Yes and thanks to Paul Pickle, we are back blogging! This time is Fr. Gabriel alone; he left USA Monday early in the morning for the orphanage mission in Congo. He made it very safely and is already on the run with visits and meetings.
We are a little bit behind at this point and promise to catch up on this lone ranger mission trip.
One thing we want to quickly share with you and ask for your thoughts and prayers is the health of our orphans; around 6 of them are having chicken pox; we are monitoring the situation very closely and fighting back with antibiotics. Fr. Gabriel is prepared ot be next; possible!
60 kids all together, not easy to control this situation without it going from one kid to another.
UUh! The weather is not too bad compare to last year, and lest dust.
Fr. Gabriel lost his nice camera, forgot it in Ethiopian flight from Rome to Addis Abbba; will try with some very little cameras.
We killed quite a big snake today near the kids dormitory as it was trying to go across the land. Want a picture of it? Tomorrow! Animal control could not be reached and they have never been reached by the way....
To ko zonga lobi!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Monday, November 10, 2008
Toko Zonga
11-9-2008
Today we stopped at the market to try and get the clippers for the kids; we really don’t want to leave without getting them. Fortina runs up to us each morning, first to greet us, and then tell us that he doesn’t want a haircut. We must get the clippers.
While stopped at the market, Paul and Gabi were browsing and the rest of us were in our display case on four wheels. Of course a crowd gathered and a military officer offered his assistance; again to make us more “comfortable.” Frank was a real character and a bit erratic – he was very excited. Doug managed to get out of him that he was a Sergeant in the Army, but it was really hard to tell from his uniform – aside from the stripes on his sleeve, there weren’t many badges.
So Paul and Gabi came back to the Landcruiser and Corrinne decided that she wanted Frank’s necklace. She pointed at it and he gave it to her, which of course means that her Father is indebted to Frank not only for the necklace, but also for the protection! Paul wasn’t the happiest as he was running low on Francs and the smallest USD was a $20. Paul pulled out what little Francs he had and Frank seemed okay with the $4 in Congolese Francs, and then proceeded to celebrate the payday by yelling; drawing even more attention. He then insisted on taking a picture with Corrinne – at which point Corrinne said, “he’s a little creepy.” Shannin said it was alright and Rin got out of the Landcruiser for the photo. From the picture you can tell she is a little apprehensive and Frank is definitely showing his unique character.
Today we stopped at the market to try and get the clippers for the kids; we really don’t want to leave without getting them. Fortina runs up to us each morning, first to greet us, and then tell us that he doesn’t want a haircut. We must get the clippers.
While stopped at the market, Paul and Gabi were browsing and the rest of us were in our display case on four wheels. Of course a crowd gathered and a military officer offered his assistance; again to make us more “comfortable.” Frank was a real character and a bit erratic – he was very excited. Doug managed to get out of him that he was a Sergeant in the Army, but it was really hard to tell from his uniform – aside from the stripes on his sleeve, there weren’t many badges.
So Paul and Gabi came back to the Landcruiser and Corrinne decided that she wanted Frank’s necklace. She pointed at it and he gave it to her, which of course means that her Father is indebted to Frank not only for the necklace, but also for the protection! Paul wasn’t the happiest as he was running low on Francs and the smallest USD was a $20. Paul pulled out what little Francs he had and Frank seemed okay with the $4 in Congolese Francs, and then proceeded to celebrate the payday by yelling; drawing even more attention. He then insisted on taking a picture with Corrinne – at which point Corrinne said, “he’s a little creepy.” Shannin said it was alright and Rin got out of the Landcruiser for the photo. From the picture you can tell she is a little apprehensive and Frank is definitely showing his unique character.
Well, the photo certainly made Frank celebrate louder, drawing an even bigger crowd, so we quickly shoved everyone in the truck and sped away before it got more out of control. As we were speeding away Corrinne said, “okay, that was creepy.”
The building is nearing completion – I’d say we’re 90% of the way there. The electric tested out fine and is finished except for the replacement of a couple of bad switches. The painting is close to done as well, but no murial – this was too lofty a task, and will have to be saved for another day…or trip rather.
The kids actually spent their first night in the new building, tonight.
Since today was our last day, the staff prepared a special treat for us in dedication of the new building…traditional dancers. The whole community showed up and the cooks had roasted peanuts this morning for a special treat. John also carted in a freezer (with 4 other young men), hooked it up to the generator, and then loaded it with Orange Fanta and Coke – it was indeed a special day. These poor guys had to carry a 300lb. deep freezer for a mile just to have cold sodas. They were so hot and tired that they just sat down and put some of the remains of ice, from the freezer, on their heads.
The traditional dancers were absolutely amazing!! I have never seen such a performance; it was intoxicating. Doug and Paul filmed the whole thing so our friends and family can see it back home.
The building is nearing completion – I’d say we’re 90% of the way there. The electric tested out fine and is finished except for the replacement of a couple of bad switches. The painting is close to done as well, but no murial – this was too lofty a task, and will have to be saved for another day…or trip rather.
The kids actually spent their first night in the new building, tonight.
Since today was our last day, the staff prepared a special treat for us in dedication of the new building…traditional dancers. The whole community showed up and the cooks had roasted peanuts this morning for a special treat. John also carted in a freezer (with 4 other young men), hooked it up to the generator, and then loaded it with Orange Fanta and Coke – it was indeed a special day. These poor guys had to carry a 300lb. deep freezer for a mile just to have cold sodas. They were so hot and tired that they just sat down and put some of the remains of ice, from the freezer, on their heads.
The traditional dancers were absolutely amazing!! I have never seen such a performance; it was intoxicating. Doug and Paul filmed the whole thing so our friends and family can see it back home.
The kids also prepared some skits and performances for us. As Father Emery says, “the kids are going to animate now.” – he means perform, but his translation is more appropriate.
