Home is where you hang your hat

 Growing up we moved a lot...and it wasn't just that we changed houses all the time, but we changed countries, continents even.  Several times the reason for leaving was political instability and civil war, which meant going back to visit wasn't a likely possibility.  Knowing only this nomadic lifestyle, I became adept and learning to love wherever we hung our hat for the time being and enjoying the adventure of new places.  Since I didn't really have a place to call my childhood home, I learned to make each new place home. 

This Christmas I got the chance to return to Congo-Brazzaville, where I'd spent three happy years of my childhood.  Walking the familiar streets, I felt like I'd arrived home.  I got to visit both people and places that had been a part of my childhood, a rare experience in my life.

As I sat in the airport ready to head back to Niamey, I was surprised at the emotion that hit me.  Even though it'd been 13 years since I'd lived in Brazzaville, I felt like I was saying good-bye to home.  And yet, I love and feel at home in Niamey, and I realized that they were two different kinds of home:  the childhood home and the home I chose to make for myself and both are equally good and life is infinitely better when you have both.  I feel oddly comforted knowing that life in Congo continues and maintains some similarity to my childhood memories of it, no matter where life takes me.

Suffice to say, I had a really good time while in Congo for two weeks over Christmas, spending time with some very special people!

 

Before I left on my trip, my best friend from my years in Congo, Shealyn wrote to me with a list of things I needed to do while I was in Congo.  One of the things on the list was to go night swimming at the Sofitel.  As kids, our families would buy passes to the pool at the hotel over Christmas break.  We'd bring thermoses of hot chocolate and Christmas cookies and go night swimming.  Well, I tired but since they've finally started to put the poor hotel back together since getting destroyed during the war many years ago, this is as good as it got!

Aunt Anne and I made almost daily trips to our little old veggies stand and bakery to get the things we needed for all the delicious cooking we did while I was there.  Don't be confused by the word "marche" on the veggie stand sign--it's not a market, it's a veggie stand!  As a kid, I would often accompany my dad on trips to the bakery and veggie stand.

The bible school where my parents taught.  Every so often, we'd spend a Saturday putting together Master Life work books for the students. 

This was my school.  I went there from Grade 2 to Grade 4.  There were 21 students, grades K-8, and I was the only one in my grade.  Being such a small school, we'd all play together at recess--soccer, cops and robbers, four square.  We'd go on field trips as a whole school and our principal would then take us out for icecream at a little Salon du The, which is still alive and well!

This is the hospital...I know, you're wondering why the hospital would be important...well, if you know me, you know that all medical things totally creep me out and I blame that fact on a visit to this hospital as a child.  My dad had his appendix removed here and I barely made it in to visit him.  Between the smell, the crowded rooms and seeing my daddy in there, I was ruined for life from every going into a medical field!

This is the Elf Tower, which I remember thinking was the prettiest thing as a kid.  You can see it from almost anywhere downtown.  How nice to return to Congo and find out that it hadn't changed a bit!

Even Larry was still around!  This dog was born when I lived in Congo--he's 14 years old, blind and deaf but still kicking!

Zachary

Teddie

 

 

Zachary was a bible school student when I was a child in Congo.  When the war broke out and we were evacuated, he moved into our house and hung out with Coco, my dog, until things got so bad that he came and joined us on the other side of the river.  Since then, Zachary has become a big part of the church at the bible school leading worship at the church "Bonne Berger", he's married and has two of the cutest little girls in the world!  Teddie was our handyman back in the day and he always seemed to get a kick out of the fact that I happily entertained myself dancing around and singing.  Well, he's still around, still fixing things for the CMA team there.  He asked me if I was back in Congo for vacation or if I was moving back.  He looked very disapproving that I was only there for two weeks.  "Well when are you planning to move back?"  I shrugged.  "Well, we'll be waiting!" he informed me!

It was also fabulous to spend time with my Aunt Anne, Uncle Ron and Aunt Ruth and to meet the rest of the team.  They're all so wonderful!  Thanks for a great vacation guys!