Left Congo

Our new conversation...

Luke:  "Remember when we went to Congo?  And you got malaria?"
Keela:  "And you got robbed?"
Luke:  "And you almost got arrested?"
Keela: "And street kids were being executed and street vendors were being chased off by the police?"
Luke:  "Good thing we didn't have a severely injured child with us!"

Congo is usually crazy....but wow!

I have left Congo.  I still have malaria, but that is not why I left.  With all the issues DGM and courts have been having this last week (i.e., children being smuggled over borders), it was best to leave.  Congo's laws change on a near weekly basis and in the November time frame, DRC enacted a policy that requires children leaving the country with a foreigner to have a court order to do so.  We have been working on Imara's court order for 2+ weeks and for some reason on Saturday, the judge put together that I was the one who escorted baby Joshua to the U.S. in September.  At that time, a court order was not required or even ever offered by the court and DGM issued an exit letter for Joshua according to their legal process.  Well, the judge on Saturday decided that even though Joshua is already in the U.S. and left prior to the new policy, he needs a court order to be there to prove he wasn't trafficked (who traffics severely emaciated and dying 4 month old boys?) and the judge wanted pictures of Joshua in the hospitals and his hospital records that day (gave us about 5 hours) or it would be grounds to arrest the people involved in his case.  (No, that is not even legal there....but it doesn't matter - it is guilty until proven innocent in DRC)  In the meantime, Imara's (and Joshua's) foster father talked with the judge and got it worked out, but I decided to leave so there was no appearance that I was trying to leave the country with Imara without the court's approval.  We have provided the court with all of the information they have requested for Joshua and the judge said he will issue Imara's court order on Monday.  (Oh how quickly things change in Congo.)

While I was packing to leave, two DRC attorneys and the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa reviewed baby Joshua's case and agreed that he left legally and that the new court order was enacted in November so it was not legal for the judge to threaten us.  The U.S. Embassy marine security officers and duty officers were alerted to the situation and I moved my flight up a day and made it to the airport in time.  Luke is leaving today.  He finished up the work that was remaining for us to do there before heading to the airport.

Imara went back to her foster family and was perfectly happy to see them and give them big hugs.  She kept telling me "I will see you tomorrow" and her foster mother explained that it will be longer than one day, but in a few weeks she can go see me - and Imara said that was OK. :)  As soon as we get the court order (which hopefully is Monday as the judge has said), then Imara's documents will go to DGM.  At that point we will get specific information on what they will require for her case.  Her foster father is thinking 1-2 weeks and we should have her exit letter - and I very much hope it is no longer than that for her sake.  When she is cleared for travel, it looks like Lucy will fly back over to escort her to the U.S. hospital.  We just pray her body holds out during this delay.

Congo is a beautiful country and its people are more beautiful and interesting - but the years of colonialism, dictatorship, conflicts, and wars has done nothing to help DRC's ability to provide for, protect, and help its most vulnerable citizens.  Orphans would not need to be adopted internationally, children would not be beaten to near-death in an act accepted by some churches and many communities, and the level and number of atrocities committed against women and children would not happen if Congo had a stable government.  But as all countries know, that is not easy or quick, particularly for such a large, asset-rich, geographically inaccessible, infrastructure-poor country.  Until DRC can provide for it's citizens, the most vulnerable in Congo need help and we pray that the government will afford its citizens the opportunity to access that help.