Trip to the zoo

We surprised the boys with a trip to Lubumbashi's zoo 2 weeks ago. Most of them had been there before when they were living on the street, but this time their trip was paid for and they entered via the gate and not by climbing over the wall.
Ever the student, Shanick had to write down where each animal came from and it's scientific name.

The gorilla seemed to want his pictures taken (and to show the piece of corn in his mouth) so I did.

So after looking at the monkeys, snakes, ostriches, deer, lions, tigers & alligators (and the ever energetic Kamba & Diedier running and running along the fence with the deer) the boys all loaded up in the mini bus and the rest of us in a taxi and we went home; just in time to miss a heavy rain.

Papa Michael

That's Michael in the middle of some of the 1st boys that he became 'Papa' to. Michael has been a pastor in Lubumbashi for over 10 years. In 2003 he began to have a desire to help the boys he saw on the streets there. As a former African boy (growing up in eastern Nigeria during civil war) Michael has great wisdom to know how to bring the guys in, love them, lead them to the Lord and discipline them. God has really gifted him to know what the boys need to feel at home; how to work with the Congolese nationals; how to negotiate with everybody, and to always stay joyful and filled with faith.

Workers, teachers, members of the ministry.

Here are Misters Aaron (R) & Edward(L). That's Papa Michael in the middle (more on him later). Aaron is a pastor and teaches 6-7 boys in the first level class. He rides his bike for around an hour to get to work by 8 A.M. in the morning.

Edward has been teaching the boys since we first got into the house, Sept. of 2006. He has endured everything from having to use the 1st blackboard that was the back of a door, having some boys physically fight him or throw rocks at him and all that for a beginning 'wage' of $20 per month. He has been very faithful and has even surprised himself, I think, in how much he loves the boys. He teaches the 5 level class.




This is Lovey. Isn't she cute in her traditional Katanga fabric, Congolese outfit. I worried about her in the beginning because she is just as big as a minute but she doesn't back down to any of our sometimes rowdy guys. She teaches Kambala & Ada in 2nd level class and is also a student in the university.

Emmanuel and Augy

Here are 2 of the guys in their new uniforms at the start of the school year.

Boys will be boys #1.

Here is a picture of Kalu's foot after 9 stitches & some healing time. What happened? Fighting over a bucket with Diedier. The bucket was for bathing and both wanted to be first (never mind that there were 8-9 other buckets they could have used). Diedier took Kalu's bucket. Kalu head butted Diedier. Diedier picked up a big brick and there you go Kalu's foot was split open. Now that you've seen his embattled foot, here is a picture of Kalu's lovely smile.

God, Thank You.

I returned to Lubumbashi in July to find 11 year old Dieu Merci sick with malaria & a broken knee cap. He and I spent the next weeks riding in the taxi, back & forth to the clinic, and working to keep his fever down and watching DVDs together. Then just when we thought he was improving the symptoms came back and he was diagnosed with typhoid, another bout of malaria, and after his leg remained swollen we had it X-rayed again and the doctor discovered tuberculosis on the bone. So even though it was a very trying time and Dieu Merci is still taking medicine we are so grateful that the TB was found so that his leg & body can heal. Plus I am grateful to have been there to show him love in ways that he has not experienced since his mother died or left him when he was an infant.

The new beds!!

The boys are all now sleeping in their new beds. Each one has his own after 2 years of no beds, or sleeping 2 per bed and finally they managed to destroy most of the wooden ones completely so were forced to sleep on their mattresses on the floor. So they were more than happy to pitch in and help to paint the beds. ~Teresa