bartered out of prison

I admit.... I am a naive Canadian. Honest. Trusting. Without guile.
Congo is a new experience in connections, processes and government departments.
Our travel plans were to do one day of shooting in Congo. David neglected to tell us that the Congo officials were not warm to cameras, high tech equipment or filming.
He also neglected to clearly describe to us the process of entering the country OR telling me to take the little yellow card I got at the health clinic that said I actually received my yellow fever immunization.
Our first travel jolt happened Tuesday morning when Gord and David were supposed to leave for Congo one day ahead of us to start the filming. Kenya airlines randomly ended the gate suddenly. So they were unable to leave.
On Wednesday, after many hours of phoning, pleading and begging for tickets for Congo, we got to the ticket agent and she told us that she had a notification on the screen that said she was to ensure that we paid before getting on. Which David saw as unreasonable, seeing as they were taken off of the flight the day before without any reason (or so it seemed). So Kevin and I went ahead (at least we would have stills if Gord and David were in jail).
We downloaded 10,000 photos while we waited.... played solitaire... and waited... finally, at the very last minute they appeared.
We made it to Congo!
Immediately upon arrival we were greeted by Rachel and the pastor of the church by the guest house. They wisked us through the customs -- basically we just gave them our passports and yellow fever cards (ooops, mine was missing). So we had to barter for a forgiveness. As we all know, forgiveness comes with a price. Missing yellow fever certificates seem to be $40.
Rachel is British and has lived in the Congo for more than 20 years. She is fabulous. She went before us quietly and paved the way.
We filmed a school for deaf children and a health clinic... the school for the deaf had been built by World Vision Canada -- there were signs all over the place. UNICEF also contributed funds. It was a fascinated work, affirming the deaf in a culture that would have pushed them to the side, thinking they were stupid. Now they learn sign language, math, French and more.... the older students take a vocational training section in their education and they are able to leave the school with some kind of a skill.
The clinic was -- well, hopefully the video can show it better. The complex was extremely run down. They treat women, babies and children. They have a doctor a few mornings a week and a permanent delivery room for women. When we were there, 8 women were in the ward. It only has 6 beds. One woman, who had just delivered a baby a few hours early, was lying on a thin mattress on a concrete floor.
They are building a new clinic right behind this crumblinh group of small offices. The new clinic is wonderful!
About $30,000 is still needed to complete it... then it will need regular funds to run it every month. I asked Rachel what the monthly cost to run it would be.... they will have an outpatient section and a 20 bed delivery ward .......... she didn't know. When I suggested $10,000 -- she thought that would be too much. Imagine that.... Just $10,000 would provide a safe place for 40 or more women haveing babies every week! It's stunning!
(Forgive the typos.... there is too little wireless time to take care with my key board).