Postcards From The Edge: DRCongo
Thursday November 06, 2008
Tears and goodbyes
On our final day I think we were all feeling a bit numb about leaving this mad world of cratered roads, swarming street children, roaming HIV orphans, minimalist villages, a non-existent system... the glory of the Congo.
From sunrise the reminiscing began. Some were taking pictures and filming the surroundings just in case they forgot the sights, sounds, scent and stenches of the DRCongo. I said farewell to my gecko roommates, and Gomu, the scandalous yet lovable Del-boy salesman of our compound. With sweat ambling across my 15-day old tache, for the last time I told him "Mbongo ezalité" meaning "I don’t have any money."
To leave our mark, and show our appreciation, we held an exhibition displaying our favourite pictures which portrayed our life-changing experiences. I chose one of the Kasangulu schoolboys hanging out of the barred windows of a building that I mistook for a jail. The other portrayed a tireless cassava cutter working in the pouring rain. The walls retold our story.
By far, today's highlight was the presence of all the partners we had met over the past two weeks. All the organisations travelled, through hell, high water, rain and sardine-tin buses for an hour of us saying thank you. My group even opened with the song "We are marching in the light of God" as respectful payback to the HIV-awareness singing crew of Vorsi Congo who stunned us with their vocals last week. I would've opted for Oasis's "Stand By Me" but either way the standing ovation was well worth the rehearsals.
We gave little key-rings to our translators, exchanged emails and hugs. I told songstress Betty Mizele how much I was going to miss her, which caused her to break down in tears - trust me, that wasn't part of my plan.
Through all the emotion, tears and goodbyes, our message was clear - DRCongo was amazing, and too good of a nation to let slip into the shadows as just another war-torn hustling and struggling country. We know there is war, we have seen the poverty - but we will glorify the warmth and strength of the Congolese people who set some examples for those back home.
Have you ever seen 'The Beach', when Leonardo Di Caprio returns from months of paradise to the mundane, tedious routine of his Metropolitan life? I think we all fear that as we ready ourselves for the nine-hour haul back to the chills of London town. But it's evident we are ready to campaign and spread the word; scarred by the injustice, knowing of the war in Goma and the immanent change in history this country faces, and instilled with the passion of the people - I have a feeling the repercussions of this trip might be different from the average.
Thanks for the memories DRCongo.
This story can be sourced from here
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