The Elephant on the Blog

This week of being back in Congo has been a blur of jet lag, unpacking, rearranging, and year-end/holiday events. I am happily keeping you all up-to-speed via photos (follow that instagram feed).  We had a great MAF staff Christmas party at our house yesterday!  But the elephant on the blog is tomorrow.

December 19 has been setting up to have the potential to be a rather big day here in Congo. If you follow the news or care to Google it, please do. I won’t pretend to have any expertise in the politics or situation that is unfolding. The short version is that tomorrow was supposed to be the current president’s last day in office, and the future is uncertain. No elections, no decisions, no plan except that elections are now due to take place in April 2018. Some people are declaring this is not right. Some are suggesting protests. Protests could be anything.

But, here in the city, the capital city no less, I have been listening and asking people and have heard nothing alarming.  I see alarming things in the news, and in some emails, but when I ask Congolese people what they expect, I get a smile and a certain level of confidence that things will be fine.

You see, in the three months that we were gone, things were built.  The economy isn’t doing very well, but buildings have gone up.  Last Saturday, a friend took me downtown to gather some groceries and I couldn’t stop being in awe of how much had been built in such a short time.  Since we left, Kinshasa has opened its first movie theater, its first bowling alley, its first real shopping mall!  Plus, apartment buildings that, at least on the outside, rival anything I saw stateside.  This place is going places.  I have a hard time picturing the same people that have built these things also wanting to riot and risk seeing things destroyed.

But, one cannot predict what tomorrow will be.  I do not have a sense of fear, but I am watching vigilantly.  I am praying for the country, the leaders (both elected and not), the outside world powers who are trying to influence what they hope will be the best outcome. I am hoping you are praying and watching, too.  But, remember, just as sometimes weathermen make mistakes, sometimes the journalists predict the wrong things, and sometimes a country can change without violence.  Even Congo.  I am making plans beyond tomorrow.  I am not expecting the worst, but I am prepared.  Pray and hope!  And know that the Lord is still King.

For another hopeful perspective, please read my fellow MAF wife, Jocelyn’s blog…