Retiring so soon?

We feel like we live in a retirement village.  We hardly ever get out of the compound unless we need to go to the grocery store, we jump up to see who's coming into the gate, hoping it's for us.  We check the phone our agency gave us to make sure the battery hasn't gone bad or we haven't missed a call. 

Our internet has been out so I'm using a neighbors computer.  At this point, we are "patiently" waiting to be seen by the immigration director so our file can be passed to the guy who will actually sign the exit docs.  Yesterday we went to meet with him, but he left shortly after so we are to go today....or sometime....in the near future. 

Della is doing great, loves to horse play and giggle, eats very well.

Corn Chex

The second day we had Della we offered her corn chex cereal which she really likes now.  She liked this one so much she took it with her and held it in her hand as she looked at her toys....then sat by the pool....then napped....for a total of more than 2 hours.  (When she first had the corn chex it was not folded)

Been having trouble getting things to post on blog, you may want to check previous posts if your interested.

"The place God calls us to is the place where your deepest gladness and the world's deepest hunger meet" Frederick Beuchner

(Doug's writing, Sarah's writing in bold.)

This afternoon we went to the orphanage Della lived in for a few months.  Foster mama Josee was our babysitter, as kids could not make the trip.  It was probably the dirtiest part of town we've seen.  Trash and, of course, people were everywhere.  People selling anything you can imagine.  Food, car parts, lumber, furniture, clothes, and water in plastic bags (yes, to drink).  I saw a woman along the street with a funnel, pouring water from one container into liter coke and water bottles.  The tire shop was an umbrella for a store front, an air hose, and 3 tires that were all the same size, and all wore out. 

As we entered the town where the orphanage is, I felt my heart and my stomach getting sick with the reality of what these people endure.  I knew this would be hard but I didn't know if I could handle it.  We saw children with tattered dirty clothes, men sitting on the ground breaking rocks with other rocks, trying to find stones to sell.  We turned off the main road and into a crowd of people who slowly moved out of the way for our vehicle to pass.  I started to cry.....

We saw piles of corn, probably a bushel or so, lying on sheets on the ground.  Women were sifting the corn by hand through a screen and then grinding it, I assume to make meal.  We stopped in front of the orphanage, I had to pull myself together, I wanted the children to see joy not tears.  

Everything is concrete and dirt.  They told us there are 106 kids there from infants to 17, and 12 employees who work in shifts.  There were maybe 4 people working when we were there.  The older kids were holding the babies.  We gave school supplies to the director, and our friends had brought stickers and bubbles to hand out.  Inside it literally smelled like a barnyard.  I picked up a little child who looked to be less than 1 year old.  His clothes were soaked with urine.  My heart broke like it's never broke before.  The kids loved the gifts, but you couldn't help but feel a little foolish, they need food, clothes, beds, sheets, everything.  

I tried to communicate with the children.  We exchanged names and I showed them the stickers, teaching them how to say things in English like cat, dog, cars, Sophia the Princess.  A little girl brought an older girl to me and said "Sophie", we all smiled and laughed.  The children had to hold their own ground, making sure no one took their stickers.  We were led to another room where we had to pass through a very dark hall.  We could not see, just feel.  At the end of the hall was a very dark room where they kept the small babies, some were napping on the bed or the couch under beautifully draped mosquito nets.  We made our way back through the dark hallway.  Etienne (our attorney/guide) said, "dark, very dark".  As we came out of the hallway he asked me "Do you know what the Bible says about the darkness?  It says Jesus will drive away the darkness!"  

"The God who said, "out of the darkness the light will shine!" is the same God who made His light shine in our hearts, to bring us light of the knowledge of God's glory, shining in the face of Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:6

Waiting....waiting.....

Slow day on Thursday.  Some days you just have to wait.  Ety came late in the afternoon to take us to the artists market for souvenirs.  We were able to take the kids there, it wasn't very busy, and they of course want tourists there.  I think there were easily 100 or more booths, selling all kinds of cravings, paintings, jewelry, etc...beautiful!  It would have been nice to just walk through and look, but every vendor would yell "Mommy" to me, and "friend" at Doug.  And if you showed any interest at all they would follow you around.  We found a few things for Della's room, and after the ride home my body finally gave in to the accumulating motion sickness..... I was done for the rest of the day.  Doug says "You think my driving is bad?", over here you have to drive like you're crazy, plus a lot of the roads are as rough as a cow path.  

We found out Della likes to feed and try to bath herself, it's so cute.

Out on the town!

We had a very good day today.  Della is feeling much better.  No fever, lots of smiles, and still quiet as a mouse.  

The other family next to us watched her so we could go to the market where Sarah bought some fabric.  There were so many it was hard to choose.  The room was large and filled from floor to ceiling with every color and pattern you could imagine.  Sarah wanted to take photos sooo bad.  We didn't stay long, but it was an experience.  Crowded, loud, and busy, but Ety told us to ignore the crazy people, and follow him.  It's always fun to get back in the van, because then Ety will tell us what the people were saying.  Nothing really mean or threatening, there are plenty of cops to prevent any problems, they just want our money.  

