The last month has been very
hectic. Wanda from Falls Church City came to visit, which was a wonderful treat. She arrived on June 19 and left
the evening of July 3. At the same time, we were preparing for the huge July 4th celebration. I don't believe
that I ever cooked as much in all the rest of my life as I did between June 15 and July 4 -- well, OK, supervised the cooking.
Wanda’s visit
Thursday: We picked up Wanda from the very busy N’Djili International Airport
in Kinshasa on Thursday, June 19, at about 6:30 p.m. and immediately
whisked her off to a diplomatic event, the Queen’s birthday celebration at the Residence of the British Ambassador. Wanda met many new people, many of whom she would see again and again over the next 2 weeks.
We had left an expeditor at the
airport to collect Wanda’s baggage since she had carried in for us 80-6oz cans of lump crab meat. There was a snafu in the procurement of the items for the 4th of July celebration. The crab for my much-touted crab cakes did not arrive. The
Friday before Wanda left the States, she left on Tuesday, I frantically called her.
She graciously went to Costco, after trying two other stores, and got the requisite 20# + pounds of crab meat.
Friday: Wanda accompanied me to French class and checked & wrote emails while Jane & I had our lesson. Then we went home for the “Singles & Couples Without Children” lunch around the Residence pool.
Saturday: We did a little shopping; we visited Academie des Beaux Arts and Symphonie
des Arts. Wanda bought her first Congolese items; I of course bought stuff too! We also went to MUSAFIR, Indian/Chinese restaurant for dinner. The Indian food is very bit as good as the Indian restaurants in the DC area. It was superb.
Sunday: A rare opportunity popped up unexpectedly. A caravan of Embassy employees, contractors and TDYers made a trip to Zongo Falls. We
traveled 65 miles in 4 hours: 30 on the well-paved Matadi Road (Matadi is the port
city, hence the paving) and 35+ miles on badly rutted dirt roads. We enjoyed
a “nature call” in the bush of Congo, a nice welcome for a Falls Church lady. The bouncing, jostling ride ended up at a lovely compound with a open-air restaurant, 10
or so bunglows and a number of tents that can be rented for overnight stays. To
access the Falls we first had to climb down some steep boulders, then the climb back up to the top to view the Falls wasn’t
so bad, it was more gradual. A very nice guard gave me his hand to steady me whenever the way was very steep or slippery. The site was wonderful. When we returned
to the compound, we combined the picnic resources we all had brought (never know when you could be stranded!) and purchased
two orders of chicken moamba (peanut sauce) and 2 orders of grilled chicken. The
eighteen members of the party plus the Embassy chauffeurs ate very well. Then
we started the 4 hour trip home. We left Kinshasa at about 7 a.m. and returned around 7 p.m. It was a wonderful
trip; Wanda got to see parts of the Congo that many Kinshasa visitors never have the opportunity to see.
Tuesday: I’m sure we did something exciting everyday of Wanda’s visit but I’ll jump to the next “big” event. On Tuesday the International Women’s Club went to a goldsmith’s workshop.
We learned about diamonds and other gems as well as got to see some gold working techniques. After the workshop visit we went to the goldsmith’s retail store.
Wanda bought some beautiful gold hoops for a very, very good price.
Thursday: On June 26, Bill inaugurated the Embassy’s Self-Help Project at Hope Clinic.
Hope is situated in a very poor community near the airport – it serves 10s of thousands of people. The cost to have an appendix removed is roughly US$45.00. Through
the Ambassador’s Self-Help Program, Hope received funding to purchase a good-size generator and more hospital beds. Many patients are two to a bed; in the maternity ward, the new mothers are two to a bed with each of their
babies. It was a wonderful day and a great experience.
Friday: We went to Shanghai Paradise with the International Women’s Club for
our monthly lunch out. In the evening, we hosted the Embassy’s quarterly “Hail
& Farewell.” We welcomed one couple, the new commander of the Marine contingent,
and another single new officer; and we sadly said farewell to many, many officiers & families who are transferring to
their new posts in the next 3 months. For Bill & me, this was a difficult
event. We’ve grown to know and care for each of these people; there is no one
that we won’t miss!
Saturday: A little more shopping, we went to Commerce street where I bought Congolese “pagna” (lovely rich colors) and other cloth for some new tablecloths
for the Residence. We then went to the Handicapped Center, where Wanda found a
few more souvenirs and gifts; I, of course, bought things too! That evening,
we had 3 events: A good-bye party for 3 departing officers, and small get-together with another friend and, we thought, dinner
out. We made the first party & stayed a while, hopefully not long enough
for the Ambassador to put a damper on the festivities. Then we moved on to our friend’s place.
We ended up staying there, eating cheese & veggies, pizza and playing...charades.
We had a wonderful time.
Sunday: Bill & I took Wanda and an Intern to see the Bonobos. Two TDYers came along in another car.
Monday: June 30 was a relatively quiet day for Wanda & me. Bill and the other
Ambassadors were invited by President Kabila to celebration the Congo’s independence with him. A UN plane transported them; they left at 6 a.m. and returned around 6 p.m.
