Cooking in the old kitchen
Our almost finished volunteer house
Luca and Fausto assembling solar panels
Making fufu (the staple of the people in our area of Congo, made from manioc flour)
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Home Scenes
Cooking in the old kitchen
Our almost finished volunteer house
Luca and Fausto assembling solar panels
Making fufu (the staple of the people in our area of Congo, made from manioc flour)
Monday, July 7, 2008
Visiting Home
Hello!
Sorry about the infrequent blog updates! I will work on updating soon! For the moment, I just wanted to let you know that I'm back in Colorado for about a month to visit family and friends, and to prepare for my next year in mission in Congo.
I would like to have a gathering of my Denver area friends on the afternoon of Saturday, July 26, from 1:00 to 4:00. We can meet in Highland Park (where Woodbury library is located) at the intersection of 32nd and Federal. I will have my laptop with pictures and some snacks and stories. Please come if you can!
Tricia
pjpipkin@mac.com
Sorry about the infrequent blog updates! I will work on updating soon! For the moment, I just wanted to let you know that I'm back in Colorado for about a month to visit family and friends, and to prepare for my next year in mission in Congo.
I would like to have a gathering of my Denver area friends on the afternoon of Saturday, July 26, from 1:00 to 4:00. We can meet in Highland Park (where Woodbury library is located) at the intersection of 32nd and Federal. I will have my laptop with pictures and some snacks and stories. Please come if you can!
Tricia
pjpipkin@mac.com
Friday, May 9, 2008
May Update
Dear Family and Friends,
Hello! I hope that you are well.
Here is a quick update on what's happening in Aru:
The teachers' strike ended on Monday after the parents agreed to pay additional school fees to help pay the teachers' salaries. Unfortunately, but expectedly, there has been no response from the government. I'm glad to be back in the classroom and especially glad for the students who were at risk of repeating the school year.
Yesterday was the feast day of St. Magdalene of Canossa, the foundress of the Canossian sisters. We celebrated with a mass filled with singing and dancing attended by the students of the Canossian schools in Aru from pre-school to high school, and with a big meal we prepared for the workers who built the volunteer house. In the evening we had another celebration with the sisters. We have no lack of parties here!
Tomorrow afternoon the volunteers and several of the sisters plan to go to Biringi, a nearby village to celebrate the Pentecost vigil and Pentecost. We have heard that the vigil of Pentecost there lasts most of the night with lots of singing and dancing to invite the coming of the Holy Spirit.
The garden in front of the volunteers house is sprouting up with lots of pea, bean and basil plants as well a lots of flowers and a couple trees. The rains have started to come more frequently, but we still have quite a bit of sunshine.
I appreciate all of your prayers. I know they sustain me through the ups and downs of life here.
Blessed Pentecost!
Tricia
Hello! I hope that you are well.
Here is a quick update on what's happening in Aru:
The teachers' strike ended on Monday after the parents agreed to pay additional school fees to help pay the teachers' salaries. Unfortunately, but expectedly, there has been no response from the government. I'm glad to be back in the classroom and especially glad for the students who were at risk of repeating the school year.
Yesterday was the feast day of St. Magdalene of Canossa, the foundress of the Canossian sisters. We celebrated with a mass filled with singing and dancing attended by the students of the Canossian schools in Aru from pre-school to high school, and with a big meal we prepared for the workers who built the volunteer house. In the evening we had another celebration with the sisters. We have no lack of parties here!
Tomorrow afternoon the volunteers and several of the sisters plan to go to Biringi, a nearby village to celebrate the Pentecost vigil and Pentecost. We have heard that the vigil of Pentecost there lasts most of the night with lots of singing and dancing to invite the coming of the Holy Spirit.
The garden in front of the volunteers house is sprouting up with lots of pea, bean and basil plants as well a lots of flowers and a couple trees. The rains have started to come more frequently, but we still have quite a bit of sunshine.
I appreciate all of your prayers. I know they sustain me through the ups and downs of life here.
Blessed Pentecost!
Tricia
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Jambo! (Hello in Swahili)
This is what we shouted in greeting out the windows of the Prado as we drove to and around Bunia (200 km SE of Aru) the week after Easter. Luca, Fausto, Sr. Daniela, Sr. Pasqueline and I had a fascinating trip traveling the winding, muddy roads through the villages, forests, open plains and cultivated fields of Ituri. We were well taken care of by the Canossian community in Bunia, and from there made day trip to Lake Albert and the town of Beni. Every new curve in the road brought new photo opportunities and we came home with about a thousand pictures from the trip. I hope that that I can show a few of them to you someday.
