Been Awhile and Busy now

taI know that it's been awhile but I actually have something to write about now. The V's are back, Rachel is back the Harvey's are back and the Wegners have arrived. Now I have things to do!!!!! I started to help homeschool the 2 middle Harvey girls last week and it is going really well I can't wait to really get into some of the projects we will be doing this year. I started helping Joe with communications which gives me something to do after I am done with schooling each day. So now I am not a bored Danielle!

Things I have learned over the last month:
1. Never load money to hired help that you like, because then you wont like them anymore cause the quit working.
2. Never put dried beans in a pressure cooker with only one cup of water, makes the house stink
3. Never let bread rise all the way in the jungle, before putting it in the oven, cause it grows about 3 more times it's normal size.
4. Remember to eat fill water buckets before trying to take a shower, cause if they are empty you will run out of water and have to yell to your child to go get some more so you can get the soap out of your hair
5. Enjoy the quiet times cause they don't last (not possible with little boys around)
6. Give thanks for wonderful friends back home each day, for the clothes, spices and candy then send you
7. Give thanks every day for the wieght that keeps falling off even though you are enjoying said candy
8. PRAISE GOD for friends on their way to the mission field, even though they wont be there when we go on furlough next summer

Well that is all for now. I will try and write a little more often now that there is something to write about.

God Bless and thank you for your continued prayers!
Your stumbling Congo Missionary

June 26, 2009

Well I really don’t have a lot to write about each day. Things are pretty much the same each day. Art heads to the hospital about 6:45 and then Michael and I are on our own till around 4. We have started riding our bikes to the hospital to do internet stuff, but only a couple of days a week. The rest of the time we watch a lot of movies from the Harvey’s and just sit around. Michael is doing a subject each day for school just for something to do. I am trying not to go crazy. Suzy has asked me to come help her at the hospital once a week. They have asked me to organize Mbote Botique but the building isn’t finished yet so there is nothing to do there.

The V’s headed home today. I am sad to see them go but they will be back in 2 months. Ginny is going to be a huge part in helping me settle here. She has been here before and been a missionary a couple of other places so her advice and support are going to be invaluable to me.

June 13, 2009

The Harvey’s left this morning. It was really sad to see them go but exciting too I know they need the time of relaxation and renewal that goes with being home. Now we are all alone here, Rachel is here and will be eating with us but we really don’t know her that well so we will see how this goes.

June 9, 2009

I made my first trip to the Market with Ginny today to buy some food. I want to start learning how to shop here ASAP. Michael ended up being a big help he is picking up French pretty quickly. It is going to take me forever to learn either French or Lingala.

June 8, 2009

Our first full week in IMP. Art is working everyday at the hospital this week. Joe wants him to get settled in there and spend as much time doing orientation with him as possible. I am not sure how much time that will really be as Joe is still the administrator and a Dr so who knows how much extra time he really has. They leave Friday so we will see. I can’t believe they are leaving already, we just got here, but we knew that we were coming so that they and the V’s could go on furlow this summer and still have someone taking care of maintenance.

June 7, 2009

Our first church service in Impfondo! Rachel translated for Michael and I which was really nice. Then Joe took us on a tour of the hospital before we went to the V’s for lunch. It was cool to see all the places I had seen a million pics of over the last few years.

We then went to the V’s for lunch it was nice to talk with them and have a little more orientation to living here. We played some cards after lunch and just talked with them for a bit.

June 6, 2009

June 6, 2009

Art was back home with us once again. We were able to just hang out with Rachel and the kids today we really didn’t do a whole lot just talked.

June 5, 2009

Art went to the hospital again today and actually began doing a little work. Most of it is just getting to know where everything is but it was nice for him to get settled into his position.

Michael and I are still doing much of the same getting settled in here. Olivia took me to the hospital today so I could do a little email and then to the Market. That is going to be fun to learn how to shop here, NOT!!! It isn’t as bad as the market in Brazzaville but I still am going to have a major adjustment period.

