D.R. Congo Military Arrives in Dongo (MONUC)

This video shows the arrival of UN commanders and/or FARDC (Congolese Army) officials in Gemena. The MONUC (UN Mission in Congo) headquarters in Gemena, which is right next to our church, is shown. There is also a rather interesting reception for the officers at the airport, full of pomp and parade.

DRCongo troops take back town from tribal forces

Democratic Republic of Congo soldiers have retaken control of Dongo in the country's north-west, where recent tribal clashes have forced thousands to flee, the government said.

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Good News (and keep praying)!

There has been some good news coming out of the Ubangi region in the past couple days. The violence near Tandala seems to be diminishing and with it, the threat to Gemena. The prayer focused on the area has negated the influence of the witchdoctor(s) and the insurrection has found virtually no support from the locals. The last word that we have received has been that the antagonists are retreating from the area. It seems they never had a clear plan of action and that after a skirmish with government troops they are withdrawing.

Praise God and continue to keep the region in prayer. Remember the 115,000 + that were displaced. Pray that the violence continues to subside and that the people are able to return to their homes and be reunited with family members. Pray that until then, those that are yet refugees have their needs met and that peace would return.

We thank you for your prayers on behalf of the Congo. It is encouraging to know that though we are thousands of miles away we can always do something. We can intercede for our brothers and sisters, we can lift them up, we can go to our mighty God on their behalf. When we pray "your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Mt 6:10) we pray that it is done here in the US, in our homes and streets and backyards, and in the Congo and everywhere. We are grateful for your prayers and we look forward to the good that God will do from the evil that has been done.

Fighting Update and Prayer Requests

The situation in the Ubangi Region of the Congo seems to be deteriorating. Fighting has been reported 50 miles from the Elikya Center in Tandala, where the hospital is. The towns where the fighting began are virtually empty. Another update from Dr. Tom on the situation in Congo:

What started supposedly as a few villages fighting over fishing ponds in a very remote corner of the Ubangi has escalated to overt serious fighting which has moved to larger population centers.

Gemena: The women and children of CECU leadership have largely evacuated to places some distance from the city. The men remain near the offices of the CECU and hope to protect them from pillaging and theft. The police have set up barriers on every road out of Gemena, hoping to encourage people to stay in the city and not flee. They also hope to prevent the advance of the insurgents. Monday and Tuesday there had been numbers of people fleeing. Some markets are open but most schools are closed. So far there has not been one shot fired in the city.

Government action: Alan Doss is the Special Representative for the UN Secretary General to Congo. He oversees all the UN work in Congo. He reported today that the UN is concerned because the rebels seem to have obtained heavy war weapons and seem to have some people who know how to use them, inflicting serious damage. As he said: “These are not just coupe-coupes (machetes used to cut grass.)” He stated that the UN and the government must be prepared for every possible eventuality.

Refugee situation: There are now at least 115,000 reported refugees from the Dongo and Imese areas, many of whom are in Congo Brazzaville. However, that number is likely much too low if we count all those who have fled or are fleeing their homes to go live in their remote gardens in the forests as the fighting advances. Many NGO agencies are working with the refugees in Congo Brazzaville, but little has been done yet in our Congo due to the active state of the war.

General observations:
· At this point virtually everyone is in a self-preservation mode. As the fighting advances people flee wherever they can to get away. This is usually to remote gardens or villages where the soldiers or rebels are unlikely to follow.
· There is increasing concern that this is more than just a few tribes fighting over fishing rights. The exact motive remains unclear, even to the government.

Please continue to pray...
· For a quick end to the fighting
· For the government leaders and the UN that they will make wise decisions to help bring peace
· For President Bosokpale and the CECU leaders as they assess how to react to each new situation that arises
· For wisdom to know how we can help from afar
· For safety for the various church leaders and people in the churches as well as their families
· For the many who are injured, violated and harmed in this war as they try to recover
· For the pastors and leaders as they try to help their people deal with the trauma of what they have gone through
· For the doctors at Tandala trying to deal with the huge influx of injured and refugees needing help


Pray also that the Lord would protect those that are helpless and who have no one to look after them. Pray for the orphans in the Global Fingerprints program. Pray that He would guard their lives and keep them from harm.

Pray for Peace

See Congo update and prayer requests by Dr. Tom Cairns below.

*Note: CECU is the Evangelical Free Church in the DRCongo. President Bosokpale is the current leader of that denomination.

