Some of you may know the famous country singer, Johnny Reid and if you don’t, you should. He sings a lovely little song where a young girl and boy ask their parents how they will know who to love and marry when they grow up. The reply is, “you’ll just know”. There will be so many indicators that you won’t be mistaken. This describes my Congolese experience. I know I have hinted at this before, but I just know that my life here has to end sometimes and I also know that this is the time.

  I will always love Africa and Africans as I have come to know them. They have given me so much in love, hospitality and generosity. My greatest frustration is how to give back. Easiest of course is just to distribute my money, but that seems unsatisfying and so temporary. It costs me very little while the gifts I will again come home with have come at considerable sacrifice. 

  It is easy to become Congolese by tossing a plastic bag into the street, but much harder to become poor to understand and relate intimately to the poor. That is the spirit in which I would have to come back in and I doubt very much that I am willing.

  In the meantime, I made it back to Kinshasa today after a 10 hour daylight bus trip which I found very exciting. I have made that trip several times 45 years ago by motorbike but was fascinated that I remember none of the landscape. I had a warm shower on arrival and it felt so good. I had a salad for supper and it tasted good even though I'm not a salad person. At heart, I have to accept that I'm still a Canadian.