Category: Uncategorized

Hungry Souls

In our previous post we spoke about the daily hunger of those growing up in Congo.

Today we want to speak about another kind of hunger—the hunger for God’s word.

The people of the Democratic Republic of Congo are starving for the Word of God. Brad shares below from what he has seen in the twelve years he has walked alongside our brothers and sisters in the DRC.

On our first trip to Congo in 2007 we attended a meeting for leaders who represented a collective body of over 200,000 members. Following the meeting we had a conversation with Fransisca, a leader in women’s ministries. Fransisca told us the biggest challenge for the church was discipleship.

Since that time, the discipleship crisis in Africa
has deepened because the people lack access to Bibles.

God’s Word—which is alive and powerful and able to go down deep into the very depth of souls and create transformation—is absent in Congo. The suffering in Congo on so many levels, is compounded by spiritual starvation.

People come to Christ, but they have no nourishment to carry them forward. No nourishment for growth in their Christian Life. No nourishment for daily living because they do not have God’s Word to study.

I have seen people with Bibles literally falling apart—old, worn, tattered and stained from years of use—handled and protected with greatest care.

In 2016 a pastor’s conference was held along the Kwango River which separates DRC from Angola. thirty-five pastors were expected to attend. 235 sat in the pews the first day! The pastors were asked to raise their Bibles high. Only 8 Bibles were counted.

Only 8 Bibles among 235 Pastors.

Later, they were asked what they used to preach. Parts and pieces—a few pages of this and a few of that. From this meager supply, they wove a sermon. (We wrote about this story in September 1, 2016.
8 Among So Many Please click on this link to read that full story.)

During my trip this past March, 2019, I heard the following story told by Senior National Vice President of Eglise Du Christ Au Congo, (National Protestant organization in Congo). Bishop Nyamuke Asial’ubul Idore recently returned from a rural area close to the provincial city of Kikwit. While there he learned about two pastors from two separate churches.

Two churches, two pastors and one copy of the Bible.

Those two pastors divided their one copy of the Bible into two sections—Old Testament and New Testament. They passed their copies back and forth. This allowed them to preach from the Old Testament for a period and then to preach from the New Testament for a period.

Amazing! Thank you, Brad for bringing us up to date.

As you read the stories of this hunger for the Bible, I hope your heart is moved as much as mine by this deep need. Getting Bibles to the people is the first step to address the discipleship crisis.

Update on Hope4Congo’s Bible Projects

Since the project’s beginning in 2010:
11,742 Bibles have been sold
$105,000 spent to purchase Bibles
$7,600 spent on distribution costs (cost to ship them to the various DRC locations)

Hope4Congo is collaborating with AIMM and Wycliffe Translators on a Kishelele Bible.
The translation team in Congo is working on the final editing of the New Testament.

We are also in contact with Oasis International, publishing a French translation of the Africa Study Bible. This first of it’s kind study Bible, authored by African theologians within an African context, should be completed in 2020.

If you would like to contribute to any of Hope4Congo’s vital Bible projects, please send your tax-deductible gifts to:
Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (AIMM)
P.O. Box 744
Goshen, IN 46527-0744

Make your checks payable to AIMM or Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission.
Designate your donations to: Hope4Congo’s Bible Project

If you would like to read some of our previous posts in our latest three-part series: Congo Daily Life,
you may click on the following links: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

Also, in case you missed it above, here again is the link to the story:
8 Among So Many.

© 2019 Hope4Congo

Congo Daily Life, Part 3

We are continuing Brad’s account of his trip to the DRC this past March.
The following is the third story in this series.

Click Here to Read Part 1
and to Read Part 2

***

During my visit to the southern Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, I enjoyed the company of my Congolese host.

One evening at dusk my friend and I went for a walk. I saw some children playing soccer while others looked on.

I hoped to interact with some of the bystanders, mostly children. We made our way down to the area where they were playing and I spoke with some of them.

The children always like it when you take their pictures. So I proceeded to take photos of them. It wasn’t long and we found ourselves surrounded by a larger group of older children and young men asking for food.

“Ndi ne zala.” I am hungry. Can you help me?

It was soon evident to my friend that we should leave immediately. If we did not, the situation could escalate and become more volatile.

We walked away. But they continued to follow us. It took some nearby police to help settle things down. This allowed us to separate from the crowd and go back to where we were staying.

Through these stories of my travel in Congo, I hope you sense the great need and desperation of the people.

Please pray for relief from the hunger.
Pray for safety and for healthy ways to obtain or grow food in Congo.

© H4C 2019

A School for Ndjoko Punda

Matthew 9:35-38 Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” He said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!” (The Message)

Ndjoko Punda School circa 1960

Before the harvest can occur, the farmer must first turn over the ground, prepare the soil, plant the seed, and water it.

Wherever the Gospel was taken, this same type of process occurred before the spiritual harvest happened. Missions brought medical aide, education, agriculture, and industry. Missionaries sought to improve relationships and the overall quality of life in the communities they served.

Ministry to the whole body, mind, and soul . . .
Resulted in schools, hospitals, print shops, bookstores, etc.

History reveals this pattern of ministry to be true for many mission efforts around the world. It is seen throughout all of Africa wherever the Gospel was taken.

Ministry to the whole body, mind, and soul is still relevant today. The youth of the Democratic Republic of Congo are the leaders of tomorrow.

For the children at Ndjoko Punda, school is the opportunity of a lifetime.

Problems Prevent Children from an Education:
-Children are needed at home to help the family
-Lack of money to travel for school
-Lack of educational resources
-Lack of nearby classrooms

For several years Hope for Congo has been waiting for the right opportunity and time to build a set of primary classroom buildings at Ndjoko Punda. The time and opportunity has arrived now. “Seed” money has been provided for us to build the first building, which will provide three classrooms.

