Some of the nicest folk pass through this Guesthouse, some , you wonder why they ever came. Last evening, one of the American fellows, about 67 years old wanted a pop. He said he had never been outof the compound in the 4 days he has been here. He was afraid to go out and he spoke only English. I took him out across the street to the bar and ordered him an orange Fanta. The only one left in the freezer was a leeker, so he took a cream soda. As we were there, a young fellow was buying a case of pop to go and resell. He had 3 bottles of Fanta lined up on the table and 1 was 1/4 inch fuller than the other 2. He turned back the 2 because he figured he was being ripped off. I agreed with him and feel better about my new cell phone battery only lasting a day on a charge.
  I spent a couple hours with Topher and Jeannie's friend Evan last evening. Wow, nice house. Air conditioning, LCD tv, swimming pool and need I go on. Del, you wouldn't know you were in Congo. Down side is that his wife is ill and she is in Canada with their 2 kids and Evan only spends 2, three week periods with them twice a year.
  I walked to the French Mennonite Church this morning. I was wet with sweat when I got there. Nice church. Wonderful singing. Some years ago, a Congolese group of singers toured Canada and had a performance in Calgary. (I recall that). The group came from this church, so I had a link with some of them through that. I also got a bit more info of people in Kikwit. Del, you remember my counterpart, Nganga? He still lives there.
  Tomorrow morning I will find out if I have an plane ticket to Kiwit for Tuesday. I already, through Evan have a contact who will meet me at the airport and find me lodging. I have decided that if Tuesday doesn't work, I will wait till Thursday, the next flight. I will take the 10 hour, all night bus ride as a last resort. Apparently the bus used to be modern, but has evolved into 3 to a seat kind of unit. Ten hours of that seems too formidable at this point.
  I missed meals today, Sunday, but plan on heading out and buying something off the street later. I'm a bit disappointed on the variety of fruit I have seen. There are bananas, pineapples, avocados and a weird sort  of fruit most here don't know the name of and apparently isn't real tasty. No Mangoes or paipai.