Serving the Persecuted Church in Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa

Hello mama,  

  We acknowledge receipt of supplies that the Christian American sent us via Bush Telegraph. This is an opportunity for me to present in the name of Goma’s vulnerable recipients our most sincere acknowledgments. Also, we inform you that we go to proceed to their distribution tomorrow morning and that Pasta Delphin has just withdrawn its material for the school of Sunday. I reassured myself before calling him that the Sunday school really began since the past Sunday. Hi will acknowledge receipt I hope on the next occasion.

NDEBO BALIKWISHA Joseph
AMESA'S COORDINATOR

Remember Mama Josephine’s 31 orphan children as they begin the 3rd and last school term for 2013, the first week of September. Please pray for the children’s studies, health and spiritual growth.

I am busy preparing to enter Kenya and Uganda – you’ll receive those Reports next time. Meantime please pray that the Lord will ‘go before me’ as He did for the Israelites - a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night - leading, guiding and directing every step.

"I was grazing our cows in the village. All of a sudden, a red colored snake bit my leg. It was so painful and I feared a lot as people said that the snake was poisonous. My parents took me to a kunjul (witchdoctor) who suggested that my leg should be amputated. 
I was not ready to lose my leg, neither were my parents. After a few days I was brought to UNIDO health facility in Mayendit where I was treated and given medicine. My leg is okay and now I can walk again. I am happy that the hospital saved my leg."

Story of the boy bitten by snake

Story of the man fitted with urinary catheter

SUDAN, LEER- Project Update:

Renovation of the Bombed-out Bible School.
 
          (History). During a decades-long bloody and violent civil war, North Sudan’s Arab-Muslim Army carried out genocide against Christians in the South by burning churches, Bible schools and killing pastors. The Lord led us to assist with one of those buildings. Thanks to YOUR prayers plus support from Shoes For Sudan, we have begun renovation that has been on hold for two years. Thank you for restoring hope to Christians in the new nation of South Sudan. As one pastor said:
 
          "It's not just a Bible school house being rebuilt. It's a restoration of hope, a restoration of Christian dignity, and a restoration of our commitment to the Lord."

African Orchids to:

•    Terry, who volunteered to fill in for Pat as mission secretary/treasurer while I'm in Africa (including sending out the monthly Prayer-n-Praise Report).

•    Lisa, my sweet daughter-in-law for setting up a new Bush Telegraph website. Check it out!

•    Dora, who typed the first draft of the Container Inventory List (a big time-saver for me) and also prepared 'The Story of Ditt' in play format to be used for evangelism.

Most importantly was the spiritual impact on the lives of hundreds who accepted Christ or rededicated their lives to serve Him anew. Pray also for the 20,000 street kids for whom very little is done – they need Jesus too!

Team at MERA Church on 'Meet the Press' Day

The Team in front of the Legislature

The rest of the Team arrived later that day. The Americans were Deborah, Melissa, Alison and Pastor Eric. The Congolese were Pastor Christopher (host), Pastor Guy (of Phoenix), Pastor Seba (of Switzerland) and Pastor Basimba (of Congo). We stayed in two beautiful homes owned by Mama Filo: gals in one newly constructed and guys in the other. We ate our main meals in the guys' house and had a wonderful time of fellowship.

Kinshasa, Congo

       On the 17th I flew to Kinshasa, Congo. Due to a miscommunication, no one met me at the airport. A taxi-man assured me that he knew where MERA Church was.  After riding in circles for hours I realized he didn’t have a clue! At a hotel I accessed the Internet for the church address.

Arrival

        I arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, July 15th following two nights on planes and a long layover in Merry Ole England (oh, I forgot to greet the queen!). I entered Kenya on a 3-day ‘Transit Visa’ so had to work fast to get everything done in time. I stayed at Mayfield Mission Guest House. While there I bought an inexpensive phone for emergencies – a first.

"Good-bye USA"

Final Tribute

        Less than a week before I left the USA I attended our beloved Sister Pat Karsten's Memorial Service at Living Water of the Valley. What stood out most was her devotion to the church. In fact members testified that she 'held the church together'. Pat did more than anyone realized - until now.

         Pastor Bartlett's son, Joel, called her 'Grandma Pat' as she often cared for him and his sister Phoebe growing up. Joel joked about how when they stayed overnight in Pat’s home, she gave them 'sweet cereals' for breakfast that they never got at home! Pat’s dear daughter, Janet, was by her mother's side 24/7 those final weeks.

Departure

       So much has happened that it seems I left the USA years ago! But it was only July 13. I never would have gotten those 12 bags packed in time if it were not for my daughter Michelle and Natalie. Special thanks to Darrell who bravely volunteered to transport this menagerie to the airport. We almost needed a U-Haul!  I bought a small new-used portable lap-top (a first for me). It requires ‘wi-fi’ which I found at only one place in Congo – plus charging (Pastor Delphin did not have electricity in his home).

