DR Congo or my long lost love

I recently had the opportunity to go to DR Congo with Samaritan’s Purse. The first few days we spent in Bunia, meeting with WFP (World Food Programme) about potentially starting distributions in NE Congo. From there we went to a village called Nyankunde where SP is helping to rebuild a hospital destroyed by the Ituri conflict sometime around 2002.

Here are some things I learned:

- 1. Congo is gold plated.

- 2. Taxing is a national sport –I was taxed for One Pass (a tax to improve the airport), Health ( a tax on your health ?!?) and road tax (enforced by local guys who take their own initiative to improve the roads)

- 3. The roads in Karamoja are good - After one week on Congolese roads, I will never again complain about the roads in Karamoja. The roads were terrible and I cannot imagine how it would be during the rainy season.

Below are some pictures from the trip. Most were taken at small river where men were panning for gold.