KENYA
Letter from Pastor Walter. We hadn’t heard from him for a while. Now we know why.
Dear Bush Mission & Mama,
“Thanks for your prayers despite my long silence. This is because of many challenges I am going through since October of last year after my wife disappeared with my kids. I have … not been able to trace them…. In December I was told she was in Uganda. I went there and after one month searching I got information that she … was going to Sudan to look for a job. The whole of February I was in Sudan looking for them but not able to trace them. I returned from there a few months ago….
Letter from Pastor Celestin who is busy with ever so many things!
Read on
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior,
“… We had good time helping people with counseling and church leaders’ meetings. We gathered leaders from local churches … to be trained on: ’… Cooperate Worship in the Church’ …. We finished 100 days of commemorative meetings on ‘Trauma Relief’ for the year. We are now teaching ‘Discipleship and Prayer and Encouraging Saints’. Your money was used for ‘Trauma Relief’; and printing the syllabus on ‘Cooperate Worship in Church’. The remaining money helped us July 20 when we preached and prayed for children at Rutongo Center….”
God Bless You Mightily, Pastor Celestn
Pastor Celestin & orphans
Yours in Christ’s Service, Pastor Henry
RWANDA
“… On behalf of our church, thank you for the support … and money [for] the renovation of our church wall…. My long delay in writing was due to my wife Teresa. She had a complication with her pregnancy that kept me busy the last two months. We even took her to the hospital to save her life…. She was supposed to go for surgery on Monday, but God made a miracle on Saturday and she delivered [the baby] without surgery ... a boy, Joash. My wife and I we are so glad.
UGANDA
Letter from Mama Josephine of Busia
Dear Mama & Bush Mission,
“Greetings in the Name of Jesus…. The children are … grateful for school fees and support. They are happy and studying hard. Pass our regards to the mission… and to my fellow widows who stand with me in prayer…. My health has improved. Jackson [recovered] from malaria.
Hello Bush Telegraph,
“… We organized a Trauma Seminar at Kisenguru near Rutshuru. The Baptist church invited our Team … from July 27 to August 6. There are 3 villages we will reach with … many victims of wars…. They have trauma cases. I … will go with [a team of] Care Givers. We will work with [local] churches. I will need money … [for] this activity: Transport, Seminar Fees, Refreshments, Fuel, Medicines, and Communication. The local Baptist church … will [pay] our lodging and meals.
“My brother, Muhindo, died 10 days ago…. [He] suffered a heart attack at age 49. He was married to Maniella and [has] 6 children. We buried him at Vitshumbi Village, 185 km from Goma. Now, I am in Goma for University Exams…. Please, if you have some comforting words for the family … send it. Pray for … my sister-in-law … [and] 6 children. I ask myself, ‘Who will support their studies [and] their lives?’ … God continues to comfort [us].
“I sent you the University Receipt for money you sent … for my debt. I am happy for your support that helps me attain these goals. May God bless you…. Greetings to everyone.”
Pastor John
[NOTE: we sent money to cover expenses for the Trauma Seminar and words of encouragement over the passing of his beloved brother].
CONGO
Letter from Pastor John of Goma
* Praise God for the passion of the Team as together we accomplished things that one person alone could never do: the ‘Body of Christ’ in action. Souls were saved, lives changed, and God’s anointing fell down. Also for special ‘Team Times’ as we built new relationships. Remember the duffel bags? I was able to bless many with small gifts. God is alive and well in Kinshasa, a city of 13 million. Pray that He will continue to transform Kinshasa into a city that repents and turns to God.
* Praise God for gracious Mama Philo who loaned us the use of her home. I was given a comfortable, airy room with a large bed – unlike my usual ‘bush’ accommodation. The cooks worked overtime preparing tasty national dishes like ‘casava’’, ‘foofoo’, ‘maboke’ and ‘kusumu-wiki’ (in the kale family). One dish, made of worms, I politely declined since the meal contained other protein: fish and chicken. Mama Philo loaned us cars for transport. What a servant’s heart to trust us with her cars and house!
