A Church for Today, A Memorial for Tomorrow

We invite you to continue reading the story behind our Church building project—and learn how you can help provide a place of worship for today while leaving a legacy of faith for the next generation.

For more than 114 years, Ndjoko Punda, formerly known as Charlesville, has been a place where God has faithfully worked through generations of believers. Today, the historic church building is no longer safe.  The walls are cracking and crumbling.  The front wall of the church behind the choir loft is half gone with no roof over the choir loft. The main roof has been repaired and propped up several times in recent years following severe wind storms. 

There are places where history is more than something written in a book. It is carried in the stories of the people, remembered in the lives of those who came before us, and passed from one generation to the next.  Ndjoko Punda is one of those places where the Gospel and God’s faithfulness continues to impact lives and bring transformation. A place where our parents served and we as siblings have our early childhood memories.

In 1912, the Congo Inland Mission—now known as Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission—established its first mission station at Ndjoko Punda. For more than a century, the story of God’s work in this community has been told and retold. The mission station, the church, and the people who have worshiped there are part of a living legacy.

Three years later, in 1915, the first two converts were baptized.  Pastor Luaba Isaac, one of the first two people baptized at Ndjoko Punda, became the first pastor of the church.  Under the leadership of Pastor Luaba Isaac and another pastor, Negalula Joseph, God blessed the church and caused it to grow, even amid great difficulties.

Kafuna Josue, known as a “bush soul winner”, was a young man working as a houseboy for the captain of a riverboat traveling between Leopoldville (Kinshasa) and Port Franqui (Ilebo). From Port Franqui, products would continue down the river to Ndjoko Punda, the last river port before a major waterfall.  Little could he have known how God would use his life. Kafuna became the first outstation evangelist for the Congo Inland Mission (C.I.M.).

A soft-spoken man, Kafuna never became known as an outstanding leader by the world’s standards. Yet God had called him to serve in remote, out-of-the-way places—in the “bush,” where many others were unwilling to go. He was a personal evangelist, faithfully sharing his faith with individuals, one person at a time. Only heaven will reveal the full fruit of his labors.

One of the men Kafuna led to Christ was Kazadi Matthew. In time, Kafuna’s influence helped lead Matthew to dedicate his life to the ministry, who in future years became a primary leader of the church and guided the church through the tumultuous years of the 1960s. Through the faithful witness of this quiet servant, God was preparing leaders who would help establish and strengthen the growing church.

As the Congo Missionary Messenger reminds us, the story of the early church in Congo is not simply one of growth, but of faithful servants who answered God’s call. Their legacy lives on in the churches they helped establish and the lives they touched.

Evangelism is part of their DNA.  By 1948 Ndjoko Punda was the largest of seven mission stations.  The church and the surrounding area had grown to 5,238 members with 648 people under instruction for baptism. Outreach extended to 152 communities receiving regular Bible teaching from 152 evangelists.   (Congo Missionary Messenger)

God used these “living stones” in building the Church at Ndjoko Punda.  They could not see the children who would grow up hearing the Gospel.  They could not see the pastors and teachers who would later serve the church.  They could not see the generations of believers who would worship Christ in that place and yet they remained faithful as “living stones”.

Today the Church is strong and dynamic; however, life in the community is difficult.  A typical Sunday has 800 in attendance with many participating in the life of the Church.  Evangelism continues to be a strong focus particularly among the youth.  Half the population in Congo are youth.  It may be in the form of youth soccer evangelism or moving out beyond the community on evangelistic missions either on foot or traveling up the Kasai River in a dugout canoe to places as far away as 5- 8 days.

Ndjoko Punda Congregation

Youth Evangelism Mission
Youth Soccer Evangelism

The writer of Hebrews reminds us:  “We are surrounded by a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith… Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”
— Hebrews 12:1

Those who came before us ran their race.  They built churches.  They taught God’s Word.  They planted seeds.  They endured hardship.  They trusted God.  Now it is our turn.

