. We are only human and we cannot do everything. Feeling as if we <i>should </i>do everything often leaves us paralyzed into doing nothing. (Terror management theory, anyone?) So while I have seen so much while being here, certain things have touched me in a way that I must hold fast to, lest I lose my own hope for change. One of these things will always be the community of Kiwewe.</div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-36532227015276359602011-08-04T03:01:00.000-07:002011-08-04T03:01:15.928-07:00Day 19/20: L’eglise Musumba, Kiwewe, Kabwe I & II<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">We have opened our house and our hearts to the women of the community that they might come at any time to talk with us, to unburden themselves of their struggles, even if all we can provide is a listening ear and prayer. Yesterday we received many women at Musumba church, and also in the guest house. We visited Musumba church yesterday morning, to kick off our marathon round of church visits/meetings. Musumba church is in town, so luckily we did not have to go far to get there. They were very happy to receive us (they gave me a chicken). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Musumba has been a church that has struggled mightily since the war, as they do not have the resources to meet often as a church, especially during the rainy season since they have no roof. They asked for a roof from the UMC conference and were promised the materials they needed, but it took them so long to raise the money to transport the materials (VERY expensive) that the conference gave the materials to a different church. Though the conference is doing their best to meet all needs, they have few resources, so sometimes this happens. As a result, the congregation was feeling pretty dejected when I met with them, so I tried to instill some hope, mainly by being present and listening. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Today was a very LONG day, and I’m exhausted—so it’s likely that these musings will not be all that cohesive, but I have to try to get them down on paper before I forget them—we’ve met with so many people that already my memory is hazy just from yesterday. Today started really early—I woke up at 6 (much to my dismay) for a 7 am departure. We visited two villages today, Kabwe and Kiwewe. Give that this was my 3<sup>rd</sup> and 4<sup>th</sup> such expedition, I was a little more familiar with the routine, and am feeling a bit like Paul as he traveled around to meet with different villages and congregations, each with their own set of strengths and weaknesses. After setting out across the lake in the Indiana, I got my first glimpse of the river. Sad to report it’s not very “Heart of Darkness”-esque; it’s pretty laid back and groovy in these parts, anyway. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">After picking up the Mama Kipandanos, it was singing all the way to Kiwewe, our first stop. Kiwewe was amazing to me—so much so that I have designated for it a separate post to follow this one, so for the curious, read on. After Kiwewe was Kabwe, which I perceived to be slightly better off that many of the other congregations we have visited (which may or may not actually be true—just my perception), owing in part to their access to a well. Though they did share that this well is not big enough to serve the whole town, which I certainly believe, and they are needing more wells. The fun thing about visiting Kabwe (other than the fact that it was the biggest celebration for our arrival so far, save for first landing in Mulongo) was that we were also able to appoint a pastor while we were there, as they have been missing a pastor for their church for a long time. So they were quite excited about that. They also have worked very hard to build a school building that I got to see and was very nice. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">After Kabwe I was <i>exhausted</i> and it was back to the boat to return to Mulongo. I’m still loving riding in the Indiana (certainly more than Mana Mary who is afraid of water!) but felt like I could bearly put one foot in front of the other when we got back to town. Which is really lame, because most of the time I wasn’t even making the 30-minute treks from the river into these communities, I was lucky enough to ride on the motorbike with DS Mulongo (yay!) but I think the sun took it out of me anyway. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">After such a long day, I feel completely sapped of resources, so I’m praying that some of my strength will be renewed overnight… for me, it’s not just the heat and all the walking and traveling (though that certainly does take its toll) but it’s also VERY exhausting navigating another culture, two to three new languages, and trying to absorb everything that I’m hearing while trying to instill SOME sense of hope. So I’m pretty spent at the end of each day, especially today. So for those of you out there praying for FPM and our work here, please pray that I get a much needed “jolt” of energy before too long… certainly before we make our BIG trip into Kabalo….</div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-79403448162167450702011-08-04T02:59:00.000-07:002011-08-04T02:59:36.846-07:00Day 18: Mulongo (a light-hearted entry)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">So, for those of you who know THE Bob Walters (his reputation precedes him!) you probably know that he always says that part of what we do as FPM is <i>have fun</i> because it can’t be all doom and gloom all the time. For whatever you might think about Bob and Taylor and I (and other Muzungu FPM members) we’re not really the “core” team. The core team are the people here on the ground like Mary and DS Mulongo and the doctors here. When we leave, they’re the ones living it out, working 24/7 for the goals of FPM, so as a side goal of FPM, we try to make things fun, because this is their lives that they live day in and day out, so who has the energy to do anything that long if it’s not at least somewhat fun? So I would be remiss in my duties as “blog artist” if I didn’t take some time to tell you about the fun stuff.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Traveling around with FPM is like traveling with one big, happy (sometimes dysfunctional) family. We live together, we eat together, we travel together. Most of everything I say is always funny to someone, either because I’m happily butchering some important word in Kiluba (accidentally, of course), or because I’m screaming and running away from “giant” lizards (they’re really quite small), or because I’m asking some ridiculous question (ex. “How do the chickens find their way home at night? Don’t they get lost?”). Which, lizards is something all together separate—there are lizards everywhere here—mostly tiny ones. So usually no one bats an eye when there’s a lizard running across the path or whatever, so imagine my surprise yesterday when Mary is calling me out to the garden to see a rather large lizard (perhaps a foot long) that everyone is whacking with a broom and jumping around and screeching. After the lizard is safely expelled from the garden, the days goes on as usual. I remain perplexed. In the evening they casually drop into conversation “oh yeah, that lizard? If he bites you, you die.” Then I was like, “WHAT??” and everyone laughs. (including me.