Report from Don Bobb on his recent trip to Congo

February 2008 Report on Luebo

We were unable to get to Luebo, but Dr. Bruno Kapinga and Pastor Kadiobo came to Kananga.

Receipt of funds. Craig [Deats] sent $13,000 to Kananga, $6500 to Sarah [Stockwell Stranahan] and $6500 to me. Ntambue and I went to Western Union to collect the funds. Over a period of a couple of hours we were able to collect the funds with crisp dollar bills. They took out $428, which left $12,572. Ntambue also collected the $5000 sent for Bilonda [an arm amputee who will get a prothesis] . Sarah spent some time with her and has reported on her visit.

Meeting in Dr. Mulumba's office. Dr. Brunop Kapinga and Pastor Kadiobo of Luebo, Mr. Ilunga, the contractor who gave us the estimate on repairs to First Church 20 months ago, and I met with Dr. Mulumba, General Secretary of the CPC (Congo Presbyterian Community), in a very satisfying conversation. There was discussion of details and reinforcement by both Dr. Mulumba and Mr. Ilunga on the purchasing of materials, their transport along the superhighway to Luebo and fiscal accountability.

I first gave the $3000 to Dr. Bruno for the brickyard. Both Dr. Mulumba and Mr. Ilunga were emphatic that they make the bricks strong and fortified with some cement in order to sell them and make the brickyard self-financing. I then pulled out the $8,572. They began to count all the money. I watched them leaf through the bills like tellers in a bank, obviously quite experienced in handling those $10 bills as well as the fewer $20 and $50 bills. Mr. Ilunga said that the cost of materials had gone up since June 2006, perhaps $2000-$3000 but no more. He will send us a new estimate very soon. He suggested that with this money they buy some aluminum roofing and nails, some lumber and some reinforced concrete and transport them to Luebo and place them in storage until they are ready to start the construction. Both the doctor and the pastor agreed to do just that. It was a very exciting moment just to see those two projects now on their way to getting started. God was already working - and we felt it was a moment of celebration as we prayed together. I still shiver at the realization that finally something was happening. While we were waiting at the Kananga airport for our plane to arrive, Mr. Ilunga came out there to tell us good-bye and to inform us that they had bought forms for the brickyard, some aluminum roofing and nails - and that already they were on their way back with the materials to Luebo. Another shiver of amazement. Another time to rejoice! Mr. Ilunga has an assistant at Luebo named Valentine, who will begin preparations for the construction as soon as there are enough materials to do so.

Dr. Bruno had asked me to buy him a laptop computer. I bought him a Toshiba like mine for a little over $600. He had the $600 in hand to pay me. But I asked him, what could he do with that money for the hospital? He said - buy some antibiotics and other much needed medicines, some mosquito nets and some more mattresses. And that he did. He is a delightful guy and really very easy to work with. I enjoyed being with him. And with Mr. Ilunga, the pastor and Valentine ready to move into action, I think we are seeing the construction repairs on their way - at last!

And then there was another surprise! Larry Sthreshely announced to us that Louisville had sent $8000 for the water pump and piping for Luebo. David Law, a Methodist missionary kid, had already been up there and started working on it - the old water system put in place years ago which pumped up water from the river into a cistern below the hospital, filled with sand and rocks to purify the water. Then the water can be piped up into the water tower just behind the guest house where we stayed. The project does need about $4000 more. David is going back soon, so we will have an exact figure a bit later. Water is the key to all kinds of economic development projects. Tshiek has stories to tell about Tuvuluka, a village outside Kananga, where Eastern Virginia Presbytery put a water system in place a while back. Now they have all kinds of small industries and projects. I wanted to get out there but did not have time. But we can learn from their experiences and see what the Luebo people would like once they have a water system. I have written Tshiek for more details on the water system there.

I also went to Dr. Mbeya's pig farm outside Kananga. A church in Virginia financed the project, thanks to a pig farmer in the church who knew how to do it. I told Dr. Mbeya to ask that pig farmer to find us a similar person in Central-South Texas. I have a cotton farmer ready to go but the textile mills which have never stopped have just now been bought up by some European corporation so now they will have to import their cotton - I am thinking ugly thoughts.

I felt excited and energized each day and wondered what the day would bring, in between my interviews for the Book and the other projects. I knew Who was behind this exhilaration I felt and was constantly having to jump out of almost child-like wonder into giving amazed thanksgiving.

There was so much more - but this is the part that concerns Luebo. I still have to pinch myself to believe that after four years things are really beginning to happen. Of course, we can't forget the women who have taken $500 that we sent a year ago. Each of 10 women took $50 and started her own small business (soap, candles, vegetables, fruit, etc) and then after three or four months passed on that $50 to another woman to start her own micro-business. If I understand correctly, that same $500 has gone through three cycles, thus letting 30 women start their micro-businesses. As they told us when we were there, they want to feed their children. Now maybe they can.

I could not get over the progress since 20 months ago, not just in the healed potholes in the streets of Kinshasa (not Kananga), not just in the cleared garbage along the road, but in the energy and initiative you feel just talking to the people and hearing what they are doing. The laymen in Kananga have started a palm nut tree orchard to help finance the expenses of the church. Of course, there are many places where this initiative remains to be seen and felt.

Well - enough of my raving. It was good to be with such a congenial group, five from Kingsport, TN, Sarah and Jimmy [Shafe] plus two other missionary kids who accompanied us in Kananga. Sarah did a magnificent job of handling the complicated finances. And JImmy had a lot of projects that he is involved in as well. So - that's my report. I'm sure I left important things out - but isn't there some kind of saying that too much power can cause short circuits or someting crazy like that?

Thanks for listening - Don.

(The date given above is an artifice; please disregard)