Week 2 in Kinshasa ... and not counting

  

Guest post by Sandra Basgall, Catholic Relief Services Central Africa

The unsung heroes in the development world are the local staff.  If it were not for the regional administrative assistant, I would be completely in the dark.

He has organized temporary housing and working on permanent housing; he has helped me interview and hire household help; he has made sure I have drivers to take me around and without them, I would be lost; he has made sure that I get groceries; and he has just been there to answer questions. He works long hard hours, juggles many priorities, is constantly on the move, and an amazing asset. I take my hat off to him and others like him who have taken care of me around the world.

The house is in the works and I hope, if there are no glitches, to move in the end of the week.  I have hired a widow with six children to work five days a week for me. She has some English and will clean, wash and iron my clothes, and cook for me. It’s a little incestuous as she is the sister of one of my colleague’s housekeepers and the aunt of another. Just goes to show that it pays to have connections. As soon as I can move in, we, she and I will go the house and see what we need and go out and buy it. I look forward to getting settled.