BergFamilyAfrica: DESTE

Monday, December 2, 2013

DESTE

Tim, me, Deste and Jeanne enjoying our reunion thoroughly! (With sweet Lindsey Neil looking over the back of the couch!)

Just like life in the States, some days pass here without anything much unusual happening ~ but then, some days are brim full of so many memories, so many stories which I feel I must share. Last Wednesday through Saturday were four of those story-rich days. In my last post I described our day in the Congo – or part of it. Today I’d like to tell a little more.

Thursday morning, as we prepared to go to the border and attempt to cross, I called our friend, Dr. Alex, who lives in the border town of Kamembe with his wife, Francine and gave him the final instructions on where to meet us on the other side of the border. Alex speaks beautiful English and Swahili among other languages, and he had graciously agreed to take the day off work and accompany us into the Congo to help in any way he could. Specifically, he had helped arrange for us to see our little friend, Deste, along with his dear Aunt who has been caring for him since he was an infant. Deste is now 5, and cuter, friendlier and smarter than ever.

For Deste and his Aunt Jeanne to get to Bukavu from Iidjwi Island where they live, they boarded a boat at 6 p.m. the night before, which didn’t arrive in Bukavu until 4 a.m. the next morning. I have no idea where they slept after they landed in Bukavu at 4, and I probably don’t want to know. All I know is that they arrived at our incredibly generous host’s house while we were all gone to MITI (see previous post). Our host, who didn’t know Deste or Jeanne, provided a place for them to rest, fed them, let them freshen up and made sure they were comfortable as they waited for us to arrive.

We hadn’t even been sure that they would arrive at all – the whole plan seemed a little random (there is that word again) and “iffy”. Jeanne didn’t even have a phone, so I have no idea how Dr. Alex even got word to her to tell her to come in the first place, but he obviously succeeded. When we arrived back from our travels and began to climb the hilly stairs to L’s house, I looked in the window, and there I saw a smiling, happily waving Deste, grinning ear to ear! Oh, how excited I felt to know I’d hug him in just another minute!

Seeing Jeanne again felt wonderful, too. I have so much admiration for this young girl, who is only 21 years old, and has devoted the last 5 years of her life to raising her dead sister’s child. They have a special bond, and it is obvious she has spared nothing to protect and raise him as if he were her own.

We had so much fun seeing Deste that the last few hours of our day in Congo absolutely FLEW by. It was time to leave, and we didn’t have many minutes to spare. The border closes at 6 p.m. and if you don’t get out by then, you have to stay overnight. Our host noticed how much fun we were having on our visit, and he invited us to stay with him so we could extend our time together. In the end, Tim and Sam went back across, and I stayed at our host’s house with Deste and Jeanne and most of the Neil family. We had such a great time! And, oh, how they fed us. So much food! Fish, potatoes, French fries, carrots, bananas, spinach, beans, rice, chicken and more. I was so stuffed.

The morning came too quickly, and we had to say goodbye – but it had been such a special treat to see them, I couldn’t be too sad. They plan to come to Kibogora soon (it is only a 20 minute boat ride from Iidjwi to Kibogora), so we will see them again this month.