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Africa Journal – Part 12 Sunday – August 24, 2008
2 PM Bukavu, Congo

From the last journal until today has been pretty busy. I left on last Tuesday, the 19th to go to Kigali to meet Doug Miner who came here for a couple of weeks to see what is taking place with the work. It was nice to get away for a couple of days and relax. Doug arrived just fine Tuesday evening. We stayed at the guest house in Kigali and left the next morning at 7:30 for the fun 6 hour trip through the mountains to get here. No problem except Doug did some puzzles for a while in the back seat and it made him a little car sick but he made it okay.

Thursday we didn’t do too much but on Friday I had Wade and Doug work on some shelving for the storage room where we had just piled all our tools, etc. We ran out of one kind of board but we were able to finish it on Saturday morning.

A lot of people have come by to visit and say hi to Doug. On Thursday the first 3 ladies we have been helping came with all their children to see him and to tell him thank you for remembering them in their need. It was a good time and a hard time all at once for him. They have 14 kids all together, 13 of which are in school. The other one is a little too young. I just spent about $260 to get them registered in school for the first trimester. Now they brought a really large list of school supplies which they want filled but I am not sure I can do it. They all need a uniform which cost at least $8 each so that by itself is $104. I imagine the list will come out to about $300 – $400 to get it all. I know I can’t do it all. Everyone is so needy. I have tried to help some of the worst cases I find but even that is just a gesture compared to the needs. Solomon, the youngest of the kids, was born as a result of the rape. He is such a blessing and he came right up to Doug and shook hands. Then when Doug brought out a chair to sit and visit with them he came and sat in his lap. What a cute kid.

Also yesterday, Fabian came to see me again. He is the one interested in becoming a Christian after having begun the process to become a priest. We are scheduled to meet with Jeff Buhendwa on Monday so we can all talk together. Fabian will need
someone else to work with him after I leave next week so I think Jeff will be able to help him a lot. I hope he decides to be baptized later this week. He did talk to his family and everyone is fine with it except his dad. He is not fighting him about it but does not really understand his thinking. But he is ready to do it anyway, I think!!!

Today, Sunday, we all went to one of the small local churches here in town. They had asked me to preach and to pray for a new child born to one of their deacons. So that was a fun time. A few weeks ago Bob and Wade were there for church and one of the young girls (Fifi) accidentily smacked Bob in the leg with her drum stick (not the chicken kind) and now we tease her about it all the time. She is a real sweetheart with a great personality. Both of her parents were killed during the war and some of the other Chritians from that area who now live in Bukavu are taking care of her.

Jay Beeman arrived today. He is one of our former missionaries and has come back to help us evaluate what we need to get our printing press going again. The equipment is all worn out and will need to be replaced but our big question is, what kind of equipment do we really need. Our goal is to make it self supporting so it will need to do things that can earn income which will allow them to then to print other things they need like Bible training books, etc. I am so happy he was able to come and advise us in this project. Over the next few years we think there will be many projects we will be able to get going which will allow the church to grow and move forward in His service.

God bless you again and thanks for being behind us all along and in all ways.

We made it to Goma, at the north end of Lake Kivu, this morning at about 10 AM.  It was a 2 hour trip by ferry.  The ferry trip up the lake is not bad but the larger ferries have all had some kind of problems and are not running right now so the one we took was much more cramped.  There was no room to move your feet much at all and there were some engine fumes coming into the cabin.  I sat next to a window so I could get a little good air.  The further to the front the better so on the way back I will go even further up.  The ride though was smooth.  They don’t allow pictures so I can’t add one of those for you at this point.

We met with the church leaders of this area and discussed the funds we received from IDES for the refugees.  They are very thankful for the help as these people have really suffered.  Most of the money will be used for long lasting things like blankets and clothing but some clothes and medicine will be necessary as well.  They had worked out a very good list of things to buy and are now revising it down a little so they can fit within the budget we have.  Then they will have a 10 person committee to do the distribution which will include people from every level of the church.  It is a very good plan and should be able to be done in the next few days.  Tomorrow they will buy as much of the goods as possible and then work on the plans to get it transported to the outlying areas where the hurting people are living.  At this point there are no longer people living out in the open.  Everyone has a least a tent like structure to be in but many have no way to stay warm, etc.  Also there are some who can return to their homes but they have to rebuild so a small percentage of the money will be to by some roofing for them.  In those areas they can get poles and mud for the walls but roofing is the difficult part.  It won’t help everyone but a few will be blessed.  Most of the members of our churches who have been displaced will get something.  This should reach into the lives of more than 500 people.  God bless all have given for this and other emergency situations through International Disaster and Emergency Services (IDES).  God bless all the work IDES does.

