Amazing happenings in the DR-Congo

            

Saturday, August 25, 2012:   We have had such a wornderful week.  It has been very busy.  It seems that just about every morning we have left the apartment at 7:30 AM and returned home between 6:30 and 7:00 PM.  However Friday, we left the office a little earlier in order to buy a few things before having a dinner with our Mission President and the other senior couples and still got home just before 9:00 PM.  Let us show you our apartment building.  As you can see, it is really very nice especially by Congolesse standards.  We live on the 4th floor (which is really the 5th floor by American counting because the ground floor the the rez-de-chaussee and the 1st floor here is what you call the 2nd floor.

 

 

It is a very secure building because it houses the USAID offices on the first two floors, and there are workers from these offices and the US Embassy who also live in the building.  We aren't supposed to take pictures of the secure areas, but I took a picture out the front window of the truck we drive showing the gate they raise after they have thuroughly checked our vehicle.

 

 

Saturday, August 25, 2012:    Well, we had our first Sunday in Kinshasa and went to church for the very first time.  What an experience.  Elder Robinson and I were asked to bear our testimonies.  He did a wonderful job introducing us and expressing his testimony in French.  I was able to say a few things in French and then Hal translated for me.  I felt the spirit so strongly and hope those who heard felt my love for the gospel and my love for them.  (I, Elder Robinson, must add that the members really love Sister Robinson.  They feel her love and felt the spirit of her testimony.  I only translated a couple of sentences.  I am amazed as how well she does with French for the time she has had.)

            I’ll back up a little and tell you we had Relief Society and Priesthood first and a sweet young missionary from Madagascar, Sister Fan-----------, turned to me half way through the meeting and said, “I don’t know English very well, but I’ll try to interpret for you.”  She was so sweet and so shy and helped me enjoy the rest of R.S. class a lot more. 

            For Sunday School the 4 couples get together and rotate giving the Gospel Doctrine lesson.  Elder Robinson attended class in the regular Gospel Doctrine class wanting to do as much in French as he can.  Sister Billings gave a beautiful lesson in our class and then we went to Sacrament Meeting.

            The chapel is beautiful and the benches are padded (I didn’t expect that), but the furniture is not well made.  There’s a bench in the middle of the chapel that has completely sunk to the floor.  Elder Billings, our Construction Missionary says its his next project.

            After Church we drove home for the first time.  Hal did very well, but you have to keep your doors locked and be on your guard all the time for cars and people.  (I, Hal, must add that you are concentrating so much on the cars and pedestrians that you don't have time to look around and learn the streets in the city.  Hopefully, it will come that I can know my way around a little more.  Right now, I only know our way to the church and the PEF Center.  Otherwise, I ask to follow someone else, and that is another story...trying to follow someone in Congo traffic.)  We brought Robert Hokanson home with us for lunch.  He works for the Church in a new but up and coming department handling special short term projects.  He’s here representing the Church’s interest in small businesses and coordinating efforts with an organization called Interweave.  (I’ tell you about Interweave shortly.)  We had a wonderful time catching up on Robert and his family and old times in Star Valley.  Robert was one of Hal’s boy scouts in First Ward before his family moved to Missouri.  He’s married to Rachel Call, Margaret Tueller’s daughter.

            Monday started bright and early with a devotional of the S & I (Seminaries and Institute) Coordinating Council.  Then Elder Robinson had an opportunity to visit a school with Bishop Mavinga. ( I, Hal, will add that it is not like any school I have ever seen.  It is difficult to imagine the school conditions and lack of facilities.  I only wish I had had a camera to share what it was like.  However, I would probably been afraid to take a picture because many don’t want their picture taken.)

            Tuesday started out even brighter and earlier at 7:00 a.m.  We had the opportunity to go visit the site of a new church building where many of the workers were graduates of the Construction class taught by Elder Billings.  All the guests from South Africa and Salt Lake were there.  Brother George Bonnet (far right) from South Africa is the Area Director of Buildings and Construction. 

 

This chapel is an example of the modest chapels being build in the DR-Congo.  The buildings are build around a courtyard with the chapel on one end, classrooms on the sides, and the offices and restrooms opposite the chapel.  This allows much of the construction to use residential standards rather than commercial standards, making the projects easier and less expensive.

 

 

 

The following picture shows the classrooms on the right of the courtyard with the chapel to the back.

Laraine is with Robert Hokanson ont he far right.

 

 

Below is the baptismal font, outside but covered, in front of the offices.

 

 

The following picture shows Eric, a Frenchman and member of the church, hired by the church as the Manager of all these construction projects.  I actually took this picture to show the worker in the background to show what he was wearing on his feet.  You probably can't see, but he is wearing flip-flops that are about 2 inches too small...because he can't afford shoes but at least he has something on his feet.

