19th, 20th & 23rd Frbruary 2014

Wednesday 19^th February 2014

            I already have some photos from yesterday's visits to the Nursing College ISTM and now another visit to photograph the EXAMS in progress. The exams started earlier this week.  All bags have to be left OUTSIDE for exam time to avoid cheating!

There is also a room set aside for some of the students to stay overnight because of the long way they have travel to the exams which start early in the morning, or because there is no electricity at home to study at night. Mele is not pleased with the fact that this room has MALE and FEMALES in the same room.

Thursday 20th February 2014

            I have elected to have a morning 'off duty' today, my first! So no very early rising to be off out by 7.30am! I need to write up some notes, and get photos into groups for the Hospital and College journal. And maybe relax a little too!

The 'town electricity' has been bad for the last 3 evenings, so not able to charge batteries! It sometimes comes on for an hour or two in the middle of the night, so I leave one item plugged in to get a boost. It charged the laptop a little last night! Oh, and you have to remember to have your bedroom light switched off before going to sleep, or you can get a sudden blast of bright light, right over the bed!! John will remember that from previous visits!

            We had a local Pastor here for a meal yesterday evening, and it is so difficult listening to someone speaking quietly to you, when you can't see if they are even looking at you; and eating by the light of a VERY dim solar powered lantern is almost impossible to spot the MANY fish bones!! So, I try and ignore fish if it's on the menu for dark days!

            I am going out for a meal at the house with Internet this evening, and can go early to do some 'charging of batteries and sending/receiving Emails'! My driver will be coming for me at about 5pm!! Coming back is in pitch dark over the rough roads.....!!Must remember to tell him what time to collect me!

            I have now completed my Hospital photography, and will not be doing the 'walk' again with Dr. Philip, which I've done twice this week [much to some people's consternation!]....I slipped once yesterday on the uphill dusty bank, and Philip had to give me a 'shove upwards' to get me going again!?! 

One photo shows what we've just come DOWN from the Hospital, and where we are halfway UP towards the College, past all the women and children collecting water from the water-hole in the valley!

            The photo shows the baby boy I watched being born...he's about 20 minutes old in this photo with the midwife, Janine, with whom I'll be having a meal this evening ....and SHE is expecting her 4th baby next month!!! No maternity leave here!

The next photo is me with an orphan baby girl who they've named Susan. A premature birth 1 month ago, the Mother was  HIV+, and died at the birth. The baby is beautiful, good size and totally free from HIV.....but the family don't want her because THEY won’t believe it and say "she's going to die!" This is not the usual Congolese attitude, because they are forever taking in orphaned babies and children of relatives, and even neighbours etc. The staff are quite shocked and very sad about this baby, and so far the midwives are keeping her in the Maternity unit. All praying that she will eventually go to a loving family. 

            This photo is a cute fun one, which would have made a sweet video clip! The little girl's family are 'camped' in the grounds to tend to a family member who is a patient, because the family has to cook and provide food, and do washing for the in patients. The little boy's Dad is round the corner by the maternity unit, to visit his wife. The little girl climbed up a huge step, trotted towards the boy who was carrying his jacket....she took it from him; he didn't complain, like I'm sure one of 'ours' would have done!!  She walked back down the path; then turned, and brought it back to him!!!

Sunday 23^rd February 2014

            This is my last full day in DR Congo, and I will be on my way back home to UK around lunchtime tomorrow. I've been to Church, and had a meal with Drs. Nancy and Philip. Soon going back to Mele and Rose...no doubt for a celebration evening meal with the family! I have just about found time VERY early this morning to do some packing!
 

            I was taken out for a “thank you” meal by the 3 'main folk' of ISTM College: Director General, Administrator and the Academic Dean!

               I was presented with a gift of a kaftan for me, and a matching shirt for John!!!  I laughed at the usual joke about "thank goodness it's not a live chicken!"....but look at the patterns on the material!!!!!!!

Must stop now and see if I can get this sent quickly. Been here with Dr. Philip while he has 'taken off' all my photos that he wants!

See some of you fairly soon now.....hoping for good flights etc!