One of the skits was about where the kids came from – the streets. It featured them smoking (with real lit cigarettes although they didn’t inhale) and fighting while dressed in tattered clothes. It ended with them being redeemed by an authority figure and accepted into a much larger family which is the orphanage. We’re going to have to subtitle the film as most of the adults were laughing – it must have been quite good!
One of the pictures drawn by one of the orphans - to be used in the skit – was of a small child sent out in the morning by his menacing looking parent, to earn money. The script on the drawing indicates that if the child came back without earning any money then he or she wouldn’t get to eat. This is the picture that most of the kids came from.
I thought this picture, showing a united Africa and America through Christ, was neat as well.
One of the skits was about where the kids came from – the streets. It featured them smoking (with real lit cigarettes although they didn’t inhale) and fighting while dressed in tattered clothes. It ended with them being redeemed by an authority figure and accepted into a much larger family which is the orphanage. We’re going to have to subtitle the film as most of the adults were laughing – it must have been quite good!
One of the pictures drawn by one of the orphans - to be used in the skit – was of a small child sent out in the morning by his menacing looking parent, to earn money. The script on the drawing indicates that if the child came back without earning any money then he or she wouldn’t get to eat. This is the picture that most of the kids came from.
I thought this picture, showing a united Africa and America through Christ, was neat as well.
It’s kind of sad…today we attempted to get some of the background stories on some of the kids, but there is so little information. Even when we asked the kids where they came from or who brought them, they couldn’t tell us. For most of the kids, we don’t know exactly how old they are, who their parents are or were, or what they came from. It would seem important for their sense of identity, but I suppose the most important thing is that they are truly in a better place.
As the day was winding down, the villagers left to the tin roofed and mud brick walled homes after having enjoyed the cold soda, peanuts, and entertainment. Some of the workers were hanging around as most knew this was our last day at the orphanage. We elected to distribute the last of what we had and gave our coveted shoes to those most deserving. The boys also parted with their shirts as we prepared to say goodbye.
It’s with a heavy heart that I try to describe for you what happened next. The sun had set, the dancers gone, and the kids and us milled about in near silence afraid of the wave of emotion that seemed to be welling up inside of us. The kids were uncharacteristically listless as they searched for an understanding of what was happening.
In this culture, those that cry are made fun of, and crying is reserved for only the hardest of moments, but Bala and Kiesse (two of the boys) had tears rolling down their cheeks knowing full well that we were about to depart. Amongst the hugs and attempts to console each other, the well of emotion just could not be held back any longer and we all sobbed – literally sobbed. You would have thought that we were attending a funeral as the kid’s cries were the only thing that could be heard in the still dark night.
Gabi tried to cheer the kids up, but they would not be comforted. Boys, Girls, and Adults all had tears in their eyes as we held each other. Gabi tried to get us to walk the kids over to the kitchen as it was time for the evening meal; once there the kids refused to eat. Paul gave a traditional African promise in which he drew a line on the ground, brought his finger across his neck, and pointed at the sky swearing by the earth, himself, and to God that Toko Zonga (we will return again). This did nothing to ease the pain and Gabi thought it best that we go after a brief word of prayer.
We started walking and despite that the kids had been ordered to stay and eat, they refused and followed slowly behind us. As we walked down the moonlit sandy road the crys of the children slowly faded away – it is so hard to leave them!
John and Yvonne also walked us out and after we crossed the river we stood there in a circle holding hands. Two countries represented, and despite an inability to communicate, we had become family. John held our hands and raised them up saying, “America in Africa.” Doug then started to sing They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love in which we all joined in. Then, Yvonne and John sang an African prayer for us as well – it was beautiful! John walked around the group hugging each one and began to sob. This was the first time that John hugged as Africans don’t do this. There is a traditional African greeting or farewell in which you touch heads 3 times alternating sides – if it’s truly heartfelt you will touch foreheads afterward for a brief pause.
Yvonne and John are such loving people and really care about the children; we know that the kids are in good hands.
This evening will not soon be forgotten. I've seen some who have little or nothing, and yet are happy; while those who have much, seem so miserable. The problems seem so big and insurmountable that we can't possibly make a difference, but in the mean time we’re going to just try and make sense in a senseless world – if only in a small way. We’re going to do our part with random acts of kindness and attempt to help just one. What if we all…
We came to Africa to make a difference in the world, and while we’ve done what we could, and will strive to do more, it is our lives that have been changed forever.
It’s with a heavy heart that I try to describe for you what happened next. The sun had set, the dancers gone, and the kids and us milled about in near silence afraid of the wave of emotion that seemed to be welling up inside of us. The kids were uncharacteristically listless as they searched for an understanding of what was happening.
In this culture, those that cry are made fun of, and crying is reserved for only the hardest of moments, but Bala and Kiesse (two of the boys) had tears rolling down their cheeks knowing full well that we were about to depart. Amongst the hugs and attempts to console each other, the well of emotion just could not be held back any longer and we all sobbed – literally sobbed. You would have thought that we were attending a funeral as the kid’s cries were the only thing that could be heard in the still dark night.
Gabi tried to cheer the kids up, but they would not be comforted. Boys, Girls, and Adults all had tears in their eyes as we held each other. Gabi tried to get us to walk the kids over to the kitchen as it was time for the evening meal; once there the kids refused to eat. Paul gave a traditional African promise in which he drew a line on the ground, brought his finger across his neck, and pointed at the sky swearing by the earth, himself, and to God that Toko Zonga (we will return again). This did nothing to ease the pain and Gabi thought it best that we go after a brief word of prayer.
We started walking and despite that the kids had been ordered to stay and eat, they refused and followed slowly behind us. As we walked down the moonlit sandy road the crys of the children slowly faded away – it is so hard to leave them!
John and Yvonne also walked us out and after we crossed the river we stood there in a circle holding hands. Two countries represented, and despite an inability to communicate, we had become family. John held our hands and raised them up saying, “America in Africa.” Doug then started to sing They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love in which we all joined in. Then, Yvonne and John sang an African prayer for us as well – it was beautiful! John walked around the group hugging each one and began to sob. This was the first time that John hugged as Africans don’t do this. There is a traditional African greeting or farewell in which you touch heads 3 times alternating sides – if it’s truly heartfelt you will touch foreheads afterward for a brief pause.