Only a few buildings remain of the original school complex which once existed. They are in ruins as the attached photographs reveal. They were destroyed by age, neglect due to lack of resources, and damage from periodic storms. This building project will replace the old school buildings.

The complete building plan calls for a total of four buildings in the complex. Two buildings with three classrooms each, one administrative office, and separate lavatories for both boys and girls.

The total project is estimated to cost $56,000. More money is needed to construct all the buildings and to furnish the classrooms and administrative offices. Your prayers and tax-deductible donations can help make this possible. 

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

© 2018 Hope4Congo

God’s Word through African Eyes

The Church in sub-Saharan Africa is growing faster than anywhere else in the world. It is estimated that 40% of the world’s Christians will be living in Africa by the year 2060. Today that number stands at 25%.

Hope4Congo believes the next generation of believers in Africa will play a major role in shaping church ministry and thought. For that reason we are investing in the Democratic Republic of Congo, providing this next generation with tools and resources.

One of those resources is access to the Word of God—the Bible. For the last ten years we have been purchasing Bibles in the major heart languages and selling them for $3.00. For each Bible sold, we subsidize $6.00 of the Total price and cover the freight cost to distribute them into the more rural areas. Also, the $3.00 purchase price paid by each individual African is reinvested to buy more Bibles.

We purchase Bibles for this work through the American Bible Society. To date we have been able to distribute 11,000 Bibles in four different languages.

We are convinced of the power of God’s Word. For those of you who have been supporting this effort, we have some exciting news to share with you regarding Oasis International. Recently they published the first Africa Study Bible in English. This Bible was written by 350 respected African contributors from 50 countries. This reflects Oasis International’s goal to: Empower African Voices.

The English version of the Africa Study Bible has been launched in four countries: Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa. Eventually they wish to reach all of Africa with this Bible in all three primary languages spoken throughout Africa: English, French and Portuguese. The study notes give basic teaching, helping Christians apply sound doctrine in their own context and modeling how to correctly apply God’s truth to life.

A French version of the Africa Study Bible is in process at this time. The goal is to have it ready by the end of 2019. However, Oasis International has exhausted all of their designated funds for this version. Like everything else, money is needed to continue moving this initiative forward.

Oasis International has been awarded a three-year $150,000 grant to finish the French edition of the Africa Study Bible. But they cannot receive the first advance of the three-year grant until they are able to raise the first $50,000.

Hope4Congo encourages you to consider giving to this project. Go to https://www.africastudybible.com
Use their website to contribute your gift.

For additional information about this strategic initiative, please visit: https://www.africaspeaks2018.com/

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10-11 (NIV)

This type of investment will return above and beyond what you or I can ask or think. God guarantees His word.

© 2018 Hope4Congo

Meet Saraphin Kutumbana


by Stan Graber

My friend, Kutumbana is a one-in-a-million evangelist in Congo. He and his wife live in the capital city of Kinshasa. However, as head of a three-man team, he regularly travels on foot or by bicycle to the Bateke Plateau outside Kinshasa. His team seeks to evangelize a tribe called the Bateke.

A few years ago the team visited a certain Muslim village. One man who heard the Gospel decided to accept Jesus as his Savior. Two weeks later when the team returned to disciple this man, he had changed his name from Hibrahim to Jeremie.

“I have come out of the darkness into the light!” Jeremie said.

Jeremie’s testimony was so strong that his former Muslim friends beat him up. His injuries required medical treatment in Kinshasa for well over $100. This may sound like a small amount to us, but we need to remember the poverty level of Congo.

The Muslim villagers burnt his house down, destroyed his fields, etc. But his testimony remained so great that six months later he was able to bring out nine more men (with their families) including his uncle!

A year later, Jeremie decided to move back to the village where he grew up and start a church. Recently, he contracted Malaria and died, but his testimony continues.

What began with a handful of Believers has expanded to twenty Christians. Kutumbana attended Jeremie’s funeral service along with forty-five men, women, and children. Even more folks continue to accept Christ—all because of the witness of Jeremie!

So the ministry of Kutumbana and his team has born good fruit—fruit that remains.

Kutumbana’s monthly salary of $75 from the Mennonite Church does not provide for his mission work. Nor does it fund his ministry to orphans within Kinshasa. He relies totally on God to supply his needs.

When I met with him earlier this year, he told me he’s been praying for a motorbike. It would enhance his ministry tremendously.

Initially, we planned to run Kutumbana’s story here on our website as a fundraiser. However, when several of you heard about his need you stepped forward. Due to your generosity, all of the necessary funds have been raised without one word here from us.

Isn’t it amazing how our Father meets our needs?

Thank you to all of you who have contributed. You are the answer to Kutumbana’s prayers. We praise God for you and pray that you may experience His blessings.

© 2018 Hope4Congo

Kasai Violence Displaces Children

DR Congo Kasai violence displaces 850,000 children

An estimated 850,000 children have been forced to flee fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Kasai provinces, the UN’s children’s agency Unicef reported in July.

This makes it one of the world’s “largest displacement crises” for children.

Many of the affected children are now in foster care or with relatives.

Fighting broke out in Kasai in August 2016 after a traditional leader was killed in clashes with security forces.

It has since escalated leaving more than 3,000 people dead. The UN has also discovered dozens of mass graves in the area.

In all, 1.4 million people have had to leave their homes “with 60,000 uprooted in June alone,” says Unicef’s acting head in DR Congo Tajudeen Oyewale.

____________________

This area is in the heart of where Hope4Congo focuses our work.

Prayer Requests:
• Please pray for an end to the violence in DRC
• Please pray for these precious children
• Please pray for the needs (physical, spiritual, emotional) of all Congolese

© 2017 Hope4Congo