Countdown to Kinshasa

The countdown is in full swing. Four days to go. Three more suitcases to take. Two songs to choose. One new assignment.

Four days to go. I’m right on track. Today I meet with my co-editors of the book of Congo stories to go over last questions and changes in the text and decide on a title. I will send the text off to the publisher before I go. I did a final round of shopping this week for gifts to take and to take care of my need to have something new to wear. 

Last-minute gifts: hair ornaments for little girls and gospel CDs by Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston. These plus everything from umbrellas to neckties to little toy cars that I bought in a shopping spree at Target a few weeks ago.

Last-minute clothes: It’s not that I had nothing to wear. I have enough long skirts to get by nicely but I saw this simple sleeveless long dress that will look great under my two jackets made of Congo cloth. I wear the jackets with pants here but women don't wear pants in Congo. Also, I’ve been wanting a track suit and that is good airplane wear. I found cool black stretchy pants and a lavender and black jacket, all for under $20 at JCP. Then I spent a morning shortening the sleeves and pants, including ripping seams because I was in a hurry. Never sew in a hurry. I made a jacket last weekend for my friend Cecilia, who was visiting with her husband. She’d bought this gorgeous material some time ago in Kenya and it required careful matching to get the design just right. I ended up sewing till the last minute (they had to leave to meet a plane) and shouting to her at one point, “Don’t talk to me!”

As for my paid work, I’m taking vacation since yesterday. Who has time for it? Joanna and little Hazel arrive today and Vic comes back this evening. The rest of the family arrive on Saturday and stay till sometime Sunday. Monday is for last minute packing and a pedicure (open toe season here we come!). I have to be at the airport in nearby South Bend at 2.

Three more suitcases. Some ex-Congo worker whom our friends know and trust wants to send three suitcases of stuff with the three of us. Is that okay? Well I guess. I’m told the owner of the suitcases will come to the airport to see them off. I’m already carrying a computer for the Congolese writer I’m meeting with next Thursday, Nina is taking a digital projector for Pastor François, from his daughter. People traveling to Congo are trade vehicles.

Two songs to choose. When you go to church as a visitor, performance is welcome. Pastor Nina is preaching twice (I hope I don’t have to translate). We can all sing. I just remembered yesterday that I promised my traveling companions that I’d choose some lively gospel favorites.

One new assignment. Write home to the churches who are sponsoring us. I might not have thought of this until my friend Vicki put in a request. Not everybody is on Facebook or reads our blogs. But email and posting of any kind will be iffy in the middle week of our stay, when we are with our Congolese hosts. 

Tim says maybe even don’t take computers. But I cannot be without my computer. I write, even if I don’t post or email.