Here is how we buy coconuts - on a street corner in the grande marché.  The elders we have had from Madagascar have shown us how to make wonderful coconut milkshakes by blending the coconut meat and milk, some extra water, and lots of sugar, to make a sweet milk that you can drink or put into things.  We added it to vanilla 'glace' for coconut milkshakes at a Zone Conference.  Then, I used the leftover coconut meat, which we drained off, for a delicious coconut cake.  And.....the French store in town now has powdered sugar, so I can make frosting (which the elders LOVE).  That is to say, the store had it one week - it may never be there again, but when you see something you want or need, you buy it because you may never see it again.

Here is the Vulcanisation business that Elder Wheatley takes our truck to when we get a flat tire (not that uncommon).   I looked that word up in the dictionary because Elder Wheatley said they had a place at his work called the 'Vulcanization Station' where tires were fixed.  In both the French and English versions, the definition is 'to vulcanize', which helps a lot when you don't know what that means.......

Everyone here thinks you should either drink beer, Coke, or orange Fanta....personally, I like the orange Fanta after a hot, humid Congo day!  I saw one billboard of a woman drinking Coke, and if I ever have my camera when I see it again, I want my 'oldest but youngest looking (as she likes to be known) daughter to see it! 

I have been watching for this photo op for awhile.  These natural gas containers are VERY heavy even when they are empty.  When they are full, Elder Wheatley can hardly lift one.  That women carry them on their heads is remarkable.  Ususally you see them being pushed in a wheelbarrow or put into a taxi.  If you have a gas burner or a gas stove to cook on, you need one of these.  I now have two, because every time I was preparing food for a Zone Conference, I would run out.  Most people do not have gas burners to cook on, they cook on charcoal outside their houses, over a tripod metal stand. 

This business is along the main street to town.  There is big construction machinery inside the fence.  There is a LOT of construction going on here - apartment buildings, business buildings and it looks like construction for oil companies.
And a lot of houses - partially built, that take years to finish.

Besides the backlights of all the cars in front of us, this is what we see whenever we head downtown - our local beer factory and cell towers - lots of them!

John Deere in Africa

One of our sons-in-law loves John Deere, so we want him to know that his favorite company is well represented in Congo!  We have seen John Deere tractors! 

The airport (aeroport) is quite close to where we live and to one of the church  buildings.  This is what we see all the time.  People walk across the runways because they are very close to where people live and have gardens out in fields.

This is a typical main road inside a cartier.  There are many smaller, narrower roads and lots of times cars can't pass through them, so then you find a place to turn around and find another way.

Hmmmmm......not sure where these came from?  There must be a big supply, because they have been for sale along this road for the whole time we have been here.