Welcome to Congo when tomorrow isn't tomorrow, now isn't now and short isn't short, but being late is always being on time.

The students were told to assemble at 10am on Saturday, 30 June, for the Independence Day parade. I was ambivalent about going. For a similar event to celebrate Journée de l'Enseignement on 30 April, I had dutifully gone into town at the given hour to the given meeting point and had found nobody there. Yes, all the primary children with their teachers and all the secondary pupils with their teachers were assembling school by school, but there were no university students to be found and no university teaching staff in view. I wandered up and down checking out the state of preparations of the band and the podium guests. Nothing was really happening so I decided to return to the meeting point by the church which proved advantageous since the heavens opened and there was a torrential downpour. For the next hour or more, I was closeted in the church with many restless school children taking shelter from the rain. When we emerged with the sun, I decided to go home.

So I was rather reluctant to spend another day waiting for nothing. I pottered around the house enjoying the quiet and sense of space since the workers had the day off. At 1pm my chores were finished. "I might as well go and see if anything is happening," I thought. I reached the high street to find it full of groups of people arrayed in their chosen uniform waiting to parade. Then I saw some faces I recognized; a handful of ISP students were jostling for a space in the line. Three hours after the given starting time they were on the point of action! What good timing on my part!

"Will you parade with us?" they asked. Should I? AIM safety policies advise us to be aware of riot situations, to avoid large gatherings, public demonstrations and crowds where speeches are being made. And here were MONUC troops on surveillance from atop their tanks; the police on the ground decked out in riot gear, sporting shields and truncheons; police patrolling on top of nearby buildings; crowds gathered to celebrate gaining independence from a white European nation. But earlier in the week I had processed at an academic's funeral where the riot police were out in number; MONUC troops are a part of daily life in Bunia; the crowds didn't seem hostile. If one always avoids potential trouble one avoids life.

I decided to process with the students. "We're the only group with a Muzungu," crowed the students, as if my presence gave them extra Brownie points!

Ten minutes later, it was all over. Nothing more to do. "Do you want to come back for tea?" I asked. The students were rewarded for their participation with tea and bread and a chance to read some English magazines. I was rewarded by their thanks and their appreciation for being willing to join in their activities. And it was a delicious feeling to have dared to be late and yet be on time - exactly!

"My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me." Psalm 31:15

Blessings,

Bridget