Laloux well project

This is a drilled-well project with an electric pump that was foundering when we arrived.  The original contractor installed a submersible electric pump but failed to secure a supply of electricity, as the cost of persuading the local government-owned utility to provide service is expensive and difficult, and the service is highly unreliable in any event.  Eventually the contractor furnished an electrical generator but it was under-powered and totally inadequate for the need.  It took us 10 months but we were able to get funding to purchase electrical materials and finally motivate, at a cost, the utility to provide an electrical connection directly from its substation to the pump.

Thanksgiving with Papa Norman

Papa Norman was a Congolese government official who escaped for his life during the revolution in the 1990’s.  Eventually he obtained political asylum in the US and ended up in Washington DC where he was baptized and later served as a bishop.   



The ex-pats, missionaries and Papa Norman enjoying Thanksgiving.  Mission President Cook and his wife are in the background.

Bagata Well Project

Typical residential street in Bagata quartier where we are geting ready to drill four wells.  The tires are to reduce the erosion caused by the massive rains.

Masina Maturation Project

Tuesday, November 4, 2001:  Twenty women and girls both Church members and friends of the Church met at the Masina Stake Center for 3.5 hours for a pre-project cutting activity prior to the Masina Maturation Project.  A significant start to the project was made with over 250 parts to the maturation kits were prepared for the sewing, assembly and distribution day scheduled Saturday, December 6, 2014.  As well as production of these necessary pieces for the kits the participants received valuable instruction for making future maturation supplies and enthusiasm for the up-coming project. 

 

 

 

Not sure Masina Stake President Theirry Mutombo and friend even knew what they were doing but they knew why they were doing it in support of the women and girls of Masina Stake. They went straight to their work and did a great job. 

Moral support from the very young.

A quick break for lunch.

           These three ladies (above and the following two) didn’t stop until the last scrap was swept up.  Amazing women, wonderful support

The maturation project team---SISTER POWER
Manon Delisle, Kathleen Sneddon, Anna Grana, Nilza Grana, Gloria Johnson, Megan Collins

Maturation Kit
* Carrying case
* Two shields
* 6 pads
* Hygiene and care instructions
* 1 pair of underwear- not pictured
* Ziploc bag for soiled pads- not pictured

Garden Projects

This project consisted of purchasing manure, fertilizer, insecticides, fungicides, seeds and tools and delivering them to a stake center, where they will be allocated to about 150 needy families. 

On day 1  I commandeered a large van, removed all of the seats, and hauled three loads of manure at a time, each load consisting of 105 bags (weighing about 25 kilos each) plus several thousand very happy flies. 

On day 2 I delivered the rest of the materials (not pictured here).

On day 3 I visited two of the homes and the plots where the materials will eventually be turned into flourishing gardens, and our photographer Michel took a few photos.



Here are a few of the hundreds of bags of tools, fertilizer, seeds etc I purchased..

Sixty pound bags of chicken manure fertilizer.

Just some random photos of tromping through the Abattoir (slaughterhouse) quartier, talking to the widows who will be receiving the garden materials.

These photos illustrate a little better the very humble homes the people live in.  Some of them are growing some sweet potatoes currently, but the target crop is "amaranthe" or other plants that are used for their leaves.  Interestingly, people just eat a lot of leaves in the Congo to accompany their rice or "fufu".

Pululu Well Project

Chief Jean Pierre is a happy man after months and MONTHS AND MONTHS of planning
 and work Pululu Mbambu has a well.

Our first well was a smashing success; the people are very happy with the quantity and quality of the water.  Our site monitor Eric Kahunda is in the blue shirt.

Before the pump could be installed over the well, the heavy plastic hoses had to be inserted deep into the well.  During the pumping process, air is forced  to the bottom of the well in one hose and the water rises to the surface in the other hose.  A “lost well” is dug close by to collect the dirty water that inevitably spills when the bidons (plastic containers) are being filled.

Pululu Mbambu was a hand-drilled well project in which a piece of PVC pipe about 6 inches in diameter is forced into the ground.  Thus it is distinguished from the hand-dug process used in the Lubudi well project.  We have gathered to observe the installation of the first pump.