* Praise God for amazing opportunities to show God’s love to our Congolese brothers. Each speaker was given an hour and we had two speakers per night. Services were filled with peppy Praise and Worship teams. The ‘offering’ alone took 30 minutes as each row walked up and placed their gift in the basket in front of the church. Now wonder services ran 4-5 hours long. Any roasts in the oven turned into ‘burnt offerings’ for sure.
* Praise God for His strength. My host allowed me to rest most mornings. I prayed, “Lord … grant me enough energy today to get me through the long afternoon and evening,” and He did. The devil tried his best to discourage me, but God used my illness to strengthen and deepen my faith. It took a week for my meds ‘kick in’. After that I began to feel a bit of pep, vim and vigor creeping back into my body. Sorry devil, you lose!
CONGO
Kinshasa Highlights. The Conference Begins!
* Praise God for the citywide Conference! Huge billboards and flyers advertised it everywhere. Our fantastic team consisted of: Pastor Christophe (gracious host and pastor of MERA Church); Apostle Mbo; Pastor David; Pastor ‘Mama’ Philo; Pastor Doug (from Arizona Pima Indian Reservation); and of course me. We can’t forget our interpreters: Michelle (it’s ‘Michael’ in English), Gisgard; our driver Jeremy and many many others. Doug and I were the only NONCongolese. I exhausted my French vocabulary in the first 5 minutes. My interpreter, Michelle, to the rescue!
HELLO DOC
On Friday, the day before I was to fly to Kinshasa, Congo, I got the results of the lab tests: “You have typhoid fever, tick bite fever, parasites, low thyroid and pernicious anemia.” I felt a sense of relief mingled with some appreciation. At least my strange symptoms had a logical explanation – I wasn’t crazy after all! The Typhoid wasn’t full-blown as I’d had a vaccination. “You must rest…,” the doctor advised as he wrote out a pile of prescriptions. Me? Rest? You’ve got to be joking!
WELCOME TO KENYA
I arrived July 12th following a 24 hour layover in London. I’ve spent many a night over the years sleeping on cold, steel airport benches. This time, I confess. I stayed at an airport hotel. You know you’ve arrived at Mayfield Guest House when … you receive a bear hug from James, receptionist. I spent the first few days recovering from jetlag; organizing materials; tending to mission business; and consulting a tropical disease specialist. That was because I’d felt ‘under the weather’ since returning from Sudan last year. My Arizona doctor didn’t find anything wrong.
Welcome to Mayfield. Big hug from James, Receptionist
Missionaries arriving at Mayfield
Natalie, her son Louie & Michelle formed the official "Duffel Bag Team" packing
Good-bye Phoenix, AZ! Darrell, me & the luggage at airport
PRAYER-N-PRAISE REPORT
~ JULY 2014 ~
THE JOURNEY BEGINS
Praise God for safe travel from Phoenix, Arizona, to Nairobi, Kenya. The day before I left, my Duffel Bag Team – Natalie, her son Louie, and Michelle helped pack. Darrell graciously offered to drive me, three suitcases and seven duffel bags to the airport in his roomy pickup. British Airways gave us 3 free bags (thanks, Golden Rule Travel), but for the other bags we paid Excess Baggage. Inside are precious relief supplies to bless our African brothers.
Kabondo, at age 3, survived rebel attacks in Goma, Congo, in 2000
Airport at Kinshasa, Congo
Before landing, I walked back to his seat in the last row to retrieve the book adding, “Here’s a little gift for your mother - green tea and coffee from America - also my leftover Congolese money.” He hugged his knees tightly and with eyes shining, “She will be sooooo happy!” Sadly we parted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where we changed planes.
How thankful I am for these “God opportunities” to meet such an outstanding ‘child of God’. Below you’ll see Pastor John’s letter on what we’re doing to reach traumatized people like Kabondo in the Congo. I wouldn’t trade my ‘Calling to the Africa mission field’ for all the tea in China; coffee in America; or diamonds in Congo!
