Kevan Kingsley Clawson's Blog, page 21

Kisanga Stake open house

The new Kisanga Stake center had an open house Saturday, prior to its opening and first use of the building on Sunday. We had great hopes of a massive open house, similar to Mwembila just a couple of months ago, but were disappointed in the end. Part of the reason may have been that this building is on the outskirts of the areas it serves, where Mwimbila was dead-center in the area, surrounded by thousands of people.

Another issue, in part, is that this open house was not as well run as the one before (although that did not prevent people from coming, it just made it a little more awkward getting around and seeing everything.

In the end they had several hundred people come (Mwembila had thousands) and received only about 100 referrals (Mwembila had 500). The next day Kisanga had 8 investigators that came to church (Mwembila had about 40).

 

The first sacrament meeting in the new Kisanga Stake building

members waited at the gate to greet visitors

Chairs had been set-up for dignitaries that came to a morning session. The Mayor and about 15 others came to have a private tour of the building in the morning.

president and sister Thomas greet people at the open house

Several films played in the chapel for visitors to see during the open house

The room for the Priesthood was set-up and ready to welcome visitors

The Relief Society also

two tables were set-up, manned by the missionaries, to give out literature and take referrals

President Thomas and Sister Thomas tour the grounds and talk to those attending

In the end it was a great learning experience for the missionaries and members. It will be interesting to see what kind of growth they have in this area now.

They have other buildings planned in Lubumbashi, but none have begun at this point in time.

Sunday wanderings

After the long trip we went to church with the Thomas’ in Ruashi…well, sort of. Pres. Thomas had a meeting later that day at the Katuba Stake center (they can drive now and had tried to go there the night before, but got lost…), so we went there first just to make sure he knew how to drive there. It was more complicated as the road was closed over the river as they are making a new channel under the road.

So we drove to Katuba and attended Priesthood and RS there, then drove to Ruashi for sacrament meeting. President Thomas was asked to speak.

This week Elder Hamilton of the Area Presidency visits and we head to Bujumbura on Friday. Busy week for both as it is transfer week (have been out all day moving elders).

President Thomas speaking in Ruashi Ward, with an interpreter: he is speaking French while it is being interpreted into the local language (French is the language used by the elite and government, there are lots of local languages/tribes)

Two girls selling stuff at the airport. We didn’t buy anything from them, but bought them some bananas to eat.

Typical water tank set-up at missionary apartments. Whenever the water is on it can fill the tank for use later. The water comes into the house when running (sometimes) but most of the time they have to use buckets for baths, washing clothes, cleaning, etc.

Typical Lubumbashi traffic. This is a two lane road… notice there are at least four cars going the same direction (no one can come the other way as the whole street is blocked!); the same is true in the cross-traffic…so we sit here. And yes, there is a policeman in the middle somewhere, but doesn’t seem to be doing any good.

 

North trip pics

Here are some more pics of our northern trip.

Mbuji Mayi

The President’s counselor keeps some animals near his home.

Not sure what happened with this vehicle. It broke down before coming over the border and into the city. The police began yelling at the driver, tried to pull him out of the vehicle, and got the other people walking the route involved. After lots of time yelling, they finally let him go…well…they let him push their car up the road a ways. They finally stopped, got under the car and were able to fix it someway. They got everyone out to push-start the car, and they were on their way again.

There is no such thing as an overloaded truck!

In the Congo, they use their head as a tool–it frees their hands for other work

Lots of people come down to the river to get water and wash clothes, as it is very difficult to get water in the city.

 

Farewell to the Soeurs

Yesterday we had a farewell for five sister missionaries. They had a testimony meeting and then dinner with the President and Sister Thomas. All the couples were invite to the testimony meeting. Terri and I were the only ones that came, as we knew the sisters well (they had been out about the same time we have been), and the other couples are relatively new.

Here are some picks of the sisters singing one last song after their testimonies, before dinner.

The five Sister missionaries ready to go home! Not sure if it is the same in the States, but here the sisters have to get their hair done and wear their best dresses before going home!

President and Sister Thomas with the fab five

Here are a few pics of the girls with Terri and I

After the testimony meeting, we left and went to dinner with the other couples, while the President and Sister Thomas had an intimate dinner with the sisters.

Today we take the sister to the airport to send them home to Kinshasa. Then we come home to finish packing for our trip North tomorrow with the Thomas’.

