A surreal black comedy set in a decrepit 1960's housing development project in the Netherlands. Thomas is twelve years old. When his mother is drawn into sainthood and the resulting frustrations of his father become too difficult to manage, Thomas becomes obsessed with events on the broadcast news about the liberation of the Belgian Congo. Thomas becomes fond of Lumumba, one of the contenders as the Congo's new leader, but when a black man comes to his village with some priests, the situation is about to deteriorate.