[Note: We sent money for much of what he asked for; the rest will come in our next Container to Congo.]
Have a Nice Day in Jesus Christ,
Pastor John
“At Goma, Rutshuru and Butembo we organized Trauma Healing Centers on weekends. In September … more than 27 people participated. Pray for these small groups. We ask God to give us power and wisdom to accomplish these activities…. We spent the money on location fees for one month at Rutshuru; table, black board, two beds for Rutshuru Center; transport of counselors at Rutshuru and Butembo; and bread/sodas for participants. In October we want to buy materials for the healing classes: teapots, cups and so on; to organize seminars and other activities…. Please see what can be possible and I hope that God is on our side….”
Report from Pastor John. See Insert Page: Ps. John’s Report on Ebola in Congo.
Dear Bush Telegraph Team,
“… Thanks … for your assistance …. I continue to see the hands of God in action…. We are assisting more vulnerables in Rutshuru, the old headquarters of M-23 rebels. Because of this, we planted a Counseling Center…. Now we care for 213 vulnerables: among them 67 women victims of violence; 45 raped girls kidnapped by rebels; 52 ex-soldiers’ children; and 49 orphans (victims of war)…. We counseled more that 49 street children in Goma….
CONGO
Widow Florence was abused. We moved her to a new home where she's loved and
cared for.
UGANDA, Tororo
Letter from Pastor John of Peace Church.
Dear Mama,
“… We were so much blessed by your visit to Tororo…. I’ve answered your questions below: Bena: her school fees are 209,000 shillings ($75). (We changed schools due to witchcraft in the old one). Mercy: as soon as the money is paid, a caregiver will escort her to the hospital in Kampala for a week to teach her how to use her prosthetic leg. (Mercy was born with one leg; the other is missing above the knee). Teddy, a young widow in our church, will be caring for 98 year old Florence (neglected and abused by family).
Pastor John, Tororo
[Note: Bena’s school fees are now paid; Mercy is being fitted for a prosthetic leg; Teddy is receiving a monthly fee to care for Florence who now has a new bed with all the trimmings.]
Pastor David & Monicah holding the first boquet of flowers ever received!
UGANDA, Kampala.
Two letters from Pastor David & Monicah (see opening story). When I stayed in their tiny 3-room home (no kitchen) along with 11 street kids and Baby Grace, I encouraged them to look for a larger home.
Dear Mama & Bush Mission,
“Thank you for your prayers. We received our church’s Registration Certificate…. We applied some months back as we have been operating without a permit. We request that you visit us … on a weekend so that you may teach in our church on Sunday for the first time…. We pray for your safe journey to Kampala.”
“… We … have at last found a complete home for the children at a reasonable rent. It [has] … the boys’ quarters on one side. There is a fence all around the home. The rent is 500,000 Ugandan shillings ($200). The landlord requests we pay 3 months in advance. In other places such a home [rents for] 700,000-800,000. God willing let us not miss this [opportunity] as it’s conducive for the children’s security and freedom.”
Monicah and Pastor David, Kampala Church
[Note: Thanks to YOU we sent 3-mo rent; on October 1st they moved into their new home!]
The week I was in Kampala, Police seized large amounts of explosives and suicide vests in raids on al-Shabaab cells in a slum. 19 Somalis were arrested which prevented an imminent attack. The police remain vigilant. The attempt was provoked by the killing of al-Shabaab leader, Ahmed Godane, in September.
“Dear Lord, thank You that the attack was foiled…. We ask for Your protection over Kenya and Uganda since both countries have been threatened with attacks following Godane's death. Fill the police with wisdom as they boldly campaign against terrorism to bring an end to al-Shabaab violence. In Jesus’ Name, Amen [adapted MNN]
UGANDA, Kampala
PRAYER -N- PRAISE
REPORT
Dear Friends of the Persecuted Church,
After some time Peterson and Johnson were released and sent home. The father falsely accused them of stealing money. He didn’t remember spending it on alcohol and nearly beat the twins to death. They escaped and ran back to the streets hungry, filthy, wearing the same clothes.
