Untukmu Para Pengunjung

We're back from our long weekend in Lubumbashi, Congo. It was great to see my friend Rachel and catch up on life. She is doing important work making sure mining companies are working with communities for human rights and health and safety. Katanga Province is resource rich with tonnes of copper and cobalt mines, but the province has also seen a lot of exploitation and pillaging. Lubumbashi is very dusty and the roads are terrible, but Rachel's house and friends were beautiful. We relaxed so well and I took naps every day. We read, watched movies, talked, went to a pool, ate... We braved crazy downtown on Saturday afternoon so we could get our Congolese "souvenirs" (imported pasta and cheese!) My respect for Rachel really increased as we braved traffic and crowds.

Friday, Rach had to work, and we played tourist. We went to the museum and the zoo. I loved seeing all the species of monkeys and chimps at the zoo. The Bengal tigers and lions were also cool. The governor of Katanga is rich, and investing a lot of personal money in re-creating the city - including tigers from Asia! Unfortunately, on the way to the museum, I had a little encounter with the security personnel for the police general. Supposedly, I walked on their grass illegally. A few of them were in military fatigues and drunk, so I was quite nervous when they were saying I had to stay in their hut for questioning, but that John had to leave. The military in Congo is famous for rape, so I was quite scared, especially when they were pulling me inside the gate and pushing John out. Eventually I said that I couldn't leave John because he didn't understand French, and we ran away. Yikes. John was totally confused because of language, but thankfully did not allow us to be separated.

So, we had a good weekend and now we're back. We got 2 prayer requests at devotions today - for a couple who just had a still birth - for the 5th time, and then also for a pair of retired officers who had to flee their home in the south because people are being tortured for voting the wrong way in the presidential elections. The date for the run-off is yet to be announced. I wonder how many people will be harassed, tortured and intimidated before then...