"Long Ago and Far Away"- "A Little Bit Closer Now"

In this blog I am going to try to share a bunch of pictures from Ken's collection and mine. So no telling who or what you will see. Or what age. I will also include some stories as I remember them - and try to keep lying to a minimum. If I have information wrong- Sam Hill! What do you expect. I am old! Put YOUR patient panties on! ;))  You will have to deal with the Tshiluba spelling too -several are a guess but close enough for the sound! (I'm not Aunt Winnie Vass!)  ;)

Some Central School memories. (Informational for others.) The school- CS- was for Missionary children. Our Mothers alone or with other Moms on the stations taught us- supposedly- First-Third grade. The Calvert System curriculum was used and was really good. About the only thing it did not tell the teacher was: "Breathe here!" Then when we were entering the fourth grade(age9/10) we went off to boarding school at Central School. It had a top enrollment of 54ish-while Ken was there- he says. It was on Lubondai station so those of us that lived on that station went as day students- "affectionately" known as "Station Jerks". We were jealous of them getting to live on campus and they were jealous of us getting to live at home! There were teachers hired from the U.S. as missionaries to be teachers and housemothers for CS. They tried to keep us about 6 months ahead of the US schools so at least we did not have that cultural issue to deal with when we came home for furlough.The classroom for the lower grades was almost like a One Room School House. Teacher taught the 4th grade and then they did desk work and the teacher taught the next or taught two grades the same Bible or history. Discipline was handled by the Principal -we all called just Muambi (Walt Shepard - an architect by trade - when in the US he worked with the group that built the New Orleans Super Dome). He was wonderful -with a great sense of humor, a gifted cartoonist and had lots of patience. For punishment we got to "work in the garden". All kids had chores. Ken and Harry Bolton did the generator and water system. Others had office work, clean the classrooms, check out sports equipment, do the Jungle Log- our yearbook, run Juke Joint and work in the library. Every night there was Study Hall from 7-9. Elementary kids got out at 8 and had to be in bed by 8:30.  High Schoolers went till 9. Lights out at 10.(Ken gave me this info because I was not there!) On Saturdays we would often take our bikes (and a teacher) and ride the 15+/- miles to the Katenda Falls to play in the rough water (No crocodiles there). Ate the sour Bread fruit on the way at a break in the Jungle. I remember when we sliced it open it looked like a brain. Like that stuff on Indiana Jones movie.

Ken's eighth grade graduation.

Friday night Study Hall was kept by Muambi and he was a mess. We spent less time in it and he was busy telling us to "be quiet"as he was sketching cartoons on the board or telling stories- little studying was done. ;) When we all got out we went to Juke Joint. Records were played, ice cream bought and served. We could also buy hot dogs, candy and Bazooka. Special memories! What I remember about Friday nights was that I had to get on my bike and ride all the way home- in the dark, alone- maybe 150 yards- I now know- but felt like 1000 miles.(I peddled like mad in case the leopard was hunting that night! I could hear my heart in my ears! I can still remember that fear! Never did tell my folks I was that afraid because Dad would have come up to meet me and that would have been just awful!!) Saturday night was the official Date Night for HS kids. They could walk the campus and sit on the provided and safely placed outdoor benches.(Supposedly no touching- yea RIGHT- even that long ago ...) Several of these Seniors eventually married each other after college here in the States. The classes were usually only about 4-8 kids in size. We had special dances. (We girls would wash and starch our crinolines and place them on the bushes to dry and get stiff so our skirts would look pretty for the dances!) The HS students always put on a play. We had eighth grade and high school graduation ceremonies. No motels-so if the parents were able to be there for graduation they stayed in the guest house or with station missionaries.

The Congolese in our area of the Kasai were - at that time- in two main tribes. The Lulua and the Baluba. Where Ken was were the Baketa. Lukinga was their king and the king of the rest of the whole Bakuba Tribe. He had multiple wives-as in 100s.(There was a Life Magazine article about him.) As I remember the wives were from various tribes - like Genghis Khan did -to keep control of his empire. Also where Ken lived and near Lake Munkamba were the Pygmies.


