Episode VI Cade on our Trans Africa Expedition - for those who find large groups of children a little scary!
With a very recent history of political unrest, violent uprisings and rates consistently high crime across the country, it is not surprising that the Democratic Republic of Congo is considered a bit of a black hole in the continent of Africa. The name itself immediately evokes images of darkness, mystery and violence. Although she has the ability to petrify people a sense of fear, DR Congo (or "The Doctor" as I call it playful) also has the ability to tickle the loins of excitement to those who are quite venturous to set foot on its soil. Although our "necessary Voyage" by the doctor was to include only three frontier days, our veins were invaded by the nervous electricity the day our passports were stamped entry.
Three days passed and after our return spring and the rough road conditions that we had not covered much ground as we had hoped, and had taken late. We rode in the city of Matadi tired and weary and in desperate need of a rest. We decided to recover and sought refuge in the security grounds of a convent.
polite, kind and friendly nuns were all too happy, we welcome a e take us as their guests. While we were at first thankful that we were free to use their showers and toilets, the fact that there was no running water put this to an abrupt end. Religious assured us that we would be safe within the walls of their enclosure and were free to set up our tents in the courtyard. As they were women of the church and we were people in need, they gave us a discount and charged us' mates rates of $ 5 per person. Since the signing of an act of a haunted house, it was not until an agreement was reached that a simple warning was given '. Come the morning, come children
While many of us enjoyed the afternoon in the city, the night ended up falling Matadi and a degree of nervousness and anxiety about what the night would bring. Our group all returned to intoxicated reasons but safe and took to set up their tents in the courtyard as indicated. As a security means, I created my screen next to our truck.
After sleeping in a mosquito most nights since my first earthly journey there about five years, I like to think that my years of experience gave me a sixth sense as regards safety issues, security and to predict the most important time. Know when to hold my ground and when to run for cover has become a vital instinct in the endless quest for a peaceful sleep.
Thus, when the sun rose over the hills of Matadi end the night , it meant that we had endured a night to sleep safely without incident. It was then that the first children appeared. I woke up, I quickly identified the non-threatening and treated them just like I would have a few drops of rain; I turned around and went back to sleep thinking he had nothing to fear.
When a little droplets arrived dressed in full school uniform , I opened my eyes to see them standing on my net, smiling. I just waved to them, I closed my eyes and assuming it was a light shower that would soon blow over, again drifted to sleep.
It must have been a deep sleep, I had fallen in because when I finally awakened, it was certainly not because of my sixth sense alarm had been sounded for a certain time. It was not red codes call that resonates in my head. I sat to the attention of discovering a crowd of children had surrounded my net and were laughing, singing and playing in total disregard of my will to sleep. Following the formation of crisis Oasis Overland, I instinctively thought of the group.
In the distance, the direction of the court, I could hear what I thought singing and feared the worst. I jumped out of bed like our lives depended on it and crossed the ocean of chaos in the yard. It was there that I found my worst fears had come true.
A flash flood had torn the convent and an ocean of children singing and dancing in unison were taken around the court with nothing but religious themselves. Our group unsuspecting remained tempered by fear and surprise, back to the wall with looks of bemusement total slapped on their faces. Their tents which until now had resisted a variety of extreme conditions were unable to take the raw power of the storm, and was quickly packed up and left. We were left wet, scared and homeless.
For about an hour chaos reigned we look on, comforted each other and wondered when, if ever the storm would pass. It was only when all the damage had already been done as the bell rang for the start of the class and the storm gradually began to subside. The children slowly began to make their way to their classrooms and with the exception of a few remaining droplets, the court was soon clear. Like a stubborn old ship captain I had greatly underestimated the severity of the storm oncoming and realized the error in my ways when it was too late. My boat had sunk and so too had my sixth sense that I had believed for so long.
The Democratic Republic of Congo as I now respectfully refers to his certainly had no trouble exceeding its reputation, a mistress of icy composure. The use of children as a form of ammunition and a disguised school nunnery provide a false sense of security to the travelers proved to be the deadliest since ingeniously combining sleeping pills and alcohol. The Democratic Republic of Congo has proved beyond doubt that its soil is certainly not for the timid; and for three days is barely enough to scratch the surface, we learned that it was more than enough for us scar for life
0 Komentar