June 4, 2009

Art went to the hospital with Joe today to start learning his way around. I am on my own today. I really don’t have a lot of moving things around to do today, just lots of dishes. Everything that was in the container is filthy. Michael and I had lunch over at the Harvey’s and just hung out with them a bit today. Michael and Noah are really enjoying playing together.

June 3, 2009

Today was all about unpacking. There is a team meeting down here at the Fuka’s today at 4:30 but other than that we are free to get organized and find all the things that we have forgotten we own or wishing we had for the last year.

Well it is now 1 and we are done unpacking (or at least finding everything) we now just have to find places for it all there really isn’t that much storage space here so we will have to be creative with it all. Becky is mad at me I think for being done, lol. It has been raining a little here all afternoon. I wonder if this is what it will be like during rainy season? Guess we will learn, from what we are told we are at the beginning of rainy season right now.


The meeting went well today, everyone went around and told us what they do and who they are. We know some of the people but not everyone. We also got to meet the Fuka girls. It is nice to be settled in.

June 2, 2009

IT IS HERE! We got up at 5 got “showers” well used water from a bucket to wash up hotel Bravo is out of water. Then waited around for Mr. Mbossa to get here. Our luggage has to go to the air port at 6 then we will have to head over at 8. Mr. Mbossa didn’t even get there till 8 though. Talk about a let down. I was getting a little anxious we have heard about them canceling flights at the last minute because of not enough people flying. I was really praying that we were leaving. We have been waiting so long to get to Impfondo that I was sure something would happen to delay it even more.

When we finally got to the air port we waited for over 2 hours to get on the plane. But then we were off on the FINAL leg of this 2 year long journey. It was so exciting to be on the plane this time I wanted to look at everything! There really wasn’t much to see till we got just about into Impfondo.

As we desended we were able to see the jungle and the river it was so cool to start seeing the place we had dreamed of for so long. As we flew over Impfondo Art was able to pick out where the mission housing was from seeing it on Google maps. We flew over the river over DRC and turned to land in at the IMP air port, this is what we were waiting for.
As we got off the plane the first faces we saw were Joe, Clair and Noah! And Rachel Maurais. As we got inside we were enveloped in HUGE hugs from all! We had to wait around for a bit for our luggage but we headed out into the reception area and were able to see Olivia. Isabelle and Becky, Susan and Sara. We were FINALLY HERE!!!

After getting the luggage we headed out got into the truck and finally got to see where we will be living here in Congo. Becky and the girls had done a great job trying to make us feel more at home. They painted the living room/dining room all white with black trim and the kitchen yellow and green. Everything that had come with the Loudenville team back in January of 2008 was all unpacked and they had made our beds with the sheets etc we had sent on the container last May. They had even stocked us up with some food supplies.

Michael was really excited to see all of his legos for the first time in a year all in one place. We were given the tour and then headed over to the Harvey’s for the spaghetti lunch we had been hearing that we would be given upon our arrival.

Lunch was nice to jus sit and talk with the Harvey’s and really get to reconnect with them. We really have so little time as they leave in 10 days for the States for 4 months. Joe wasted no time in starting to give Art a list of things that needed to be fixed. We will be eating with the Harvey’s until they leave so that we can spend as much as time as possible with them.

After lunch we had a few hours on our own to settle in and unpack. Tomorrow Art will spend the day helping us get things done here then he starts his long list of projects with Joe.

Ginny stopped by to welcome us she was teach English when our plane arrived so is just coming down now. She brought us a loaf of fresh bread, and some pickles. We will really enjoy those. It was nice to reconnect, I am really going to enjoy her she is a wonderful woman.

June 1, 2009

A day of total alone time and relaxing. Just what we need after all the confusion of the last week. I am so happy to just stay here where it is quiet, well relatively, and just the 3 of us. Michael is kind of bored by it but tomorrow we have to get up early and head to the air port and then to Impfondo. I am so excited I can’t wait to see the Harvey’s and Sue Lardner and the Vandervoord’s. We have been waiting so long to get there I can’t believe we are this close.