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">My new favorite thing is riding on the back of the motorbike with DS Mulongo, which is great fun! The last time I had done so was in college, so it’s been too long! <span> </span>It’s very practical for getting from place to place, but it’s also extremely fun. I love it ALMOST as much as being in the boat. (Maybe when I get back to the US I will be a “biker babe”….or not.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">When I came here, I brought my stuffed bear from childhood to keep me company (so dubbed “white bear”, twins with BFF Mollie’s “bearie”). This is a point of unending hilarity—Mary finds it so laughable that she is frequently recounting it to others and gleefully acting out my sleeping with it. The standing joke here between us is that I’m more like her two-year-old daughter, Joyce, than an adult sometimes, because I’m so helpless with some adult-tasks(watching me attempt to cut vegetables <span> </span>without a cutting board is always good for a laugh). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Additionally, since Mary is a nurse working frequently with women’s reproductive issues, I’ve gotten the safe-sex <span> </span>and appropriate-use-of-birth-control talks (good thing—I always wondered how I managed to not get pregnant after 3 years of being married—mystery solved.), as well some humorous illustrations about the barriers to using birth-control here (ask me about the candy metaphor sometime). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">So whether it’s singing and dancing our way through brick-making, using henna to paint our nails (even in Africa, girls will be girls), or making fun of my endless cultural mishaps (me as much as or more than anyone else) we’re always having fun—lest you think that It’s all drudgery and sadness over here. Far from it. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span>J</span></span></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-58717370727194305792011-08-04T02:57:00.000-07:002011-08-04T02:57:03.256-07:00Day 17: Mulongo<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">I am captivated by the ebb and flow of the days here—and sometimes I forget to write. There is a rhythm to life here, which I am grateful for, because I find that we often lack “rhythm” in the United States. In many ways we are blessed to have electricity to the extent that it makes obsolete the need to respect the rhythms of the seasons. But in other ways, it is pleasant, soothing, and welcome to be swept up in the tide of each day here. So the calendar is marked by Sundays for me, the day of rest. Otherwise I lose myself in the rising and setting sun of each day. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Much has happened for me since the last time I wrote. The days for me seem to have unpredictable waves of emotion. In much the same way as I observed in Lubumbashi that there are extremes of wealth and poverty, it is the same here for me—extremes of inspiration and gravity. It seems often in the span of one day I will observe great suffering and great strength, sometimes even simultaneously. It’s good to see, but also extremely fatiguing—I sleep very well here! (Then again, I have Narcolepsy, so who can say.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">So let me try to speak more “tangibly” now about the experiences—Friday morning we visited Mulongo General Hospital with Docteur Serge. It was, of course, very different from American hospitals, so I had to absorb the shock of that, a little bit. In some ways I’m still attempting to “absorb” it. For starters, there are so many people that come to this hospital that there is a lot of “overflow”. People come from miles and miles to wait for possibly months to see a doctor here, and often they have no place to stay, so they are camped out around the grounds of the hospital. There are far more patients here then there are beds, so many people are sitting in the hallways, on the floor, or even outside. (For example, the children’s measles unit is outside approximately 300 ft. from the closest building, such that they not contaminate the rest of the hospital.) Additionally, they are often in need of many supplies that they do not have—there is no neonatal care unit here, no blood bank, and no x-ray machine. That means that when people break bones, sometimes they end up having their limbs amputated for lack of accurate diagnostics. The good news is, there is a very good nursing school here, and the staff is very dedicated. They work <i>hard </i>and <i>long</i> to earn their reputation as being one of the best hospitals in the area. So while there is a lot of need, there is also a lot of strength and dedication. Because of the necessity to be skilled in all areas, plus the prevalence of tropical diseases and complications, I would venture to guess that many of the doctors here are more skilled than American doctors, just out of necessity. They have a broader range of skills in more areas. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">After visiting the hospital (still talking about Friday), I had the privilege to attend an oral dissertation defense in the afternoon. In Congo, nurses must write a dissertation and pass the defense to graduate, just like most doctorates in the US. So we saw some defenses for the nursing school graduates. This was really inspiring for me, because of course I am well acquainted with the trials and tribulations of writing a dissertation in the US (don’t get me started….). Now imagine doing that without regular access to books, paper, pens, computers, printers, academic journals, and on and on. Also, one of the people defending on Friday was Sylvie, who is one of the few women in the district to pass the defense and graduate. So it was really exciting!! Women here have a lot of hardship and suffering but also a lot of strength. I was filled with <i>life </i>just watching her succeed.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Saturday morning we walked down the lake (a long walk for me, since I’m such a ninny) to see people making bricks. This was exciting because they weren’t just <i>any </i>people. The people making bricks were the Kipandanos (the women) of the church. The reason they were making bricks was to build a <i>foyer</i>, or women’s school, for the purpose of educating women in the community. So many women here lack the opportunity to go to school, or to learn good, applicable skills like sewing, cooking, reading and writing. The foyer would be for women in town to be educated in these areas. As a true testament to their determination and strength, the women of the community decided that they wanted to build the building <i>themselves</i> without the help of men. All of this is part of a kind of women’s liberation movement in the community—trying to be self-sufficient, to bring strength to themselves and their daughters, and so on. This is really inspiring because brick-making, like so many other tasks here, is <i>hard, back-breaking</i> work. I was <i>lathering</i> like some indigent farm animal after just <i>walking</i> all the way down to the lake, and there were all these women slaving away in the hot sun, singing no less. (Yet another demonstration of how I’m a wimp. