New Home: Lubumbashi

I think I may have found a new home: a little cleaner, a little more pleasent, and a little safer. Congo Paradise! Well, maybe I wouldn't go that far, but it is a lot nicer. Supposedly Lubumbashi is the nicest town in the DRC. Looking at the town, I realize how beautiful it once was and how beautiful it could be again. Several of us were talking together and it was agreed that the eastern DRC could be one of the nicest places in the world were in not for the wars of the last century. Who knows, maybe two hundred years from now, with increased peace and economic growth, this could one of the worlds most popular destinations.

I believe I like the flying here just a little bit better as well. In Kinshasa there was much less variety in landscape but here there are lakes, rivers, water falls, marshes, praries, mountains and plateaus. The only thing this area is missing is the big five game and other native animals. The last 100 years of war and hunger in the area have literally wiped out all the big wildlife in the area. Hopefully, if things settle down and people are educated on the importance of these animals here in the next several years, they may attempt to restock some of the extinct animals of the area.

Lounging in Kinshasa

They tell me that flying in Kinshasa is either feast or famine. Last week I was beginning to think that this job would quickly burn me out - this week I am doing nothing, except study. I am kinda enjoying this week of relaxation because it is allowing me to acclimate to my surroundings.

I am finding that I really like the people that I am based with. I love that most of the pilots share my values and beliefs. David Cathey, a King Air pilot, was the senior pilot of four months when I got here. He comes from Dallas, Texas where he priviously flew a Dimond jet for a coporate organization. This week his wife Amy came for a two week visitation and I have been getting to know her as well. She also flies for a corporate organization in Dallas but she would love to come fly for Air Serv. David and Amy both have a desire to serve God and others through the use of their flying skills. I really appreciate their sincere attitude and genuine faith. We have had some really good conversations. (David and Jared on the left)

Then there is Andy. He is the only pilot presently checked out in the Caravan at this base. He and I have been coupled together for the duration of my training. He is a really cool, smart, quiet, maticulate, and great guy. The other night we inadvertantly got into a conversation about faith and I found that we have a lot in common. He struggles with many of the same issues that I do. He told me that if I ever get a chance, I should read The Cost of Discipleship by Deitrich Bonhoffer. It is ironic that that same book was one of the few books that I brought with me to Africa, and I was planning on reading it next.

Next there is Jared. He and I went to Hesston together so we were already good friends. I guess it is an understood that he is a really great guy. Right now he is flying the King Air, but when I get checked out in the Caravan, he will probably get checked out as well so that we have more pilots cross trained in both airplanes.

Yesterday I got to talk to several Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) pilots that are based here on the field with us. They have three airplanes based here: a Cessna 206, 207 and 208(Caravan). Apperently they do some of the same kind of things that we do. I originally thought that most of their work was geared more towards missions but I guess they do some contract work as well. When the USAID contract that we now have was up for bid, they pursued it as well.

Well, I guess I am going to head on out and get my some more passport photos taken. Here lately an immigration official in MBendaka has been giving Air Serv a hard time about their Visas. He claims that they are only for travel and not for work. It is funny how it was sufficient for all these years, now we are illegal. (It is suspected that he is really looking for a way to get bribes) So now we are just going to get residence visas. That will be kinda cool to have.

Finally in the DRC

I have officially made it to the Democratic Republic of Congo via plan B. On March 24 I left RSA for Entebbe, Uganda via Nairobi, Kenya. I got to Uganda I was informed that it all goes down hill from here. Supposedly Entebbe is one of Air Serv’s nicest bases.

The next day I caught a flight with Steve and Dawson back to the DRC where I began my three day stay in Goma. Goma is situated by a lake on the far eastern border of DRC and Rwanda. Apparently this town was a prominent gateway for those who fled the Rwandan genocide. The climate is generally quite mild and pleasant because it sits at an elevation of 5000 ft. The living conditions there is very interesting because on one side of the wall/gate you have extreme poverty, filth and chaos and on the other side you have comfortable, lakeside living conditions. It is definitely a beautiful house.

Last Wednesday I left for Kinshasa where I will be permanently based for the time being. Kinshasa is the capital of DRC located on the far western side of the country. It is a very dirty city and the climate is unlike Goma in that it is very hot and sticky. Kinshasa is more like what I imagined Congo to be like.

Many people have asked me what Air Serv actually does, and from what I can tell, the specifics change from program to program. Some programs are used more for humanitarian aid and others are used more for developmental services. In Goma, Air Serv uses two Caravans and a Twin Otter to transport other humanitarian aid workers and NGO’s into and out of the hard to reach fields. In Kinshasa the program is a little different. We have two airplanes based here: a King Air and a Caravan. Both airplanes are based under a contract through USAID that primarily supplies developmental services throughout Congo. For instance, some of the flights are used for the transportation of researchers who study the wildlife and environment while others are used to send educated people into the field to teach people how to grow better crops, treat sickness and diseases, etc..

Initially I did not realize that Air Serv pilots overnighted on a regular basis but apparently here in Kinshasa that is a regular occurrence. The pilots here jokingly say that the Kinshasa base is corporate Congo flying, and in reality that is the truth. So if one doesn’t like corporate flying in the U.S., he or she probably won’t like corporate flying in Congo. I have to admit that overnighting outbase does not really excite me, but I know that it is a good experience. I generally like to be in my own bed every night, but if I want to live in Congo, I might as well experience Congo to the fullest.

On Thursday we left for a two day trip that eventually turned into an unplanned four day trip into northern DRC. I caught a ride in the King Air to Mbandaka where I began my ride-alongs in the Caravan. When the legs were easy, I did the flying. We flew to Kisangani where we stayed the night in a Chalet. I admit, it was much nicer than I expected. They had running water and a generator at all times. There was even a swimming pool outside.

The next day we took our passengers to a tiny airport in the middle of nowhere called Bafwasende. It was one of those kinds of places that would have been really hard to get to without an airplane. When we landed there were probably 100 spectators on the edge of the runway observing the rare occurrence. It was a neat experience to fly into the real bush.

We eventually got home yesterday after several delays and an additional flights. Although the trip had its difficulties and frustrations, it was a very good education of Congo flying. I have found that I must learn more French if I am going to be on my own at nights. Where it not for Andy, I would have been lost. Hopefully, it will all come together.