We just spent the day trying to email family as it may take a little bit once we get to IMP to be “hooked” up. We also wrote an update and sent it out and took a few pictures of Hotel Bravo and posted them on Facebook.

We got everything out that we wanted to send out on the internet. We have heard that the internet here is much more reliable than in Impfondo. That is really going to be an adjustment, after living in the states with DSL in our house for years it is going to be hard to not have constant internet connection all hours of the day.

We are going to head to bed early as we have to be up at 5am to get showers and be ready for 6 when we are supposed to head to the Air port.

May 31, 2009

Hmm, church in Congo is not something I can explain at all. I have no idea what was going on for the whole 2 hours of the service. I understood one song (only cause I recognized the tune the words however were in French). The rest of the service was just plain confusing not only was it in French but it was translated into Lingala too. Sigh what a confusing day. Not only was the service confusing but afterwards there was a dinner for the LaBlancs leaving for Cameroon this week. Yuck our first exposure to African food, in a public setting so we have to eat it. Michael was smart and just ran around with the kids and never actually ate anything. We had ska ska and fufu. EWWW. I am not sure I can ever adjust to this. After we just headed back to Bravo and relaxed to later in the evening when we headed to SIL for a Sunday Sing-a-long service. We shared how God came to lead us to Congo and our personal testimonies. It was nice the whole thing was in English. Other than between the 3 of us there has been very little English for the last week. Tomorrow is a national holiday here so we will just be relaxing and getting ready to leave on Tuesday for Impfondo.

May 30, 2009

Art was able to get his money exchanged today finally. It was nice to have everything in place that is needed for us to be a little more independent (kinda I hate the idea of being left alone right now). Once that was done he was able to get another cell phone which will be our email one once we get to Impfondo.

I went to the Market this morning with Elizabeth. This is not an experience I was prepared for in any way. I knew it was outside. But I don’t think I could ever be prepared for the smells or mud or slime everywhere. It is going to take me a long time to come to grips with the fact of no refiridegeration where you buy your meat. YUCK!

After the dentist appointment, which we got to all on our own, we walked to SIL. It was easy to get to. I feel a little less scared of everything now that Art is doing better with his French. At least he can get us back to Bravo on his own.

Lunch with Brenda and Simon was wonderful. They have only been here a year and remember what it was like to first be here and were able to offer us a lot of advice and help in adjusting here. I am so glad that they had the time to sit with us for almost a whole entire afternoon. They are getting ready to move to Camaroon as all of their boys are attending boarding school there and it would be easier for them to be closer to their children.

After a long afternoon with the LeBlanc’s we headed back to Bravo. Where Elizabeth had made dinner for us. We enjoyed sitting and talking with them and we also played a few games before heading to bed for the night. Tomorrow is our first church service in Congo, this should be interesting.

May 29, 2009

Paul came back again today to help us get to the Dentist once again. He also showed us where to buy a few groceries for the next few days. Art was able to get his tooth pulled and is feeling a lot better now. He will be going back tomorrow for one final appointment to get a filling in another tooth. This is going to be a very expensive dentist trip I think. Paul left us at the dentist to get back on our own as he was heading back to the States today to be with his wife. I am not sure he will ever understand how greatful we are for his help and advice the first few hours here. Tonight we are having dinner with Trista Vanderwall at SIL. Her husband is also traveling. It seems like there are no men around right now. Elizabeth’s husband is with Trista’s husband. Dinner was very nice we were introduced to Brenda and Simon LeBlanc and their son Nickolas. We made plans with come back to SIL tomorrow afternoon after the dentist appointment and sit and talk with the LaBlanc’s. Michael is looking forward to hanging out with another boy his age.

Trista took us to the Manderine for Ice Cream which is a real treat here, though our memories of how things taste in the states are way too fresh. It didn’t really taste like ice cream but more like ice milk. But it was a nice treat and we enjoyed seeing some more of Brazzaville.