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span>J</span></span> ) After that, we went back and had a petit recontre (little meeting) with the women in which they honored me again with their bravery, sharing with me their needs, their struggles, and all they had endured during the war… the topics of conversation at are meeting are worthy of a whole other entry, but I’ll just say for now that there was such <i>strength </i>and <i>unity</i> among them, I was blessed to be there. It was also at this meeting that I received my first live-animal-gift, a dove/pigeon. I ate it today for lunch, and it turns out that it is delicious. Perhaps a successful way to eliminate excess pigeons in the US. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Saturday afternoon was my maiden voyage on “the Indiana”, which is FPM’s boat here. It is difficult to say how important of a contribution this is to the community. There are dozens of villages along the lake and river that were essentially <i>inacessable </i>before the Indiana. This first trip we didn’t visit any villages, it was just for the purpose of me seeing and riding around in the boat. Nonetheless, exciting. As it always has been since I was little, I’m drawn to the water like a magnet—so I loved every minute of being on lake. Would that I could have jumped in and swam, but I didn’t. (I’m happy to report that this is the one area where I am not a wuss. I’m surprised by how many people here don’t know how to swim—living on a lake and all. I, on the other hand, can easily swim a kilometer without stopping. Thank you elementary and middle school swim team.) </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Today is Sunday, the day of rest. We went to church the main church (Centre Eglise) this morning, where I succeeded (yet again) at being the local entertainment with my butchering of words in Kiluba, as well as my inability to stand up or sit down at the right moments. However, despite that—it was a good service. It was a good time for me to see the congregation all together, learn about the community and their needs, and of course, sing poorly in Kiluba. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span>J</span></span> Again and again I feel lucky to be here.</div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-80360789600548057342011-07-28T12:55:00.000-07:002011-07-28T12:55:22.911-07:00Day 14: Mulongo<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Reporting now from Mulongo. We are well-situated here and tres content (very happy). I suspect that it will take me a long time to process this trip once I return to the US, because I feel so inundated here with sensations and information that it is difficult for me to do more than observe and report while here. I suppose this is why Bob is endevouring to write a book now, because I have seen enough in two days in Mulongo to write an entire book, and it is not possible for the mind to comprehend it all as you are seeing it. So I apologize for the scarcity of "sifting" of the information here-- at times I am capable of much better synthesis, but for now it's all I can do just to write what I see with little processing. Nonetheless, I will try to provide you with a somewhat coherent “view” of my life here. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">I have been seeing a little bit<span> </span>(but only a little) of what it is like to be a woman here, which was part of the purpose of this journey—as DS Mulongo put it—it is a “women’s expedition”. So, I get to see a little of the work that is required to run a household here. It is difficult to say in a way that makes sense because I did not understand it myself until I came here, and I suspect that as an American woman I can never <i>fully </i>understand. However, the big thing, as many people have told me, is water. It is a big problem here, especially for the women. It is a woman’s job here to do the cooking and washing and provide the water for the family for the most part, which often requires spending <i>hours</i> each day acquiring it. If a women is lucky, she spends only an hour getting two jugs full of water, but it could take 3 or 4 hours if she has to walk far. On top of that, the water is not “clean”, and so despite all the hard work, many people get sick because of water-bourne diseases. Today I saw two of the three places in town to get water, which are essentially two broken pipes sticking out the ground, which are broken because during the war the rebel groups and soldiers came through the town and would steal the pipes. So, it is definitely a problem to say the least.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">I am thinking about how this stands in stark contrast to the US, where most people use <i>thirty times </i>the required amount of water for survival <i>per day.</i> For me, being here, what strikes me most is not the fact that we use so much of it (which we do) but that it’s “clean” water. I mean really, there’s no reason to use <i>drinking </i>water to water your lawn or take a shower, but we do. I don’t think it would really matter as much (just my opinion, here) if we used that much water if it was procured sustainably and it wasn’t all drinking water. The fact that we use clean water in such excess for non drinking purposes is just wasteful, but I’ve said that before. This is not a “new” realization for me, but you feel it more acutely when you are here and you have to face daily the suffering that your actions cause… I realize this might seem like a stretch as <i>I </i><span> </span>personally did not do anything to make these women have to work so hard, but I have always believed that as a society, we all contribute to the problem, even if only through our lack of awareness. And so I feel part of that burden, as an American who has drank plenty of bottled water in her lifetime. I don’t know what the “answer” is. But I can definitely now put a “face” on the water crisis, and understand the apocryphal predictions that the wars of the future will be fought over water. </div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-18029779288529231362011-07-27T04:51:00.001-07:002011-07-27T04:51:55.705-07:00Day 11/12: On the Road<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">We are finally here in Mulongo!! I am happy to be here but very tired. It is worth saying up front that for me this was two journeys: the literal journey, taken by car and experienced with the five senses, and the figurative journey that was happening within, as two days on the road gives one quite a bit of time to think. As for the literal, I can say that it is NOT a journey for the faint of heart! While