Protection: Learning from the Elephants

This past summer Rod, Lydia and I had the great privilege of going on a safari in Masai Mara, Kenya.  We saw an abundance of animals.  In the Democratic Republic of  the Congo, where we live normally,  elephants are an endangered species. During our three day safari we saw an abundance of elephants including a herd of approximately 70 elephants all at once. We were so glad to see that the population was being protected

One of the things that facinated me about about these elephants was the way they protected their young.  Within each herd of 10 to 15 elephants there would be several young ones.  As we watched the young elephants, we would suddenly see that there was an even smaller little one hidden among them.  The complete family would make it their job to gather around and shelter the littlest one.  While I loved seeing the little tiny one, the family would guarantee that I only got small glimpses of that little one. 

The safari vans on the far side can't see the little one.

 If we came too near, the mother or a bull within the herd would make it clear that we were close enough and they wanted us to back away.
After visiting Masai Mara we went on to visit an elephant orphanage just outside of Nairobi, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/  Poaching is a big problem anywhere there are elephants.  The sad thing is that there have been rumors that there is healing power in the elephant and rhinoceros's  tusk so poachers are being paid great sums of money to harvest those tusks for cancer cure.  Apparently, the same cure can be made with synthetic chemicals and the elephants and rhinoceroses do not need to be killed for these chemicals.
Unfortunately, many will not listen to this reasoning and
 they are determine to get the tusks.
As a result, these elephants are hunted and they of course will give their lives to protect their young  At the orphanage we would hear stories of the mother sheltering her baby to her dying breath  Or of how the mother sent the baby somewhere for protection only for the baby to be caught and injured in a trap.  We also learned that the babies need to be kept warm at all times because they are subject to pneumonia.  Each  orphaned elephant is given its own blanket to wear at all times on its back to keep its temperature higher.  This is a simple substitute for the family continuously gather around this baby.
The family wasn't just protecting the babies from hunters and predators but they were also keeping that baby's temperature at the right level.





 Lately I read Psalm 91 which is a great comfort when you live in a country that is constantly dealing with war.  Recently we had friends evacuate from two different cities because of rebel activity.  I take comfort in the words,

 "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
 Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress,
 My God in whom I trust!
For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper
And from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His pinions,
And under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and a bulwark."
 Psalm 91:1-3

When I read this I am guessing that the author was thinking of a bird and its protection of its young.  But I am seeing those mighty elephants.  To stand in their shadow is a mighty thing.  My God is so much mightier and He is my shelter and my refuge.  Like the baby elephants, I don't run out and yell, "Nah, nah, nah, I have a mighty strong guard behind me." Instead, I stay in His shadow and close to Him for there is a shield and a bulwark that protects me.
Yes, I have faced troubles!  Living life brings those troubles but God does protect.  From rebel cross fire, to lightning strikes, to car accidents,  to walking over a black mamba, He guards and protects.  I don't go out hunting for those situations but when I end up in them, He is guarding. He is mightier than any bull elephant, any soldier, or any storm.  He is the Creator and Sustainer of all.

High School Musical

Opening Song!

The Cat and Jo Jo just had too much fun together!

Our Three Stars! JoJo-Lydia, Horton- J.D. Francis, The Cat in the Hat-Anna Abraham

Whether on the stage or off, these two enjoy a good argument!

One of our Great Directors: Sandy Francis did all the music!

Gertrude and her 100s of long songs to Horton.

The Cat enjoying a few moments during intermission with the audience

 The second act seems to have loaded before the first.

"This war is ridiculous, I quit"

Gertrude trying to get Horton to notice her with her long feathers.

The "Hunches" leading "JoJo" home

JoJo, alive and at home with his parents on Who!

Horton on trial and the Sour Kangaroo giving testimony

"We don't like Green Eggs and Ham"

My faithful man up in the booth with the Spot Light

Lydia as "The Boy" meets "The Cat in the Hat"

Whoville meets the Cat in the Hat

"Jo Jo" trying not to think but "The Cat" is able to tempt him.

Mr. and Mrs. Mayor at Whoville

Horton and Jo Jo "Alone in the Universe"

Jo Jo with his parents sending him off to The Military Academy

Mayzy and her egg talking Horton into giving her a break!

The TASOK High School has been putting on a musical this week and they have done a fantastic job.  I am posting pictures for Grandmas  and Grandpa to see.
They don't seem to want to load in order but you can enjoy the colors.  These students are fantastic! 

The Sound Man and our Pastor

Animals of the Congo

Glen and Rita's Turaco
Photo by Marilyn Gorenflo

Our first years in Congo were spent in the Ubangi which is in the northwest corner of the Democratic Republic of Congo.  There were many groups of people in that area.  The largest people group is the Ngbaka people.  They are known for being great hunters.  Therefore, we rarely saw wild animals around.  What we did see were baby animals after the mom’s were shot the hunters were capture the baby and bring it to the “white” people to sell to make some money.  Now I am not the a very good pet person in the world so I was not out to start a menagerie. The variety that came to our doorstep was amazing over the four years we were there.  We saw a pangolin, a dik-dik, a beautiful baby owl, a crocodile, a Cayman, and various other animals. 

Diker, we had one for a pet for a while

Bonobos at their best!

Since we moved to Kinshasa we are definitely living the city life but we have had some occasional interesting visits with animals.  Just outside of Kinshasa is "Lola ya Bonobo" (Bonobo Heaven).  Bonobos are the pygmy chimpanzees and many scientists say they are closest related to humans.  After visiting them I would like to put a disclaimer on any relationship there.They are endangered here in Congo and so a group began an orphanage that has grown over the years.  The Bonobo have an enclosed area that is very much their natural habitat but they can be observed, protected and cared for if they are sick.

