Gardening woes, and Christmas already???

OK, so my garden was a complete failure... the ants liked the beans so well that they ate them before they sprouted!  I planted them three times, but they ate them every time, so I finally gave up on beans.  The black-eyed peas came up (well, three of them did...) and looked nice for a while... I even had a few blossoms and bean pods, but then the ants ate the beans and the pods right off the vine and I had no harvest!  The cantaloupe and zucchini also sprouted, but due to the poor soil or the hot sun (or both!) they did not survive... the peppers were the last to come up, and they never got over 3 inches tall... Here is a photo of the total harvest from my experimental garden...

Yep, that's it... one TINY pepper!  I guess I'll go back to what I know best, flowers!  Here are some that I rooted from some broken pieces given to me by a friend...

The leaves are such a lovely purple, a nice contrast from all the green around here!  They bloom early in the morning, so I get to see them at their best as I'm leaving for school...

This unusual flower was already here, so I can't take any credit for it... but it is lovely!



As the rainy season has returned, things are now green and lush again... the dust has settled, and the humidity has increased with the temperatures... I'm having a hard time getting in the mood for Christmas, with all the rain and hot temperatures, but it is coming whether I am ready or not!  My daughter was able to send me a package of Christmas fabric, so we have been busy little elves the past two weeks!  Christmas prints are almost impossible to find here, so we have been making home decor items and aprons for sale at our first Exposition of the season... THIS WEEKEND!  Yes, I know it seems early to those of us who usually wait until Thanksgiving is over to decorate for Christmas, but remember, there is no Thanksgiving holiday here in Africa...  So, on to Christmas!  Here are some examples of what we have been making...

Table runners and napkins

Little girls' sundresses

(remember, Christmas is a SUMMER holiday here!)

...and some really cute aprons!

Here I am using what has become my favorite sewing machine I have ever used!  I mean it, including the nice electric ones!  This one is a treadle machine, and I have come to prefer it over all others!  My grandmother had one like this, she made hundreds of clothing items for her family!  This one is over 100 years old and is in perfect working condition... it can't do ziz-zag and buttonholes, but I have not had a need for them here... what craftsmanship!  They really don't make things like they used to...

Like this sewing machine, I pray that I may continue to be useful and dependable, a trusted tool in the hands of the Creator, even into my old age! 





Today I Planted a Garden

Future bell peppers!

After 5 months in Africa, I’ve finally gotten my hands in the dirt outside my house!  I just love planting things, working in the garden is good exercise and good thinking time for me… there are so many lessons to be learned in the garden about God and Godly living if we only take the time to look… for instance, one must do some physical labor in order to produce a crop, but ultimately the harvest depends upon the Lord’s provision of good soil, sunlight and rain… gardening is a lesson in humility for all of us… we can’t do anything to make a seed sprout or a flower bloom, or a tomato ripen to juicy redness… all we can do is plant the seed, water and wait… trusting God to do HIS work through our hands…

Future Canteloupe!

 That’s what I’m doing here, not only in my garden, but at the school with the precious lives of the students God has given us… I can plant a seed, I can try to protect it from dangerous pests and I can try to keep it nourished, but God has to do the important work in each life to bring forth good fruit… I am seeing fruit now from seeds I did not plant, and I am planting seeds that I may not see mature… but I know that God has placed me here to plant those seeds, and to pray for each little “seedling” as it grows… it’s all about trust, and I’m learning to trust in Him more each day…

Future green beans and black-eyed peas!

 My little garden at home is an experiment, the seed packets were several years old and they may not sprout at all, but I’ve done my part… I have placed them in an environment where they can flourish, if it is not too late… I wonder, are we selfishly hoarding the seeds we have been given until it is too late to plant?  Spread the seed you have, encourage someone, help someone, pray for someone… every little seed you plant has the potential to grow into a mighty tree!

Future zucchini!

I'll try to keep you up to date on this little experiment in the garden!  Meanwhile, here are some of the "seedlings" I am privileged to work with each day, some are already bearing fruit, and all are growing in the Lord! Please keep praying for them...

Grace

Nuptia

Marlene (and Jasmine, my new roommate!)

Prisca (and me!)



My First Wedding, Congo Style!