taking a car is kind of wussing out compared to Bob’s trek across the region on bicycle, I will say that it was quite enough adventure for me! Even though Mulongo is only about 300 kilometers from Lubumbashi, it is a 2-day journey by car, longer if you have to stop for any length of time. In total, we spent 19 hours in the car. The first 4 hours from Lubumbashi to Mulongishi was the “easy” part. By easy I mean that it was on paved roads and everything went pretty smoothly. However, I was already thinking that that part would have done in my mom or my sister who get easily carsick! It was really HOT, and we were crammed in the back of a car with our luggage. So, when we got to Mulongishi I felt like we had really made some progress! (Little did I know….) I should say, also, that I pretty much just “go with the flow” when I’m here. My lack of fluency in French prevents me from asking a ton of questions, which I find to be a good thing most of the time. But when it comes to the practicalities of logistics, like, say, how long a trip is going to take, well you can just count me out! </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">So anyway, when we got to Mulonguishi, which switched to the Land Cruiser/borrowed ambulance to make the rest of the journey. Leaving Mulonguishi, the road is pretty rough from there on out. So for the next 15 hours, we were in the land cruiser. That first night, we stopped in Kumbo, which is a village in which there is beautiful hotel and waterfall. I took a lot of pictures which I will hopefully post on facebook. The next day, it was on, up over the mountains and down into the valley, and on to Mulongo. So glad we finally made it. I have been praying fervently every day that I will not get sick, because a lot of our work here is dependent on Mary and I both remaining well-enough to travel, so being ill could seriously delay us. I have no doubt that they would take very good care of me, but who wants to spend their adventure time lying around sick? Anyway, so far, God has blessed me with wellness, I feel very strong, and I want to say that it is truly a <i>miracle</i> for me that I was not carsick at all. I know that probably sounds silly, but I get carsick easily, and the only way I can imagine that I was not ill on this very rough and bumpy trip was the God saw to it. Because even though I took Dramamine—it’s pretty much impossible NOT to get sick if you get sick easily. For you Americans reading I can tell you it is like riding a jerky motion-simulator ride at a theme park for 15 hours in a row. But I was very well the whole time. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">I saw so many things on the way here that I was rarely bored at all, I was just looking out the window drinking it in, lost in thought. Through all of my time here and what I have experienced so far, I will tell you that I am truly humbled—when I first dreamed of coming here, it is within one’s nature to think of all that you will “do” and how you can do good things to “help” people. Maybe others can maintain that air of confidence, but I certainly can’t—being here, in a strange country, with such gracious people makes me realize my utter humanness, how I am at the mercy of those who are helping me to travel, and in the end it is often they who help me instead of the other way around. It really struck me as I was traveling in the car, that this is really not “my” journey—this is Mary’s journey. She is the one who will do the work. I don’t really have a goal or a job here, except to write everything down, share it with all of you, and take lots of pictures. My secondary goal is to not do anything too stupid that it gets in the way! I know that sounds funny but it really is true and it’s the way I see it. It’s the same as being a therapist. When I am doing therapy with a client, I really believe that they are capable to their own growth and change. My only goal is to be present and provide a good environment for that, and not do anything too stupid to get in the way. Not every therapist works that way, some truly come into the therapy room with the belief that they can “fix” their clients and the tools to do so, but that is not my style. (Sorry to burst your bubble for those of you who want therapy to “fix” everything.) I just want to be present, to provide support, and then essentially <i>get out of the way</i> so the client can achieve the potential that is already within them.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">It’s the same way here, for me. This is really Mary’s journey. And it must be this way, because I won’t be here forever. When I leave, she will continue without me. And so I can be here to document what we are doing, the “help” in little ways by providing the (k)nowing that I have when it appears necessary, but mainly I try not to do anything <i>too</i> stupid that it impairs what we are trying to do. (When I have more time to write, I have some funny stories about this—many cultural snafus that illustrate my attempts to be gracious and un-stupid.) Anyway, I have many more thoughts that I will share later, but the important thing is that we are here now, we are safe, in the gracious hands of our hosts, our family. I have to go, because I have another “cooking lesson” for the afternoon—off to learn to make beignets. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span>:)</span></span> </div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-56106370959397392082011-07-22T12:19:00.000-07:002011-07-22T12:23:19.005-07:00Side Adventure: Project Emmanuel (Day 8)<div class="MsoNormal">Well, we are STILL in Lubumbashi, believe it or not. Which is part of the reason I haven’t really updated, because I’ve been doing a lot of the same things each day, so there isn’t too much new to report. But today I thought I would post a brief shout out to Project Emmanuel, which is comprised mostly of the two other American visitors (Brittany and Christina) been hanging out with since I’ve been here. They are visiting from the U.S., after spending a year working here 2 years ago. When they worked here, they taught at a school 4 days a week and worked at the Methodist Orphanage the other 3 days a week. They got to know and love all the kids, including a boy named Emmanuel (now 13), who was born without legs. Emmanuel has prosthetic legs here, but they are difficult to use and uncomfortable because they don’t bend at the knee. So, Brittany and Christina partnered with an organization in Canada (the name escapes me right now…) to provide Emmanuel with a needed preparatory surgery and new prosthetic legs. The last time they were in Congo, they made sure Emmanuel got his surgery, which he got at a clinic here in Lubumbashi that specializes in prosthetics and rehabilitation for legs, called Wote Pamoja. This time, they brought all the parts for his new legs to the clinic, where the doctors there worked very hard to construct his new legs. This is what their “project” has been for the past week.