Tuesday, July 28
Shopping in Lebamba for food and supplies is always an adventure for us. Joanna purchased some "cabbage" which looked like collard greens to us. She also bought sweet potatoes which look similar to the sweet potatoes we purchase from Wegmans. Bananas were available and Joanna bought some since the bananas on their trees are not yet ripe. We saw Efusa, Joanna's shop-owner Muslim friend, who helped us purchase the above produce. Cecado which is the four aisle supermarket in Lebamba had butter this week so Joanna bought 5 pounds at $5.00 per pound. The Island store had brown eggs this week and Luke bought 1/2 pound of nails there too. Still no bottled gas but diesel fuel for their Toyota Landcruiser was available and Joanna bought some to replenish their two tank supply at a "full service" gas station which means they pump the gas; no self service available.
Saw many goats in the roads, many hens and chicks and lots of roosters running free. Joanna tells us that everyone knows who owns which ones.
Luke & Sarah slept over with us in our apartment in Triplex One. We had pasta with red sauce but no cheese (Aden, we thought of you!). Played a couple of rounds of Uno; had three desserts (1/4 Hershey Chocolate bar, twizzler, and a Gabonese fried dough ball) and went to bed late.
Wednesday, July 29
Slept in late. Had breakfast in our apartment with L&S. Began reading a couple of Luke's school books aloud with both L&S.
Checked in with the research fishermen again. Got a tour of their equipment and some of their recently caught specimens. They gave L&S 3 fish each to add to their tanks and a special Cornell lab tee shirt showing the electric fish including the one named after Bongolo!
As we continue to interact with the missionaries and the residents, we become more amazed at what God is doing in this place. By God's grace, lives are being changed; folks are coming to the Lord and people are treated for their diseases and injuries at the hospital.
Most nights after L&S go to bed between 7:30 and 8, we are able to spend some time with Joanna & Keir. It is a great time for us to share what is going on at home with our family, our church, our friends and with us personally. We hear stories about some of the joys and challenges they have been through. We treasure these times.
Thursday, July 30
The painting project has started! Dave, Michel, Luke and Joanna began painting the shed on the property. It ann the house will be a beautiful yellow on the top half with brown at the bottom. Four pints of yellow tint were required to change the color of 3-1/2 gallons of white paint... much more than anticipated. The sides of the house required a little more work as Dave endeavored to tape newspaper up at the windows to lessen drips, spills, etc.
Paul & Meladee invited us all for a dinner of bar-b-qued chicken on the grill. We enjoyed getting to know them. They are among the newbees on the station and hail from Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Paul is the new maintenance supervisor.
Friday, July 31
The second truck arrived with the remainder of the food order from the container. Christmas in Bongolo in July! Most everything arrived including enough peanut butter to feed an army! Plus a recliner, a sofa, cake and brownie mixes galore, a table saw, a welder and some medical office equipment and of course, the canned and dried goods for all the missionaries for the next 12 months. The distribution went smoothly with the new system.
Back to the painting project! Dave, Michel and Luke painted in the morning. Dave has a new system for covering the windows and trim; he's using masking paper now that was left by previous short term missionaries.
Joanna, Sarah & Diann drove into Lebamba to purchase more yellow tint. Four stores later we had the required number of bottles to finish the job (we hope!).
Danny, the son of the hospital pastor, highschooler boy next door, rode home with us from shopping with his 50 pound bag of rice and a few groceries. We mentioned that we'd really like some lettuce and more "cabbage". He knew that Pastor Jean Marc had some. We stopped; Danny made the deal for us and even cut the produce fresh from the garden by the hospital. Later he joined the painting project.
In the afternoon, Jacqui came to teach Joanna & Diann how to prepare a porcupine. Fortunately, she had cleaned and cut it up earlier in the week and had frozen it. A lot of garlic and a two onions made the porcupine taste and smell delicious. Jacqui also brought mashed plantains which teamed well with the "cabbage" and the sweet potatoes. We had our first homecooked-in-the-Thelander-home Gabonese meal.
