Marvin Gaye could have never imaged Congo when he sang "What's Going On?"
I have been in Congo less than one week and I am saying to myself, what's going on?
First, I arrived in Kinshasa on Tuesday night after leaving from Indianapolis on Monday afternoon. It took over 24 hours to arrive in Congo.
Second, I left on Wednesday morning for Kananga, the capital of Kasai Occidental Province, about 400 miles or just over an hour by plane. I arrived Wednesday afternoon. Later, I found out that a Boeing 737 crash in DR Congo on a maintenance flight from Brazzaville, Republic of Congo (the other and smaller Congo) to some country south of us. A moment to say Thank You God.
Third, I called on Friday to ask my protocol officer which airline he used to ship my extra baggage to Kananga. He had not shipped them because the airline was closed for May 1st on Friday. But why didn't he ship them on Wednesday or Thursday? Duh?
Fourth, Thursday to Saturday, I visited a manual water well drilling site. Sunday, the German project manager reported to me that one of the pipe had collapsed. Why? When he did not have enough money to buy the proper pipe, he tried to save money and use a lesser quality of pipe. OK, now his students will spend Monday to correct the situation.
Fifth, Sunday, I was suppose to leave by truck to Bulape. I was informed that the truck was being repaired on Sunday. Also, the luggage would not arrive until Monday. The flight from Kinshasa to Kananga on Sunday was rescheduled until Monday. Thanks be to God.
Sixth, I met a tourist in Congo from France. Vincent has been traveling for seven months. He refuses to travel by air on his way to South Africa from France. He arrived in Congo on April 6th. He has traveled by military truck, truck, jeep, train, and boat. He estimates another week or more to get out of Congo. Thanks be to God, my travel is a breeze.
Seventh, I spent the afternoon at Kananga Airport Compound of the UN Mission to Congo (MONUC). After we got into the compound it was an oasis. An electric oven and stoves cooking a pig's head and ribs. Musumbe? I think that what it was called a turnover with curry goat. Karaoke! I scored a 86 on Marvin Gaye's What's Going On!
Eighth, I got a call from my future wife, Menette, life goes on in the states while you are gone, too. Again, Woody What's Going On With You? I dash out of the air conditioned hut into the Congo humidity. Welcome back to Congo.
As "Easy" was being song by one of the South Africans or Phillipinos, I was back to Sunday, May 3rd in Congo. Washington was lying in the sun playing with his head of some animal. It was either a pig or goat given to him. The group's other dog, Denzel was somewhere else probably with his bone or head, too. Taking it Easy on Sunday Afternoon and wondering What's Going On!
Sill, I want to holler throw up both my hands!
from my HTC phone!
Woody M. Collins President, Congo Helping Hands "Strengthening the Heart of Africa"
website: http://www.CongoHelpingHands.org blog: http://www.EndingExtremePoverty.org Blog: http://www.WhatsWoodyDoingNow.com facebook: http://profile.to/woodycollins