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Since I’ve been hanging around Lubumbashi, they have let me tag along with them to the orphanage. Today, I went with them and Emmanuel (and his helpers, John and Loshita) to Wote Pamoja. I have to say first of all that this clinic is very amazing—they do amazing work and the doctors there work very hard. Seventy percent of the people that go to the clinic are treated for free. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Today was a BIG day, because today Emmanuel’s legs were finished!! He got to try them on and walk around for the first time—a success that was years in the making. I felt that I was so blessed and lucky to be able to be there and see this. It was great and exciting! So I wanted to share along with some pictures:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Putting on his new legs:</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-29B4ZgNJVBk/TinH6qyz5PI/AAAAAAAAACM/-b2knhHd5o0/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-29B4ZgNJVBk/TinH6qyz5PI/AAAAAAAAACM/-b2knhHd5o0/s320/009.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Putting on his new legs</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2NT4yhmH1uM/TinI8zDl9rI/AAAAAAAAACU/j8IHWwzNSw0/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2NT4yhmH1uM/TinI8zDl9rI/AAAAAAAAACU/j8IHWwzNSw0/s320/014.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking with his new legs for the first time</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tDYnXAISq00/TinK8RsgSdI/AAAAAAAAACY/xjRwDOb0Juk/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tDYnXAISq00/TinK8RsgSdI/AAAAAAAAACY/xjRwDOb0Juk/s320/016.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emmanuel with his doctors as Wote Pamoja</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-POUKZfRotmo/TinMBRyFAuI/AAAAAAAAACc/EpBSKFHvddQ/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-POUKZfRotmo/TinMBRyFAuI/AAAAAAAAACc/EpBSKFHvddQ/s320/019.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first thing he wanted to do was take a picture of his new legs :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Even though the “project” is named Project Emmanuel because it is inspired by Emmanuel, it is really about all of the kids at the orphanage here, and Brittany and Christina have done so much more. It’s really neat to be able to see other things that are going on here while I’m temporarily stopped in Lubumbashi. If you want to read more about Project Emmanuel, you can go here: http://www.projectemmanuel.org/index.html</div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-59316956531386277312011-07-20T13:03:00.000-07:002011-07-20T13:03:13.901-07:00Day 6: Lubumbashi<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal">We are still more or less stranded here in the city. Today Mama Mary said to me, “Now you see why transportation is so difficult for us in this country. Now you understand.” It is. It is very difficult to get things and get places here. You can get almost anything, but it’s all at a price. (They even have a KFC—Katanga Fried Chicken). I think that my Congolese hosts feel very bad for “detaining” me here because they keep apologizing. I am anxious to get out of the city and on our way, but I try to reassure them also that I don’t think it’s their fault and I’m not upset. It is customary here to call pastors and elders “Mama” and “Papa”, but also I have come to think of Mary as a “Mama” to me in the American sense as well. When I came into this country a week ago (has it only been that long??) I trusted her with my care because I had no other choice. (I mean, Bob and Taylor knew she was trustworthy, so I never <i>did not </i>trust her, but at that point I didn’t know her.) Now I know her though, and have come to depend on her for so many things, and love her in a way that is unique to the way she has (and will) care for me. When we come into the world, we are bombarded with strangeness- everything is strange and overwhelming and unfamiliar. It is incomprehensible to us because we have no language. And it is our mothers who guide us through the world and teach us language and raise us until we can care for ourselves—coming into a new country is like that. You are again faced with the disorientation of being a “newborn”. Mama Mary has been my mother in this new world, my orienting figure, my north star. I don’t know if I will ever be able to communicate this to her fully—partially because of the language barrier (!!) but also partially because she views me as a gift to her, not the other way around! She thinks she’s lucky to have me here, but I’m not sure she knows that I would be lost without her! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">While we’re waiting to depart, I’ve just be reading, playing with the boys at the orphanage, and hanging out with Christina and Brittany. It has been nice to have company. Every day I see Brittany and Christiana, and then we go to the orphanage, and then Mama Mary and Douce (Rev. Maloba’s daughter) come to visit me. Each day has a nice rhythm. The only bad thing about staying in Lubumbashi is that it is TRES CHER. It is so expensive to live here and even just to stay here. The best way I can think of it is that it’s like when many young people I knew after college moved to New York to “make their fortunes”. Few ended up staying because before too long, they were so broke… It’s like a huge rat wheel, once you get on, you can’t get off—it drains your money. Some of my friends were even stuck there because they couldn’t afford to get home. It is the same way here, except ten times worse. Young people (like the man I mentioned in the early post, seeking work at the orphanage) move here thinking they can “make their fortunes” get sucked in, and can never get back home. They’re stuck here just barely scraping by. I am thinking that the cost of living here is similar to Indianapolis, but there’s no chance of a living wage. Imagine trying to pay $500 a month in rent with a job at which you might make $5/day. Or, worse, not being able to find a job at all. Lucky for me, I get to leave at the end of the day, but not everyone does. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Some other interesting tidbits about traveling here: The Congolese Franc is the currency here, and today I had to exchange some money to get some francs. Oh my goodness, I’ve never seen such a huge stack of bills in my whole life. It is about 900 congolese francs to one dollar right now, and the bills(that I have anyway) are 500 francs each. So two bills is equal to one dollar American. So just imagine exchanging (for example) 50 dollars American and getting back a stack of 100 bills! It can be quite cumbersome to carry around! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I also felt like for the first time in my life I truly understood the significance of the story of Jesus washing the disciples feet—after being here only a week, I feel like my feet will never be clean again!! Everywhere is this fine, reddish brown dust that coats EVERYTHING. Your feet, your clothes, your hair, etc etc. And that’s in the dry season—in the wet season, it’s mud! But now I finally understand the washing of the feet—especially seeing most of the boys from the orphanage who don’t have shoes. Walking around here without shoes certainly makes for dirty feet!! </div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-58389535042444933622011-07-18T10:40:00.000-07:002011-07-18T10:40:03.927-07:00Day 4: LubumbashiI am SO tired. Even though I'm adjusted to the natural sleep/wake cycle here (I think...) I am still unbelievably exhausted. Part of it is jet-lag, and part of it is just being immersed in a new culture with a different language 24/7. The language piece can be really difficult because one is used to not really exerting any mental energy on listening, understanding, and responding, but now it takes most of my energy! So far I feel that this experiment in French immersion has resulted in a greater awareness of how badly I am butchering the language. :)<br />
