Tuesday
11th 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
13th 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
No comments:
Post a Comment