The town of Dongo is about 90 miles west of Gemena

Urgent Prayer Requests about Fighting in the Ubangi 12-7-09

Brief Summary: The fighting which began with some local tribes fighting over fishing rights in the southern reaches of the Ubangi has escalated significantly. At least 90,000 people have fled their homes, many to Congo Brazzaville across the river. Others are living in the forests. President Kabila flew to Gemena last week and promised immediate action to end the uprising. He has sent into Gemena several thousand soldiers with weapons who have gone on down to that area to resolve the situation. Some are being brought back wounded and getting care at the hospitals. The problem is that the presence of soldiers instills fear and reminds people of the violence of the previous war. As a result people at Tandala have all fled into the forests except for the doctors. People in Gemena are making plans to flee. Some have fled and are being encouraged to return to their homes. The church leaders are figuring out ways to hide valuable equipment and records.

Background: In mid-October fighting broke out among several tribes in the far southwest corner of what we know as the Ubangi. These were among some groups we would call water people as they live in the swamps and on the streams, though they are quite a bit west of the area that we have usually referred to as the “water people” within the CECU*. This area has festered in the past but never to this level of violence. A chief had been deposed by the regional government and was angry. Together with a local witch doctor they began stirring up their people. The fighting spread north to the town of Dongo on the Ubangi River (the western border of Congo and of the CECU*), and then down-river to Imese and beyond. Immediately people began fleeing to get away from the tribal clashes, some into the forests or other inland towns within the Kungu territory, most crossing the Ubangi River to the Republic of Congo.

The insurgents were working under the banner of “The Resistant Patriots of Dongo” but have now changed to the “Independent Allied Movement of Liberation.”

The national police were trying to quell the rebellion with their capabilities. The UN and various NGO began trying to provide help for refugees, but most of their assistance has been on the Congo Brazzaville side. On Nov. 25^th, a UN helicopter landed at Dongo to allow UN staff to evaluate the situation there. At the time of taking off they got into the cross-fire of the police and the rebels who were skirmishing. Five people on the helicopter were injured during take-off but the chopper did succeed in departing and got across the river to safety. The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, condemned the attack and implored the Congo government to act, promising UN help.

On Monday Nov. 29, President Kabila, the national leader, flew to Gemena and met with the governor, regional leaders, military leaders and the police and planned how they could quell the rebellion. He promised action within 24 hours. Indeed, almost immediately plane-loads of soldiers began arriving in Gemena and have continued to arrive throughout this week. They are heading down to the area of conflict, which means driving right past Tandala, on through Bozene, Kungu and to Dongo and beyond.

Already there are reports of numerous soldiers being brought back for care with machete wounds from the fighting.

All of which is to say that there is great need for prayer for the CECU*:

• For the leadership
• For peace in the Ubangi
• For great wisdom for all leaders in how to act
• For the government that they will make the right decisions, not out of spite or retribution.
• That the CECU* will be a real light in the midst of this darkness.

President Bosokpale* specifically asks for your prayers:

• Pray for people’s hearts to turn to the Author of Peace, and to realize that God alone is the solution to their needs.
• Ask God to give wisdom to leadership and the course that is set by the church to assist those in need during this difficult time.
• Pray that the church would respond with peace and hope to those in need around them. Many thousands of people are now displaced, having fled the epicenter of the conflict.

Elikya Video

To get a better idea of what the Elikya Center does, check out this short video. What better way to learn than from the Director, Mowa, and from the testimonies of a widow and an orphan who are going through the training program?

Sam and Sarah and Michelle and I will be helping Elikya add to it's current training opportunities. In short, we will be facilitating short-term teams from the US that will be teaching English, keyboarding and basic computer skills. We will also be training several Congolese who will make up a "hospitality team" to host future teams after we're gone. These aspects of our ministry are not presented in the video.

Props to Andrew Rothacker for his help with the video. Thanks, man.

Meet Our Teammates

Sam and Sarah Snyder

As most of you know, Michelle and I are not going it alone in the Congo. Far from it. We are just one half of the team. The other half of our team is Sam and Sarah Snyder, most recently from the Rockford, IL area. They were married about 14 months ago and the work of the Eliky Center has been a passion of theirs even before then. Their wedding itself was a testament to that passion as they accepted donations in lieu of gifts for the work of the Center. Shortly after their wedding they felt the call to be of service on a greater level and have committed the next 2 plus years to work with us at the Elikya Center.