I promised I would describe the wedding, but let me just say that mere words cannot do justice to the exuberant joy expressed by this lovely couple, their families and friends!  I only wish my internet speed was fast enough to upload videos!  Then maybe, you could get a small taste of the music and excitement!  Until then, use your imagination, and remember the joy of the Lord is better than any other!

Weddings in Pointe-Noire, Congo, can only be officiated at the Hotel de Ville (City Hall) and are performed by the current mayor of the city.  The couple does not get to choose their wedding date, they simply get on the schedule, then plan accordingly! Not to worry, though, they usually have to wait several weeks (maybe even months!) before their turn comes up!  There were many people in attendance for this “official” part of the ceremony, and while waiting for our turn to go in, I got to meet the General Superintendent of the Congo Assemblies of God!  He was delightful, and even attempted to speak some English to help me out! 

The wedding began inside, with appropriate pomp and solemnity.  The mayor apparently does 14 weddings every Saturday, that being a major part of his duties as mayor!  I have noticed that folks tend to be a bit “long-winded” when tending to official duties, so the bride and groom were allowed to sit while some of the ceremony was performed.

Vows were said, rings were exchanged, and then the mayor introduced the newlyweds to the crowd in attendance, much like a wedding in the US.

(notice the man in the background, getting paperwork ready for the next wedding,

and the ever-present photo of the President of Congo!)

Then outside for the obligatory photos, also much like American weddings!

We then adjourned to meet later in the day at the church, for a wedding “blessing” event.  The church was transformed, and a place was made again for the couple to sit.  Their arrival was accompanied by music and dancing, and great joy!

Vows were said again, rings were exchanged again, but this time, the groom was allowed (actually encouraged!) to kiss the bride!  I’m sorry to say, I was not close enough to get a photo of the kiss, but the groom made a big production out of rolling up the veil to reveal the lovely face of his new bride! 

Then came a literal parade of wedding gifts, including furniture!

The entire time, there was music being performed by the church worship team; I think they played and sang non-stop for about 4 hours!  

After the gift parade, the wedding party went outside for photos, and young people came around with snacks on trays, and soft drinks for everyone!  These were greatly enjoyed by the children!

The couple came back for more singing and dancing, until they were escorted out the door by a crowd of singing, dancing well-wishers!

All in all, a tremendously enjoyable time for the guests, I can only imagine the bride and groom, as well as their families were exhausted by the end of that long day! 

A Day in the Life…

I’ve been here six weeks now, and have settled into a routine.  Of course, every day is slightly different, but there are some things that don’t change… Since I am nearest the school, I am the one who opens each morning at 7:30.  School doesn’t start until 8:00, but if the girls arrive between 7:30 and 8:00 we provide a little something for breakfast.  So, I am also responsible for getting the breakfast there!  Usually it’s bread and jam, or little coffee cakes made by a lady in the church, so it’s not a big deal to carry.  It’s not far from my house to the school; I come on to the road near the church sign, cross the road (and the ever-present mud puddles!)…

                                                          Looking right at front of church                                          

 Looking left from front of church             

…round the corner and walk up the road (skirting more mud puddles!)to the large white building on the right.  As you can see, it is not far, but it’s an adventure!  One day I stepped on a stepping stone and ended up IN the puddle on my side when the stone turned out from under my foot!  That was quite a morning!  I was dripping and muddy, but I still had to go and open the school, so I just got up and went on!  I opened the doors, but didn’t go inside, since I was a drippy mess!  When my workers arrived at 8:00 to start the day, I was able to go back home and quickly dry off and change clothes!  It’s nice to be only a 5 minute walk from work!  I learned some new French phrases that day!  (…nice ones!) People were so sorry to see what had happened (Oh, madame, je désolé!)(Oh madame, I’m so sorry!) and I even learned how to tell them what happened!  (Je tombe dans l’eau!)(I fell in the water!)

                               

Our day begins with a Bible lesson, and then French and math lessons on alternate days.  Both of our teachers will be leaving us the first week of April to attend Bible School.  I’ll really miss them!  Please pray with me that God will bring someone to help me during the time they are in school!  The girls are learning memory verses each week as well.  I’m working on them with the girls so I can improve my French reading skills, but I’m having a really hard time memorizing them!  I think if I could figure out a way to make the verses into songs I would have an easier time of it! 