The cycle continued until one day Johnson and Peterson met street boys (friends) who attended Pastor David’s church. “Our lives were changed … come visit … it’s the only church in the area who welcomes street kids.” The twins went and within days they were welcomed into Pastor David and Monicah’s home. Due to years of abuse, it took months of trauma counseling, patience and love to get through. Slowly the layers of hate were peeled away - God’s Love prevailed.
No one, not even Johnson, Peterson or the other 9 street kids in Pastor David’s home, are beyond the reach of God's love. Through YOUR partnership we work together to meet spiritual, physical and emotional needs of vulnerable. Our goal: to bring them to Christ.
They escaped back to the streets. One day they stole scrap metal; the owners caught them. The twins were beaten and threatened: “Return our scrap metal or else…!” The twins brought it back but were beaten again and taken back to George, the alcoholic father. He took Johnson and Peterson back to the police where they were again beaten and thrown into prison.
A TALE OF TWO STREET KIDS. Peterson and Johnson were twins, abandoned by their mother at one year. She left them with Granny Alice from the village where they lived for 4 years. One day a stranger arrived from Kampala. “I know the father of these twins,” he said.
Granny Alice gave him the twins. Unknown to her, the father George was an alcoholic. When he came home he beat them; demanding the 5-year old twins: “Give me food…!”
They soon ran away from home to live in the streets and ‘survived’ by collecting or stealing scrap metal. They sold it and used the money to buy food. One day as they roasted a piece of meat, a man captured them and tied them up with rope. He took them to the police who caned them with long wooden poles and imprisoned them.
For 5 long months Peterson and Johnson, then 7, were kept locked up in the prison. They were fed spoiled food and slept on the cold damp prison floor without bedding. No one tried to find out who they were. One day a woman journalist, Liz, who worked at a local TV station, visited another prisoner. She noticed the twins and demanded, “Who are these little boys and why are they here?!” The police admitted they didn’t know.
Liz put their faces on TV. That’s how they were finally freed after 5 months. They were taken to the home of the Commissioner of Kawimpe. George, the twins’ father, heard the news and came for them. For three days they ate well. Then he began drinking and beating them again.
September 2014
We thank You not only for saving us from our sins, but for changed hearts and lives. Thank You for bringing unbelievers out of darkness and into the light of Christ. We pray for South Sudan. They are in desperate need of reconciliation and healing as a nation. We pray for Christians suffering for their faith. Provide comfort and courage so that they will remain faithful, and that You will use their changed lives to draw a multitude to You.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen [Adapted: Open Doors]
Bringing Lost Sheep to Christ,
Charlotte
* Praises for Faithful Angels who kept the ‘mission home fires burning’ during my absence: Marcia kept the books; Michelle handled banking; Carol printed/mailed monthly Prayer-N-Praise Reports (which I write); Charlene sent out school reports for Mama Josephine’s orphans; and YOU prayed.
* Shalom! I’m back in USA's 'Safe Zone' - from the 'War Zones' and 'Twilight Zones' of Africa. (Thanks, Claire, for the ‘Zone’ idea!) I’m laying low as I recover from tropical bugs which serve to strengthen my 'Faith Zone'. I picked up 3 different strains of Amoebic Dysentery, and also Bilharzia. PTL - no typhoid, tick bite fever, leg ulcers, etc, like last year. Michelle met me at the airport and our first stop was McDonald’s for a ‘burger fix’ from the dollar menu. Charlie was beside himself with joy to see his ‘mom’.
New shoes & other school supplies for Ps Patrick's 6 orphans
[Note: the camera he refers to was my old one; held together with scotch tape. My wonderful kids gave me a new one for Christmas; Pastor Bernard didn’t mind the tape at all!]