He examined the index page, exclaiming, “Oh! There’s a chapter on ‘Traumatized Children’…!”
Could this bright young man become the future President of Congo? I wondered. I showed Kabondo the book “Healing the Wounds of Trauma” which I happened to have in my carry-on.
Kabondo shyly asked, “May I read it during the flight?”
“Yes … but this copy is promised to a pastor … I’ll be happy to send you a copy later,” I replied. He clutched it to his chest like a man dying of thirst grabs a cup of water.
“I learned English from a missionary in Goma where I grew up…. Because of him I won a scholarship to Saddleback Christian School in Los Angeles, California. I’ll be traveling there next month…. Now I’m going home to Goma to tell my mother good-bye … I won’t see her for 5 years….”
I asked about his life. Kabondo described unspeakable horrors of the war in Goma in 2000. “I was 3-4 years old … watched my friends die before my eyes … caused me severe trauma.” He talked of his traumatic birth. “Mother had complications … she named me after the doctor who saved my life…. My father abandoned us. Mother remarried … that man also left. She supported us kids alone cleaning for people ... life was hard … we ate once a day.”
Kabondo shared his vision, his mission and his dreams. “I’ve written two books … in manuscript form … one day I will publish them. I want to change my nation … help young people of my generation know WHO they are and WHAT they can do….” He quoted Jeremiah 11:29 and, from memory, recited motivational speeches he’d given at local Christian gatherings.
Where oh where is the Mission Field? It’s right here. Right now. A few days ago I was sitting at the airport in Kinshasa, Congo. Our citywide conference was over. I was en route to Kenya. Next to me sat a 16-year old boy named Kabondo. The well-worn T-shirt and pants fit loosely on his thin frame.
We got acquainted as we had nearly two hours to wait for our flight. Most Congolese do not speak English so I was curious how he knew it so well.
July 2014
Dear Friends of the Persecuted Church,
“The words of Martin Luther King: ‘In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.’ …. If we won’t speak out for Christians, who will?…
“And for those of us who share the faith of the thousands fleeing Mosul, Jesus’ own sacrifice offers hope – a reminder that victory is guaranteed for those who endure: ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’ … pray for the Christians of Mosul.”
Dear Christians,
“For the first time in 1,600 years, Mass is not being said in Mosul: an ancient culture has been wiped out in a matter of weeks. It’s a war crime that, strangely, no one seems to be talking about. Mosul is the second-largest city in Iraq and the place where many Christians believe Jonah was buried.
Hoping in Him, Charlotte
USA
Bits-N-Pieces
“Pastor Henry … visits and prays with us. He encourages the children to [study] hard for a bright future. He … advised them to sleep under mosquito nets and check for holes to mend to avoid malaria. Pastor Henry's wife had complications [from pregnancy] … he was up and down in the hospital with her…. We thank God she successfully delivered a Baby Boy.
…. I bought bug spray and we apply at night. I also bought thread to mend mosquito nets…. We are grateful for all the support, care and love to our family. We pray for you and [may] God protect you….
Yours in Christ, Mama Josephine & Famly
INSERT PAGE: IT’S NOT OUR MISSION BUT THEY DESPERATELY NEED PRAYER
1. NORTH SUDAN
Do you remember praying for 27-year old Merriam Ibrahim? The
Christian mother sentenced to be beaten and hanged for apostasy? She
was released from prison in June but confined to the Embassy in North
Sudan until July. Now she’s been set FREE to leave Sudan with her two
children and to be reunited with her American husband. Thank you for
praying.
2. EBOLA OUTBREAK!
Prayer partners have written asking if the Ebola outbreak in West
Africa affects us. The answer is ‘NO’. To date it’s only in Liberia,
Guinea and Sierra Leone. Mission Network News writes (summary):
“Ebola is out of control as hundreds are unknowingly infected and
spreading the deadly virus even farther. Last weekend a well-known
doctor died from it and now two American missionaries with Sam
-aritan’s Purse have it. There is no known cure or vaccine; the
mortality rate is 90%. It’s incurable, highly infectious, and spreads
through contact.” Franklin Graham said, “The heroic and sacrificial
service [of] the entire team there — is a shining example of Christ’s
love in this crisis situation.” Pray for medical workers and mission-
aries.
