Yesterday I was invited to play Futbal with the HEAL Africa staff at the main stadium in Goma. I've been wanting to enter the stadium since I arrived to watch a match and as it turns out my first visit was as a player.
What I thought would be a pick-up game of sorts ended up being quite serious. We had uniforms, refs, and fans! As is typical here I was told the match started at 15h and was worried when I was 5 minutes late, only to find out I was the first one there and the match didn't actually start to about 4:15. I was initially on the bench but before the match started I noticed there weren't enough players on our side, so I stood patiently by the side lines. When they looked over for another player I was right there and got to start the game. And I never left the field. They placed me at left back which suited me fine since it's a position I had played growing up.
Our team was surprisingly strong right from the opening whistle. The majority of the first half was played on the opponents side of the pitch with several shots just over the cross bars. Than with about 15 left in the first half we put one in the net... and the celebration was amazing. Kids came running on to the field doing cartwheels and our fans where jumping up and down in wild excitement. I felt like I played ok for having running shoes on a dirt pitch. I was sliding around a bit, but for the most part contained my side. I think mostly because I'm a mzungu, everyone was making a huge deal and high fives all around for my play on the field. I guess when the expectations are low, it doesn't take much to impress... ;
Second half we put in two more, with one coming off my cross from the left side, about 10 yard in from midfield. The ball just cleared the defended and the keeper was already too far out, so our forward redirected the ball with a header right over the keepers out stretched hand as he dove backward toward the goal.
The put one in on us through the middle of the field towards the end, but when the final whistle blew you would have though we won the world cup. The cheering and singing (oleee, ole, ole, oleeee....) was great. And as everyone piled into the hospital vehicles to head back to the hospital the sirens were blaring and horns honking as they plowed through the middle of the dirt pitch.... I now have been dubbed Zidane for our team, mostly because we have the same skin tone... ;) What an incredible experience. Unfortunately no pictures, but trust me, even if you don't enjoy futbal/soccer, you would have had fun witnessing this match and being a part of the fans on the sidelines.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
Malawi and Goma in April (Nutrition project)
Although we broke down (overheating) on the way to the airport and ultimately missed our flight, God was faithful through this experience. We broke down across the street from a small spring locals were using for washing and drinking water. Than the airline changed our flights for free with absolutely no hassle! It was great.
We found the man who manufactures the peanut butter we eat at Majimatulivu, the house I'm staying at. And this is the finished product before being put in the recycled mayo jars. I'm pretty sure there would be at least a few health code violations if this was back in the states......
The "Lab", better known as the kitchen at Maji.
The final product that Glenn and I prepared is in the middle and left jar. The Malawi made product is in the small jar on the right.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Snapshots from Malawi and Goma in April
In April Glenn Bean and I traveled to Malawi to do some research on the RUTF nutrition product being made their as part of Mark Manery's "Project Peanut Butter". Then we came back to Goma to see what we could accomplish in a weeks time with the knowledge we gained from Malawi. It was a great trip with lots of fun adventures, including canceled flights, missed flights, broken down cars, playing frisbee with 3 year olds, passing giraffes on the way to the Nairobi airport, and of course making a sample "plumpynut" product in our own kitchen at Maji in Goma. Unfortunately I can only upload two pictures at the moment, but when I can figure out how to get more up I will. Enjoy.
RUTF Nutrition project
We have a name! ..or at least one that is being used for the moment Since PlumpyNut is trademarked, I have been using RUTF in reference to our project recently. But now we have a swahili name - Mateka Kalanga. It means peanut butter. Pretty simple, but I like the sound of it. (pronounced just how it is spelled)
I felt a little stagnate with this project for a week or so a while back as I focused on the clinic and got involved with some of the other hospital programs. But the last week and a half have been quite productive. I finally found a hand powered peanut grinder and put it to the test successfully.... I'm not sure if I'll ever pay for peanut butter again now that I can make it myself....... Don't hold me to that.