KENYA, Kakamaga
“It's with a great joy that I greet you in the Name of the Father in Heaven. We request your prayers for our upcoming ministry at Gisenti and Goma in two weeks: 20-24.We are … in 3 churches at Gisenti and 1 at Goma.... We’re calling it FAITH MISSION. Any support is welcome as it helps to … touch souls for Christ…. Let us pray also for African countries hit by Ebola so that God will heal them as saints are suffering in those countries.”
“… Fighting has devastated our land. The way you knew Leer is no longer. John Kong has been running in the bush with thousands of children and Christians. Many children were killed by President Kiir’s Dinka soldiers in his presence. We thank God that John Survived. Leer has been recaptured by former Vice President Machar’s Nuer soldiers…. I worked hard to get John Kong out of Leer and he’s now with me in Nairobi. Attached is a picture of a dead child shot by JEM (Justice and Equal Movement soldiers from Darfur) and Uganda soldiers….”
Thank you, James
KENYA, Busia.
Pastor Bernard, Kakamaga
Letter from Pastor Bernard written after my visit there.
Dear Bush Mission,
* In Gudele, west of Juba, S. Sudan, I visited the school/church/community that our mission’s Angel fed.
* A ‘piki-piki’ carried me to Angaim Village (no roads or paths) to see the progress of the new school; work out a budget; and discuss logistical challenges. I ministered to children, women and adults and stayed in Pastor Victor’s hut - oh me achin' head when I forgot to bend over upon entering.
* In September I traveled 30 hours on two buses from Juba, S. Sudan, to Nairobi, Kenya. To get around Africa I used ‘boda-bodas’ (bikes); ‘piki-pikis’ (motorbikes); ‘matatus’ (taxi vans); and buses.
May God bless you, Pastor Patrick
[Note: Last year we told Ps Patrick that if the Church bought speakers, a mixer, and mikes, we would buy the keyboard. Cupboards: everything in the 3-rm house was piled on the floor. Cupboards helped them get organized!]
Pastor Bernard receives his new-used camera
Pastor Celestin holding a Pastors & Church Leaders Conference
Dear Lord,
Photo of a boy killed in the war
Letter from Pastor Patrick.
Dear Bush Mission,
“We are fine in the lord. We had the wedding ceremony in the village and the following weekend we distributed the gifts [from Bush Telegraph] to the widows. They were so grateful. Next weekend we shall be giving out more gifts to the pastors. Thanks for the camera because it has made a big difference. I hope to bring the photos of all these gifts to you in Nairobi … before you leave Africa. You have really blessed our ministry and family. May the lord add you more years to serve in His vineyard.”
Best wishes to you all and we continue to pray,
Pastor Celestin
Serving the Persecuted Church in Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa
THE EAGLE – AND MISSIONARY – HAS LANDED! [RECAP]
“Thank you very much for … sending Mama Charlotte to visit us here in Busia, Kenya. There was a cloud of happiness among our church members. We give all the honor and glory to our lord and savior Jesus Christ. First we thank the mission for the support of our six orphans. Mama was a blessing to our children. They opened school on Monday … with new school shoes and school bags. On Sunday they were shining with new cloths.
“After we escorted Mama to Uganda, on the way she gave me a letter to take to Pastor Tom, our elder. I gave him and after opening he called and said that Mama had given us a generous gift to buy a new keyboard. On Friday we traveled to Bungoma and … found one for 17,080 shillings. The church donated 2,000 shillings for the keyboard; we added 4,000 shillings from our church Treasury. I donated 3,000 shillings for transport….
How are you Mommy & Bush Partners!
RWANDA, Kigali
BushTelegraphAfrica
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Letter from James Keah with good news about John Kong.
Dear Mama & Bush Mission,
SOUTH SUDAN
“The carpenter … came … Tuesday to start making the cupboards. Thank you for them. My mother also thanks you for the medicine; she is getting better. Neville, our orphan, is now well and going to school. Lastly I’ve attached receipts for the keyboard, house rent and school payments. We thank … the mission for the support. ”
Letter from Pastor Celestin requesting our prayers.