“I am doing well here and very busy. I am in meetings of one kind or another almost every day in order to get things going at Tracy’s Heart and other projects. We met on Saturday morning with the Coordinator of a program similar to Tracy’s Heart we are starting. It was a wonderful meeting. The lady who runs it is very sharp and knows what is happening and what is needed. They have a training program available which we will send our people to as well. It is for people who will be counseling or dealing with the women and their families in any way. The task is huge but Lord willing we will help make a dent in it as well. That group helped 448 women last year but I think all on an out patient basis. Anyway, I am glad to have their assistance and hope we can work together in the future. Though it is our plan to open the center before I go, we will probably not bring in any women until we have a chance to train some workers first. If we do any helping it will be completely on an out patient basis as we have already been doing with 4 women and then we will see about actually brining some into the home after that.

We do though say a big thanks to International Disaster and Emergency Services for sending us over $5000 to help with rebuilding the wall at Tracy’s Heart. They also sent $10,000 to help some refugees in North Kivu who have been forced out of their homes due to continued rebel activity in their area. I hope to go there early next week to see that project get underway. I will take just a couple of days myself but may leave someone there to continue seeing it through.

Sopo is making good headway on his house. He had the doors and windows installed yesterday so it now secure. He will have a crew of friends there tomorrow morning at 6 am to tear the old house down from inside the new one. (The new one was built around and over the old one.) They will then dig holes for the poles which will be used to separate the various rooms, nail pieces of split open bamboo across these so they can then fill in between with rocks and mud to make walls and to provide insulation from the cold. I am not sue what the next step is after that but we are taking it one phase at a time. I hope to get with the other pastor who lost his house to the earthquake to get him started on his building project as well. I want to get at least a few pictures to send to you before I leave.

We have had a couple of pretty hard shakes the last two nights. Friday night about 2 AM and Sunday about 3:15 AM. I sure wish they would stop. I feel light ones quite often but the hard ones keep us all on edge and a little shaky.

God bless, thanks for the prayers and love which I constantly feel.”

In Christ, Ed

Ed Buell
Field Coordinator – DR Congo
ACM International

Ed sent some pictures of the little boy who had surgery on a tumor. Thanks to the folks who gave so this little boy could be helped! Him mom, one of the rape victims we met in Bukavu is overjoyed!

There will be a dessert and coffee time on Thursday Feb. 28, 6:30 pm in the Atrium at MCC for you to come and hear, see and learn about “The Unit’s” mission to Congo.

There will be pictures and some video.

Love to have you there! Plan on coming.

Sunday 2.10

We got up early to catch our 7:30 am van. We are off to Mudaka church about 15 kilometers (9 miles) north following Lake Kivu. That is a bit misleading! It took us 1 hour and 10 minutes to get there. I wish I could describe the drive. All six of us would tell you it was a ride in hell on our way to a heavenly experience! It was on roads that are literally beyond description. We got beat up on the ride and I do mean beat up. Ed said if he had known how badly the roads had deteriorated he would have never had us make the trip.

When we arrived they treated us as royalty. We entered as a group and sat on wooden planks that had been placed over their baptistry at the front right side of the building. The building was a really nice brick structure that Ed Nickles helped them build in 1983.

We worshiped the Lord with them in some great rhythmic motion. The pastor introduced Ed and Brenda and then Ed introduced each of us to the congregation. I preached the same message as last Sunday on hope, shortened a bit due to the fact it took us longer to get there than we all anticipated and I needed to adjust for time sake! We arrived at 9:30 am and the service ended at 12:30 pm. We shared in times of thanksgiving, the Lord’s Table. They dismissed all the non-baptized people prior to taking Communion, a unique way for many of us.

Forty-Seven people came forward after my message to repent and be prayed for. They placed straw mats in the center of the room and they all knelt as the Elders prayed over them.