Sam and I were roommates at boarding school in the Congo as missionary kids and again for a couple years at Trinity International University in Deerfield, IL. It has been amazing to see how our paths have crossed yet again and to glimpse the intentions of God in so directing our steps. Even more than that, Sam and I share the joy of having wives that are equally called and equipped for ministry in the Congo and are by no means just being "dragged along."

We are excited to be on this journey with Sam and Sarah. To follow their own personal story, check out their blog, snydersincongo.blogspot.com.

October 2009 Newsletter is hot off the presses! Click to view. April and June newsletters and donation cards are also available to view or download on the sidebar.

We're Back!

We arrived back in the US this past Friday evening at around 6 o'clock. It was a pretty long day, beginning somewhere in the sky over central Africa and ending outside of Rockford, IL. We boarded our flight out of Africa in Bangui, Central African Republic around 10 PM on Thursday night. From there we flew to Paris, arriving around 6 the following morning. From Paris to Copenhagen (where we glimpsed Air Force One) and from Copenhagen non-stop to Chicago. So here we are. It is definitely good to be back. Our travels aren't yet over, though. Tomorrow we will be in Minneapolis for about 8 days for some additional training with ReachGlobal.

Hopefully we will get to see many of you during the course of our travels or "at home" wherever that is these days. Thank you for your prayers and your support of our ministry.

On the Road in Congo

See these short videos for a brief glimpse of life in Congo as seen from the road. These are pretty typical "street scenes" for this part of Africa and during the rainy season. In the Congo, villages are always strung out along the few (main) roads that exist.

Four days to go…

Today is our last Friday in Congo. We are driving away from the Elikya Center at around 4:30 AM next Wednesday morning. We will arrive in Bangui that evening, spend the night and leave late the following night. We land first in Paris for a 5-hour layover then fly to Copenhagen to catch our connecting flight to Chicago. We should arrive in O'Hare at around 5:30 PM on Friday.

All four of us here are excited about our return to the US. We look forward to spending time with friends and family and also to sharing about the Elikya Center and the work that is happening here in Congo. We are looking forward to the little things too- 2% milk, orange juice, being able to go grocery shopping, being able to speak English, enjoying the freedom that comes with having a car and highways at our disposal, etc.

Learning Lingala has been a constant drain on the brain, as learning any language is. We are encouraged by the progress we've made while at the same time realizing that when we return next year it will be much the same at first: slow, steady, not without effort and infinitely rewarding.

Our last week here has been a busy one. On Monday we were at the house of the President of CECU (Congolese Free Church) for lunch. On Tuesday we got pineapple plants, plantain and banana trees for planting, burned the stubble in our garden and went to Mama Susa's (she works with the widows as a teacher) for lunch. On Wednesday we were back at the mission as Nicole (the girls' Lingala teacher) left for university in Kinshasa. We were then at the house of Mama Francoise (accountant for Global Fingerprints, a child sponsorship program administered by CECU). On Thursday we made the 2 ½ hour trip to Bwamanda and back for a look at the work of CDI (Centre de Développement Intégral),which does a great deal of agricultural, water resources and infrastructure development in the region. Today we were at the house of Guylain (our other Lingala teacher) for his birthday celebration. With all the walking we did it turns into a nearly all day affair. Tomorrow we are planting our garden. On Sunday we are singing a song and giving our testimonies in Lingala in the church service. That brings us back to Monday and we begin packing and preparing for the long trip home.

Once we arrive in the US we will have about four days respite before we are to attend PT Live in Minneapolis. This is something akin to a final training before our mission term begins. We will be attending with several other ReachGlobal missionaries in their final months before departure for their respective fields.

Maladies in Congo

Well, as it goes, with short-term mission trips I (Michelle) was bound to end up with some sickness or another, and so I have. Roughly 2 weeks ago I woke up with a stomachache and fever, which I took medicine for and the next day felt like my old self. Still it seemed like my body was set to revolt against me, as a few old mosquito bites became infected and have stayed that way long after my fever had gone. I tried treating them myself as I would in the US (washing with soap and water and applying anti-biotic ointment), but them seemed to get worse by the day. I decided to tell Lute (the wife of the director of Elikya) who is trained as a nurse. I told her how I had been treating my Mpota (cut or sore) which had now become a small hole in my arm/leg and she in was not pleased. Instead she set to working on cleaning out my infections with some products of her own. I started reading the labels of the Kisi (medicine) she was using and saw that she was washing the it with an aloe based body spray moisturizer, she then applied an aloe based cream moisturizer, and finished with a big glob of aloe based toothpaste! I picked up the toothpaste and said, "Kisi oyo ezali mpo na mino?" (Isn't this "medicine" for teeth?) She smiled and said yes, but it's also good for healing. A couple days of this repeated treatment and things were looking better. There was still something that concerned her though, so yesterday she changed the medicine she was applying to a clear gel, and this container did look more like a tube of medicine, but on reading this label I saw it was anti-biotic eye ointment. My bites are healing and I have to say I am amazed! For instead of being healed by western medicine I have been saved by moisturizer, toothpaste, and eye ointment! (Pictures not included as they might gross you out)

Clearing our garden

What's for dinner?