A traveling we go

We are going to have a busy few weeks coming up. Tomorrow the Thomas’ have their first ‘farewell’ testimony meeting and dinner as 5 sisters go home. Then we travel with the Thomas’ to Mbuji Mayi on Sunday to begin a week-long trip through the northern part of the mission: Mbuji Mayi, Mwene Ditu, Luputa, Ngadajika, and back to Mbuji Mayi.

The next week Elder Hamilton comes for a visit, and then we travel with the Thomas’ to Bujumbura, through South Africa for about a week. Then we have a little more than a week and Elder Ellis arrives for a mission tour—he plans to travel to all the places we just finished seeing…

The next week the Drapers (a new senior couple) arrive (about August 25) and Terri and I have to start training them prior to our leaving. New missionaries/transfers are the next week.

Very busy and full of activity. Just like we like it!

Thomas’ testify at Luano

This Sunday we took the Thomas’ to our favorite ward here in Lubumbashi, Luano. As will be common for them, they were asked to speak to the congregation to introduce themselves.

Sister Thomas went first, with President Thomas interpreting. She promised that the next time she visited she would speak to them in French (she has made this promise before…). She bore a quick testimony in English.

Then President Thomas spoke, with Sister Thomas by his side. He told them where they were from and a little about them, then bore his testimony.

They are taking their first steps in a very long road. It is inspiring to see their determination and dedication. The McMullins left their mission in good hands, and it will be wonderful and exciting to see the growth that will occur during their time serving the Lord!

Mission Home Complexity

Although living in the Mission Home complex is a blessing, it can also come with its ups and downs (in fact the smaller complex the other couples live at has more consistent power and water than we do!).

When we left for Likasi and Kolwezi the water pump had gone out. That meant that even though we had water, we had no water pressure. That’s ok for those living on the ground floor–at least they get some water, even though you can’t get a shower you still get water out of the taps. Upstairs where we live above the Mission Office we get nothing!

When we arrived back at the Mission home we all looked forward to power and water, etc., as the pump had been fixed. However, the next day we were getting no water or water pressure. I thought the pump had failed again, but it turned out that we had no water! The city water had failed for several days and our large water tanks had run out also. So none of us had water to do anything. Fortunately we keep emergency bidons of water in the house for just such and emergency (to take bucket baths and flush toilets).

We have a good well on the property but the owner keeps buying cheap pumps that continue to burn out, so we didn’t have that option either. The last resort (that we have used numerous times before) is to buy water. A large water truck comes to the complex and pumps water into the tanks. This will last a few days (as long as the guards don’t forget and begin to water the lawns and wash cars, leaving the water to run!).

These are the tanks for the complex (that feeds 4 homes, two apartments, the office and the depot), also the large generator (that powers 2 homes, two apartments, the office and the depot), and the small white back-up generator for the Mission Home when all else fails.

here is the water truck parked on the street feeding water to the tanks.

As you can see, we have to have back-ups for our back-ups so we can keep working. And we have it so good here! Most missionary apartments have little or no power (so we install solar panels to at least give them light at night and enough power to charge their phones and emergency lights), and most have water to the property, but not into the house (there is never enough water pressure to give them water into the house, so they fill bidons or buckets with water and carry them into the house to use–bucket baths every day!). Some have to carry water from a distance or buy water, as there is no water even to their yards.

Water and power, the two things that drive most economies, and the two things the Congo has the most problems with. If you want to help Africa, they have food, they have clothes, they don’t have power, water, or basic roads and infrastructure–all of which usually take lots and lots of money to solve, and even more money to maintain.

Unfortunately, much of the aid coming to the Congo (and I assume other areas of the world for that matter), eventually goes to waste due to the second half of the equation: maintenance. Wonderful water and power projects go in, but then, in time, fail and become unusable due to lack of maintenance (a result of lack of knowledge and money to provide the maintenance). Let me give you some examples:

When we lived on Tinian in the Northern Mariana Islands they powered their islands with diesel generators. The one on Tinian was pretty good as it was installed to power the casino on the island. But the one on Saipan, next door, was built just after WWII. They have no money to buy a new one and have to hire foreign workers to run the plant because few on the island have the knowledge to do it. The same would be true for any other technology brought to the islands–it would be brought be foreigners, run and maintained by foreigners, or not at all.

