We had reinforced very vividly last Monday why we hope to never have the need to go to the doctor or hospital while we are serving here in the Congo! We had appointments at a “Medical” facility for physicals to obtain permanent visas so we don’t have to leave the country every few months. It was a real eye opener! After waiting just as we would at home to see a doctor, we told to go up to the fourth floor to see the doctor. We checked in at the desk and were told to take a seat in the hallway. There were a number of other people waiting, including two people hooked to IV’s. After a while, we were called into a room where we were weighed, and measured. They then took our blood pressure and pulse. I wish we had been allowed to take pictures of the room. Words can’t adequately express the antiquated instruments and items around the room. Everything was extremely old, dirty and yellowed. We were sent back out to wait some more in the hall. We struck up a wonderful conversation with a woman that had just arrived a month ago from having spent five years going to school in Maryland. She is a young mother with two children whose husband just got a job back in the Congo where they are both from. She was curious what we were doing there. We explained we were missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She had never heard of it but when I asked if she had heard of the Mormons, her face lit up. She had heard of the Mormons. Before we got much further we were called in to see the doctor. He was a very friendly man that had extended family living in New York that he tries to go see for a month every year. When he first was talking to Elder Moon, he asked if he wanted to have a blood test. Elder Moon said ‘No”. Then he wanted to know what was wrong with him and he told him nothing. So then the doctor wanted to know why he would come see him. Elder Moon explained we needed a certificate of good health signed by him for our visas. He was very kind and talkative. When they called me in, he wanted to know if I felt healthy. I told him I was strong( I even flexed) and healthy. He laughed and made some comment about looking strong. He seemed far more interested in speaking English than in checking us out. He signed our forms and we were done. When we went back out into the hallway, the young mother was having a great conversation about the church with Eustache from our office who had brought us to the “Medical” facility. He was hoping to give her a pamphlet or card but we didn’t have any with us!!! What a lesson. Always carry church materials wherever you go because you never know when you will run into someone who wants more information about the church!!!!!
Tuesday morning we woke up to no power. That usually isn’t a big deal as the power goes out 6-8 times a day but the generator generally kicks in within about 20 seconds. Well, for the first time, the generator didn’t kick in either. That means more than no power. It also means no water as the water is run off a pump which works off of electricitiy. We were trying to get ready to go to the office with no power and water. We were grateful that about 15 minutes before we were to leave, the generator kicked in so we could finish getting ready for the day!
We went west, about 20 Kilometers, with the Humanitarian couple, the Barlows, to see how the gardens were doing on a plot of land that will some day be a chapel. The video in this blog was taken during that trip. We arrived to find a mother and her son working hard to get firewood from the tree that was cut down a couple of weeks ago. When a tree is cut down, they use every single piece of it for something.
This weekend, they will divide one of the Stakes in this area. We, along with others, will be drivers for the Parmleys and the Fees. And so, life is exciting in the DR Congo!