Yvonne and John are such loving people and really care about the children; we know that the kids are in good hands.
This evening will not soon be forgotten. I've seen some who have little or nothing, and yet are happy; while those who have much, seem so miserable. The problems seem so big and insurmountable that we can't possibly make a difference, but in the mean time we’re going to just try and make sense in a senseless world – if only in a small way. We’re going to do our part with random acts of kindness and attempt to help just one. What if we all…
We came to Africa to make a difference in the world, and while we’ve done what we could, and will strive to do more, it is our lives that have been changed forever.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Prisoners of War…Almost
11-8-2008
Tim: Yes, we can indeed ship to the orphanage. Mercy For Children is arranging their first container containing clothes, tools, supplies, and a vehicle. Anything you would like to donate would be welcome.
Bob P: Good to see you on the blog…just wanted to say hi.
Today was a good day as we woke up to electricity. In fact, right when my feet hit the floor, it came back on, which means we can have toast for breakfast!! Unfortunately we came home to no power which means that we won’t have a fan for going to sleep; not for the noise in order to drown out the music that people like to play into the wee hours of the morning, but for the movement of the stale, humid, hot air on our perspiring bodies. Oh well…at least we had toast.
Tim: Yes, we can indeed ship to the orphanage. Mercy For Children is arranging their first container containing clothes, tools, supplies, and a vehicle. Anything you would like to donate would be welcome.
Bob P: Good to see you on the blog…just wanted to say hi.
Today was a good day as we woke up to electricity. In fact, right when my feet hit the floor, it came back on, which means we can have toast for breakfast!! Unfortunately we came home to no power which means that we won’t have a fan for going to sleep; not for the noise in order to drown out the music that people like to play into the wee hours of the morning, but for the movement of the stale, humid, hot air on our perspiring bodies. Oh well…at least we had toast.
We arrived at the orphanage expecting the usual mob of children running out to greet us, but today…nothing! It was a ghost town and Zach started whistling the famous Wild West whistle (can’t think of the movie) expecting to see a tumbleweed roll through. We hunted for the kids and discovered that it was bath time and everyone had gone down to the river for their bath. It seems strange that while the new bathrooms have showers, the children and staff still elect to go to the river to bathe. It’s probably more fun that way, but for health reasons, we should attempt to get them to take their last bath of the day in the shower.
Progress is moving along on the building, but we’re a little behind schedule. The concern is really the wiring as we’re missing some supplies needed to complete it. 2 rooms have tested out fine and hopefully we can get it close enough for the locals to follow some simple directions to completion.
Ashton slept most of the day as he has not been feeling well. Hopefully he’ll do a little better tomorrow as his “team” is waiting to play. This is a pic, right after he woke up, with his guys.
Ashton slept most of the day as he has not been feeling well. Hopefully he’ll do a little better tomorrow as his “team” is waiting to play. This is a pic, right after he woke up, with his guys.
We had a staff meeting with all of the orphanage workers to try and bridge the gap and uncerstand the concerns that they have in caring for the kids. Yvonne (the caretaker/teacher) said the most beautiful thing. She said, “Your visit here has taught us many things. It is like the brightest light making everything clear.” She pledged to be praying for us as we travel back home. Perhaps our example has caused them to think about the possibilities of what could be.
(Paul filming Bati)
We also discussed that this orphanage is going to be a place of international gatherings and that each culture would have to learn from the other. One example is the trash; although trash here in the congo is simply disposed of outside the door, culturally speaking we feel that most Americans would see this as the locals not taking pride in their orphanage. While this isn’t the case, we probably can’t afford the “bad press” and have elected to have them dispose of the trash in a mini-landfill.
We also asked the staff for their needs. With 52 children, the one cook, the one laundry lady, and the two care takers are feeling the strain. It’s no wonder that the clothes the children wear are dirty when you have 52 kids playing in the dirt all day and then 1 woman to wash the clothes by hand. While it would be simple enough to send them a washing machine, there is no way to plug it in. We going to need to bump up the staff.
Making sure the staff is well taken care of is also our concern. How could they possibly have the energy to attend to the individual needs of the kids if they themselves are worn out? We’ve got to get this place running more like a well oiled machine, but we’re still in the early stages.
It’s interesting to note that I’ve seen 6 Albino Africans while I’ve been here. I probably pass that many in the U.S. in the course of a week, but they don’t quite stand out the way that they do here. One guy grabbed an albino as he was walking by our parked Landcruiser, and shouted that “Look! You are the same.” Funny.
We also asked the staff for their needs. With 52 children, the one cook, the one laundry lady, and the two care takers are feeling the strain. It’s no wonder that the clothes the children wear are dirty when you have 52 kids playing in the dirt all day and then 1 woman to wash the clothes by hand. While it would be simple enough to send them a washing machine, there is no way to plug it in. We going to need to bump up the staff.
Making sure the staff is well taken care of is also our concern. How could they possibly have the energy to attend to the individual needs of the kids if they themselves are worn out? We’ve got to get this place running more like a well oiled machine, but we’re still in the early stages.
It’s interesting to note that I’ve seen 6 Albino Africans while I’ve been here. I probably pass that many in the U.S. in the course of a week, but they don’t quite stand out the way that they do here. One guy grabbed an albino as he was walking by our parked Landcruiser, and shouted that “Look! You are the same.” Funny.
(A fun dancing game we played with the kids)
Today we were stopped at a traffic stop. The two military guys demanded the car registration and the driver’s license then ordered us to pull over. Gabi got out of the car and walked back to them to discuss what was wrong. Panic started to come over a few of us as Paul used his phone to get a fix on our GPS coordinates and readied to call the Embassy’s hotline. Doug pulled out his hidden fanny pack and started to shove his money into in case they rifled through our stuff. We stowed our memory cards in case they took the cameras, and then sat poised, ready for any contingency.
