Hotel Venus Kinshasa

... subjects to be covered. Jacob translated phrase by phrase as we usually do here. After services, we took some photos of the group, and then the men went back in the hall so we could have a Q&A session. There were interesting questions once again: why did so many churches switch to Sunday observance and when did that happen? What happened to the property that was owned by WCG in Pasadena and Big Sandy? What did they do with the money? (I couldn't answer ...

... several follow-up e-mails but sometimes e-mails don't make it everywhere. That seems to be a growing problem. I'm going to have to start telephoning everyone before I leave on these trips. Kinshasa is not a good airport in which to arrive unaccompanied. One doesn't want to look like an easy mark or a number of things can happen: hassles by police or customs people who want a bribe, or worse with an unknown taxi driver. So I talked to the hotel agent holding up a Grand ...

OK... So now I have 4 more days before I leave the Congo forever (I don't see myself coming back anytime soon) It has been quite a trip. I keep thinking about being on Elm row and then I try to imagine how far that place is from here. It kinda scares me how far away I have to travel to be with my family. Then again, I could always move to Brisbane then Id be super close to my mom. lol. ha ha. But yeah, 4 more sleeps. We are still waiting for the passports to get back with the visas.. I am ...

... PLANNED!!!! I have 7 more days here, and so i think about 3 - 4 more supermarket trips, and 2-3 other shop trips. Dawn needs to buy a bra. I already pity her. Ok, I as I was saying, the restaurant had super friendly staff. :P I did not try the king prawn, Panashe did though and he was sitting next to me. Ugh, their bulgy little eyes, and the sound of their shell being ripped off was too much for me. I blame Fallout. Grossed me out. :P So ...

... though your nose, eyes, ears, ****, you name it. ****en horrible. My Dad is working as the acting manager for now and he was ringing around to make sure there were no UNFPA people there.  I personally have no idea how I am going to get back in New Zealand. On those entry cards you fill in they ask you all sorts of questions. They ask if you have been to Africa, have been to places ...

... a couple of candles in the kitchen and put them in the cupboard. The smell has abated but since I did that and the dished, there is not a chance in hell he is going to get me to clean the cupboard. No ****ing way man. He says that he cant do it because he associates the smell with the physical body of the rat that fell out the container, I asked him if if tore in half and if there were maggots everywhere. ha ha. I am so gonna have an awesome time when Panashe and Dawn ...

... I paused after each phrase said or each verse read, and Jacob translated into Lingala for those who had trouble with French. Trying to keep things concise and direct, I made sure I didn't go overtime. After the service, I showed a video update of what's been happening in francophone areas, including my last visit to Kinshasa. They really enjoyed seeing themselves on the computer screen, as well as getting news ...

... Landing h**e always feels like the plane has had a flat tire. I was sure of it the first time I came in h**e, and I have seen a plane actually taxi in with a flat tire from the rough landing. Th**e is no parallel taxiway to the runway, so the planes just stop as soon as they can, make a U-turn and taxi back up the runway to the t**minal. Th**e w**e white UN planes and helicopt**s visible, and Ethiopian Airlines plane was departing, and th**e w**e two Hewa ...

... who had questions or other needs. When most everyone had left, I met with Jacob, Justin and Eméry. I asked them to fill out a doctrinal questionnaire I had prepared for them. This would give me a better idea of how clearly they understood UCG's doctrinal positions, so that I could fill in areas that might be unclear to them. There were 100 questions, and it took them nearly ...

... city grime in the Bombo-Lumene rapids, to walk in the woods, eat by the fire and sleep to a chorus of crickets and frogs. On the return journey, we did a fine job of dodging all the goats, chickens, children, broken down trucks, gaping holes in the road and police checkpoints. But then we had ...