Prayer -N- Praise

Report

Dear  Friends of the Persecuted Church,                        
 
     Greetings from the land of Congo where our Teams ministered for nearly a month. I am writing to you from the office of CODIC, a new mission partner. The keyboard is in French and the power is off more than it’s on, plus frequent network failures.  So if you come across any foreign words in this letter, I hope you speak French or Swahili.

My Host in Goma ...
... is Pastor Delphin, his lovely wife Mama Elizabeth and their 8 children are my hosts and spoiled me rotten. They live about 10 km from Goma behind Eden Church, where I teach almost daily plus other locations around town. I have spoken to orphans, street boys, widows, vulnerable men, women and children. Plus many ‘rapid women’ (as Pastor Delphin calls ‘raped women’. Our Goma Team consists of about 10 people were with me constantly. In between there was a steady stream of visitors at Pastor Delphin's home. I spent one-on-one time with each as we prayed together through interpreter.

       Goma was built at the foot of a volcano. Lava rocks are strewn everywhere which makes walking and driving precarious. Presently the town is occupied by hundreds of UN peacekeeping soldiers with rebel troops outside the town. Everyone I met was traumatized to some degree or other. I did not see another white face in Goma even though I was in and around the town daily.

      Congo's unemployment rate is 97% with a population of roughly 65 million. The population of Kinshasa is 13 million – more than all of South Sudan! Much work for Jesus needs to be done so come on over!

      Thank you from the bottom of my ‘ugali corn-meal heart’ for your faithful prayers that enable me to bring hope and healing to our suffering, traumatized Congolese brothers. May God continue to bless and use you in your homes, churches and communities in the USA as together we work for Jesus.

News direct from the Mission Field!

July/August 2013

PS....
New from Congo:

Hello again!

When I was in Congo in July-August, I was limited in the amount of relief supplies I could carry into the country because I flew.

When I reached Nairobi, Kenya, (after that 26 hr bus trip) we worked out a good plan to send two duffel bags of badly needed supplies to Goma, Congo, through a Congolese relative living in Kenya.

They just received these supplies as shown in the photos.

Finally please remind folks to PRAY for Goma, as Goma was in the Int'l/USA news recently....Fighting again broke out between rebel troops & the UN.

Hippo Hugs Galore,
Charlotte

Sudan- Mayendit Medical Clinic

Two Testimonies sent from John Kong

"I became sick ………….ago. I didn’t know what to do. I sought help from a traditional healer where many people had been going to look for help. I was given some concoctions but my condition worsened day by day. A friend introduced me to UNIDO health facility in Mayendit where I explained my problem. They sought to know what step I had taken to solve my case. After explaining, they admitted me in the facility where beyond receiving medical help, I received the word of God from the friendly heath staff. I feel okay now though I am proceeding with my treatment. I believe I shall live many more years. UNIDO has really changed my life."

Bethal School Teachers

USA- From the mailbox:
 Every donation we received for the Container was special and appreciated. But the one below as extra special – I’m sure you’ll agree:

Dear Charlotte,
 
        "Here is a little history about two of the stuffed animals: the chenille bear was made by my Aunt Leah from my daughter Bethany’s bedspread following her death in 1991. The lamb with the dress on is called ‘Lily’, and she is probably 32 years or a little older. She was one of Bethany’s favorite friends. I hope these furry friends bring joy to the children in Sudan who receive them. It is a little difficult to part with the first two but I know they will be loved elsewhere."
 
Love, Marsha

Goma. These vulnerable children only eat 1 cup of porridge three days a week for breakfast; and 1 cup of porridge daily for supper

Starving mother & her 3 children on streets of Goma

The Conference theme was ‘Come Down From That Mountain’. The whole week we were kept busy with daily services at MERA Church plus speaking in area churches. The Team traveled together in three cars provided by generous church members. It was advertised widely on large billboards and posters. Several TV stations interviewed us.

"Hello Kinshasa" (dinner at Mama Filo's)

Two important prayer requests concerning precious prayer partners:

•    Pop Wilson (Mom Harriet’s husband of over 60 years) went home to be with Jesus; and
•    Marcia Williams’ (Team ’08) beloved mother, Irene, slipped into the arms of Jesus.

       It saddens me to know I wasn’t able to attend their Memorial Services. There are days when hard times come out of nowhere – especially in Congo where I saw death daily. Even if I had a bar of ‘dark chocolate’ (which I love) I would not be able to eat it at these sad moments. For me, there was no place for chocolate in the Congo.

       “Dear Lord … Life is uncertain ... that’s why You comfort us and reminds us that You are our constant friend … Your love is consistent ... You keep Your promises ... best of all, You give us Hope of a future in heaven!”

(Hebrew 6:16-20).

That’s what life – and missions - is all about.

Heading down the African trail,

Charlotte