The Thelander house is a revolving door of folks coming and going with needs or just stopping to say hello. Tonight Keir got a call from the new opthamologist on the station, Dr. Wendy. She and hubby, Eric, have a rat in their attic pantry"...what should they do...". Someone else needs a repair on their computer and so it goes.
It is wonderful being here watching Luke and Sarah interact with their Gabonese friends and other MKs and with each other. They have matured so much since last year when we visited. Luke has lost 3 teeth and has a fourth one very loose. Sarah sings most of the day, just like her Aunt Deborah did at that age. They are a delight!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Village Adventures
Monday, July 27
Pastor Serge and Jacqui lead us on a trip to the village of Lekindeu which is about 2 hours from the Thelander home in Bongolo.
Along the way we stopped at a pygmy village and met the villagers there. Many of the people were in the jungle hunting or gathering food so we saw only about 15 people. Most were old men or women or small children. Pastor Serge and Jacqui had purchased soap, oil and salt in the Dakar store (which is just outside Bongolo) to bring to their friends in the village. The pygmies were delighted with the gifts and were so thrilled to have their friends visiting again. The pygmies are shunned in the larger villages and are not welcome in the cities. Pygmies are not allowed identification papers in Gabon.
The roads have been recently widen and graded so we made good time except for the stretches of large pot holes (2'X4'X1' on average) and washed out ridges.
We had to check in with the military police who had the road blocked; Pastor Serge vouched for us and we were allowed to pass without even showing our passport.
When we arrived at the home of friends of Pastor Serge and Jacqui, we were allowed to visit the enclosed kitchen with open fires where our lunch was being prepared. Jean Paul had been hunting in the early morning and brought in the gazelle which Suzanne (who was 8-1/2 months pregnant with their 8th child) skinned, cleaned and cut into small bone-in pieces. She then cooked the meat over the open fire in oil and onion. After the meat browned, Suzanne added water and cooked the meat till it was tender in the gravy.
While the gazelle was cooking, we drove to the village chief's home and checked in with his widow who was happy to see Pastor Serge and Jacqui. It is a custom to report to the village chief just in case we encounter any difficulties while in his village. If he knows we are there, he can protect us - otherwise maybe not.
Dave asked Pastor Serge to stop the vehicle so he could take a photo of a monkey for sale on top of a 55 gallon drum which was along the side of the road. The man refused to allow Dave to photograph his bush meat.
It is appropriate to ask the folks in Gabon for permission to take a photo of them or their belongings including their home and grounds. Most of our requests have been granted but not always as was the case today.
Dave was able to photograph a live monkey on a rope near the road in a neighboring village. The villagers had captured the mother and had her for dinner and have kept her infant monkey for over a year as a pet.
Lunch of gazelle, manioc which is a root vegetable and sweet potatoes was delicious. We were served on a white cotton table cloth in assorted bowls and given a spoon and fork. The table and chairs were on earthen floor on the porch of the home which had one exposed light bulb and a partially screened window. The gazelle was amazingly tasty; the manioc was rubbery and bland to our tastes and the sweet potatoes were sweet.
Our trip back included a stop by a Bongolo Hospital Dispensary in Dzende. The buildings were newly constructed masonary white stucco and were not occupied. We stopped by the nurses home and she was in the jungle tending her crops.
The ferry over the Louetsi River is slow moving and carries two vehicles at a time. A pick up truck was ahead of our two vehicle caravan. Thirty minutes after arriving we had been ferried across the river by a non-motorized 25 year old unit. Keir had taken a photo of the ferryman 2 years ago and promised to give him a copy. Keir made good on his promise today when he delivered two copies of the photo - one for each ferryman.
Arrived back at Hou]se 4 at 5:30 pm(we left at 10 am) in time for Joanna to prepare another wonderful meal for us.
We marveled during our adventure that our God who created the beauty of the jungles of Gabon is the same God who created Niagara Falls. Pastor Serge and Jacqui were amazed at Niagara Falls in November 2007. We were amazed today by the villages in the jungle of Gabon near Bongolo.
We have learned that you can subscribe to our blog and will be notified when we post an update. Just follow the prompts on the first page.
Pastor Serge and Jacqui lead us on a trip to the village of Lekindeu which is about 2 hours from the Thelander home in Bongolo.