This is more than a building project.  It is an investment in a place of worship today and a legacy for tomorrow.  $87,500 is our goal.  $67,500 remains to be raised.

Donations can be made to:

Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission
        P.O. Box 744
          Goshen, IN 46527-0744
          USA

Or through PayPal using the link: https://www.aimmint.org/donate1.html

Designate your donation –  NP Church

What Do These Stones Mean?

What Do These Stones Mean?

“When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land.’”

— Joshua 4:21–22

There are places that become more than places.

A building can become a landmark. A bell can become a familiar sound. A steeple can become part of the landscape. But sometimes these things become something even more important: they become reminders of what God has done.

Today, when we look at the historic church at Ndjoko Punda, there are visible reminders of that long story.

The steeple rises above the church with a bell. I remember as child listening to the bell as it called people to worship.  The bell also rang daily during the week to let people know what time of day it was.

Jim Bertsche in his history of Congo Inland Mission shares the story of the church bell ringing several weeks after the missionaries had evacuated in 1960.  As the bell was tolling several Congolese came to the entrance and challenged the bell ringer, “What’s the matter with you?  Are you crazy?  Why do you ring the bell these days?  Who has time to listen or to come?  Even the missionaries are gone.”  The man pulling the rope paused for a moment, then asked: ‘And has God gone too?’ With that he gripped the rope firmly and once again bent his back to his task.  The bell continued to send its message of rebuke and remembrance across the station and to the surrounding populace.”

In 1912, the Congo Inland Mission established a mission station at Ndjoko Punda in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo.

At the time, there was no way to know what God would do through the small beginning that was established there. Missionaries came to a remote part of the Congo with a desire to share the Gospel, teach the Scriptures, and establish a Christian witness among the people.

Three years later, in 1915, the first two converts were baptized.  Two people.  It would have been easy to look at that small beginning and wonder what lasting impact could possibly come from it.  But God often works through beginnings that appear small.  Those first baptisms were not simply an event recorded in a mission history. They were the beginning of a story that would continue through generations.  They could not see the children who would grow up hearing the Gospel.  They could not see the pastors and teachers who would later serve the church.  They could not see the generations of believers who would worship Christ in that place.

For more than a century, this place has been connected with the proclamation of the Gospel. Generations of believers have worshiped, learned, prayed, served, and raised their families there.

The physical reminders of that history matter because they help us remember the people and events that came before us—and, ultimately, the faithfulness of God.

The story of Ndjoko Punda is therefore not simply a story about a mission station established in 1912. It is a story about a Gospel witness that has continued for more than a century.

The church we see today did not begin today.  It has roots.  It has a history.  It has a testimony.  And that testimony reaches back to those early missionaries who stepped into an uncertain future with the conviction that the Gospel was worth proclaiming.

The Bible repeatedly calls God’s people to remember.  The question is not simply: “What happened here?” The deeper question is: “What has God done here?”

Our desire is that future generations will have a visual reminder and ask: “What do these stones mean?”

And someone will tell them about generations of Christians who worshiped Christ in that place.  They will tell them about the prayers that were prayed, the Scriptures that were taught, the lives that were changed, and the faith that was passed from one generation to another.  And perhaps most importantly, they will tell them: “This is what God has done.”

That is why Hope for Congo continues to invest in the community of Ndjoko Punda.  We remember what God has done and we want future generations to remember.  Because remembering the past is not about living in the past.  It is about recognizing God’s faithfulness—and carrying that testimony into the future.  The story of Ndjoko Punda is a story worth remembering.

The question I ask myself and I am asking you is: “What stones can we leave behind as a memorial to God’s faithful witness of His Grace and Love”?

Hope for Congo is making plans to build a new church building at Ndjoko Punda. We recently received a gift of $20,000 towards the launch of this project and we invite you to become part of this adventure through your prayers and financial support.  Be watching for more information and plans to follow over the next several weeks.