Palm Grubs

Many Congolese ask us if we're getting used to the climate here and to the food. We generally respond in the affirmative. Not to everything, but to most things. Meals here generally consist of a combination of the following foods:

Mosuni (meat): usually chicken in sauce or fried fish, sometimes goat or pig

Ndunda (vegetables): usually leafy greens in palm oil

Loso (rice): part of every meal just about

Mbuma (fruit): pineapple, avocado, papaya or oranges

Fuku: cassava root "paste" mixed with corn

Mpondu: cassava leaves in palm oil

Mabenge: potatos

Makemba: plantains

And in the picture above, there are some other tasty morsels which we have only been served once. Most of us are happy about that.

Almost halfway (Photos)

Almost halfway

We have been here at the Elikya Center for just about 24 days now; that's over three weeks and that's just about halfway. Everything has gone well thus far and pretty much according to plan.

Lingala learning is now well underway. Three weeks in, though, and we don't know it all yet. Shame. Six weeks is an extraordinarily fast course for a language. When we return next January (God-willing) we will, of course, continue to learn as we begin in full our ministry here at Elikya. As of right now, everyone is picking it up quite well. Michelle and Sarah, who didn't have the privilege of our head start are forming sentences, telling stories and explaining how to make tacos, all in Lingala. Our Lingala teachers don't know English which has made it difficult at times but has been good at other times. After all, the only way we can find out what a Lingala word is sometimes is to use more Lingala. And using more Lingala is never a bad thing.

Our days here revolve around our morning classes. Every weekday except Wednesday, Guylain and Nicole generally arrive around 8:30 AM. We then begin going through our lesson for the day. Once we come up against noon, they leave us saying "Tokomonana lobi" or "We'll see each other tomorrow." The afternoons are spent in personal or group study or in conversing with whoever happens to be around. On Wednesdays and Saturdays the girls have a day off of class, but study Lingala on their own or spend time getting to know the widows. Meanwhile, Sam and I go on a "field trip" with Guylain that is meant to enhance both our Lingala learning and our cultural understanding. So far we have walked to the stores in the center of Gemena and have gone to a garden to learn how to plant manioc, pineapple and bananas and plantains. Yesterday I walked with Guylain to the other side of the marketplace to buy a Lingala songbook for church today. These field trips generally include a lot of walking but that's okay.

We were told that during intensive language learning there are two things we need: 1) plenty of rest and 2) an outlet for physical activity. We have an hour-long siesta here just about every day so we're getting the rest we need. Walking is one good outlet for physical activity and the other is, of course, soccer. Michelle and I have played three times in the past week. The Director's kids have a penchant for playing, and even more now that they know the mindele (white people) will play with them. The game quickly grows as neighborhood kids miraculously seem to sense that there is a game going on and are drawn like moths to a flame. I get extremely sweaty and dirty by the end of the game and usually have some sort of ailment on my feet afterwards (blister, bruise or cut) but those are all elements of a good time.

The other day of the week, Sunday, has not yet developed into a day of rest for us. We have been to three church services so far. One was 5 hours on the dot, the next week was about 5 and a half hours and the next was about 4 hours and 50 minutes. During one service we were escorted from the sanctuary during the service into a side room for coffee and bread. When we were finished, we were brought back to our seats. They wanted to make sure we had the stamina to last the rest of the service. As Michelle explained a couple weeks ago, a Congolese church service really is an amazing time. The church is filled with people who make their praises and their prayers heard. During the songs there is an expression of sheer joy and absolute reverence on their faces. You can hardly hear the moyembisi (song leader) because the congregation is singing with such force. It is incredible. The most joyful time of the whole service is the offering. The congregation walks or dances up to the front of the church to give what they have to the work of God. Here again, to see the joy expressed by those who have so little and give so much is humbling.

