Ok, Brazzaville!
We left by train Friday after work. Julie, a Congolese friend and I. Julie and I were the only foreigners on the train. Sooo we did attract some attention.. I'm sure everyone was laughing at us.. I pulled out my yarn and knitting needles and started working on my mittens and of course was stuffing myself with american snacks for the first 2 hours. :)
It only took us 14 hours to get to Brazzaville by train! Whoohoo!! Long train ride. It was such a neat experience. :) We tried to sleep as much as possible.. But you know how that goes with travel by train or plane.. We were rubbish by 8 am. We were picked up by our congolese friends driver in the city and brought to a relatives house where we promptly cleaned up and took naps.. Yes.. I took two naps before the wedding.
The wedding was such an interesting experience. It was kinda hot and long. And I was really wishing I spoke the language so I could really understand what exactly was going on.
It seems the actual ceremony is really just the groom presenting gifts to the brides family. And the family can say yes this is good or no.. We want more from you.
Some examples of gifts?
A suit for the father of the bride(FOB), Shoes for FOB, Meters of gorgeous african fabric for MOB and aunts,Scarves, case of coca cola, many bottles of whiskey, and I think there was food and more money also..
Then the brides family gave gifts to the other family. So a lot of exchange and talking about it and making jokes too(there was an MC).
Then after a long time.. they send a taxi to look for the bride to bring her to the groom. When I say Taxi, I mean a lady grabs a trash can lid and pretends to drive a car around the room making car noises.. Dead serious. This was a fun wedding. :)
So then after the taxi brings back the wrong lady(you can volunteer to be the wrong lady) she gets the bride and all her bridesmaids make a train behind her and they trail out around the room to some music.
The women in the family all wear dresses made from the same African fabric. And even some guys too. Then some people from the grooms family dress in the same fabric or color. The brides family was pink and grooms was green.
All the women here put a lot of effort into hair. There are beauty salons on EVERY cornor. They must look at our boring hairstyles and feel bad for us. :)
So the women look gorgeous and especially the bride. Similar to our weddings in that way.
Then there is not so much a ceremony(keep in mind this is not a Christian). The bride gives a drink to her husband, father, mothers brother and then his father. The drink is an agreement of the family that the bride can marry the man with their blessing. Does that make sense? I hope my writing is not confusing.
Then after all that everyone eats!
Our hosts family treated us so nice! I was blown away by their hospitality!
Great experience!
The next morning we traveled around Brazzaville to see the heart of the city where Brazzaville founded ,by some guy something De Brazza.
They have a beautiful monument set up in the heart of Brazzaville with lovely landscaping.
After that we went to a site where we could see The Congo river and across the river was the DRC(Democratic republic of Congo). Soooo cool! When I think back to elementary school I remember learning about the Congo river and now I can officially say I have seen it AND put my feet in it!
We sat by the river for a while at a restaurant. Then we headed back to the house where the wedding was held and hung out with the LOADS of people left over from the night before.
Then we headed out for the airport and flew home in 45 minutes to Pointe Noire. Funny it took us so long to get there and then super quick flight home.
So.. yep. Made it home safe!
Now this week has been fabulous and FUN!
I LOVE love love LOVE our crew. Dental seems to always get the best teams! Each team is just as wonderful as the last. Now we have a great group of singers in dental.
So morning worship/ devotions is so fun!
Last night we had HUGE rain storms causing a lot of flooding and come to find out this morning it was very serious and people died in the flooding. One of our dayworkers told me that it happens every year and children always die for not being able to swim. It is very sad. :(
Back to my story.
On the way to work this morning there was SO much flooding in the roads. Pointe Noire has NO drains or ditches or anything where the water can drain. Our normal road was flooded over and we had to discover new roads. It was the longest ride to work ever! But we had a marvelous time because we sang the whole morning. Funny how people from all over the world can know the same Sunday school songs. And of course I learned some new(to me) crazy Brittish songs. Ask me some day and maybe I will teach you one. Hehehe.:) When we got to the clinic our whole car was in a great mood to start the day. We had just sung and laughed our way to work.
I am sad that this team will be leaving eventually. Sigh* You make friends and then they leave.
That is the Mercy ships life.
Oh yes! We have a new dentist also this week! I've been alternating working with dentists. He is an INCREDIBLE oral surgeon! 10 seconds and the tooth is out. I'm impressed. He has been to Mercy ships about 20 times or something like that. Such a nice person as well.
And I now have a new job! Working with the long term dentist on the ship once a week! I'm seeing long term crew patients. Doing fillings and Root canals. yep! It's great to be in that world too!
Now a few photos. Below my friend and I with our hosts in Brazzaville!
And hanging out at the Congo River! :D
Tomorrow night after work all the crew and day workers get together for a praise and worship night on the dock! It should be loads of fun!
Love reading about your exciting experiences! What a wonderful opportunity to be helping other people. May God continue to bless your time with the Mercy Ship efforts.
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