It's easy to live within our comfort zones!
A few years ago, I had a contact in the DR Congo that I was ignoring. He seemed like a great guy, but we were busy in Kenya, and the Congo did not seem to fit into what I had planned and what made 'sense' to me. Besides, the Congo is a far more difficult environment than Kenya!
But, then I was nudged in a very clear way.
Brooks writes about being 3 blocks away when the bombing in Nairobi took place that killed one and left 38 injured:
Most of the time there are days like today when I know God’s beside me…guarding, watching, loving…whether I acknowledge His presence or not…that He simply is. Today is our last day in Kenya and Roger agreed to ride the “City Hoppa” bus line with me to City Center to do some shopping.
After finding trinkets only a tourist could treasure, we decided to look for a restaurant where he had eaten before. After wandering around bustling downtown Nairobi for awhile, we gave up our search and settled for African-oriental food…don’t even ask! Afterwards we headed to the central city bus stop but there were hundreds of people in the streets where before lunch, there had only been the usual crowd. Oblivious, thinking this was the lunch time crowd, we searched the lined-up buses for one going in our direction.
Just then a Ugandan man came up to us and wanted to know if we knew what had just happened. He told us that there had been a bomb blast in a building not too far from us where once again Al Shabaab, the terrorist group wanting to pay Kenya back for their help in Somalia, had attacked. We hastily climbed aboard our loaded-down bus with many people wanting to get out of the city and joined others trying to assimilate what had just happened.
Completely clueless to any possible dangers, we meander through our lives. Once in a while we get to know how and when God has acted on our behalf. Often we get to see him administer miracles. I’m convinced all of the time, He does know how much we can bear and He is always for us. We head home today grateful, healthy, inspired, happy, fulfilled and content.
Believe me when I say, we do not take your prayers and faith for granted!
“My life as a Muslim was hopeless. Then one day Angel came, listened to me explain about my life. She explained to me who Jesus Christ is and that He has the gift of peace and joy for me. I began to understand that without Christ my life will never get any better.”
This is the story we heard over and over again from women in Eastern DR Congo. One woman (Angel) is intentional about her faith, passionate about her country, desperate to see women who sit in oppression lifted up. The results are staggering.
“Life was very bad. We had no money; no food. Now I know Christ; I learn truth from the Bible. I have learned how to run a small business selling matches. My life has changed.”
Riziki comes for training twice a week where 50-100 women share their testimonies, discuss the Word of God, receive training in parenting, hygiene, marriage, budgeting, farming, dying cloth. One hundred women were sitting in a fog of darkness and no way out less than a year ago. Today the laugh, work hard, have skills to live fully today with hope for tomorrow.
You equipped us with many prayers and words which undergirded the training among church planters this past month. It was amazing!
Throughout our trip, we shared what you sent with us and the response was overwhelming.
More importantly, we are seeing new strategies and new geographic areas emerge. Here are some highlights:
With your help new churches are bringing hope in a city slum area. Just to give you background, here is a… day in the life of a slum-child:
Sharon’s day begins early as she gets herself ready to walk to grade school. As soon as classes end she must then hurry home where her mother has prepared sweet bread for her to take into the streets to sell for needed income.
Sharon quickly changes clothes, slings a dirty bag over her shoulder to carry water in, and grabs the tray of bread wrapped in paper and stacked high. She rushes to the city center where she will illegally hawk her wares dodging in and out of the commuters stuck in traffic.
“By the time I get to Nyayo Stadium roundabout, it’s past 6:30 pm, so I get to work immediately,” she says. “When the traffic clears, it’s past 9:00 pm. My older brother looks for me at that hour and we start heading home.”
Exhausted when she gets to her small home, she does her chores then drops into bed. Tomorrow will be the same.
Note: Your prayers during May as we travel are so appreciated! You can follow our travels at our Travel Blog!
