Back to Africa: "Hakuna Matata" Remember? ....Sing it! ...Lion King's- "Don't Worry! Be Happy!"

Phone dings. I look at text and it says "Go to US. Con. site or your email for advisory." This time I knew it would be in the Kivu- Northeast of the country from here. Yep, I was right. Here is what they had to say to us here in Congo this time:

"The U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa alerts U.S. citizens of increased rebel activity and fighting in the province of North Kivu. The U.S. Embassy has received credible reports of attacks, kidnappings, and fighting in the Beni area by the rebel group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), also known as ADF-National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (ADF-NALU). In addition, the rebel group M23 has recently clashed with the DRC army (FARDC) north of Goma. The security situation around the cities of Beni and Goma is fluid and tense. The U.S. Embassy strongly recommends you avoid travel to the province of North Kivu. Because of ongoing instability and violence, the U.S. Embassy's ability to provide consular services to U.S. citizens in this region of the DRC is extremely limited. Armed groups in this area are known to pillage, steal vehicles, kidnap, rape, kill, and carry out military or paramilitary operations in which civilians are indiscriminately targeted. The U.S. Embassy currently reviews travel requests by official personnel to North Kivu on a case-by-case basis."

So we aren't going there! ;) Weren't anyway. They are almost 2000 miles from here. So if you hear about stuff there- it is not near enough to worry. It is in Congo, but this place is huge!! We are still carrying paper copies of our passport not the real thing with us when we leave MPH. Still heading for the grocery stores on Wednesday. Life as usual here.

Someone in the neighborhood gave a bunch of kids whistles and their lungs should have deflated by now!! Been almost non stop all morning. Maybe their Moms will make them take a nap after lunch. Probably not! Found out it is graduation days and so maybe that is the whistle deal. They pour white powder on their hair and faces so folks can tell the graduates! (And we wear black robes- go figure!) Now that I think about it the bar was LOUD last night across the street and they were doing whistles too!!

Mid morning I was sitting working at my desk and Ken is keeping me company. A Congolese man in walks in. He tells me he is with the Protestant University here. (I knew what he wanted before he explained. An Associate Prof at ___with wife getting PhD from___want to spend August- December here for a quiet place for her to do research. I had asked Inga. There are basically no rooms for long stays until October. Kitchen work in December so Inga told me to recommended two other places she gave me the names of and explain that we are a hostel for predominately missionaries and church work groups as they come and go in country and they come first.) He tells us he is an administrator had the same story as they did. So I told him we had no room until maybe October but that missionaries etc come first.

Two Kuetas! Sweet!!

As I was struggling with all of this in French, I asked where he was from since he had told us he is Presbyterian. He was from Bulape- Ken's station. Well, an hour, shared pictures of long ago from my phone and tears later we were all best buds. Talking all done in Tshiluba. He knew the man that was Ken's Tatu- nanny. That man's son- now older- lives here in Kinshasa. Small world after all! When it was all said and done he agreed that this is a place for missionaries and since we are full for a lot of the time- these folks need to stay in one of the places I had recommended in my email . He would recommend the same places. Turns out he and Ken are "twins' ( excuse spelling- "shakina") Part of his name is also Kueta!( Mamba Shambe Kueta!) Wow! After the whole visit it took Ken quite a while to calm down. So even though I have not gotten Ken to Bulape station, the station is coming to him! The man knew of the story of Betty Lou's and polio and had seen her grave. WOW!! Also knew of Uncle Mark Pool- the doctor at Bulape.

Well, the trip to the Zongo Falls is back on for this weekend. But with the house full, Ken and I are going to stay here. Hope to make it there somehow before we leave and before rainy season when the 3-4 hour trip can take up to 8! There has to be someone here at MPH that knows what is going on. Yea, right! Well...someone who can fake it. And THAT I can do!! (My students never did figure that out except maybe one very special young man named, Reagan!) But I have got to have a lot of phone numbers before everyone leaves us alone here-everyone I know is going to the falls or in the US for a month! With a house full of guests I want to be prepared with electrician, plumber, clinic, taxi, no 911 here! Sorry but that is what Type A folks do! To top it all off the group of 24 from Paris just wrote to tell us that they have invited 24 Congolese - or "maybe a few more" to lunch on Thursday. So now we are feeding about 70. I may run away! ;) (Cindy Dunn, - what have you done gone and left me!!?? - I think I still love you! At least I figure if I make this two weeks- "I can do Anything!!")

Love hearing from you McCall cousins! Some on Facebook and some by email. Glad you are enjoying the blog and I love hearing from you too. Ann, you will have to show me how to do one of those picture books! The one like you did for Ken and me of the Thanksgiving we all shared on the Britt farm! I want to do one of this trip. Would it be possible to include my blog with the pictures or it is only for pictures for the most part??