Book Club DRC

I just returned from my second evening soiree in a row and I am determined to write my long-overdue blog. I'm so sorry to have ignored you this week. Thank you for your patience!

The embassy event tonight was a celebration of all the alumni of the "International Visitors Program," a program in which professionals from around the world are selected to go to the United States for an all expenses paid trip for a two or three week learning experience. They are sent with various agendas, introducing them to the best of what we have to offer from successful professionals in their field. I spoke with several "Ministers" in the government, lawyers (both men and women) and professors. Everyone could not say enough about how much they appreciated their experience.

Last night's program was all about the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa. The U.S. Ambassador to PETFAR, (the Presidents Emergency Plan for Aids Relief), Ambassador Mark Dibel was the honored guest. He is making a tour through Africa and left this morning with U.S. Ambassador Garvelink and several others for a conference in Uganda on HIV/Aids. Three new videos were shown advocating safe sex and abstinence. About fifty people attended the gathering who are all working to combat HIV/Aids in the DRC. The U. S. has doubled it's amount of money to be used for this purpose, going from $15 million to $30 million in Congo alone. I was invited because of the text I have been asked to write in conjunction with a film to educate high school students.

A couple of my friends and I just decided this past January that we needed to increase our intellectual stimulation. We determined to meet the second Sunday night of every month and have been meeting ever since. We started with some Flannery OConnor short stories. Then read the Shack, by William P. Young, which is an allegory in a way, about the trinity. In April, we read and discussed Suite Francaise, by Nemorovsky. Last Sunday night, Abbey and I were on the docket for leading Traveling Mercies, by Anne LaMotte. We had a lively discussion about her honesty and openness, even to the point of not wanting to hear what she has to say. If you haven't read this book...No, I was going to recommend it, but I've quit doing that because everyone has a different idea of what constitutes a good book. In June, our discussion will center around A 1000 Splendid Suns by Hosseini. I am learning about Afghanistan through this fictionalized account of life during the recent past.

Caption: Book Club, Kinshasa, DRC; Gloria Biffert, Val and Christiana Shepard, Abigail Martin, Tanya Reitz, Sylvia Turner, Rebecca Robinson and Me, Jane. (Missing are Nancy Allen, Kathy Younker, Charity Schellenberg and Anne Sundberg)