As I was passing though the airport luxuries of Montreal and Paris, I began to wonder if I were ready for the primitiveness of the Congo. However, after stepping through the wall of heated water at the Kinshasa airport, it felt like homecoming. The airport was semi-modern, orderly in an African sense and I passed through without effort.
  My problems started during the taxi ride to the guesthouse I am staying at. All the taxi drivers knew exactly where I wanted to go, but once out of the road, I realized he didn't have a clue. The address was meaningless to him and he was just going on rumor and finally, asking anyone on the street who would listen. It cost me an extra 20 bucks because he used so much gas on my account.Anyways, a $95 taxi ride.
  This morning I went out cell phone shopping. I walked about a mile before I asked someone where I could buy one. I instantly has 2 guides, one of which took me to the right place and we/he bought the $25 phone with one of the several simm cards. He insisted we go to a restaurant to charge it up. We did, Patshely was his name, and while we each had a drink, the phone refused to charge. We took it back and exchanged it for another which did. I bought a 50 cent card which was good for 50 units of talking. I thought I was good for the month but on my first call to the MCC director here, I found that if you spend too much time saying 'hello', you don't have time on 50 units to say, 'goodbye'. I just got in now from buying another with 500 units. Presently, my friend Patshely is awaiting my call to arrange bus service between here and Kikwit. The 20 bucks I paid him for his service this morning has him wanting to accompany me all the way to Kikwit, the rascal.
  Tomorrow afternoon, I will meet with Sazanne Lind, the MCC co-director here together with her husband Tim who is in the States right  now. I also am trying to make contact with Pastor Picasa who just arrive from Kikwit. He will update me on lodging possibilities there. He is a leader of our Mennonite churches here.