Turns out they were traffic cops and claimed that it was illegal to have our cooler on the front seat. Hmmmm, in a country where we have seen people riding on the outside of the car at 50mph or riding on the roof – literally the roof, this seemed ridiculous. The 2 officers held their ground, but claimed that the whole mess could go away if we paid them a little money - therein lies the rub. Gabi told the two that they were nuts and to give him a ticket and he would fight it in court. Eventually, they let him go and we went on our way – a little sleepy from the adrenaline rush we had just been through. Situations seem so much larger when you don’t understand the language and only here the shouting. I think Zach soiled himself. :-)
Turns out they were traffic cops and claimed that it was illegal to have our cooler on the front seat. Hmmmm, in a country where we have seen people riding on the outside of the car at 50mph or riding on the roof – literally the roof, this seemed ridiculous. The 2 officers held their ground, but claimed that the whole mess could go away if we paid them a little money - therein lies the rub. Gabi told the two that they were nuts and to give him a ticket and he would fight it in court. Eventually, they let him go and we went on our way – a little sleepy from the adrenaline rush we had just been through. Situations seem so much larger when you don’t understand the language and only here the shouting. I think Zach soiled himself. :-)
Medicine For The Soul
George: None of us are medical professionals! Although, Shannin and Paul did take a year off of college to go through EMT school – it’s more of a “pack-n-go” though. What little we know seems to be going a long way. The Pierro’s leg (the one that was filleted) is healing wonderfully. While Mercy For Children has no official church affiliation, the eight of us are indeed Adventist and attend the Florida Hospital Church in Orlando. The pastoral staff there is awesome and employs true Christian principles; one in which an individual is challenged to think and form their own conviction about what is presented. There are two services there and we go to the contemporary one; sometimes leading out in Praise. Father Gabriel is obviously Catholic and the local Passionists are also Catholic. We are a multi-faith organization though, with Jews and even Muslims in the mix; each following the whispers of God to do what he or she can. If you’re ever in Orlando, we’d love to see you and put you up.
Teri: thank you so much for your encouraging words! They come as such a blessing to us and really fill our souls! Teri, Shannin says she could really go for “coffee time”! Love to the Maksoudians…Tell Noelle & Chloe the kids say hello and miss them!
David (Sunshine): Thank you for your comments…What happened to you? We haven’t heard from you in a couple of days!
Adrian: Livy lost a tooth, have you lost any yet?
Vickie: There are other orphanages, but few are taken care of and Gabi says that some of them resemble a concentration camp – in fact, some of our kids have come from other orphanages very malnourished. There are a couple that have asked Mercy For Children to take them over, but there simply isn’t the funding yet. We are looking into it for the future though.
Teri: thank you so much for your encouraging words! They come as such a blessing to us and really fill our souls! Teri, Shannin says she could really go for “coffee time”! Love to the Maksoudians…Tell Noelle & Chloe the kids say hello and miss them!
David (Sunshine): Thank you for your comments…What happened to you? We haven’t heard from you in a couple of days!
Adrian: Livy lost a tooth, have you lost any yet?
Vickie: There are other orphanages, but few are taken care of and Gabi says that some of them resemble a concentration camp – in fact, some of our kids have come from other orphanages very malnourished. There are a couple that have asked Mercy For Children to take them over, but there simply isn’t the funding yet. We are looking into it for the future though.
(Zach and Fortina)
Mom P: Yes, there are dogs here, but we have not noticed any particular breeds. All of them are skinny and medium to large sized mutts. Perhaps, the fat ones get eaten.
Ape: Yes you made Shan laugh…all of us! We love you very much and we really enjoy your comments…see you are funny! Very funny!!
To all of you: We love you all very much and your comments are truly just the encouragement we need for each new day. We serve an awesome powerful God, and we are humbled to be here serving him in the DRC. Today is a good day! It is our Sabbath, and what could be a better way to spend it!
With the fighting going on in Goma we have noticed an increased military presence. I failed to mention yesterday that, while coming back to Kinshasa after our lovely lunch in the mountains, we passed through a military checkpoint. The military in the DRC is seldom paid and quite frequently the soldiers will ask for a “gift” for keeping everyone safe. Sounds a bit like paying the Italian mafia for protection from the Italian Mafia. We paid them the equivalent of $0.75 which they accepted and we went on our way. It is quite common for Gabi and Father Emery, but it does make the Americans in the group a little nervous. No worries though, we’ve had no problems.
The military do not like their picture taken and this photo was shot from the car as we passed by. Didn’t really mean to take it as I was shooting something else, but I continued to click away as we passed them.
David A: Nyesha’s shoes came from Samantha in Collegedale, TN. We learned that she had to save up her money for 4 months before she could buy them, but chose to sacrifice and give them to an orphan in Africa. Special girl and her shoes also went to a special girl. We hand carried these rather than pack them in the crate to make sure that her sacrifice was fully realized. Nyesha is eternally grateful.
Nathan: Christian says that he plans to pump up the volume (in the classroom) when he gets back.
Luke: Christian says that he’s in chapter 15 in FE.
====================================
We’ve found a little 600 sq. ft. modern grocery store that we have nick-named “Publix.” They have a lot of the usual junk we’re used to like Peanut Butter, whole grain bread, yogurt, and yes potatoes chips. We’ve elected to start bringing our lunch to the orphanage so that we can save the time of getting shuttled to a nearby monastery for the noon-time meal. Since we arrive around 11A, it doesn’t make any sense to leave 45 min. later to waste another 2 hours for lunch.
We’ve noticed that the little boy that received the haircut, the day before, now has a lot of infected soars on his head. Too bad he didn’t get saved by Mama Shah-neen (Shannin) before he had to endure the razor blade trim.
Progress on the building is moving along. Painting is about 50% completed on both the inside and outside. Electric is slow as Paul and Doug try to show them how it should be done before they move onto something else. Later they return to survey the progress and then need to correct some of the mistakes. Probably would be better just to sit there and watch, but no one likes to sit around. Paul has started drawing the diagrams in the dirt in order to try and make it clearer.