Gladys Graber Memorial Fund

Tshiluba Bible Distribution

Hope for Congo received $4,500 through the Gladys Graber Memorial Fund. The Graber family designated these funds for the purchase and distribution of Tshiluba Bibles in the Kasai provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A total of 270 Tshiluba Bibles were purchased and are currently being distributed to some of the historical Congo Inland Mission stations where Tshiluba is spoken. These locations include Ndjoko Punda, Tshikapa, Mutena, and Banga. The Bibles have traveled by various means, including bus, motorcycle, canoe, and on foot, reaching communities eager to receive God’s word.

Jeremiah 15:16 states, “Your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart…” God’s word is a source of hope—a lamp to guide our feet and a light for our path. Our prayer is that His word will not return empty but will accomplish all that He desires.

The Graber family expresses their heartfelt thanks and appreciation to everyone who contributed to the memorial fund, making this distribution possible.

To Our Friends,

“The parched ground will become a pool” Isaiah 35:7

Hope for Congo is “Providing Hope to the Next Generation” by contributing tools and resources to our brothers and sisters in Congo. We like to refer to this as arranging for fishing poles and access to the pond.  Proverbs says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.” 

Hope for Congo cannot accomplish this alone.  We are dependent on your prayerful support.  Through your faithful giving we can be your hands and feet in Congo.

2022 has been an exciting year for us.  COVID 19 put the world and Hope for Congo on hold delaying a variety of projects that were in the pipe-line. 

We celebrated the joy of successfully drilling two water wells in two separate communities. 

We launched two additional agricultural projects in another two communities bringing us to a total of four such projects.

We have been able to lay the ground work for some significant projects coming up in 2023.

We have participated in two, week long, training sessions in Asset Based Community Development.  A third training session will take place in April 2023.  “ABCD builds on the assets that are already found in the community and mobilizes individuals, associations, and institutions to come together to build on their assets– not concentrate on their needs. The appeal of ABCD lies in its premise that communities can drive the development process themselves by identifying and mobilizing existing, but often unrecognized assets, and thereby responding to and creating local economic opportunity.”

We have purchased 320 copies of the French edition of the Africa Study Bible published by Oasis International.  The Bibles are being shipped ocean freight from India to Congo with anticipated arrival January 20, 2023. Hope for Congo will participate with Oasis International in the official launch of the study Bible in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  We anticipate a launch in three major cities that will include the capital city (Kinshasa), a port city (Matadi) and a southern border city (Lumbumbashi).

In collaboration with Synergies Francophone, Africa New Day, and African Enterprise we have purchased a print on demand system from Publish4All.  This POD will be located in Kinshasa for the purpose of printing Christian literature and making it affordable to everyone.  The equipment has arrived in Kinshasa and another shipment of consumable goods is being shipped from the United States in preparation for our launch in 2023.

We depend totally on God to provide for our needs.  As God provides, we move forward.  Our desire is to keep in step with His Spirit.  We will continue our focus in the following areas:

  1. Youth Evangelism
  2. Water Development
  3. Bible and Christian Literature Distribution
  4. Agricultural Development
  5. Infrastructure (Schools, Hospitals, Churches)

Our current project dollar needs are:

  • Hospital  $12,000 Needed to finish the construction

  • Print on Demand  $14,000 Needed for setup, training and launch of the POD

  • Agricultural Development  $5,000 Needed for on going training of existing groups

  • Water Drilling  $15,000 This amount will cover the cost to drill a well, utilize solar power generation, and a 5,000 liter holding tank for water distribution

  • Youth Evangelism  $5,000 Invested in youth camps focused around soccer, evangelism and discipleship

Your donations can be directed to our general fund or to one of the specific areas listed above.  Without your prayers we are weak and ineffective.  It is through your prayers that we see things happen.  “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” 

Designate your gift for your interested project and send your donations to:
Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (AIMM)
P.O. Box 744
Goshen, IN 46527-0744

You can also make an online donation: https://www.aimmint.org/

May God bless you and keep you as you move into the new year.  Thanks for all your support over the last 15 years.  Jehovah Jireh, God Provides.