This week we are in for yet another week of Lingala. Pray for stamina and that we would continue to be quick learners. In our "free time" we are also completing an online prep course that is required by ReachGlobal to go overseas in a ministry capacity. Pray for stamina in that regard as well. Thank you for your prayers and for your updates and notes of encouragement.

Prayer Request Update

Lingala learning is going well. Pray that we would continue to learn and that we would be bold in inviting and seeking out conversation. Pray that we would not be discouraged when our progress is not as quick as we'd like.

We have been awed and blessed by the kindness and the warmth of the people here at the Elikya Center and in the local church. Pray that we would continue to build solid relationships with the Director of the Center and his family (Mowa, his wife Luta, and their kids), with Robert (our houseguy)and the CECU church leadership.

We have begun cooking a few meals a day for ourselves and this has proved to be a challenge. We cook over hot coals and we are unable to access our finances or go shopping here (there is no stable bank so we ask for funds from Mowa who is reimburse by ReachGlobal and then Robert goes shopping in the market because we wouldn't get fair prices). So explaining meals and amounts we want to make has been challenging and stretching in a good way. Please pray for good communication and patience as we relearn this skill.

Banyama (Photos)

Banyama (Animals)

Our house went up in a matter of months, which is extraordinary for this part of the world. We weren’t here for it but we were kept informed of the progress by rather regular e-mails with picture attachments (also extraordinary for this part of the world). And now we have this house- a duplex actually- at the edge of the tall grass for our habitation. But not just for us. Its location makes it prime real estate for several other creatures, these ones with four legs instead of two.

The first resident of note was a gecko to which we bid welcome. Any house in sub-Saharan Africa would do well to have a few extra geckos and a lot less bugs. The second resident of note was a small mouse which would dart across our bedroom floor whenever we entered and make good his escape into the walls. It was only a matter of time, however, before he was a bit too careless in his explorations and found himself with no escape route. That happened a few days ago. In the bathroom. With Michelle. She half-screamed once, realized what the fuzzy blur was and swiftly made the capture in a small plastic bucket. We then introduced him to his new home about 150 feet from the house. His big brother has since taken his place.

But far and away the most prominent animal denizen of our home made his arrival yesterday night. I heard him in the bathroom wall as I was brushing my teeth but thought that it was nothing more than a lizard or two. However, as we lay in bed trying to sleep we realized that the noise (coming now from the ceiling) was far too big a production for a mere couple lizards. Whatever it was, it was worth finding out. I pulled a chair into the shower, removed the trap door in the bathroom ceiling and pulled myself up to take a look. And there it was- our upstairs tenant, the pangolin. A pangolin is something of a cross between an armadillo and an anteater. It is about the size of a small cat but quite a bit heavier since it is covered by a sheath of scales. It somewhat resembles a living pine cone with a long tail and a longish snout. It has a soft underbelly, eyes that are a tad too big for its face and stubby legs tipped by a fair set of claws. It has a penchant for curling up into a little ball with its tail curled over its head when it feels threatened. Once I had successfully extracted the pangolin from his hiding place in the rafters, I lowered him into a bucket that Michelle was holding up. He squirmed out of it and scooted around the bathroom for a bit before he was prompted into his more docile discus shape.

A pangolin has to be one of the strangest creatures God has put on this planet. We simply wanted to watch him all night and all day. We kept him in an empty plastic trunk and threw a couple of shirts in with him as well as some sugar, a little bit of peanut butter and several ants (which are the staple of their diet). He slept most of the day. The Congolese that we let in on our discovery asked what we planned to do with him and we said in return that we would release him back into the woods. They were incredulous and would respond in the imperative: “Bwaka te. Ezali kitoko koliya”. Or “Don’t throw him back. He is very tasty.” But almost stranger than their appearance is the attachment we felt towards this creature. It is part fascination, part intrigue and a great part of it comes from the way he curled into a ball in my hands or crawled around my shoulders or hung from my arm by its tail. This evening we walked him back a ways by a tall tree and let him go. My family had one as a pet when we lived here when I was a kid. I remember a similar attachment then as well. Ours was named Spiny. I kissed his scales once and my friends told me I would get rabies. I believed them.

Our Lingala teachers, Guylein and Nicole

One week in (Photos)

One week in

We are now well into our initial trip and I believe a comprehensive update is in order, comparable in length to an Encyclopaedia Brittanica entry but with better pictures.

We arrived last Friday night and spent Saturday unpacking and resting. On Sunday we attended a church service which Michelle detailed in an earlier entry.

