some pics
Archive for November, 2006
congo
When about twenty people, with their luggage, are packed with great skill into a small van, all thoughts of “is this safe?” vanish. Instead you might think, “If I am this uncomfortable in the first 5 minutes, what will the next 7 hours be like?” Occasionally, the thoughts of safety will return, during a near collision, or after passing the almost-unrecognizable wreckage of another vehicle. You may begin to wonder about the driver’s ability to concentrate with such loud music, or when the last time the van’s ancient brakes were checked. But these things should never deter you from giving it a try. This is traveling in East Africa, and it is best to relax and enjoy the experience! If you don’t, you might miss the warmness of your fellow passengers; their incredible hospitality is always present, even on a bus. You would also miss some of the charming scenes along the road, like a little toddler, extremely pleased with himself, trying to help his mum weed the family garden with a hoe 10 times bigger than himself; or you might get waved at by a handful of laughing kids huddling under the roots of a tree to escape the rain. If the journey makes you hungry, you can try some freshly cooked corn or a goat skewer during one of the random, hurried stops. There is a part of Africa that you can’t experience any other way except by bus.
This was our experience anyway, as we traveled the seven hours to neighboring Congo (DRC). After three intense border crossings, we arrived in the hills of Bukavu, overlooking Lake Kivu. We stayed there for 5 days while Chris taught a Discipleship Training School on the topic of Missions. The teaching went well, and we both enjoyed spending time with the students and staff at the YWAM base there. We were encouraged by the feedback and hearing what God is doing in their lives. One of the highlights was eating fresh goat, which was slaughtered just outside the classroom. It was slightly distracting to hear someone chopping away with a machete during one of Chris’ lectures, but it was worth it! The goat stomach was particularly tasty.
We also had the privilege of being there during the announcement of the Presidential elections. It was the country’s first public elections in nearly 40 years! We watched as hundreds of people spilled out onto the streets, singing, dancing and shouting; the celebrations continued until early in the morning. It is exciting to think that this could be the start of a new era for a country with such a dark past.
Next we traveled to Kigali, Rwanda. The scenery along the way was gorgeous: banana trees, small fields, and mud houses covered most of the green hills, with occasional stretches of rainforest. After arriving in Kigali, we headed to the YWAM base there. In the last few years, the place has gone from being “in the bush” to a well-developed campus. We met with some of the leaders, including the regional directors, and discussed what God has been doing in East Africa and how we can partner together. We also visited the National Genocide Memorial. The memorial is informative; it covers the history and the events leading up to the genocide to the present day. As you can imagine, it is quite a sobering experience. To be honest, it is difficult to comprehend the magnitude of what Rwanda and Burundi have gone through. Both countries have come a long way in a short period of time, but healing will be a process that continues for generations. We look forward to the day when these countries are not known for the bloodshed, but for the beautiful, hospitable places that they are.
on the road again
Next week we head to Congo (DRC) to teach at a ywam base, and then a stop in Rwanda on the way back. We would appreciate your prayers for safe travel and a good time of ministry with the base there. Becka and i have been looking forward to checking out the Congo for a while now, so we were quite excited to get the invitation. A full report when we return….
living museum
A few days ago we checked out the Living Museum here in Bujumbura. We had heard it was well worth a look, and it was. There weren’t all that many animals, but they had a good selection of snakes and crocodiles. Our guide seemed to enjoy taking out the most dangerous snakes, explaining how many minutes you would live if you were bitten, and then releasing them to crawl around the floor just to scare people. I asked him if anyone had died recently, as we had heard someone was bitten about six months ago. He laughed and avoided the question. I don’t think PETA would be too happy with the place; the cage conditions are pretty bad, and for a few bucks you can feed a goat, rabbit, or guinea pig to the crocs. These are for you jonny:
wilderness and missions
Aldo Leopold begins his conservation classic Sand County Almanac with the words, “There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot. These essays are the delights and dilemmas of one who cannot.†Any book that starts like that has my undivided attention, as I came to the understanding long ago that I fall into the latter category. I seem to gravitate toward wilderness; in all the varied forms that find meaning in that word. It was precisely this inclination which led Becka and me to the famous Yosemite National Park a few years ago. We stopped briefly, but then decided to keep driving. Sure it was beautiful, but wilderness it is not. The crowds of RVs, school buses, and weekenders overpowered any sensation of awe. I was reduced to imagining what it would be like to be the very first person to stumble into that valley and behold such incredible beauty for the first time. Yet it was that very experience, and a succession of similar ones, which led to… (click here to read the full text)