They then had the sick come forward in a large group; not sure how many, and then they invited Mick one of our Elders to come and pray over them.

There were 466 present at the service; there were three other locations having services also from this congregation that totaled 1,000.

At the close of the service the pastor invited me up front and prayed a blessing over me and asked they our congregation pray for them. He read from I Thess. 5:16-25. I was in awe. That is our Shalom passage about being sanctified in Spirit, body and soul. It was a God moment.

After the service we were given a tour of the grounds, shown the original mud and board building built in 1972. They have a really small and deteriorated building for a medical clinic.

They treated us to a chicken, rice and banana lunch.

We took our long ride home and got back to the house at 3:30 pm.

Saturday 2.9

We had two tremors last night; some of us felt them and others just slept through them, I think we are getting a bit used to it!

Mick, Dennis and Ed took off to do some more supply shopping and a trip to Sopo’s house to get a visual on all that is going to need to be done. Looks like all we are going to be able to do is put the tin roof on.

Meanwhile the three carpenters, and a go-fer (me) staid at the mission house to build a shelter for the generator. It was quite a planning session in trying use the not so perfect African lumber and tying it in to the back of the house. Once there were enough discussions and a lot of figuring we got to work. We missed “engufu” the strong man (Dennis) but with the four of us we made up for him!

It was a gorgeous morning, one of the most pretty so far. Nice 80 degree temperature and a beautiful blue sky. We took a few breaks to enjoy the scenery and rest our weary bodies. We all plan on awarding Paul a “purple heart” for the most blood shed. The band-aids and neosporin have come in rather “handy” and I am sure when you see him you will be able to tell why!

I am “tweaking” my sermon from last Sunday to change a few words that will make it better for Ed to translate. We are all looking forward to our worship withe the Congolese church again. Ed is making final plans as to which one we will attend. He would like to take us a little farther out of the city so we can do a little more sight seeing on the way.

We all ate popcorn and watch an old flick called “The God’s Must Be Crazy”. Ed and Brenda thought we would get a kick out of it. It is about a bush-man in Africa who deals with some pretty strange folks and an “evil thing” he needs to get rid of. The picture looked great on the computer projector as we shot it up on the freshly white painted wall of the kitchen. Dutch nodded off a few more times than was polite, but to say we were all a little “bushed” ourselves was an understatement.

I am working to get both these blogs (Friday and Saturday) up, not sure I will get a chance on Sunday. We are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We face that with some mixed emotions. We are all anxious to get back to the states and our families, but at the same time there is just so much to do. Ed and Brenda are kind, they know things just take a little longer to get done around here.

We are planning to go to Sopo’s house on Monday if we can get the supplies ready and begin the rebuild on his mud house. Please pray about helping us with that in any small way you an. Check out my Friday post for the details.

Thursday 2.7

We had a quiet nights sleep! No tremors after four days. We are all relieved.

We divided and conquered today. Some went to Tracy’s Heart to finish some plumbing, painting and tile work. The bathroom there is really beginning to look nice. New toilet, shower, hot-water heater, tile and fresh paint.

The others worked at the Mission House (where Ed and Brenda live and we are staying). Paul and Chu Chu did their high wire act on the roof. Lots of repairing of nails on the tin roof, patching and replacing some well worn pieces. Don’t worry Kerri, we yelled at him real hard! The pictures make it look a lot worse than what it was (he told me to say that). Scot Telle wanted some creative shots, how about that one of Chu Chu! Looks like he is really a magical man! (Eat your heart out Jim Avelis—now that was a shot!)

Dutch, Jim and Mick took a cabinet out of the attic, lowering through the ceiling, yes that is what I said, and putting it in the kitchen (Mick and I caught it!). Now Brenda has some nice storage space. A mason put a tile top on the sink and it really brightened it up with a fresh coat of paint thanks to Mick and Dutch.

Dennis did some finish up plumbing and hung a really nice mirror in Ed and Brenda’s bedroom.

Brenda and I worked hard at trying to get the blog up at the internet cafe this morning. Spent and hour and a half trying to get things done on the blog. Was only able to get one picture and the words. Very very frustrating. But as they say TIA (that is Africa). Hopefully I can get more uploaded today.