When we traveled aboard the USNS Mercy (twice) one of the biggest projects accomplished by NGOs from the ship was to fix all the broken pieces of equipment that had been donated to governments and medical clinics, only to become useless due to lack of money and training how to fix the things they received. In place after place there were medical equipment, generators, and other specialty equipment that had been donated by caring people–simply sitting idle in a closet or hallway because something had broken and they did not have the knowledge or money to fix it. So a group from the ship would come and fix the equipment and attempt to train someone on how to maintain it. But over time the same thing happened–the equipment would break and no one would know how to fix it, or the part would be too expensive, so the machine gets stored or scrapped.

Every country we have served in around the world (six and counting) have had the exact same problems: power, water, lack of maintenance/money.

For example, in Cambodia we installed solar powered water pumps in the new wells we dug in an attempt to provide sustained water without maintenance. There is a deep well, an electric pump, and a storage tank. The solar panel runs the pump which takes the water from the well and fills the tank. They can then use the water from the tank. These solar wells will run maintenance free for some time…but eventually will fail due to the same problem: no one knows how to fix them and/or has the money to do so!

The LDS Church has seen and recognized this problem and has  now instituted a rule regarding major projects that insists upon a portion of the funds used to build the project to be put in a bank account for maintenance (say 10%). Time will tell how well that will work. It is a great idea in theory, but one never knows until you see it in practice whether or not it will work.

For example, the large LDS water project in Luputa is beginning to fail due to lack of proper maintenance (for both the same reasons–no one knows how to fix the problems, and if they did know, they do not have the money to fix them…). The church tried to solve this problem by setting up a ‘water committee’ to charge and collect fees from those using the water. The fees were charged (about 5 cents per bidon of water) and collected by the water committee. The money collected was to be used to maintain the water project. And it worked for a while…but now the money has disappeared.

It is a constant battle and discussion among NGOs and governments who desire to aid those in need: how do you help people in a way that will be sustainable? It is an obvious adage that you must help them help themselves (teach them to fish rather than giving them a fish)…but how does one actually go about doing that?

Another adage is appropriate here: you can lead a horse to water but cannot make him drink! No matter how much aid we give people, if they cannot develop the knowledge base, desire, and economic ability to continue the programs and aid they have been given, the situation will always return to where it was before.

The Congo is making great progress. We see it here every day. But it is very slow, and does not, perhaps cannot, match the progress of those around them. As a result, the aid that is given to them (and others) must be done with a lot of understanding and foresight.

One solution is to match any aid to the knowledge base and economic level they are already at. In practical terms this means that you do not bring new technology into the country if they do not already have the knowledge base and economic system to maintain it. For example, you do not build a ‘modern’ building and/or facilities that they cannot hope to maintain (whether due to lack of knowledge or lack of money). You build them a building with local material, using local means and methods that they have the knowledge, material, and money to be able to maintain once you are gone.

Now, this is common sense, but may not feel very good to altruistic people. If all they can afford and know how to build are simple adobe buildings, and we simply aid them to build more of the same, are we doing them any good? Or, if we don’t give them modern medical equipment, or other technology, how can they progress? Don’t we want to lift them up rather than keep them where they are?

But what is the alternative? Spending millions of dollars on buildings, facilities, medical equipment, etc., that in a few months or years simply becomes unusable due to lack of proper maintenance? How does that help them in the long run? And in the meantime we have spent precious resources that might have been used for other purposes that would create long-term results.

Quite a difficult conundrum, don’t you think?

Just a reminder of the difficulty of helping those in need: a subdivision of beautiful western style homes that were built to pull a village up and out of their poverty. Millions of dollars and time was spent through the simple, yet powerful desire to help. Yet ALL of these homes sit empty. Why? Because the villagers  choose to live in their mud huts, in the same way they have been living for thousands of years. The new homes make them uncomfortable–they don’t understand how to build them, how to maintain them, and they do not fit their lifestyle. An incredible waste of time and money, that was spent in the most honest and loving way by people who simply wanted to help.

But wanting to help, and spending money and assets to help, is not the same as actually helping! If you cannot find a way to help people that will create long-lasting results, then why do it?

Two small projects that we have seen work here are:

1) providing foot-powered sewing machines and training to local women who create clothes for their families and then sew clothes to sell. It doesn’t cost much and is self-sustaining. The machines can be purchased locally and they can be repaired locally.