Today we brought the kid’s clothes to the orphanage that we had brought with us. The kids were extremely excited and lined up at the door to the multi-purpose room by youngest to oldest. Since Americans are generally on the “healthier” side and African have a tendency to have a minimal body fat percentage, we’re running into an issue with sizes. We’ve got a dozen pairs of husky pants and no one to put them on. Some of the clothes, and there larger waist bands, have puzzled some of the locals. So let’s just call it what it is, we’re fat and could probably lose a few.
Each kid would proudly pick out his new clothes and go through a quick fitting session, march over to John (the orphanage worker) so he could write their name on them, and the do a little fashion show strut to Shantel’s singing. They were so proud of their new second-hand clothes and immediately proceeded to put them away for a special occasion; putting their old clothes back on.
Once they discovered that we had shoes, a frenzy broke out. Shoes are a very coveted item here and the order that we had previously maintained, with them marching in two by two, was transformed into chaos. While the clothes were divided up over the span of an hour, the shoes took all of 5 min!
Near the end, we kind of left the left-over clothes unattended and the kids proceeded to grab as many of them as they could – even ones that didn’t fit – and horde them away. It’s easy to criticize this behavior and the apparent lack of discipline, but I guess this level of poverty just simply creates or programs the behavior. It simply cannot be overcome even though we tell them that there is plenty to go around or we’re sending lots more. It’s sad, but a product of the conditions.
Every single thing of value in this country has some sort of lock on it or protection around it. Whether it be a home (it will have tall wall around it), car, or shoes. If it is unattended, and freely accessed, then you must not want it anymore. The old government (before the 1997 war) erected a tall monument of National Pride, and put a sample of the most valuable natural resources this country had to offer: silver, gold, diamonds, uranium, copper, and iron ore. The government thought this monument would be impossible to scale as it sits at least 300 ft. tall. Guess what? Someone climbed to the top and stole the goodies. Several others died in the process. It feels like a total lack of respect, of other people’s property, when in fact it starts as a product of the environment and then quickly becomes a way of life. It’s similar in Honduras.
Sadly, Fortina was crying that he didn’t get any shoes. His feet were just too small for the shoes that we had. We loved on him and he was smiling in no time.
It’s interesting to note that Shantel was much more affectionate with the kids today. She gave one of the kids a piggy back ride (like we’ve been doing) and has been joking around with the kids; even singing them songs while they strutted in their new clothes. One of the women (Annie), commented to Nellie on how much we like to hold the kids and was marveling as to why. Father Gabriel thinks that we have made a silent impact with just our example…we’re hopeful.
I know I gave a little background on Fortina in one of the earlier posts, but can’t remember if I mentioned that when we first arrived he was one of the new kids at the orphanage; having only been there a couple of months. Gabi has been worried about him as he has not been very interactive and hasn’t gained much weight. In the few short days that we’ve been here, he has absolutely blossomed. Earlier, Zach has been carrying him around everywhere, but now he is bouncing between all of us, always ready and willing to flash a smile when his name is called. While Gabi’s original concern was that perhaps he had a medical condition, turns out, all he needed was a little TLC. He is the neatest little guy.
Honore’ and Paula (the new arrivals) seem to be responding well with the affection and new surroundings. Paula is very interactive and we got Honore’ to smile today with a little tickling game.
We had a new orphan dropped off last night. We don’t have the background yet, but will fill you in when we do.
Some of you might wonder…all of the kids at the Mercy For Children orphanage are screened for various diseases including HIV. The sad thing is that if they are found to be positive, they will be forced to leave as there is no care for them and they will endanger the other kids. It’s a true death sentence and the thought sending kids away to die is unconscionable.
Honore’ and Paula have yet to be tested for HIV, but if found positive, they too will have to leave.
(Honore’s and Paula’s Mom)
Friday, November 7, 2008
Left Behind
11-6-2008
We got an earlier start this morning, and with only one stop at the cabinet shop, we arrived at the orphanage the earliest we’ve been there to date – 11A.
Several rooms are painted and one room is wired. We’re making progress!!
It was generally a sad day at the orphanage; it was most difficult for some of us as the facts of living in poverty weighed on us heavily. We’ve dealt with the cuts and bruises, minor infections, belly aches, and ear aches, but today seemed senseless in several ways.
First, let me say that this is a harsh land that they have to live in and the kids are brought up without any pampering, forcing them to try and survive – survival of the fittest. Even in a solid family environment, there seems to be little caring or empathy from a U.S. perspective although we know a lot of this is just cultural differences. The orphanage workers, although providing care, do not seem to be concerned with how a child is feeling, but perhaps it’s just that there is no perceived alternative.
Today was hair cutting day and Shantel broke out a razor blade! She proceeded to shave the kid’s heads while they cried whenever a corner would nick their scalp. Literally she held a raw razor blade – no handle, no widget – and shaved their head. While doing so, they ended up with more than a 100 nicks and cuts, and sat there in silence afterward waiting for the pain to subside.
We were horrified and Shannin insisted that they stop - they were puzzled. Shannin asked Gabi why they didn’t just use clippers. He stated that they had never seen a pair of clippers and this was just the way it was. Even if you dismiss the pain that the kids endure, it seems silly to needlessly subject them to infection. Gabi told us that this was the way he received his haircuts growing up, and this was very common even among the middle class. Shannin put her foot down and said she would buy a pair of clippers with batteries so they could resume the hair cutting. Shantel was excited at the prospect of using this new fangled gadget for cutting hair!
While we were there a Mother arrived with 2 small children: Honore’
and his sister Paula. The kids were lethargic and malnourished, and their Mother was an amputee from a car accident that she had been in. She walked the kids in saying that she was there to drop them off – she was leaving them there! We learned that their Father died (from disease) and she could no longer take care of them. There were no tears, no goodbyes, no hugs; she simply dropped them off, signed the needed papers, and asked for bus fare back to the city. The kids were heartbroken, but did not shed a single tear. This was more than Shannin could handle and she broke down sobbing, slapped in the face with deplorable conditions in which there is no alternative.