* 20 faithful Prayer Partners came out that night - amazing considering it was a 4th of July weekend. We can’t thank Charlene enough for ‘going the 2nd mile’ and hosting the event. We even had a teenager, Cody and his mom Judy. I’d attended his graduation only the month before. It was a night to remember. So again, Where is the Mission Field? It’s right here. Right now. It begins with YOU!
God bless you and keep you safe, Pastor Walter
Yours in Christ’s Service, Pastor Henry
Br. Tim Stanley
NOTE: You will find Br. Tim’s entire report at http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/timstanley/100280803/iraqi-christians-are-raped-murdered-and-driven-from-their-homes-and-the-west-is-silent/. Thank you for praying!
"Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart,
all you who hope in the Lord." Psalm 31:24
“The church and pre-school accountability on how the money [was spent] … are attached…. We were allowed a discount for bricks by a brother in our church. He provided … 15,000 bricks to complete the work. So we only bought 5,000 bricks…. The mason worker … allowed a discount … for the building and roof…. The children are so happy and eager to be in the new classroom and church…. To all our dear prayer partners may our loving … Father … be with you.”
Dear Bush Telegraph,
3. IRAQ. Letter to Christians from Br. Tim Stanley.
Many mission agencies are reporting on this subject but we believe that Br. Tim says it best. So
though we don’t actually ‘minister’ in Iraq, what is happening there crosses mission boundaries and
consciousness. Christians are being raped, murdered and driven from their homes while the West is
silent. Christians in America must not remain silent.
* A Visit From Terry. She drove all the way from Grand Junction to Phoenix – 12 hours one way – to give me a hand gathering the Relief Supplies for the trip. So a week before I flew found both Terry and I sorting through over a hundred boxes and bags in the Calvary store rooms. We checked off the lists. “Toothbrushes and paste? Check. David’s Pouches? Check. Little girl dresses from Piecekeepers? Check. Soft toys? Check. Ties? Check. Christian books and Bibles? Check…,” and so on. Terry even organized the store rooms! What a tireless worker. I never could have managed without her help.
* Surprise Visitor. On July 5th we had a special Missions & Watermelon night for local Prayer Partners. Earlier that day I was in the kitchen stirring the last batch of barbeque beef in the crockpot when the doorbell rang. There stood Darth Vader! Well … OK … it was really my son Wayne dressed in black motorcycle gear. He’d driven 300 miles from San Diego early that morning just to say good-bye to Mom. Michelle was thrilled that he even visited her at work and took her for coffee afterwards. That evening, Wayne and Michelle enjoyed meeting our Prayer Partners for the first time.
“The construction work going on during this time was fantastic. Only that I was under … pressure [about my wife’s complication] so I could not … write…. We were able to raise blocks to the wall plate. We pray … that we may get timber and ion sheets [for] a roof….
UGANDA
BushTelegraphAfrica
© 2014 All Rights Reserved
Bush Telegraph Mission Staff & Africa Team
“Since the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis) rode into town, their faith has been forced underground. Bells have been silenced, the Hijab enforced with bullets. Tens of thousands fled after being offered these choices: Convert; Pay a Tax; or Death….
"A visit from Darth Vader ... or rather, Wayne!
“Right now I have left everything in the hands of God…. On Sunday I visited Pastor Patrick's church and we had a wonderful time together with the orphans and his congregation. I am on my way to Nairobi because we are having an overnight prayer service today. The whole congregation is waiting for me…. I’ll let you know more about the church. Although we’ve had challenges the Lord has seen us through. Thank you.
Letter from Pastor Henry, spiritual advisor to Mama Josephine
Serving the Persecuted Church in Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa