Sunday Feb. 23 Tshikapa. Made it safely here on board of a sturdy Antonov 32 cargo plane, flown by an expert Russian crew. My seat was 1 m behind the cockpit. A little noisy, but it was only a 100 minute flight.

I've been back in Kinshasa since Jan 10. I came with a one month visa that needed an extension. Everything worked out concerning this. Now I'm waiting for a call concerning my flight to Tshikapa, hopefully this week.

I'm again staying with the very hospitable Mpona family who are so concerned for my well-being. 

Since my last time here there have been some changes in Kinshasa. An offical public bus transport system has started with 70 buses I believe. the buses stop at nice sheltered bus stops. By the end of this month the small vans will be banished from the central area. This is  of course sad for the people who make their living with it but the deadly rattletraps cause many accidents. The fact the are referred to as driving coffins says enough. So as far as safety is concerned this is a big step forward. Also the road from the center to the airprt is alsmost finished.

A sad incident happened the other night close by our house. We heard later that a young man was hit by a van and had broken his leg. The driver had taken off, racing down the street with speed bumps, in the process losing a tire. It made a terrible noise plus people screaming. We don't know how it all ended but further down, the street becomes a typical bump and pothole alley which would even total a Dakar rally car if taken at full speed. 

Electricity is still a problem. From the last eight days only five had electricity, but up to now it gets fixed every time. 

Here's picture of a "Jeep" put together from a scooter and other parts by our friend Joseph. He's quite a genius and comes up with all kinds of ideas. A few days ago he was visitied by some people from the Ministry of Industry who were impressed with what he is doind in his little workshop and are now looking into how they can help him.

Here's another unique picture. It's a traffic agent robot made by a student from the technical university here. 

He turns, waves his arms and has lights.

Valentine's day encounter. The other day I was waiting at the busstop. There was a young lady sitting with her head on her arms, sleeping. She looked quite in need but I didn't want to wake her up. My bus came and I was off. A few hours later while walking home the Lord reminded me of her, so I turned around and went to see if she was still there. And yes, she was. We talked a little. Her name was Deborah. She said she was looking for a job. I offered her some money so she could buy herself something to eat but she declined. So I prayed for her and gave her a "Why Worry? You're in His Hands" pamphlet. She was thankful. Only just now I realized it happened on Valentine's day, so I guess the Lord used me to show her some of His love and concern for her. 

June 28, 2013 Budapest

I'm still at Aaron & Maresha's place where I'm well taken care off and improving in health, TG (for the un-initiated: this means Thank God). In the beginning I got tired easily and slept quite a bit. I guess my brain got tired from all the rewiring that had to be done as right after the coma not everything lined up. I was also getting a little dizzy from time to time. But both the need for extra sleep and the dizzynesses are things of the past now and I'm feeling better all the time.

July 21, 2013 Budapest

Since landing in Budapest I have been staying with Aaron and Maresha. Since coming here I had a check-up in the hospital which came out clear. TG! I used to get dizzy now and then still, I guess aftershocks of the coma, but it's getting less and less. Maresha knows quite a bit about nutrition and vitamins and is taking good care of me.

TY for your continued prayers, the main healing factor.

Here's a link to our latest clip about Mushapo.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5X7qFfJKNk

As the day of my flight back to Europe was approaching, I travelled back to Tshikapa on a motorcycle taxi. This was quite a ride, @ 50 km, over narrow paths, through streams and up steep slopes where I had to get off the bike otherwise it couldn't make it.

In Tpa I stayed a few days with the DENYS company who are doing a big water project there and have been a great help to our work. On my day of departure though I became unwell, lost my balance a few times, fell and landed in a coma because of a cerebral-malaria attack. I have little recollection of the whole thing or how I was in the hospital, but thanks to the prayers of many I came through the ordeal.

While still in Mushapo, I had had a few little times of not feeling well, but because the symptoms of malaria were practically non existant, I thought little of it until it hit me full force. So it pays to check out any odd feelings as something bigger might be brewing.

I stayed a week in Kinshasa with our faithful Mpona family, many thanks also to Dom and Marie, who were a great help. At the moment I'm writing this, June 7, 2013, I'm at Aaron & Maresha's place in Budapest, where I am recuperating further.