Hugs and kisses again from all at MPH as we left. It was a blessed time for me and I am glad I did it. It gave Cindy and Clay a much needed rest and I hope some blessings for MPH! Did one last church service at the International Protestant Church of Kinshasa. Sad thing- or maybe not- Congo has put out a stop to all Congo children adoptions until all of the- corruption of sex slave, slave trafficking and kids who are not orphans but beilg "sold" to be adopted by their parents to help the remaining kids -are all checked out. So parents from the US and their adoptees were all at church as usual. Sad mess for all!!
Our flight to Belgium was what you’d expect for an overnight
eight hour or so flight. They fed us Supper and Breakfast(of high carbs) -so
sleeping was desired but was a challenge. We also preceded the trip with about
a 6 hour wait at the airport- but with the traffic unknowns on Sundays in
Kinshasa, we went out when the Travel Agency shuttle recommended. We did not
want a repeat of Jimmy Shafe and his Montana group’s of a literal run the last
mile or so to the airport!! We stayed in the AC Lounge at Jeffrey Travel as
long as we could. I now know where the
clean and private Lady’s restroom is and so that went much better- not having to go
to the unisex one with the men using the urinals right there as one enters was
GREAT!!. Going through security at
Kinshasa we got to keep the stuff that was pulled from our carry ons at first. Air freshener, water
bottles, perfume etc. But after we started talking Tshiluba and visiting as we
went through- the Tshiluba guy over rode the Lingala guy and told him we were
“family” and to leave us alone. Once we got to the International waiting area
we checked quite often because everything was in French and we wanted to be sure
it was not our flight being announced. We knew it was Turkish Air to Istanbul and
Air France to Paris but wanted to be very sure!! At each of the first two plane
departures we went up to be sure it was not us. The little check in girl spoke
Tshiluba! When it was our turn, she came over and got us and put us at the
first of the line. Then as apparently is -the slow everything down going through customs just before the plane- they have two more “ security” checks. Tshiluba and
Ken’s cowboy hat got us through with no checks-and brought smiles all over- even
in traffic! There are not a lot of flights but we did NOT want to miss it!!
Once again security in a Third World country is amazing.
Once in flight and reading information for disembarking
here, if anyone was changing airlines or continuing on Brussels Air from any
African country, they had to go and get their luggage and go through security
and customs and re-check in here in
Belgium again. I guess a “civilized” country’s security check in - so they too
must know what “Security” is like in a Third World country! All it took for us
was a hat and a language and to be considered ” family" and we got stuff through.
Since we are staying
here in Belgium we had to do it all too since we will be here a few days. Had muslims all
over the place praying on their rugs in the airport as we arrived early in the
morning. Found it interesting that only the men were doing this. Guess the
women aren’t that religious- I wouldn’t be either if I had to wear that black
outfit all the time- and I love Black!!!
;) (Just kidding! I know all their religious and cultural stuff!!)
I had been told to take pictures on our arrival in Congo of
things that were just beyond belief! So I did. Now I know why. None of it is
that amazing any more. Disappointing but not amazing. It just becomes old hat
and we got use to it in a way of speaking. Sad but true!
A little bit of our history in Brussels, Belgium:
Ken’s parents came to Brussels to study French in 1939-
dodging German U-boats and putting black-out shades on the portholes at night-
all the way across the Atlantic. War broke out not too many months after they arrived,
so they skipped the rest of their French lessons and were sent on to the Congo.
Ken was not there! ;)) He’s older than I, however not that much!!