                              

The rest of the day is spent working on the various projects we have going, with a short break for lunch, which we also provide.  We are preparing for an exhibition in April, so there are lots of things to get done!  My daughter Lexi sent me a pattern for a simple sundress, and we have started making some of those to sell as well as the household goods the girls have been making. 

After school, Janice and I often stay and prepare projects for the next day.  Then back home to think about dinner…  Since the school is not air conditioned, I am so hot and tired by the end of the day, cooking is not high on my list of things I want to do!  To stay hydrated in this climate, I always take three bottles of water with me in the morning, and they are ALL gone by 3:00…

                                                    

Water is a problem here, there is running water from the tap, but it is not drinkable water.  I use it only for washing and bathing.  We purchase drinking water from the local CocaCola bottling plant (which also happens to be the local brewery!) in these large yellow containers, and I refill my bottles every day! For cooking I boil and filter the tap water.  I often have a “boiling” session on Saturday mornings to refill my containers!   I also try to do some cooking on Saturday mornings while it is cool.  I freeze meal-sized portions so I won’t have to think about cooking after school!  I usually spend a few hours at the school on Saturday as well, preparing projects for the next week.  However, this week there was a wedding, so not this Saturday!  I’ll blog about the wedding next time!  Blessings to all!

Adventures in Shopping and Cooking!

I must admit, making the transition from the “Land of Wal-Mart Supercenter, Costco and Sam’s Club” to the “Land of a Thousand Specialty Shops” is a bit daunting at first.  However, I’ve found a couple of shops nearby to provide me with the groceries I need, and the “Grand Marché” in Pointe Noire has anything and everything, IF you know where to look!  There are literally hundreds of shops, many with identical items for sale at slightly different prices!  Depending on the shopkeeper with whom one has developed a relationship, the prices can sometimes be discounted quite nicely.  Janice has been here long enough to have her favorite venders in the market, so she took me around yesterday and introduced me to some of them.  We also found a new vendor who gave us an excellent price for some of the beautiful African fabrics we are using, so God was definitely directing our steps!   We were able to quickly find the essentials we were looking for, beginning with a safe place to park her vehicle!  The area in front of her favorite fabric vendor was completely clear, a very unusual thing for a Saturday morning!  Monsieur Omar agreed to keep an eye on the vehicle while we did our other shopping.  He even sent one of his employees to purchase a mosquito net for me, since the shop for those was several blocks away!  Praise the Lord for His provision, even in the smallest things we need!

The fruits and vegetables here are abundant, and fairly inexpensive.  I have already tried a fresh pineapple, fresh mango and fresh papaya, as well as the local, sweet bananas.  But one of the most amazing things I have come across is the avocados here!  They are huge! 

I was given one to try, so I decided to make guacamole… I had peppers, onions, salt and a “citron” (not sure if it’s a small lemon or lime, but it was sure good!) so I had all the ingredients.

  

When I purchased the small red peppers, the lady warned me that it was very hot (très chaud!), but coming from the land of jalapeños, I wondered, “…how hot can it be?”  So as I was chopping up the first half of the pepper, I popped a very small piece into my mouth and chomped down on it…. OH WOW!!!! WAS IT HOT!!!!  I grabbed a bottle of water and guzzled it down!   I decided then that half of the pepper was plenty for my guacamole instead of the whole thing like I first intended!  (Just so you know how hot it really was, an hour later my upper lip was still sweating!)  Anyway, the guacamole turned out really good, and I made a discovery that I’ll keep using… if you put one scoop of mayonnaise into your guacamole, it doesn’t turn black!  (It also helps if your peppers are a little too hot!)  Nice little trick, since that ONE avocado made a lot of guac! 

I had found a Lebanese flatbread earlier in the week that I used instead of a tortilla, added some cheese, rice and beans and voila!  A burrito! It was quite tasty, if I do say so myself! 

         

 Bon appetit!

Lesson learned: Just like everything else on the mission field, flexibility in the kitchen is the key to success! 

First Impressions...