This afternoon Ed arranged for about seven guys to come by the house and show us their things for sale. This is much easier and less of a problem than if we all went to the market. Ed and Brenda did the bargaining for us and we all made some purchases for loved ones—-yes, some of you reading this. Won’t tell you what, but we got some really nice things that we were grateful for the help the Buell’s provided. It was a pretty wild and crazy place on the lawn as they all had their things for sale all scattered out for us to see. We really hated not being able to buy something from each of them. They need the income so badly.

Four ladies and a baby came to see Brenda today. The baby had fallen during the earthquake and hit his head. They sang and prayed and asked God to protect the little boy. The songs and prayers in Swahili were a pleasing sound to God and to us.

Today we feel like we have made some great progress. We are getting a little frustrated that we can’t get as much done as we had expected but everything just takes so long! Between the purchase and the travel it is not like going to Lowe’s or Walmart!

Dido, the driver the Buell’s have hired for us to run us around, told me today through Brenda that he felt bad about the way he is beating us up in all trips on the rough roads! He says it really wears him out each day as he drives. If you all only could experience a two mile trip in a taxi in Bukavu you would understand.

We had some fresh tomatoes for lunch today from the market that you all in Indiana would just die for! Fresh from the vine and delicious. The passion fruit juice and pineapples are wonderful. We eat a lot of rice, they grow it hear and it is a real staple. The sauce that the cook makes to pour on it is delicious, have no idea what it is make of. Of course Denny and I manage a nice cup of Starbucks at 3pm—–when we can! Had to bring an American staple with us!

Ed led us in a devotion from James 1:2-3 on ” Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” Here was a comment he made that really struck home to us. “pure joy is not the absence of pain, it is the presence of God.”

Wednesday 2.6

We started out at the internet cafe this morning and had a lot better success at getting on and using a good connection.

We continue to have small tremors and that always keeps you a little on the anxious side. The article I found on the BBC says it had the quake at 6.1 on the richter scale; 99 buildings down with over 200 damaged; 5 people killed. With news the way it is around here it is all hard to tell but that is the best we know.

An old friend of Brenda, Christina, came by and told her that she and her family have been sleeping on cold concrete outside. She related to us that it was ok, they still had God and he would protect and care for them. A local pastor came by and talked with Ed, he has lost his mud house in the quake and is looking for another place. Ed was able to give him $60; six months rent until they can get a new mud house built; probably about $500 or so.

I shared out of Hebrews 12:25-27 at devotions. “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens. The words, “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—-that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.”

We are learning what being “shaken” really means. As the earth has moved, we have been moved. Nothing and I mean nothing can remove us from the love of God. Not even an earthquake.

Wanted to update you on the little boy of Bernadette, the rape victim from the bush I mentioned. The money has been pledged by some of you folks back in the states. GOD BLESS YOU! He has been glorified. This woman’s life is being touched by the love of God through His people.

We got a lot done today. Ed was back and forth with supplies and trying to find a lot of plumbing pieces.

We had glass replaced in windows. Sometimes it took some create carpentry from Paul, Dutch and Chu Chu. The guys were not impressed with the window glaze stuff we had to use but it got the job done.

Jim and Dennis did some serious plumbing. They got hot water line ran to the kitchen, a faucet in the kitchen and the water heater hung in the bathroom. They were working on the lines to the water heater and should get them pretty much finished today. A local mason was installing a bathroom stool—-yes, mounted in concrete.

Sopo one of the local choir directors has been awesome painting with us and we got a second coat on three rooms.

Been without electricity since early this morning when Brenda fixed us eggs and toast, it is 3 pm and no electricity. Makes the day challenging. Lwahira (the cook at Buell’s) fixed us fried rabbit, cooked carrots, and rice for dinner using charcoal and a kerosene burner. It was delicious. We had put in a hard day at it really hit hit the spot. Brenda kidded us about little bunny fu fu but we just ignored her!

We have really grown to appreciate this African brother who gets paid $12 a week to come and cook and clean for us. It costs his $4 of that to travel. Don’t get it wrong, he is blessed by that. But is sure puts a new bent on the value of a dollar.

We are finding some lanterns and getting ready for our evening devotions. It has been a good day, we hope we don’t do any rocking and rolling tonight.