My parents came in 1951-2 to study French. I was put in the
neighborhood school’s first grade- because they had no Kindergarten-where
classes were taught in French and Flemish! No one spoke English! (Fresh off the ship, the
Queen Mary, and straight from South Carolina.) Wheel! Scared little girl- but
was raised to do as I was told and I did it- most times!. (Good thing Bonka had
already taught me to roll with the punches-so to speak.) I went each day
without crying and with -“Lenore, behave yourself, Young Lady. You are a Big
Girl.” ringing in my ears. Numbers were written differently in my little, blue
covered cahier- the 1 and the 7 being the most different. Words for sure were
different. I went each day in my Shirley Temple ringlets, a little dress and
pinafore, my black Mary Jane’s, a pretty warm brown coat and my Dad had gotten
me a little black felt hat with brightly colored, embroidered flowers on it
that also covered my ears. I remember
seeing snow for the first time. Dad helped me build a tiny little snow man on
the stoop of the Pension where we rented one room for our family of four (I
still adore snow and being out it!) We
were in Brussels for nine months while my parents “learned” French- not
Flemish- so they could speak the official language of the Belgian Congo where
we were headed. (It was only 7 years after the end of WWII- so much of the area
was still bombed out.) Well, within only a little time I was the translator for
the family at home and in public. I was pretty much fluent in French and ok in
Flemish. (One time at supper when Dad was trying to say he was “full”, he said
he was “pregnant” instead!) The Pension was owned by Madame Pott and her lawyer
daughter, Jacqueline, (who had gorgeous long black hair) and they rented out
rooms to make living money after the war. Meals were also provided for us. Very
different from the Grits I got each morning when I was with Bonka!! I ate as I
was told-for the most part. However, I was a stubborn little mess! And
throughout my life -some things I deemed were just worth the punishment I knew
for sure was coming! ;) Mme. Pott told my Mom I was dropping my Brussels
sprouts and some of my Mussels on the floor under my chair. There was heck to
pay on my part for that choice. I must have gotten in more trouble that Mme.
Pott thought warranted because I remember her telling me she was sorry she had told
on me and giving me a hug and a kiss on the forehead. I guess she and I became “amis
de conspirateurs” because she never told on me again and I continued to
“accidently drop” food under my chair! ;) Funny what one remembers from one’s childhood!
In 1958 Ken and his family were here for the summer for the
World’s Fair. Mom and Dad Murray worked the booth in the Congo Pavilion. The
Presbyterians and the rest of the protestant Missions in Congo were also in the
Pavilion. The Murrays sailed from Quebec, Canada (they stayed at Le Chateau
Frontenac- Ken wants to go back!) to Germany and on to Belgium by train. They
too stayed in a Pension for the summer -in one room with bath privileges. Ken
can still rattle off his address because his folks let Marcia and him ride to
and from the Fair on the tram- alone or together! At the end of the summer they
all went on to Congo for their next term of service.
While we are here we hope to give a taxi guy our two
different addresses where we live and go see them. I’ll even – I think I’m brave
and brazen enough to -knock and see who is there in “my house.” Oddly Ken discovered on his phone maps this morning that our two pensions are less than a half a mile apart! I don’t know if
we will get to Waterloo. I just am looking forward to being here in Europe for
a few days.Thanks David Lundblad for all but insisting we do a stop over here
in Belgium as you arranged our tickets! ;) It’s so pretty here! COOL- 64 degrees-I love it and Ken is all bundled up in a jacket- and the trees are all decked out in their fall colors. The food is amazing!!
Folks here are so friendly and helpful.
We are just chilling here today at the hotel and in this
area.They had our room all ready when we got here at 8:45 AM instead of the three o'clock usual check in. Yea!! We went out for a walk about ten to see all of the old things we can see
out of the window of the hotel. I made
the mistake of lying down after brunch and must have rattled the rafters! Ken told me I was asleep almost before my head hit the pillow. I am not a
nap taker- never was- because it kills me for the rest of the day. But I just
watched movies all night so am/was tired.
We have heard from a some of you thanking me for the blog. It
has been fun to do and it gave me a respite from the minutia of MPH. I love to
talk- ya think??- and once all the guests leave after breakfast I was marooned in the
office. So rough drafts of the blog kept me sane-ish! ;) One of Ken’s friends
from Congo is here. His father was a Belgian Army Chaplain and so they played
together etc. in the Kananga area and
also went to Lake Munkamba. together. His name is Andre Jacque Nuesy and his brother is
Willy. We are working on trying to
get together here in Brussels! Small world!
There is a TV in the room and Ken has checked it out! Were hoping for ESPN Monday Night Football- but not. Plenty of European football/ Soccer in lots of languages!! They love that game here and in Congo! (As you know, I'd rather watch grass grow- unless it's my little ones playing and then it is the best free entertainment in Lubbock!!) The chanels are in English, German, French, Arrabic, Turkish,Thai, Japanese,Flemish,Spanish, Italian and Russian so far. Cartoons in a foreign language are interesting!
I am going to close for today. Have a feeling we will go to bed early tonight after "sunch"- half supper and half lunch.
Have a great week!
Love ya! Me
You get to
choose the final words. 
Waya
Bimpe !