Luca, Fausto and I also went with Sr. Angela to the prison in Bunia to pray with the prisoners (in both the adult and children's sections of the prison). This was a moving experience, and one of the highlights of the trip. I also visited the library in Bunia that is run by the White Fathers there. The director, Fr. Salvador (from Guanajuato, Mexico!) showed me around and gave me information that will be helpful when we start the library in Aru.
After returning from Bunia, I had some time to do some landscaping in the new yard, to organize the house, to experiment with making different kinds of cake for the bakery (banana, peanut butter, avocado, corn bread…), to help make and sell bread at the bakery and to prepare for the beginning of classes. Classes were to resume yesterday, April 14.
However, life is very difficult to predict in Congo. We had one day of classes and then the principal of the school announced a teachers' strike that will go on for an indefinite period of time, perhaps until the end of the school year. The teachers have not been paid for three months and have reached the end of their patience waiting for money to provide for their families.
This news brought singing and dancing from some students, but great disappointment in many others who will likely have to repeat this school year next year. The Seniors are understandably the hardest hit. It was strange today to see the boarding school students at Mass this morning without their uniforms, and later in the morning to see them carrying their bags (on their heads, of course) to meet the taxi "buses" to go home.
If the teachers' strike continues, I may be spending a lot more time at the bakery, working in the house, organizing the library and working on slideshow presentations. I've also thought about continuing English classes with a small group of motivated students. But in Congo, I find it's really hard to predict what the future holds.
I now have a plane ticket to Colorado. For now, the dates are July 2-July 28. This, too, may change. I'll let you know. I am really excited to visit! ☺
God bless you all!
Tricia
This is what we shouted in greeting out the windows of the Prado as we drove to and around Bunia (200 km SE of Aru) the week after Easter. Luca, Fausto, Sr. Daniela, Sr. Pasqueline and I had a fascinating trip traveling the winding, muddy roads through the villages, forests, open plains and cultivated fields of Ituri. We were well taken care of by the Canossian community in Bunia, and from there made day trip to Lake Albert and the town of Beni. Every new curve in the road brought new photo opportunities and we came home with about a thousand pictures from the trip. I hope that that I can show a few of them to you someday.
Luca, Fausto and I also went with Sr. Angela to the prison in Bunia to pray with the prisoners (in both the adult and children's sections of the prison). This was a moving experience, and one of the highlights of the trip. I also visited the library in Bunia that is run by the White Fathers there. The director, Fr. Salvador (from Guanajuato, Mexico!) showed me around and gave me information that will be helpful when we start the library in Aru.
After returning from Bunia, I had some time to do some landscaping in the new yard, to organize the house, to experiment with making different kinds of cake for the bakery (banana, peanut butter, avocado, corn bread…), to help make and sell bread at the bakery and to prepare for the beginning of classes. Classes were to resume yesterday, April 14.
However, life is very difficult to predict in Congo. We had one day of classes and then the principal of the school announced a teachers' strike that will go on for an indefinite period of time, perhaps until the end of the school year. The teachers have not been paid for three months and have reached the end of their patience waiting for money to provide for their families.
This news brought singing and dancing from some students, but great disappointment in many others who will likely have to repeat this school year next year. The Seniors are understandably the hardest hit. It was strange today to see the boarding school students at Mass this morning without their uniforms, and later in the morning to see them carrying their bags (on their heads, of course) to meet the taxi "buses" to go home.
If the teachers' strike continues, I may be spending a lot more time at the bakery, working in the house, organizing the library and working on slideshow presentations. I've also thought about continuing English classes with a small group of motivated students. But in Congo, I find it's really hard to predict what the future holds.
I now have a plane ticket to Colorado. For now, the dates are July 2-July 28. This, too, may change. I'll let you know. I am really excited to visit! ☺
God bless you all!
Tricia
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Update and Article
Ciao!
I hope that you are healthy and happy and I wish you a blessed Holy Week and Joyful Easter.
Life in Aru continues to be full for me. This week began with the tragic deaths of three neighbor children on Monday night in a house fire only a hundred yards or so from the volunteer house. We knew the children since they would sometimes come over to talk or play. It's still hard to believe they've died. We tend to think that we and those around us have lots of time to live, but in times like this we remember that every day is a gift, as is every person who crosses our path.