May 28, 2009

We got up this morning got showers again (we took them before we went to sleep too) and ventured out of our room to hopefully talk to with someone about our day. There wasn’t anyone there that spoke English so Art got to start practicing his French in a hurry. There was a note from Elizabeth a bag with cereal in it and some yogurt for us to eat for breakfast. Mr. Mbossa is Global’s agent in Brazzaville and he was able to talk with Art a little, Joe called Mr. Mbossa’s phone and Art was able to talk to him and ask him what to do about his mouth. I think Joe must have called Paul Ohlin because a little while later he showed up and was able to take us on a tour of SIL and to the Dentist so that Art could get some relief. He also helped us get a phone so we could talk with Joe and anyone else we may need to. If it wasn’t for him we would have been left totally alone and unprepared for doing anything here.

When we got back to Bravo after the dentist appointment, there was another friendly face that we recognized Leticia!!! It was so nice to see her again and greatful for another face and voice in English. We were able to have dinner at the Julian’s house and meet Ruth but not her husband unfortunately as he was traveling. We got a little encouragement form Ruth on settling in here and how to deal with the shock of just getting here. After Chantal (Elizabeth’s daughter) and Leticia rode back with us to Bravo so we weren’t left alone in a taxi.

May 27, 2009

Now that I have had some sleep and a shower I feel a bit more put together. The flight was fairly uneventful, but not comfortable. I ended up being the one who got motion sick, not fun. The flight from JFK to Marco was loud, the plane was filled with Arabic speakers and they are not quiet yelling across the plain to each other. The kids just ran around the whole time. I had a little girl behind me that kept kicking the back of my seat for almost the whole 8 hours, a little girl next to mean who screamed from about 9 till about 4 am and a little boy in front of us that kept standing on his seat and talking to us (he was missing his front teeth so there was a gross shower involved each time). We were very happy to get off the plane in Morocco. This was our first steps into Africa. Here we were getting off the plane in the dessert at 7 am it was really bright and sunny we were really unprepared for how cool it was. We were expecting heat to hit us but it was nice a cool. We walked from the plane into the building and followed directions to go directly to transfer. Opps, shouldn’t have done that Art had his guitar taken from him before we got on the plane in NY and he needed to stay behind and get it before going to transfer. After we went though security we found what we thought was our gate, it ended up being the gate for a flight later in the morning from Morocco to NY (no the direction I wanted to be going in). He left us there and headed out to try and figure out how to get his guitar. All in all it took him about 2 hours to get it and then get back to us. We then figured out this was not where we were supposed to be and found a comfy spot to sit and wait till our flight would be posted on the board. We had a 5 ½ hour layer over here so it was a long boring afternoon. We were able to doze on and off for a bit though and that helped not be so incredibly tired. Through all of this, Art’s face was getting more and more swollen and painful.

We got on the plane from Maraca to Brazzaville with no problems and the flight was very quiet. It was nice to have a quiet flight. Art was able to talk with a gentleman from Cameroon for a little bit.

We were not at all prepared physically for getting off the plane in Brazzaville. Joe explained to us how it may be but the heat and humidity was not something you can be ready for without ever actually being here. We got inside and Michael and I just stood by while Art tried to figure out how to fill out the immigration cards for us. Thankfully Adolph was there just like Joe said he would be and able to help get us all situated. We got through immigration and the health check with no problems. Security however was another story. Joe said if you say M’Bote they will leave you alone. NOPE! There was a female guard that was not happy with our 14 pieces of luggage and with all the clothes that we had. We were blessed however and able to get through. It is really scary though to have someone screaming at you in (I think it was French) and not understand a bit of it. Throw on top of it exhaustion, heat and needing a shower and you feel very very lost.

We got out to the truck and who’s there but Paul Ohlin!! Talk about a blessing someone who not only speak English but who we know. He was really helpful in getting everything loaded and then unloaded and getting us to Hotel Bravo. He said he would be back in the morning sometime to talk with us and visit for a little bit. He showed us to our room and left us on our own in the really strange place. There was a note from the family that lives here welcoming us to Congo, along with your Doxy that we needed to start taking immediately.

