Friday's Congo Update

Well I have a lot to write. Yesterday was rather eventful. It started at 3:30am. We got up to go to Budjala. The drive to Budjala was surreal. I seriously thought we were going to get robbed. We were in the middle of no where driving in the jungle. It was crazy. We were in thick jungle. At some places the truck was wider then the road. The road was horrible as well. There were lots of huge wholes with water in them. It took us two hours to get there.

When we got there we were greeted with a band and a choir. It was 6:00am and the band was ready and waiting for us. They had a bass and electric guitar with a drum set. They also had a African Drum, one of the big one's. I am not sure what it is called.

Then we had to wait for two hours for our seminar to start. We ate breakfast at 8:00am when the seminar was supposed to start. We had bread, fish and some tea. The fish was good. I did feel sick about an hour after eating it. I blame the fish.

When we started the seminar we had over 220 people there. The crowed was very responsive. In fact when I stood up to give my testimony they all started laughing at me. I asked the interpreter why they were laughing. He said that I had a big smile and was very happy, so they were very happy I was happy. The seminar went well. We were all real tired. The driver tried to take a nap in the truck during the session, but I am not sure he slept at all.

This was the first time since I have been in Africa that people have just kept asking for money. We had two high school students ask us to pray that God would give them the money to go to Bible school. They asked us to pray for them. That was the nice way to ask for money. Right before we left we had a guy come up to us and ask us for a Bible. We said they would have to ask the Pastor that is traveling with us. He didn't like that answer. Then he asked if we could give him a P A system. I said we didn't have one. He didn't like that answer either. He was mad at us when the conversation ended. I was rather frustrated. I blame some of that on the fact that I got very little sleep the night before.

We arrived back in Tandala at 7:30pm. It was such a long day. But it was a good day. I had fun teaching the seminar. It seemed to go well. One of the funnest things we did was to teach them all how to throw a Frisbee. Just image 220+ people playing Frisbee. It was chaos.

Today was not very busy. I had very little to do. We didn't have a seminar. I went to chapel. Brent and I took a tour of the hospital. A big group of us went to where the locals get their drinking water. I tried to carry it on my head like they do, but I didn't do very well. It was interesting. They bathe at the same place where they get water. Let's just say some of the ladies didn't care that we were there. Thema told them that guys were coming down. When we first got their everyone was clothed. But by the time we left a couple of them were bathing.

We also were able to play soccer with the kids. It was fun. I was so sweaty. Today was hot.

Well I think that is all for today. We are off to Kungu tomorrow. The team with be Brent, Tyler, Elissa, Amanda and I. We want to show them what youth ministry looks like. Please pray for safe travel. We will be leaving at 5:00am. I am just making up for all those times I didn't get into work early enough. Pray that the seminar would go well.

If you have any questions please ask. I would love to know what information people want to hear about. As my wife would tell you. I give the as little detail as I can get away with when writing.