 When my family went to visit with Lukenga, my mother was wearing a gold- real gold- bracelet.
Lukenga asked if she was a Queen
in America. Not knowing what was coming, she
said "No." "Then give me your bracelet. Only royals can wear it." So she took off her double string of fake pearls and gave them to Lukenga. They would not fit his neck so he opened up the choker and put them on his head. He ordered the mirro. While all of this was going on, Mother slipped the bracelet into Dad's pocket.  I have it today! ;) Lukenga was thrilled with his gift.

 This is me in the foreground. The lady is one of Lukenga's favorite wives. (Good advertisement on why Bras are important! Or a good surgical candidate for Ron North! ;) ) Notice the straw mat fence around Lukenga's Compound. I think I sent a picture earlier of the men making a mat.The man is holding one of two masks we received as gifts from Lukenga.(My brother Les has this mask.)


These are the Ba Tshange ( Ken's spelling) Village chiefs near Bulape and loyal to Lukenga. Ken is observing the man and his pipe.

My Mom, Dad and Grandmother Irene McCall. As I remember the dark blue skirts on the men shows their status in the Baketa tribe. This man was honored to have his picture taken. My grandmother was as close as she would get. ;) Notice our new car!






Villages were different from area to area. Now I am going to repeat the story I was told. That and 25 cents still won't get you a cup of coffee! This village is a cannibal village. Clear and walls around each hut. No where to hide! Don't trust anyone after dark. So all animals and family were within the straw fence area at night, House on left is being built. The wolf in the Three Little Pigs could have a Hay day here. ;) Get it?
Notice the difference in the village below.

The villages near Lubondai, where I lived, were like this one. We kids felt very safe going to Ntolo's village. They had a "store" and we kids loved to sneak off to it and buy a tiny can- about the size of a shot glass only shorter- of Sweet condensed milk. We'd get the Tatu to poke a hole in it with a nail and we'd suck out the milk on the walk back to the station. No telling what had crawled or whatevered on those little cans. We were less sick than our parents- and I rinsed my toothbrush in the sink water- but always had a glass of water in case a parent walked in! ;)

.
Once a year the missionaries all got together for a meeting.  They discussed issues on stations, transferred missionaries to other stations and handled "sticky issues" between missionaries or families. It was usually at Lake Munkamba. As I remember it was always after we older kids had gone back to CS.

In picture to left Ken's folks are on bottom step in white shoes.





In picture to the right, Murrays are in second row left. Dad (looks like Jon with less hair than Jon has!) holding Marcia and Mom holding Ken.
Betty Lou is third little girl on front row from the left with her hand in her face.





Jobs around the stations performed by our hired help.

No matter how my Dad tried, the boys at the Tech school sawed backwards- whatever that means. I prefer and electric saw, personally.

 

 Filling up the hot water barrel at the Murray's  at Bulape house so they too could have hot water.

This is our sentry bringing in the wood for the fireplace to heat our water. Water was brought up from the rivers the same way.

 My brother Manford and me watching them
 re-roof/re-thatch the garage in the back yard. Weather and ants did a number on a lot of stuff. 

FYI- my brother Manford died in 1992 in his early 40's. His daughter Brianna and her husband live in Massachusetts.

 This is an ironing board! and the charcoal iron. Great till a spark falls out and makes little holes in stuff.











Transportation was what it was fifty years ago.






Murray kid's mode of transportation at Bulape. Betty Lou pulled Ken. Guess he always liked
RV'ing

Dad Murray's favorite car. That Dear, Sweet, tall man loved this tinny car!

"Hit the Road, Jack"- I mean Jill-
is always a way to go!



Guess even Three Billy Goaots Gruff would not live under this BRIDGE!

Globe Master - C119- that came to get Missionaries
 in summer of 1960 when they were evacuated
after Independence.

Guess we Missionary "kids" need a place in the outer atmosphere - since "The Clouds"(what ever those are for) are filling up. In this place we could put and share old pictures and Tshsiluba recipes and stuff. But, oh the time and organization that atmospheric picture place would take-and after dealing with just a few pictures.... forget that idea!! (No one needs that much torture in their later years!!) Glad we all have such neat pictures. And we can share as we can and do on Facebook.Then a lot of you get together when you do the Congo reunions.

So life is good! Memories of a special and wonderful time in Ken's and my life. Neither of us would change anything about it.( Even getting called "Manore" after our pet donkey that got eaten by a leopard.) Love Ya! Me