2) Crocheting bags out of plastic sacks. This is a project started by Sister Wright and has continued with great success here in the Congo. Women are given crocheting hooks and taught how to turn plastic sacks (very plentiful and cheap here) into beautiful handbags. Again, simple, self-sustaining, and available locally.

A few Relief Society women showing off their handywork.

A new couple from the States, the Davis’, are here on a humanitarian mission. One of the interesting projects they are developing is a small foot bridge. When they gathered with a group of church an community leaders and asked them what the LDS Church could do for them, their answer was a little surprising. It wasn’t power or water or some large project that we in the states might ‘assume’ they needed and wanted…it was a simple foot bridge. There is a small stream that divides two communities that need to be crossed daily. At this time they are using the back of an old flat-bed truck for a bridge. As the wood has since rotted, they have to tight-rope walk across the steel frame to get from one side to the other. a new foot-bridge would be practical, simple, and easily maintained…as well as having a profoundly positive influence on two large communities that would use the bridge every day.

The key to the Davis’ success in this process was refusing to ‘assume’ anything about the people they want to help. Instead of coming here and ‘telling’ the local people what they were going to do (such as put in a well, or build a building, etc.), they asked them what they wanted! What a novel idea! Perhaps the NGO that built all of those beautiful homes that now sit empty might have had a different result if they would have gone to the Elders of the village and asked them what they wanted, instead of assuming what they needed, or imposing upon them what they thought they needed. Instead of empty homes they might have been able to give them something they still would be using today.

OK, I’m off my soapbox. We are having a great time, and sharing this wonderful experience with others who have consecrated their time, talents and fortunes to be here (the senior missionary couples pay their own way to come here to serve!). And even though it is difficult at times (think no power and water), it is a small sacrifice to make for the life-changing experience one receives. No one leaves the Congo unchanged!

Terri and I will be leaving all too soon (end of September?), leaving space for others to come fill our shoes. Why not YOU !?

The Thomas’ travel to Likasi & Kolwezi

This week we traveled with the Thomas’ to Likasi and Kolwezi. It was a great trip, with a few hiccups due to the aggressive police and numerous road-blocks that have been set-up to catch people who have not paid the tax on their vehicles.

We started out on Tuesday by leaving about 8 am for Likasi. We drove without incident, making it through a couple of road-blocks (we always have our taxes paid and the right stickers on the car), and arrived at the Likasi District Center about 10 am. President Thomas started interviewing missionaries while Terri did her medical thing with them (answering questions, giving out meds, etc.). Sister Thomas sat inside and talked with some of the missionaries (she practiced her French and they practiced their English!).

Likasi Stake Center

New water tower that is being prepared (every church in the Congo needs one of these!

We attempted to go see the local hospital and confirm that they accepted the new Aetna insurance, but were stopped at yet another road-block. This time they would not let us pass, attempting to get us to pay them money. Finally I saw the opportunity and simply backed up, turned around, and went the other way.

Picture of the Likasi choir that was on their board.

We also saw a new potential missionary apartment, and inspected the security at one of the local sister apartments (they had some things stolen from the yard and wanted to be sure they were secure). They were very secure, with bars on all the doors and windows. But to make sure we changed all the padlocks for new ones.

After the President was done with his interviews we went to the local ‘Relax’ hotel to eat and sleep. We had a great dinner, and had even ordered dessert: crepes Suzette (it was on the menu!). After dinner they brought out the dessert we had anxiously waited for. Well, you can tell by the picture what Congo ‘crepes Suzette’ looks like!

The next day we ate breakfast and headed to Kolwezi. Again having to go through several police stops. One I simply took a side road around the road-block, and two others were not manned at the time we passed. But as we neared Kolwezi they had another one that was manned by lots of police, and they were determined to get money out of us one way or another. They kept pointing at a 2013 Lubumbashi parking sticker, saying it was out of date and they wanted $105 to let us pass. Of course, they were just trying to find any excuse to get money out of us. The sticker was not out of date (it is good for a year and was not due to be renewed for two months) and was only good/used in Lubumbashi, NOT Kolwezi! But that was neither here nor there, they wanted their money! We offered them about $10 in Congolese francs, but that was not enough. I then wrapped the wad of francs with a $20 and told the President to try that (he was the one talking to them). They finally accepted that and let us go through.

