January 1, 2003

Dear Friends,

Happy New Year!

We are a little slow getting things done this morning. Here in the Congo the New Year is a big celebration compared to Christmas. We were invited by the medical residents to a party for all the medical staff and their families. It was held outside the home of two of the residents.

We played volleyball, frisbee, told far-fetched hilarious stories, mostly in Tshilubu, took group pictures, greeted station friends that wandered by and dropped in for refreshments, listened to Christmas Choir music, Celine Dion, and had a great celebration.

At midnight the food arrived. Roast chicken and goat, potatoes, peas, carrots, spagetti, various sauces, pinapple, guava, bananas and cake. We drank Baco, a bottled orange drink.

Then, the Congolese music started in ernest at high volume and the traditional head knocking and kissing was joyously passed about. The traditional Congolese dancing began. First, the men individually, then together; then the women individually, and then together; then couples did their thing together. It was hilarious. There was much cheering and enjoyment. The children all joined the throng mimicking their parents. I saw no sleepy faces.

I don't know exactly when we eventually escaped but the sun was high in the sky when we woke this morning.

Please change our e-mail address from, sager@maf.org to the new address, sager@maf.net Mail will be forwarded to us at the new address until the end of January 2003. After that it will need to be changed to reach us.

Bill and Sue Sager