Congo Report for February 2009
On Friday February 20th, we set out again into Congo. It had been 9 months since visiting the High Plateau and almost 5 months since being in Congo. Accompanying us on this trip were David Bornman and Jean Marie from Vancouver. David and the church family at West Coast Christian Fellowship had hosted Pastor Ruben earlier in 2008, and it was good to finally have another "Mazungu" seeing what we had only previously reported on.
We crossed the border with little difficulty this time and went directly to the school at Ecole Shalom to visit the literacy project and the secondary school. This school, which was built with help from Hope for the Nations, has grown both in numbers and academically. It is recognized as being the best school in South Kivu Province with a 95-100% class graduation into secondary education (as compared to as low as 5% in other schools). We now have classes up to grade 10 attending the school. Facilities are stretched, as the secondary school now meets in the afternoon after the primary school has departed for the day. The school operates 6 days a week. We are preparing plans to add a second story to the existing school to accommodate the growing student population.
After spending time with the students, we then went to visit the flour milling project. There were 3 mills in operation up until last month when the landlord of the property being used suddenly demanded the project to move as he could get more money from another renter. Temporary facilities were secured in order to get the mills up and operating again but we are looking for another permanent site. The flour mills not only provide free milling for widows, but also generate funds to cover school fees for orphans and those unable to cover the fees.
The next morning we started with a visit to the primary school and prepared for our journey up into the mountains. The school was wonderful, and the children were so happy to see us all again. One of the young boys in grade 2 was introduced to us. His name is Jean Kalubi. Jean's parents died and he was taken in by an aunt. The aunt did not want to care for him any longer so she threw him into the fire and he was very badly burned, losing his left eye in the process. He was one of the children being helped by the flour milling for his school fees. The teachers stated that he is one of the brightest students in the whole school and has tremendous potential. We decided to cover his ongoing school fees and supplies in order that he can continue his studies and are also looking into the feasibility of some corrective surgery for this young boy on his face. Despite it all, he had a huge smile for us, and testifies that the God who saved him will also care for him and carry him through .
We also visited the sewing project and had a wonderful opportunity to worship and pray for all the young girls in the project. To date 155 young girls have received the training which consists of 7 months theory/ practical and 5 months on the job training. In the prayer time we felt God direct us to change a girls name from "shame" to "grace". Immediately on receiving this, you could see the change in the girl's countenance.
At 11:00 a.m. as we were ready to leave, one of our vehicles developed a problem. On the way to the garage to get it looked at, the wheel joint snapped. As we waited we had a wonderful time of worship and prayer. At 2:30p.m., reluctantly the decision was made to wait overnight before risking travelling in the dark. Little did we know that the Lord had directed this also. We were to find out later that their had been some heavy fighting with big guns on the road north of Uvira between the army and Mai Mai rebels and many had had to run.
Things were quiet the next morning, so on Sunday at 9:00 a.m. we finally left Uvira after having picked up more supplies and people. Uvira was without both water and power for the whole day on Saturday and Sunday, so we start off very tired and as it was very hot. We passed 5 military checkpoints without incident (a minor miracle) and despite overheating of vehicles and some travel sickness, we arrive in Marungu after 6 hours. When we arrive there are hundreds of people waiting to greet us. Many pastors had arrived on Saturday in anticipation of our coming and the church had been waiting since early morning. After settling in and having a bite to eat (wonderful Bugali) we finally meet with the church at 10:15 p.m.and it is full! A wonderful time of worship, 2 choirs and our greetings and we finally finish at 1:00 a.m. also having the opportunity to present a new TV/DVD for the church and to be used for the AIDS Education and Sensitization project. For most, they have never seen a television.
Our next day begins with some bread and tea, and watching the goat being killed for supper that night. Our tour begins with a visit to the future site of the guest house which has a stunning view of the valley where the children's village is located. We then visit what once was Pastor Ruben and Mama Bea's first home. It has now been converted into a carpentry workshop where the carpenters are making the windows and doors for the new houses. With the simplest of tools they are producing amazing quality of workmanship. The head carpenter will be the one who will head up our carpentry school for young men.