15th & 17th February 2014

Saturday 15^th February 2014

            I was upset this morning when, back in Beni, I found I could still NOT send; but I couldn't receive either! I had a little cry, then prayed in desperation: "PLEASE God let me find a breakthrough....John might have Emailed me some further suggestions, but I can't do ANYTHING unless I receive first!"

            Well, within literally a minute, I suddenly RECEIVED letters, plus suggestions from John.....and the different User name [John's] and password WORKED.....and hey presto, my Emails started winging their way out to you!!!!.....THANK YOU GOD ,and JOHN!!! [so I cried again, tears of joy!!].

            I have now learnt a lot more words of Swahili, and amaze myself at the amount of 'conversation' in French I seem to have dredged up from my school days this time!.....still being told my accent is great, even in Swahili!![There's life in the old girl yet!!]...Photo shows me helping one of the girls with her English school lessons, and practising my Swahili!

        

    It didn't like being presented with a meal of FISH HEADS!!! No, I couldn’t eat a head! [ see photo of meal].

            Couldn't escape the LIVE chicken gift presented to me it into my arms....so lovely and soft and calm to hold! But I eventually transferred it as a 'Thank you gift' to the household where I was staying in Beni.

            We visited the Mission Hospital which was interesting, as well as seeing the new buildings progressing at another site.

            OK....the 5 hour journey back to Bunia yesterday.....It really is an incredible journey, and our driver would beat any of our Rally Cross drivers hands down [ and over worse than any of ours have to negotiate! I find it exciting....and at least in a vehicle with seatbelts!!! [ not in many!]

           One major incident on the way back.....the part broken bridge over a deep river ravine, which caused problems GOING to Beni, was now a HUGE problem.....see the queue of dozens of loaded lorries both ways.....no one can drive over it now....so lorries have been there for days , and will be longer till repaired!!! But our driver knew a little track [and I mean little!] off the road past several lorries, through pretty dense forest, down to the river. He then negotiated with the folk down there to cross it [you give them money on these occasions, I've discovered, so that if you get stuck they will try and push or pull you!!!]  Hair-raising, literally nose-dive down the bank into the river and up the VERY steep and wet, muddy bank and out! Our driver and this 4 by 4 did it in one go!!!! How we and everyone watching cheered! [or we would have been stuck in the lorry queue!]

            So, home to Bunia to a big welcome...and here I am thrilled to be able to send and receive Emails again.....and thanks to all of you who've written.

Monday 17^th February 2014

            Hi, everyone...I am sitting on the veranda in the shade from the hot sun!![Sorry for you if UK weather is still awful!]. It is Monday afternoon, and I had a very busy morning at CME the Bunia Mission Hospital. After a very early start, it was meeting Dr. Philip at the Hospital in time for the Doctors and Nurses [those available!] daily morning prayers at 7.30am; then straight into the office for their Night Reporting to the day staff.

            It is the start of my photographic sessions for CME.

I accompanied Philip on his ward rounds and we covered all the wards except Maternity before it was time for him to do 2 operations. He wanted me in to watch the operations, and to photograph as much as I liked before and during the ops......so I did!!! I was all gowned-up, as in previous visits.  I have virtually produced a photographic manual for student surgeons!!!!. The photos of the actual operations in all their gore would not be suitable for general viewing!!! And how is it, I can watch every detail of operations without flinching in REALITY, but would shut my eyes or look away for some of it on TV?!!!!

 

Last Sunday morning the young pastor at the big French Church got into the part of preaching on Daniel Chs. 9 and 10 by dressing up!!....the 1000++congregation were thrilled!! And he gave a superb message too!

Catching up Thursday 13th February 2014

 Tuesday 11^th February 2014

            It is now pretty dark/dusk and no lights on yet, this Tuesday evening, but they do have good Solar panels in this house AND electricity...[on now!]

The very large house, (shown in the last Blog posting) looks very grand, but most of the rooms are very basic....including the kitchen. My trot to the toilet/wash room is down 21 stone steps from the top veranda, across the garden , then round the left hand side of the house and then there is a row of 3 washrooms......one has a broken lock, so you have to leave your sandals or something outside! The family have worked hard on the house. Mele's brother Claude has a reasonably good salary by DR Congo standards.