The real work began on Monday, when we began our Lingala classes. Sam and I are learning from our teacher, Guylien, while Michelle and Sarah are learning from another teacher, Nicole. The idea is to have the guys learn how to talk Lingala like real men and the girls how to talk Lingala like proper Congolese ladies. We'll see how that works out. Everything has been going well so far and we have been able to supplement our lessons in the morning with "extracurricular" activities such as a field trip to Guylien's garden, a visit to the river and the palm plantation here at Elikya and conversations with the widows and the orphans. And if not conversations (that may be a little too generous) then worthy attempts at least. The primary purpose of this initial trip is to learn Lingala.

The days here are rather predictable at this point. We wake up around 6:30 AM and have breakfast at 8. Guylien and Nicole arrive shortly after and we have class until noon. After lunch we take a brief siesta and then we do something in the afternoon that is oriented around language, Congolese culture or both. For instance we went to the outdoor market and the stores here on two separate occasions (we got rained out the first time) to get an idea of necessities (and some extras) that are available and where and how they can be bought.

Our living arrangements are constantly being improved. For example, today we have graduated from bucket showers to a barrel on a stand outside the house with a pipe that runs through the wall to a shower head. That's right, a shower head. The solar panels were also set up this week and our porch was enclosed somewhat. It really is amazing to consider the thought and the effort that has gone into this place to make it a home for us. We are extremely blessed by this "apartment" and the work that has gone into it.

This weekend we took an overnight trip to a neighboring town, Tandala. This used to be the big Free Church mission station in Congo and is the site of the hospital. It is also the childhood home of both Sam and myself so we were pretty excited to be there. We took a walk around the station and were able to see our old homes and the homes of our friends from almost 20 years ago. Everything seems smaller now- it's funny how that is. We met the doctors at the hospital (there are 4 right now), visited the dentist's office and the new wireless internet site as well. We returned to the Elikya Center today and our journey somewhat typifies travel here in the DRC: 10 of us in a Landcruiser, a chicken tied up on the roof with some other luggage, we were stopped once by the police at a checkpoint (they wanted a ride because their truck had broken down but we were already full), we were stopped once at a village (by a mob of men waving sticks and yelling during a tribal ritual), we were stopped once by a truck picking up a load of sand in the middle of the road (we ended up driving through a yard and over a couple banana trees to get around) and we stopped four times of our own accord to buy plantains, sugarcane, 2 laundry baskets and palm oil.

Now we are preparing for week number two. More Lingala and of course more mistakes, more people to meet, more relationships to build and more who-knows-what-else to come. We are extremely grateful for the chance to be here and to serve the Lord at the Elikya Center. Please keep us in your prayers. Pray that

• We will be quick learners of Lingala and would make the most of the remaining weeks of language training
  
• Jim Snyder will have a safe trip back to the US as he leaves here Wednesday morning. Jim is a former missionary to the Congo (then Zaire) and is the director of Touch Global, which has several projects in this part of the Congo. He is also Sam's father.
  
• We would have a healthy humility and a Christ-like attitude as we continue to work through our own inadequacies, mistakes and frustrations in making these adjustments, particularly in language-learning.

How to worship Jesus, Congo style…

Sunday was my (Michelle's) first experience worshipping in a Congolese church and I must say it blew me away. There's nothing quite like praising His name Congo style. The service at Bethlehem Church lasted for almost 5 hours, although we were told that it was an exceptionally long service that day, and the pastor thanked us for our patience.

You might be wondering, what happens at a Congolese Church service? Well let me share… The service was the first time since we've been here that we saw true Congolese culture shining through, without any western influence. They kicked things off with multiple songs from the men's, women's, and children's choir. Most of the choirs danced their way to the front and back to their seats. The congregation sang some songs (everyone claps or dances!), a pastor prayed, more singing, a pastor read some scripture, more praying, more singing, a pastor introduced all the pastors and visitors in the congregation of about 250 (including visiting pastors, notable guests and community members), more praying, a pastor introduced Jim Snyder, Jim Snyder introduced us and explained why we had come to the Elikya Center, more praying, more singing, a pastor gave an alter call, more praying, more singing, a pastor gave the sermon. Then came the offering… a pastor said that they were raising funds to build the foundation of the church or soon the termites would eat the walls and that would be shameful (it currently looks much like a large rectangular gazebo with mud floor, walls of bamboo posts lashed together and a corrugated tin roof decorated with flowers). The men, women, children, and visitors were assigned a specific person to give their offering to. Some musicians began to sing excitedly and play the drums as portions of the congregation rose and danced in lines up to give their offering. Giving is truly the focal point of the service and it was evident as people danced and sang their way to the front of the church. Soon after the sky opened and it began to pour, so the offering was extended and they continued to dance up and worship for 1 ½ hour. The whole offering we had been standing and after a while a couple ladies caught my eye. They were giggling and motioning for us to sit down. I think they felt badly that we had been standing so long. It amazed me that without any leading because of the rain the people continued to worship! Have you noticed some trends? It was so clear you couldn't miss that these people joyfully prayed, sang, and danced to the Glory of God!

