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I like my neighborhood. I believe Congolese live their neighborhoods, too. Overall, their neighborhoods are more family-centered.
Congolese neighborhoods differ depending on whether you live in an urban or rural area. The differences are similar to our neighborhoods.
In rural villages, many Congolese live in family compounds. The family compound consist of a number of close relatives living in separate houses. The houses are in close proximity. Typically, they ring a common court yard area.
How do you unwind after a day's work? Congo's weather is warm year-round even if it occasionally rains sometime. The late afternoons and evenings are great for relaxing and entertaining.
It could be a paradise!
Where's the lawn chairs, grill, swing set, pool, or other signs of wealth? Since this is Congo, there are none. So, what do you do in the back yard? You sit out in the back yard to talk about the news of the day, to exchange stories, and to dream. Life is really simple and uncluttered with stuff.
That's a question, I am asked a lot by Americans after I tell them about the daily work of Congolese women. So what do they do?
Congolese men and boys are the village host. They came out to meet us at the airport. And they waited with us for the plane to return.
Congolese women are normally working in the fields. Congolese girls are helping their mamas in the field, or fetching water and firewood. They are workers and doers in the village.
Most fishermen, at some point in time, have claimed the "big one" got away. In our rural Congolese village, they have not grown the big one. But they are just starting to raise fish. They are proud of their accomplishments. With some experience and education, they will be really growing the "big one".
Everything, including a fish, is relative. You just can not take things as its absolute value. So I congratulate them.
A tin roof on a mud-walled building is better. But how much better is it over a mud-walled building with a thatched-roof? That's the question, I am asking.
What defines better? I am defining better as a long-lasting building. Since cement is so expensive, it is out of the reach of average rural Congolese. Cement would make stronger walls. Therefore, the mud walls do not last so long.
I believed the tin roof would have protect the mud walls from damaging rains. But how much additional protection does a tin roof provide?
It was amazing! It all happened in a matter of minutes. What was amazing?
The number of children that heard about the candy give-away. Typically, we always take a few bags of candy to pass out to the Congolese children. American sweets! Within a matter of a five minutes hundreds of children were ready for the give-away.
Also, it was amazing that the children took the orders to line up for the candle give-away. Within a matter of another five minutes, the children had formed a long, single-file line.
Unfortunately, once the give-away started, the orderly children acted like children again. That is, there was some pushing and breaking in-line to get ahead.
There are so many things that can go wrong during childbirth. Quite often, it goes wrong for the mother or for the children. And sometimes, it goes bad for both of them.
Giving birth in a Congolese hospital or health clinic minimizes the many problems for the mother and baby. A Congolese hospital provides the bare essentials of health care. There is a trained professional available. In the facility, there is a bed or a table. There is a few basic medicines.
It does not sound like much, but it increases the odds of survival for the mother and her newborn.