Easter Break begins on Holy Thursday and lasts for two weeks. I'm looking forward to having time to work on house projects and Luca, Fausto, Sr. Daniela and I may take a trip to Bunia near Lake Albert to visit the community there and see some more of Congo.
I recently wrote an article for the VOICA newsletter. I will paste it below to give a bit of an update on the projects going on here in Aru.
Tricia
Making Progress with Projects in Aru, Congo
Greetings from Aru, Democratic Republic of Congo, where VOICA is taking root! We VOICA volunteers are now working with the Canossian Sisters to start up a bakery, establish a farm, set up a computer center and build the volunteer house.
The Volunteers
I (Tricia Pipkin ,Colorado, U.S.A.) arrived on September 1, 2007 and began teaching English at Adia Lemi high school, and giving English and music sessions at St. Magdalene of Canossa preschool. I plan to serve in Aru for two years.
Fausto Signoretto (Verona, Italy) arrived December 8, 2007. He wears many hats: driver, bakery assistant, engineer, farmer, electrician and general handyman. He also has committed to two years of service.
Luca Serotti (Brescia, Italy) arrived with Fausto on December 8. Already, he is becoming famous in Aru for the delicious bread that he makes at the new bakery.
Simone Lovato (Verona, Italy) arrived January 22 and departed February 28. He was very busy employing his expertise as an electrician as he installed electrical systems and solar panels during his five weeks with us.
The Projects
Bakery: Construction of the new bakery and the large wood-burning oven inside was completed in December. Fausto and Luca lined the oven with corrugated sheet metal, soldered oven racks and began experimenting with different dough recipes and techniques for properly heating the oven.
On December 23, the long-awaited container arrived carrying the industrial-size electric oven and mixer. Luca began using the mixer immediately to mix the dough in the evenings during the three hours we have electricity from the main generator. Often Fausto and I also accompanied him for dinner and community nightlife at the bakery.
The electric oven required more electric power than the existing generator produced, so a new generator was ordered from Kampala, Uganda. Towards the end of January, Luca began baking with the new electric oven. Now he produces about 1000 rolls each day and it is selling well. We have also begun baking pizza, banana cake and corn bread. These are novelties for the people here, but they're catching on fast. The profits from the sales at the bakery will help fund other projects in the province.
The bakery shop has also been a good place to interact with the local people of Aru as we sell the products of the bakery, candy and soft drinks. We are discussing ways to make it a social gathering place with opportunities for sharing God's word and for fellowship.
Farm: What was simply an open field near a year only ago is now the beginning of a working farm that will help fund Canossian projects. Nine cows, one bull and two calves sleep in the newly constructed barn. A chicken house awaits the arrival of its hens and the fields are being plowed for planting. A tractor and plow arrived in the container in December, and Fausto worked diligently to design and build counterweights for the tractor that would allow the plow to be used, and he has begun training a local man to drive the tractor. Planting will begin in the next month or so with the coming of the rainy season.
Cyber Café: The finishing touches are being completed in the construction of the cyber café that will house five computers that allow access to Internet and about twenty others for general use. These computers also arrived in the long-awaited container and Fausto and Simone loaded the needed programs and began setting up the computer systems. Internet service possibilities are being investigated and the solar panels await installation. Access to computers is extremely limited in Aru. We hope that this center will provide opportunities for the people of Aru, especially students, to learn computer skills and do research.
Volunteer House: Within the next couple of weeks we hope to be completely moved into the new volunteer house. Major construction was finished in January. Simone and Fausto, with some help from Luca, installed the large solar panels and accompanying electrical system that now provides twenty-four hour power for the volunteer house. The painting of the interior was finished at the beginning of March and plumbing is almost complete. Now we need to move the wood stove from the old kitchen to the new and put up the curtains. We are grateful to last year's short-term volunteer group, the province and all who contributed to the construction of our house!
And One Project in Ariwara: Solar Panels for the Hospital! During Simone's stay in Congo, he spent almost a week working with Fausto on installing the solar panels and accompanying electrical system for the hospital in Ariwara. At the time of writing, Fausto has returned to Ariwara to continue working on this big project that will give the hospital much-needed access to twenty-four hour power.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to make these projects possible. Please keep us in your prayers, that we are able to make Jesus known and loved through these projects and in all our our work.
I hope that you are healthy and happy and I wish you a blessed Holy Week and Joyful Easter.