 

 

These are church members who have gone through the construction training program, work a three month internship with the contractor, and then in this case were hired by the contractor (not a member) because they are such good and well trained workers.  The church is very particular with the contractor requiring that work be done to Church standards and not Congoleese standards.  It is a learning project even for the contractor.

 

 

The following is the chapel.  It has tile floors and the benches will not be attached to the floor.  This allows the benches to be moved making the chapel a multi purpose room.

 

 

 

Brother Bonnet is a great man who can give a talk or prayer in French and English (translating for himself) and still not be so confused that he feels the spirit.  During the week he let us know the site of the new temple here in Kinshasa and we are all very excited.  It will be on the property where our church and the S&I Building (where we work) are on.  At 5:00 p.m. we attended graduation at the Church of the LDS men who graduated from Plumbing and Welding schools (INPP Technical School) under a program of the Church called “Head of Household Program.”  Fathers without jobs can attend school, learn a trade and at graduation they are given the tools they will need to be successful in their professions. 

 

 

 

There was so much excitement at this graduation and so much HOPE.  One man would not go up to receive his certificate without his wife by his side.  It was an incredible experience to be there.  The Church is doing so much more than we had any idea.

            On Wednesday we went with our guests from Salt Lake and South Africa to visit INPP.  It’s certainly not like any technical school in the U.S., but it serves its function and teaches electrical, plumbing, painting, auto mechanics and machinery classes.  It also has a beautician class.  We saw one young woman getting her hair washed outside leaning back in a chair and a bucket of water being used to rinse her hair.  Here is the classroom where students were taking a final practical exam.

 

 

This is a coulloir where we saw students doing practical painting, masonry, and cememt work.  The man Sister Robinson is talking to is Thabo Lebethos, Area Welfare Manager out of Johannesburg.  He worked and trained with us.  We were very impressed with him and fully expect to see him in the church hirarchy someday.

 

            We met some men who were there with the Church’s Head of Household Program.  They were learning to become painters.  Their class that day was in town for practical training, but they wanted to come back to INPP when they heard of the Church leaders from S.A. and U.S. coming.  They made their way back and we were able to shake all their hands.  You again could see the gratitude and hope and reverence in their eyes.

            At one o’clock we met in an Intercouncil meeting and learned more about Interweave.  It was started by a man whose name is Lynn Curtis and his brother.  He wanted to do something to help the people in emerging countries and with his social action skills and his brother’s business skills, they’ve been in 65 countries over the last 35 years fighting aids and putting together health and business initiatives and helping individuals start small businesses.  He’s a member of the Church and is so understated and modest and yet so powerful in all he accomplishes.  The Church has partnered with Interweave because both have common interest to help improve family situations in developing countries.  With the help of Robert Hokanson they introduced Interweave to Kinshasa a year ago.  DR-Congo is the initial and testing area for the Church in this program.  There were about 20 graduates a few months ago, but at 3:00 we went to the Mont Ngafula Stake Center where at least 175 received certificates (they received training and had started small businesses, e.g. one man was raising 300 chickens and selling eggs and chickens - he had food for his family and food for others and he was learning how to keep records, save and grow his business.  The training is done on a stake basis with NGO’s (Non-Government Organization) voluntarily come in and teach various skills.  The Ngaliema Stake had 170 people enrolled and Kimbanseke Stake had 210.  We met with bishops after graduation and they expressed their appreciation for this program. 

 

 

This is one of the NGOs, not a church member, who sees the power in the program and is working with the church to help in the teaching and training process.  The women dress so beautifully.

 

 

 

The Area leaders and those from SLC were evaluating the success of the programs, and came away feeling that the success can be seen and felt.  We felt that it will probably be introduced in other areas of need somewhere in the world.  The Priesthood leaders were very positive in their evaluation as they didn’t have so many members out of work.  One bishop said for the first time he felt he was a part of Zion, one with the Saints.

            I hope you can feel as we do the miracles that are taking place in Africa through the Lord’s Church, even the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.        

            Going back to earlier in the day, Robert Hokanson also spoke in one of our meetings about Welfare outside of the U.S. and how they create member projects where churches have garden plots on the church property for members to use.  On the bigger sites they want to see chicken coops and maybe even be able to raise rabbits.  This may sound silly to someone who hasn’t been in the DR Congo, but here there’s too much poverty and unemployment and hungry people.  This figure was thrown out in one of our meetings - of the 187 countries in the world, DRC is the 187^th poorest.

