...and don't forget about Goma!

What would a tour of the Congo be without a visit to Goma? As of Monday, that became my new home for the week. I can't wait for R&R!

Tour de Congo

I sense that my last post has now become a deception as to my current whereabouts. The events of the last two months didn't really go as I had expected. Although I did spend some time in Kananga, the dreaded adventure basically turned into a grand tour of the Congo.

When I arrived in Kananga, things went just as I had feared - there was very little in the way of structure. I was expecting a briefing on how things were being done but discovered instead that everyone was waiting for me to solve their problems. I was sent up to to Kananga with $5000 to buy 3,000 L of fuel. That was all fine and cool until I realized that it was selling at an exaggerated rate of $2.38/L. A quick run of the math told me that I didn't have near enough money. Also, everybody had a bone to pick with Air Serv. They were looking for me to pay the program lodging, car and driver rental, per diem, guard service, and a number of other bills we were racking up. Fortunately Air Serv was able to "wire" (not exactly sure how that works in the Congo) sufficient money to a local "bank," and I was able to sort it all out.

The flying in Kananga was actually enjoyable but did not last for long. I flew for one week, working myself right out of a job - and so the tour began. Hence, I was sent from: Kananga (center of DRC) to Kalemie (eastern border of DRC) for several days; Kalemie to Lubumbashi (southern tip of DRC) for a week; Lubumbashi back to Kalemie for a week; and from Kalemie to Kinshasa (western border of the DRC) where I am now based. I could start complaining about my frustrations along the way, but as of late I have been challenged to find the blessings in every situation, of which there are many! Rather than view this mission as the disaster that it really is, I am trying to see it not only as an adventure but also an enrichening experience through the Congo.