Angola was colonized by the Portuguese during the 1400s. Though the Portuguese invested little into Angola’s infrastructure, even after the colonial rule ended in 1975 the Portuguese language remains both the official and the common language. I was quite privileged to live in Lisbon for a year studying the language. One of the language highlights of my life was the first time I even gave a message at church in Lisbon. Another was last night, when Steve Foster (left), Iria Almeirão (center), Sozinho (right) and I appeared on Angolan National Radio. The theme of the night was malaria – one of the leading causes of death and disability. Later in the program we started taking phone calls. One guy called in and asked, “I have heart burn every time I drink a Coke. Could this be due to malaria?” At first I thought I misunderstood his language. Then I concluded that he was indeed serious!
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