So, for those of you who have not heard - I was hospitalized last week!
Don't worry - I'm fine!
In fact, it took 4 separate issues to bring me all the way down - malaria, typhoid, hypertension and a bacterial infection.
The people in the hospital couldn't believe that this was the first time I had ever been in the hospital in my life!!!!
They took really good care of me and I'm doing well! I finish up my pills today!
Thank you for your love and support and you will hear more from me soon!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Driving in the Dark!
Interesting night last night -
We went to eat at Cafe' Hellinique and I was beyond excited with the fact that I got a fresh salad!
Well, we were on our way home and the van is broken down so we had to take motos. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal except it was after dark. We've heard stories of guys taking off with girls on motos after dark, because people can't see as well and do anything about it. Well, normally this doesn't even enter into my mind as a reason to worry.Of course, I temporarily forgot where I am - Africa.
So, we are all in a row going home and my moto driver doesn't follow the other motos with my friends on them - he continues on down the road. I then scream "Atcha!" Which is Stop! I swing my arm out and start yelling "A Gauche" which is "to the left" in french. Well, finally my moto driver takes the hint and realizes everyone else is not in front of us anymore.
Unfortunately, we are out of gas as well. So he pulls over to by gas from a street vendor. Then he realizes that he is even farther away from the other "wazungus" and he starts to worry. A lot of time the drivers forget that I know Swahili and they'll start talking not realizing that I understand them. So my driver starts freaking out. He says "I'm gonna get in trouble for taking this muzungu woman. They are going to capture me and put me in prison. I better get her there faster." And so he speeds up, trying to catch up to the others, but they are long gone.
The problem now becomes me staying on the back of the bike, because we are flying over these large bumps in the road and I am bouncing up and down on the back like a rag doll. Normally, the drivers go slow, but he was so worried about what they would do to him if they didn't get me home!So, of course me bouncing up and down on the back made me burst out laughing like crazy.
So now the driver thinks that I am laughing at him getting into trouble instead of laughing at me trying to hold on. This makes him even more scared because he thinks that I am excited that he is going to get in trouble. The moto driver now gets scared because he thinks now that maybe Grant is my husband. Well, if any of you have seen the pictures of Grant yet, you will know that Grant is a football player and as the Congolese are unusually small people anyway - he looks even bigger. So now the driver is terrified that Grant is going to beat him up and now I'm laughing even harder at the thought because Grant is a big teddy bear!
Finally, I get calmed down enough to tell the driver "Iko sawa sawa, hakuna matada! Tunarudi nyumbani sasa" Which is "It's fine, no worries! We return to my home now."The funniest thing of all, was that the others barely even noticed that I had deviated. The guy didn't have to worry about Grant beating him up!
All in all, it was an adventure of a night!
We went to eat at Cafe' Hellinique and I was beyond excited with the fact that I got a fresh salad!
Well, we were on our way home and the van is broken down so we had to take motos. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal except it was after dark. We've heard stories of guys taking off with girls on motos after dark, because people can't see as well and do anything about it. Well, normally this doesn't even enter into my mind as a reason to worry.Of course, I temporarily forgot where I am - Africa.
So, we are all in a row going home and my moto driver doesn't follow the other motos with my friends on them - he continues on down the road. I then scream "Atcha!" Which is Stop! I swing my arm out and start yelling "A Gauche" which is "to the left" in french. Well, finally my moto driver takes the hint and realizes everyone else is not in front of us anymore.
Unfortunately, we are out of gas as well. So he pulls over to by gas from a street vendor. Then he realizes that he is even farther away from the other "wazungus" and he starts to worry. A lot of time the drivers forget that I know Swahili and they'll start talking not realizing that I understand them. So my driver starts freaking out. He says "I'm gonna get in trouble for taking this muzungu woman. They are going to capture me and put me in prison. I better get her there faster." And so he speeds up, trying to catch up to the others, but they are long gone.
The problem now becomes me staying on the back of the bike, because we are flying over these large bumps in the road and I am bouncing up and down on the back like a rag doll. Normally, the drivers go slow, but he was so worried about what they would do to him if they didn't get me home!So, of course me bouncing up and down on the back made me burst out laughing like crazy.
