Ending Extreme Poverty in the Congo

There Are No White Elephants In Congo

 
During the Christmas season, you may be invited to a party where you are asked to bring and exchange "a white elephant".  The white elephant is both a gift (a blessing) but it is totally useless (a curse).  It comes down to point of view of the giver and the receiver.

In a poor places like rural Congo, there is few white elephants.  The people view everything as a gift when given.  If you do not get something, that's more closer to a curse.

A baby pack of items for a newborn is a welcomed gift.  The baby pack contains 3 cloth diapers and pins, two plastic pants, a receiving blanket, a gown, a bonnet, a pair of booties, two wash cloths, and two bars of Ivory soap.  

Congo Helping Hands provides a baby pack to expectant and new mothers through the Bulape Hospital.

Congolese Men Will Iron Clothes If It Pays

Here's an example of a Congolese man working.  You will probably wonder, a man ironing a shirt.

First, ironing is necessary especially in rural Congo.  I was told all clothes must be ironed after washing to kill potential parasites in the water that impregnate the clothes.  This man is ironing my wash done at the Bulape Hospital. 

Second, since this a required job, the hospital hired a person to wash and iron the hospital linens.  Men are hired for the few available paying jobs.  It does not matter if it is a traditional woman's job in western culture.

Congolese men only work for pay.  And they will do about any job that pays. 

Congolese Men Repaired A Wind Storm Damaged School Building

What work does the Congolese men do?  That's a familiar question asked doing my Congo presentations.  Normally, I am speech-less or don't have an answer that rolls off my tongue.  So what do the men do?

Typically and normally, any job requiring education or knowledge is done by men.  They are government officials like soldiers and police.  They are the airport workers.  They are the office workers like clerks and secretaries. too.

Most of the teachers and nurses are men.  Almost all doctors and pastors are male, too.  Very few women are vehicle drivers.

These men in Bulape repaired a school building that was damaged by a wind storm.

How Close Can You Get To Work Without Doing Work?

Women and girls do most of the manual work in rural Congo.  The work is hard and physical.  So it is counter to our western culture. 

Congolese men can get very close to work without actually doing work.  Sometimes, it is embarrassing.  Most of us would see it as chauvinistic.  But many know it is just a cultural thing.

How do you change bad culture?

A Behind The Scenes Look At Food Preparation

Hey Ladies and Girls!  Congolese women and girls are always there.  But they are behind the scenes.  They working to make things better for their families and friends.

The girls are carrying water and firewood.  They are helping, and watching over the pots.  And they learning from the older women.

The women are preparing the food.  Since food comes in its natural state, a lot of work goes into its preparation.  Corn is removed from the cob then it is pounded into meal and flour.  Rice is separated from the stalks.  The chicken is caught, killed, and dressed for cooking.  Or a goat is killed, skinned, dressed, and quartered for cooking. 

Thanks God for Congolese women and girls because food takes a lot of preparation before it comes to the table. 

A Congolese Christmas Is Just Plain and Simple

 

What's Christmas like in the Congo?  There is no television, newspaper, or other commercial hype-sters.  So, the Christmas season, the period from Advent to Christmas Day, is just plain and simple.  That's what I told a local church's Adult Sunday School Class last Sunday.

Most children expect their best meal of the year.  The biggest surprise of the Christmas Day meal will be some type of meat.  Chicken, goat, pig, and monkey are popular choices.  And the drink of choice is fresh pineapple juice.

Beyond food and drink, clothes and cloth are the most popular Christmas presents.  Poverty forces life to the basics.

A Support System Is Needed For Congolese Girls

 
If you were a Congolese girl, the odds are stacked against you.  Motherhood and long hours of hard and demanding work to take care of your family is your likely future.  But you have a real chance of dying from motherhood in your lifetime.

Access to education and health could improve life.  Also, prosperity is needed to break the cycle of poverty.

Congolese girls need a support system.  We accomplish more when you have someone behind you.  Someone who cares about you and what you are trying to do.  Someone who encourages you when you make a mistake.  Someone who gives you a helping hand to smooth out the rough points in your life.