Driving home for Christmas!

Whilst Europe was battling with blizzards, freezing temperature and many travellers faced alterations to their festive travel arrangements, I also got stuck, however in the mud rather than snow drifts! My journey 'home' for Christmas from Lubumbashi to Katoka took 2 days. The second involved leaving Kolwezi at 4.20am and arriving at Katoka at 21.30 that night. Despite it being the main transport route from Lubumbashi to Angola that part of the road is not tarmacked at all and is mainly made up of compacted earth and laterite. We past many broken down trucks overloaded with people, sacks of flour, manioc, pineapples and fuel. Thankfully we managed to tackle the very difficult holes, sometimes with water coming right over the bonnet of the car having to take deviations of the road into the bush. However we then got stuck in thick mud near Divuma, we attempted to get out using tree trunks and spades to no avail. As night began to fall we heard the sound of an engine in the distance. The truck pulled us out, free of charge! They then got stuck ahead of us so we then had to wait behind them until they dug themselves out! All 7 of us arrived safely albeit rather tired and smelly! A good Katoka Christmas has been had by all, pictures to follow when the rather slow internet connections allows me to upload!

Pole Sana Mazembe!

The Kimbilio Christmas Party ended rather suddenly about 18.45 as everyones thoughts turned towards the big match of the year, Mazembe against Inter Milan in the Club World Cup Final. There had been power cuts in various parts of the city during the afternoon so to find space in front of a functioning television was going to be a challenge! On of the prime viewing places is the giant outside screen in the Post Office square in the city centre, it was clear most people had opted for that, as we drove home the square was overflowing with fans. Sadly Mazembe lost 3-0. The BBC reported unrest in Lubumbashi after the final whistle, however all was calm when I drove a friend home, who had been watching the match at my place, an hour later. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12030051
The Kimbilio Christmas BBQ party was great fun with a play by the children, games, pressies and lots to eat! Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make it fun for us all and especially the kids!

Congratulations, once again Mazembe!

The power only went off once this evening during Mazembes victorious performance in the semi final of the Club World Cup. They beat the Brazilian club Internacional 2-0. They go forward to the final on Saturday. We will brace ourselves for the inevitable festivities on Saturday night! For those of you who don't know me that well, despite a mild allegence to Newcastle United (where I grew up) I'm not really that into football, however even I will be watching the match after the Kimbilio Christmas party! Hopefully there will be no power cuts during that match! http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/9287537.stm

Josue Manda 1986 - 2010

I find it very hard to write this blog entry as I can hardly believe it is true. Last Sunday, Josue Manda, one of the volunteers at Centre Kimbilio tragically died in a swimming accident. He had gone for a picnic and swim with a group of friends to a flooded quarry close to Kipushi. His body was recovered from the lake earlier Monday and the funeral took place yesterday afternoon at St Marks Anglican Church on Chaussé de Kasenga, Lubumbashi. Josue was a valued member of the Kimbilio Team.
Since he returned from studying in Zambia last year I have really enjoyed having him around. He was enthusiastic, full of initiative, committed, honest and fun!
It was a chance meeting with Josue in 2006 that was influential in the Kimbilio Project coming to life. While I was waiting in Lubumbashi for a plane to Kisenge following the elections in 2006 I tried to track down CMS mission partners Eric and Sandra Read, CMS mission partners that some mutual friends in the UK had told me were living in Lubumbashi. Arriving at their house I met Josue who was working for them at the time. Eric and Sandra were in Zambia but I got chatting to Josue who told me about the high level of need for support for street kids in Lubumbashi. He explained that a project his brother has started in Lubumbashi had had to close due to lack of funding. It was this, alongside a similar conversation I had had with another friend in Kinshasa the previous week that led me considering my future plans.
I was really impressed with the way he related to everyone around him including the children and young people at the centre. He always had a smile and never a bad word to say about anyone.
My thoughts are very much with his family, friends and the Kimbilio family. We will all miss him so very much.