Along the way we stopped at a pygmy village and met the villagers there. Many of the people were in the jungle hunting or gathering food so we saw only about 15 people. Most were old men or women or small children. Pastor Serge and Jacqui had purchased soap, oil and salt in the Dakar store (which is just outside Bongolo) to bring to their friends in the village. The pygmies were delighted with the gifts and were so thrilled to have their friends visiting again. The pygmies are shunned in the larger villages and are not welcome in the cities. Pygmies are not allowed identification papers in Gabon.
The roads have been recently widen and graded so we made good time except for the stretches of large pot holes (2'X4'X1' on average) and washed out ridges.
We had to check in with the military police who had the road blocked; Pastor Serge vouched for us and we were allowed to pass without even showing our passport.
When we arrived at the home of friends of Pastor Serge and Jacqui, we were allowed to visit the enclosed kitchen with open fires where our lunch was being prepared. Jean Paul had been hunting in the early morning and brought in the gazelle which Suzanne (who was 8-1/2 months pregnant with their 8th child) skinned, cleaned and cut into small bone-in pieces. She then cooked the meat over the open fire in oil and onion. After the meat browned, Suzanne added water and cooked the meat till it was tender in the gravy.
While the gazelle was cooking, we drove to the village chief's home and checked in with his widow who was happy to see Pastor Serge and Jacqui. It is a custom to report to the village chief just in case we encounter any difficulties while in his village. If he knows we are there, he can protect us - otherwise maybe not.
Dave asked Pastor Serge to stop the vehicle so he could take a photo of a monkey for sale on top of a 55 gallon drum which was along the side of the road. The man refused to allow Dave to photograph his bush meat.
It is appropriate to ask the folks in Gabon for permission to take a photo of them or their belongings including their home and grounds. Most of our requests have been granted but not always as was the case today.
Dave was able to photograph a live monkey on a rope near the road in a neighboring village. The villagers had captured the mother and had her for dinner and have kept her infant monkey for over a year as a pet.
Lunch of gazelle, manioc which is a root vegetable and sweet potatoes was delicious. We were served on a white cotton table cloth in assorted bowls and given a spoon and fork. The table and chairs were on earthen floor on the porch of the home which had one exposed light bulb and a partially screened window. The gazelle was amazingly tasty; the manioc was rubbery and bland to our tastes and the sweet potatoes were sweet.
Our trip back included a stop by a Bongolo Hospital Dispensary in Dzende. The buildings were newly constructed masonary white stucco and were not occupied. We stopped by the nurses home and she was in the jungle tending her crops.
The ferry over the Louetsi River is slow moving and carries two vehicles at a time. A pick up truck was ahead of our two vehicle caravan. Thirty minutes after arriving we had been ferried across the river by a non-motorized 25 year old unit. Keir had taken a photo of the ferryman 2 years ago and promised to give him a copy. Keir made good on his promise today when he delivered two copies of the photo - one for each ferryman.
Arrived back at Hou]se 4 at 5:30 pm(we left at 10 am) in time for Joanna to prepare another wonderful meal for us.
We marveled during our adventure that our God who created the beauty of the jungles of Gabon is the same God who created Niagara Falls. Pastor Serge and Jacqui were amazed at Niagara Falls in November 2007. We were amazed today by the villages in the jungle of Gabon near Bongolo.
We have learned that you can subscribe to our blog and will be notified when we post an update. Just follow the prompts on the first page.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
We Made it to Bongolo!
Wednesday - July 22
Got an email about 10 am stating that our Royal Air Maroc flight had been cancelled due to strikes in Casablanca and we were re-booked on Air France through Paris arriving in Libreville 7 hours earlier. This was good news to us since we were a bit concerned about the RAM flight from the start.
After closing the lids on our 12 pieces of luggage (that includes our carry ons and our personal pieces) we were ready to begin our journey to Bongolo!
Dave & Coralie arrived at 1 PM as planned. Jeff and Aden packed the pick up truck. After tearful goodbyes and long hugs, we were off to the Rochester International Airport!
Left Rochester with no problem; arrived & departed JFK with no problem (filled out the H1N1 form soon after departure - no email yet about swine flu).
Thursday, July 23 - 7 AM
Arrived & departed Paris with no problem; arrived Libreville at 5:45 PM - 40 minutes late which was still MUCH earlier than our original schedule.
Had a delightful dinner with the Straw family at the Christian Missionary Alliance Guest House; slept well and late.
Knowing we could not bring all our luggage on the Gabonese Airline flight, we pursuaded Carl Hopkins and his Cornell team of fish researchers (who would have thought!) to bring two trunks down to Bongolo when the came on Friday. The rest stayed back till the next truck comes down with part of the food from the container that just came out of port.
Friday, July 24
Breakfast was croissant and pain de chocolat! Left Guest House at 11 am for our 1 pm flight from Libreville to Mouila. Arrived Mouila to the waves of Luke & Keir at 3:15 PM. Immediately left for the 1 hour and 45 minute drive to House One at Bongolo. The roads were graded this year and the travel albeit still very rough was much more bearable than before. Joanna & Sarah and many of the missionaries and residents greeting us after our long journey.
Lovely dinner and time to visit with the Thelanders of Gabon; slept well and late after putting our things into Triplex Apartment 1.
Saturday, July 25
Grandpa made waffles for breakfast.
Dave, Keir & Luke toured the recently organized and revamped Maintenance Shop with the new Maintenance Supervisor, Paul, from Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
Sarah & Grandma played with paper dolls while Joanna prepared lunch and dinner. Grandpa and Luke cleaned some of L's tools that had rusted in the Bongolo humidity.
"Quiet Time" was a welcome period for us and we both took a short rest. The trip to Lebamba to buy bottled gas for the stove was cancelled because gas is not available. Speculation is that the folks in Libreville are hoarding the gas in anticipation of the upcoming election which may result in unrest and confusion.
Pastor Serge and Jacqui came for dinner at the Thelanders (Pastor Serge is the Bongolo Hospital administrator). It was fun to be with them again. They visited us in Rochester in November 2008. Pastor Serge has invited us to a village on Monday for a feast of bush meat and typical Gabonese dishes.
Must note here that our impressions of Gabon are still very similar to what they were when we first arrived in 2007. Beautiful people, beautiful landscape, amazing poverty and amazing wealth, devout Christians, friendly people, and Bongolo is very remote!
Sunday, July 26
Breakfast on your own (cold stale cereal, Welch's grape juice and toasted baguette or pumpkin bread). Attended Bongolo Church and witnessed the dedication of Petit Luc (the 3 month old son of Jean Claude and Christine - JC is a resident). Even though the singing, the speaking and the readings were in French and then translated into the local tribal language, we felt the presence of the Lord at the service. Note: We arrived after the service was one hour in progress and left after an hour; the service continued for yet another hour and 45 minutes.
Lunch with the Thelanders was Gouda Fondue with toasted baguette.
At 4 PM we celebrated with Jean Claude and Christine and Petit Luc and their friends and co-workers under a shelter at the Quadplex. Each of the residents spoke as did Keir and Dr. Dave, the 30 year surgeon here, and the pastors spoke as well. Great time of prayer and celebration including a power point presentation about the family. Great time of fellowship and refreshments including grapefruit soda.
After dinner L&S headed to bed after baths in their huge galvanized tub and the adults recapped the events of the day.
God has surely showed his mercy to us during our travels to Bongolo. Smooth flights, great connections, safety, and great Air France service for the longest leg of our flight.
We feel blessed to be here.
Got an email about 10 am stating that our Royal Air Maroc flight had been cancelled due to strikes in Casablanca and we were re-booked on Air France through Paris arriving in Libreville 7 hours earlier. This was good news to us since we were a bit concerned about the RAM flight from the start.
After closing the lids on our 12 pieces of luggage (that includes our carry ons and our personal pieces) we were ready to begin our journey to Bongolo!
Dave & Coralie arrived at 1 PM as planned. Jeff and Aden packed the pick up truck. After tearful goodbyes and long hugs, we were off to the Rochester International Airport!
Left Rochester with no problem; arrived & departed JFK with no problem (filled out the H1N1 form soon after departure - no email yet about swine flu).