All this to say… God is good at all times, in all places, and all His people worship joyfully!... We'll post pictures and video later if we are able!

Here at last (Photos)

Here at last

The past week has been both a rush and a slow march through time. Regardless, on Tuesday morning we woke up in Rockford, IL and now on Saturday we are finishing our first full day in the Congo at the Elikya Center. Here's how it all went down…

We took a flight from Chicago to Washington DC for a brief layover then boarded another plane for the overnight to Paris. We arrived early on Wednesday morning having hardly slept at all due to the change in time zones (I think that's the definition for jet lag). We then wandered around Charles deGaulle airport like zombies looking for Jim Snyder who was flying in on a separate flight. A German missionary we later met in Bangui described Jim as our "shepherd" on this trip and that's a good a description as any. He will be with us ten days to help us get settled and will then return to the US. Anyways, we finally found him and took the train to Paris for a day of sight-seeing. Those sights included the Eiffel Tower (of course), Notre Dame (of course) and L'Arc de Triomphe (of course). That night we caught the weekly red-eye to Bangui in the Central African Republic, arriving at dawn on Thursday. We spent the day and night catching up on sleep at a guesthouse in the city and the next morning crossed over into Congo. This consisted of taking a 7-seater dugout canoe with plenty of cargo space across the river to the town of Zongo. Following the traditional border-crossing nightmare that is customs we took a 7 ½ hour truck ride to the Elikya Center in Gemena. It really was a great experience and/but we are glad to be "home".

Today has been a day for unpacking and rejuvenation. We really are being spoiled here. Everybody in town was talking about how quickly our housing was built. It has electricity (from a generator for 3 hours each night) and will soon have a solar power connection for charging our laptops, keeping a micro-fridge cool and other uses during the day. We are sleeping on an air mattress in a frame that was built custom for it. "Armoires" were finished today and we enjoyed the sunset from the chairs on our porch. Mowa is the director of the Elikya Canter and we are at his house for every meal, all of them delicious. We have been overwhelmed by the welcome we have received here and the incredible kindness and warmth of our hosts and our neighbors.

Continue to pray for us! Praise the Lord for our safe trip and for the blessing of being with our Congolese brothers and sisters here in Gemena! We are ready to dive into Lingala Monday morning and are excited to move ahead in this transition.

3 days to go

The two and a half weeks we had between leaving our jobs in Lancaster, PA and leaving the country has been whittled down to a mere three days. We spent last weekend outside of Rockford, IL with Sam and Sarah Snyder going through some team-building instruction with Jim Snyder (EFCA TouchGlobal) and Lois McMartin (EFCA ENHANCE). We covered personality types, leadership issues, conflict management, culture stress and other issues that have the potential to disrupt the effectiveness of any team. Pray that we would handle these issues (if and when they come up) in a healthy and mature manner. Pray also that we would enjoy a strong bond of team unity, would put the needs of the ministry and of each other before our own and would honor the Lord in the way that we handle challenges and stressful situations.

Following our weekend with the Snyders, we headed up to my grandparent's place in Pembine, WI for a little rest and relaxation. We picked up some last-minute supplies, finished up some "office work" and said good-bye to my family and friends at camp. Of course there was some time for walks down Dixon Lane and through the woods, playing fetch with our dog, swimming at the lake and learning about Congolese culture and Lingala from "the veterans"- my mom, aunt and grandparents.

We are now back in Illinois, once again visiting with friends and getting ready to fly out on Tuesday.

Home, sweet home

Our new home for at least the 6-week trip (possibly longer).


It is a duplex to accomodate both couples.