What seems strange is that with new arrivals, in this situation, you would think that the local Orphanage workers would try and make the new kids feel welcome, but they didn’t. They barely spoke and simply pushed them into the circle of other kids. Apparently they’ll get the basic human needs filled here without the luxury of affection. Since most in this society are religious, we’re going to try and use the examples of Christ to show how he ministered to the heart first and try and change a little of the culture. I realize that we can't, and shouldn't, impose our culture on them, but this seems a universal need that has been lost here.
Honore’ is sick and has diarrhea so Shannin bathed and put some new clothes on him since no one else did. She pushed some vitamins into him, water, and a little food so hopefully he’ll look a little better tomorrow. Paula seems to have had to be independent, for a little while, so she began to respond to her new environment by the end of the day - interacting with the other children.
The word is out – people as far as 40km away have heard that we’re at the orphanage and arrived today to try and sell us some African crafts. It’s crazy in a society, where few have cell phones and there are no road signs, that they would know exactly where to find us.
Tonight must be National Burn Your Trash Night as we went to bed to the smell and smog of burning tires and trash. There is no trash pickup so people burn their trash to get rid of it, and since trash doesn’t burn so well, they’ll use old tires to get the fire hot.
We got an earlier start this morning, and with only one stop at the cabinet shop, we arrived at the orphanage the earliest we’ve been there to date – 11A.
Several rooms are painted and one room is wired. We’re making progress!!
It was generally a sad day at the orphanage; it was most difficult for some of us as the facts of living in poverty weighed on us heavily. We’ve dealt with the cuts and bruises, minor infections, belly aches, and ear aches, but today seemed senseless in several ways.
First, let me say that this is a harsh land that they have to live in and the kids are brought up without any pampering, forcing them to try and survive – survival of the fittest. Even in a solid family environment, there seems to be little caring or empathy from a U.S. perspective although we know a lot of this is just cultural differences. The orphanage workers, although providing care, do not seem to be concerned with how a child is feeling, but perhaps it’s just that there is no perceived alternative.
Today was hair cutting day and Shantel broke out a razor blade! She proceeded to shave the kid’s heads while they cried whenever a corner would nick their scalp. Literally she held a raw razor blade – no handle, no widget – and shaved their head. While doing so, they ended up with more than a 100 nicks and cuts, and sat there in silence afterward waiting for the pain to subside.
We were horrified and Shannin insisted that they stop - they were puzzled. Shannin asked Gabi why they didn’t just use clippers. He stated that they had never seen a pair of clippers and this was just the way it was. Even if you dismiss the pain that the kids endure, it seems silly to needlessly subject them to infection. Gabi told us that this was the way he received his haircuts growing up, and this was very common even among the middle class. Shannin put her foot down and said she would buy a pair of clippers with batteries so they could resume the hair cutting. Shantel was excited at the prospect of using this new fangled gadget for cutting hair!
While we were there a Mother arrived with 2 small children: Honore’
and his sister Paula. The kids were lethargic and malnourished, and their Mother was an amputee from a car accident that she had been in. She walked the kids in saying that she was there to drop them off – she was leaving them there! We learned that their Father died (from disease) and she could no longer take care of them. There were no tears, no goodbyes, no hugs; she simply dropped them off, signed the needed papers, and asked for bus fare back to the city. The kids were heartbroken, but did not shed a single tear. This was more than Shannin could handle and she broke down sobbing, slapped in the face with deplorable conditions in which there is no alternative.
What seems strange is that with new arrivals, in this situation, you would think that the local Orphanage workers would try and make the new kids feel welcome, but they didn’t. They barely spoke and simply pushed them into the circle of other kids. Apparently they’ll get the basic human needs filled here without the luxury of affection. Since most in this society are religious, we’re going to try and use the examples of Christ to show how he ministered to the heart first and try and change a little of the culture. I realize that we can't, and shouldn't, impose our culture on them, but this seems a universal need that has been lost here.
Honore’ is sick and has diarrhea so Shannin bathed and put some new clothes on him since no one else did. She pushed some vitamins into him, water, and a little food so hopefully he’ll look a little better tomorrow. Paula seems to have had to be independent, for a little while, so she began to respond to her new environment by the end of the day - interacting with the other children.
The word is out – people as far as 40km away have heard that we’re at the orphanage and arrived today to try and sell us some African crafts. It’s crazy in a society, where few have cell phones and there are no road signs, that they would know exactly where to find us.
Tonight must be National Burn Your Trash Night as we went to bed to the smell and smog of burning tires and trash. There is no trash pickup so people burn their trash to get rid of it, and since trash doesn’t burn so well, they’ll use old tires to get the fire hot.
I know we keep talking about the pollution, but you simple cannot imagine it. I’ve tried to capture a picture of it, but it doesn’t do it justice. We are experiencing some respitory distress and could use a little help from the big man upstairs to get us through the remainder of the week. I’ve joked that in order to acclimate, we would need to pick up smoking in the US for a month before we come out here.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Le Bozoba
11-5-2008
First a picture of the toilet paper since I couldn’t get it to you before.
We visited a DRC reserve where they have Bonobos. Bonobos are only found in the DRC and are one of the 3 great apes that live here. They are only found in the DRC because they are terrible swimmers, and the land they occupy is naturally surrounded by water. They are such terrible swimmers that they use a stick, when walking through water, to determine the depth and to make sure that it is safe.
Bonobos look a lot like chimpanzes, but are a separate species with a very unique social environment. The women are the dominant ones. Not only are they the dominant apes, they are also the protectors as well. When there is a hazard to the group the males will flee into the trees while the women arm themselves with Batons (clubs) to protect the family. They are also highly intelligent as each has a name and responds to verbal communication – we had trouble as they only know French. Our guide mentioned that they have even used fire to cook their food!