The hippo is on the sand bar to the right of us.

 Another group of interesting animals we have visited are the hippos out in Vanga, where Lydia was born.  They roam up and down the river close to the mission station.  One day we were going for a swim in the river and our guide decided to show us the hippos first.   We paddled down river to a sand bar next to an island.  We saw a papa, mama and baby hippo.  Then our guide said, “You can swim here.”  Being from the city, I looked at my local missionary and he didn’t say anything so we cautiously proceeded to enjoy the water.  I kept my eye on the papa hippo that was standing on the far side of the sandbar.  The mama and baby had gone for a swim on the other side of him.  The whole time I had a contingency plan to grab my two kids that were with me and run for the island where people were working with machetes. 

Mazu
Photo by Marilyn Gorenflo

My favorite animal of all was Mazu, the Congo Clawless Otter.  Missionary friends, Glen and Rita Chapman, took Mazu in when she was a baby and raised her.  Rita, took Mazu to the river almost every day to swim and enjoy being an otter.  While we were visiting Mazu went swimming in the river with us.  There was a group of about eight of us and she enjoyed coming around and checking each of us out.  What surprised me was she had big teeth but loved to test our fingers with her mouth and never bit down.  Since I wore a skirt and Rita wore a skirt she occasionally mistook me for Rita in the water and would swim around my legs. 

Mazu checking out Lydia
Photo by Marilyn Gorenflo

So even though I am not an animal collector, over the years I have been able to enjoy a few of God’s beautiful creation.  God has a way of blessing us in so many directions in life.

Repair Man Two

Found the leak! How to fix it.

Saturday morning workout.

Well, the saga does not end.  The water pump just kept right on running and none of our faucets were turned on and all the toilets were filled already.  So after walking around the house and checking things out several times, Rod finally found that there was a wet spot in our front lawn and we had a couple of dry days.  So the pump was turned off.  Of course, I am such a patient wife I was all joy at not having water coming into the house all night and morning. (Said with a sarcastic voice, just in case you really thought I was patient).
  Saturday morning, Rod was up bright and early and ready to start digging.  In support I put on my jogging clothes and ran around the yard to get my exercise.  There really was only one shovel, so I really couldn't help with the digging. (smile)

Green pipes

Repairmen Two

Matthew Lind, the REAL repairman showed up and worked with Rod at deciding how exactly to repair the pipes and what kind to replace them with.  They replaced the galvanized pipes which we decided were only five or six years old with PVC, green PVC.
And I must say that the new part on the washer is great and we no longer have to put a towel in front of it.  Rod is still working on how to get the hot water to come into the washer.  But I am very thankful for the dry flows and the water pressure coming into the washer now.

Matthew and his family have been here for a year. They came for the year to help with repair projects for our MAF team.  It has been a very busy year for Matthew.  He has repaired his own roof on his house, rebuilt a wall from a fallen tree, built an IT building for our program, and helped two families move to new homes. Those are some of the major projects. He has been on call for smaller repair projects.  We are truly thankful for him and his family being here.  What is very exciting is that they are going back to candidacy to be full time with MAF.

The Repair Man

The wrong part flown in from America

Rod returned on Sunday Evening after 4 1/2 weeks in America.  Before he arrived I sent him a list of all that needed to be repaired when he got back. During the 36 hours of his flying back my watch broke which I use for lots of useful things, like being on time places and timing my cooking and baking and my exercise routine.  (A friend is going to America next week and will be able to bring one out to me).  On Monday the pump went out on the washing machine.  So Rod has spent the past four days repairing things around the house as well as helping at the hanger and flying.

The equipment for repairing the air-conditioner.

My highest priority for Rod to fix before the washing machine went out was the truck air-conditioning.  Driving through Kinshasa traffic is always an adventure but having to have your windows rolled down adds to the adventure and causes an insecurity in my heart that I really don't enjoy facing.  Rod brought the parts back for the air-conditioner. One of the parts didn't fit properly but it was the part replacing the "unbroken" part of the ac so it was okay.  But last evening when he went to put the freon in, it leaked!  Rod said, "Like a sieve."  So here we are with new parts put in but it doesn't hold freon.

The washing machine was a different story.  We have a friend who was coming from America so we quickly ordered a new pump for the washing machine.  In the meantime we still needed to wash clothes so Rod began looking through washing machines left around our MAF homes to find a pump.  He found one and put it in but it leaks. So yesterday I was able to do laundry BUT I had to keep a towel in front of the machine to keep it from leaking all over my washroom and pantry. While Rod was repairing the pump he also repaired the water "intake" which means I now have water pressure in my washing machine.  Before I was running hoses into it and occasionally flooding the pantry when I would forget to turn it off.  Last evening our friend arrived from the states with the part.  We do hope this one will fit.

I have a house helper, Tata Oscar who helps me with the laundry and yesterday as we washed with the front off the washing machine he was over joyed to see the parts all work.  He kept saying over and over, "Bamondele bazali na mayele mingi."  "White men have so much knowledge or wisdom".  I tried to tell him that an African could have invented a washing machine too but he just wouldn't believe me.  I need to find some stories of African Americans who have invented different things and show him their pictures and tell their stories.

Other repairs Rod has completed and they have stayed repaired is the security light outside and the battery light switch. It is comforting to have my man back so I guess you can say my heart is better too.