November 3, 2014
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Piroques
I think I spelled that right. Piroque is the French word for a dugout canoe. The Sango language may have a different word for it now. They keep adding new words to the trade language. (I guess we Americans do too, especially in regard to computers.) Anyway, these canoes are incredibly sturdy. I never rode a long distance in one, but our friends did. They lived in the northern part of Congo, and would come up to the capital of the Central African Republic to shop. We were going to go with them to visit in their home. At that time we had 4 children, the youngest just a baby. I look back now, and think we must have been crazy. A day or days on a river with 4 young children! I guess we were just young and foolish. We never got to go because my husband got sick, and after that there was no time. It probably was a blessing although we didn't think so at the time.
The girl in the blue dress on the right is our oldest girl. The little boy in the middle is our oldest boy.
The man with the white hair on the right was our mission Doctor. He and his wife, Ada, spent most of their lives in Africa. He studied medicine in Paris. His wife was a teacher. While he was studying she spent her time in the parks with her children, and learned the French language from the other moms there with their children. She learned it so well that people referred to them as the American Dr. with the French wife. They lived in Africa during WW 11. They were not able to go to the states for furlough, so they went to So. Africa for awhile. Ada made all her childrens' clothes during that time, including underwear and even shoes.
Here we are getting in the piroque to cross the river. I'm on the far left. The man standing up is Ed, a fellow missionary, and still a good friend of ours today. The others are the Dr. and our 2 older children. I'm not sure where our youngest was at the time. She must have been with her daddy. We were waiting for the rest to get in the boat.
We did sit down once everyone was in the canoe.
The next picture is one my husband took when he and a Swiss missionary went to the east of the country to sell Bibles and Scripture portions. They didn't give them away, but sold them very cheaply. The idea was that the people would treasure them more if they paid something for them. The man in the middle of the picture was the Swiss missionary. The men beside him were soldiers. Photographing soldiers was not allowed, but these men were happy to pose. Across the river is the country of Sudan. It is hard to believe the suffering that has gone on in those countries since that time, and still continues today.
Comments (7)
A very interesting time in your life! I would never get in the canoe - but then I'm afraid of water and I'd need a much bigger boat to feel safe - maybe something the size of an aircraft carrier! hehe! I think God must have known best and somehow prevented you from committing an act of lunacy in taking 4 little ones on a multiday trip in a canoe!!
What was the name of the river where you used pirogue ?
You made a harvest of exceptional memories in those African countries that are torn by war,now. Alas .
Love
Michel
The river we crossed in the pirogue I believe was the Lobaye. The river we would have used to go to Congo is the Ubangi River, also spelled Oubangui. We're not sure about the one separating RCA and Uganda. Undoubtedly it was a tributary of the Ubangi. The Lobaye River is probably also a tributary of the Ubangi River.
She even made shoes! Wow. It would be interesting to see those shoes. Maybe they were like moccasins? Yes, in a canoe with children can be hazardous! I shiver to think what was in the river! Your work for Jesus is never wasted.
Wow, that was really interesting to read---I have been in canoes, but the American kind. lol
What an adventure!
Very interesting. I think the trip in the pirque would have been very interesting, yet challenging with 4 young children. Thanks for sharing!