Tonight we went to a restaurant with Ety in the town of Bandal (our hotel is in Gombe).  We are getting used to the traffic.  Just imagine any major city with no traffic control whatsoever.  No stoplights, no turn lanes, nothing...just honk and go.  One of those smashed up vans that carry people inside and out did (their version of a bus) was trying to cut across traffic in front of us.  A cop was yelling at him while smashing the barrel of his AK 47 into the hood trying to get the driver to back up.  Ety paid no attention to it continuing his conversation with Sarah as she stared at the scuffle.  He calls those vans the "Spirit of Death".  Says they cause lots of accidents.  

The restaurant was interesting.  It is family style and you can use utensils or your hands or both.  With Ety's help we ordered chicken, and some traditional Congolese food.  Our server had us wash our hands with soap as she poured water from a pitcher in a basin to rinse them, this is what the congolese do before they eat.  Two men sang and played for us while we ate.  Della was swinging her legs to the music (yeah, that's right, she can use both legs!).  The chicken was great, and everything else was pretty good too.  It cost $120 for 5 of us, but it was worth it for the experience.  

We're really enjoying Ety's company.  His english is good, and he says that his job is to take care of us.  He is a lawyer, and an excellent guide.  He deals with the DGM trying to get our exit papers along with babysitting us.  He says that the DGM asked him why we give birth to our own children?  He told them we have four.  If they have four why to they want another to make 5?  His answer was it does not matter what the answer is, we don't need to know that.  He says that they are just curious, because they don't understand adoption.  He will check on the progress of our papers tomorrow.  He has no idea if they have even moved yet.  

Ety was asking us for advice on finding a wife.  We asked him how old he was, and he said he's 28.  He said in DRC a man is rich if he has lots of children.  We told him he was young and he said that "in the Congo you don't expect to live to 50, so I'm not young."  He also told us that we shouldn't let our girls eat at McDonalds (he pronounces it "MacDunewds"), because "African women get very fat if they eat at McDonalds."  I asked if he has ever been to a McDonalds, and he said no, but he's had hamburgers.  Ety is a lot of fun.  He likes to joke, and when we teach him a new word in english he asks us to write it down for him.  He tells us he likes his job, he likes to help children to come to a another country where they can have a chance for education, and doctors and a good life.  He tells us a lot of children will not live to make it out of an orphanage.      

We were talking about church and Sarah asked him if he knows Jesus, he said "Yes, do you?", she said "Yes, we do!".  He praised God and said "Thank-you God for finding another brother in Jesus!" as he raised his arms into the sky.  

Ety says he will take us to Della's orphanage tomorrow.  I'm sure it will be another interesting trip.  Until tomorrow...

Bittersweet

I added some more photos to previous posts so check those out (I even took a photo of a guy wearing capri pants).

We recieved a wonderful gift today, a glimpse into Della's life for the past year!  We were able to meet Della's foster mama Josee this afternoon!  I was very excited but a little nervous about how Della would respond once Mama Josee left.  She greeted me with a hug and asked to hold Della who was asleep.  We, of course said yes!  Della woke while we talked to Mama Josee and she didn't make a peep the whole time.  This woman loved our daughter so much, even knowing she would have to give her to us.  She told us almost everyday she showed Della our photos and told her we are her family.  That meant so much to us.  We told her we will make sure Della always remembers Mama Josee.  She is so selfless for giving us this gift, words cannot describe what this woman has done.  We talked for almost an hour and then we said goodbye.  Della did not cry at all as she left.  We hugged and she kissed each of my checks then on my lips and we thanked each other repeatedly in French "merce, merce".

In the late afternoon we went to what we thought was the market where you can buy African goods such as fabric and handmade goods but our staff, Etienne, thought we meant the grocery store (we'll do that later this week).  Doug stayed on with Della, we can't go out with the child, it's not safe and not at all well received.  The people of this country don't understand adoption.  Photos are not allowed to be taken in public, the government doesn't like it.  But I snuck a couple.....

This is the typical vehicle we travel in.

This woman did not have a full load of oranges like most we see, but still impressive!

This is one of the more "quiet" back streets.  While we were waiting here a man came up to the window with two huge basins of peanuts (which didn't look very fresh or clean) and stood for a short time, obviously trying to sell his goods.

When we go to town, there is usually several other stops being made, some of which are not discussed with us, others we find out after we leave what the purpose was.  It's all such an adventure, with a definite twist surprise.  We feel safe, there is always someone in the car with us who is agency staff.  This trip ended with a couple who just flew in last night meeting their child for the first time in the back of the vehicle.  They didn't even know it was happening until they saw  her being carried to the car by another woman. 

At the store there are guards at the doors to make sure only certain people enter such as UN workers or foreigners like ourselves.  The cashiers speak some english and are very nice.  And the store has everything you could ever need, like a mini Walmart.  Except the prices are a little different.  Our butter was more than $5 US dollars, more than 5,000 congolese francs.  Our friends bought two large oranges for the price of $15 US dollars!

Della has not had a fever since this morning but she has slept a lot.  We are hoping she's all better tomorrow.  I love her tight curls of hair, they look like tiny springs.