I arrived in Likasi on Thursday and discovered the South African military is here to train the soldiers of Congo (Americas idea) and they have rented out almost every place to stay. I stayed at this shady expensive place and it was pretty awful just because I was always wondering if my stuff would get stolen. I was ready to go back to Lubumbashi and very frustrated that things were not working out. The next day I was informed they had found a place for me to stay that is free. I am staying in a compound with a Catholic mother in a little nun cell. Its about 2 yards by 3 yards (and people thought claudius was small) but its enough and its free. I have a bed and a desk. I cook outside and there is a toilet outside too. I like it. The compound is extremly secure so I dont worry about saftey at all. The mother speaks some Engllish and is wonderful.
Likasi has changed a lot in 3 years for the better. There are no more restrictions on traveling outside of the city. They made every road in Congo a toll road because they plan to fix the roads for the first time in many years. Instead of armed police putting spikes in the road to stop cars bikes and people to demand money or at least some tea from anyone passing through they have police dressed in yellow with funny hard hats who blow whistles at cars from out of town and try to force them to pay money for really ridiculous things. At least walkers can move freely. The country has developed some new areas and tried to fight corruption.
Likasi is a military town and a mining town. I wake up some mornings to the soldiers signing African style as they march. It is really beautiful. I did venture out one day to what they call the city the place where the poor people live and it was nice to meet with people. A lot of people are pretty well of because they work for the mining companies but plenty are still very poor.
I went to church on Sunday and was surprised and happy to see they use liturgy. The Wesleyan church in Zambia was planted from the Pilgrim Holiness denomination in the US which later merged with the Wesleyans but the church in Congo came out of the Methodiste church. Anyway my french is bad so being able to read it helps me to understand. Unfortunately the liturgy and the entire service was in Swahili so i understood nothing. In the middle of the singing David came in. David speaks English and I met him 3 years ago. He is now a translator for the mining company and so he translated for me. I also met his wife and daughter.
I am learning many things and enjoying my time here. My hands are a bit raw from handwashing my clothes and I still havent discovered where to buy Mazungu food so i have been eating congolese food. Thanks so much for all of your prayers.
Likasi has changed a lot in 3 years for the better. There are no more restrictions on traveling outside of the city. They made every road in Congo a toll road because they plan to fix the roads for the first time in many years. Instead of armed police putting spikes in the road to stop cars bikes and people to demand money or at least some tea from anyone passing through they have police dressed in yellow with funny hard hats who blow whistles at cars from out of town and try to force them to pay money for really ridiculous things. At least walkers can move freely. The country has developed some new areas and tried to fight corruption.
Likasi is a military town and a mining town. I wake up some mornings to the soldiers signing African style as they march. It is really beautiful. I did venture out one day to what they call the city the place where the poor people live and it was nice to meet with people. A lot of people are pretty well of because they work for the mining companies but plenty are still very poor.
I went to church on Sunday and was surprised and happy to see they use liturgy. The Wesleyan church in Zambia was planted from the Pilgrim Holiness denomination in the US which later merged with the Wesleyans but the church in Congo came out of the Methodiste church. Anyway my french is bad so being able to read it helps me to understand. Unfortunately the liturgy and the entire service was in Swahili so i understood nothing. In the middle of the singing David came in. David speaks English and I met him 3 years ago. He is now a translator for the mining company and so he translated for me. I also met his wife and daughter.
I am learning many things and enjoying my time here. My hands are a bit raw from handwashing my clothes and I still havent discovered where to buy Mazungu food so i have been eating congolese food. Thanks so much for all of your prayers.
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