January 26, 2006
Greetings from Africa,
Thursday, January 26, 2006
On Wednesday we met with the senior pastor from the country across the river from Kinshasa. I think the official name is Republic of Congo (RC) but everyone here calls it Congo Brazzaville because Brazzaville is the capital city. The people there are very much the same as those here with the same history and the same languages. One slight difference is that when this area was colonized by the Europeans, this DRC was given to Belgium while RC was given to the French. Also, for a 12 year period, while DRC was suffering under Mabutu, RC tried communism. I am not sure which was worse. At any rate, both countries suffered greatly with the same problems of poverty, disease, sickness, and oppression.
RC is divided into nine provinces, which they call departments. Chrisco, the church which Samuel heads in French speaking Africa, now has churches in five of them. While Andy Williams is here we expect to spend a week there. We will travel some and will see much of the country and will visit many of the churches there. One city they especially want to show us is their main seaport. I am not sure of the name as it is French. I think is is something like Pointe Neire.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
I donft remember if I mentioned it in a previous update but Chrisco was given 500 hecters (about 1,200 acres) of very rich farm land. This came about when the chief of the local tribe there became a Christian and joined Chrisco and gave the land to bless the church. This opens the door for some serious farming. Papa Samuel has a bachelors degree in agricultural engineering with graduate work in animal husbandry so he has the knowledge to do this properly. Please continue to pray that the Lord will provide at least one good tractor with implements. Clearly we could use two. Also, we are now praying for at least one sturdy trailer which could be used to take the crops to market in Kinshasa. The trailer should be as large as possible yet still fit into a cargo container. House of Joy is donating a large Surburban which could easily pull the trailer. The situation in RC is said to be similar with the need for a good tractor and a way to get the crops to market.
High Faith has asked her sister, Georgine Chota to come and insure that we are fully taken care of. Georgine is married to Pastor Chota who is one of Papa Samuelfs key pastors. He is over all the Chrisco churches in the part of Kinshasa that is out in the direction of the airport. We have gotten to know this couple and have learned to love them. They have the same humility and desire to serve that is in Papa and High Faith Dikaniakina. Each day Georgine must take three taxi rides to get here. That means that she must catch three consecutive rides in these old VW busses from the 60;s, which are loaded to the max with people hanging on the outside in back and on the side with the door. It takes several hours each way. She does this every day just to serve us. May God richly bless her for this labor of love. Well, two days ago thieves broke into their house while they slept and stole anything of value that was in the living room. People build houses here on a pay-as-you go basis and they had not as yet built a compound wall and secured the windows with steel bars. Right now Pastor Chota is on his way here (three taxi rides) and we will present them with a letter of gratitude and enough money to replace most of the things and secure the windows.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Pastor Chota arrived this AM with his wife. We had a wonderful time of prayer with them and presented them with the gift I mentioned above. They were so grateful. Perhaps they can come to the US and you will have the pleasure of getting to know them.
Sunday Nick spoke at a Chrisco church which meets in an old theater. We had communion and then Nick prayed for all the sick people there. Out of a crowd of about 300 there must have been at least 150 who were suffering from something. Many have a problem with gscalp itchh while others have GI problems and still others have malaria. Some are mentally ill and others have sever head aches. It was a very moving experience to pray for them one at a time. Nick egan to wonder what it must have been like for Jesus who prayed for the sick, sometimes in groups of thousands. Pleaser join us in praying that God will show his compassion for these dear ones.
Today we hope to get to the cyber cafeL to send this update.
May God bless you.
Nick, Diane, and Carol