So now the driver thinks that I am laughing at him getting into trouble instead of laughing at me trying to hold on. This makes him even more scared because he thinks that I am excited that he is going to get in trouble. The moto driver now gets scared because he thinks now that maybe Grant is my husband. Well, if any of you have seen the pictures of Grant yet, you will know that Grant is a football player and as the Congolese are unusually small people anyway - he looks even bigger. So now the driver is terrified that Grant is going to beat him up and now I'm laughing even harder at the thought because Grant is a big teddy bear!
Finally, I get calmed down enough to tell the driver "Iko sawa sawa, hakuna matada! Tunarudi nyumbani sasa" Which is "It's fine, no worries! We return to my home now."The funniest thing of all, was that the others barely even noticed that I had deviated. The guy didn't have to worry about Grant beating him up!
All in all, it was an adventure of a night!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Choir Concert
On Sunday, the choir from UCBC - Ebenezer performed at CAP in Beni. We wanted to do a benefit for more music equipment. The whole concert was awesome because a lot of my Congolese friends got to come and see me sing in 4 different languages. I am excited about continuing my language development in lingala and french. It was fun to practice all of our Congolese dance moves as well! We raised over $500 for the music equipment - so it was all worth it!
I received a lot of compliments, but the best one of all came from my friend Noe'. He said, "April you just proved that you love us Congolese, by getting up there and singing and dancing the same way that we do!"
I received a lot of compliments, but the best one of all came from my friend Noe'. He said, "April you just proved that you love us Congolese, by getting up there and singing and dancing the same way that we do!"
Friday, May 29, 2009
Community Service
These are the four orphans: Muhindo, Kambale, Kambale, and Manda.The students of UCBC are required to do community service as part of their education here in Beni. One group of students went to visit orphans of the war here in the Congo. While they were there they discovered that the students didn't have anyone to ask for money to take their tests. Here for you to attend final exams you have to pay a fee for each test. Since the students were orphans, they couldn't ask their parents or family members for the money. So my students decided to take up a collection to help the students be able to take their finals. I was super excited to contribute and to see how my students saw a need and worked hard to meet it!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
A Message from my Boss
This is an e-mail my boss Honore' sent me - it touched me a lot so I thought I'd share it with you:
Hi Sister Furaha,Thank you for the BT topics 4 and 5. Beyond all, thank you for the greatwork that you are doing for the Kingdom of God: transforming young people to become transformers. The seeds that you have sawn and are still sawing willyield great fruits someday. The Bible says, 'Things that eyes have not seen,things that people have never imagined, things that the heart has neverthought of, He has prepared for those who trust in Him.' Out of what youhave sawn and are sawing, will come things that you cannot imagine.I just wanted to say thank you for all you are doing. God bless you!
Honoré
Hi Sister Furaha,Thank you for the BT topics 4 and 5. Beyond all, thank you for the greatwork that you are doing for the Kingdom of God: transforming young people to become transformers. The seeds that you have sawn and are still sawing willyield great fruits someday. The Bible says, 'Things that eyes have not seen,things that people have never imagined, things that the heart has neverthought of, He has prepared for those who trust in Him.' Out of what youhave sawn and are sawing, will come things that you cannot imagine.I just wanted to say thank you for all you are doing. God bless you!
Honoré
Friday, May 22, 2009
Letter from my students!
My three students decided to write a letter to my agency that got me here - United World Mission - and also to you, my friends who support me in my endeavor here. They are praying hard that I will be able to stay the full two years here to teach them - but right now with the current economic situation in America it might not be possible, because some of the people who intended to give to the cause of the Congo Initiative have not been able to. They asked me to send their plea out to you to see if you would be able to help via prayers or financial support. I promised them that I would send it out to you. Here are their words that brought me to tears:
John MUSAVULI. Student at UCBC in Theology Department.
I sincerely thank the UWM for sending April to us. She had been more than a good theology Professor for my class. She has been both a teacher and a friend to us. Moreover, she is serving the University by arranging books in our library. In addition, she joined us in chaplaincy ministry at the school.
