Category: Uncategorized

MPH Guesthouse–Urgent Need!

We received news of an urgent need from the MPH Guesthouse. Please read their letter below. Then pass on the news to anyone you think would be interested. Also, please pray and consider how you may help them in their need.

Kinshasa, April 10, 2020
Dear Friends of Congo,

Greetings from Kinshasa and MPH where things are very quiet as parts of Kinshasa have gone into lock-down for 14 days and likely more. We trust this finds all of you well in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are writing all of you with a very unusual appeal on behalf of the MPH Guest House & Conference Center! The ability of MPH to survive this crisis and pay their workers and fixed costs is being heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and by the lack of visitors and income. All of the passenger flights into and out of Kinshasa have been suspended indefinitely! MPH has no income, but does have ongoing fixed expenses that must be paid if it is to continue to exist and be able to open again when this crisis is over!

We are writing this letter to ask each of you to consider supporting MPH with a limited time financial contribution each month for the next 6 months. Without some supplemental support MPH will have to lay off staff in May and potentially close down permanently before long. MPH needs about $8,000 per month to stay operational. They need for those who have benefited from their services in the past and who plan to use them in the future to make it possible for them to stay open. Personal contributions as well as gifts from churches or other ministries will make the difference. You might know people outside our Congo circles that you could encourage to participate in helping with this urgent need as well.

At this point, MPH’s reserves and the small savings from 2019 are not enough to pull it through this pandemic, so we are asking you to help MPH. If you would like to make a one-time gift or a monthly donation to help MPH pay staff and bills through this time and enable MPH to open its’ doors when the pandemic is over, you can send a check to Appointment Congo with “MPH” in the memo. The address is PO Box 98764, Raleigh, NC 27624.

You can also use PayPal by going to our web page at: www.appointmentcongo.org. Appointment Congo is a 501 C, 3 Tax Exempt organization and has offered to channel donations to MPH without any administrative costs. You will receive tax receipts for all donations. Or, you can contact Cindy at MPHCongo@yahoo.fr for the information regarding how to send your gift directly to MPH.

Clay and Cindy are doing a fantastic job managing MPH through this period. We are grateful for their courageous service, but they cannot do this all alone. They need our prayers and financial support! We appreciate your love for the Congo and for your engagement with the church and partners here. Nearly all of us have benefited from MPH’s ministry and will need for it to be here in the years ahead. We pray for God’s protection and provision for all of us through this challenging time.

Blessings,
Paul and Marty Law
Missionaries with Appointment Congo

Please consider how you may help in this urgent need.
© 2020 Hope4Congo

 

April 8, 2020

It does not sound like the COVID-19 virus has impacted the rural interior parts of Congo. At least not in areas where our efforts are concentrated.

However, a few of our Ndjoko Punda people are among those quarantined in Kinshasa. Kinshasa is on lock down for 30 days. Some reports suggest it may be lifted earlier, but that remains to be seen.

• Joseph Mbuyi leads our farm to market program. He also was overseeing the construction of the school. (You may recall that Joseph and Daniel returned to Ndjoko Punda after their training in December 2018. https://hope4congo.com/2018/03/09/daniel-and-joseph-return-home/)
• André Kalenga recently graduated from the Protestant University in Kinshasa from their school of theology. (This is the same university Daniel graduated from.)
• André’s wife, Mbombo, trained as a seamstress and is certified to teach. The planned sewing classes will utilize the 10 machines we sent in 2019.

Prior to the pandemic, Joseph traveled to Kinshasa for some medical needs and then helped André purchase supplies for the construction project.

André and his family lived in Kinshasa while we supported him through school. He was making arrangements to move his family (the couple have 6 children) back to Ndjoko Punda when the quarantine was announced. So all of them are held up in Kinshasa.

Once the quarantine is lifted, everyone looks forward to their safe return to Ndjoko Punda where they will all work as a team along with Daniel.


We are so thrilled to see our investments in people

and projects begin to bear healthy fruit.

We look forward to beginning the same efforts at Mukedi with the leadership of Leonard Kiswangi who lives in that area.

Praise and thank the Lord with us. Pray this will be healthy fruit that will remain. And please continue to pray for the people of the DRC.

© 2020 Hope4Congo

Rest in the Shadow of the Almighty

Brad shared the following message:

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest
in the shadow of the Almighty.
~Psalm 91:1


The world is experiencing a particularly difficult situation with a deadly pandemic. This is a time of testing for our faith.

These trials will show that your faith is genuine (I Peter 1:7).

Is our faith a statement or an action? Faith acts upon the basis of our faith. God is the basis for our faith. When our faith remains strong it brings much praise and glory and honor to God.

