How can you NOT smile when you see a face like this?
Does this look familiar?
While boarding our plane in Mbuji Mayai in route to Kinshasa we sat in the mini airport and had one of our branch presidents clearing obstacles ahead of us. DR Congo is one of the most corrupt countries in the world and in order to move around bribes have to be paid, especially when you're white and from America. Police find the littlest things to harass you about and won't let you go until you've paid them something under the table. The police is just the start, it seems like it's everywhere. For example, in order to get through security and into the airport parking lot the branch president had to pay $18 to the guard to give us a "pass". If we don't pay then they stop us, hold us up for hours, and then we end up paying them the same amount anyway. They are in control of the situation and it can be a bit frustrating, but it's the price we are choosing to pay in order to bless those that are in need.
We thought having our translator's dead goat as check on baggage was strange enough but while at the airport we saw 3 different people check in a live goat, wrapped up in gunny sack with it's head popping out. They passed the goat over the counter and put it on the baggage cart just like a suitcase. After boarding the plane and looking out the window we saw one of the goats running down the runway and two airport workers chasing after it. One for the goat! They eventually caught up to him and got him into the baggage area.
Everything has value here. Nothing is thrown away. It's always fixed back up or used for another purpose. At the airport they had an old burned out plane next to the runway. Not the best marketing strategy to instill confidence in your customers. Our pilot came back and talked to us before taking off and he is from Greece. He flies all over West Africa and said that flights in DR Congo are the most risky because of outdated airports and planes. Thanks a lot Mr. Pilot, we really needed to hear that... After talking with him for awhile he opened up and shared some interesting stuff. He said pilots in DRC can make up to $10,000 a month, but that there recorded salary is only $500 a month. They pay taxes on $500 each month and the remaining $9,500 is paid under the table tax free. This is the game that's played in so many countries around the world. Realizing that this is the case in many industries, especially government, gave me a clearer picture of how much money is actually flowing through countries like DRC and how little tax revenue is being collected. As the Lord says in Doctrine and Covenants, "There is enough and to spare". If we could get everyone square then all these countries could take better care of their people.
Perhaps this can't be accomplished until the Lord reigns again, but in the meantime we are our brother's keeper to help those innocent victims of corrupt governments.
On the plane we had 13 missionaries headed to the MTC in Ghana. They all have mission calls to come back to DRC and serve. They looked so good and are the cream of the crop in their society. The Gospel develops us and it is so clear to see this in impoverished countries. The Kinshasa mission currently baptizes 300 people a month with 148 missionaries. The Gospel is flourishing here and gradually the people are rising. There are still decades of development needed but I can see many seedlings that have popped up through the ground and the Church outlook is bright.
I'll see you on Saturday! I love you and miss you!
Love,
Matt
1 comment:
We do live in a different world and we better be grateful!
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