Apologies for the gap in communication from us. We had been hoping to send an update for a long time, however our travel plans have continually been interrupted by border closures, limited flight availability, local fighting in Minembwe, the threat of a coup and political crisis in the DRC, and finally a last-minute change in our landing destination when neighboring Burundi finally reopened its airport.

 

In Seattle, ready to begin our 33 hour journey, glad to not have to touch the 18 checked bags (above) for awhile.

We landed in Bujumbura, Burundi on December 5. We chose to land in Bujumbura rather than in the DRC as the DRC is a little sketchy these days due to a serious government power struggle, which led to the president dissolving the parliament, which led to demonstrations and clashes.

While we are in Bujumbura, Miles and I hope to train with a well drilling ministry located here to learn more about the process and equipment needed for drilling wells in the Minembwe region in the DRC. Once we observe which direction the political situation in the DRC will blow, then we will be making our way across the border and back up the mountain to Minembwe.

If you are interested in reading the more detailed story of our experience with the new process and requirements of a COVID-related entry into Burundi, and our then required quarantine in Bujumbura, continue reading below.

Somehow…

Michael

*****

After 33 hours of flights and layovers, the eight of us stepped off the plane in Bujumbura and into a long line to begin the newest arrival process due to COVID-19 restrictions. After standing in line for a short while in the hot sun and humidity, a policeman wanted to advance just Emilee and the girls to the front of the line to get processed, but Emilee needed our help with the four little girls, so we all stayed in place. Shortly after that, some kind Burundians ahead of us welcomed us to advance far enough to at least get the girls out of the sun. After being in line for a long time, a very nice man ahead of us pleaded with the officials for us to be advanced because of the girls. The officials refused, so this man welcomed us to stand in front of him and another man; now we were only a few people from the front of the line.

We had been told and also had read that officially the girls were young enough to NOT require the COVID test on arrival ($100 each), so when we got to the first window to pay for tests, we only paid for the four of us adults. Once we had done this, we moved to the next window to process paperwork. As we were in that line, some other parents (both Africans and foreigners) who had moved through the process earlier than us came back as they were told by the border control that their children needed the test and they had to pay. We joined them in trying to argue our case, but this was getting us nowhere, so we paid for the girls to be tested. The law isn’t really “the law” here… everyone with a little power and leverage makes up their own rules, especially if money is to be made.

After finishing at the next window, we stopped to get all of the paperwork checked before they sent us to the border control window to process our passports. After they finished with my and Lisa’s passports, Lisa noticed that the date stamp was for the previous day. It was now past 4pm, so just imagine how many people before us had the wrong date stamped in their passport. It took some convincing, but the man finally changed the date on the stamp and re-stamped our passports. Our next step was to gather our 18 pieces of checked luggage and relocate to the COVID testing area just outside of the airport.

We now sat inside of a big wedding tent in plastic chairs. This was now the “line” and every time someone progressed, everyone then got up and moved up a chair. Prior to this point we had been admonished each time any of our family members got within six feet of one another, but everyone was sitting inches away from one another and then sitting in one another’s chair. But… masks were being worn! While in the “chair line” we had to show proof that we paid for our COVID test and that we had booked a hotel for our required 3+ days of quarantine, and then we received our vials and swabs. The next step in the COVID Fun House was going to another tent to get our COVID tests done, which this time around was getting our throats swabbed. Kids and adults alike gagged, but it sure beats getting your brain swabbed via a stick up your nose like they had done to us in the US.

After that, we loaded onto a bus that took us and others to our hotels to be quarantined; our 18 bags and gazillion carry-ons had to be loaded into the bus with us as the luggage area under the bus was unavailable for some reason. Before we had arrived, we had chosen a hotel that was up on a hill so we’d get a breeze, and another bonus was that it wasn’t as expensive as some of the others that were in the center of town or near the lake. We chose the breeze option because it didn’t matter which hotel you stayed at as you can’t leave your rooms anyway.

We heard so many different stories about how long we’d have to quarantine, but we knew we would get retested if anyone on our last flight (Ethiopia to Burundi) had tested positive at the airport. Well, eight people had tested positive, so three days after arriving in Bujumbura, and still under quarantine, everyone from our flight was transported to a hotel in the center of town to get retested, then back to our respective hotels. We all stood just outside in the hotel’s outdoor entrance area or in the landscaped front garden; the girls were happy to finally be outside and they ran around on the grass playing various games.

Grandpa laying down the ground rules for Red Rover.

Let the games begin!

Today, two days later, we received word that we all tested negative, so we were able to move, not a small feat, to the budget hotel we always stay at when we’re in Bujumbura. Now it’s time to get to work!

Once again… somehow!

Michael