Life in Aru continues to be full for me. This week began with the tragic deaths of three neighbor children on Monday night in a house fire only a hundred yards or so from the volunteer house. We knew the children since they would sometimes come over to talk or play. It's still hard to believe they've died. We tend to think that we and those around us have lots of time to live, but in times like this we remember that every day is a gift, as is every person who crosses our path.
Easter Break begins on Holy Thursday and lasts for two weeks. I'm looking forward to having time to work on house projects and Luca, Fausto, Sr. Daniela and I may take a trip to Bunia near Lake Albert to visit the community there and see some more of Congo.
I recently wrote an article for the VOICA newsletter. I will paste it below to give a bit of an update on the projects going on here in Aru.
Tricia
Making Progress with Projects in Aru, Congo
Greetings from Aru, Democratic Republic of Congo, where VOICA is taking root! We VOICA volunteers are now working with the Canossian Sisters to start up a bakery, establish a farm, set up a computer center and build the volunteer house.
The Volunteers
I (Tricia Pipkin ,Colorado, U.S.A.) arrived on September 1, 2007 and began teaching English at Adia Lemi high school, and giving English and music sessions at St. Magdalene of Canossa preschool. I plan to serve in Aru for two years.
Fausto Signoretto (Verona, Italy) arrived December 8, 2007. He wears many hats: driver, bakery assistant, engineer, farmer, electrician and general handyman. He also has committed to two years of service.
Luca Serotti (Brescia, Italy) arrived with Fausto on December 8. Already, he is becoming famous in Aru for the delicious bread that he makes at the new bakery.
Simone Lovato (Verona, Italy) arrived January 22 and departed February 28. He was very busy employing his expertise as an electrician as he installed electrical systems and solar panels during his five weeks with us.
The Projects
Bakery: Construction of the new bakery and the large wood-burning oven inside was completed in December. Fausto and Luca lined the oven with corrugated sheet metal, soldered oven racks and began experimenting with different dough recipes and techniques for properly heating the oven.
On December 23, the long-awaited container arrived carrying the industrial-size electric oven and mixer. Luca began using the mixer immediately to mix the dough in the evenings during the three hours we have electricity from the main generator. Often Fausto and I also accompanied him for dinner and community nightlife at the bakery.
The electric oven required more electric power than the existing generator produced, so a new generator was ordered from Kampala, Uganda. Towards the end of January, Luca began baking with the new electric oven. Now he produces about 1000 rolls each day and it is selling well. We have also begun baking pizza, banana cake and corn bread. These are novelties for the people here, but they're catching on fast. The profits from the sales at the bakery will help fund other projects in the province.
The bakery shop has also been a good place to interact with the local people of Aru as we sell the products of the bakery, candy and soft drinks. We are discussing ways to make it a social gathering place with opportunities for sharing God's word and for fellowship.
Farm: What was simply an open field near a year only ago is now the beginning of a working farm that will help fund Canossian projects. Nine cows, one bull and two calves sleep in the newly constructed barn. A chicken house awaits the arrival of its hens and the fields are being plowed for planting. A tractor and plow arrived in the container in December, and Fausto worked diligently to design and build counterweights for the tractor that would allow the plow to be used, and he has begun training a local man to drive the tractor. Planting will begin in the next month or so with the coming of the rainy season.
Cyber Café: The finishing touches are being completed in the construction of the cyber café that will house five computers that allow access to Internet and about twenty others for general use. These computers also arrived in the long-awaited container and Fausto and Simone loaded the needed programs and began setting up the computer systems. Internet service possibilities are being investigated and the solar panels await installation. Access to computers is extremely limited in Aru. We hope that this center will provide opportunities for the people of Aru, especially students, to learn computer skills and do research.
Volunteer House: Within the next couple of weeks we hope to be completely moved into the new volunteer house. Major construction was finished in January. Simone and Fausto, with some help from Luca, installed the large solar panels and accompanying electrical system that now provides twenty-four hour power for the volunteer house. The painting of the interior was finished at the beginning of March and plumbing is almost complete. Now we need to move the wood stove from the old kitchen to the new and put up the curtains. We are grateful to last year's short-term volunteer group, the province and all who contributed to the construction of our house!
And One Project in Ariwara: Solar Panels for the Hospital! During Simone's stay in Congo, he spent almost a week working with Fausto on installing the solar panels and accompanying electrical system for the hospital in Ariwara. At the time of writing, Fausto has returned to Ariwara to continue working on this big project that will give the hospital much-needed access to twenty-four hour power.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to make these projects possible. Please keep us in your prayers, that we are able to make Jesus known and loved through these projects and in all our our work.
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