They are also a very “intimate” group without lifelong partners. In fact, one could say that they are a bit over-sexual as they are intimate with anyone, and everyone, in the group regardless of sex or age. Father Gabriel tried to play down our guide’s words during the interpretation, but we knew exactly what the guy was saying.
The male Bonobos do not like human males at all. They were extremely loving and affectionate to the girls in our group, but would grab handfuls of dirt and grass and throw them at the boys. Doug and Christian actually got a face full of dirt and later Doug had a rock thrown at him.
It was a real privilege to see the Bonobo as they are endangered. Since the females don’t have many offspring (average 3) during their lifetime, they may not be with us very much longer. People are eating them!
We had a beautiful lunch on a mountainous lake in the middle of nowhere and took a ride on circa 1970s paddle boats. It was a glorious day as we needed the break away from the pollution. While there, the kids decided they would try and climb some bamboo, and Paul jokingly called them Le Bozobos (combining Bozo and Bonobos which we’d just seen). Turns out, this is a real Lingala word which means imbecile – who would’ve thought!
Last stop of the day, we went to the local craft market to get souvenirs. What a crazy buy/sell environment. You could have 4 vendors tapping on your shoulder at any one time trying to sell you something. Each vendor tells you that you are his best friend and to please just give him one moment. It’s not like they only ask once either. You just have to smile and continually say “No Merci” over and over until they give up. We got some good stuff though and headed back to a dark mission as the electricity is still out.
On the way back, Ashton spotted a little boy that was shuffling himself down the median of the street. His legs were lame, and he had flip-flops on his hand as he would shuffle forward dragging himself along on a bent knee – he crossed the street like this. This tugged on Ashton’s heart strings and he couldn't help but feel like he wanted to do something - there was simply no way for us to fill that need. The tragedy of not being able to help everyone hit him very hard.
David Achata gave Corrinne a quote before she left, “We can do no great thing, only little things with great love.” I guess we’ll just have to do what we can.
First a picture of the toilet paper since I couldn’t get it to you before.
Some of you have asked if Shantel (The Orphanage Nurse) has any formal training. I would have to say no, not like what we’re used to. She did work as a “nurse assistant” here in the DRC, but even if she were a full fledged nurse, I don’t believe that it would be up to the needed standards. We need to lobby ADRA or some other Mission Doctor org for regular visits to the orphanage and perhaps some training for Shantel.
Also, we’ve been asked several times who is writing the blog. Well, it is Paul, from a third person perspective, with group input on what we'd like to talk about. On the days where there are some grammatical errors or misspellings, those are the days that I (first person) have a small blip of a connection and have to hurry in fear of not being able to upload - English was never my strong suit anyway.
Today we went on a Sah-Fah-Ree (Safari) with Father Emery.
We visited a DRC reserve where they have Bonobos. Bonobos are only found in the DRC and are one of the 3 great apes that live here. They are only found in the DRC because they are terrible swimmers, and the land they occupy is naturally surrounded by water. They are such terrible swimmers that they use a stick, when walking through water, to determine the depth and to make sure that it is safe.
Bonobos look a lot like chimpanzes, but are a separate species with a very unique social environment. The women are the dominant ones. Not only are they the dominant apes, they are also the protectors as well. When there is a hazard to the group the males will flee into the trees while the women arm themselves with Batons (clubs) to protect the family. They are also highly intelligent as each has a name and responds to verbal communication – we had trouble as they only know French. Our guide mentioned that they have even used fire to cook their food!
They are also a very “intimate” group without lifelong partners. In fact, one could say that they are a bit over-sexual as they are intimate with anyone, and everyone, in the group regardless of sex or age. Father Gabriel tried to play down our guide’s words during the interpretation, but we knew exactly what the guy was saying.
The male Bonobos do not like human males at all. They were extremely loving and affectionate to the girls in our group, but would grab handfuls of dirt and grass and throw them at the boys. Doug and Christian actually got a face full of dirt and later Doug had a rock thrown at him.
It was a real privilege to see the Bonobo as they are endangered. Since the females don’t have many offspring (average 3) during their lifetime, they may not be with us very much longer. People are eating them!
We had a beautiful lunch on a mountainous lake in the middle of nowhere and took a ride on circa 1970s paddle boats. It was a glorious day as we needed the break away from the pollution. While there, the kids decided they would try and climb some bamboo, and Paul jokingly called them Le Bozobos (combining Bozo and Bonobos which we’d just seen). Turns out, this is a real Lingala word which means imbecile – who would’ve thought!
Last stop of the day, we went to the local craft market to get souvenirs. What a crazy buy/sell environment. You could have 4 vendors tapping on your shoulder at any one time trying to sell you something. Each vendor tells you that you are his best friend and to please just give him one moment. It’s not like they only ask once either. You just have to smile and continually say “No Merci” over and over until they give up. We got some good stuff though and headed back to a dark mission as the electricity is still out.
On the way back, Ashton spotted a little boy that was shuffling himself down the median of the street. His legs were lame, and he had flip-flops on his hand as he would shuffle forward dragging himself along on a bent knee – he crossed the street like this. This tugged on Ashton’s heart strings and he couldn't help but feel like he wanted to do something - there was simply no way for us to fill that need. The tragedy of not being able to help everyone hit him very hard.
David Achata gave Corrinne a quote before she left, “We can do no great thing, only little things with great love.” I guess we’ll just have to do what we can.
The Gift Of Tongues
11-4-08
Start praying prayer warriors…we’re feeling the strains of our environment - healthwise.
Today we went straight to the orphanage…at 10A and via 2 stops: one at the cabinet shop (Shannin is getting a lockable cabinet for the medical supplies) and the other to get paint supplies that had yet to be purchased. With each stop, we sit in the back of a very hot Landcruiser with a gathering crowd of curious onlookers. We can only imagine that we look like the caged lion in a traveling circus – evidently moms don't teach their kids that it is impolite to stare.
The journey this morning took 2 hours. Despite our best efforts to get an early start, or to try and get some work done, we can’t seem to do it! We have yet to finish painting, but we’re learning to go with the local culture and try and take it easy.