I also had a productive meeting with the head nutritionist with UNICEF. Turns out that they are making a push to start using Nutriset's PlumpyNut extensively in the DR Congo pending a successful pilot project starting this month. I was given 5 criteria that we need to meet in order to have UNICEF consider purchasing our Mateka Kalanga instead of the PlumpyNut from France. We have a potential market outside of the malnourished children in HEAL Africa's programs, which is great. This was really a key to whether this project would be able to become self sustaining and thus worth pursuing. After an earlier meeting with WFP (World Food Program) I was a bit discouraged because the program director I meet with was less than enthusiastic about the idea of local production.
I also have had some exciting news come in the way of Russ McCahan, from Fort Collins, CO. Russ has felt a calling to feed the hungry in Africa and has been passionately and selflessly pursing this calling. Global Strategies(G.S.) and myself have benefited from his project and experience in Nigeria and now we are benefiting again as he has found 2 peanut grinders and 2 industrial 20qt mixers, as well as various other kitchen related goods difficult to find here in Goma, that he will be sending to G.S. shortly to then be sent here. So we may have equipment here and the illusive vitamin powder that is impossible to find here locally to actually start making real Mateka Kalanga before I head back to the US in July.
This has been another learning experience for me. How to start a food processing project in a country that does not have a food processing industry! Sure, there is honey, every kind of fruit you can think of, fish, and various kinds of meat available locally, but none of those things are processed. The only Congolese made processed food products that I'm aware of are cheese, and a couple different types of beer. Everything else is imported. The biggest challenge this presents is approvals. We need to meet a certain quality standard, but there is no standard in this country to meet. So, we will use international standards of quality assurance for now. I'm still working on getting a meeting lined up with government officials who may have the power to shut down such a program as ours in order to find out what hoops we may have to jump through before we start the production. Lot's of learning!
That's the latest in the land of Peanut Butter.... or Mateka Kalanga as we like to call it here... ;)
I felt a little stagnate with this project for a week or so a while back as I focused on the clinic and got involved with some of the other hospital programs. But the last week and a half have been quite productive. I finally found a hand powered peanut grinder and put it to the test successfully.... I'm not sure if I'll ever pay for peanut butter again now that I can make it myself....... Don't hold me to that.
I also had a productive meeting with the head nutritionist with UNICEF. Turns out that they are making a push to start using Nutriset's PlumpyNut extensively in the DR Congo pending a successful pilot project starting this month. I was given 5 criteria that we need to meet in order to have UNICEF consider purchasing our Mateka Kalanga instead of the PlumpyNut from France. We have a potential market outside of the malnourished children in HEAL Africa's programs, which is great. This was really a key to whether this project would be able to become self sustaining and thus worth pursuing. After an earlier meeting with WFP (World Food Program) I was a bit discouraged because the program director I meet with was less than enthusiastic about the idea of local production.
I also have had some exciting news come in the way of Russ McCahan, from Fort Collins, CO. Russ has felt a calling to feed the hungry in Africa and has been passionately and selflessly pursing this calling. Global Strategies(G.S.) and myself have benefited from his project and experience in Nigeria and now we are benefiting again as he has found 2 peanut grinders and 2 industrial 20qt mixers, as well as various other kitchen related goods difficult to find here in Goma, that he will be sending to G.S. shortly to then be sent here. So we may have equipment here and the illusive vitamin powder that is impossible to find here locally to actually start making real Mateka Kalanga before I head back to the US in July.
This has been another learning experience for me. How to start a food processing project in a country that does not have a food processing industry! Sure, there is honey, every kind of fruit you can think of, fish, and various kinds of meat available locally, but none of those things are processed. The only Congolese made processed food products that I'm aware of are cheese, and a couple different types of beer. Everything else is imported. The biggest challenge this presents is approvals. We need to meet a certain quality standard, but there is no standard in this country to meet. So, we will use international standards of quality assurance for now. I'm still working on getting a meeting lined up with government officials who may have the power to shut down such a program as ours in order to find out what hoops we may have to jump through before we start the production. Lot's of learning!
