Visit to Goma and Bukavu Day 3

Up at 5:30 to take the boat to Bukavu. Kitchen guys made me a thick sandwich of pink meat (ugh) and cheese (yum) , and 2 bananas, to eat on the way. Bumpy, rocky road along the edge of the lake to the boat launch place. Dirty, damp, crowded. Fidèle took care of formalities and then we had big steaming cups of real coffee from the little drinks nook. Very nice in the chilly lake-side air. Final discussions about plans and then I boarded the +/- 40-person enclosed boat and we left (after some rearrangements to let a politician and a military big shot sit where they wanted). I sat by the window; face right at window level looking out over the lake, ready for slight showers at higher speeds. Next to me was a very friendly guy named Espoir. When he first asked me my name I said “Betty” because for some reason I wasn’t sure I wanted to talk a lot to him. But he found me out when we were getting our tickets back and he looked through the stack to find one with Betty on it to give to me. Busted. In the end we had a nice conversation. He works for International Medical Corps, an American NGO; I think I met a couple of Americans coming to work with that group at chapel in Kinshasa once. The ride was lovely -- beautiful lake, beautiful islands passing the windows, occasional canoes -- except that they showed the movie “Shooter” which was so horrible and violent and ironic in that setting: glorifying US military slaughter for the sake of revenge for a destroyed village in Ethiopia). After that they showed a lovely film about Congo natural and wild life. But watching the people in the boat was more interesting than any film. And standing on the deck outside is a stimulating thrill.

We arrived amidst great fanfare for politicians/military and some revivalist church leader. Dismas was there to meet me; took me to stay at a lovely guest house on what used to be the Swedish church and embassy site. It still felt like a little (how I would imagine) Sweden. Clean and tidy and basic. Flowers!!! A huge bank of bougainvillea around the little courtyard outside my room. No food provided though we can use the kitchen. I went out and found some groceries, had a nice walk on Bukavu main street.

Lunch at 2:00 with Dismas at a restaurant called Délicia, supposedly the favorite of Kinshasa people. He had Kingfisher juice, which is how I learned what it really is. I had chicken makala and plantain bananas. We reviewed plans and projects. On the way home we stopped at the main market for bananas and avocados for my little stache. I hopped into the car and started to chat about how cheap avocados are in Bukavu -- then looked up and found I was in the wrong car and an unknown man was smiling at me. Dismas came on the run to rescue the poor guy from the silly old grandma lady. I have a car and driver (M. Jean) at my disposition while I’m here; very VIP.

Went for a long walk in the late afternoon on the rocky, dusty, hilly streets. Reminds me of Tananarive: steep slopes with little paths and steep stairways between houses, red bricks, crumbly feeling about everything. Walked along the valley side, then along the new Cinq Chantiers street toward the CAP guest house where I’ve stayed before. Crossed over and went back parallel to main street on the other side, with views of the lake. Tons of construction everywhere, piles and piles of rocks, bricks, sand. Uncompleted buildings crowded in between every possible structure. Saw some lovely old houses with lake views. Everything seemed to be “must have been nice once” or “might be nice some day.” Walls and fences. Quite a few places where bougainvillea is hanging over walls, as it should everywhere. Now I’m sitting in the little courtyard as it gets dark, eating sandwich creams (mango flavor) made in Iran.

Damas liked the idea of breaking the project into smaller sub projects and including seeds for host and IDP families to grow food. (That idea had to be scrapped as project took shape.) I asked if we can work with ECC member churches; he said maybe Methodist and CEPAC; CELPA has “mauvais gestion.” (!)

Drumming and singing not too far away. It gets dark at 6:30. I am almost halfway done with my Amy Tan novel, Saving Fish from Drowning. What will I do when I finish it? These evenings with no laptop will probably get quite long! I paced the room, reviewing the day. At 6:30 the lights went out; decided to take a shower (hot water, aah!) and go to bed. Lights came back. I ate an avocado and read some work stuff. Paced. Remembered I’ll probably have to speak at church tomorrow. Why didn’t I bring a Bible?! Where are the Gideons when I need them? Picked up Seeking Peace in Africa and after a lot of reading decided to use parts of Cathy Mputu’s two articles about pillage, plus found a couple paragraphs of a pertinent prayer. Lights went out; so shower and bed. Lights came back. Well, it’s almost 8:00. I guess I can let myself go to bed and read my novel. Very windy, chilly night. Long winter’s nap...