May 2009

We found the plight of Cork to be Cholera in the river flowing down from Zimbabwe. This river was the only source of water for the village. The situation became so serious that the nearest city agreed to place large tanks of water throughout the village to replace the river source. At this point, the group with which we are partnered asked for our assistance. The only promise we could make is to bring living water (no buckets, no problem). However, with living water comes gracious provision. The well driller’s hit water within 4 hours on the first day. PTL… More to come.

Love to all,
Allie

When my brother arrived in Brazzaville, it signified the final days of my big adventure. The last days were some of the best, but hardest days of my life. I will just elaborate on a few highlights:

Malonda Lodge – The US Ambassador to the Congo told a colleague of mine about this amazing resort on the ocean in Pointe Noire. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined such a place could exist in the Congo. However, it does. Malonda Lodge is owed by a charming French couple who have put the last few years of their lives into building this resort. Each room is actually an individual hut with a real thatch roof. Each space is decorated uniquely with hand carved cabinets, doors, and furniture. The bedroom has a cabinet top made completely of one tree with no joints. The huts are located on a hill, overlooking a lagoon which is directly adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean. The pool also shares this view. There will soon be (or may already be) a bar next to the pool. Each public space is architecturally shaped with an ocean theme; the restaurant is a turtle, the breakfast bar a shell, and the new clubhouse is a starfish. In this secluded spot, transportation to the resort is interesting. At the airport, all the taxi drivers knew the place, but few dared to offer the trip. Once we turned off the main road, we realized the problem. Our taxi bottomed out on the high sand which had collected in the center of the road. We almost had to get out to walk, but even facing this challenge was well worth it. As the place is far (45min taxi) from Pointe Noire, the resort restaurant is really the only option. Nevertheless, it was excellent, so no problem there. We tested the steak, the lobster, and the fresh fish. Overall, I would recommend Malonda Lodge to anyone who needs a break in the Congo, and I might even go back to Congo just for it some time. Search for it on the web.

Last Trip to Lefini – The last trip to Lefini was by far the best and most eventful. We ended up with a big group including Jamie, John, Leslie, Will, Jessie, Gebran, and myself. We stopped at another local dive for lunch, which was a cultural experience for Will and Jess. Upon arriving at camp, we got to see more babies than before and we had a great new forum for viewing them (although, nothing really tops them running around us illegally before). We also got to see some mosquito projects that they had set up around the reserve (yikes!). Afterwards, Jaime made a great New Orleans dinner. The darkness was impressive again. It was probably the most amazing stars I have ever seen and may ever see. The cabins were cooler than before. In the morning, we were told that the hippos might be on the move from the river. So, we went to track them (of course, as if enough people don’t get trampled by them each year). Unfortunately, tracks were all we saw… I was so disappointed. The river was too low for them to come back to it overnight, so we missed them by a day. Despite the hippo setback, the rest of the day was extraordinary. The drive out of the baby camp was breathtaking as before, and we think we saw a wild dog. Once we reach the boat dock to board for the trip to see the male silverback gorillas, we had to “suit” up. Will was the only one who got “assistance” with his vest. He ended up with two straps between his legs... hilarious! Once we made it onto the boat, we started up the river. On the way to the silverback feeding point, we saw the family of gorillas that had been released into the wild on the opposite side. The guide pulled the boat over so that we might get out, but the rangers got out first to check things out. All of the sudden, we see the rangers RUNNING back to the boat, telling us to push off of the bank. About the time the rangers jump in the boat, a huge gorilla jumps out of the brush and almost into the boat! We were always told that gorillas hate water, but this one was waist deep in it. There went our security. It was wild and intense. We were so close that he was literally staring into our eyes. We took phenomenal pictures at this distance. Apparently, this male had broken off from the family group and was pretty dangerous. Awesome. This experience made our next task of feeding the island gorillas seem pretty mundane. In the end, getting home turned out to be the biggest adventure. The drive back to the main road was completely sand and quite steep in parts. We attempted the biggest hill/dune and had to slide back down again. On the second try, Gebran hit the edge of the sand roadway bed and almost flipped us over. Now that would have been a story. Ray would have killed us (as it was his SUV).

Il Fignond – Another trip to Il Fignond brought another opportunity for entertainment. Getting to the island was no problem. We were able to remember the way from before. The kids at the boat dock were the same: playing, singing, and laughing. The boat across the river was smooth enough. The view was still stunning with the river and the mountain backdrop. On the island, though, Will and Jess were terrified. After exploring, they noticed an empty/abandoned tent not far from the main camp. They began to formulate theories about where these missing campers went. Basically, they scared themselves stupid and had to sleep inside. Will was still so scared that they were going to get murdered that he stayed up all night reading Harry Potter. Gebran and I had a good time actually camping (no bugs or allergic reactions this time).

Cookout – After returning from the camping excursion, the Sing N Share group threw Teresa and I a going away BBQ. It was great to see everyone, but sad to say goodbye. Gebran and Dana made a slideshow for me. Wow. How to measure a year in the life? Presents are nice. The SIL girls gave me a shirt, bag, and some placemats (which are all still sitting in the port in Pointe Noire with the rest of my stuff from Congo after 8 months). John and Caitlyn gave me a nativity. This is currently displayed in my new house, even though Christmas is gone. It was really hard to say goodbye to people who had become my family. There are no words to express how I felt that night, but I am confident I will see them all again one day (In fact, I have already seen the Beattys and the Littetons).

Final reflections –Congo was the rated the worst place on the planet to live by BBC. Yet, somehow, we lived it. It wasn’t pain free, but we managed to get by day by day. With the struggle, came great joy and immense personal growth. This can not be summed up on a blog. I just hope I left it better than I found it for the sake of my Savior God.

Love, Allie

Freelance is now officially incorporated and registered with the IRS (non-profit status pending). I will write more later about the progress, but we already have a board of directors and I hope to begin initial fundraising efforts this summer. We have a website, but it is under construction. Pardon the progress (haha, I always wanted to say that). www.freelanceministries.com

I just wanted to give quick updates on the Congo projects:

Orphanage Update – A church in the US agreed to help collect funds for the orphanage. We were not able to secure the property owed by Mama Dorcas for the orphanage, as it had been designated by the President as a wildlife or tree reserve area. However, the team was able to help find a compound for the orphanage to purchase. Fundraising then began with the goal of about $60k-$70k. But they would not be afforded the time to raise the funds before they would get the eviction notice from their current landlord. In order to move into the new place without purchasing it, they needed to raise 6 months worth of rent in advance. God made a way for this. Now, we have 6 more months to raise the remainder. There is currently about $12,000 in the House of Hope account, so we have a ways to go. Please donate if you feel led to do so. I will post the link later.

Makana Housing Project – We had a groundbreaking with the DCM and the director of IPHD in Makana. Gebran and I laid out the approximate location for the first house with a tape measure, rebar stakes, string, and a carpenter square. Gebran and I both have degrees in AE (African engineering). After I left, construction actually started on some of the houses. I was getting periodic updates, but I have not heard anything in a while. I know that at least one home is complete. I am sad to report that one of our team members passed away in Kinshasa, in addition to the passing of Millard Fuller. However, I hope that the work will go on as they both spent their lives dedicated to making a difference.

Highlights of the entry to come on the above subject :Delta Airlines drama, the glory of Santon Mall, affordable mansions, meeting famous Nigerians/Zimbabweans, impressions of Lusaka, great restaurants, The World is Flat, and real Grocery stores. More to come.