Travels in Africa

Sometimes travels in Africa involve visitors coming to you – even in remote Coquilhatville in the northwestern Congo. Often you’re surprised at who turns up. The third of three examples: Headquarters in Washington views the guys way out at the end of a chain as names that turn policy into action. Still, they are merely […]

Sometimes travels in Africa involve visitors coming to you – even in remote Coquilhatville in the northwestern Congo. Often you’re surprised at who turns up. Three examples in the next two posts: The first visitors appeared while I was still living at the Hotel Ancion. Into the Oasis restaurant dining room walked four men, obviously […]

When a second USIS officer joined Fred Hunter at the American Cultural Center in Coquilhatville, Fred was able to travel. A local missionary offered him a trip to the deep bush and he took it. He picked up insights even the last day of the trip. The next day Dr. Bob Bowers and I drove […]

When a second USIS officer joined Fred Hunter at the American Cultural Center in Coquilhatville, Fred was able to travel. A missionary offered him a trip to the deep bush. He took it and got to know missionary doctor Gene Johnson. After my visit to his surgery, Gene took me on a short jaunt to […]

When Tom Madison took charge of the Cultural Center in Coq, Fred Hunter was able to travel. A local missionary took him into the deep bush. There he became acquainted with a missionary doctor. His report: Missionary doctor Bob Bowers and I drove east all day through jungle and swamp. At Ingende, we chatted up […]

When a second USIS officer joined Fred Hunter at the American Cultural Center in Coquilhatville, Fred was able to travel. A local missionary offered him a trip to the deep bush and he took it. Here’s his report: Shortly after Tom Madison took charge of the Center, I learned from Betty Erlewine that Disciples of […]

Generally Fred Hunter’s greatest problem in Coquilhatville was isolation. Then the American Ambassador and his party suddenly visited. Opening a post is an unusual opportunity in the Foreign Service. Especially if you have just come off a training post, as I had, in a different part of the world. When I learned that Tom Madison […]

Generally Fred Hunter’s greatest problem in Coquilhatville was isolation. Then, with only 36 hours notice, he learned that the American Ambassador and an entourage of 12 would descend from the sky for a visit. On an overheard conversation on the single-side band radio, I learned that Coq would be getting some visitors – very soon. […]

Generally Fred Hunter’s greatest problem in Coquilhatville was isolation. Then, astonishingly when he had been there about six months, a dozen visitors fell out of the sky including the American Ambassador who was virtually running the country. He recounts how he dealt with them. During my week of consultation in Léopoldville in March, I learned […]

After five months alone in Coquilhatville where he was opening an American Cultural Center, Fred Hunter went to Léopoldville on consultation. Since the Congo River was the main factor in the life of Coq, he chose to go by boat. His report: Arriving in Coq the Otraco paddle wheeler draws slowly toward the shore. It’s […]