I made it!  Here I am in the Congo Republic, unpacked and ready to get going…  The trip was mostly uneventful, I had a very long layover in Paris, so I booked a dayroom at a hotel inside the airport and got a nice, long nap!  I arrived in Pointe Noire (with all my bags!) on Monday morning, February 7^th at 7am, and it was already steamy… of course, I had just left the ice and snow of North Texas, so anything over 70 degrees felt steamy to me!  The missionaries met me at the airport, along with a lady in their church whose job it is to help people through customs… After she worked her magic, no one even looked at my large number of huge bags, we just picked them up and carried them to the cars!  Praise the Lord! 

After unloading the bags into my new home, Janice and I went on a shopping trip to the huge Pointe Noire market… I’ll admit that was a bit overwhelming for me on my first day in Congo, but Janice said I was a trooper, and she was impressed that I stayed awake all of my first day here.  That night, we were treated to a steak dinner by some folks from Houston working here in the offshore oil business.  We also got to watch the Super Bowl!  We were all very careful not to look at any news so we wouldn’t know the outcome ahead of time.  It was a very nice way to begin my time here – good food, new friends and a great football game! 

I took the next couple of days to unpack and find my way around, taking another couple of trips into town to check on internet availability and to do a little shopping.  Traffic here is terrible!  A trip to town is a real ordeal, especially after torrential rains!  On Thursday, I was introduced to the girls at the school where I’ll be working for the next couple of years.  They are delightful girls, eager to learn and usually smiling…  But, as typical teenagers, they can be a bit moody…  Janice and I just  have to make them smile again… that’s pretty easy for me, since my French is still so bad, we laugh together at my pronunciations!

On my first Sunday here in Pointe Noire, I arrived early for the service, in time to hear the worship team rehearsing… As most of you know, I love good worship music, and I am really impressed with the quality of the musicians here.  Gary (the pastor) wanted to add a song to the service that would go well with his sermon, but the worship team didn’t know the song.  It was a song I knew, and I was sitting in the back of the church just singing it along with him… He asked me if I could play it on the piano, I said, “No, but I can sing it!”  I thought he just wanted me to teach it to the worship team, but instead, I was drafted to sing in the service!  So, I suppose it is no surprise that on my first Sunday in Pointe Noire I ended up with a microphone in my hand!

School is meeting four days a week for a while during the rainy season – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.  Having Wednesdays off for a while will help me to acclimate to the pace and the temperature!  Today I have made curtains for my living room and have actually cooked something!  My laundry room is only halfway useable, the washing machine is installed and working, but the dryer is not hooked up yet… So, laundry is waiting, since drip-drying is out of the question in this humid climate! I think Saturday will have to be laundry day, since it is a terrible shopping day… all the stores close at noon on Saturday!  I found a little market within walking distance, so I can now get some things locally without having to find a taxi!  I don’t know how to tell them where I want to go yet anyway!  I’ll close by posting some photos of my new home! 

My front door with outdoor kitchen in background





Laundry Room



Bougainvilla outside my gate



My living room with curtains I made!

....and this one is for Caleb... here's my "Crafty  Chameleon!"


 

Overcoming obstacles...

It seems I've been doing a lot of that lately!  The latest obstacle is the weather!  Who would have dreamed that SNOW would be the obstacle of the day!  Here in Texas, we don't usually have a snow "event" that lasts more than 48 hours, but we have now had snow on the ground since Tuesday morning!  I really thought that the Super Bowl crowds would be my biggest obstacle, but.... at least I'm trying to get OUT of town, and not coming in!  I'm ready to go, my traveling clothes are laid out, all is packed, including my carry-on bag; all that remains it to put my computer in it's bag and get on out the door!  So, goodnight world, I'm heading to bed, hoping my last night in this house for a while will be uneventful and restful...

The Adventure Begins!

Welcome!  This blog will attempt to chronicle my life as a Missionary Associate serving in Pointe Noire, Republic of the Congo, Africa.  Getting to this point in my life has been a long process, with  many lessons learned along the way... I hope to impart some of what I have learned along the way, and what I'm continuing to learn.  I also hope to entertain and inform, as well as have a little fun!

The adventure will begin on February 5, 2011 when I board a plane bound for Atlanta, then overnight to Paris, then overnight again to Pointe Noire.  I'm ready to go!