<br />
So, we are still hanging out here in Lubumbashi waiting for our car to be ready (ETD is Wednesday, now) but I don't mind at all, because I am getting a "taste" for the city and enjoying the experience. Yesterday I got to see quite a bit of Lubumbashi-- Mama Mary introduced me to her friend Ilunga and we took a driving tour of the various neighborhoods of Lubumbashi in the evening. It was strange for me because in the afternoon I was back at the orphanage playing with the boys, and then in the evening I went to see that Grand Karavia Hotel which is a VERY nice hotel here. It was again, the emphasis on the contrast-- this is a place where there is so much and so little in the same city. Though I suppose the US is similar in a way-- there are major cities with elaborate and expensive hotels that also have large homeless populations. However my perception is that the "gap" is more extreme here. I don't know whether that is accurate, but it is what I have perceived.<br />
<br />
Today, Mary and Ilunga took me to get a phone, so that will be very useful here-- I can call home and call people within the country. But I haven't yet figured out how to buy "talk time" so I can't really use it yet, but hopefully that will be resolved tomorrow. Also, I went to the supermarche (grocery store) for my first shopping experience here. I'm happy to report it was painless! In all of my travels, I have found the the US is MOST different in terms of shopping-- mostly when I go to grocery stores in other countries, they resemble each other quite a lot-- the stores here are similar to the stores in the UK and Europe and the Caribbean, it's the US that tends to be the outlier with our big-box stores like Wal-Mart. Except in Canada, I haven't really ever seen a store like that in any of the other countries I've been to.<br />
<br />
After the shopping, we went back to Ilunga's house where we prayed and talked and shared ideas-- it was really fantastic though somewhat difficult because of the language barrier. Mary told me about a lot of her ideas for improving conditions in Mulongo, increasing self-sufficiency among the women, etc. It was really good to hear her ideas because she speaks from her experience of living there, and her desire is truly to improve things long-term and help the residents to support themselves. For example, she said that it is really important for the women to be able to attend school and participate in education, but often they aren't able to do so because they are depended on to work the fields, which takes up a lot of hours without farming equipment. But, if they had only one tractor in their town, it would free up so many women to do other things, including education. So, these are the kind of ideas we hope to generate on our journey-- the goal is not to give people things or tell them what they need, but help them to generate ideas about how they can work towards self-sufficiency, etc.<br />
<br />
Anyway, that's pretty much it for now-- even though it's only quarter til eight here, I'm thinking of hitting the hay..... Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-42281351824269643832011-07-16T09:01:00.001-07:002011-07-16T11:02:37.615-07:00Day 2: Lubumbashi<div class="MsoNormal">Today is my SECOND day in the Congo so I suppose it is now time for a proper update. Traveling was a blur once I got outside the US. I got really homesick after I left Indiana, and cried my way through Indy and Atlanta, but once I got on the flight to London I fell asleep and the rest was a blur—I essentially slept for three days! I wanted to get out into London, but I didn’t have as much time as I thought, plus I was saddled with my luggage, so I ended up just napping at Heathrow for a few hours before hopping on KenyaAir. Which, by the way, I think KenyaAir is the probably the best airline I’ve ever flown on—very spacious and nice. The stewardesses were fantastic, despite the fact that I also slept through that flight. (In my defense, all of these flights are overnight, so I was actually supposed to be sleeping.) </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Beyond that, it’s hard to know where to begin… I’ve essentially only been on the ground here for a little over 24 hours, but it feels like much longer. The culture-shock and jet-lag have taken their toll, and I’ve been very tired. For the most part, though, I’ve been able to sleep when it’s night and be awake when it’s day, which is a really good sign from the standpoint of recovering from jet-lag. The culture-shock is another story, though! I don’t really know how to describe it, because “culture-shock” doesn’t really seem to explain it It’s not a case of being overwhelmed by being in a strange place with strange food and different customs (though I’m sure that’s part of it).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My entry into the as a first time American was abrupt—like diving into a cold pool—there is no other way. The airport was EASY. Which I am happy to report, because apparently it has changed a lot in recent years—used to be sort of a harrowing experience I hear. For me, customs was pleasant and easy, and Rev. Maloba was all smiles at the airport waiting to pick me up—as I was passing through customs I could see him beaming at me from the other side of the window. Though a note to the wise if coming into Lubumbashi—they are very strict about luggage collection. Which is strange as an American because when you get off a plane you’re pretty much on your own to locate and gather your own luggage. At Lubumbashi, you must show your baggage claim ticket for them to relinquish to you your luggage. Of course, being the fool-hearty American traveler that I am, I did not zealously guard my baggage claim ticket. The airline agent in Nairobi stuck it to my Nairobi to Lubumbashi ticket, and then the gate agent tore that half of the boarding ticket off, of course. So I didn’t have it when I landed, and the Lubumbashi airport staff were very leary about giving me my bags. Luckily some smooth-talking by my hosts convinced them to write up a “contract” which I signed saying that I would not claim my bags were lost!