That's the latest in the land of Peanut Butter.... or Mateka Kalanga as we like to call it here... ;)
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Timo and the Volcano
The volcano was officially reopened about 3 weeks ago. A group of 5 of us decided to give it a go and headed up a week after it was opened. This hike felt like Africa. The Africa that most people in the states picture. Not the one with wide open plains and safaris (that's Kenya and Tanzania) but the rainforest Africa.
We had two armed guards with us and 2 porters to help carry our things, and headed up shortly after 1pm. It was hot at the bottom, rained on us half way up, and was windy and freezing cold at the top! The first quarter of the hike was along a thin trail through the densely forested base of the volcano.
The trail went straight up the volcano, with almost no switchbacks. I marveled at the views when the clouds finally broke. We could see Goma and Lake Kivu far below. And like most cities seen from afar there appeared to be a semblance of order that one finds difficult to encounter when actually walking the streets of the city.
When we got to the top, we were warmly greeted to the sights and sounds of the lava boiling up in the center of the volcano! It was like something out of The Lord of The Rings. I kept looking behind me, sensing some sort of Golem lurking in the shadows....
We spent the night on the rim at the top of the volcano, falling asleep to the sounds of molten magma gurgling and moving like the ocean.. It was amazing. I couldn't help by think of the power of God as I pondered this molten magma coming from deep within the earth and just waiting for its chance to be released.
We had two armed guards with us and 2 porters to help carry our things, and headed up shortly after 1pm. It was hot at the bottom, rained on us half way up, and was windy and freezing cold at the top! The first quarter of the hike was along a thin trail through the densely forested base of the volcano.
The trail went straight up the volcano, with almost no switchbacks. I marveled at the views when the clouds finally broke. We could see Goma and Lake Kivu far below. And like most cities seen from afar there appeared to be a semblance of order that one finds difficult to encounter when actually walking the streets of the city.
When we got to the top, we were warmly greeted to the sights and sounds of the lava boiling up in the center of the volcano! It was like something out of The Lord of The Rings. I kept looking behind me, sensing some sort of Golem lurking in the shadows....
We spent the night on the rim at the top of the volcano, falling asleep to the sounds of molten magma gurgling and moving like the ocean.. It was amazing. I couldn't help by think of the power of God as I pondered this molten magma coming from deep within the earth and just waiting for its chance to be released.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Church..... more than just a building
I went to Pastor Samuel's church this morning, as he invited me to give the sermon. It was such a blessing for me to be a part of the worship service at his church. The small wooden building was located about 50 meters from the runway of the Goma International Airport (which may be giving to much credit to this airport....), and is quite modest. Yet the praise and prayer of the people in it made me feel like this was exactly the type of church Jesus would have wanted to visit if he were here in Goma right now. It's not a church that defines itself by the comfort of it's pews or the quality of it's sound system (which they had but worked only a quarter of the time) but a church defined by the quality of the praise and worship of its members. We sang and prayed for about an hour and a half before the first pastor rose and gave his sermon. During the singing the kids were dancing in the aisles while their parents clapped along with the beat, or made their own beat, and all sang their hearts out. It felt like no one wanted to stop singing, like they could just keep giving praise all day long! It was very energizing. I can't say that I've been to many 3 hour long services where I come out feeling energized, but I can say that about today's service. I was a guest in their church, within the walls of that building, but we were all there as a part of the global family of Christians, giving praise to a God who does not sleep and is eternally faithful.
I didn't really want to speak when it came to my time, because I knew I wouldn't be exuding the same type of evangelical fervor that the first pastor and the rest of the worship had been filled with, but I had a message of love and servant hood, of forgiveness and responsibility that God had given me to share and so I did. It's kind of odd to use a translator because I'm never sure if my words are being translated properly, but then again there is a freedom in hoping that God is letting the translator hear the true message He wants his people to hear. In that case it is more God's message than my own that makes it to the ears of those in the room, and I know that is a good think!
