Real Fun while out Shopping in the Congo

I remember that shopping in the Congolese Provincial cities was never easy and sometimes it was nerve wracking for the faint-hearted. We were in a big African Market and Esther had her bag wrapped tightly under her arm. This place was notorious for petty thieves.

One Misso had had his Aussie Acubra hat stolen off his head and the rugby front-row sized son had chased the thief and rugby tackled him into the tables of the shoe stall sending shoes and shoppers flying in all directions.

While Esther was looking she felt a faint tap on her left shoulder and turned to see who touched her. She did not realise that at that very moment her good leather bag had been slit with a razor blade. She only found out when she put her had in to get some money for a purchase. Her hand went straight through and out the big hole that had been made. Luckily, her money was in another special compartment and they got nothing for their clever effort.
The devil is a thief. He steals girls of their virginity. He robs young men of their purity and clarity of purpose. He wants you to kill yourself by suicide or take another precious life. He is fixed on your destruction, eternal destruction with him in Hell. But Jesus came to give us LIFE, abundant overflowing blessed LIFE.

On another day in Lubumbashi, Esther was sitting in the 4x4 looking after the vehicle while I was shopping. It was so hot that she could not keep the window up all the time. So she had it down to get some fresh air.

There was a sudden knock on the car on the opposite side to where she was in the passenger seat. She turned her head and while she did a hand went through the window and down between her legs trying to get her purse hidden under her legs. So the next time she went shopping she decided that she would wrap the shoulder strap around her leg thus hindering a quick getaway of a thief. It worked well until she wished to get out of the vehicle. She forgot the strap and nearly tripped onto the ground because of the strap around her leg.

What about the thieves who tried to break-in to a Land Rover back door in the centre of Lusaka, Zambia. The woman missionary left the front passenger seat to see what was going on and had her handbag stolen while she was round the back. She saw the thief, kicked off her shoes and began the chase down the main street. She had been a sprinter and high jumper in her youth and she caught the African in the crowded street. The crowds were amused with this white missionary having a tug-a-war with the local for her bag which eventually he surrendered. She was cheered and cheered as the conqueror.

Not every missionary gets off on the best side of things. We are TOOOO TRUSTING or gullible.

While in a West African Capital and just ready to head out with a huge load in the back of the Mitsubishi 4x4 Twin cab, I climbed out to check the ropes tying on the load. While I was out I had my purse stolen from under the front seat with all my money, Driver’s Licence and car papers in it. It took me some time getting temporary papers from the Police. About two hours later, I said to Esther as we travelled into the interior. “Well what does it matter anyway. God is still with us and we are unharmed.” We eventually replaced all the lost documents.

Another day they tried to get me out of the car by rocking the car and attempting to break-in the back door. On one occasion I had reversed very quickly and nearly run my tormentors over. On another day they tried to get me out by letting the air out of my tyres. Unsuccessful, they then stole my cap off my head through the open window.

I yelled out in French. “Oh look, you’ve stolen from a bald-headed old man, now he has nothing to protect him from the sun.” They kindly came back and gave me my cap. How gracious of them.

Are you security conscious and do you have your wits about you. Be suspicious and think African and then you won’t be an easy target. Try not to put yourself into places where you will be vulnerable; but don't get paranoid about it. You need to be vulnerable sometimes, and take some risks. Otherwise you will go nowhere and accomplish nothing.

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