Doug is having the worst of it though as his American patience is wearing a little thin. He keeps telling all of us to just “take charge” and make a decision, and every time he does, the locals just look at him and do it in their own time anyway. It’s very comical.
Speaking of Doug…it’s also comical to note that Doug has inherited his Father’s language skills. To his credit he has tried to learn the Lingali and French words for the common things and has even written them down on a cheat sheet, but frequently he will mix Spanish (what little he knows) when talking to the natives. Not to mention, the hand gestures that ensue when they have trouble understanding the Spanish. If they still don’t understand the Spanish and hand gestures, he’ll speak louder broken English with a heavy Italian accent. Usually this situation ends up with him grabbing an interpreter.
Lee, you can be proud.
While the delays make us feel like we’re not doing as much as we could, we’re getting a lot accomplished. The local Passionists haven’t known what they needed for the new building and it seems that every contractor was taking advantage of them with their bids. We saved them a ton of money by finding new ways to cut corners without giving up much of the quality.
The new dormitory’s walls are raw cinderblock. Now, the cinderblock here is not what you’re thinking of at home - it has a much larger mix of sand than mortar and will crumble if you don’t pick it up with 2 hands. As a result it is extremely porous and absorbs the paint a little too readily.
How do we save on paint while still getting good coverage? We add mastic (drywall mud) to the paint at a one-to-one ratio, let it dry, and then cover it with a second coat of paint. Viola! The locals mentioned that they had never used the mastic in this manner, but it was good. Not quite the quality we would like for the walls, but $20 saved means another kid can eat for a month – really makes you think in that context.
We wanted to film the kid’s greeting us this morning so Paul and Doug went on ahead to get their hellos over with and break out the camera equipment. Needless to say it didn’t work out so well as the kids were looking for the rest of us and spotted us from afar. This of course starting a mad dash to greet us; Paul and Doug were left in the dust as they ran down the mile trail we hike in on for every visit. Of course, this should have been very predictable.
Today Zach and Shannin had a little medical clinic going over the little infected cuts and wounds that the kids have.
Start praying prayer warriors…we’re feeling the strains of our environment - healthwise.
Today we went straight to the orphanage…at 10A and via 2 stops: one at the cabinet shop (Shannin is getting a lockable cabinet for the medical supplies) and the other to get paint supplies that had yet to be purchased. With each stop, we sit in the back of a very hot Landcruiser with a gathering crowd of curious onlookers. We can only imagine that we look like the caged lion in a traveling circus – evidently moms don't teach their kids that it is impolite to stare.
The journey this morning took 2 hours. Despite our best efforts to get an early start, or to try and get some work done, we can’t seem to do it! We have yet to finish painting, but we’re learning to go with the local culture and try and take it easy.
Doug is having the worst of it though as his American patience is wearing a little thin. He keeps telling all of us to just “take charge” and make a decision, and every time he does, the locals just look at him and do it in their own time anyway. It’s very comical.
Speaking of Doug…it’s also comical to note that Doug has inherited his Father’s language skills. To his credit he has tried to learn the Lingali and French words for the common things and has even written them down on a cheat sheet, but frequently he will mix Spanish (what little he knows) when talking to the natives. Not to mention, the hand gestures that ensue when they have trouble understanding the Spanish. If they still don’t understand the Spanish and hand gestures, he’ll speak louder broken English with a heavy Italian accent. Usually this situation ends up with him grabbing an interpreter.
Lee, you can be proud.
While the delays make us feel like we’re not doing as much as we could, we’re getting a lot accomplished. The local Passionists haven’t known what they needed for the new building and it seems that every contractor was taking advantage of them with their bids. We saved them a ton of money by finding new ways to cut corners without giving up much of the quality.
The new dormitory’s walls are raw cinderblock. Now, the cinderblock here is not what you’re thinking of at home - it has a much larger mix of sand than mortar and will crumble if you don’t pick it up with 2 hands. As a result it is extremely porous and absorbs the paint a little too readily.
How do we save on paint while still getting good coverage? We add mastic (drywall mud) to the paint at a one-to-one ratio, let it dry, and then cover it with a second coat of paint. Viola! The locals mentioned that they had never used the mastic in this manner, but it was good. Not quite the quality we would like for the walls, but $20 saved means another kid can eat for a month – really makes you think in that context.
(This guy, Montasi, is the spitting image of an African version of my nephew Steven)
We wanted to film the kid’s greeting us this morning so Paul and Doug went on ahead to get their hellos over with and break out the camera equipment. Needless to say it didn’t work out so well as the kids were looking for the rest of us and spotted us from afar. This of course starting a mad dash to greet us; Paul and Doug were left in the dust as they ran down the mile trail we hike in on for every visit. Of course, this should have been very predictable.
Today Zach and Shannin had a little medical clinic going over the little infected cuts and wounds that the kids have.
It’s amazing to me how many of these there are. While any one of these wounds would be something that would get cleaned, antibiotic ointment applied, and dressed in the US, they are simply ignored here as they happen way too frequently. Some of these have caused a systemic infection resulting in the high fevers that we have seen.
One of the village workers cut his leg badly while we were there. I should say rather that he filleted the skin off of his shin in several places. I was a little surprised how bad it was. He was going to head to the river to rinse it out when we sent him to our little “clinic.” Latex’d up, Zach peeled the skin back, cleaned the wound with peroxide, applied Neosporin, and put a dressing on. It looked so good that the guy returned to work and was telling all of his co-workers that his leg was “straight from America.” Hopefully, it heals okay and doesn’t get any worse or he’ll think we were the reason why! :-)
(Nyesha gets her first pair of shoes)
Well, we’ve been out of power for the past 3 days. I’m told that this is pretty typical and can sometimes last a month. So…little to no water, no power, no internet. There is not much you can rely on from the government here. We’re learning to adjust, but it makes it difficult to get the laptop and phone charged up in order to get this out. Sorry for the delays.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
