Snapshot 1: Power

For more than three years we have lived in this fascinating place. And so many times a camera just doesn't capture it all. I will often treasure significant moments in my heart, but not have a way to 'keep' them outside of memory itself. So I hope to 'keep' them here as 'Snapshots'. Words to describe meaningful bits of our experiences here in Congo.

So Snapshot 1: Power -

I join 40 Congolese women in a mud hut behind our church to pray.
Their colorful clothes shine in the glimmers of morning sunlight streaming in through the eaves.
Their prayers are full of conviction and thanksgiving.
These women have carried heavy loads.
The burden of trying to survive war.
Trying to keep a large family safe, healthy and fed. In war.
They balance all this gracefully like a huge clay pot on their heads.
They cry out to their Lord for mercy and strength.
With thanksgiving.

Then a deafening noise overhead.

A huge UN Peacekeeping helicopter flies directly over our hut.
It is 500 ft above us, temporarily drowning out the words.
A white behemoth cutting through blue sky to keep 'peace'.
In a show of the strength and control man can have.
It is big enough to carry a dump truck.
It swallows up thousands of gallons of fuel. And dollars.
It can carry very heavy loads.
Ungracefully.

And the question occurs to me:

Who has more power here?