Wanda & I worked with the chefs on testing and preparing food for July 4.
Tuesday: July 1, we’re getting into the home stretch for the 4th of
July. And, we have a Congressional Delegation arriving at 2 p.m. So Wanda attended
the International Women’s “summer coffee” at Manuela’s house along with another friend Jane.
I supervised the cooking, as I recall we were working on the crab cakes. At
noon,
Bill’s driver picked me up and we went to the airport to greet the delegation (see below).
At 1 p.m. Wanda left with Becky for the Elikia Boys Home and Hope Clinic. Tuesday
evening, first Wanda, Bill & I attended the Canadian National Day celebration. Immediately after just a short stay at the reception,
while Bill & I had the Chinese dinner with the CODEL, Wanda and Jane went to Taj, another Indian restaurant but
this one is at the top of a high rise building and has a great view of Kinshasa. I
haven’t been to it yet. Wanda & Jane said the food was also very good.
Wednesday: The Congressional Spouses came to breakfast (see below).
Wanda started packing; we had a lovely dinner at the Golf Club.
Thursday: July 3, Wanda’s last day in Congo and the last day
before the 4th of July. The rush is on. Bill took Wanda to, and helped her with, early check-in for Air France; they went at 8:30 a.m. All went very smoothly. Wanda needed one more gift so we headed
to the Commissary, which stocks a few nice Congolese malachite, wood cravings, paintings, a little jewelry, etc. At 6 p.m. Bill & I took Wanda to back to the airport. Because on Thursdays there are both Air France
and SSN-Brussels departures, the airport was packed. We could not go in with
Wanda. We left her in the capable hands of an expeditor. Wanda winged her way back to DC (arriving home just after midnight on July 5th); we headed back to the Residence
to prepare for our big day!
July 4th
If you read earlier entries in
this blog, you'll know what my plans for the menu were; it all came to pass, more or less. We served (#s are all "at
least," it was hard to keep count of what we made; everything was "bite size"):
- Crab Cakes (representing Maryland): 1,200 pieces
- Bagels w/ cream cheese (NY) & smoked salmon (Pacific NW): 900 pieces
- Pulled Pork sandwiches (Carolinas & South): 900 pieces
- Hamburgers with ketchup & a pickle slice (USA): 1,100 pieces
- Hot dogs (well, "pig-in-the-blankets" - USA): 1,100 pieces
- Virginia Ham Biscuits (Virginia): 800 pieces
- Hushpuppies (South): 800 pieces
- Santa Fe Wraps (spicy tortilla wrap):1,000
pieces
-
Apple (USA), Blueberry (MI), Cherry (MI), & Key Lime (Fl) Tarts: total more than1,200
We served California Wines (some
even Kosher), Congolese beer and "Stars & Stripes" Punch. We used more than 80 bottles of Red and 100 bottles of
White wine as well as gallons and gallons of punch.
We had a Congolese Jazz band
"J'Arfique" play U.S. Jazz music.
The 1,000+ guests (out of about
1,500 invitees) ate well, some even danced a little and everyone left happy. We have received rave reviews.
The most touching part for Bill
& me was the Presentation of the Colors by the Marine Guard Contingent and the singing of the national anthems. The Marines
tip the flag & extend their guns in salute to Bill! We had a young Congolese woman, who works for USAID, sing the Congolese
National Anthem and Dr. Joyce, our contract MD at the Embassy and resident liaison to the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, sing
the U.S. National Anthem. They did a great job; it was beautiful & touching. I admit, tears were on my cheeks.
Bill gave a 3 paragraph speech, as promised; we told the story of the USA's work in Congo via a PowerPoint
Slide-loop on a large screen.
Then on July 5th, we hosted the
American Community's Independence Day Celebration. This was for about 250 Americans living in Congo. This was
catered, thank goodness! We had hamburgers & hot dogs as well as Schwarmas, Tabouli, and Homus donated by
a Lebanese-American living here. There was a talent show, a patriotic sing-along, kids games, and a tug-of-war with
2 of the Marines; the children always win! The food line was a bit slow but it was all free -- paid for with donations
from American businessmen & American business affiliates in Congo. So no one better complain!
We also had a small bake off. It was optional but disappointing at how few brought something to share & be judged.
Luckily we had also bought an "American Flag Cake" from a local bakery that was supposed to feed 50 but really was plenty
for all 250 guests. Sydney and the two little dogs we're dog sitting for Bill's secretary got to attend too -- they behaved
amazingly well.
We didn't have fireworks at either
event, too much like gunfire in this new democracy.
Congressional Delegation:
Just prior to the 4th on July
1 & 2 (from 2 p.m. on Tuesday to Noon on Wednesday), we had a delegation of Congress-people (CODEL) visit Congo. This is always a tremendous amount
of work. The Embassy team did a great job. There were 3 spouses in the delegation. Wanda, Becky (our
Self-Help Project Director, also missionary who was born in the Congo, as was her father), and I took the
spouses immediately from the plane to 2 projects that received some funding from the Ambassador's Self-Help Grant Program.