We next visit the primary school where again, with the very basic and rudimentary of supplies, the teachers are giving a high standard of education. The children are very excited to meet us all again. The sewing project is next where we meet the current graduating class of 20 young women who have just finished their 7 months of training. There are another 30 who will begin in the following month. We also meet a group of young trainee nurses who are getting a course in applied mathematics from a tutor who is paid $10.00 per month! Finally we reach the houses where the building and workmanship is second to none. People still make up to 3-4 days journey just to view what is being built here. There will be 5 homes completed (with Congo hard wood ceilings) by May. A decision is made to wait until July to move the children into the homes at which time we will also have the official opening and celebrations.
After a long trek in the rain we meet with the school children who will be watching their first music video in their lives on a TV. They are super excited and we add to the celebration by passing out candy to all the children. After lunch, the church gathers with about 300 where Dave Borman and I have the opportunity to preach. Mama Wakole seals the meeting with her own unique blessing over us all. After the meeting, Pastor Ruben and I go to visit a family whose mother is very sick. The house is filled with smoke (quite normal) but the Presence of God and faith is clearly there. The mother has been very sick since giving birth. We pray for her as well as for a lady whose husband has been in Kigali (Rwanda) for over a year with heart problems. They have not seen each other during this entire time. We pray for "Sada" and the man "Lazarus" and the prayers are received with a tremendous level of faith. After returning to our dwelling and a meal of goat and Bugali, we begin our evening meeting at 10:15 p.m.with over 500 jammed into the little church building. Pastor Ruben preaches and it is again 1:00 a.m. before we return to our beds. The people stay on to watch some Christian music videos from Tanzania. Again, many have never seen a TV or video before.
Tuesday brings another beautiful day and a trek to the falls where the proposed hydro project will take place. On the way we visit our son Boss' sheep (now 9) and greet Titus who looks after the sheep for us in exchange for his yearly school fees. Our trek continues and one cannot help but shout praise for the beauty we are seeing. It is like being in Switzerland but in Africa. After a long hike we begin to descend into a valley to see our first of many spectacular waterfalls. This is where the hydro project will take shape.
Tristan, a young man from Vancouver who is currently studying in Sweden, will head it up as well as looking at other sources of sustainable energy. An anticipated visit will take place visit in December. We meet many ladies collecting maize on the trails and see many waterfalls, and suddenly break off the trail and cross some of the most fertile soil I have ever seen which is planted with maize, beans, potatoes and peas.
We arrive at another falls which is about 125 feet high. It is spectacular and we cannot help but begin praising God. Ruben, Kadume and our guide begin worshipping in Kirundi. The falls are surrounded by giant stands of Bamboo. We reluctantly leave the falls, cross the river and begin our return on another route "straight up!" We eventually reach the top where only then can one appreciate the stunning beauty around us. The sun is very intense and we are already quite sunburned. We begin our walk back to the village and encounter more sheep, baby lambs and visit Ruben's brothers and their families on the way. Just prior to arriving, we observe two men cutting lumber and Dave and I try our hand at it. After trying, we resign ourselves to the fact that the tree might be rotten before we get our lumber out of it. We arrive very tired but the memory of what we have experienced energizes us again.
We then go and observe the first flour mill in operation. Another cause for celebration and many of the women give testimony to the goodness of God, as their hands will no longer be like their feet thanks to the new technology which has come to Marungu. After a bite to eat, the afternoon meeting begins at 3:00 p.m. with Jean Marie and Dave sharing with the church. We pray for the sick and then I have the privilege of addressing the pastors. At around 8:00p.m. the meeting ends when the entire village comes
again to watch music videos on the small TV.
After a good night's rest, we depart Marungu with sadness at 9:00 a.m. It is a very rough ride down but with only one small problem at one of the checkpoints, we arrive back in Uvira by 2:30 p.m. We thank God for His covering over us, and for all He is doing in Congo. We really believe that the projects we have undertaken are in His divine plan, and are a template for what will take place in all of Congo one day soon. We leave Congo already planning our next trip. God has done amazing things on 5 short years despite the war and countless roadblocks. Every challenge has indeed been an opportunity to see God's faithfulness, and for us to grow in our faith and trust.
Continue to pray for the High Plateau, the children's village (Emmanuel Center), the schools work, the hydro project, the sewing, carpentry and literacy projects, and the flour mills which will be established in the area. In all of this, may God receive the glory and may His Kingdom be advanced. We will next go into Congo with David Freeman in May to do some training with 50 teachers of ARM schools work and then will travel again to Congo at the end of July (with Mary Anne and Boss) for the dedication of Emmanuel Center and the summer crusade and pastor's conference. Thank you again for prayer support without which we could do nothing.