On the road again

Since leaving Lancaster on Monday morning at 5 AM we have logged roughly 29 hours in the car and have driven approximately 1,630 miles through 5 states (Wisconsin is a lot bigger than it looks on a map). It has been a tiring week but tomorrow our travels bring us to Rockford, IL for some final team-building time with Sam and Sarah Snyder before our trip together in a week and a half. We are looking forward to staying in one place for at least the weekend. We were able to get in some fun in the sun kayaking in the Apostle Islands for an afternoon. It was supposed to be for 2 1/2 days but bad weather (and consequent 4 foot waves) forced us to change plans. The blessing is that with our extra day we were able to stop in central Wisconsin to visit Jason and Beth Anderson (and Caedmon and Jonas) and my sister and brother-in-law, Joanna and Andy. Now we are in Lindenhurst, IL with Amy Billings before our short trip to Rockford tomorrow.

It begins...

Well, we're on our way now. We didn't get to bed last night until about 2 this morning on account of having to finish packing our apartment. Then it was up by 7 for a pancake and eggs breakfast at the Matlack's. We picked up a U-Haul truck in Willow Street and loaded everything up; a pretty quick and rather sweat-soaked process. But many hands make light work and we had 12 of them as Joel, Levi and the Matlacks came over to lend their services. In no time at all we were unloading everything in my grandma's basement in Shiremanstown, PA.

And now we are back in Lancaster with only one more day until our departure. It really is hard to believe. This journey has been almost one year in the making yet it seems all of a sudden upon us somehow. My last day at my job was Thursday, Michelle's was Friday. The moving made it sink in a bit more but the busyness is keeping the reality from really sinking in this weekend. Right now everything is still normal. But ask if it feels real on Monday and I expect my answer will be different.

Where we're coming from

"So what exactly did Aaron and Michelle do in Lancaster?" you may be wondering to yourself. Wonder no more. Hopefully this will give you a half-decent idea.

Until yesterday I was an Agriculture Conservation Technician with the Lancaster County Conservation District. Basically, that means that my job consisted of helping farmers in the county meet state regulations concerning water quality and soil conservation. This entailed

1. working with the farmers to write conservation plans that outline the decisions they are making that will impact the sustainability and continued productivity of their land,
2. reviewing and conducting status reviews of nutrient management plans to ensure that manure (yes, manure; see above) nutrients are not being over applied and polluting local watersheds and
3. designing and performing construction checks on structural practices such as grassed waterways and cattle crossings (see below) that when implemented on a farmer's ground will either reduce erosion, improve stream and groundwater quality or both.
   
   -Aaron

Well, I found myself doing something completely new in Lancaster. After six months of job-hunting, I was hired as a Program Coordinator for Tabor Community Services, a non-profit housing and financial counseling agency. Not exactly in the same field as camping and outdoor ed but God is good and knows my path greater than I do. So here I am (today is my last day!), working with low income families, teaching them about budgeting, credit repair and home ownership and walking them through employment searching, career training and further education. All this in hopes that they will one day provide enough for themselves to no longer need government assistance for their daily financial needs. The program I work with is called the Family Self-Sufficiency Program and mostly assists single moms. Little did I know that after less than one year on the job, we would be making plans to go to the Congo to work with orphans and widows, teaching them the skills to help provide for their daily needs. More on that to come...

-Michelle

Kicking it off...

They say you live in hospitals and trenches
And towers in the sky
But I'm not dying or fighting any wars
Except on the inside
"The Emptiest Day", Caedmon's Call

We know that Christ came not for the healthy (or for those who presumed they were) but for the sick, for those who were dying and knew it (Mt 9:12-13). We feel the sickness ourselves, even as, in Christ, our recovery is certain. And just the same, we feel the fatigue of fighting over and over the same battle of spirit against self even as we know that victory is certain. We know that when our spirits are shedding the sickness of sin and making advances against it, it is because of the work that Christ finished on the cross and that his Spirit continues in us. Inwardly, God is there both in the 'hospital' with us and in 'the trenches' with us. And it's much the same on the outside. He is always found where people are hurting and in need (Ps 9:18, 69:33). As his people, that's where we should be found as well. That's where we are ministered to inwardly and it is where we serve outwardly- in hospitals and trenches.

So, kicking off this blog, we are praying that the Lord will use us to minister wherever we are, even as He never stops working in us and for our good. In just two and a half weeks we will be on our way to central Africa to begin our work with the Elikya Center in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We are hoping to use this blog to keep anyone who is interested up to date on what God is doing there and to keep you updated on our prayer requests and financial needs.

May God bless you as you live and work in your own hospitals and trenches.