Updated Plans for the DR Congo

Rev. Mufika called Thurday evening to indicate that our Friday flight to Kolwezi had been re-scheduled from 3pm to 9am. This meant we had to leave the next morning for the Congo border at 6am. We started to prepare on this basis, but then I realized the numbers didn't add up. Leave at 6am. 90 minutes to the border. An hour by cab into Lubumbashi. Another 20 minutes out to the airport. This wasn't going to work. We tried to contact Rev. Mufika to clarify, but could not reach him (a common Zambian occurrence.)

John Kerr, my host, called "Joseph" in the Congo who had bought the tickets. We didn't even know the name of the airline. We managed to determine the airline -- ITAB Air. But no flight number. Tried to look up flight on internet -- unsuccessful.

Joseph called back -- his information was that the flight was leaving not at 9:00am but at 8:30am, with us supposed to be at the airport at 7:30am and the border opening at 8:00am. We decided not to try to make the Friday flight.

(The scuttlebutt on Friday was that a government official had commandeered the plane to go electioneering, and this was the cause for the sudden and drastic schedule change.)

Our current plans are to leave by car for Lubumbashi on Saturday. We'll stay in Lubumbashi over the weekend, and be in the Congo for the Monday flight to Kolwezi. We'll probably stay seven days, and return on Monday February 27th.

Lubumbashi is the former Elizabethville; apparently it has retained some of its European flavour and charm, albeit in a run-down kind of way. There's a theological college there, so I may have a chance to visit it and perhaps even do a guest lecture or something-or-other.

Then on to Kolwezi on Monday. I've stocked up on peanut butter and crackers, Harvest Crunch (brought from Canada), dark chocolate bars, and some honey, so I should be OK. I'm going to try to take a fan with me to help with the nightime heat and humidity.

The pastors in Kolwezi need solid teaching, and I hope to be able to bring a refreshing drink of water to them in the name of Him who is the water of life.

I picked up a Zambian bottle opener for St. George's Anglican Church in Montague, PEI. You have to see it. It's a block of wood carved into an elephant, with two screws acting as the opener. I'll look forward to sharing it with the saints of Montague upon my safe return.

I appreciate you remembering me, and the people of Zambia and the DR Congo, in your prayers.