I didn't really want to speak when it came to my time, because I knew I wouldn't be exuding the same type of evangelical fervor that the first pastor and the rest of the worship had been filled with, but I had a message of love and servant hood, of forgiveness and responsibility that God had given me to share and so I did. It's kind of odd to use a translator because I'm never sure if my words are being translated properly, but then again there is a freedom in hoping that God is letting the translator hear the true message He wants his people to hear. In that case it is more God's message than my own that makes it to the ears of those in the room, and I know that is a good think!
Sunday Morning Runs
During my training for the Lake Placid Ironman July 20th, I've covered a significant portion of Goma on foot. Sunday's especially, as I run a 10 mile out and back that takes me to the border crossing to Rwanda.
I leave at 6am usually and as I head out I inevitably find myself running past small groups and individuals going the opposite direction. I haven't yet figured out where they originate, but it seems that the majority of folks I see, and there are quite a few Sunday mornings, are heading in the opposite direction. They often acknowledge me and each other with a thumbs up and "courage", giving encouragement. I've now started doing the same when I see my fellow runners throughout the week. I do get the occasional person running in the same direction and have a hard time not trying to pass them. When this happens they will always pick up the pace and run with me, at least for a while. (one weekday morning I wound up with a 12 year old school girl, in sandals, school uniform, and book bag on her back running alongside of me for about a quarter mile until her turnoff to school. Each time I looked over she was there looking back with a big proud smile, and when she turned off she bid me farewell with a wave and huge grin) It was a precious moment. That has never happened to me in the states.
The contrast between the local runners and myself is comical. Me with my running shoes, special inserts, matching top and bottom running outfit, running hat with extra breathability, and my ipod nano in hand with Nike+ accessory to monitor my milage, time, pace, and calories burned. They often are running in not much more than sandals, and even in sandals sometimes, with running clothes that consist of anything from sweat suites to kaki dress pants and button down shirts.
I don't necessarily feel guilty because of what I have, but I do realize why so many here assume the "mzungu's" are rich and have money flowing from their ears. Just look at the way the dress just to go for a run......
These sunday runs have made me feel just a little closer to the community here in Goma, even if I do stand out with my running accessaries. Instead of honking at them as I pass in my NGO Land Rover, I'm one of them, running over the same lava rocks, dodging the same puddles, breathing in the same fumes of passing vehicles, and giving encouragement to my fellow runners........
I leave at 6am usually and as I head out I inevitably find myself running past small groups and individuals going the opposite direction. I haven't yet figured out where they originate, but it seems that the majority of folks I see, and there are quite a few Sunday mornings, are heading in the opposite direction. They often acknowledge me and each other with a thumbs up and "courage", giving encouragement. I've now started doing the same when I see my fellow runners throughout the week. I do get the occasional person running in the same direction and have a hard time not trying to pass them. When this happens they will always pick up the pace and run with me, at least for a while. (one weekday morning I wound up with a 12 year old school girl, in sandals, school uniform, and book bag on her back running alongside of me for about a quarter mile until her turnoff to school. Each time I looked over she was there looking back with a big proud smile, and when she turned off she bid me farewell with a wave and huge grin) It was a precious moment. That has never happened to me in the states.
The contrast between the local runners and myself is comical. Me with my running shoes, special inserts, matching top and bottom running outfit, running hat with extra breathability, and my ipod nano in hand with Nike+ accessory to monitor my milage, time, pace, and calories burned. They often are running in not much more than sandals, and even in sandals sometimes, with running clothes that consist of anything from sweat suites to kaki dress pants and button down shirts.
I don't necessarily feel guilty because of what I have, but I do realize why so many here assume the "mzungu's" are rich and have money flowing from their ears. Just look at the way the dress just to go for a run......
These sunday runs have made me feel just a little closer to the community here in Goma, even if I do stand out with my running accessaries. Instead of honking at them as I pass in my NGO Land Rover, I'm one of them, running over the same lava rocks, dodging the same puddles, breathing in the same fumes of passing vehicles, and giving encouragement to my fellow runners........
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