Return to Lubumbashi
Dear All
Did I really come to UK for 6 weeks? Less than 48 hours after arriving back in Lubumbashi it’s already starting to seem a little unreal! But I do remember how good it was to see you, to enjoy meals together, Sunday morning services, café church, even time for a church meeting! It was a relaxing time and I’m grateful for your generosity and many kindnesses.
After Helen dropped me off at Manchester airport, I did some last minute shopping for items like heavy chocolate which I hadn’t wanted included in my baggage allowance. I think my hand luggage ended up weighing almost as much as my rucksack and I tried to be very inconspicuous as I went through 3 lots of security checks in Manchester, Schippol and Nairobi. Only the Nairobi onward flight was slightly delayed - due to rain was the explanation given by the pilot. 3 flights were leaving from the same gate so it was standing room only for most of the passengers in the lounge area. I’d been one of the first to check through so had a seat and was greatly amused at the huge number of pilots who were going out through Gate 4. By the time I’d counted past 20 (do they really have so many pilots on 3 planes?) I’d decided that they were on some kind of carousel going out one door and coming back in through the other. When it was time to leave, a lady was standing at the door with pink plastic mackintoshes for all the passengers as it turned out we were going to have to hotfoot it across the apron to the most distant of all the aircraft waiting for take-off!
I was met at Lubumbashi airport by John and Ann Leese, together with a Congolese friend who helped with some of the formalities. We had a lovely get-together at David and Julie’s house in the evening and yesterday it was back to work – well almost! Lots of people came by to greet me and in between times I worked on English courses for college. 1 November is the official opening and classes start on Monday 3 November. I will have more teaching hours this year and while I’m looking forward to that, there’s no escaping the preparation! As of Monday, for 10 days, I’m going to be busy interpreting (English to French) for some primary school teachers’ workshops, at the request of another church. I’m looking forward to it, even if I do feel a bit rusty.
A surprise invitation to lunch yesterday from my friend, Judith, had 3 of us – 2 of us former Scripture Union staff and Judith who still works for SU – enjoying a catch up on news for several hours non-stop! Hélène, who used to work for SU Kinshasa, is visiting Lubumbashi for the wedding of one of her brothers. She now runs an NGO which works with vulnerable and abandoned children as well as sex workers, still in Kinshasa. It was heart warming and heart breaking to listen to some of her stories. Judith has just returned from a long trip, part of which was spent in Benin at a writers’ workshop which produces Bible reading notes for children in Africa. The second book is ready to print and has now got the funding required to go ahead. I’ve been asked to be part of the writers’ group which will be based here in Lubumbashi and will contribute to the next 4 books. I’m looking forward to working with a dynamic group of young writers. Since most of them are working, we will expect to work at weekends but will have an initial meeting one Thursday evening in the next week or so.
Hélène has invited Judith and me to the wedding this afternoon. Not a clue what to wear, so I’d better go and investigate the wardrobe. It’s not till around 4pm… just as well, really as my outside thermometer is registering 480C and I’ve brought it indoors before it explodes. It’s at least 100C cooler indoors. ‘Swimming costume’ springs to mind but I can’t see that going down too well at a posh wedding. The brother works for Customs & Excise!
I hope the K3 team got back safely yesterday and felt their time was well spent. I’m sure it was!
Love
Bridget