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is “strange” for lack of a better word, to be in a place where so much lack and so much excess exist simultaneously. This is one of the “richest” countries in Africa resource-wise, and the money flows—though generally, from what I hear, in one direction. The best way to put what I’ve discovered early on this trip is that everyone <i>needs</i> something. But this need is a paradox—often the ”need” is not well-defined or understood, either by the people that have the need or the people that desire to fill the need. How can one struggle to fill the opposing needs of so many people? This is my example: today I visited the United Methodist orphanage which I am staying right up the street from. At the time that we were going, there were two American girls there that were seeking to hire someone to tend to some business after they left. The “business” at hand was to make sure a young boy without legs was cared for and taken to all of his doctor’s appointments for the prosthetic limbs that were coming to him. Which is a more difficult task than one might think, because transportation and communication are daily barriers here. The right person for the job must be shrewd, resourceful, and determined, to make sure all of the boy’s appointments were coordinated and everything was taken care of. It’s hard to explain how this is a difficult job—but trust me, it is. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So, the man that was being interviewed by these two girls for this position was very kind and seemed smart, but also he had lost everything in the war. He was from Goma and came to Lubumbashi to study but had never finished school and has never been able to return to Goma in 10 years to see his family. He just lost his job teaching English due to cutbacks at the English school, and struggles daily to make ends meet for himself, his wife, and his two children. So he was trying to get this job to survive. There is a lot of pressure to give someone like that a job-- to know that you can potentially change their standing in life by just giving him the job. But what if he's not the right person for the job? (I don't know if he is or not-- I'm just illustrating a point here.) And what if by giving this man the job, the boy without legs doesn't get his prosthetics? Or, what if not giving this man a job results in his child losing a limb due to inadequate medical care? Who is to say, and how can one "weigh" the welfare or needs of two different people?<br />
<br />
I don’t know if he will get the job or not, but the point is that it is a struggle to meet the needs both of the kids at the orphanage and the people seeking the jobs—when a story like that is told, one feels compelled to help in any way—by giving this man a job. How could you turn him away? But for him, there are hundreds more people in the city that have stories just like his—and meanwhile, someone must be sure to care for the boy with no legs back at the orphanage. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is something to think about, to be certain… it highlights the complexity of every decision we make.</div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-51000647878672217372011-07-08T07:13:00.000-07:002011-07-08T07:13:49.571-07:00Traveling Mercies<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's been a week ( a month, a year...) of preparations. I am "ready" and "not ready" simultaneously, because, really, how can one every really be ready? I'll post a quick note about my itinerary at the end of this blog (so if you only want the "cold, hard info" rather than the "waxing poetic", scroll to the bottom.), but wanted to take a moment to reflect on the preparations for this trip. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I've been making my rounds and saying my good-byes ("see you later"s, really: à toute à l'heure!) and it's been interesting and beautiful to receive the gifts of others, the things that they think I might need to carry me forward. Everyone speaks in their own language-- many have donated money (which let me state HOW MUCH I appreciate that), some people have given me books, traveling supplies, or conversations. These, I feel are truly sacraments, anointments, and traveling mercies. It reminds me so much of the words of the late, great Andre Dubus, "A sacrament is physical, and within it is God's love; as a sandwich is physical, and nutritious, and pleasurable, and within it is love, if someone makes it for you and gives it to you with love... Sacraments are myriad. It is good to be baptized, to confess and re reconciled, to receive Communion, to be confirmed, to be ordained as a priest, to marry, or to be anointed with the sacrament of healing. But it is limiting to believe that sacraments occur only in churches, or when someone comes to us in a hospital or at home and anoints our brows and eyes and ears, our noses and lips, hearts and hands and feet." </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Yesterday, I said "good-bye" to a group of kids I've worked with alllll year long. They are part of my "training" both for school and for life. It was a rag-tag group of kids that for the most part live in poverty, and are there to participate in programming because their parents are working to get out of poverty while I'm being with the kids. My task is to provide some sort of psychologically-based programming that will be more therapeutic than babysitting. So sometimes, I planned things, but mostly, we played-- because play <i>is </i>therapeutic, and it's how kids communicate. To understand this story you must understand that kids don't communicate like adults do-- not always in words and sentences and stories like I'm talking to you now. Rather they <i>speak</i> through play. And if you are quiet and careful and (sometimes) have some training, you can "listen" to their language. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Anyway, last night was my last night there, which the kids knew was coming but were told again over dinner. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">So none of the kids verbally said anything to me about leaving really, but I was moved by a few interactions I had-- because I knew that they knew that I was leaving, and that they wanted to "anoint" me for my journey. The last few weeks I've played with a little boy who is mostly always in trouble in school and in life for being "hyperactive" and bouncing off the walls. But a few weeks ago, he was one of the only kids with me, and the two of us played for hours, and he was calm and sweet and wonderful. This week, he pulled me aside and I was a player in many of his games and constructions, but many of them focused around him protecting or saving me. This is powerful stuff for a kid! Had this been a true therapy client of mine (and I weren't leaving), this is probably something that would come up and been explored in therapy. But sometimes, when you are trained to listen to children and their play with a "third ear", they will know it and "speak" to you outside a therapy context-- I accept it as a gift. He continued to play, and to tell me about all the dangerous things I might encounter on the other side of the playground, and then he wanted to pour dirt on me. He was so insistent. The dirt became a magic potion. And as he poured dirt on my skin, "baptized" me with playground sand, he said, "This will keep you safe. This will protect you." </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"Not remembering that we are always receiving sacraments is an isolation the leaves do not have to endure: they receive and give, and they are green. Not remembering this is an isolation only the human soul has to endure. But the isolation of a human soul may be the cause of not remembering this. Between isolation and harmony, there is a vast distance. Sometimes it is a distance that can be traversed in a moment, by choosing to focus on the essence of what is occurring, rather than on it's exterior." </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">He poured "magic potion" on my skin and said, "This will keep you safe." And I heard and was grateful. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Now for the "itinerary": </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I leave next Wednesday night, arrive in London the following morning (Thursday)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">8-hour layover in London for the day (Thursday)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Leave Thursday night, fly over night</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Land in Kenya the next morning (Friday) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Hop on a quick flight down to Lubumbashi Friday morning, and ARRIVE around 10:30 Friday morning. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> Then the real fun begins!! :) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A la prochaine fois, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> Emily </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-31623426506702097302011-06-20T14:17:00.003-07:002011-06-20T14:17:14.418-07:00A Night for Congo: Celebrating Independence, Interdependence, and Global Healing<span class="vevent"><span class="description">Contact: Emily Johnson<br />
Phone: 317-340-8023<br />
<br />
<br />
A NIGHT FOR CONGO: CELEBRATING INDEPENDENCE,<br />
INTERDEPENDENCE AND GLOBAL HEALING<br />
<br />
WHAT:<br />
<br />
Just as Americans will soon celebrate the independence of our nation, so<br />
to are the people of Congo. Join us for this free event on the eve of<br />
Congo’s independence day as we examine ties between the people of<br />
Indiana and Congo. Enjoy authentic Congolese food prepared by Jose<br />
Lusende and "State of Mind", a film provided by MIO about post-war trauma recovery in the Congo using a therapy training program. Attendees will also have a chance<br />
to interact Friendly Planet Missiology representatives preparing to traveling to the Democratic<br />
Republic of Congo to equip local leaders and raise funds for town<br />
initiatives. No ticket necessary but RSVP’s are encouraged via<br />
eventbrite.com<br />
<br />
WHY: Though thousands of miles apart in terms of geography, Congo and Indiana are<br />
linked in many ways. The U.S. has a long and mixed involvement in<br />
Congo. Hoosiers have chosen to be in community with the people of<br />
Congo and many people from Congo have moved to Indiana adding to our<br />
state’s cultural richness<br />
<br />
WHO: Friendly Planet Missiology's mission is to support the work of United Methodist<br />
leaders serving in the heart of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.<br />
<br />
Lockerbie Central United Methodist Justice Team serves as the voice<br />
for the congregation when it comes to standing up and organizing for<br />
issues affecting our church, our faith and our world.<br />
<br />
My Global Voice is working hard to bring together people who are united<br />
by a set of shared values: that every person has a stake in meeting the<br />
world’s challenges and that the United States should be a global leader in<br />
meeting those challenges through responsible international cooperation.<br />
<br />
WHEN:<br />
<br />
Wednesday June 29, 2011 from 6 p.m.- 8:15 p.m.<br />
6 p.m. food and hors d'oeuvre<br />
7 p.m. brief program<br />
7:15 p.m. Movie<br />
8:15 p.m. conclusion and conversation<br />
<br />
WHERE:<br />
<br />
Earth House Collective, 237 N. East Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204<br />
<br />
(317) 636-4060<br />
<br />
Lockerbie Central United Methodist Justice Team serves as the voice for<br />
the congregation when it comes to standing up and organizing for issues<br />
affecting our church, our faith and our world. For more information please visit<br />
www.lockerbiecentral.com.</span></span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-7610409805948993692011-06-16T19:16:00.000-07:002011-06-16T19:16:57.869-07:00Friendly Planet News: On the Lualaba<a href="http://friendlyplanetnews.blogspot.com/2011/06/on-lualaba.html">Friendly Planet News: On the Lualaba</a>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-53775691107643853902011-05-24T18:18:00.000-07:002011-05-24T18:18:33.773-07:00Raising funds and upcoming DRC eventHi all!<br />
Know you haven't heard much out of me lately, but I'm still here! Finished my spring semester and got my Master's Degree, so that was exciting!! Now I'm just making final plans for my departure and trying to raise the rest of the money I need for my trip. I'm trying to raise about another $1000. I know that sounds like A LOT, but I really have supported the majority of the trip out of pocket. This is your opportunity to support an amazing community that really needs you, directly through me. You'll get to see pictures and hear stories of what your money actually did-- not an experience you get a lot when donating money. :) I know that times are tough right now and not everyone has the money to give to other causes, but please prayerfully consider it-- if you have means and feel moved, please donate! Just click on the donate link above to donate securely through PayPal.<br />
<br />
<br />
Second, stay tuned for an upcoming DRC event in Indy!! The details aren't firmed up yet, but it looks like we're going to be hosting a movie/possible food night at Lockerbie/Earth House toward the end of June. You better believe I'll be shouting this one from the rooftops-- so trust me, when I get more details, you all will be the first to know. :)Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-33067069407461158642011-04-28T18:14:00.000-07:002011-04-28T18:14:40.373-07:00Friendly Planet News: La Route Rouge<a href="http://friendlyplanetnews.blogspot.com/2011/04/la-route-rouge.html">Friendly Planet News: La Route Rouge</a>: "La"Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7610719483126383664.post-67134973133060815892011-02-21T16:23:00.000-08:002011-02-21T16:23:47.593-08:00Friendly Planet News: Safe Drinking Water and Baptism<a href="http://friendlyplanetnews.blogspot.com/2011/02/safe-drinking-water-and-baptism.html#links">Friendly Planet News: Safe Drinking Water and Baptism</a>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299783020917841752noreply@blogger.com0