            ALL children help with chores, as I've said before. See 2 and a half year old daughter helping with the daily clothes washing; and she can wring out little socks etc!! I'm always asked to pose for photos with lads in particular....here's me with our amazing driver, Mausa [he is usually smiling, but you have to really ASK them to smile for photos! 

A photo of Ruth and 16 month old Nehemiah [who I often baby-sat for last January]

......and boys playing in the river below this house......today they were all naked and swimming!

            I will close now and see what tomorrow brings. More exhausting in this environment, but everyone is SO welcoming and helpful. And so far I have not seen any other white woman out in all the places I've been! Some look amazed, but all love a wave or greeting!!! Have also realised that all the folk in these 2 homes I've been staying in are younger than my 2 eldest children!!!!! I am Mama....or Grandma [in Swahili] from these Swahili children!

Thursday 13^th February 2014

            Life here in Beni has been as hectic and unpredictable as ever. Timing means nothing! We came to the office today with 3 under 3 year olds sitting in the back of the truck. Over those awful rock strewn local roads.....picked up a couple of adults on the way! Mausa was driving slowly, all be it!

Tomorrow we have the 5 hour nonstop journey back to Bunia!! Much as this Beni experience has been 'great' [??] and all the travelling around the area with tours round the Mission Hospital, new building project/hospital, clinics and amazing countryside...I'm so looking forward to being 'back home' in Bunia where I know all the routines! [And have an indoor proper toilet even if you have to use a bucket of water to flush it!!].........enough now; an office chap is now going to oversee if my Emails will go today!

Janice

Catching up - Monday 10th February 1024

Written on Monday 10^th February 2014

            We reached Beni which is 200 kilometres south of Bunia after 5 hours driving, getting hotter as we went further south! We travelled in one of the Water Company’s 4x4 pick-up trucks, which was quite comfortable in its way, with air conditioning if the road was too dusty to have the windows open! Rose has a high position in the Water Company and keeps this vehicle at the house. We set off at 7.15am this morning, Monday. I have shown some of the MANY hazards we met on the way.....you will see....we are PASSING a truck taking up 'the entire dreadful road' [I nearly shut my eyes!]. And there was a lorry overturned along the way!  The young driver, Mausa, is brilliant; and like many Congolese drivers his eyes are trained on the dreadful crevasses and bumps about a 100 yards ahead, weaving in and out like the other drivers choosing the 'best, [Ha! Ha!] bit of road....and at 40-60kms an hour! 

The cows are beautiful, but appear suddenly! Then we had half an hour hold up where a bridge had partially collapsed [wooden planks] and over deep ravines & rivers.....after negotiating with police and soldiers, and money changed hands [how dare they!] we got out, and Mausa drove, weaving over, no problem for him!! See the completely broken plank as he's just driven over it!!!

 

            So now I am this other house in Beni, the home of Mele's brother [usual extended family of umpteen relatives!]. It is an amazing old style Colonial house, recently being renovated, and another floor added. In beautiful country set high above a little river [but the road it's in is AWFUL, like a horrendous cart track with rocks everywhere!!!]. Rose and I are the first visitors to occupy the 2 bedrooms reached by outside tiled stairways of 21 steps with a veranda [looking like a Spanish Villa!]....Between the 2 rooms is a bathroom etc, but  unfortunately not finished.....the 3 loos and showers are DOWN the stairs, through part of the paved garden, and round the side of the house!!...beautifully tiled, but the' hole in the floor loos'...NOT easy for aged European joints!! And the floor is so slippery, with nothing to hold onto....I held the washbasin and it pulled away from the wall!!!!....but I got it back on!!!! I am literally living out of a suitcase and bag, because the room is bare except for bed/mosquito net and window curtains!

            I am feeling very disorientated at the moment, but I hope to improve.....and it is good to meet Mele and Rose's daughter Ruth again, and her 15 month old Nehemiah this morning. It was a wearying journey here, though the last 2 hours were on decent roads. It is much hotter here than Bunia.

            I will close now, Thank you again to those who have emailed me.....some more might hopefully pop up when I get Internet connection maybe tomorrow, we shall see!  Oh...while I am sweltering here in this heat and brilliant sunshine, I am so sorry to hear about UK's awful rain, flooding and gales...when will it improve in UK?

Janice