            Friday evening we met the other couples and Pres. and Sister Jameson and his wife at the Royal Hotel Restaurant for dinner (the owner is Lebanese).  Besides just the joy of being all together, Pres. and Sister Jameson were able to tell us of their trip this past week.  They took a small crowded boat across the Congo River to Brazzaville, picked up a bishop and flew to Gabon (a country in our mission where the Church is not recognized by their government).  The bishop from Brazzaville has a sister in Gabon who is a captain in their military.  She has connections with connections (There is a wife of a Senator who is a member there.)  The Jamesons and some lawyers from the Church in Salt Lake met with government officials.  The previous mission president made a similar trip last year with no results, but Pres. Renland, our Area General Authority, has spoken with Pres. Jameson many times about the urgency of getting into Gabon.  One miracle happened after another with the right people in the right places and the government has given permission for the Church to come in and actively proselyte and baptize.  The Jamesons were on fire last night; they were so excited and felt the Lord’s direction throughout the week.

            While they were in Gabon they held a sacrament meeting with the 10 people who are members (3 Melchizadek Priesthood holders) and talked about a young woman named Edna who was attending school in a country up north where there are no members of the Church.  She heard the mission president was coming to Gabon and made arrangements to come home.  She had 12 envelops labeled by month with just a few francs in each envelop and she wanted to present her tithing to the mission president.  Pres. Jameson said he had never received tithing with greater joy than he did from her.  It was as if she were presenting her offering to the Savior.

            They finished their trip in Pointe Noire where they Skyped with their daughter who was in labor and delivered a beautiful baby boy with them missing very little of the occasion.  Thank heavens for technology!

            We enjoyed a wonderful dinner and talked and shared our week and when we were through our waiter asked about our badges.  Pres. Jameson explained who we are and what we represent and Sister Billings handed him a pass-a-long card which he received with a big smile.  As we were walking out we noticed Pres. Jameson talking with the waiter’s helper who also showed a lot of interest.  What a land of miracles where the people are so prepared!!!

            Today (Saturday) we went with the senior couples (Billings, Moons, Smiths) to Bonobo Primate Preserve.  It was a long way on rough, bumpy roads, through villages with many people on the streets and such poverty everywhere. 

 

 

 

People are along the street selling whatever they can just to live.  Notice how they carry everything on their heads.  The buildings in the back are actually stores.

 

 

This is what the senior missionaries call the funiture store and the second one is the mattress store.  They say you should see how fast they can move everything when it rains.

 

 

 

 

We went first to a Boulongerie (Bakery) and saw people making wonderful little baguettes (loaves of bread).  We were going to pick some up but there were so many village people who were there to pick some up to sell on the streets so we told them we’d come back later.  We drove on to Bonobo and were so impressed with the beauty of the preserve. 

 

"Who are you bonobo?"  The bonabo is the animal the closest to man.

 

 

This is a mother with her baby.

 

 

Posing and asking for bananas.

 

 

 

It was kept up much better than anything we have seen in Kinshasa.  It was started by a group of women who rescued some bonobos (family of chimpanzees) from abusive owners.  These bonobos are the closest primate to man.  It was fascinating watching one of the workers call them by name and have them come (behind a fence) and almost pose for pictures.  The worker who called them by name and was most kind to us posed for a picture with Laraine.

 

 

 

The mothers take care of their babies for 4 years but if a baby is rescued from outside and brought to their nursery, there are Congolese women who care for them.  It was such a fun and fascinating place to visit. 

 

Here is a picture of a bonobo, actually two, in a tree.  The bonobo is only found in DR-Congo and numbers have dwindled greatly.  I wish I could remember numbers exactly.

 

 

 

 It is one of the few places that we find animals around Kinshasa in DR-Congo.  Because of the poverty, most animals have been killed for food.  We were even told that Kinshasa has a zoo but with very few animals because people have broken in and killed the animals to eat.  Close by is a lake that we hiked for a little while around (we didn’t go all the way around but hope to do that another time).   It’s incredible to find a lake in the middle of a jungle (so different than anything in the United States).  Imagine looking up and seeing palm trees at the water’s edge.  Beautiful!!! 

 

 

We finished our day back at the Boulongerie and bought 20 baguettes for about $2.00.

 

This is the young man carrying flour into the boulangerie.

 

 

Here is the preparation area inside where they are making the baguettes.

 

 

Then they bring them outside next to the oven where they make a little slice in the top with a razor blade.

 

Then they go into the oven just outside the shop.

Now we wait for them to cook.  Laraine stands by the oven.  You can see the wood fire underneath.

Just a few minutes later, we have the finished product.  They look, smell, and taste so good.

The senior missionaries found this boulangerie because it is located just next to a humanitarian project of the Church where they developed a spring to give clean water.  Here a young lady fills her containers which she will carry back on her head.

            It’s been such a great week having the training we received, knowing where the new temple will be, having the country of Gabon open up to the Church and ending up at a primate preserve.  It seems like we’re getting a lot of icing, I hope we can settle down to some cake in the coming weeks.

            Our love to all of you!