Thursday, July 23 - 7 AM
Arrived & departed Paris with no problem; arrived Libreville at 5:45 PM - 40 minutes late which was still MUCH earlier than our original schedule.
Had a delightful dinner with the Straw family at the Christian Missionary Alliance Guest House; slept well and late.
Knowing we could not bring all our luggage on the Gabonese Airline flight, we pursuaded Carl Hopkins and his Cornell team of fish researchers (who would have thought!) to bring two trunks down to Bongolo when the came on Friday. The rest stayed back till the next truck comes down with part of the food from the container that just came out of port.
Friday, July 24
Breakfast was croissant and pain de chocolat! Left Guest House at 11 am for our 1 pm flight from Libreville to Mouila. Arrived Mouila to the waves of Luke & Keir at 3:15 PM. Immediately left for the 1 hour and 45 minute drive to House One at Bongolo. The roads were graded this year and the travel albeit still very rough was much more bearable than before. Joanna & Sarah and many of the missionaries and residents greeting us after our long journey.
Lovely dinner and time to visit with the Thelanders of Gabon; slept well and late after putting our things into Triplex Apartment 1.
Saturday, July 25
Grandpa made waffles for breakfast.
Dave, Keir & Luke toured the recently organized and revamped Maintenance Shop with the new Maintenance Supervisor, Paul, from Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
Sarah & Grandma played with paper dolls while Joanna prepared lunch and dinner. Grandpa and Luke cleaned some of L's tools that had rusted in the Bongolo humidity.
"Quiet Time" was a welcome period for us and we both took a short rest. The trip to Lebamba to buy bottled gas for the stove was cancelled because gas is not available. Speculation is that the folks in Libreville are hoarding the gas in anticipation of the upcoming election which may result in unrest and confusion.
Pastor Serge and Jacqui came for dinner at the Thelanders (Pastor Serge is the Bongolo Hospital administrator). It was fun to be with them again. They visited us in Rochester in November 2008. Pastor Serge has invited us to a village on Monday for a feast of bush meat and typical Gabonese dishes.
Must note here that our impressions of Gabon are still very similar to what they were when we first arrived in 2007. Beautiful people, beautiful landscape, amazing poverty and amazing wealth, devout Christians, friendly people, and Bongolo is very remote!
Sunday, July 26
Breakfast on your own (cold stale cereal, Welch's grape juice and toasted baguette or pumpkin bread). Attended Bongolo Church and witnessed the dedication of Petit Luc (the 3 month old son of Jean Claude and Christine - JC is a resident). Even though the singing, the speaking and the readings were in French and then translated into the local tribal language, we felt the presence of the Lord at the service. Note: We arrived after the service was one hour in progress and left after an hour; the service continued for yet another hour and 45 minutes.
Lunch with the Thelanders was Gouda Fondue with toasted baguette.
At 4 PM we celebrated with Jean Claude and Christine and Petit Luc and their friends and co-workers under a shelter at the Quadplex. Each of the residents spoke as did Keir and Dr. Dave, the 30 year surgeon here, and the pastors spoke as well. Great time of prayer and celebration including a power point presentation about the family. Great time of fellowship and refreshments including grapefruit soda.
After dinner L&S headed to bed after baths in their huge galvanized tub and the adults recapped the events of the day.
God has surely showed his mercy to us during our travels to Bongolo. Smooth flights, great connections, safety, and great Air France service for the longest leg of our flight.
We feel blessed to be here.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Excitement is building around here! We leave on July 22 for Bongolo!
Thank you for your prayers as we travel. This year we are going through Casablanca which has mixed reviews. God is in control even in Morocco! We are trusting Him to keep us and our belongs safe there and elsewhere as we go.
Down to the Wire! Our packing is coming along. We have 2 trunks that weigh 70 pounds each and one that weighs 50 pounds and we are working on the fourth trunk!
Thank you for your prayers as we travel. This year we are going through Casablanca which has mixed reviews. God is in control even in Morocco! We are trusting Him to keep us and our belongs safe there and elsewhere as we go.
Down to the Wire! Our packing is coming along. We have 2 trunks that weigh 70 pounds each and one that weighs 50 pounds and we are working on the fourth trunk!
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