We went 7 days without luggage. Then yesterday my new cell phone rang. It was Phillip, a young man I met three days ago when I was granted an all access pass to the airport to search for my bags. Phillip is a bag handler and he took pity on the poor mazungu woman of one shirt.

So the bags are here. Two for me and one for Derek. We do not know where they have been. They were soaking wet – Like dipped in a swimming pool. We lost some books and calendars, some of my teaching materials, but all my clothes were in zip-locks.
Imana Ishimwe – God be praised.

So we had Christmas last night. Everyone came up to our apartment even the household help, sweets, bisquits, and presents for everyone. We sang and I shared the vie de Jesus Mafa, a set of beautiful pictures of the life of Christ where everyone, including the master is an African. The pictures are a gift to the Kamenge Sunday School

It has been rainy out of season here. The rains should have stopped a week ago. There has been flooding and many walls around houses are falling. Mud, very serious mud. Our street is mud, when it is dry the washboard effect is about 1 foot deep, with occasional deeper potholes. Wet you could hide a hippo.

I am driving all around buja. I have a Toyota Sprinter Wagon. Manual tranny – low clearance – five seatbelts. Yesterday we had nine people, plus all our baggage in it. This morning Dani and I got stopped by the police in a roadblock checking documents. The new administration is cracking down on unsafe drivers and vehicles. Apparently we passed the test. I do not think the fellow had ever seen an Oregon Drivers License. We had to explain what planet I had dropped off of. I haven’t hit anything since Tuesday.

The women’s union came through yesterday. Feli calls a friend at the embassy, who calls a friend, and a fine salon de Coiffure for Wazungu ladies was found. I am colored and coiffed. I have shoes and dresses. My cold seems to finally be abating. Batteries are charging. 86% I think.

Derek has taught three days of music at Kamenge. He is a rock star. He is going with THARS man Charles to Kigali Rwanda by bus this weekend to buy guitars. They will have an adventure.

My schedule is being worked on. First trip upcountry the 16th.