The first responders that the world should be seeing at this time are the Church. Believers are in the best position to be first responders. We are the ones with protection. We are the ones with a message of comfort and hope.

Death does not take God by surprise. He is not caught off guard when someone dies “unexpectedly.” God will call us home when our journey is over, when we have accomplished all that He has intended for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). In the meantime we move about under the shadow of the Almighty.

I am encouraged when I hear from my brothers and sisters who are a part of the suffering church in the third world. That is truly where the rubber meets the road. My hope is renewed when they share their perspective with me.

Ancient people put their trust in horses and chariots rather than God to deliver them (Psalm 20:7).

We in America have so much we can fall back on. We, too, are tempted to misplace our trust just like those ancient people.

As believers, we must be in tune to this challenge. Where do we put our trust?

May God help us all  . . .

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present (our) requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard (our) hearts and (our) minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you, Brad. We will continue to share more from our brothers and sisters in the DRC over future blog posts. In the meantime, please continue to pray for them.

© 2020 Hope4Congo

April 1, 2020

School Project

Prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) quarantine and related restrictions, we were able to accomplish some work on the school building project.

Building materials were shipped and received. Thank goodness we avoided the price increases currently experienced in the country.

It began with the arrival of bricks.

 

 

 

 

With a little help, the building began to take shape.

 

 

 

 

 

The roof framework is up.

 

 

 

 

The roof is almost done. More work to do.

However . . .


All our Hope4Congo projects are currently on hold.

Current Stats on Coronavirus

As of this day’s blogpost (April 1, 2020), Democratic Republic of the Congo reported 109 confirmed cases and 9 deaths. To check updates for yourself through the World Health Organization’s website, go to this link and click on the country/area of the world to see their latest statistics:
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/685d0ace521648f8a5beeeee1b9125cd


Website Change

On a far less crucial topic, we plan to update our website. We hope to make it easier to navigate. Hopefully you’ll see positive changes in the next few weeks.


Prayer

• Praise that shipping materials arrived for the school building prior to the quarantine.
• Praise also that the drilling equipment (LINK) arrived safely at Ndjoko Punda.
• Please continue to pray for the people of Congo.
• Thank you for your prayers for us as we seek to update our website.

© 2020 Hope4Congo







March 25, 2020

Corona Virus in the DRC

Like the rest of the world, Congo is taking measures to mitigate the spread of the corona virus.
• International flights are shut down.
• Stores, churches and schools are closed.
• Food sources open, but supplies are limited.
• Prices are doubling and tripling.
• Drivers have jacked up prices for transport.
• Lack of transportation restricts access to food supplies.
• Changes occur daily and sometimes hourly.
• Cases of corona virus: As of Monday (3/23/20) 36 confirmed cases, including two deaths.
• As with other news in the DRC, the challenge is to determine the accuracy.
• Monetary assistance from WHO (World Health Org.) is tied to properly documented reports.

Another difficulty is that some people do not believe there is a new disease.

Drill Arrived

Praise the Lord! Our drilling equipment arrived safely at Ndjoko Punda. This is a big deal. We are one step closer to offering the people safe drinking water.

It traveled from L.A. to Matadi via ocean freight, but was lost for a time in Matadi. After searching 4-6 weeks, it was found in a warehouse, then transported by truck to Kinshasa and from there by river transport to Ndjoko Punda.

Such is the common story in the DRC. It’s a far cry from what we expect (or demand) here in the U.S. We can track our shipments and see where they are—sometimes on a daily or hourly basis. Not so in Congo.

Prayer Items

Praise and thank the Lord with us today for:
Keeping the drilling equipment safe and delivering it to Ndjoko Punda.

Pray for the people of Congo.
May they be alert to health safety. May they find adequate food. May they remain calm.
May the Christians be a witness. In their speech and behavior may they exhibit Christlikeness.

© 2020 Hope4Congo.com

Village Drill Update

80% of diseases in the developing world are caused by contaminated water. We’ve been working on a project to address this situation for over a year.

The Village Drill arrived in Congo November 2019. It has been transported from the port of Matadi to Kinshasa where it will be put on a boat headed for Ndjoko Punda, location for the first well.

The next step will be to send a team of four Congolese to Mbandaka for training by the “Go Conscious Earth” organization.

Once the training is complete, a date will be set to drill our first well. Materials will be purchased and shipped by boat to Ndjoko Punda.

Please pray that safe drinking water will be a reality at Ndjoko Punda this year–2020.

Additional money is needed for this project. Please consider a donation.

Mail your U.S. Dollar Donations to:
Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (AIMM)
P.O. Box 744
Goshen, IN 46527-0744

Mail your Canadian Dollar Donations to:
Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (AIMM)
440 Main Street
Steinbach, MB R5G 1Z5

© 2020 Hope4Congo