May 26, 2009

WE ARE HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are safe and have all 14 pieces of luggage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is all I have the energy to type so that’s all for now more on the trip here later. Art is not doing well at all his mouth is very very swollen and very painful.

May 25, 2009

Left Scott and Min’s in a cargo van full of luggage for JFK. Trip was very scary with Scott driving and not being in a seat with a seat belt on. Scott drives like a maniac (love you Scott) and NYC driving is nuts too, so the combination was stomach turning. The whole time I was looking at the 14 pieces of luggage wondering are they going to allow us on the plane with all of this? We arrived at JFK an hour before the counter opened and were the first ones in line to wait with this huge stack of luggage for them to open. When they opened we were directed right to the counter and the woman wasn’t sure we could take everything, but after chatting with her for a few minutes she was gracious and took it all!!! She should have only taken 12 total but the extra 2 went on with no problems (well except for cost). She said because we were early and the first in line she would do it for us. The Lord was certainly guiding her decisions as this would have been hard to repack everything while standing in JFK. The total cost was a bit higher then expected at $175 for each extra piece and $50 for each piece over 50 lbs. The total cost for luggage ended up being $1,300 but everything got on the plane. The best news is that we would not have to pay this cost again through Royal Air Maroc. They would just move everything to the next connecting flight with no additional charge, again PRAISE THE LORD!!

Scott was able to hang out with us and help Art to move all the baggage to the security area and then take a few pictures before we went through security ourselves. Scott and Min have been such a huge part of all of our Mission Decisions. It has been very cool to become closer to them and I hope for them to have a part in our lives as missionaries. It is also nice leaving with someone who is truly excited for us. Most everyone else, while they tried to be excited, they were just sad that we were leaving. Scott and Min hope to meet us somewhere and visit with us for a bit sometime over the next year or two. Having friends that are world travelers makes leaving them much easier as they don’t see us being in Africa as the end of the world.

Once we were through security for our carry on stuff, (this was not fun they don’t really explain what to do and hurry you through). We were able to sit down for a little bit and just relax. Art at this point was too nervous to eat dinner but Michael and I ate with no problem to the tune of $25 for a small sandwich, a hot dog and 3 pops. Ouch!! I should have been the one who didn’t eat. All along I had told Art to take Dramamine before the flight as he gets motion sick easily. Ha! The joke was on me. I am the one who got sick, though not sure if Art didn’t because he did take it or was just fine all on his own. His mouth however is really bothering him. He is taking Advil every 4 hours to just dull the pain. I am really praying now that it doesn’t get worse I can only imagine the pressure in a plane will make it worse.

May 24, 2009

Today we slept in a bit. Min was even awake before us! We planned on spending a bit of today just trying to get any computer stuff finished as we both just got new computers over the last few weeks. And rule out any issues with any electronics before we go.

Min treated me to a pedicure, manicure and massage today. It was wonderful. Everything has been so stressful lately it was a much needed day of pampering! Once we were done we headed out to Walmart Min wanted to get a couple of plants and I wanted to get a memory card for Michael’s new video camera. We also looked around for a couple of baby things for the little one before we headed back. Once we got back I did some cooking and we just relaxed for the rest of the day. We really needed this last couple of days to be this relaxing and not stressful and full of sad goodbyes. Scott and Min are so excited for us and are not sad that we are leaving (well they are but they don’t feel like Africa is another world). They have been so supportive and I am so glad they have been able to share in all of this chaos of the last month with us.

Tomorrow we will be getting up, doing any last minute organizing and getting ready to leave. We should be leaving at about 2 to get to the air port by 3:30ish. My stomach is now full of knots and I am starting to feel terrified of what is to come. I know in my head that the Lord will take care of us but this is the last huge step that we need to take to follow God’s calling on our lives and I wonder what is in store for us, satan will not be happy tomorrow.

Art’s mouth is really hurting him. This is not good.