We dropped our stuff off at the hotel and then went to the District Center so that President Thomas could begin interviewing elders. While he was doing that, we went to buy some fruit and water for the elders, and also helped truck bidons of water from the church to their apartment (they had been out of water at the apartment for some time and had been carting bidons to the church to fill them with water, then carting them back).

That night we had another great meal at the hotel and went to bed. The next day we traveled all the way from Kolwezi to Lubumbashi (about 4 hours). We got through the first road-block ok (where we had to pay the money the day before), but the next one I had to do some fancy driving! I saw the police ahead of me so I pulled off to the side of the road and waited for another car to get in front of me. As we both neared the stop, with three police blocking the road, we both began pulling over to the side of the road, and as we did the police began to move off the road also…my chance to gun the car, swerve to the other side, and drive around them! A little later the car that had acted as a ‘blocker’ for me passed us, and as they did the passenger gave us the thumbs-up sign…

We got back to Lubumbashi without further incident, passing other road-blocks, and one large serious accident. We were happy to be back…and while we were gone they had fixed the water pump for the mission home: water pressure and hot water! Woo hoo!

The Transition Continues

It is truly a fascinating and hectic time for Terri and me. We get to be the proverbial ‘fly on the wall’ with this change-over of mission presidents, and we get to travel with the Thomas’ for their first month or so to aid them in getting around and getting to know the area.

Yesterday we went to church in Kasumbalesa. It is a 1 ½ hour drive to get there, but was easy to find. It is a church that we have not been to before. It is one of the typical Congo branches that are in a converted home just off of the main street. We stayed after church to see the baptism of four people.

local neighborhood bird house

This is the front of the Kasumbalesa church, off the main road through the city to the Zambia border

a small annex with extra classrooms and storage in the back

the baptism font

the clerks office

they are blessed to have both water and a large storage tank

they have their baptismal font in the back of the building

the toilets for the branch

a rear annex

Terri and Sister Thomas with two of our local missionaries

the Relief Society and primary building (an annex)

The four people being baptized at kasumbalesa

Terri with members of the Kasumbalesa branch

Sister Thomas bearing her testimony to the congregation, using one of our missionaries as her interpreter.

President Thomas speaking to the congregation

Priesthood class, Kasumbalesa

President and Sister Thomas with the Kisanga Zone, Lubumbashi

Tomorrow we travel to Likasi with the Thomas’ and stay overnight at the ‘Relax’ hotel; then the next day we travel to Kolwezi and stay at the ‘hacienda’ hotel (the one that looks like the Flintstones). On Thursday we travel back to Lubumbashi.

Next week is a small transfer week, with 5 missionaries going home and a few moving around.

Terri and I held a staff meeting and warned everyone that we would begin to delegate to others what we do now, so we can gradually train other people prior to our leaving. We had a three page list of things we do that someone else will need to pick-up when we leave.

Technically we have less than two months left, but we have been asked to stay until some replacements come. Time will tell what exactly that means. Until we actually see someone that is assigned to the mission (not just rumors from friends), we won’t have an exact time-table for going home.

But, we actually expected this and had planned for it. Besides, we are having fun being able to participate in the change-over. We will get at least one more chance to travel to all of the outlying places: Mbuji Mayi, Mwene Ditu, Luputa, Lusuku, Ngandajika, etc., and see people we have come to know and love. The only place we will not be able to see again is Kananga, as that has been officially transferred to the Kinshasa mission. I would have liked to have seen Louis again (the FM rep) but I’m afraid that will not be possible.

We have almost finished finding new apartments, so for at least a year or more all they will need to do is maintain the places we have found. We just have two more to complete: Luputa and Ngandajika. And I will see both of those when we travel there in two weeks.

We are working hard and are enjoying the work. All the new couples are also working hard and picking up the slack on the things Terri and I have to leave undone as we work with and travel with the Thomas.’ Now we are just hoping an adventurous couple will come to take our place!

Kipushi

Here are some pics of Kipushi:

Remember, it is officially the ‘dry’ season–no rain. After the rainy season ended one day in April (the winds came and the rain stopped), it WILL NOT rain again–not a drop–until November or December! So, lots of dirt, LOTS of dust, and as things dry out, the locals begin burning all of their trash, leaves, etc., adding to the dust/smoke in the air.