April is one of the people that God has made and prepared so that they can build into my life. Her Biblical theology class has supported both me and my ministry. I am patiently waiting for her Hebrew and Church History classes. More than every other thing, her personality has been a great blessing in my life. So, I thank first of all God who prepared her, secondly, the team that sent her and then herself for her sacrifices.
Michel N’SINGOMA, student at UCBC in Theology Department
As God has good plan for who believes to him, so Miss April is the one that God made to contribute in my life through her own life, her education and her experience by sharing with us from the USA to Congo, especially at UCBC in the theology faculty.
Joel ASIIMWE, student at UCBC in Theology Department.
Hi, I am Joel, one of three students of Theology Department at UCBC.
I’m personally blessed and motivated by April’s who is more than a Professor for me. She’s such an inspiring person in my life. Her class is usually friendly and enjoyable.
Her teaching methodology is strategic because it let us interact with her and discussions among ourselves. Since I commenced studying, I’ve never got such a teacher or professor. Most than that, she’s member of the chaplaincy Comity and member of the Ebenezer Worship Team, which is the worship team of our University.
I thank God for her presence here at UCBC for she’s so much useful to the school. I also thank the UWM for sending April here for the mission that she has here among us.
As the DRC needs a hand for lifting it up and people who have desire to put even one stone on the reconstruction of Congo. Surely, what you’re doing for contributing to the construction of the DRC is great. What you’re doing is not in vain. You’re not sawing in the air. God is faithful to what you’re doing; he’ll repay you back in his right time and his right way.
Thank you.
John MUSAVULI. Student at UCBC in Theology Department.
I sincerely thank the UWM for sending April to us. She had been more than a good theology Professor for my class. She has been both a teacher and a friend to us. Moreover, she is serving the University by arranging books in our library. In addition, she joined us in chaplaincy ministry at the school.
April is one of the people that God has made and prepared so that they can build into my life. Her Biblical theology class has supported both me and my ministry. I am patiently waiting for her Hebrew and Church History classes. More than every other thing, her personality has been a great blessing in my life. So, I thank first of all God who prepared her, secondly, the team that sent her and then herself for her sacrifices.
Michel N’SINGOMA, student at UCBC in Theology Department
As God has good plan for who believes to him, so Miss April is the one that God made to contribute in my life through her own life, her education and her experience by sharing with us from the USA to Congo, especially at UCBC in the theology faculty.
Joel ASIIMWE, student at UCBC in Theology Department.
Hi, I am Joel, one of three students of Theology Department at UCBC.
I’m personally blessed and motivated by April’s who is more than a Professor for me. She’s such an inspiring person in my life. Her class is usually friendly and enjoyable.
Her teaching methodology is strategic because it let us interact with her and discussions among ourselves. Since I commenced studying, I’ve never got such a teacher or professor. Most than that, she’s member of the chaplaincy Comity and member of the Ebenezer Worship Team, which is the worship team of our University.
I thank God for her presence here at UCBC for she’s so much useful to the school. I also thank the UWM for sending April here for the mission that she has here among us.
As the DRC needs a hand for lifting it up and people who have desire to put even one stone on the reconstruction of Congo. Surely, what you’re doing for contributing to the construction of the DRC is great. What you’re doing is not in vain. You’re not sawing in the air. God is faithful to what you’re doing; he’ll repay you back in his right time and his right way.
Thank you.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Dancing Dancing Dancing!!!!
Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE to dance!!! Even the first time Bora (one of the teacher's here at UCBC) met me - he told me that he could tell that I love to dance! I said, "how do you know." He said, "because you can't stand still!" How right he was!!!
Luckily, I've had lots of opportunities lately! First of all, we had a going away party for Luke and I taught my three students and my boss the electric slide and the kid & play that night! Then, I taught the ladies at the women's center the chicken dance. This past weekend at English club, I taught the guys the electric slide! They begged me to make it a regular feature at English club - learn a different American dance every week! It's hilarious!
I've learned a few Congolese moves through being in the school choir - so maybe when I get home to the states - I'll teach you all some new dances!
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