***To clarify, at the time that we published this story we were not in Minembwe.***
Due to the irregularity of available flights via the UN helicopter to and from Minembwe, we’ve had to make use of the Minembwe “Airport,” which for the moment is visited somewhat regularly by airplanes. To control the airport would be a jewel in the crown of a rebel group, but fortunately, to date this has not become a reality.
To book a seat on a plane, you call a local man who comes to your house and collects money, and writes your name on the passenger manifest, aka a notebook. On the “scheduled” day of our flight, we walk 1,800 ft. to the airport, then check in (our names crossed off in the notebook)…
…get our bags weighed, and then if you are thirsty…
…you might head on over to the concession stand to get something to drink.
Then you wait, maybe minutes, maybe hours, or maybe you walk home, unpack enough for the night, repack in the morning, and try again the next day(s).
So, while waiting, you pose for photos…
…or look for interesting designs on the ladies’ kikwembe fabric such as spark plugs…
…or wonder how close to your bag the live chicken is going to be stored on the plane because your bag’s zipper doesn’t quite seal your bag.
But the airport is at the crossroads, so you may have “guests” accompany you to the “waiting area” such as Joyeuse, the eldest of the “kids” at the orphanage (and now in her second year at the university!!!)…
…or maybe your neighbor and good friend, Pastor Magaju, might be passing through…
We’ve been blessed to get to know and to become good friends with Captain Ted, owner of Busy Bee Airlines.
Captain/Uncle Ted is a great “family man” and he extends his love of family to ours as well.
It’s not too difficult to imagine this scene becoming a reality one day in the distant future.
The last time Lisa and I flew together out of Minembwe, we had to show everyone on the flight how to buckle a seat belt as it appeared to be the first flight for everyone on board. Once the plane landed at our destination, Lisa and I were ready to exit the plane, but no one was moving out of their seats to disembark. We then noticed that everyone was still buckled in, so we repeated the seat belt instructions in reverse, and everyone was happy.
Somehow…
Michael