  “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”  Galatians 6:9

Your hands and feet in Congo,

Stan and Brad Graber

Hope for Congo News Update

“The parched ground will become a pool” Isaiah 35:7

Hope for Congo is celebrating its 15th year, “Providing Hope to the Next Generation.”  Our mission is to provide the next generation with tools and resources that will strengthen the body, mind, and soul.

As we make our plans God is directing our steps.  Hope for Congo wants to share with you the direction God is taking us right now. 

  1. Hope for Congo along with our collaboration group have purchased the equipment for the Print on Demand Media Center which will be located in Kinshasa, the city capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.   

God provided the means and the opportunity to buy a new system that was already in the DRC!  This system was at a savings because it was already in the country thus saving us freight and customs.  God is good and we praise him for his faithfulness.

  • Hope for Congo has purchased 320 Bibles from Oasis International.  These Bibles are a part of the very first printing of the long-awaited French edition of the Africa Study Bible.  They are in the process of being shipped via ocean freight to Congo in anticipation of the initial launch of the Africa Study Bible in the DRC.
  • Following the completion of our first water well in Ndjoko Punda we have transported the Village Drill equipment to Mukedi in anticipation of digging our second well.  Materials are being purchased in Kinshasa and once they arrive in Mukedi we will begin the well digging process.  A team is on the ground to begin the site preparation.

You can participate in several ways.

  1. Pray …for God to direct our steps in the establishment of the POD Media Center.  We are targeting the first of the new year to begin the equipment set up and training of staff.
  2. Pray …for continued needed funds for the operational startup of the POD. 
  3. Pray …for the launch of the Africa Study Bible.  Celebrations and training events are being planned for three major cities.  Hope for Congo will participate in these events.
  4. Pray…for the Mukedi water drilling.  Pray for safety, access to adequate supply of water and for the management of the well system once completed.
  • Donate by writing a check and mailing it to:

AIMM-Hope for Congo

P.O. Box 744

Goshen, IN 46527-0744

Thank you for your prayers and support.

Working Together for His Kingdom,

Stan and Brad Graber

We Can’t Wait

Hope for Congo is celebrating its 15th year, “Providing Hope to the Next Generation.”  Our mission is to provide the next generation with tools and resources that will strengthen the body, mind, and soul.

A look back encourages us to keep moving forward.  Looking forward informs us of the direction we should consider.  Looking forward tells us we cannot afford to wait!  It is estimated that by the year 2075 Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo, will be the largest city in the world with an estimated population of 58 million.  Starvation on every level is the reality in Congo today.  While food is a daily challenge, so is the lack of spiritual nourishment for the soul. Both need to be addressed.

One of the answers to the nourishment of the soul can be addressed through digital technology.  Print on Demand (POD), includes printing books, pamphlets and other literature in single copies as needed. It has the potential to revolutionize the spiritual life of individuals as well as the larger church body.  Access to affordable Bibles and Christian literature does not exist today in Congo.

Since the invention of the printing press, by Johannes Gutenberg in 1439, printing has come to be known as one of the most important inventions of our time.  500 years later Print on Demand is a current technology that is revolutionizing the printing industry.

Hope for Congo is in the process of raising $60,000 to establish a POD Media Center.  We have raised $46,000 and we need another $14,000 before we can officially release this project.

A crowdfunding page has been set up for interested people to participate as God directs.  Innovation, technology and crowd funding has the ring of the 21st century, however that bell has been ringing for centuries.  Ecclesiastes says, “there is nothing new under the sun”.  It has all been done before.  Exodus 35-40 records the story and events surrounding the building of the tabernacle. God was all about innovation, technology, crowdsourcing and funding for His project.  God has not changed!

You can participate in several ways.

  1. Pray for God to direct our steps in the establishment of the POD Media Center.
  • Send this link to interested family and friends and encourage them to participate.
  • Donate by writing a check and mailing it to:
  • AIMM-Hope for Congo P.O. Box 744 Goshen, IN 46527-0744