Hope Clinic is a small hospital in a very, very poor part of town. The average income per day is less than 80 cents
per person; for a typical family of 8, it means they live on $6.40/day for everything - rent, food, clothes, school fees,
etc. The Self-Help Grant bought the clinic a much larger generator so they can have consistent electricity (there are
always blackouts here, even where we live, but we have a very fast generator that pops on immediately. We're never without
power for more than 3 - 5 minutes. Without a generator, it can be DAYS without power -- tough for a hospital).
The cost to have your appendix removed at Hope Clinic is about $45.00. The doctors and nurses make very little money,
when they can be paid. The second visit was to Elikia ("hope" in Lingala) Boys Home. This is a foster home for
street boys. They are learning English, as well as French -- most speak primarily Lingala and other tribal languages.
They have food, showers (by buckets) and clean toilets as well as beds. And, they go to school, the boys are not allowed to
stay if they don't attend school. We took the delegation to dinner at a Chinese Restaurant with a wonderful view of
the city on Tuesday evening – It was impossible for us to have them at the house, the chefs were too busy preparing the food
for July 4. On Wednesday, July 2, the spouses came to breakfast at the Residence. I had some local artifacts &
souvenirs brought in so they could buy if they wanted (no time to take them shopping to the markets). We also had a
presentation on Women's & Children's Health in the Congo by my friend Terry from Population Services International. She also demonstrated the PUR
product, which can make even Congo River water potable. We rushed the women to their plane and got them there at 12:05 p.m. just in time -- the logistics people
were saying "Hurry, we have to get back on schedule." They had a military plane so it was not a commercial flight.
Grace De Dieu Orphanage Update:
This is the best news; work is
underway on the toilets & showers. The original bid we received was for about $4,000 but that was when cement was
about $10/bag. Now the price of cement is more like $25/bag (a worldwide problem, not unique to Congo). The new
estimate came in at about $4,400, less than I expected. But that was with lower quality cement blocks than we would
permit to be used. So, the contractor -- with oversight by Jatukik Foundation-Congo & the Embassy Locally-Employed
Maintenance Staff -- is buying higher quality blocks so the cost will go up some again. I expect it will be in the area
of $4,800. Since we collected $5,500, thanks to many very generous donations through Jatukik Foundation and the Marines'
fundraiser, we have enough to complete the work. I was hoping we'd be able to immediately heighten the walls with appropriate
ventilation & a new roof and/or put in a water storage tank; but for that we'll need more funds. I am hoping
I'll be able to get to the Orphanage to check on the progress sometime next week. I will post photos of the work on
the www.CongoOrphans.pledgepage.org website ASAP, in the next week or so probably. I expect the work will be finished and the children will be able to
move back into the facility by the end of July.
In the "No rest for the weary"
category:
Our schedule has not let up a
great deal, even though the 4th is past and many people are on holiday. Tuesday night we had a small cocktail to
meet with the Jatukik Foundation and International Adoptions. IA is trying to establish a U.S. adoption program
here; the legal requirements are mountainous but they are determined. Wednesday, we hosted a farewell dinner for the
French Ambassador & his wife, they will be completing their tour at the end of the month. Here's our menu:
Entree: Cosas Cosas (Congolese fresh-water shrimp); Plat Principal: horseradish-potato-encrusted Salmon, baby zucchini, tomato
au gratin; Salad: greens with blue & goat cheeses; Dessert: Blueberry Pie with whipped cream. On Friday evening,
we host Dikembe Mutombo & the Mutombo Foundation entourage with a buffet dinner for about 50 people. We are
serving: chicken moamba (like peanut sauce), pondu (manioc leaves but like spinach), liboke (fish in banana leaves),
Shipwreck casserole (the Chefs call this "Mama Casserole" because I told them my mom makes it), Black Bean Taco Salad (veggie)
for a Congolese/US menu. The next big event we have after this dinner is breakfast for 130 English Access Camp (adolescents)
participants & English teachers on July 18. Mr. Mutombo is going to talk with them. Dikembe Mutombo is the Congolese/American
basketball player - Houston Rockets. Then on July 23, we host the "Business Roundtable" reception for about 40 people;
the topic this month is HIV/AIDS issues. Other than that, the rest of July is very busy but we'll be attending
National Day events (e.g., France & Egypt) and a good number of other farewells for the French Ambassador & his wife.
Next big US Cultural Event
This month we will begin working
on an Election Night blow out. It will be an all-night party even if one candidate runs away with the
election because California polls won't close until 4
a.m. here. This is our chance to show this fledging democracy how
a 232 year old democracy handles a peaceful transition of power. Yes, Bill will have to submit his resignation to the
new president, whoever it is. Generally, however, presidents do not accept the resignations of career ambassadors --
only the political appointees immediately begin pack out and are gone before January 20 - no matter which party wins.
Oh, I had time to write this
long epistle because my French classes are suspended. My professor has Malaria and needs to rest for some time. I'll probably
start up again in August. In the meantime, I'll work with the many French instruction CDs, DVDs, & workbooks I have.
Until next time....
